My friends had many great experience at Woody’s PRIOR to tonight. We were all going to celebrate with my pharmacy coworkers for a birthday. We previously went to a bar beforehand and the bouncer at the door questioned the birthday’s girl ID. Mind you she’s 23. Not only that, but they were extremely rude and picked on our friend who didn’t even drink that night. She stepped on the sidewalk and the man demanded her to step down. So of course she reacted like “woah okay then”. Immediately the man accused her of being too drunk and too tipsy. Again she did NOT drink that night and if they are so certain then why didn’t they bring out a breathalyzer? She was just taking a simple step back. I’m disappointed as tonight was supposed to be my first club experience, especially at an LGBT friendly bar. Obviously the security has issues as I’m not the only person complaining. We were welcomed at other bars and clubs without questioning and having our IDs scanned and checked. It’s a shame especially some of our friends in front of us had already paid but had to walk out due to them refusing to let my friend in. But after telling us to move, they had no issue letting drugies behind us going inside. Hypocritical. I expected the place to be a safe space and non threatening but my first impression definitely makes me not want to return.
I really didn’t want to write a bad review but I honestly feel like I have to because it needs to be said. First of all I will say that this bar has drastically changed so much since I was in my early 20s. Is this even a gay bar anymore? Why call it a gay bar if if the majority of the customers are now straight? They automatically charge you $20 bucks when you walk in the door for a bracelet to enter the dance floor even if your not trying to go up stairs to dance. That is absolutely ridiculous to me! Another thing is the atmosphere has become so ghetto and mixed up you don’t know what’s whats or who’s who. Back in the day like 10-15 years ago the bartenders were sexy gay men catering to gay male customers. Now that’s not the case anymore and it’s become this weird mixed crowd with ghetto vibes and a lackluster dance floor with no male strippers that used to serve shots. What a total disappointment this place has become. It’s really sad to see…
Had a good experience with the staff. Drinks were fine but it was $16 for a vodka cran. This was barely a gay bar. Obviously they can’t kick people out for being straight but nothing about it communicated that it was a space that put queer people at the top of their priorities. Even the DJs were straight (could tell by their music). Every 10 minutes you were blinded in a smoke cloud. Id only go again if a really really good friend INSISTED but it wouldn’t be my pick. It has potential to be a really great space with spacious dance floor.
AVOID THIS BAR AT ALL COSTS. My friend was SA’d and immediately informed the bouncer to which the bouncer kicked my friend out. The bouncer told my friend that they were a liar bc they saw my friend and that person dancing. The bouncer then said “you either call the cops or apologize to them, (the assaulter.) and kicked my friend out (the bar was closing so I assume that they didn’t want to deal with the situation.) but this is NOT the way to handle a situation with SA. The assaulter was a cis-man and verbally harassed my friend asking what type of genitalia they have before physically assaulting them. Please avoid this bar! They do not prioritize safety for Queer individuals.
Bartender is rude. He poured a drink watch it run out of the system so it was overly sweet. I asked for a remake because the juice was running out when poured. The Bartender replied he couldn’t remake the drink as if it was my problem. He was he fault for pouring the last drips of cranbury needless to say it was are only and last drink here. African American make working at 6pm first floor bar. Very rude. We have other bar options we will certainly utilize.
Xenophobia! They didn’t let a Brazilian friend get in neither me, as Portuguese. He said Brazilians and Portuguese were not accepted. I have never experienced that in any European country, it is sad to see this happening when I came to my best friend wedding and talking so many good things about Philly. Good that Woodys does not represent Philly and it is clear by the grade.Before the replies, I read the law and anyone with passport should be accepted.
I had a great time there when I was traveling for work. However, I’ve had an issue with billing and getting a receipt emailed to me. I’ve called three times and have emailed them without a single response. It’s been more than a month now since I’ve been trying to get into contact with them.
Campbell Soup is glad all taylor swift dreams are coming true for her. That is what she planned! If anyone feels like asking the real reason for I hate steven singer billboards, please feel free to ask me! im sure one can find my number..lol. SORRY I HAVENt been treated so great if one can tell!I been here through the years from 95 and on. last time was 2017 so far. Enjoyed every visit. Hang on there. there is hope for you al!Joseph Campbell Company
I usually don’t leave reviews, but the owner or whoever needs to get better security and it’s clear from all these reviews. Woodys security beat my friend in a hospital. Regardless of what y’all physically punching on customers is disgusting. Y’all know people come there to have a good time and get drunk, now yes of course sometimes security has to be forceful. To punch someone repeatedly someone needs to be fired and charged. We got pics of my friend face like yall really need to do better.
Ah, Woodys. Recommended by our Lyft driver for one of the top Gay bars/clubs in Philly! Im so glad we took her word for it because my friends & I had a great time. Located in the Gayborhood of downtown Philly, get ready for some fun. Regardless if youre preference, everyone is welcomed here. It was a mixed crowd! The dancing, music, and atmosphere was great.You walk up to the door and of course, security is going to check your ID & make sure youre not packing. Then you pay a cover charge. On Saturday night when we went, it was $10. . then Sunday it was $5. They take cash and card!When you walk in, you see the main bar. Its surrounded by different tvs that are show music videos. Then you go towards the stairs and at this time, the Rosebar was open. I was annoyed at the Rosebar (even if its not officially apart of Woodys) because they only had one bartender. .anyway. There was a small club with all white and different shade bulbs that set a cute mood. Then when you go upstairs theres a main floor. This area has lots of flashing lights and lasers! So cool. I really felt like a I was in the Yeah video by Usher Lol. Then theres a room for hiphop and .. they had a pole. so wont say I got on it .. but. . ANYWAY again. Each room has a bar so you cant go thirsty. Every room has a bomb DJ, so you wont be bored.Loved this place and will def be back. Staff and people attending were friendly. Security was all around the building too! Highly recommend!
Got “wanded” to get in the door as if I were a thug then my vodka and soda cost more than any price I’ve paid in NYC. The drink was weak. Place was tragically empty. How is this place an institution? Very disappointing. The server was nice though.
We went to Woodys on a night out while visiting Philly and absolutely hated every second of it. They play the same music over and over again. My friend and I (females) used the same stall to save time and the security guard (male) looked into our stall and then kicked us out because we used the same stall. I asked him what we did wrong and he yelled at me and then literally followed us out without telling us what was happening. It ruined our time in Philly. If they had told us beforehand that we couldn’t use the same stall (we understand why) we would have abided by the rules but such a shame.
I am not a fan of pandemic Woodys. We had a couple of beers and we had to order food, which is understable. I get that but what I dont get is why the food was more expensive than the actual drinks themselves? The fruit and yogurt selection and the snack box below also came with a hotdog. Both selections cost $10.25. That is a rip off! You are forced to order food. Be aware.
This is Such a great club. I’ve been going since I’ve been 21 years old and I’m now 29 years old. Surprisingly, I’m shocked I’ve never written a review for this spot before. It is such a great gay club that even straight people come to enjoy the vibe. Its very respectful and unique club. It’s open everyday but best days to go would be any day between Thursday and Saturday nights. However, if you want a chill late night bar, it is a great spot from Sunday nights through Wednesdays. I highly recommend it. Hope you guys enjoy.
OK, the bar/club is nice. It’s pretty but the drinks are too expensive Lucky I only drink white claw and the most I ever paid for white Claw is $6.00 but them Woody charge $11 each and they don’t even hold your card so each time you buy one you have to tip I just learned not to use credit card or debit card at this place Overpricing so ridiculous That’s the reason I go to Woody’s twice or three times a year the most!
Tony is the best person EVER! You’re lucky to meet him and he always takes great care of EVERYONE. WOW
A solid bar that offers a space for all people in the community. Yes, there are a lot of women that do push and get a bit demanding but they should be allowed too.The bar isn’t very large, there is a cover, and they are strict about out of state ids. The drinks are decent and overall it is a long standing gay bar in downtown Philly that is worth a visit (mostly to pre-game) before the place gets way too packed.
I’ll start with this, Woodys is not a gay bar anymore. Its history as a gay location is well known and should be celebrated. During OutFest, it’s a fun bar but on a normal weekend, it’s loaded with straights, mostly women who think it’s fun to go to a gay bar. Also mostly college-aged girls who would probably cringe if they went to an actual gay bar. I had my wallet stolen here so be sure to watch your stuff like a hawk. If it’s not women it’s sketchy dudes. Bathroom lines are actually insane. If you’re gay and looking for a good bar, try Tavern on Camac, U-Bar, Tabu, or Cockatoo. Or if you’re into leather, Bike Stop. Tons of great gay bars in Philly, Woodys just isn’t one.
