Bonnie’s Capistrano Bar

Love this place, and I am thinking of moving just so I can be closer to it. This is by far the cleanest and most friendly smoking bar in all of South philadelphia, and considering that my boyfriend and I like our cigars I’ve made the rounds.
The back room full of tables is always inviting, the jukebox has a good selection, and I can touch the table without there being a sticky residue. Bunnie’s is a great place to grab a drink on your walk to or from the subway because it’s right on 13^th, and this is usually the only time I drop in because I don’t like walking more that 5 blocks for a drink.

Smoking in a bar? Really? Still? Don’t come here if you want to live for today. If you feel like dying young, come inhale!

Love Bonnie’s. Reasons: has the best dive atmosphere; cool bartenders; cool patrons (99% cool); cold and inexpensive beers and the best dirty martinis. The end.

I love Bonnie’s. The drinks are cheap, the service is great, and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxed. I hope Bonnie’s never changes.

Smoker bar, so trigger warning for those who are quitting, quit, or want their clothes to smell like flowers when they come home from a night out.
For everyone else, continue.
I’m not a smoker, but sometimes I get weirdly nostalgic for the smoke-​smell. It reminds me of those early drinking years where the ban wasn’t in effect. I also get nostalgic for late-90’s beer prices. You can find both at Bonnie’s.
Friendly bartenders, photo hunt, cheapo specials, you’ve got it made. Bring in an outside hoagie? No problem. Now that the Dolphin is a dressed-​up indie dance party haven, Bonnie’s is the go-​to dive bar fan’s dream for the neighborhood.
Pre-​game, post-​game, sports-​game, day-​drink, night out, whatever the case may be, this is the place. The secret is out.

Philly Magazine only verified what we all knew… Best Dive Bar 2014! Well deserved! Go Bonnie’s!

You can smoke here

Neighborhood dive. Solid. Cranberry and vodka and a high life– $ 6. Can’t beat it.
That sums up this bar. Cheap, divey, smokey and no food other than the vending machine or «mussels night» which is every other Thursday for $ 8. Swing by for cheaply priced drinks and a juke box.

Love this bar. Awesome bartender. Jukebox. Good shots. Good people. Dive bar Felt at home as soon as I walked in the door. The patrons were friendly without being overbearing. The drinks were sitting and reasonably priced.

Dark, Smokey and Quiet.
Bonnie’s has a total ‘locals only’ vibe about it, and rightfully so. Located on a quiet South Philly block Bonnie’s is one of those places you’ll find older people perfect blended in with the young and trendy.
The drinks are cheap,
The vending machine sells cigarettes and snacks,
and the bartender will tell you a story.
They close at midnight during the week because of that quiet South Philly block of their’s.

Its not just a bat its like a public happy place like Cheers lol but seriously its clean fun and happy all wrapped in one

Oh, mercy. This place makes me swoon. This is just the very definition of a perfect Phila old-​man dive, and you either appreciate that or you don’t. You will get: cheap, cheap booze; crazy old cranks nattering off at the bar; nearly invisible service; excellent bartenders who know their business; and a Platonic example of sheer divery. You will not get: food, pretentiousness, hipsters, music recorded after 1993, or anything else. They have a Ms. Pac-​Man cocktail table, and you can smoke here. It is like going into a time machine that is powered by alcohol, and you shouldn’t even ask if I mean that as a compliment.

Bonnie’s has no food, and the beer selection is strictly watered down light lagers. There is a community feel in this bar, and you may get some uncomfortable glances if you’re new. You are allowed to smoke, so expect to smell like an ashtray when you leave. The service is pretty darn good. I wish I could take the bartenders with me to some of the classier Philly joints and replace their pretentious bartenders. Lung cancer, and cheap beer isn’t my idea of a great bar, but if you don’t mind, it’s a 5-​star.

4 stars for great folks there were about 5 at the bar when we came in. It was cold out and we commented on it, although it was nice and toasty in the bar they turned the heat up just for us. Two gentlemen offered to move so we could sit together. Very friendly bartender. One star lost for leaving smelling like a cigarette, I’m a NY’er I’m not used to it anymore. Free corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s day, how cool is that!

Great dive bar in the middle of South Philly.
The best part of this place? It’s cheap. I gave someone in my group about $ 5 and they came back with two (maybe three?) shots for me. What? That’s unheard of. I’m also pretty sure I did an Irish car bomb for less than $ 5 as well, but I could be wrong since this was after I did those two or three shots beforehand. They also had plenty of seating in the back on a Saturday night, which was great!
Worst part about this place? The cigarette smoke. Since it was rather warm the night we were here, all the doors were opened and have they have ceiling fans which seem to help. I’ve been to bars where it’s been a lot worse, but I still walked out of here smelling like an ashtray.

