Another Axe-Throwing Bar Coming to Philly

Philadelphia’s third axe-throwing bar is coming to Old City. Yes, I said “third.” Apparently the kids these days aren’t content to dress like and wear the facial hair of lumberjacks; the want to throw sharp weapons as well. Kick Axe Throwing is coming to Market and Bank streets, in the space that held Stephen Starr’s now-closed Tangerine restaurant. It joins Kensington’s Urban Axes, which for the longest time was the only axe-throwing game in town, and G. Ho’s Bury the Hatchet, which opened earlier this year. Kick Axe is based in Brooklyn, where it has enjoyed considerable success.

Half the fun of these axe-slinging bars is getting your drink on whilst playing with sharp tools… an audacious thrill that goes against everything your mama taught you. Getting too drunk is legitimately dangerous, however, which is why Kick Axe will only serve beer and wine. The bar is not open to the general public, as in other places – you have to have a reservation for throwing to be allowed to hang out at the bar. Groups can come in whatever size they please, although smaller groups may have to share a range with strangers, and big groups could potentially be split up.

If the success of the New York hub is anything to go by, throwing slots will be quickly filled up in reservations, so you shouldn’t count on being able to play as a walk-in. Weekends are especially crowded, so reserve your spot in advance. In New York, a session of throwing costs $35 per person for a 75-minute reservation. Sessions start at a certain time, so you cannot just walk in and be throwing five minutes later. It’s kind of like going to the movies – you have to wait for the show to start!

Kick Axe is quickly expanding. Even as it opens its Philly location, it is already planning a location in Washington, D.C.