With its roots tracing back to at least the mid-to-late 1960's, the hallowed ground located at 951 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia has been Fishtown's place to dance for as long as our eldest neighbors have fought gentrification. Known back then as The Colonial, it was a go-go bar highlighted by girls in sequin-adorned bikinis dancing to the hottest song of the time: Wipeout by the Surfaris (1963). How do we know? Because our 98 year-old neighbor's 78 year-old niece was one of the dancers! And yes, she offered to come out of retirement when we re-opened.
At some point in the 1970's (definitely by 1982) the Colonial came under the ownership of an absolute LEGEND named Vori Kriaris (rest in power, sir) and became 2 venues in 1. Upstairs was The Neato Keno, a 50s/60s themed lounge that, amongst other things, played softcore porn on an old 1950s TV. And downstairs was... The Barbary !! In its original form, The Barbary was a blues bar hosting touring bands. And based on an interview with Vori from 2014... that man liked to party.
Kriaris sold The Keno/Barbary circa 1990. Between then and 2007 it was primarily a punk venue, changing ownership 2-3 times. Its biggest show over that span was the iconic NOFX at their height.
After a brief period of stagnation The Barbary came under new ownership in 2007, just as Fishtown was being strapped with the foundation for Philly's hipster renaissance. With a burgeoning hospitality industry, affordable rent and ideal walkability; Fishtown and The Barbary exploded within the indie nightlife underground.
The Barbary reached a peak in 2012 when it won Philly Mag's 2012 Best of Philly "Nightclub" Award. With its legendary Tigerbeats party and loyal following, the only thing that could stop The Barbary was itself... and it did in 2016 when the City Licensing Dept shut it down for not having a sprinkler system. Many thought it would never open again, but ownership put in the work, had sprinklers installed, re-opened... and immediately put it up for sale. 3 years later, in 2019, it was purchased by its current owners.
After a year of discovering and fixing myriad hidden building issues, then surviving the Covid-19 Pandemic and then closing for 3-years to perform a massive structural renovation; The Barbary was reborn in February 2025 as a proper 2-floor dance-focused venue highlighted by robust sound and light systems and augmented by fully upgraded restrooms facilities, HVAC systems and an outdoor patio.
Inspired by their favorite underground dance institutions from around the globe; The Barbary's owners have brought the same feeling they get when dancing in Montreal, London, Chicago, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Berlin and Ibiza; home to Philadelphia.
Blending party favorites that brought it to Best of Philly heights with the driving underground force of house and techno music; The Barbary of today is bigger, sleeker and crazier while staying true to its roots. Because one thing will never change about 951 Frankford Avenue: It will always be Fishtown's renegade, indie, pirate bar.