32°

Imagine that you have to walk into a alley, through a back entrance, meander through a live kitchen and out a pair of swinging doors into a club. Sure this would be a rip-off of “Goodfella’s” and/or “Swingers” but it's still a cool way to make an entrance. C'mon, let’s face it - it’s the next logical step in speakeasy design.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the way you enter 32°, but it does have one of those clandestine entrances. You know the type: no signs, no indication whatsoever that there’s a club there. Like manifest destiny (or on a tip by a friend), you just know something's going on there.

32° is located along the "San Andrea's fault line" of Olde City Philly: 2nd Street. You’ve probably passed by Nick’s Roast Beef a million times, but this time you’re going in dressed to the nines. Have no fear, au jus will not be coming anywhere near that Versace shirt or Donna Karan dress, we’re heading upstairs. As you ascend the stairs and leave the smell of French Dip behind, you hear the pounding sounds of house/techno music.

The room is filled with upwardly mobile revelers – no college crowd here. If your “robbing the cradle” and your date is under 26, you’d better find another place to impress your hoochie. The place screens out anyone under 26 years old.

There are 2 bars located at the middle and in the rear of the room. For the most part, it’s standing room only with a few tables scattered about for the dining patrons. There are a handful of mini-booths that are in a constant state of “Reserved.” The crowds were mainly milling about by the bars and towards the front windows that overlook 2nd Street.

I hate to bitch about the aesthetics of a place but the bar and the decorations look like they were fabricated from the lumber department of Home Depot. If you look at the liquor cabinet behind the bar, it’s a few 2-by-4’s and ¾” plywood painted black. Above this cabinet is a mirror decoration. Upon closer inspection (the honeys aren't interested in an out-of-work dot-com'r so the decor becomes more interesting) it's only a horizontal line of mirrors held in place by a couple of furring strips. The bars show a tad more skill in craftsmanship, but still nothing more than a nice brown wood countertop with a rounded wood bumper rail for the edge. Down by your knees is a backlit piece of plastic. The carpentry work is nice, by the décor lacks the pizzazz of an experienced interior decorator. Will someone please call Trading Spaces?

I picture the management of Brownies Pub and 32° trading the keys to their respective establishments and redecorating each other’s place. Oh, the magic that Hilda and Genevieve could do to these places. If you’ve never watched TLC’s show Trading Spaces, this paragraph didn’t make much sense. All apologies.

Sad to say, but there are no beer taps here. There are bottled selections like Guinness, Bass and Coors Light available for about $5 a bottle. If you just can’t party without that bottle of 35 year old Glenlivet, 32° offers screened in liquor lockers. You can leave your booze here (ask management for pricing) and you get a nameplate to make everyone jealous as they gaze through chicken wire at your frou frou libation. It would be quite the joke to buy one of these booze lockers, load it up with Mad Dog 20/20 and have a friend or well known local celebrity’s name put on the faceplate. Oooh, the comedy writes itself.

One odd thing that struck us was that even-though you are surrounded in a aural wash (yes, I said aural, not oral you cheeky monkey) of techno/dance music, there's nowhere to kick up your heals. With no dance floor, the footloose crowd will not be pleased. But what do I know, maybe this place is too cool for dancing. From the looks of a couple of the male patron's here, they're better off not dancing - they might break a hip! Another odd thing about 32° is the ever present security. This is a small place but is seemed as though there was a guy with an earpiece/microphone every couple of feet. Better safe than sorry, I suppose.

So now you’re set to visit 32° - you’re over 26, got your A-Game on, and you’re wallet/purse is fat – what’s the hold up? Oh and if you get the post-party munchies, there’s Nick’s Roast Beef downstairs. Your night’s complete – just remember to wear a bib – roast beef gets messy.

PROS:

Swanky establishment.

No youngsters - Have to be over 26 to party.

Shots delivered in a shot sized block of ice.

Liquor lockers available.

CONS:

Ach, no beer on tap - In keeping with the theme, how about Ice Beer?

All of this dance music, and no dance floor - what gives?

Pricey drinks - about $8/glass of mixed drinks or wine. Well, this is Olde City.

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