Varga Bar - Beer 101

Rating: 3.5

Where: 10th & Spruce, Center City East

So you know jack about beer but want to join a pretentious beer cult? Come sit at the bar at Varga and let Ian give you some lessons on craft beer and tattoos (seriously... have you seen his sweet tats?)

After you are done drooling over the chef's take on American and bar cuisine or the pinup girls on the ceiling, take a good look at the beer menu. Chances are you might not have any idea what you are looking at. Which is why sit down, and just listen to the bartenders talk. Try some of the beer in lil' shot glasses. The beer menu is both delicious and extensive. Although a night here can get pricey, you will meet some interesting people. By that I mean if you are 24 and looking for a new job chances are your new boss might drink here. Or if you plan on law school, you could get a recommendation from some of the regulars.

The service is great and the atmosphere is good if you are alone or in a small group.

And if you are looking to impress your date, this is the place to go. If you just want to get drunk ask the bartenders to surprise you. Their concoction may look like a harmless lamb, but it really will turn out to be a vicious sledgehammer the next morning.They have a good happy hour and even list specials and beer changes on their twitter page. If you want to go to a quiet(er) bar and indulge in good beer, Varga should be your destination.

The Crowd: Mixed bag. 30s to 70s. Professional crowd.

Why Go There: Craft brews, Crab fries, Happy Hour, Feeling a lil' fancy?, Mellow night out.

Why Not: Can get expensive, Limited space, It can get crowded sometimes. Mellow night out.

Perfect Time to go: Lunch, Happy Hour

Occasion: Night out by yourself. First date!

Link: http://www.vargabar.com/

Sugar Mom's - One of the Best In Town!

Rating: 5/5

Where: 225 Church St. Half street just north of Market. Old City. MAP

If you just turned 21 or are a bike loving hipster, chances are you want to have a 'Hangover-esque' time on the cheap. Or maybe you want to have a great time with your friends but just graduated, your degree came with a McDonald's job application and are buried in student loans. Or maybe you just want to feel like you are in college again. If you answered yes to any of the above, Sugar Mom's is THE place to go!

Buried in Old City (literally... it is a basement bar), Sugar Mom's is filled with hand-me-down college apartment furniture, carnival ride rejects and bachelor pad toys. Pinball, Pacman, Pool, the mama's got it all!

While its beer selection can hold its own against any beer snob, its prices are hobo cheap. (I wonder why hobos haven't found this place. Maybe they brew their own beer?)

Your $1 tall can PBR weekend special comes with a complimentary sign-up on the liver transplant list. Try the 50 cent pierogies on Wednesdays. So come go with your friends and sit on the idiosyncratic furniture (lil' toy cars, horses etc) and forget everything else. Or sit at the bar and strike up a conversation with someone interesting.

My only complaint? The videogames/ pinball ain't free! Or at least give me tickets every time I play so I can buy useless crap or a PBR with it!

The Crowd: Fun. Yuppie meets Hipster. Everyone is welcome. 20s and early 30s. Never over-crowded. The place is huge.

Why Go There: Fun. Fun. Did I mention Fun? Cheap booze. Incredible specials.

Why Not: 'Cuz they are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Perfect Time to go: Friday - Sunday 7-11pm

Occasion: Night out with friends. Fun, cheap date. People-watching.

Link: http://www.myspace.com/sugarmoms

Photo Credits: SMoms