Cheap shots.
Cheap booze.
Great rear seating for groups.
Did I mention cheap shots?
Actually its great for cheap everything. Sometimes there’s even food if you pick the right night!
I’ve been popping into this local dive bar for years and seem to love it a little more every time.
My most recent adventure involved a bachelorette party hitting South Philly college style — and this was one of the bride’s favorite old haunts. You can see why.
The bartender — I wish I’d gotten her name — was incredible. Friendly. Fast. Excellent. She was so excited to have a group looking to have mixed drinks since she pours beers so frequently. It did not show.
Her redheaded sluts were spectacular. Since we were celebrating she even gave us the overflow shots on the house.
The jukebox has a great selection, the porno style ‘spot the difference in the photo’ video game is hilarious and the locals don’t mind invasions of groups now and then.
Add in the fact that despite Bonnie’s classification as a ‘dive’ that she’s got exceptionally clean bathrooms… the only thing not to love is the fact that there’s still smoking (though I’ve never suffered too badly from heavy smoke when I’ve been there.)

What more would you want in a neighborhood dive bar? The regulars are friendly and often entertaining, the drinks are good AND cheap, the bartenders are friendly. .. if it’s game time, it’s on one of the TVs. Mike and the other bartenders will take care of you and make you feel like a regular.
Yes, there is smoking — and, yes I’m an ex-​smoker (4 ½ years) — but, it doesn’t make me want to start back, and it just adds to the uniqueness of Bonnie’s. Seems that every other person is drinking beer and a shot of Jameson (why Irish whiskey is so popular in an Italian bar, I’m not sure — but, hey, I’ll play along)!
Want to know mood the regulars are in? Just listen to the juke box — it’ll clue you in to whether you’ll be laughing it up with them or have someone beside you crying in their beer/​Jameson. Either way, you’ll hear some great stories.
One of the friendliest places ever — exactly what you would want in a neighborhood bar.

Another review that I’ve been meaning to pull up from the annals. Upon first walking into Bonnie’s you won’t be won over by the lavish beer and drink selection, the elaborate décor, music playing from the jukebox, or anything of that nature (which coincidentally happens to be what usually draws me into a bar for the long haul). But what Bonnie’s doe have that wins you over is the fact that Bonnie’s is an old school South Philly family bar with infinite charm.
After walking in with Meredith, Jenna, and the rest of the book clubbers after discussing Shadow of the Wind, I had no clue what to think. But that was because we skipped over South Philly Tap Room which was packed to the gills, and by comparison it was a completely different world altogether. But so long as that world features a hilarious and cool bartender, a good unassuming spot to watch a Phillies game, and cheap Yuengling, I’m cool with being a part of it. The lipstick stains of old-​lady regulars on glasses is something that I can do without on the other hand, which is why Bonnie’s gets 4 out 5.

Oh, no. Hipsters found Bonnie’s. It’s too bad.
Good place where you can smoke and bring your own food. Fairly priced beer. Good combo. Always a friendly bartender.
Juke box can get a little clubby.

Well, since I haven’t written a review in some months, it seems appropriate that my first review back is for my local dive, since I’ve probably spent more time in Bonnie’s than any other bar over these last few months. Before you set foot in here, you ought to know that it’s still a smoking bar, so don’t wear anything that you don’t want to reek for the rest of the night. If that doesn’t bother you, then step in and enjoy some of the cheapest drinks in the neighborhood (some of whose glasses come with lipstick stains of old-​lady regulars!). To be safe, I’d suggest ordering a beer (the pint glasses are generally spotless). If you order a pitcher, you even get an icy mug. How’s that for service?
Bonnie’s bartenders are great. If you don’t feel like talking, they won’t bother you, but they’re great for a conversation. Once, the Tuesday-​night bartender, Dan, and I had an hour-​long conversation about Phish. Phish is one of the bands I’d least expect a Bonnie’s bartender to like, but I’ve learned to ditch all expectations when entering this place. I’m always surprised by something there, such as when we went to watch the World Series there and all of the tables in the back, right in front of the huge TV, were empty, or when I walked in one random night and Bonnie was cooking her customers food. As long as you’re okay with a dirty glass here and there and being given the occasional stink-​eye by an 80-​year-​old regular, you’ll love this place as much as I do.