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Basically Cheers minus all the fun people.
Pluses:
A set of Liars dice (but only one)
Two game machines
Pool in the back
Great Bartender
Minuses:
Nothing all that interesting about the décor
No booths, only stools
Jukebox doesn't have some great hits (and it's online too)
People smoke directly in front of the door
Mainly, this is the most fitting A-OK that I've ever done.
People thought this was:
Solid neighborhood bar.
Good place to either start or stop at on the Taraval Crawl. I also love this bar for when I'm riding the L home all late and then MUNI decides to go and fuck me over by turning the L I'm riding into a K (Really MUNI? Why you got to play me like that?) and there isn't another L coming for like 26 minutes. No worries. Lets just go get a beer or two at Philosophers and check when it's coming on my phone.
Definitely beats sitting in the MUNI station all sober.
People thought this was:
When i first heard of a bar called Philosophers Club, i knew i had to check it out. I mean, thats an awesome name. It makes me think of a place where great thinkers would come and meet to converse the meaning of life and get wasted at the same time.
This is a local neighborhood bar. Located right next to the west portal tunnel in a pretty peaceful area. I like the location as it doesnt get too crowded here. And i usually head here right before i go home. It has a pool table, jukebox and a couple of TV's, plus the bartenders are friendly and welcoming.
Need to ponder some deep thoughts, then come here. Thats what i do. Well that and drink!
People thought this was:
They were so welcoming and at the same time not intrusive. Even the customers in the bar were great people. What a groovy place to play pool or spend time with friends.
Philosophers club was ok. If I could I would give it 2.5 stars, but I have decided to round up. "Meh. I've experience better." and "A-OK" really fit the situation. Yes I enjoyed the atmosphere, the bartender was nice, but over-all it was a lack-luster sort of place. We visited on a Saturday night and it seemed really boring. No one seemed local, or in their place, it was very clean, no seed or any fun.
If you are looking for a local/fun experience I wouldn't suggest this place. However, if you are looking for a good clean beer without any sort of social interaction this is the bar for you!
It's great for a night that you just don't want to deal with the rest of the world but you still want a draft beer. The prices were decent enough that I will be going back with my friends. Usually we make our own fun, considering the neighborhood local-ness, its a pretty sweet chill spot. Just don't expect wild crazy times or much other than just a plain old beer. :)
Oh, and for $1 you can play pool...
I feel that the West Portal area is one of the nicest, yet under appreciated neighborhoods in SF. I really should spend more time in this area since they are so many gems, and the Philosopher's Club is one of them.
My friend, Amy, recommended PC, and total props to her for doing so.
We walked in and literally a minute later decided to order some snacks from Bulls Head next door to bring back to PC. *BTW, I love when bars allow outside food to be brought inside their establishment*
As we walked out, the bartender and friends at bar waved and said bye to us, and we assured them that we'd return. Maybe, they thought that we were scared off by this bar or something, BUT that was so far from the truth.
We were totally vibing this place, which was clean with cool interior, pool tables in the back, and flat screen TVs (with the Warrior game on) throughout the bar, etc., OK, so it also helped that there were some cuties hanging out, too. Duh, we'd be stupid to not come back!
So, after returning with fries and mini corn dogs from next door, we sit at a table close to the lone video game. Chowing on our snacks (which were tasty treats), drinking our brewskies (which were oh so refreshing), and soaking in the PC vibe (which we were totally diggin' as while girl chatting, we were also checking out the eye candy and Warriors game) :)
Bartender was friendly and knew many of the patrons, who seem to be a mix of young and old, and definitely locals. This is the type of bar that reminds me of Cheers - friendly and not stuffy; no frills but not exactly divey; and yes, where everybody knows your name (and if they don't, they will soon enough)!
Unfortunately, my first PC experience was cut short since we had to head back to the Empire for the flick. Rest assured, I'll return to spend more than just an hour and one round of drinks at PC. I predict a fun, crazy drunken eve here in the near future! :)
People thought this was:
For being just an "average" bar this place is actually really, really nice on the inside. I think they renovated the place not too long ago. Very clean, very nice, very friendly locals, just don't expect to walk into a jumping, busy bar. This place is a locals bar and typically pretty quiet.