I would REALLY LIKE to leave a ZERO. But not an OPTION. MY ONLY option is to NEVER GO BACK AGAIN , and to write this TRUETHFUL REVIEW. I am from another state , and went to Woodys ( first time ever) new years day 2024. I had a espresso martini, was so nice. I flew back up especially to go to Woodys again a week later. Went to the bar asked for a special martini bartender said no dont have. I proceeded as her Baileys No dont have. My friend who is a season manager in the hospitality industry would not accept this type of response from the employee behind the bar. Diligently tried to find the manager upon success the manager had a bad attitude also. We at that point understood that this bar is the worst in Philadelphia In fact probably in the entire state of Pennsylvania. Will never go back again and trust me as a flight attendant I travel the world. I want you all to know if youre gay dont even attempt to go there theyre nasty. And DO NOT DESERVE OUR SUPPORT. SPEAK WITH YOUR WALLET DO NOT SUPPORT TH. . GO TO U BAR or
Woodys is off my list. Overcharging me, not offering ANY food during happy hour, and refusing to allow you to bring any food in, even when its dead during happy hour...Outdoor seating and draft beer list are nice, but drinks are overpriced. The dancefloor is also fun on weekend nights, but the $10 cover and expensive drinks are quite discouraging.Take your business elsewhere. Other gay bars will actually appreciate your business.Update 9/1/17 (reduction from 2🌟 to 1🌟): I made the mistake of visiting again around 8:30 pm on a Friday evening. There were probably 30 people in the bar (large bar area so pretty sparse). At 8:45 pm, the bouncer came up to me sitting at the bar and told me he had to take away my seat (and all the seats, but others were still seated when we left shortly after). This bar seriously has no concept of customer service and valuing the customer.
First time I was in Woodys in 10 years yesterday, 01/12/2024. What a disappointment! This isnt a gay bar anymore. Woodys shouldnt even fly the rainbow flags now. Filled with drunken, obnoxious straight people. Who needs that? Why do straight men-wink, wink-go to a gay bar and then get upset when a gay man mistakes him for gay and chats him up? One guy I watched had a ridiculous overreaction because of this. Dude, get over yourself, you werent even physically attractive, had NO personality and were disgracefully drunk. You should be flattered ANYONE finds you appealing! Yes, I suppose integration with straights has its merits. But there are times, as a gay man, I get tired of the constant exposure to the straight world. For at least a brief period of time I want to be with MY people. It is sad to see whats become of Woodys. I wont be back and will not recommend to others.
This is no longer a gay bar. This is a straight bar. There are so many straight people here and the atmosphere has shifted to cater to them. Even the bouncers make me feel like it’s a straight bar. Preferential treatment to girls, making me feel not welcomed. It’s such a shame.Yes, queer spaces are safe places for everyone. However, they are no longer queer spaces when they are the minority and the venue shifts away from them.
If I could give this place 0 stars I would, and upon further review I wish I’d seen all the comments about how racist and xenophobic especially the bouncers are. I went to this bar with a group of friends, and one of our last in the group tried to get in with her international ID (which had never been an issue anywhere else in the US) the bouncers were extremely disrespectful, rude and mocking to my friend, even going as far as laughing at her. Then when my friends and I who had literally just gotten in wanted a refund of their very high cover charge so we could go somewhere else they refused. Not worth coming here. Overpriced and horrible management.
A $10 cover for a bar on a Thursday night? No thanks. Woodys has gotten a little big for its britches. First, the joint doesnt open until 7pm, ID is required and then, laughably, they expect customers to pony up a ten spot... when the Gayborhood is packed with fab fun destinations. You lose!
I came here and initially enjoyed it. We went to request a song from the DJ (DJ PRICE) who was rude and condescending. I went up to him to try and at least reconcile with him after he excused me to the bathrooms around the corner during the first attempt. This time after I told him that how he made me feel as a customer he told me “ok”. After that, I knew that this wasn’t his first time making a customer feel this way. I’ve dealt with MANY DJs around the WORLD and none were never too busy to take a request. Not sure if it was because it was I was black or gay but I will never feel welcomed in this place that they say is supposed to be feel as such. and check out the great photo of him mocking me…
I was at woodys for not even twenty minutes before my phone was stolen out of bag. The security guards and bartenders were very sympathetic but it is pathetic how unwilling management was to actual help.
Cinco de mayo bar crawl was lit they need to sale food atleast wings & friesI love going here glow bar nice & upstairs hip hop room 🙌🏾
Its fine for a quick night out. every time ive gone, however, the staff have been incredibly rude.1/25/24- Switching from 2 stars to 1. When your club is the worst in the city, youd think theyd do a massive overhaul of their staff. Yet somehow, the service has gotten worse. Dont go here.
Do not give this bar your patronage. Extremely racist and xenophobic. After the majority of our group payed their ridiculous cover charge, they stopped our last friend from entering as they did not accept her foreign ID, which had never been a problem at any other bar or club in the US. They were disrespectful, rude, and mocked her. When we asked for a refund as we had just entered, they refused. And inside, it was a subpar experience. Not worth it, and not worth supporting a xenophobic and racist business. 0 stars
When straight girls take over a gay bar and the owners sell out turning it into a gay themed breeder bar. Not worth it. $20 cover, rude TSA level security, and expensive drinks. Better off taking Amtrak to NYC.
$40 for a double Tito’s Red Bull is ridiculous. $16 for one shot of Tito’s is absurd and weak pours. Got two doubles and spent $80. Will never go back. Should warn before ordering overpriced, pathetic drinks. Avoid!! Would leave zero stars if I could. Go to Bar up the road instead! Better drinks and atmosphere.
Watch your phone the whole time because mine got stolen this weekend. This was my first time ever coming here and within an hour or 2 my phone was completely missing, and I have NEVER once lost my belongings. Bar staff was no help when I asked if anyone returned a phone to them, they didn’t even bother to look. They claim they care about customers lost items when they clearly don’t. Unfortunately this isn’t the first review about other people’s phones being taken. Terrible bar, go ANYWHERE else in Philly.
Pretty boring, advertised as no cover yet $10 to chill in a “gay” bar, and $34 for two shots. Dance floors mostly empty. Had straight men lurking around being creepy, asking even creepier questions.
Would not accept our UK (British) driving licences unless we give them “20 other reasons” to do so?! Can’t recommend!
This place is so sad! Went here for years but every time I go back now something turns me away. Tonight there were 12 in our party and got turned away because the bouncers attitude. Never again
I did not go but its not the first time I hear pples cell phones being stolen and my wife went last night June 2 and her phone was stolen out her bag and debit card not cool
Used to be a fun place to go with friends before covid. Now, it’s not so great. A little ridiculous that they make every single person order a full sized meal in addition to their drink purchase. You can’t order a side, like a basket of fries or anything. Their food really is not good, so that is disappointing.
Changed my review. First time leaving this club because of how bad it got. Expensive drinks, cover. The many straight guys and gals that go tho however kills the whole gay club thing. You know it’s bad when you gotta “look” for the gays in a gay club!? Smh
I felt like a felony when trying to enter. The bouncer had the attitude of a solider drunk with the little power he has. Felt violated when he checking me over to enter. As a Black male, I didn’t feel welcome at all. Very cold. Will not be here at this place ever again !!
A gay themed bar. Not a single gay person in that bar. Routinely lied about cover charge multiple times when cover was advertised as zero we were charged $55 per person and another time was charged $30. Absolutely horrible i wouldn’t recommend. Atmosphere was nice though
This was the best gay bar in Philly for decades. Now it’s overrun with wasted straight kids who turned 21 about five minutes ago. It’s a giant club and I’m pretty sure my friend and I were two of the like half-dozen queer people in the place. It used to be for us, now it’s emphatically not. Plus they charge an exorbitant $20 cover so you can buy $16 well drinks once inside and dance to “Starships” like gtfooooo.
Rude, racist and xenophobic. This is the first establishment in this country that didnt accept my bilingual drivers license as my ID. I had to go back to the hotel to get my passport and when I returned the security guards groped my body all over for a security check. When I entered they asked me for a $10 cover because it was after 9. I tried to explain that I was here earlier and had to go back because they didnt accept my ID, but they didnt budge. They didnt even let me get in to tell my friends about this situation. It was only when my WHITE friend complained that they were willing to let us in. Racism.
