Legally offering a ladies night in Pennsylvania bars is a tricky game of clever wordplay and marketing.

The result for losing that game is a citation from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement with a fine that ranges from $50 to $1,000 and, in major cases, up to $5,000.

Edge Restaurant Bar and Lounge is finding that out the hard way. The bureau on Wednesday said the West Broad Street eatery in Bethlehem is accused of engaging "in unlawful discrimination" for offering women special deals on drinks without extending the offer to men. Edge allegedly was caught offering the deals on Feb. 2 and March 2, according to a news release.

Fran Mantz, managing partner of Edge, said his restaurant was cited after a busy night in March when a male liquor control agent asked why he didn't get the same price as the ladies he was with.

But that's not to say that ladies nights aren't illegal, said Todd Merlina, a bureau supervisor who works in Harrisburg.

That means a bar offering $1 drinks for women can advertise that, but they also have to sell those $1 drinks to men, Merlina said.

Mantz said his restaurant stopped offering ladies night out for a while, but then continued with the promotion after checking with liquor enforcement. The promotion still runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, but they now offer drink specials to the fellas, too.

Laz Melan, owner of the College Hill Tavern in Easton and the Pickled Egg Pub in Wilson Borough, said he doesn't offer ladies nights because they can be considered discriminatory. If he's trying to get ladies into the bar, he'll offer drink specials on the types of drinks women like to order -- usually martinis and liquor.

That's done without ever using the word "ladies."

But don't think the state frowns on every special bar deal. Merlina said bars can make exclusive offers to specific groups, like military or of-age college students. Those are acceptable because those groups encompass all types of people, and are not discriminatory in and of themselves, Merlina said.

Melan said the wording of a promotion is just one challenge of running a bar in Pennsylvania. He said the state sets strict rules like how long promotions can last and how much liquor he can buy at one time.