McGillin's Olde Ale House
McGillin's Olde Ale House is Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern (since 1860), a family-owned bar and restaurant serving traditional Irish/American pub fare, three house-brewed beers, and sports viewing to tourists, locals, and event hosts, with a 2025 retail shoppe and nationwide e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1860
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What McGillin's Olde Ale House does
McGillin's Olde Ale House is a historic family-owned tavern and restaurant located at 1310 Drury Street in Midtown Village / Center City Philadelphia, operating continuously since 1860 when Irish immigrants Catherine and William McGillin founded it as the Bell in Hand Tavern. It is recognized as Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern and one of the oldest in the United States, having survived Prohibition, the Civil War, multiple pandemics, and a 1971 fire. The business is currently operated by Mary Ellen Mullins, Chris Mullins Sr. (second-generation owners since 1993), and Christopher Mullins Jr. (third generation).
The company's core offering is on-site food and beverage service across two floors, open seven days a week from 11am to 2am with kitchen service until 1am. The menu features traditional American and Irish pub fare (Fish & Chips, Shepherd's Pie, cheesesteaks, burgers) with entrees priced at $9–$14 and daily drink specials starting at $3. Three signature house beers — McGillin's Real Ale, Genuine Lager, and 1860 IPA — are brewed exclusively by Troegs Independent Brewing under a partnership established in June 2021. The venue hosts sports viewing (Eagles, Phillies, Sixers, Flyers, Union), karaoke nights, open mic nights, and recurring community events including a major St. Patrick's Day celebration, plus private party bookings.
Revenue is generated through three streams: food and beverage sales at the bar (transaction-based, no reservations), private event hosting (professional services), and retail merchandise via McGillin's Shoppe — a permanent retail location opened in May 2025 at 123 S. Juniper Street and a Shopify e-commerce site shipping nationwide, selling branded apparel, Eagles/Phillies gear, Philly souvenirs, and Irish imports. A book titled 'Cheers to McGillin's: Philly's Oldest Tavern' was published in October 2025, extending the brand into editorial. Go-to-market is overwhelmingly direct-to-consumer, fueled by organic word-of-mouth, national media coverage (Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, BBC, Travel & Leisure, Fodor's), and earned press rather than paid advertising.
McGillin's Olde Ale House firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- McGillin's Olde Ale House
- Legal name
- McGillin's Olde Ale House
- Website
- https://mcgillins.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1860
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- McGillin's Olde Ale House is Philadelphia's oldest continuously operating tavern (since 1860), a family-owned bar and restaurant serving traditional Irish/American pub fare, three house-brewed beers, and sports viewing to tourists, locals, and event hosts, with a 2025 retail shoppe and nationwide e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
McGillin's Olde Ale House industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bar and Restaurant Hospitality
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA)
Keywords
Where McGillin's Olde Ale House is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
McGillin's Olde Ale House business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: On-site sales of food, beer, cocktails, and wine. Open 7 days a week from 11 am to 2 am with kitchen service until 1 am. Daily food and drink specials drive mid-week traffic.
- Retail Merchandise (McGillin's Shoppe): Off-site retail shoppe selling McGillin's branded wear, Eagles & Phillies gear, Philly souvenirs, Irish imports, and specialty items. Also available through online Shopify store with nationwide shipping. Shoppe opened in May 2025 after 165 years of operation.
- Private Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting private parties and events at the venue. The bar offers private party services as a dedicated revenue stream.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | House Specialties |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Daily Drink Specials |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Semiquincentennial Special (2026) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Signature Cocktails |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
McGillin's Olde Ale House product offering
Product offeringCore offering
McGillin's Olde Ale House operates a historic tavern in Center City Philadelphia at 1310 Drury Street, serving traditional American and Irish pub fare, three house-brewed beers (McGillin's Real Ale, Genuine Lager, and 1860 IPA by Troegs Independent Brewing), signature cocktails, and offering daily specials, sports viewing, karaoke, and private event hosting. The company also operates a retail merchandise store (McGillin's Shoppe) opened in May 2025 at 123 S. Juniper Street, selling branded apparel, Philly sports gear, and Irish imports both in-store and online via Shopify.
Product overview
McGillin's Olde Ale House is a historic tavern established in 1860, offering a unified hospitality experience centered on its physical bar and restaurant. The establishment features three house beers brewed by Troegs Independent Brewing (McGillin's Real Ale, McGillin's Genuine Lager, and McGillin's 1860 IPA), a full food menu of traditional pub fare, signature cocktails, and entertainment including karaoke and sports viewing. A retail merchandise shop (McGillin's Shoppe) opened in 2025, and a published book about the tavern's history was released in October 2025. The company operates as a single physical location with an e-commerce component for merchandise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- McGillin's Olde Ale House Tavern Experience Full-service historic tavern in Center City Philadelphia offering on-site dining, bar service, daily specials, sports viewing, karaoke, and private events across two floors. Open 7 days a week from 11 am to 2 am with kitchen service until 1 am.
- McGillin's House Beers Three signature house beers brewed by Troegs Independent Brewing: McGillin's Real Ale, McGillin's Genuine Lager, and McGillin's 1860 IPA. Served exclusively at the Philadelphia tavern.
- Food Menu (Pub Fare) Traditional American and Irish pub fare including Fish & Chips ($13.49), Shepherd's Pie ($12.99), Cheesesteaks ($9.99), Wings, Big Burger ($10.29), Meatloaf ($14.49), and daily specials.