While strolling by the bar, a girl complimented my attire. Suddenly, a security guard forcefully pushed me without warning, causing me to stumble. Confused, I inquired about their aggressive behavior, to which they mentioned a warning to stay away from the wall. Another security guard chimed in, claiming that I had been warned. Frustrated and not comprehending the situation, I insisted that they not touch me without consent. It took the apology of the first security guard for me to step away. I understand people may be inebriated, but I was not, and I strongly dislike being touched without permission, especially pushed forcefully without any prior notice. Its imperative that security personnel receive proper training, as such actions can be considered assault when theres no apparent reason for the physical contact.
Wow. Was here years ago. Come to Philly 5 to 10 times a year. I have avoided this place because of all I heard about how it is “not a gay bar” anymore. The bouncer thing is extreme. It’s like TSA. No other in the city does this. Why? Maybe we let in too many straights. Lol. The big pet peeve is the drink prices. I came on a Wednesday night. Just got a rail vodka and soda. Splash of cran. $14. What. What. This place is def not worth that. And yes. Straights everywhere. Which isn’t a bad thing but with the prices. Lol. Never again. Can go soooooooo many other places and have the same if not better experience for half the price for a cocktail. Good job Woodys. Profit over standing for us
Sad, rude, expensive, empty gay club. Do not recommend it. Bouncer would not let me in because of my nationality, even though I was there before. At midnight was still empty. Expensive cover charge, overpriced drinks that are mostly juice. I think you will be better off staying home than going here.
As an LGBTQIA individual I have been here a fews times in my trips to Philly! I actually had a decent time with friends when we were there. I like the food, cant beat bar grub and the music was ok. I wouldnt go back though unfortunately. I didnt feel welcome when I went and it just wasnt the experience I was looking for. The cover charge is really a lot and overall without it, it might actually be worth it? 44/100 check it out but you might regret it.
Be careful with your phones! Phone theft occurs frequently and they dont seem to care or want to do anything to prevent this from happening.
So if you’re visiting from out of state woody’s is not the bar for you. I tried asking for a request I was rerouted to another dj who waved me off without listening to my request regardless if it was his/her genre at all. High priced drinks and garbage music without requests are expected. They will play 30 mins of music you won’t like and at that point you’re better off heading to another bar.
Kicked out by security in less then an hour there, The bartender upstairs in the back room accused someone in my group for throwing a drink at her, had no other transaction then one order of drinks that we didn’t even finish before getting kicked out, asked them to look at the security footage to prove our statement but they didn’t try just trash and aggressive service.We went to Tango had much better service and a bartender that was in a much better mood helped us have a fun night with better security as well. Won’t be back to little woodys 🥱
Bartender threatened to kick me out because she feels entitled enough to cut the whole line for the bathroom and didn’t like that I said something.
First time here visiting from FL. I like the atmosphere & the bartenders are very friendly. I just wish they had either a dance floor or drag shows?! This would keep things even more entertaining vs just music videos. I’m cool with that too, but I have that at home! Ijs it was fun tho
My friends and I frequented Woody’s during our recent trip to Philly.The doormen left something to be desired. They were definitely enjoying their power trips.While we had a good time dancing and enjoyed the crowd I was quite dismayed upon my return home to find a charge of $72 for 4 shots of their WELL tequila.That’s $18 per shot! Pahlease…They don’t even charge that in my city by the bay.After exchanging several emails I finally get a simple reply saying that is the correct price which is NOT what the bartender told me nor what the receipt showed. Fair warning.Woody and/or his employees are crooks!
DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ESTABLISHMENT UNLESS YOU want to get assaulted and the business will not do the right thing and turn over the video surveillance or scanned ID info to the authorities. My cousin was badly beaten in the eye and had to have surgery. Assaulted by a white male. Woody’s you need to do the right thing
Would not recommend. $20 cover. I spent $78 on four drinks, one of which was a bud light. Two of the drinks were green tea shots, which tasted like juice. The drinks were ver weak, as the bartenders used a stopper. Would not recommend. Take your business to another bar
Karaoke was pretty fun and the service was attentive and friendly.
Be aware of this location! DO NOT GO WITH A PURSE! They will pickpocket your purse without you even realizing it. It happened to my daughter this past weekend Saturday/Sunday night…her phone was stolen within 10 minutes of her checking her purse for her phone. When you call this establishment you can’t even speak with anyone…for lost and found you have to fill out a form online. It seems pretty suspicious to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s an inside job that they pickpocket!!!
Basically a straight bar. They dont care about catering to the LGBT community anymore. Its all about those bachelorette parties.
Like Outback is a American restaurant with an Australian theme, Woody’s is a straight bar with a gay theme. Pricey!!
The guardians were racist towards us(We are Turkish and we were a group of 6) and didnt let us in because they had some problems with Georgian people before... Imagine having this treatment in 2023. Not allowing people because of their color, nationality or race is never okay. This was the first racism act ive had in The U.S, so definetely an unforgettable memory.
2 bud lights and a shot of tequila…36 bucks. A bit excessive I’d say….I don’t recommend this toilet unless you’re using a stolen credit card!
I absolutely love this club! There are three different rooms with different vibes. Drinks are expensive but worth the experience, everyone was very welcoming. Me and my friends came here for a weekend and went every single day. I highly recommend this club to anyone
I had an amazing time.There was a cover charge (expected).Drinks are expensive compared to my city, but wherever I travel to is like that.Club was amazingSome bartenders were friendly, and some need a class on customer service.It wasnt overall bad service though only 1 or 2.Bouncer lets us up to what surprised the hell out of me. It had many dance vibes. I went to hip hop and it was cranking.I had an amazing time dancing non stop.I got so many compliments and attention.I laughed and smiled and drank the whole time.Im going back soon as the weather breaks.
The security guard threw my cousin to the ground for no reason. There was a man in another bar that we went to who told my cousin he had a gun on him and the security took the situation seriously and kicked the man out at that bar. He also thanked my cousin. At Woodys my cousin noticed the same guy and tried to warn the security and we ended up getting kicked out by a rude man and woman (both security) they did nothing about it. The man was the guy who threw my cousin onto the pavement he said he was in his face touching the door but all he was trying to do was lean in and talk over the crowd. Id never go to this place again. Rude staff all around.
Bartender was intoxicated and charged me for drinks but never gave them to me. When I said something to her she tried kicking me out. I’ve tried calling management multiple times about this incident and no one gets back to me. Not only did they steal money from me and have awful customer service, but overall have various allegations of SA occurring in this establishment. If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Don’t waste your time or money here.
They have the most unprofessional security team. Even the so-called manager of security is probably the worst out of all. He literally followed me and my friends almost 5 blocks to tell people not to let us in because my friend didnt have a ID but a passport. A passport, he kept looking at it like he couldnt believe someone would use a passport, then mocked my friend bc she had that instead of an ID. Thats when I called for management. Then stated it was weird. He made a bigger deal than what it was. We completely felt unsafe & mocked. Highly not recommended. Not sure if they in-house security, but they need to rehire. They are aggressive and power hungry. Very evil energy.
The security guards of this nightclub are really terrible. I went to clubs in all the states, only the security guards of this nightclub are terrible. The security guards of this nightclub see themselves as God. I will never go again.
I Was here on February 11, 2023. I came to woodys with four other people. We got there some time after 10:30. The crazy part was we were not there for even an hour! And I was falsely accused of throwing a drink at a bartender. I was so confused and scared when two aggressive security guards walked up to me and said you need to leave right now you threw a drink at the bartender. Meanwhile I was walking around looking for My brother and my friend and I had two full drinks in both of my hands. I instantly told them no way you guys got the wrong person. They did not care and told me to leave right away. I tried to talk to them and explain to them that they had the wrong person and that they should check their cameras, they refused and did not want to listen. Its so unprofessional here, when I asked to speak with a manager they had me talk to a manager security guy and he did not help whatsoever. Im highly disappointed and upset that this happened and woodys is not cheap and thats how they treat the customers that come to enjoy and spend money here. I even took the extra steps to email woodys administration about the incident and NO REPLY. Woodys is running a really bad business and theyre supposed to be known as the friendly gay bar. I wouldnt be surprised if they get hit with a lawsuit.
Absolutely do not spend your money here. This place deserves to close down and never reopen. They claim theyre a gay bar and yet they dont allow trans people in. These are the worst kinds of people. Dont let them take your money while they hurt our own community.
