Beyond a dazzling array of PBR knickknacks, the space is marked by the red-padded linoleum bar that sits in the middle of the bar’s main room. The oval-shaped bar provides a classic neighborhood, conversational vibe to Bob & Barbara’s, punctuated of course by the disco ball that hangs behind the bar. Multi-colored lights hang from the ceiling and, of course, string lights provide an extra dose of dive bar-friendly ambiance. Vintage cash registers can be found on both sides of the bar, embedded into the white counters, everything under blue ceiling tiles.
Live performances make use of Bob & Barbara’s secondary space, a long room separated only by a handful of columns between the two halves of the Philadelphia dive bar. A small bar can be found in the corner of this back room, active only when live performances require additional bar coverage. Bands set up in a taped-off portion of the room, making for slender spacing when high-top tables are introduced into the mix. Professional lighting gives music performances an elevated feel, everything take place beneath, of course, a PBR stained-glass lamp.
Given its contribution of the Citywide special to the city of Philadelphia, safe to say that few dive bars are as intertwined with the bar culture of their city as Bob & Barbara’s. The PBR-laden interior is reason enough to visit even before accounting for near-nightly live performances, Bob & Barbara’s packing a tremendous dive bar punch into its intimate South Street location.