I usually don't go drinking around the Portal area. And by the way, what the hell is up with the "Portal" moniker? Makes me think I'm going to wind up in the negative zone going over there. Portal's not a neighborhood name, it's a thing that evil robots get sucked into.
Anyway, It's nice bar where you have a beer and talk sports with the friendly bartender, the kinda place you'd spend a lot of time at on a Thursday if you lived around the corner. You'd only want to be here on a Friday night if you were all about low-key, which sometimes, is a good thing.
People thought this was:
So, I made the mistake of coming here one night and not being tanked all ready... probably why that night sucked.
So I made the mistake of coming here one night and not all ready being an established regular... probably why that night sucked.
So, I made the mistake of coming here one night and ordering a Long Island: tiny glass, decent pour, hefty fee. Wasted too much money getting tanked... probably why that night sucked.
So, I made the mistake of wearing my Yankees hat here one night, bartender gave me shit service (fair enough, I'd give him shit if he was in a Sox cap)... probably why that night sucked.
Hmm, maybe I just made the mistake of coming here at all.
Unless you have to, don't do your drinking on West Portal in general.
People thought this was:
four stars for :
-a sweet ass name
-having anderson valley boont amber on tap! woot! f- yeah!
-cool bartenders
-good prices
-sweet jukebox
-a really clean toilet
-being within walking distance from my friends house
minus 1 star for:
-the guy who scared the shit out of me
-the guy who may or may have not puked on the floor. There was puke no doubt. who did it, well, that still anyone's guess!
Confucius? Nope. Sartre? Non. Nietzsche? Nein.
Regular SF folk? Yup. Pool table? Uh-huh. Sports fans? Check. Drunk lady falling off stool? Yes, last time I was there.
Utilitarian bar and that's all (maybe John Stuart Mill would appreciate it).
People thought this was:
I remember when I was young and impressionable and believed what people said. Until my dreams were crushed with the awful truth.
Like when I realized that "pretty ugly" meant just plain ugly instead of more pretty than ugly.
Or when I found out that Slim Jims are not a diet food, but just the opposite, and that it is nearly impossible to "snap" into one.
Then there was the day I found out the tooth fairy was none other than my parents keepsake drawer. I was extremely confused as to how the drawer got under my pillow and collected the teeth until the tooth drawer belief was also snatched from my imagination by my older sister who told me it was all made up.
Hot dogs? Pppffffhhh. Not made from real dogs!
Over the years I learned not to believe everything I was told. There was some dribble about growing up and school of hard knocks and facing reality.
Thanks for toughening me up to the real world, robbing me of my childhood and taking unicorns and fairies away from me at the young age of two. I guess I am supposed to be ready for anything now right? Well, guess what???
I am not ready to accept that a place with the name Philosophers Club is not really an elite club and is not full of philosophers. Unless old drunk pervy men are philosophers and dank bars that smell of stale beer and sling strong drinks with inconsistent service now qualify as clubs.
I am also not ready to accept that unicorns and fairies cease to exist.
People thought this was:
I was only in this place for about 15 minutes, but they were 15 really good minutes.
I was unsure what to get, until I spotted a bottle of Fernet Branca on the bar. Not only did the gregarious bartender talk me into trying a shot of this noxious stuff, he gave it to me for free and did a shot with me.
One star for free shots
One star for friendly bartender
One star for trying new things
One star for free shots
Oh also, Fernet tastes like what your parents describe medicine tasting like when they were kids. Completely vile and with no redeeming qualities, no potentials for mixing. I like it!
People thought this was:
Do you refers to women as "chicks" and gay men as "faggots" and African Americans as "niggers"?
Do you think putting on a Giants jersey is "dressing up"?
Do you think that sports of any kind is akin to the works of William Shakespeare?
When you drink a beer do you "throw one back"?
When your favorite sports team scores do you like to loudly hoot and high-five?
Do you refer to a woman's breasts as YA-BOOS or hooters?
Do you think the faggots aught to stay in their bars and stay outa your bar?
Well, then THIS place is for you!!
People thought this was:
Ah, The Philly Club. I used to go here in high school. A typical Dub-P dive (aka West Portal, act like ya herd) which means you'll find a largely Irish neighborhood crowd and their beer bellys. I guarantee no philosophizing is going on inside.
Still, I have swung by for a beer and some pool-- but only if the only alternative is Joxer Daily's down the block, where I used to go in diapers.
