Lorraine

It is amazing what an eye-catching paint scheme can do for a business and Lorraine is one of Philadelphia’s best examples of that phenomenon, opened as a fairly straightforward neighborhood bar in 2015 before a glow-in-the-dark exterior mural transformed into “oh yeah, that bar!” Inside and out, Lorraine offers a unique experience even amid Philadelphia’s deep dive bar inventory, a day mode / night mode toggle in the form of a city dive.

Brothers Chris and Jimmy Lardani opened Lorraine in the summer of 2015, taking over a space previously operated as Brown Ridge Cafe. The naming of the bar is derived from the nearby Divine Lorraine Hotel, a towering structure finished in 1894 and operated as a hotel for decades before falling into disrepair during the early 2000s despite being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. A major renovation in 2015 resulted in operation as an apartment building, then hotel, then a second stint as an apartment building, its current status.

Jimmy Lardani is the primary operator of the space today and gained some notoriety via press coverage after being one of the first or most publicly-visible Philadelphia residents to get a tattoo of the then recently-introduced Philadelphia Flyers mascot named Gritty. Those familiar with the visual identity of Gritty will no doubt be impressed at the quick decision to replicate the mascot’s very unique look as a permanent body adornment.

The space inside Lorraine today mirrors the general layout of Brown Ridge Cafe, though pretty much every surface has been updated, painted or otherwise augmented. Most striking is the bar’s exterior wall covered in an intense mural that makes liberal use of the green and purple color families. Inside, that same palette is replicated but done so with the added fun of glow-in-the-dark paint that makes for wildly different ambiance between day and night hours. Best to visit twice or stay for an exceptionally long session.

Those who do stay for a while would be well advised to sample something from the Hamm’s-based cocktail menu very unique to Lorraine. Low price Hamm’s cans are always available and an extensive set of options pairs that can with any number of shot types, each with a unique naming convention. The foundation of all of these options is the Lorraine signature drink, the Hamm-Bo, a combination of Hamm’s, hot sauce, lime and salt. Equally beloved is the Honey Glazed Hamm’s, the pairing of a Hamm’s and a shot of honey-flavored whiskey.

The area behind the bar is well-covered with unique decorations, everything capped by a row of luchador masks that includes an excellent La Parka mask. Also communicated here is the availability of a Philadelphia Citywide special ($6 upon last visit), the ability to carry out beer (6-packs or bigger) and the capability to accept credit cards with a $20 minimum (some sources erroneously list the bar as a cash-only location).

A small rear room houses a handful of low tables & chairs as well as a pair of pinball machines. One thing removed during the transition from Brown Ridge Cafe was the space’s kitchen, the decision made to clear out a path between the bar and a back patio that qualifies as a hidden gem particularly in the Francisville neighborhood. The semi-finished area here is dotted with picnic tables and offers a fair amount of square footage, all of it under the watchful eye of yet another fantastically intense painted mural along the side of the adjoining building.