The most useful thing to understand before visiting an adult club in Pennsylvania is whether the venue holds a liquor licence or operates as BYOB. That single distinction shapes almost everything else about the visit: whether you can buy a drink at the bar, whether you need to bring your own alcohol, and what the entertainment format looks like.
Pennsylvania is a control state, and its Liquor Code places conditions on what licensed premises may permit. Venues that hold a licence operate under those conditions. Venues that do not hold a licence are outside the PLCB licensing system entirely — and under state rules, a customer may bring their own legally purchased alcohol into an establishment whether or not that establishment is licensed. The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board states plainly that nothing in the Liquor Code or its regulations prohibits an individual from bringing their own alcohol into any establishment, as long as it was legally procured. Each business decides for itself whether to allow it, and may charge a corkage fee.
What the rules actually say
Section 493(10) of the Pennsylvania Liquor Code makes it unlawful for a licensee to permit “lewd, immoral or improper entertainment” on licensed premises, regardless of whether an entertainment permit has been obtained. Violations expose the licensee to suspension or revocation of the permit and the licence. This is the provision that historically pushed adult venues in Pennsylvania into one of two models: keep the liquor licence and run a more restricted entertainment format, or give up the licence and operate BYOB.
The provision has been litigated. A federal district court in 2005 held section 493(10) facially unconstitutional insofar as it prohibited “immoral or improper” entertainment at a licensed establishment, and in August 2006 the Third Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the section as facially unconstitutional insofar as it prohibited “lewd” entertainment at a licensed establishment. In practice, licensing status remains the clearest predictor of what a given club’s format looks like, but the legal picture is not a simple statewide ban — which is another reason to check with the specific venue rather than assume.
Two further points worth knowing. Enforcement of liquor law in Pennsylvania is handled by the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, not by the PLCB itself. And local municipal ordinances apply on top of state rules — the PLCB specifically notes that local ordinances may restrict BYOB establishments, so the municipality matters as much as the state.
On tax: Philadelphia levies an Amusement Tax at 5% of the admission charge for amusement venues and events in the city. Whether that shows up separately on your bill depends on the venue. A 2013 attempt by the city to apply the amusement tax to lap dance revenue was rejected by the city’s tax review board. There is no separate statewide Pennsylvania adult-entertainment admission fee; a $5 entrance fee on sexually oriented businesses was proposed in Harrisburg in 2017, but we found no confirmation that it was enacted.
Philadelphia
- Delilah’s Gentlemen’s Club — 100 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia PA 19123
- Club Risque Northeast — 5921 Tacony St, Philadelphia PA 19135
- The Penthouse Club Philadelphia — 3001 Castor Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19134
- Cheerleaders Philadelphia — 2740 South Front Street, Philadelphia
- Club Oasis Philadelphia — 6800 Essington Ave, Philadelphia PA 19153
- Day Dreams Philadelphia — 5200 Unruh Ave, Philadelphia PA 19135
- Vanity Grand Philadelphia — 6130 Passyunk Avenue, Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
- Cheerleaders Pittsburgh — 3100 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh
- Blush Exotic — 135 9th St, Pittsburgh 15222
Bristol and Reading
- Club Risque Bristol — 3025 Veterans Hwy, Bristol PA 19007
- Al’s Diamond Cabaret Reading — 1810 N 5th St, Reading PA 19601
What to check before you go
- Ask whether the venue is licensed or BYOB. If it is BYOB, you need to bring alcohol yourself, it must have been legally purchased in Pennsylvania, and the venue may or may not allow it at all — house rules decide. Keeping the receipt is advisable, since proof of lawful purchase can matter.
- Check the municipality, not just the state. Local ordinances sit on top of state rules and can restrict BYOB establishments and adult venues. A club in Bristol or Reading may operate under different local conditions than one in Philadelphia.
- Confirm cover charge and payment method in advance. In Philadelphia, admission charges fall under the city’s 5% amusement tax, so the advertised door price and the amount you actually pay may differ. Call ahead or check the venue’s own site for current door pricing and hours.