Howl at the Moon

I win a happy hour here at least once a month and those are the only times I will go here. I guess the whole idea of the bar is what I don’t like, which isn’t totally fair to the place. But it’s a dualing piano bar, meaning there are two pianos and folks play top hits or whatever is requested. Musicians are okay, but very loud. Don’t expect to speak to people while here because you won’t be able to hear anything.
When I win a happy hour, first drink is free and there is a buffet. I go and get my free drink and eat at the buffet and leave. Sorry, but when you offer me free stuff it doesn’t encourage me to pay for extra stuff. The food is good here, and it’s a good idea to have food because everyone gets pretty drunk. If you come on the weekend prepare for a very bro scene. The drink specials aren’t anything to write home about, especially when you’re so close to really cheap bars. Like I said, I only come here when I get free stuff.

This place has been my office’s go-​to post-​holiday party bar for quite some time now. Why? I do not know. I’ve tried convincing them to step out of their comfort zone and go somewhere else, but they always put the kibash on that.
Here’s how I feel about this place (and I can’t comment on cover, coat check or drink prices, since it’s on the company card, so bear with me):
The set-​up of this place is very odd, what with two separate bars that are only ten feet away from each other and a dance floor right in front that blocks the tables’ views of the stage and makes you feel like you’re being judged while dancing. The place doesn’t warrant needing two bars-it’s really not that big. Luckily for us, however, when we roll in 20-​some deep, the back bar does serve as a great place to totally monopolize and place our shit down and all be together and what not. The trough-​style bathroom sink is a nice touch, as well.
But, frankly, I cannot stand the music here. Not that I don’t like live music or even top 40’s. But good, live music shouldn’t feel forced and rushed. I’ve had cover bands knock my socks off in the past– but this dueling piano bit is just so cheesy. Obviously, that’s their theme, so they shouldn’t change it– but maybe don’t play 5 Taylor Swift songs within one hour. And every song sounds like a half beat faster, which is really annoying. I get to the point here where I’d honestly just rather hear the original damn song from the radio then some weird, Vaudevillian version of it. They do have talent– don’t get me wrong– they can play the notes and sing the songs– but maybe try widening the range a bit? There’s only so many times I can hear «Uptown Funk» before wanting to strangle someone.
So, why not request what you wanna hear, bitch? (is what you’re probably asking). Well, glad you brought that up. A coworker came up to me after being here for about 3 hours already and said «I’ve given them 40 effing bucks and they still won’t play what I asked!» I get it, you have tons of drunks throwing dollars at you with requests and I can see them all lined up on your piano. You obviously can’t accommodate EVERYONE. But if someone puts down that much money, just play the damn song.
Aside from playing in the order you get the requests (which I think is how they do it), maybe use common sense, too. Say you just played Kelly Clarkson’s «Since U Been Gone» because some asshat requested it. Then, you see a different ticket on your piano for a cool, piano-​based hiphop throwback like Big Pun’s «Still Not a Player» (the edited version, of course) but decide «nahhh, let’s just do ANOTHER pop hit.» You’re missing out on an opportunity to wow the crowd with your wide range of talent AND make some people in the crowd happy. But, whatever, I doubt I’m the target audience for this place, much like this bar is never my go-​to bar when asked, «hey where do you wanna go tonight?»

We had just had dinner with friends down the street at Good Dogs for my birthday, and stopped off at the Glinch for a beer and cigar. Howl At The Moon was across the street by the garage we parked at. Almost passed them by, but saw the pianos on the monitor out front and decided to stop in and check it out. Strolled right in and were carded (I’m 37, lol) and the guy wished me a happy birthday.
Wife grabbed a seat at a table and I grabbed a few pints of DirtWolf, beer selection seemed pretty good. While I left her unattended, a (very friendly) waitress found her and she ordered a mango-​ginger-​something or other.
First impression was «Wow…nice!» Place is pretty big, and didn’t feel cramped (can’t stand being crammed into places.) Everything was clean and looked newer, lighting was nice, and there was room to sit and talk (loudly because of the music), dance if that’s your thing, or sit at the bar.
I’m a sucker for love music, and this place didn’t disappoint! The two pianos traded off songs and played together, musicians changed up and there were drums and guitar. Music from all genres and generations, and performed very well. Although some drunk guy paid some money to get up and (try to) sing some Annie Lenox… FAIL! Felt like my ears were walking on broken glass… but not for a minute.
Bathroom was nice and clean too.
We may or may not have been the oldest people in the place. Seemed everyone was young and beautiful… and really white, lol. The wife noticed that all of the chics not in dresses were all in jeans and boots. But hey, it was December!
Overall, very solid and a good time.
The mixed drink she ordered was kinda nasty tasting to me, and probably would have done better as a shot. Interestingly enough, their drink menu listed Angry Balls (Angry Orchard cider with Fireball whiskey) as a shot instead of a drink. My only suggestion would be to change those two up.
Good times though. We’ll likely be back again sometime soon.

