Philadelphia Bachelorette Party

dawnmhayden

Hi ladies!  I am getting married in October in the Baltimore area but am having my bachelorette party up in Philly!  Long story-but it's kind of a midway point for my girls and it also happens to be where FI proposed :-)

Anyway, I am not all that familiar with the area so I wanted to get some recommendations...please feel free to be very honest!  My MOH and one BM have planned this so far but we need more...

There are only 5 of us...We are staying in the Rittenhouse Square area and so far have reservations for dinner at Buddakan and are planning on going to G lounge for a few drinks afterwards.  Are those okay places?  I've heard great things about Buddakan!

Now-any recommendations on where to go/what to do during the day?  We were thinking of maybe going to get manis/pedis somewhere, have lunch somewhere, and maybe do some shopping?  Any spa and lunch recommendations would be great! 

Thank you in advance :-)

caraellen23

We are doing something very similar this weekend.  There are only 4 of us, so we're getting massages at Toppers Spa, then heading to dinner/dancing.  Staying in a hotel in Rittenhouse area.

dawnmhayden

Thanks!  Actually Toppers is one of the spas on our list of possible places! 

caraellen23

I can report back with a review on Monday if you'd like. I've been to Toppers before though and they are great!

ETA: I haven't been to G Lounge, but Buddakan is DEEEEEEEELISH! One of my favorite special occassion restaurants.  Its not located near Rittenhouse though, so you'd have to cab it over there.

Madam A

dawn - I am probably zero help as I don't go out downtown too often. BUT we are planning to go to G Lounge for my friend's bachelorette this Saturday.

LadyJ10

If you're looking for a real spa, I love Toppers and it's within walking distance of Rittenhouse. If you just want a nail place, I usually go to Rittenhouse Nails at 18th and Sansom -- it's a great little nail place and not at all like the dingy little center city nails places can sometimes be. I've also heard good things about Nail Bar, which is close to Rittenhouse also, but I've never been.

For lunch I love Parc, which is on the square. It's also a Steven Starr restaurant (which Buddakan is as well), but it's a completely different concept - and is a great location! There is plenty of shopping right there on Walnut and Chestnut -- mostly chains but some fun boutiques in the mix also. You could also work your way down to Old City which has some funkier shops and restaurants.

I work in Philly and lots of my friends live in town, so if you have any other questions feel free to PM me!

Madam A

Cara - do you have any ideas where you are going yet? Perhaps our paths will cross...

dawnmhayden

This is perfect!  Thank you so much!

LadyJ- Parc is where FI and I went for brunch the day after we got engaged :-)
It was soooo cute!

caraellen23

A - I'm not sure yet! But I'll let you know. I think Continental for dinner, so I'm not sure what is near there for dancing.

LaRositaMonita

Fado is a great spot for late-night dancing.  It's an Irish pub and it was packed when I got there at the end of my bach party.  Also in Rittenhouse.  The Continental is a swanky spot, good for drinks.  A friend of mine lives in Rittenhouse and loves Audrey Claire, which might make for a good lunch location. 

delicatefew

Hey Toppers people, they always have sales and discounts.  Check this link in a few days and see if they've added specials for Saturday yet before you go.  Last Saturday it was 30% off massages!  You have to print out the page and bring it with you to get the discount.  I do this for the Newtown one whenever I go.

http://toppersspa.com/philapromo.htm

caraellen23

delicate - THANK YOU!!!! This is awesome, I just sent it to my BMs.

Krempn14

Nail Bar is fantastic, and in Rittenhouse (I live and work in Center City).

Frankly, I'd skip Buddakan- but that's just me. I don't really go for the Steven Starr restaurants. I find them a little gimicky (though they can be fun), and while the food is decent, it's nothing to write home about. Philly has AMAZING restaurants that don't fall into the chain or big name category. But they are smaller and more intimate, so perhaps not ideal for a bachelorette party. Something a little more upscale/comparable to a Steven Starr would be Tequilas. My personal opinion is that it's one of the best restaurants in the city. And trust me- its not even remotely close to your standard tacos and burritos. It's high end gourmet Mexican fare with a French flair. The owner is also the owner/maker of Azul tequila (not to mention the bar is stocked with amazing stuff), and the margaritas are the best. I'd definitely look into here (there's even a waiter there who will carry the drink tray on his head to your table, spin it around and grab a drink and it give it to the right person without looking)... its fun with amazing food.
As for going out for drinks/dancing-- it depends on the type of crowd you're looking for-- I'll gladly make more suggestions if you can give me an idea of what you're looking for..but I'd look maybe to Old City or stay in Rittenhouse.

taccoten

I say do NOT skip a Steven Starr restaurant.  I don't think you can beat the atmosphere and I love the food at every single SS restaurant!  Buddakan is one of my favs.  Fado is definitely fun and is always packed later at night.

dawnmhayden

Thank you for all the suggestions ladies!  Everyone is pretty set on Buddakan and my MOH swears by the NY one so I think we will be going there but that Tequilla place definitely sounds like fun for next time!

And thank you so much for that link for the Toppers discounts! 

j&p2009

Nail Bar is a great place to go for a mani/pedi party. They just won Best of Philly (again). They take parties and offer free cocktails with any service (champagne, mimosas, wine). Love it there and go all the time. You will definitely need reservations for a party.

There are a bunch of shops on Walnut Street between Broad (14th) and 19th to shop and explore. For lunch there are a ton of choices but perhaps you may want to do something light since you're going to dinner at night? Tria (18th and Sansom) is great and very unique...specialize in cheese, wine and beer - great salads and sandwiches but nothing too big.

You will like Budakhan especially if you've never been. Try to order different entrees between your group and definitely save room for dessert.

If you want to dance, try Woody's. You may be the only women there (check the website it will explain it all) however it's a complete blast and some great dancing!

Have fun!!

dawnmhayden

Oh, Tria looks perfect for something light!  Great idea!  Thank you!

Krempn14

Tria is definitely awesome- I go there all the time. The staff is really knowledgeable too about which cheeses and wines go together well, and WHY. I like going to restaurants where the staff actually is trained and knows what they're talking about.
As for Buddakan, I'm not saying don't go there- I'm just saying I'd skip it if you're more concerned about food vs. atmosphere. Atmosphere it is definitely one of the best places to go-- it's very SATC if that's your thing. I'm just saying I wouldn't tout it as a gastronomical gem in Philly... we have way more to offer on those terms. But you will get good quality, and it's a fun time.
Woody's is a great time- but yeah, it's in the Gayborhood, so there won't be too many women or any straight men... hmm perhaps that's a good thing! It really is a fun place. I've only done Fado for quizzo, so I can't comment on how dacing is. Z Bar is fun for afterhours, if you're not tired at the end of the night and still looking for something to do.

caraellen23

Also a good time for dancing is Silk City, but its not anywhere near where you're going to be. There is an awesome DJ (DJ DeeJay) who spins.  This saturday is "anything you can shake your hips to".  He has other nights when he does MMP (Madonna Michael Prince) and BBG (Britney Beyonce Gaga).  I'm dying to get a group together for an MMP night!

Krempn14

Omg I think I need to go to Silk City-- just because! I forgot how fun it is there.

Colleen0106

MMP night is awesome! they have one every last friday of the month at the Barbary- go there to dance off all the calories you will eat at dinner

sof0830

Silk City. Denim. Devil's Alley for drinks. Continental. Cavanaugh's. A pub crawl in olde city. Vango Lounge & Sky bar is awesome too. Just some ideas.