People thought this was:
The Portal get's no love from Yelp, so I will represent for the WP. The Philosopher's Club is a fantastic neighborhood bar right on the Portal. Have a great night:
- playing pool (missing every shot and blaming the stick)
- watching the game (crying with neighbor over the niners demise)
-talking local neighborhood politics(Bob let's his damn mutt crap on my lawn every night!)
You can then stumble home and send off your friends off to their downtown destination via the L Taraval. And if that's not enough, the drinks are reasonable and the crowd is genial when boozed.
People thought this was:
If you feel uncomfortable hanging out in meat market bars, you would probably like the Philosopher's Club. It's not an exciting place to go "see and be seen." You'll find an unpretentious crowd made up of mostly locals which feels kind of reassuring. And sometimes on a lazy Saturday night, that's all you need.
People thought this was:
Somehow this has become a quasi-LSU bar. Which makes it right up my alley. And because other LSU alums go there and buy me drinks (not the douchey ones who attend the alumni sponsored events), and they have an LSU helmet, and piss Cal fans off by putting the sound of the LSU games on in favor of the Cal game, I'm giving it four stars. There are always actual footall fans who know what they are talking about, including the bartender, and tell me things that even I, in my infinite football wisdom, weren't aware of. I like to learn as I drink.
The minus star is for having to talk to excessively drunk old guys and running into either coworkers of my parents or people I went to HS with.
Plus, even as a dive bar, you should have seen this bar BEFORE they cleaned it up. It was awful. Now, it's pretty nice, if not exactly classy. But if I wanted classy I would go to the Marina (no, actually, not on my life). Oh, also you can order Bullshead from next door and eat it at the bar and that's all good. And they have chips. Because I am for sure one of those people that gets hungry when she drinks and having easy access to a six month old bag of fritos makes me happy.
People thought this was:
"Where did you go for St. .Patty's Day?" countless friends inquired.
"To the Philly!" I replied with a smile and a sense of SF pride.
"What?! WHY???" Was the most common response.
Because I didn't want to repeat last year's St. Patty's where I ended up walking miles in high heels searching for a cab at 3am in North Beach. Eff that man - give me West Portal, where there is public transportation, street parking, and no need to don the heels!
I really felt damn comfortable in the Philly - not "pajamas and glasses" comfortable, but "not worried about getting a little loud" comfortable. There *may* have been some singing around the juke-box. There was plenty of Bud Light and no sneers from the bartender when I ordered a round of ten. The crowd was wonderfully local - none of those bridge and tunnelers that were snagging my cabs in NB the previous year.
All-in-all a perfect place to meet after work or on your favorite drinking holiday!
People thought this was:
Questions to ask at the Philosopher's Club
Why am I here
Why are any of us here
Hello
People thought this was:
Homey, comfortable bar with awesomely nice bartenders, Josh and Jesse I think. (I was drunk.) My BF said the place reminded him of the bars back home in WI. Lots more men than girls in there. Younger crowd than the old timers at Joxer Daly's but older crowd than the regulars at Dubliner. Good mix.
Last night we went, and it was chill and alot of fun. There was a group of girls in there that looked like chubby versions of the crowd you see in the Marina, and then when a few girls walked in that looked like actual girls from the Marina, after a few stare downs, they walked right out. I felt bad for them since I actually have been accused of being a Marina girl too, but this particular night I knew we would be doing the casual thing so I wasn't all decked out= ie. I fit in last night with the crowd.
Either way, if you don't go in all dolled up and with your Gucci bag, and with an attitude you will have fun here. How can you not with such a chill vibe and cool bartenders??
People thought this was:
Dim lighting and televisions everywhere. Not at all conducive to good conversation.
On this particular night, the place was dominated by a loud, obnoxious group of meat heads. One of them tried to make it seem like the place was bumpin' by yelling out "Yeahhhh!!!!!!!!" every few minutes.
We had our drinks and left.
People thought this was:
I kept hearing about this bar from my friends who frequent it often, so when I finally went I found a neighborhood sports bar, complete with a cast of usual players: faithful regulars looking for a game to watch; students in need of a post-class drink; billard players passing the time, and a bartendar preoccupied with counseling his patrons. All endearing characteristics, mind you.