howl’s line on prime nights is brutal unless you’re a chick and a 22 on the 1 – 10 scale, or ready to slip a bouncer a cool 20 to shimmy thru the doors. place’s atmosphere is always awesome tho with the live band. they played drake and fetty wap and backstreet boys on the same night so yeah i approve.
tough to get a drink, and it’s pricey when you do, so i make a big time play for a girly bowl concoction that has an umbrella sticking out. don’t judge me. and don’t worry, i pack extra tampons every time i order one

Technically there were 2 pianos, but they weren’t dueling. This place is not what we thought it was going to be. To sum it up, we went on a Saturday and paid $ 10 cover to get in and were greeted by what sounded like live band karaōke and looked and smelled like a frat party. We couldn’t even hear the pianos over all the other instruments. I’ve been to some amazing dueling piano bars in New Orleans and this wasn’t even in the same category.
Also, it liked like wild animals tore the place up just before we got there. Shoes sick to the bar and dance floor and the bathroom was gross.

Absolutely a fun night out! LOVE the live music as everyone performing is extremely talented! A bot pricey on drinks, plus there is a cover and it can get crazy crowded, but it is certainly worth the money! The line to get in can get very long, so either make reservation if you can, or get there on the early side if you want to avoid a wait! If you are looking for a good time with great music and some dancing, this is the place to go!

Friend won a happy hour party by just entering her contact details online. The live-​music is really amazing and spans a lot of top 40, but you gotta be pretty hammered because it’s really really loud in here. I can never hear myself talk inside lol. The happy hour party gets you your first drink for a dollar if I remember correctly. Buffet in the back reminds me of a strip club… it’s a whole bunch of bread, spaghetti and meatballs, and some salad. I’m pretty sure that they hand out the happy hour parties on a pretty lax basis because it wasn’t too special.
*11/​21/​15 Update: Owner reached out to me and sent me a $ 25 gift card and free admission ticket. Very solid customer service, definitely was not expecting that. Much appreciated!

I really don’t see why there is a cover at this place. It was overcrowded and couldn’t get a bartender’s attention to save our lives. We left soon after that. What a waste

As for the venue itself-​music is amazing. All the best songs that we all know and love. Ample space on the dance floor and very talented/​energetic band!
The downside is the long, long line to get in… I wonder the best time to show up to minimize the line because it really does eat up the night. I have been multiple times and cannot find the sweet spot.
Fun location for dancing, singing and having a good time. Must be popular as seen by the lines outside.

One of our group members won a free happy hour here so we booked the date and had an amazing experience.
The Service: Our waitress was new to the Howl at the Moon family but she operated like a pro. Our drinks were always filled and food was brought out to us hot, fresh and delicious. She had a fabulous personality and even helped us with song selections
The Food: Hot, fresh and delicious. Full of flavor. The Honey Chipolte wings are my favorite.
The Show: The dueling piano show was like no other I’ve ever seen. They took our requests and we showed them mad love aka money. Two of my favorite performances were Trap Queen and The Devil Went Down To Georgia where the female pianist played the violin. It was awesome! And the crowd loved it!
I can’t wait to go back and plan to make this a regular happy hour spot.

I went to Howl at the Moon on a Friday night and this place reminded me of being in college. Yes, the $ 10 cover is annoying, but the place is packed as it is, so I imagine the cover prevents too big of a crowd and a line out the door. Honestly, everyone was just having a good time and the music, while not the best I’ve heard a piano bar, was pretty decent. As far as I can tell, there aren’t too many rowdy, dancing friendly bars in Philly, so it’s nice to have a spot nearby that covers that option. Drinks are a little pricier than usual, but mixed drinks are strong and they had a few craft brews on tap.

