Mardi Gras — otherwise known as Fat Tuesday — is almost here. Though the cold weather in Philadelphia may not make it easy to celebrate, Craftsman Row Saloon is hosting its annual New Orleans-inspired pop-up, bringing all the sights and sounds of Bourbon Street to Center City.
Craftsman Row Saloon's Mardi Gras pop-up bar will be open from Friday, Feb. 3 through Fat Tuesday on Feb. 21. Packed with gold, green and purple decorations, the Center City bar has turned itself into a miniature New Orleans, with tiny vignettes across the bar paying homage to The Big Easy and its Carnival celebrations.
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For the return of the popular limited-time experience, Craftsman Row Saloon co-owners George and Vasiliki Tsiouris have amped up the menu to include plenty more Bourbon Street-inspired options, creating a more extravagant celebration than they have in previous years.
To set the mood, visitors can listen to a mix of Mardi Gras and New Orleans staples, jazz and even some Mummers' tunes. Each specially-crafted Mardi Gras cocktail or milkshake will come with either beads, masks or other souvenirs for guests to remember the evening. Patrons can even take the party outside, where the exterior of the bar will be illuminated in Mardi Gras colors.
Patrons can sit and enjoy some signature dishes inspired by New Orlean's biggest holiday celebration, including king cakes and plenty of fried seafood, for the duration of the pop-up. Check out the limited-time offerings below, available in addition to Craftsman Row Saloon's regular menu.
• Big Easy Burger: smashed patties, Old Bay fries, American cheese, creole fried shrimp, remoulade, sauteed onions, Martin's potato roll
• Dirty Rice: ground beef, shrimp, peppers, onions
• Who Dat Chicken: king cake, fried chicken breast, honey butter, hot sauce, powdered sugar
• King Cake Fries: sweet potato fries, brown butter glaze, cinnamon praline, green and purple sugar
• Masquerade Mac & Cheese: four-cheese blend, cinnamon, brown and powdered sugar, toasted breadcrumbs, hot sauce drizzle
• King of Bourbon Street: vanilla ice cream, king cake crumble and garnish, white chocolate, cinnamon, caramel drizzle, beads, festive sprinkles; boozy option available
• Louisiana Hot Honey Margarita: tequila, honey, hot sauce
• King Cake Espresso Martini: vodka, Bailey's, Fireball, coffee, cinnamon
• Black and Gold: gin, pineapple, berries, lime
• Show Me Your Beads, Hurricane: light and spiced rum, passionfruit, orange, grenadine
• Voodoo 75: gin, lavender, lemon, sparkling rose
• Bienville Old Fashioned: whiskey, black walnut bitters
• Jazz Julep: rum, strawberry, muddled mint
• On da Beat Grasshopper: vodka, amaretto, creme de menthe, half and half, chocolate
• Bayou Breeze Shot: vodka, passionfruit, peach, lime, honey, keepsake shot glass
Craftsman Row Saloon's Mardi Gras-themed pop-up opens on Friday and runs through Tuesday, Feb. 21. Hours for the season are Tuesday from noon to 10 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. Reservations are available now and can be made on OpenTable.
Mardi Gras Pop-Up
Feb. 3 through Feb. 21, 2023
Hours vary | Reservations required
Craftsman Row Saloon
112 S. Eighth St., Philadelphia, PA 19107