Why Mac’s Tavern, the ‘It’s Always Sunny’ bar in Old City, closed after 15 years
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" stars Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson were among the founders of Mac's Tavern in Old City.
Mac’s Tavern — the Old City watering hole opened 15 years ago by a group of childhood friends, including the South Philadelphia-raised actor formerly known as Rob McElhenney and his wife, Kaitlin Olson, both of TV’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fame — has closed.
Eric Vesotsky, one of the partners, attributed the closing to “COVID challenges, followed by government challenges, followed by lease-renewal challenges, followed by Philly challenges” that made it “an eventual impossible recovery back to where we once were,” he said Thursday, about two weeks after the bar announced a pending closing. “This industry is treated so poorly that I’m arguably past anger and simply sad.”
Vesotsky said he was proud of the bar’s 15 years, “but it doesn’t make this pill any easier to swallow. The exit, as abrupt as it was, was the worst part because it would’ve been nice to exit with a celebration to show gratitude the same way we came in.”
Mac’s Tavern, at 226 Market St., happened to be a case of life imitating art. On the long-running comedy series, “the Gang” operates “Paddy’s Pub” in South Philadelphia. (In a case of life imitating art imitating life, there really is an unaffiliated Paddy’s Pub on Race Street, a few blocks from Mac’s, that claims to be the inspiration for the name on the show.)
McElhenney, who recently changed his name to Rob Mac, and Olson were early investors in Mac’s, along with Vesotsky and some other classmates from St. Joseph’s Prep.
At Mac’s opening in June 2010, the actors were in Philadelphia while shooting Season 6 — the one where Mac’s character has a bromance with then-Phillies star Chase Utley.
Mac and Olson (Dee), as well as costars Glenn Howerton (Dennis) and Danny DeVito (Frank), attended Mac’s opening party.
It’s Always Sunny launches its 17th season on July 9.
Among the bar’s fans were Marisa Magnatta of WMMR’s Preston & Steve show and the Delicious City Philly podcast, who hosted Quizzo nights there for years.
“There was a lot of great energy within those walls,” she said. “Lots of Philly sports stars lived in Old City and would regularly roll through.”
Magnatta also pointed out that the name of WMMR’s Preston Elliot is on the toilet-paper holder in the men’s room. He was a minor investor at the opening. “We joked that he ‘owned the toilet-paper dispenser,’ and the gang actually put a plaque in to immortalize the joke.”
McElhenney and Olson routinely visited Mac’s during the show’s annual visit to Philadelphia, where exteriors are filmed.
The bar assiduously avoided visual references to It’s Always Sunny, though the opening menu included an egg-and-turkey-bacon dish called It’s Always Sunnyside Up and the most recent menu carried a fried snack called Sweet Dee’s (Cauli)Flower.
Also, there was Wrexham fish and chips, a tribute to Wrexham AFC, the Welsh soccer club that Mac and actor Ryan Reynolds own and feature in the TV series Welcome to Wrexham.
“When we opened this bar, our hope was to create a welcoming, down-to-earth place where people could gather, share stories, laugh a little too loudly, and enjoy a drink or two among friends,” the social-media message from management said. “What we got in return was so much more: a vibrant, loyal, and loving community that made Mac’s Tavern feel like home — not just to us and the staff, but to everyone who walked through its doors. … We’re proud of what we built, but even more proud of what you made it into. Though Mac’s Tavern may be closing, our gratitude to you will remain open — and overflowing — forever.”
This story was updated to include comment from one of the bar’s partners, which was received after initial publication.