Agree with comments about racial profiling and becoming more of a venue for hen parties. Haven’t been for 20 years, didn’t manage to get in because ‘non-Americans have to have passports with them, and my husband’s driving license wasn’t enough’. But it felt like security just didn’t want to let my husband in. We are both about 50 years old, and clearly over 21. So why exactly were we turned away?From outside in looked empty inside anyway apart from a large group of girls we could see through the window. And there was nobody else even trying to get in. Having done a tour of the other Philly gay spots, I can say that literally anywhere else is better than Woody’s.
Horrible experience. My friends and I went to Woody’s to celebrate a few of our birthdays. The bouncers turned away my friend, who had a valid foreign ID. They turned him away for the sole reason that it was a foreign ID. At this point, 5-10 of my friends had already paid the $20 cover. They refused to give any of us a refund because “they didn’t know when we came in”.On top of this, the bouncers said they would let our friend in if he came back with a passport. My friend drove all the way home, got the passport, and came back. The bouncers still refused to let him, without a reason.Also, they will not answer their emails or phone, so don’t bother trying to contact them! Woody’s management and security are unreasonable. Not worth the cover.
I used to come here ALL the time befor my kids. Now, after 5 years I. Back and this place is nothing loke it used to be. The drinks are waaaayy overpriced and now you have to pay to even go upstairs. It used to be that you had to bpay to go in the second room. And the drinks are watered down. This place is horrible. This used to be the best place for LGBTQ but now... just horrible.
I sent the following email on 4.1 with no response ever received:Good Afternoon,I want to start by sharing that I am a loyal Woodys patron and have been going to this bar for years. Ive always felt welcomed and at home in the space and protected by the staff and clientele alike.On 3.18.22 I had an incident that has since soured my experience with Woodys and made me hesitate to return. Ive also waited to reach out so that I could process what had happened and allow myself space to understand that I had been mishandled and that I had been in a situation that was invasive and unjust.On 3.18, myself and my friend entered GloBar through the GloBar doors. Its worth noting that the door was open, there was no security outside or inside, and we were able to walk in. Our goal was to use the restroom, have a quick drink, and then stay or go depending on our experience. We walked in and went to the restroom. No one stopped us or spoke with us, however a tall man by the bathroom was pointedly staring at us and he was wearing a black t-shirt so we thought perhaps he was staff. My friend approached and said Hey! Do you need to see our ID or vax card? The gentleman responded You cant come in the way you came in. My friend responded Okay! Should we leave or can we use the restroom first? He said You have to leave and then waved over 2 security guards who started shouting at us.We left through the GloBar door and were promptly stopped by 2 security guards OUTSIDE who said You cant exit this way, go back and go out the other door. So we walked through the hallway between GloBar and the main area of Woodys. We stopped and told the security at that exit that we were asked to leave, and he shook his head and said You cant go out this way. We proceeded to the main area of Woodys and decided to walk into the restroom briefly. The first two security guards came rushing around the corner, slammed the bathroom door on us and grabbed me and my friend and dragged us toward the aforementioned hallway exit. I said repeatedly Please dont touch me, Im not drunk- I havent drank. I just didnt know where to go. They ignored us and instead humiliated, manhandled, and made me question ever returning to my beloved bar again.Im sharing this to offer that as bars reopen and things return to normal,I anticipate similar growing pains in terms of logistics and communication and Im willing and able to extend grace. However, this situation was egregious, inappropriate and embarrassing. I have never been thrown out of a bar, especially sober, and I would hope this experience wouldnt repeat itself.Thank you for taking the time to read this- I appreciate it.
This place is LOTS of fun: great music, great atmosphere, and good (but expensive) drinks. However, NEVER LEAVE YOUR PHONE IN YOUR POCKET EVER WHEN YOU ARE HERE. I have had multiple friends get their phones stolen here via pick-pocketing, and I have heard countless stories of many others. This place is NOTORIOUS for pick pocketers. plz be safe & aware
Having visited 23 plus states, my friend and I have never had an issue using U.K. driving ID to get into bars, however, here, they wanted a passport, and would not accept a digital copy. We felt an element of racial profiling was going on.
Got two phones stolen from our party, and talked to 4 other people who got their phones stolen just last night . Security was rude and even had one laugh at us and shrug. I thought coming here was safe for my friends and I, but I will never come back again.
Visiting Philly I didn’t know the bars so I looked online and found Woody’s. The guy at the door was rude. The people behind the bar were nice and helpful but didn’t wear masks. I’m not sure what the situation is in Philadelphia, but where I come from, bar/restaurant servers and staff must wear masks. Anyway, the bar had no stools so you had to stand. The place had more women than men and out of the few men in the bar, half of them looked like straight men with their partners/wives. I ordered a beer and left before finishing it. I bet this places has seen better days. My experience there was not very good.
Came into woodys tonight, at 9:40 PM the security officer gave 3 woman yellow band an and he did not change them. I asked they said I had to pay $20.00. I was like o I was in the building since 6 Pm buying drinks. I believe if you give one you give to all. I will not be going back to Woodys until they change there rules.
They didn’t let me in because I was too drunk
Came here for Out Fest night, was a ball. Everyone was having a good time and the cover got me and my friend into like five bars. Spent a lot of time downstairs at the main bar with Seth. Honestly, he made the night. Very personable and makes sure the night stays young until 2am.Came to come out, would come back solely for Seth.
FIRST and LAST time going to this place and its honestly a JOKE/INSULT to actual bars and bartenders who care about quality. Upon arrival me and my friend sampled a shot and liked it so we ordered a drink. I was charged literally over $35 yet received 2 VERY, very sugary drinks that taste nothing of alcohol and pure lemonade. I mentioned this to the, bartender who couldnt be bothered to stop texting and kept saying he put 2 shots in despite me WATCHING him pour a 4 second shot!!! I bartended so I humored his lie and asked to speak with the manager since that was his immediate and only response, no apology or offer to fix it. The manager was a young, inexperienced, arrogant man who also did nothing to remedy the situation and said it was $17 TO ADD ANOTHER SHOT and all that atop a $10 cover for GARBAGE SERVICE AND DRINKS!! You arent even giving the right amount in the first drinks and honestly this place should be shut down and reported. By first impression alone, this entire place is TRASH and the manager should humbly find his calling because hospitality isnt it.🗑️
Woodys has been going down hill for some time now. Entry fee, prices of drink, have been going up BUT quality of the drinks, DJ’s, and customer service has been going down! All the new security guards are overly aggressive, extremely rude, and constantly placing their hands on someone unprovoked which is illegal. Very sad since Philadelphia doesn’t have many options of Gay Clubs compared to other cities. Hopefully these comments are actually read by the Owners and they try to fix things because clearly the 3 Star rating have shown where the community stands
I would give it a 5, but CNN on at the bar? Really? Thats not to say I am not a CNN person in the sense I am left leaning, but I also dont watch the news because, well, bias. That said, I go out to have a good time, not to have anger in High-Def in my face. I refuse to frequent an entertainment establishment that broadcasts a news channel. It defeats the purpose of going out and having fun. I KNOW I am not the only person that feels this way, as I have surveyed people while I was there. Even the bartenders didnt want it on.Granted, for the aforementioned reason, we have been not back to Woodys in a few years. Hopefully the owners have wised up and realized that when people are out for a night of fun, they dont need any kind of negativity glaring at them from a big screen TV.EDIT: I actually lowered my rating because of how terse and dismissive the Owner is in response to anyone who has something negative to say.And to anyone who claims to have been robbed or roofied...I hope you did more than write a review. I hope you went to the police. Eventually enough reports will require an inquiry. An inquiry will require cooperation from the owner. The owner appears to be a jagoff. It bodes well that they would most likely be shut down, which in turn could be replaced by a bar that people ACTUALLY enjoy.
Friend got his wallet pickpocketed. Be careful in bathrooms here-some creeps. Drinks are way overpriced. Just be careful and should be fun.Pros-great dance floor, small cover, good place to dance and meet others.
The problem is the charge like a club but the don’t offer the club services. Missing good cocktails, missing wardrobe .
What a horrible place: you pay 20$ cover fee and there’s no coat check! Guess what, people dance with theirs coats on! 🤦🏼♂️
I used to love woodys but heard of a bunch of people getting drugged there recently and was cautious about going back but went last night anyways. Me and about 11 other people I heard got their phones stolen last night (definitely stolen because find my iPhone did not work as it was full battery but immediately turned off by the thief). Will never go back. Also so many straight people like harassing me and my girlfriend. So gross and overpriced.
