In every sense a great Nicholson’s pub located in the Northern Georgian and Cultural Quarter of Liverpool. It’s a famous pub, and even the city explorer bus tour has a stop here. Different rooms, stylish and well kept. The large four-sided bar serves three guest ales by handpumps, and a few regular ales from Thwaites and Liverpool Organic. Some interesting beers on tap, as well. Our lunch food was tasty and freshly made. And yes, as when visiting the Princess Louise pub in Holborn, I took photos of the magnificent marble-tiled gents’ room. Should not be missed (visited, 09.04.2013).

Visited in januar 2012 on our pre-winter-ale-pubcrawl.. What a place... Being in Liverpool you simply have to visit this pub. The decorations in this pub is simply awesome!!! Mirrors and glass panels everywhere, even the gents toilets was amazing ( i was told :-) ) Being a part of the Nicholson chain, beers and food ( we didn´t eat here ) are what you know from these pubs, served by friendly staff..

One of those places you just have to visit for the incredible opulence of the bar. Absolutely gorgeous.

For looks and comfort, one of the best pubs I’ve ever been to. Bar staff very friendly, happy to let you have a taste of the cask ales before you make a choice. Selection is variable, sometimes a little deficient. Not too expensive. And, of course, everyone knows about the toilets...

My daughter went to University in Liverpool, so I got to know the pubs fairly well. This wonderful place is just fantastic; the decor is original and so opulent it takes your breath away. When I took a bus load of CAMRA members on a Liverpulian pub crawl, this is where I started and finished the trip. If it is quiet and you ask, your wife can pop into the Gents toilet and have a look round, trust me, she will love it! Anyone who loves life, Real Ale and is visiting Liverpool must walk up to the Phili.

Sumptuous, lavish, elegant, magnificent – need I go on? The Philharmonic really has to be seen. It’s a wonderful place. Even what was once the public bar is ornately tiled and, as Neil (DJ Monarch) said when he saw my photos on Facebook, one simply cannot visit Liverpool’s most opulent gem without “paying a visit”, so to speak, to the men’s toilets. The beer isn’t bad either. It’s now a Nicholson’s pub (no surprise there) and has a little bit more of a corporate feel than it used to but the service was friendly and there was a good enough range of beers to keep us happy whilst we took in the surroundings. (Last visited, 16 January 2012).

A must visit when in Liverpool! The interior is awesome (even the gents toilet!) The beer is always in top condition and the beer list is well thought out. Food is excellent but maybe a little expensive.

What a place! Just watch the toilets! :-) Elegance and real ales. You just HAVE to visit this place. I do not think you wll ever find soemthing like it. Nice atmosphere as well.

As far as grandeur and elegance goes, the “Phil”, or the Philharmonic Dining Rooms to use its full name, has it in unmatched profusion. It’s one of the most opulent and impressive Victorian gin places in the whole country. But, if you know anything about pubs you’ll already know that, so I won’t blather on about that further. It’s one of the few pubs where you can take a lady into the gents toilet (to view the ornate fittings of course) without suspicion of being about to engage in sexual practices. This wasn’t a pub I visited that mach back in the 70s, on account of the beer being rubbish. Nowadays it’s part of the Nicholson stable so the beer range is solid, with a fair chance of something out of the ordinary.