$ 10 for cover. Ridiculous for the type of bar it is, especially on Philadelphia.
They have live music. Which is cool. Too bad the songs weren’t great. I expected hip hop, pop, or top 40 or something, unfortunately most of the songs weren’t something to dance too. We stood around waiting for the dance floor to get packed or for the music to change, but it never happened. There was a big older crowd, which was a little weird for me for a night out. Maybe it’s a good place to bring your parents? Idk.
The drinks were weak and expensive. Didn’t taste any liquor and walked out sober. Whomp whomp.
Go to a regular bar with good drinks instead. The live music wasn’t worth it.

This place is the worst. Yes, the worst.
I’ve come here a few times, waiting to write a review, and hopeful that my opinions would change. $ 10 cover to listen to Joe Schmo rap to Eminem for 4 hours while bday girls/​bachelorettes from South Jersey dance on the stage.
I’m all about dancing and live music but this is more of sing along music. As Aria S. said, most bars switch to a DJ at 12, but not howl. Another greif I have is the bartenders. They’re just down right rude and for no reason. The fact that my friend had her phone stolen here and the bartenders laughed at her is ridiculous.
The crowd is by far the weirdest among all philly bars. Its the indoor riverdeck.

I reiterate my comments from before regarding the $ 10 cover. the max bars (not clubs) in center city charge is $ 5. The live music thing just isn’t my vibe. Some bars will do this until midnight and then change to a DJ which I think is way better. The crowd here is just.odd. There are lots of people who seem too old to be dancing on stage to the so-​so live music.
We got one of the «famous» bowls for $ 25. Even with switching out the 711 for club soda, that bowl was a waste of probably 2000 calories and $ 25. Wasn’t even tipsy after.
Here’s my major gripe: MY PHONE WAS STOLEN HERE. No I was not just drunk and misplaced it. Maybe if the bowl was more effective that would be the case. After I noticed, I immediately circled the bars and asked them if they had seen it and almost every bartenders scuffed/​laughed at me. Even thinking about it pisses me the f off.

This place is so much fun when you’re with a fun group of friends who are down to just dance or sing the night away. I came here on a Saturday night with a few friends, and while there was a line to get into the bar, it moved by pretty quickly. Only downside that night was paying a $ 10 cover charge when it wasn’t even midnight yet.
The band performing the night we went were amazing and definitely got the crowd hyped up. Music was great and ranged from Beyonce to Carrie Underwood to old-​school Backstreet Boys. There were a few birthday ladies and bachelorette parties that night, and seeing them on the stage singing and dancing along was very entertaining. I can’t comment on the drinks much but the atmosphere was very much enjoyable when we went. The crowd is an eclectic mix, which can either be annoying or fun depending on what the situation is. My group and I had a lot of fun at Howl at the Moon — totally a place we would come back to.

Came here to Howl at the Moon for the first time last Friday with some friends. The bar is a few steps from the PATCO, which beats following your equally drunk friends like a trail of breadcrumbs. We got there at about 10pm and there was no line. However other reviews have said at times the alleged line wraps around the block. When we entered, we were greeted by security who required a 10 dollar cover to enter. Walking in already down 10 dollars, I hated it even more. At first glance, it looked like my least favorite scene, a mix of young professionals and fraternity/​sorority members who peaked in college. I mentioned a few times how I wished we went to a dirty dive bar instead.
We skipped past the live music dance floor and went to the bar. My friends went for the expensive fruity mixes, but I kept it classic and got a beer. Other groups were seen drinking buckets of strong mixes including long island iced teas and bacardi 151 mixes. Watching a group of 4 guys drinking out of the same fruity drink bucket through twisty straws, made me glad I got a beer instead.
The bartender was very nice and attentive and the staff walking around selling jello shots were friendly as well. There was a good amount of people watching the NHL and NBA playoffs to exchange high fives with when LeBron James’ team choked and to exchange groans when the NY Rangers survived elimination. I was starting to enjoy it here. The bathrooms were very clean and had walls between the urinals, so even the tallest of curious creepers couldn’t look at your junk. There was even an unnecessary towel attendant to let you know when a toilet is free and give you a towel.
After spending too much time writing about the bathroom, I had drank enough to feel less stubborn about going near the live music. The performers were fantastic and I found myself singing along to their top 40 hip hop and pop mashups. Only problem was the dance floor was very crowded and 95% of the people weren’t dancing. So your choices were to stand still or unintentionally grind up on the surrounding people. Some of the songs were bigger hits and got the crowd more into it. Everyone there was having a good time. This bar is also a flocking ground for drunk bachelorettes. It’s like going to a wedding after party without sitting through pointless small talk and ceremonies. The bachelorettes and other random people get pulled on stage if they know the words.
At the end of our night, I didn’t even want to leave, but the group out voted me. I took a fearful walk to close my mysteriously priced tab, and was happy to be left with only a 15 dollar charge for 4 beers. Then we walked the short distance to the PATCO to go back to our boring M-​F work lives! I’ll bring a date next time I go.
tl;dr PATCO accessible, 10 dollar cover, white girl wasted, bathroom management, awesome live music, reasonably priced drinks, fun night. «White people making plot twists on Unilocal reviews»