Celebrating my brothers 21st birthday, we wanted to enjoy food, dance and have some drinks. Our waiter told us once we closed or tab, we could have access to the upstairs part, so we could dance. After we paid our 165.00 tab, we sat there, at our downstairs table, waiting 45 minutes for our pizza, we were told it would be 30 minutes more and that we had to wait. We wanted to dance. The manager was not helpful he said we couldnt go upstairs and wouldnt give us a reason. I tried to ask why and was just pushed away. We were kicked out and remebersed for the pizza, but it was still a waste of time. Such an unfortunate evening.
Usually have a good time here, but my phone and cash were stolen out of my purse this past weekend. My friend also had cash and her ID stolen. When I told management they had no interest in helping and told me they were aware of an increase in recent pick-pocketer’s.. smh. Be careful!
We used to come here all the time as students. I’m 26 years old with a valid NY license and the bouncer at the door (looked like Dwight Schrute from the Office) would not let me in. He was, in brief, just a huge jackass on a power trip, who clearly reveled in being hostile and turning guests away despite multiple attempts at communication. Do not recommend this place because of him, and ended up having a great night at Tabu a block away!
Unable to get in with a valid UK drivers licence, was told I needed my passport as that was an American governed ID. Based off reviews, the bouncers arent trained on foreign IDs and simply cant be bothered. No where does it state on Woodys website that non-American citizens need their passport, very disappointing.
Owners have completely let this place go. What once was a nice GAY bar, is now full of striaght men who love to harass, a security team who has a high and mighty power trip, insanely overpriced drinks, people being followed along w many of many of MANY people being drugged.Woodys owners are very aware of all these allegations yet do nothing. They let their bouncers do whatever they please. They ignore your calls and emails over being drugged.Woodys owners Care more about a profit than the gay community
Woodys used to be a fun and safe place for my friends and I to go too. Recently it’s not what it used to be. The drinks are expensive and people throw up on the dance floor and keep going. If you are thinking about going here I would also recommend getting something to cover your drinks, there are creeps that come to this bar that will attempt to drug you. It has happened to a close friend of mine.
Woodys has become very female centric since last time (6 years ago) I was here. All restrooms are mixed. There were hetero guys, wearing chandelier earrings, making out with hetero girls. It was also expensive. $20 to get in on Saturday. The mood was like an elementary school in which gays get to braid their hair and exchange acrylics with their girlfriends. Long gone are the days of hook ups at gay bars. The macho vibe is long dead here.
As a black man, Ive never felt totally comfortable at Woodys. I used to TRY to go in my early 20s until I got RUDE service from a white bartender who basically told me to wait and gave me the dirtiest look in history...I stopped going for YEARS. It used to be kinda fun on Wednesdays when they would have 18 + night. Its changed SO MUCH. Some for better and some for worse. Im reading these reviews and I agree with some of you. It doesnt even seem like a gay club now. Its just a club that happens to be in the gayborhood. The last time I went, I took my straight female co workers and we had fun. I wanted to take them somewhere to dance. Its great for that and thats it. If Im going out by myself, Tabu seems to be the only gay place for me .(the bouncers are friendlier also) Though since theyve moved, I dont feel theyre doing enough with ALL the space they have now.
Last night 4/23/2021 I went to this bar for some drinks. My wallet felt of my pocket and a group of ladies stole it. Another group saw them grab it from the floor. I told security and management and what they told me was they have to catch them themselves for them to be able to do ANYTHING. They kick us out and was trying remove us from the location while they let the ladies walk away like nothing happened. Management really but really need some training because I didn’t feel in anyway that he was doing his job correctly or was trying to fix the issue.
This club has been remodel and change ownership a couple of times. They got rid of dancing platforms, which where a lot of fun! Music is diverse. Bartenders seem friendly. I contacted them over email about a question I had and never got an answer. Not happy about that. But if you drop by this place with enough drinks, you might enjoy it!
My friend from Spain presented two valid EU IDs and a scanned version of her passport and wasn’t let in. Later on we spoke to a young girl who was smoking a cig outside the club and she told us that she was 20 years old and had gotten in with a fake ID. When we spoke to the bouncer and the manager and the owner we were met with condescension. They reiterated PA’s regulations around alcohol and ridiculed us for bringing this evidence (girl let us take a pic of her fake) to them. Such a shame for Woody’s to turn away valid IDs for queer people visiting the states. Mostly a shame for Woody’s to arbitrarily enforce the law. She can’t just be carrying her passport with her visa inside, the consequences of losing that are immense
One of the best club experiences Ive had. The club is designed so that each area feels separate and doesnt interfere with each other. The staff was amazing (except for one guy), they went out of their way to make everyone feel comfortable. The crowd was also very friendly and lively. I would say the only negative was the prices but its a city and I kinda expected that. If I were local I wouldnt come here as my primary spot due to the prices but I would recommend it.
My friend flew to Philly to visit me and had a valid Texas ID, the lady at the door was super rude took her card inside came back and said we don’t accept this. We showed insurance card, student ID, and debit card all clearly from texas. We offered to show her flight information from earlier that day and she just acted like we weren’t there and refused and nobody would bring us the manager. As we were leaving she then made a comment about my friends boots for no reason after ignoring us and refusing to get someone else. Super unprofessional and immature.
Gay themed straight bar. Except they dont even play gay music. That being said, gays from out of town - stop bringing all your disrespectful straight girlfriends into they gay scene.
Just recently visit this bar and It was just a whole lot of disappointment!!! You CANNOT say woody’s as a GAY bar anymore and they should change that online too. It’s an officially a STRAIGHT bar!!! Will might not go there anymore especially with $20 cover charges!😡
Have a soft spot for this place. Met my partner yesteryear at Woody’s on my 36th bday. We’ve been together 19 years. The music is awesome, the drinks are strong and the ambiance is fun
Went last night and really enjoyed it. It was $10 and very worth it. We arrived before midnight so we were at the bar for Midnight Madness, when they give free shots! That was really great. We enjoyed the crowd being diverse and we loved the upstairs hip-hop room.
I was here in November 2015 visiting from the UK and absolutely loved the place. Great atmosphere and friendly clientele and bartenders. The only issue I had was with the bouncers / security guards because I had a British driving licence as ID (Id left my UK passport at my friends flat) and they understandably werent sure if it was real, in other words they werent familiar with British driving licence IDs. Next time Ill take my passport with me. ;)
I shared my experience on Yelp and I believe it is important that I post it here as well- I went to woodys about two weeks ago and I was unfortunately drugged. One second I am in the upstairs area completely aware of my surroundings and the next thing I know I wake up hours later with no memory of the night. This was after having 1 drink. Ive attempted to call woodys and no one has picked up. Ive left more than 1 voicemail asking to talk to the manager or review the footage of the night and have been waiting to review them to give them time to respond to me and help me get justice or whatever footage I can of the night. Absolute radio silence. Seeing other people come forward about their recent experiences here has only further affirmed that not enough is being done to stop this issue. Be extra careful and make sure to keep an eye out for your friends if you go here, I would hate for what happened to me to happen to anyone else.
I went with some friends Saturday night. It was the best nightclub experience. The music was great everyone had a blast. It was a little pricey to get in ($20) but it was well worth it.
My sister was assaulted here by a WHITE MALE AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING TO HELP. This place is a disgrace. The views speak for itself. We are going to continue to fight for what’s right!
Wonderful music and dancing. My only issue is that i got charged for 4 people when it was literally just me. I didnt even order drinks, and I came home to an 80$ recipt. Please just be aware!
Can’t even think about racism in a LGBTQ+ club! 🇺🇸, The guards didn’t allow to enter due to our race/color, They also didn’t allow to enter few other Indian people.
For some reason, as Im walking into the bar security stopped me saying hes not Vip. Keep in mind my ID was already checked and I was walking into the bar so the security guard that checked me had no problem letting me in. Im waiting there until I asked why I was put aside and a different guy said because Im publicly intoxicated. Im writing this review right after I was told Im intoxicated and I can assure you Im fine. So why was I not allowed in? In addition, the people behind me were absolutely smashed, but they were let in. I was a regular at Woodys, but I wont be coming back after how I was treated.
Racist and rude people. They don’t allow Canadian people enter the club with VALID GOVERNMENT ISSUED DRIVERS LICENSE. Well, you’re not the only bar in Philly. You lost our business. No wonder why you are the only gay establishment in Philly with less than 3 stars. Good luck morons.
Its so so. Being under 21 and going to the college night on Wednesdays was a lot of fun, but once you turn 21 the whole experience just looses its edge. The bar it not fun, the service takes forever, and its unnecessarily expensive. The dance club can be fun, but honestly once you are in a relationship, the appeal goes down. Definitely for singles who are looking to meet someone or just go dancing.
