The Cast Of It's Always Sunny Has A Real Bar In Philadelphia You Can Visit
Those who happen to find themselves in Philadelphia have an opportunity to make their lives just a little bit sunnier. Co-stars and married couple Rob McElhenney and Kaitlyn Olsen, a.k.a. Mac and Dee from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," are also business partners as the proprietors of Mac's Tavern, a bar found in the middle of the City of Brotherly Love.
The cast of the longest-running live-action sitcom has always had strong, loving ties to the program's setting, even if its members all live in Los Angeles. McElhenney himself grew up in Philly and Olsen famously went into labor while attending a baseball game between the Phillies and the LA Dodgers. The series' fictional bar, Paddy's Pub, is portrayed as a little-frequented, unsanitary dump where the owners spend more time getting drunk behind the counter than running a business. Mac's Tavern, on the other hand, is a real, honest-to-god establishment, devoid of any rat-infested basements or ocular patdowns.
From Paddy's to Mac's
The sports bar is located in the heart of Old City at 226 Market Street, right down the block from the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Bell. According to its website:
Mac's Tavern was formed by a small to semi-medium group of partners, comprised mainly of old friends. Mixed with a few national, local and (perhaps) cult celebrities — most notably, Rob and Kaitlin McElhenney of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fame — the dynamic is as unique as it gets.
The description boasts craft brews and grub alongside a jukebox and plasma TVs, though there's sadly no milk steak or rum ham on the menu. There was most likely no kidnapping of restaurant critics, either, since the bar has successfully been in operation since 2010.
The interior space isn't an exact replica of Paddy's Pub, but there's painted artwork of the "It's Always Sunny" cast running alongside the top of the wall. Fans will probably also appreciate the signed Chase Utley jersey on display, though will note the lack of stickers. ("You guys put Philly on the map!" wrote Utley in an address to "Always Sunny.")
The space occupies the site of a former dry goods store that, according to the site, was possibly frequented by the likes of neighborhood denizens Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross. Now, Mac's Tavern has once again become a part of modern Philadelphia history. Truly, though, one has to wonder what the Founding Fathers would think about the spaghetti policy.