Guppy’s Good Times–More than a Good Time

It was Friday night; I was driving around Conshohocken with my friends for awhile looking for a bar we’ve never been to when I hit a red light.  Walking along the side of the street were a group of young people, clearly drunk, so I decided to yell out to them.  I asked them for a good bar around the area and some of them yelled out in unison, “Guppy’s Good Times.”  I had never heard of it, so I asked them to point me in the right direction and off we went.

I found the bar on the corner and parked across the street.  We walked into the bar, probably around eight-ish, and there was a live band on the stage.  The place was packed.  It was a young crowd, but there was some variation in age.  We sifted through the crowd and made our way to the bar.  Since I was driving, I just ordered a beer, but my friend’s girlfriend ordered an “Orange Whip Cocktail,” which is their speciality cocktail.  I had no clue what it was–I expected the bartender to hand her some man dressed in leather S&M gear.  Instead, she handed her a tall, fluorescent-orange drink and I had to take a sip and then ask what it was.  The bartender said it was a combination of whipped cream vodka, Tang, and ginger ale.  And it was pret-ty damn good.

We made our way to the back room where two leather couches sat along the wall.  While the band played good music and people danced, other people played an arcade golf game while others shot darts.  I was astonished that I had never heard of this place.  It was one of the best corner bars I’ve ever been to.  The atmosphere was perfect and the crowd seemed to be having a blast.  We stayed for a bit more and I was in such a good mood that I decided to drink and hang out, and catch a cab home instead of driving.

By the end of the night, the crowd began to dissipate and wade out front.  My friends and I sat at the bar and chatted with the friendly bartender about the place.  We found out that they served “poutine,” a speciality appetizer from Quebec that consists of fries, cheese, and brown gravy.  They said it was a must have.  I took a mental note and finished my beer, and then went out front and caught a cab.

So, if you’re ever in the area and in desperate need of live music, good drinks, and a great crowd, you should absolutely go to Guppy’s Good Times.  The name definitely lived up to its claim.  Oh, and if you ever find yourself craving the “Hair of the Dog” and breakfast on a Sunday morning–go to Guppy’s–they serve free breakfast.  And that’s always a thumbs up in my book.

-Kevin Dicciani is a freelance writer from Philadelphia, PA.