My friend got drugged here last night. please be safe if you come here. every time i come there’s always something going wrong and this was the worst of it all. the music is good but i can’t forgive what happened. thankfully my friend is okay but please be aware!
Stopped in for a quick drink to check it out with three of us. One beer, a double Tanqueray and tonic and Bombay martini was $53. … not sure I’ll be going back
This club is always a good time. There are 3 different main rooms with fun vibes and certain music genres. You can always find the one you like and the drinks arent that expensive at all. The bartenders are usually cool and theres even a smoking spot if you need one. Im Bi af, so Im always open to a good time with guys or girls. Though some of the guys can be a little too much, but what do you expect going to a gay club. I always make sure to enjoy myself and thats what is important. If you want a place to be yourself, free, and not judged; then this is a great place for ya!
Fun atmosphere. Melting pot for so many people, everyone was having a great night. Great music and high energy. So many places to dance but also just sit and enjoy the area. 10/10 will come back again.
I was just there yesterday, Saturday 6/16/18 and I had so much fun. I went with my sister . We had no idea there was an upstairs. Once we went upstairs we stayed upstairs. I like upstairs better , the flow and music were better. The drinks are really good to, it can be a lil pricey. A long island was $13 but man it was strong ! I definitely had a lot of fun and my sister and I will go back... ohh and we are straight but we love our lgbtq community
I really liked Woodys and the last time I went was for my birthday in early March. Tonight we waited way too long for the drinks and there was barely any alcohol in them. I walked away with a $80 tab and am still basically sober after being in the bar for 1.5 hours. Save yourself the annoyance and wait til the bar is fully open again. The current version was all stress no fun very disappointing
My top list bar/ club in Philly! I feel safe, fun, and relax here. The dance floor is huge and the music is loud, which is the best thing with me. Staff is nice and friendly, drinks are affordable.Highly recommended.
“Security” is unprofessional and incompetent, people spitting and starting to vomit on the floor next to security and it gets ignored, security seems homophobic for this being a “gay” bar, saw a baggie of narcotics in plain sight on the floor, just disgusting.
Woodys is not like back in the days pre pandemic. It’s not a Gay Bar no more… y’all should removed the rainbow flags from y’all location. It’s Straight place, music is ok but drinks are really expensive. Sorry but sound like Woodys is all about the money and not customer service.
The drag show was super fun and the Queens were funny and entertaining. The host was particularly funny and entertaining to watch.A couple of things, though:1. Where were the gays? The audience was 97% women. Felt like maybe this wasnt the real drag scene.2. The food was pitiful. We paid $30 extra for the dinner part and it was worth like $10. Oh well.I think the show was great, but skip the dinner.
Best Spot to dance, despite La Invasion de unas chicas blancas que quieren tomar over como su spot. The best part is gay people can be gay people and straights need to find out they are in a Gay spot where gay can be gays, but to the straight people out there stop taking advantage of the drunk girls You can do better, and Girls stop trying to hit on the gays lol believe we aren’t interested on going back to those old times.
Super fun place to visit !! Security is great. Bar tenders try to rip you off all the time . They poor the bare minimum of alcohol and the drinks be like $14 and up. They just removed the dance polls from upstairs so now it’s less fun. Glowbar music is pretty wack because of the music. The spiked slushy is amazing tho!
Gay clubs are great if the staff is friendly and the dancing is good. Woody s, unfortunately, is neither. The staff is extremely intolerant of anything that is against the norm. They know nothing about the beers on their own menu. Getting in is worse than the TSA. Do yourself a favor and go to U Bar or bike stop instead.
I don’t understand this place at all. This is a gay bar. They have only two types of vodka, yet 50 draft beers… umm hello the gays drink vodka! Like how do you not have Tito’s? Why are the drinks so overpriced? Not worth it.
The most RACIST place Ive been. I have gone several times and they have not let me pass with my expired passport. Security officers should be friendly because tourists come to this country to have nice vacations & to have a good time in here not like if they are going to jail. They told me that they couldn’t let me in with the expired passport and they took me out of the line in a bad way when I was explaining them that the VISA (U.S issues this ID) was there and it was not expired. I though they wanted to see the date of birth and not the expiration date. That leaves a lot to say about this “security” staffs. What is funny is that they allowed me in the previous week with the exact same passport... I’m never coming back nor my friends and family!!
Definitely not a gay bar anymore. Just groups of loud & drunk straight girls, celebrating a random birthday, bachelorette, etc.Perfect, if youre guy looking to pick up a girl (and that was happening all over the dancefloor).But if youre looking for a gay night out, go elsewhere.However, still decent drinks and a friendly staff.
CAVE: PASSPORT FOR FOREIGN COUNTRIES NEEDED!!!We were there on a pub crawl - and coudnt enter the location. It was a Philly best of bar crawl and we were not notified about this.THEY DONT ACCEPT foreign IDs or DRIVER LICENSES.
Bought 2 shots of greygoose, and orange and goose to go costs was $55 (not including tip) came back to same globar and ordered just 2 greygoose with orange and the cost went up to $78? Really? $78 for two drinks? Way too expensive and the music was not that hype at all.
Tell your bouncers to keep your hands off people, my girl was walking out the door that clearly marked exit and a bouncer picked her up moved her and said no. I will be getting an attorney involved if you do not remove the bouncer.
I love Woody’s! It’s a bit pricier than most bars but best dance club. If you do Woody’s on the weekend you must do Voyeur! Perfect combo for fun, dancing and a significant dent in your bank acct! Hahaha! But we love!
This place has went to shyt. Don’t go pickpocketers, aggressive arrogant security and management, overpriced drinks lacking alcohol content, majority of the customers are now straight people gays have officially lost this spot. In the 90s as a teen this was the place not anymore. Of course there employees are down voting negative reviews 🤣🤣🤣🤣
No matter how down you may feel or rough week. This place makes up for it all on a Friday night its amazing crowds are huge but still room to party. The dj s upstairs and downstairs are the best in Philly to me. Friendly staff and people. I always leave saying I had a blast. No matter if its 3years ago or last weekend every time its fun.
Really had an bad experience it’s my first time as a tourist in USA and wanted to enter the club to enjoy but bcoz of our color and nationality we could to enter the club bcoz they don’t allow me to enter in
Gay men stay away! As a tourist visiting Philly I was looking for a fun GAY BAR. I get to Woodys (after getting past very rude security who spent far too long staring at my out-of-state ID) to see a bunch of straight WOMEN in the bar. Excuse me, isnt this supposed to be a gay bar? Over half the people in this bar were straight women. No exaggeration, over half! Yes I know everyone should be welcome, but I wouldnt even call it a gay bar. This is a bar for straight drunk college girls (that do not come with their gay friends) that might be friendly to gay men. Having rainbow flags does not make it a gay bar! Seriously, go to iCandy, the ACTUAL gay bar with gay men. And to top it off, their bartenders did not serve in order, but served the people they knew first. I guess visitors are not welcome. Either that or their bartenders are straight and want to serve the girls there. Imagine going to a gay bar to have straight bartenders and a ton of straight female patrons. Think you will be a priority? Unlikely. If you are a gay man, do not come here. Waste of 2 hours.
Dont go to Woodys in Philadelphia. We stood in line waiting patiently for a drink and when it was finally our turn, a white couple walked up and were immediately asked what they wanted. The couple immediately said Oh no, they were here first. The bartender rolls his eyes and says Im serving left to right and tells us that this is the bars policy. We engaged 3 different managers and none of them saw the problem even after everyone who witnessed what happened expressed theor shock and agreement both visibly and audibly. I came to the internet to write a review thinking that would get managements attention, but then was shocked (not really) to see that my experience was not uncommon. Sad. Spend your money elsewhere.
Bouncers are rude, I showed two forms of ID (while sober) and they would not let me in. If you don’t have a Penn licence you have to bring your passport. I would go elsewhere.
Went there to feel safe. Didnt feel safe at all. Drinks were expensive and the DJ they have at Glo Bar was awful. (Nugget or something?) Same lame music. This place has gone downhill.
The worst bar experience I have had since the 80’s manager and bartender were awful ! The manager had really long hair…..
We went to Woodys Saturday night after a nice dinner at El Vez. It was a lot of fun and we had a great time dancing. The dry ice machine is definitely aggressive and shot bits at us and got in my eye BUT the big bummer of the night is that my phone was stolen out of my purse that was a cross body purse. I called the police and they said that they have at least 6 reports of phones being stolen on September 7th/8th as well as reports of phones being stolen on September 2nd. My purse was on my body at all times so someone really sneaky stole it. Be very careful if you go there.
