Travel: Inside the Philadelphia pub behind 1,000 love stories

Founded in 1860 by Irish immigrants William and Catherine McGillin, the tavern holds the distinction of being Philadelphia’s oldest continuously operating pub. It has survived wars, recessions, Prohibition, and two pandemics. Yet its most surprising legacy is not its endurance, but the hundreds of romances that have unfolded under its roof.

For Irene Levy Baker, author of Cheers to McGillins: Philly’s Oldest Tavern, launched this month, the pub’s romantic reputation was impossible to ignore. “I’ve been at McGillin’s for 20 years," she says. “I’ve seen sports championships, beer tours, celebrity visits, but my favourite stories are always from the couples who met here. Everyone seems to have a unique, joy-filled story that somehow circles back to this old Irish pub."

Baker’s book captures not only McGillin’s 165-year history but also the modern love stories it continues to inspire. There’s the man who left his debit card, came back to retrieve it the next night—and met the woman who became his wife. The woman whose friends brought her here to recover from a broken engagement; that same night, she met her future husband. His wedding ring now bears one word engraved inside: McGillin’s. Then there’s the pair of runners who had completed Philadelphia’s 10-mile Broad Street Run in the rain. Each was coaxed by friends to stop for “just for one drink". They left not only with beer but with a partner, and now have two toddlers.

For Chris Mullins, the bar’s owner, these stories are part of the pub’s identity. “Maybe it’s the kind of people who come here," he says. “Or maybe it’s the beer."

The Mullins family has owned McGillin’s since 1958. Chris runs the bar with his parents, who still see themselves as caretakers rather than owners. He recalls the story of a man who stopped by recently and told him that not only did he meet his wife at McGillin’s more than 60 years ago, but his parents met there too—in 1937.

McGillin’s is preparing to celebrate this legacy with a Couples Reunion in February 2026. “It’s especially fun when we get couples of different generations together," says Mullins. “There’s always laughter, a few tears, and a lot of toasts."

Despite dating apps and algorithmic matchmaking, McGillin’s continues to prove that in-person connection holds power. “Surprisingly, we haven’t seen a drop-off in couples meeting here," Mullins says. “The difference is that now, people might be glued to their phones. That’s when John Doyle, our 80-year-old bartender who’s been here 50 years steps in. He’ll nudge someone and say, ‘Put the phone down and send that person a round’."

Baker sees that as part of McGillin’s charm. “Online, you only know what someone chooses to share," she says. “When you meet in person, you already know there’s chemistry."

When William and Catherine “Ma" McGillin opened the tavern 165 years ago, Abraham Lincoln hadn’t yet taken office. It began as a corner bar serving Irish immigrants and grew into a city institution. After her husband’s death, Ma McGillin ran the bar herself for decades—serving hearty soups, keeping order, and offering advice in equal measure.

Walk into McGillin’s today and its walls tell their own love story: framed photographs of couples, newspaper clippings, and handwritten notes from decades past. The pub is also a mini-museum of Philadelphia history, displaying signs salvaged from shuttered local businesses. “McGillin’s is like Philadelphia," says Baker. “Resilient, warm, and full of character."

Teja Lele is an independent journalist.

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