This Saturday, June 6 marked the seasonal opening of the waterfront Dockside Bar at the Dave & Buster’s on Columbus Boulevard, and Philly PR Girl was honored to help kick things off last week with a special unveiling party featuring the bar’s new look and menu over pours of Victory Beer. This relaxed, revamped venue wraps around the back of the Dave & Buster’s, giving patrons and the public respite from the lights and buzz of Center City and the game floor!
The Dockside Bar offers ample standing room as well as seating, including outdoor couches and tables, umbrella-covered high tops, and plenty of stools and the bar. With a dance floor in front of the stage, plus quiet pockets closer to the entrance that are perfect for conversation, its layout strikes a cool balance between spacious and intimate. The focal point of the lounge, however, is its new mural installation by local artist Alloyius McIlwaine. Bold and colorful, his graffiti-style art is an explosion of bright images and shapes sourced from the mouth of a woman profiled in black and white. This design bubbles across the length of the venue’s single white wall, creating an eye-catching backdrop opposite breathtaking views of the Ben Franklin Bridge and the sparkling Delaware River beneath it.
Alloyius said, “I wanted to do something that breathed life onto the wall. After talking with Saul, Nina and Fred about the project, I learned about the different music festivals and activities that were planned, so I wanted to do something that brought vibrance and a fun energy to the location. I came up with the concept of a beautiful woman in greyscale breathing color and energy onto the wall. About 90% of the Dockside Bar mural was freestyled… where I just went with that feeling and painted off the top of my head. With the Dave & Busters Dockside Mural, I was given artistic freedom, and this resulted in what I consider to be my best work to date.”
Alloyius’ mural is not the only update the Dockside Bar received this summer. Ideal for a casual lunch or dinner on the riverfront, their new menu offers tasty, grilled American fare. Meet up with friends for Happy Hour – which takes place Wednesdays from 8 to 10 p.m., Thursdays 5 to 7 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m., and Fridays 5 to 7 p.m. – and grab half-priced cocktails, $1 off drafts beers, and $1 off glasses of wine. Better yet, hang out late into the evening for live musical performances taking place every Saturday night on the Dockside Bar stage, culminating in the End of Summer Must Fest 2015 on September 22nd.
Dockside Bar is a prime location for summer celebrations, from family gatherings and birthday parties after a few hours of gaming in D&B, to catching the fireworks display on the Fourth of July. Come check out the space during the outdoor concert series or even host a private event at this breezy locale. Penn’s Landing and the waterfront just got an awesome new addition to the pier!
Dockside Bar’s new hours run Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. For more information about Dockside Bar at Dave & Buster’s, visit online, follow along on Facebook or call 215-413-1951.
Photos courtesy of Al B For – To see all the photos visit our Facebook Page.
*Philly PR Girl partnered with Dave & Buster’s for the relaunch of the Dockside Bar