A once gay space completely taken over by straight people.1. Straight women go to a gay bar like this to get drunk safely from creepy straight dudes.2. Straight dudes follow the straight women here to hit on drunken women.3. This is now a gay themed straight bar.
This is not a gay bar, plain and simple. This is simply a club for straight people that happens to be in the gayborhood. It may have been gay at one point, but not now. I was visiting Philly and tried to go here, only to see the inside filled with women, and about 75% of those waiting to get in to be straight women.I see other reviewers echoing this so I know I did not happen to visit on an off weekend. And shame on the owners for trying to dismiss this common concern. There are other gay bars and clubs in Philly that actually are for the LGBT community, specifically gay men, spend your money with those.
Whose idea was it to remodel this place? Its gone from grand to bland. Gone are the gay imagery, the little nooks, the great videos, the cozy atmosphere, the intimacy of the small bar. Why dont you just rename it Bland Sports Bar, Anytown, USA.Stayed for 20 minutes and left. Save your money for someplace worth going to.
Came to the city for a visit and stopped off at Woodys for a drink and to reminisce. How sad that this place isnt the friendly neighborhood bar it used to be. The security guards are rude and pat you down upon entrance, the staff is inattentive and worst of all, its hardly even a gay bar anymore. There are more women than men and there certainly isnt a gay vibe here. If you come to Philly, do yourself a favor and save your money for a bar that still supports the community.
I literally didn’t have a drink all day. The bouncers told me I was too drunk to get in. Iliterally told them the alphabet backward and they still told me I was “too drunk” to get in: this is after my ex is a regular at the bar: I demand a phone call by the owner. If I don’t receive one:::I’ll make it public and local about he gay slander.
Just got done reading the response from owner comments in the past 4 months. Take notice to how they address negative feedback. Their complete lack of apology will give one an idea of the kind of service they will receive.You should consider changing your responses to be a little more professional. You can disagree with someones feedback and still have the professionalism to apologize for their negative experience. It could make or break someone giving the bar/club a second chance.
WAYYY TOOO PRICEYYYY. not worth the price either in my opinion.
Absolutely horrible experience. Was there this past Saturday night- havent been there in months and months. The new remodel sucks big time....The atmosphere of the place has become the new gay douchebag central place....50 year old looking queens wearing tank tops and standing around looking for attention on the first floor. The bar layout is just horrible with the stupid DJ right there playing the worst music videos you could think of....Who came up with the idea to build a ginormous bar and then make sure on one corner it is so tight up against the wall that these fat drag queens cant fit through without making sure you have to bow down to their presence and move out the way. The drinks are overly expensive and weak not like they used to be. There is more of a commercialized feeling not homey anymore....When we left after about a half hour of trying to either get a drink from the freaking bar or trying to dodge every flaming queen and find a spot to stand, you are then approached by the homo-thug crack smoking con artists that patrol around the so-called gayborhood down from their north/west/south philly crackhouse neighborhoods that they live in.....Wont be going to Philly any time soon- absolutely horrendous.....
Arrived to bar and asked bartender for a energy drink and a vodka of whatever will taste good. Didn’t think he’d make a newcomer to the bar a 18.50$ drink. thinking it was some kind of mistake, I contacted management and got a snippy attitude saying “well that’s where I messed up. I got an Red Bull, which was 7$? Apparently. Didn’t know redbulls were over 2$ maybe 5$ max... and a shot of grey goose? Which is 11$. I get that it’s a bar and jacked up prices are expected but 18$ for one drink? that’s topped to the rim with ice? This bar put a sour taste in my mouth about philly. Never again.
This isnt even a gay bar anymore, its full of straight people and rude bartenders.
In town for a few days went here and showed them my non U.S. drivers license and I was refused entry. I was told that I need to have a US ID or a passport from my country. Who the hell walk around with their passports at a club. Strange that the car rental company took it but a gay club do not. Never in my life I have experience this. Thought Philly was an international city. Been to Woodys already in Toronto never had this.
I’m really not a party person, and tend to shy away from bars and clubs, but I absolutely love Woody’s. I went there for the first time on St. Patrick’s day with my friends and we had so much fun that we went back for Cinco de Mayo and plan on going again the day before Philly Pride. The music is awesome, the staff is super friendly, the drinks are good, and the atmosphere is so full of excitement and fun.
Someone needs to nominate them for Bar Rescue, went last night with a group of people, the people who ordered mixed drinks were the only ones who got sick, not sure if there’s mold in their soda gun/ice but something wasn’t right about this place. None of us will be going back
Every time Ive been there in the last year, theyve left me disappointed. Drinks are watery, clientele is sketchy, staff thinks it has better things to do than take care of the customer. This place used to be so great when the Woods Bros owned it, but they sold a few years ago. Go to iCandy down the street (on Locust and 12th) - at least they care about their customers and treat people respectfully.
I love the club. When they used to have 18+ nights Id go every Wednesday night and have a great time with other teens upstairs on the main dance floor. Good music. Fun and interesting people. Great time!
What more can i say about this staple place for the LGBTQ+ ive been elbow rubbing here since i was a teenager. Great drinks great music i love how they have renovated the place over the years. If you ever get a chance to visit philly and need to have a good time this is the place to let your hair down straight or gay come 1 come all. I have been visiting woodys b4 it became 21 to drink when it was 18 to enter and the now latin room was for the 18 yr olds. Im n my 30s now so its been a pretty long time ago
Not a gay bar. Try gay themed. It’s bad when a gay man walks in and feels uncomfortable with all the straight women and men around. Drinks are 10x more expensive than they used to be. Horrible experience try going elsewhere.
Im straight and Ive always had a good time here. Great music: hip hop room has one of the best djs. House needs more techno. Drinks are not weak.
The least fun bar ever. I would never go back. A complete waste of money and time.
There just a few minutes ago. Used to love this place. Live in another state and so disappointed. Disgusting rap music full of n word and profanities. There was 4 other people there. At U bar now. So much better.
Their Bar service was suspect the last 6 months or so, but it is terrible now. I am / was regular. This past Friday I was there and ordered a cheese steak. After 40 minutes, I was asked if I ever got it. I said that I didnt and the barmaid said Oh it must have been deleted when the computers rebooted. Then, stupidly, I went back Saturday. I arrived as the 4th qtr of the Army / Navy game started. When the game end, 30 minutes late, I still have not been waited on at the bar. On a good note, their $5 pizza on Tuesday is great but thats it.
Was turned down at the door along with a crowd of people who sat on the other side of the street. There rude disrespectful staff creates a bad atmosphere for lgbt gay community i used to come there two years ago and man it was always hopping people from all walks of life masc straight men from the getto to rich guys, everyone. Now the atmosphere is drawn out and terrible. They treated me poorly and will you if your a single. Go as a group or face bully bouncers! And ignore the high class look. Its nothing but an illusion. They will try to say no to how bad the staff has become and no to exlusion of minoritys and culture groups but we all no at the end of the day that couldnt be farther from what woodys has become a self serving self destructive powerhouse.
Phillys gayest bar and dance floor! Free to get in to the first floor bar but the expensive drink prices even that out. Usually $10 to go to upstairs dance floor but it is worth it with another bar and 2 big rooms with different dance music! Always a great time!
Not even a gay club anymore. It’s changed over the years to appeal to a new crowd. My fave was Latin night on Thursdays and even that’s changed. Not worth my time going.
I love ❤️! But close very early compared to gay clubs in brazil that close at 6am It should close 4 am we could have more fun! I know there is another one across the street that close later + $20 dollars 💵 and another line to get in ! #Close #4AM please!
Not what it used to be, there are too many straight people there and more lesbians. It used to be mostly all men. But now you have bachelorette parties taking up too much space on the dance floor, drunk lesbians spilling drinks on the floor. And people bumping into you, the last time this happened a girl ran into my husband, making him fall into me and I nearly broke my glasses as well as also being cut on the nose by the frame. The bouncer was rude to my husband when he wanted to check on me in the restroom, saying the restroom was full. It was full of a group of women from one of the previously mentioned bachelorette parties. I miss the days when It was mostly gay men. Now the place is over-gentrified.
The drinks were good, Dj price isn’t the best and hates people requesting songs (replies with a bad attitude and never puts the songs on lol) and the bouncer is crazy all of them are rude here, don’t waist your time coming here.
