The Bishop’s Collar

November 30, 2007
This place is often packed to the gills and so loud that you have to scream to hear the other members of your party. The have a nice amount of outdoor seating for the warmer months. The staff is friendly and the food is very good for pub food. Not many entrees but a decent selection of very good sandwiches. They always have a nice selection of beers on tap including some surprises every once in a while. There are a lot of jocks who hang out there though.

October 1, 2007
The owner accidently named it after an improper stout pour (he thought it was a PROPER stout pour). I’ll stop by on weekdays (I work 6 blocks down Fairmount at Stone’s Beverage) but on the weekends it’s overflowing with yuppies. Decent crabcakes and that’s saying a lot considering I’m usually dissappointed by most restaurant’s crabcakes. And 90 minute for $3 a bottle? Sweet deal. Also, they have Fox Soccer Channel. Big plus in my book. Overall it’s probably the best beer and food you can get on Fairmount for decent prices. Avoid it on weekend nights, unless you’re another yuppie.

May 28, 2007
This place was hopping on a sunday afternoon. interesting decor ranging from olde time movie posters, bobble heads, and pictures of monks. Tap selection was ok, nothing spectacular. First bar i’ve seen in the city with bells on tap. i can’t remember what else they had but they were solid. didn’t look at the bottle collection. decent prices, oberon pint for $4. food menu seemed pretty good and cheap.

January 29, 2006
The selection is pretty nice, uually have a good variety of beligians, other imports, maybe a few local micros, and good stuff in bottles, fair prices. It’s a comfortable place. The patrons aren’t always friendly and sometimes a bit over my age bracket and I’m not exactly a kid, it’s perhaps slightly more normal people than me which is not bad to most people, but I feel like a suspicious person over there sometimes, to the patrons. The staff for their part are always nice and helpful, efficient, friendly. The food is just ok, good for a bar, but not the reason to come and you’d be better of dining at rembrandt or london and coming to drink here. Overall, pretty much one of the only good bars in a large area of the city; the best thing going closest to the art museum.

January 9, 2006 [ Updated January 10, 2006 ]
I saw this place on my way to visit the Eastern State prison (as a tourist, of course) and decided to stop by for some food and brew. Small pub with a few tables in the back for people who wanted to eat. Small but impressive beer selection in bottles and tap (about 10) which included winter warmers such as Samuel Smith winter ale and Delirium Noel, craft beer such as Victory Hop Wallop, and local like Yuengling. Good atmosphere. Above average pub food such as very nice fresh salads, crab cakes, and soups. When the waitress brought my beer, she did not bring a glass. Sacre Bleu! When I asked her for glass, she looked surprised! Most of the patrons were sucking their beer out of the bottle anyway. Decent place for a beer and good food if you are near the Philly Art Museum and are planning to visit the prison.