But the master of the house, the bartender, really sets the tone for neighborhood bar. We rely on him/her to provide a welcoming and friendly atmosphere; when most generic bars lean on being appealing with slick and hip (although vacant) style, design, and architecture.
Maybe it was a bad night, but from the get go, I didn't feel welcome at all. I sat at the bar with a friend while people around us were chatting like old buddies. I couldn't help but feel like the bartender was ignoring me -- intentionally passing me over, even whileI learned over the counter, looking him dead in the eyes (trying to at least), with my wallet in my hand. When I finally did order, he got distracted and forgot about it. I had to remind him a second time about my order of a simple beer. He looked like he didn't want to be bothered, as he bragged to his friends about his golf game - complete with a video he was trying desparately to play. I don't know what it was, but I can confidently say from surveying the room that night, I was the only gay person and the only person color in that bar ... you draw your own conclusions.
I dont think I will be visiting this bar again anytime soon.
People thought this was:
I give it three stars for the incredibly friendly bartenders, but the demographic leaves much to be desired.
Good neighborhood bar, but always the last stop on our West Portal Pub Crawl. It's cool that it's right next to the muni station, too. They have a pool table and there's usually nobody there who can beat me.
Drinks are cheap. I usually run into kids from gradeschool here. And it's right next to my favorite samwich shop and my favorite burger spot. Check out Subs Center and Bulls Head for sure.
People thought this was:
Aww, this place isn't so bad. Do you really think philosophers really exist these days? Even if they did, they wouldnt be able to afford a drink at a bar.
Anyway, this is a local dive bar, and most of the people that come here live within a 5-block radius. It's definitely not a place to pick up on anyone, but just to chill with neighbors and old friends. There's a pool table, a juke box, and the drinks are made well here.
4 stars because it reminds me of home, but 2 stars if it was located anywhere else.
People thought this was:
Just ok... nothing too great.... 2.5 stars really.
First time I went here,ok crowd but a bit young!
Second time, went with by boyfriend and friends and almost got into a brawl with some of the youngsters.
Overall, ok but nothing great.
Good neighborhood bar, older crowd typically but every now and then a wave of college kids stirs the place up. Great service, go Josh (the bar tender)!
*** Updated 8/19/07 ***
The last stop on the West Portal Pub Tour.
Actually I had already been to the Philosopher's Club before, since it's the closest bar to my house (not counting the Miraloma Club), it has an awesome name and a cool sign, and a neat location right next to the Muni tunnel. But Philosopher's Club is a total misnomer. There's no philosophers here, just a very random mix of Muni-refugees. And anyway, it's now clear that Portals Tavern is the rightful jewel of the WP bar scene--it has real character. P Club, along with Dubliner and Joxer Daly, is just another one of West Portal's overly generic bars.
People thought this was:
I used to live in the inner sunset and drove by this bar every time that I drove to or from SF. I've always wondered about it. in my mind, this place would be all historic looking on the inside, with lots of armchairs and people smoking pipes. people would be sitting around and playing chess with each other, or lazily leafing through thick books while they drank cognac. possibly a person or two inside would be wearing a monocle or maybe even a top hat. who knows.
well, my dreams of this place were shattered when I finally went there. instead of the philosopher's club, they should have named it "Nondescript Bar" or possibly "Just Some Bar". or, I guess they could have named it after the very weak drinks that they pour. none of us were very impressed by this place. oh, and they had a bunch of big screen TVs which just really don't seem to belong in a "philosopher's club". the only thing this place really had going for it was that it was pretty much the only bar in the area. I guess if you are in the West Portal and are stranded, this could be your local bar. luckily, we weren't stranded, so we left after 2 drinks.
(my resolution this year is to visit 50 new bars in SF. read about it at: http://fiftybars.thisi...)
People thought this was:
This place used to be a lot cooler before it was remodeled. I love a dive bar, but they should remain just that--divey. Not that it still doesn't qualify--it just moved itself away from the cool kind.
I used to go here a lot with a then boyfriend. I worked in the Inner Sunset/lived on the Peninsula and we hung out a lot in the city.
Philosopher's Club was a great place to chill, play pool, have a couple of drinks and smooch.
Fast forward a couple years and it isn't as cool. very sad.