I came to Howl at the Moon for a work related networking event. I haven’t been here before so I didn’t know what it would be like. Unfortunately, this place is not really a great place for a networking event. A little after we got there, there was someone up in the front that started singing. It got pretty loud and then the crowd shifted from the working crowd to «Thirsty Thursday» crowd. The food that was sponsored from the event was mobbed with random people in shorts and tank tops. This might be fun for the younger crowd but not a great place for networking or trying to hear people talk.
P. S. I never really understood why places have bathroom attendants. I am pretty capable of getting my own paper towels…

Oh, God. My experience here was… well, it was an experience.
The main thing you should take away from my review is this: if you are over the age of 27, you are probably going to feel very uncomfortable here.
I went here with some ladies for a bachelorette party. Everyone was between the ages of 28 – 32. I can say that at least 50% of the songs that were played were completely foreign to me, 20% of them were super duper emo songs from like 2003, and the other 30% were crowd requests that were actually decent (Tom Petty, anyone?).
This place may be for you if you are having a 21^st birthday, LOVE to be so cramped you can’t even rotate your body 360 degrees, if you enjoy waiting in line for the bathroom for approximately 30 minutes, or if you’d like to spend your whole night at the bar trying to get one drink.
Last note — one of the girls in our group gave a sexy bouncer who was a Kahl Drogo look-​alike the phone number of one of the single ladies in our group. He texted her, and she found out he’s IN COLLEGE.
Old. This place makes you feel SO. OLD.

The number of bars in center city is countless but Howl at the Moon sets itself apart from the other ones with a live band including 2 pianos. Their performers are versatile in that they can play every single instrument on that stage, ranging from piano, drum, guitar, violin, and most importantly sing. I’m a huge fan of music, so definitely appreciate what they do here. They really know a lot of songs, from the most popular ones on the radio to the older classics.
I enjoy Howl on weeknights because they take more requests and play what you want to hear. Also, it is less crowded on weeknights, beats being pushed and shoved at a club. The weekends are always very crowded and the line is ridiculous.
Howl is connected to Down (a club next door), in case you get sick of the live music.
It is fairly spacious inside with a bar in the center of the room. There are a good number of high top tables scattered around the stage. There’s also some space in front of the stage to dance.
The restrooms could use a little maintenance, it feels a little trashy at times with no toilet paper.

We found Howl at the Moon to be a superb place for some post dinner entertainment. You will hear all of your favorite songs played by some very skilled entertainers. The pianos are definitely the focal point, but for many songs they incorporate other instruments and stretch out into a full band. They work the crowd very well, whom also become part of the show.
You are in the city so you can expect to pay a little more for your brew. They charged me $ 7 per bottle of Goose Island 312. They were staffed up very well behind the bar and came across friendly and attentive. The beer selection was also very good by way of both draught and bottle which surprised me a little.
As far as décor goes, I got the feeling if you saw this place with the lights on it would be quite evident that there is not much to it once you get beyond the stage area. Sure they get points for their framed Hextall & Iverson jerseys, but you almost feel like they could box everything up in 30 minutes and get out of town quickly if they needed to. But rest assured, there is a lot of life in that square footage when this place is pumping!
Grab a nice meal within walking distance and then say hello to my friends Kyle, Katie and Chris at HATM. There are a dozen or so of these establishments across the nation, and the city of brotherly love has a good one!