- Signature Cocktails House-crafted cocktails including Irish Coffee, McGillin's Mule, Raspberry Limoncello Martini, Aperol Spritz, Ma's 1860 Manhattan, Cold Brew Martini, Homemade Margarita, and seasonal summer cocktails such as the Betsy Ross Rita and Liberty Bellni.
- Private Parties and Events Private event hosting services for birthday parties, corporate events, rehearsal dinners, and engagement celebrations at the historic Philadelphia tavern venue with customizable food and drink options.
- McGillin's Shoppe (Retail Merchandise) Retail merchandise store selling McGillin's branded apparel, Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies gear, unique Philadelphia gifts, 250th anniversary souvenirs, World Soccer souvenirs, John Wind Jewelry, and Irish imports. Operates a physical storefront open daily 12pm-6pm and a Shopify online store shipping nationwide.
- Cheers to McGillin's: Philly's Oldest Tavern (Book) Published book chronicling the 165-year history of McGillin's Olde Ale House, including romance stories, ghost tales, recipes, and historical photographs, with a foreword by former Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell.
Companies that use McGillin's Olde Ale House
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
McGillin's Olde Ale House technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
McGillin's Olde Ale House partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Troegs Independent BrewingcoreTroegs Independent Brewing became the official brewer of McGillin's three house beers in June 2021 - McGillin's Real Ale, McGillin's Genuine Lager, and McGillin's 1860 IPA. Prior to Troegs, the beers were brewed by Stoudt's Brewing from 1995 until its closure in 2020. McGillin's previously sold more Stoudt's beer than any other bar in Pennsylvania.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philadelphia RegionminorMcGillin's hosts an annual holiday toy drive benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Philadelphia Region. The event includes photos with Santa, Christmas karaoke, food specials, and partnerships with Troegs Independent Brewing and Sly Fox Brewing Company who provide special holiday beers.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
McGillin's Olde Ale House competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fadó Irish Pub: Multi-location Irish pub concept formerly operated across major US cities. Comparable to McGillin's in Irish pub atmosphere and sports bar positioning, though as a corporate-operated chain rather than an independent heritage venue.
- Kildare's Irish Pub: Multi-location Irish pub and restaurant chain in the Mid-Atlantic. Comparable to McGillin's in Irish pub format and casual food/beverage offerings, though operating as a broader chain rather than a single historic venue.
Direct peers
- Fraunces Tavern: New York City historic tavern (est. 1762) operated as a restaurant and bar with a museum component. Comparable to McGillin's as a multi-century American heritage tavern combining on-site food and beverage with historical narrative and retail/gift merchandise.
- The Old Town Bar: New York City tavern (est. 1892) operating continuously in the Flatiron District. Comparable to McGillin's as a long-running, historic American tavern known for traditional pub fare, beer, and being a filming/media destination.
- Tir na nÓg Irish Pub & Restaurant: Philadelphia Irish pub and restaurant operating in Center City. Direct local competitor to McGillin's offering similar Irish pub fare, sports viewing, and weekend brunch, competing for the same Center City tourist and sports-fan segments.
- McSorley's Old Ale House: Manhattan's oldest continuously operating saloon (est. 1854), directly comparable to McGillin's as a historic, family-run NYC tavern. Same Irish-American heritage positioning, similar cask-ale focus, and similar national-media profile as a heritage pub destination.
- White Horse Tavern: Providence, RI tavern founded in 1673, one of America's oldest operating bars. Comparable to McGillin's as a heritage American tavern operating continuously for centuries with tourism positioning and traditional pub fare.
Regional players
- Monk's Café: Philadelphia craft beer and Belgian-style pub in Center City. Comparable to McGillin's as a destination Philadelphia beer bar, though focused more on craft/imported beer selection and mussels than heritage positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
McGillin's Olde Ale House social profiles
Digital presenceMcGillin's Olde Ale House financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
McGillin's Olde Ale House leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
McGillin's Olde Ale House subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
McGillin's Olde Ale House funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
McGillin's Olde Ale House M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about McGillin's Olde Ale House
What does McGillin's Olde Ale House do?
McGillin's Olde Ale House operates a historic tavern in Center City Philadelphia at 1310 Drury Street, serving traditional American and Irish pub fare, three house-brewed beers (McGillin's Real Ale, Genuine Lager, and 1860 IPA by Troegs Independent Brewing), signature cocktails, and offering daily specials, sports viewing, karaoke, and private event hosting. The company also operates a retail merchandise store (McGillin's Shoppe) opened in May 2025 at 123 S. Juniper Street, selling branded apparel, Philly sports gear, and Irish imports both in-store and online via Shopify.
Is McGillin's Olde Ale House a public or private company?
McGillin's Olde Ale House is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was McGillin's Olde Ale House founded?
McGillin's Olde Ale House was founded in 1860. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is McGillin's Olde Ale House based?
McGillin's Olde Ale House is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does McGillin's Olde Ale House make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Merchandise (McGillin's Shoppe) and private Event Hosting.
Who are McGillin's Olde Ale House's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fadó Irish Pub and Kildare's Irish Pub. Direct peers are Fraunces Tavern, The Old Town Bar, Tir na nÓg Irish Pub & Restaurant, McSorley's Old Ale House and White Horse Tavern. Monk's Café is listed as a regional player.
Does McGillin's Olde Ale House have an API?
No public API is recorded for McGillin's Olde Ale House.
What industry is McGillin's Olde Ale House in?
McGillin's Olde Ale House's product category is Bar and Restaurant Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAA, Neighborhood & Sports Bars, with a secondary code of CRANACAA, Neighborhood Bars & Taverns. Its NAICS code is 7224 and its SIC code is 5810.