You’d think security personnel would be aware of the clientele entering a club with LGBT flags flying outside the building, right? Outsourced security means they don’t care about anything but their paycheck. Complained to them about a dude harassing me and my boyfriend and security did nothing about it other than nodding and saying “they’d keep an eye out.” Pathetic response and we promptly left what was supposed to an establishment where we could act as a normal couple. I will say this, their attempts to reach out to PoC LGBT members with the return of vogue knights and other events is commendable, so thank you for that. Weekends are otherwise commercialized LGBT nights that attract college girls and bachelorette parties that will give you weird looks for kissing your samesex partner. I’d recommend other LGBT-focused establishments.
They don’t check vaccine status and no one wears masks despite it being packed from wall to wall. I felt super uncomfortable and I’m actually vaccinated. Lots of hets. Go here at your at your own risk.
I mean this is the worst customer experience I’ve ever experienced. It’s like they hire convicts for employees. The temper of these people is sick. If I could give this place -10 I would! horrrrrrible customer service, I’ve gotten called “bitches “; “hoes” it was disgusting. If you’re from out of town DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME
Wow, this is SAD. Cool place, neat decor , but alas dear gay party people, Woodys is NOT gay! As an older gay dude I know what I am talking about! Gone are the cute fellas and flirty atmosphere! Ugh, now there are bachelorette parties, straight circle dancing ( some of you know what I mean), straight poser city. Not cool, nope, not at all.I wonder if they grew too successful on the backs, (sorry, no pun really!), of our community and went straight, or to be fair perhaps they are just responding to the changing bar scene and are going where the money is.Whatever the case, gay guys go somewhere else, and Woodys needs to stop advertising itself as a gay bar!!!I used to go there back in the day, like 15 years ago, and this incarnation aint the same and it AINT gay!
The doorman doesnt allow to enter with foreigners ID, they ask for passport. Bad welcome for tourists. I understand is the law but never tourists use to go for a drink with passport. You need to advertise this in the website.
Went up to bartender bc drinks weren’t right. Asked for plain coke and told him it wasn’t right. Coke syrup ran dry and bartender said I might have to pay for 2 new dbl captn n cokes. He said try adding new coke but it was still bad. He replaced them free afterward... good he did at the $20/drink price! But still, offer new ones. Don’t recommend
Woody’s bar, proudly announcing itself through its number gay flags, is one of the original staples of Philadelphia’s “gayborhood.” It is definitely the number one place to be when visiting this area. Whether you’re straight, L,G,B,T, or Q, Woody’s offers a traditional bar and coffee lounge, and also a full menu, making it very popular for a quick lunch. The best part of Woody’s lies in its dance floor. It is a great place to have incredibly fun night and even has “18 and over” nights every Wednesday. It’s a “must-not-miss” on every person’s trip to Philly!
Me and another girl in my group at this club got roofied here back in 2022. They just dragged us out instead of providing assistance even though one of us fell flat on our face.
20 bucks to get in the door, 2 hour wait for food, 16 bucks for a shot. Atmosphere was ok, but wouldnt justify returning.
The security is ridiculous. I brought a friend from Mississippi. He wasnt allowed in because his ID seemed fake. The litmus test to get in was memorizing the drivers license number (do you know yours?) and high school name (is that on yours?). The people in line behind us were laughing at the stupidity of the bouncers.
Everytime I go to woodys I leave all smiles because I get to be myself and dance all night without feeling judged or looked at funny. Also almost everytime I go there one of my friends gets me to get up on the pole and do my thing! I wind up always being cheered on by the crowd, I always have the best experience and the employees are always friendly and helpful and couldnt be more hospitable. Eveytime my friends come from out of town I bring them there to get the REAL PHILLY LGBT nightlife experience. My friends are coming in from Orlando, FL tomorrow and we will be there ! 💪🏼👯💞💦
Woodys is a great stop if you’re out and about. It can be too crowded on the weekends and getting drinks can be difficult. But it is a really nice place that is gay and definitely straight friendly.
Great bar and fun time, but the lights upstairs really bothered my head! If you are down for a rave, upstairs is where you want to be, otherwise stick to the downstairs. The music selection here is on-point!
Advertised on Halloween as no cover all night and then charging $15 at the door? Typical of Woodys to bait and switch
While I have been to Woodys and had wonderful experienced this last time was horrendous. After moving to DC recently I received a temporary REAL ID and Woodys would not accept it as a legal documentation of ID. This is the only form of documentation that I have. I find it funny that law enforcement and government agencies allow this ID, but not Woodys. Will not be going back.
Past few times there have been ok, but this place is going downhill. I like dancing here sometimes. Nights here are a hit or miss, depending on the crowd. BEWARE: Some security employees are unprofessional & rude.
We tried to enter the bar and when we showed them our European (British driving licence) identifications, the bouncer looked at them, then at us and said what the hell is this, after explaining we were not from America. He denied us entry, stating this is America. After we insisted and explained that this is the only identification we have, he told us he refuses to accept any foregien ID... As non-American it is simply impossible to provide American issued ID. We were shocked by the rudness, the racist undertones by stating youre in America guys and his blunt, unapologetic behaviour. This was the first time our ID had been refused in the US.
Do not go to this bar. There is a very strong history of being drugged and robbed and it seems like nothing is being done about it. Read the other reviews, it’s a huge problem at this bar.
Not a gay bar, not a safe place… roofieing by bartenders and patrons is out of control, security is abusive, clientele is trashy. Don’t waste your time or money.
This is quite possibly the most racist gay bar EVER. They treat black and brown people like pure garbage. Im so happy that the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations has stepped in. Hopefully, theyll be fined for their behavior. Ill NEVER patronize this place again.
I have welts ALL OVER my body from the dry ice machine! Whole pieces of dry ice fell on me and in my clothes and burned me!! Im in so much pain and really hope these burns dont scar! I have pictures to prove it and do NOT recommend going! Be safe!
Went there sober, had 1 shot and 1 beer (that were very expensive) and next thing I know I am in the emergency room with no clue how I got there. Thank God for having my wife and good Samaritans that got me in an ambulance.
Good music great vibes but....my last experience was exactly thst my last. I went to the bar ordered a drink the bartender told me no handled other customers i waited patiently got his rude ass attention again ordered he made my drink, gave me one receipt put it in a puddle of water!!! Didnt care im having the time of my life he obviously miserable two days later i check my account tht ass tipped himself i i called to complain they did NOTHING ill go be gay somewhere else not worth it
Good music & diversity. But they dilute their liquor bottles and then overcharge you for water liquor. They then refuse to refund or fix drink. Will be filing a complaint with BBB.
Ive always had a blast and had great service as far as the bar! Its always crowded or Im super hammered so i have never even known that they served food,lol....oh yea and they have 98 cent drinks on sun,i think,i forget what day it is like i said i get hammered ecery time Im here.
What used to be a somewhat fun place is now overcrowded, overly expensive ($10 cover is now the whole venue and not just upstairs), and has lost the vibe that it once had as part of the Gayborhood. Not necessarily a bad place, but not somewhere I go anymore.
This place is ahmazing. It has fine people, strong drinks, and absurdly lit moments. 10/10 would definitely go again.
The bouncers here are insane. Had a bouncer grab me by my throat for trying to leave the bar. Litterally just leaving. Didnt cause any problems. grabs me by my throat asks me what Im doing. Told him Im leaving. What a joke.
- Address:202 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107, United States
- Site:http://www.woodysbar.com/
- Phone:+1 215-545-1893
- Monday:9 PM–2 AM
- Tuesday:9 PM–2 AM
- Wednesday:9 PM–2 AM
- Thursday:7 PM–2 AM
- Friday:7 PM–2 AM
- Saturday:7 PM–2 AM
- Sunday:7 PM–2 AM
- Identifies as LGBTQ+ owned:Yes
- Delivery:No
- Takeaway:No
- Fast service:Yes
- Great beer selection:Yes
- Great cocktails:Yes
- Karaoke:Yes
- Wheelchair-accessible car park:No
- Alcohol:Yes
- Beer:Yes
- Cocktails:Yes
- Dancing:Yes
- Food:Yes
- Food at bar:Yes
- Happy-hour drinks:Yes
- Happy-hour food:Yes
- Spirits:Yes
- Wine:Yes
- Toilets:Yes
- Casual:Yes
- Trendy:Yes
- Groups:Yes
- Tourists:Yes
- Accepts reservations:No
- Credit cards:Yes
- Debit cards:Yes
- NFC mobile payments:Yes
- Credit cards:Yes
- Paid street parking:Yes
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