So the other evening, I got a call from a belligerently drunk very good friend of mine demanding my presence at Edinburg Castle (on Geary in the Loin) in 30 minutes. Considering that I was already drunk after a very long & taxing week (shit, try THREE weeks), I obliged. Grudgingly.
I grabbed my frequently rowdy roommate & pitched the idea. Predictably he was all in. Within about 40 minutes, we were sipping on some dranks at the bar with a few of my co-workers (who just so happened to be there) when my buddy staggered in with about 25 wasted kids. Turns out they were riding around town in a Mexican Drunk Bus (yes, that's the official name), & my friend was in NO SHAPE to continue. I made him drink a large glass of ice water, bought a few slices of pizza next door, & sent him home in a cab.
Before I knew what was happening, I found myself being ushered onto this bus of amazing fools against my will & better judgement. Within minutes, we were climbing fast towards Twin Peaks blasting Neutral Milk Hotel. Half-empty cans of Tecate which someone -- or several someones -- had thought prudent to set on the floor of the bus earlier in the night, had tipped over & were trickling beer down the aisles & clinking against the sides of the bus as we rounded the big bend up, up up. The lights of the city shimmered like broken glass below us & stretched all the way out to the Bay. A drunk girl was performing small but dangerous gymnastic feats on the handlebars attached to the ceiling. She swung as the bus shifted, & those of us who weren't completely 'faced started to wear looks of worry, concerned with the ever-increasing probability that a nasty fall was imminent. Half the bus was furiously smoking cigarettes, but really really coolly, like the way James Dean must've smoked when he wanted to act pissed off that everyone was watching him smoke, although that's what he secretly wanted everyone to be doing.
I sat by the window next to rowdy roommate & another friend, half-smiling, half-horrified at this strange predicament. What in the hell are we DOING up here?! An hour ago I was ready to goto bed & now I'm in TWIN PEAKS! Drunk in a bus! With no escape! Listening to amazing (admittedly) music! Surrounded by screaming hipsters at half past midnight! Just a few months ago, I might have enjoyed this a lot more than I was enjoying it at that moment. But I've been finding it a lot harder to draw satisfaction from a fuckoff evening of drunken debauchery.
So, when we came down off the mountain & parked the bus in West Portal outside The Philosopher's Club, I was happy. Partly because this is an old haunt from when I worked at SFSU ("old haunt" meaning "I went there twice & liked it"), but partly because I wanted off that bus.
Lo & Behold, I walked in & saw my old friend Jesse working behind the bar. I've known this dude for quite awhile, & hadn't seen him in probably a year, so it was good to get a nice dose of familiarity out of everything. My $4 Sierra & some good catchup conversation redeemed the night.
Too bad they had to usher us to Amber -- one of my all-time least favorite bars ever -- afterwards. I was in there for 10 minutes & still smelled like cigarette smoke the next morning. Fucking Amber.
People thought this was:
I want to give it more stars, if only for improvement.
Wandered into this place like maybe 1999. REALLY divey. No decorations, no atmosphere.
Went in on purpose about a month ago to meet a friend. They have totally remodelled, er um totally "modelled". The place seemed cheery in a bar kind of way. Somehow I felt like we had to earn our place at the bar, as we had to keep giving the barkeep the eye to get him to bring us some more drinks. I guess it all evened out in the end. There were a lot of locals there, which means it was definitely not a scene. Fine with me.
Bar tender was friendly, the atmosphere is chill and the pool table in the back is a-OK. I come here during the week to have a few beers and play a game of pool or 2. It is right next to the westportal station so its super easy to get to!
People thought this was:
It did lose its character, but that's what happens yuptimes, and for that matter, what happened to all of West Portal.
This place was only cool when I was underage and they didn't card.
No!
I wanted books on shelves. Lots of books.
And big leather type chairs and maybe some type of smallish fireplace.And old men types in tweed discussing or how about philosophizing about. . . .stuff. Blahhh this place is just average, and there are no books on shelves.
The locals are nice and the bartender is friendly.
I spotted myself fast forward 30 years in the form of a cute brown skinned lady pushin' 55. In a bling'd out sweater set and tattooed eyebrows. Sipping martinis and quietly commanding attention ofthe the older handsome regulars. I turned to my date and asked:
"So with all the drinking I do, Is it your opinion that as I age I will one day be as cute as that 'mature bar patron'? 'Cause you know I like to think that acupuncture offsets the negative effects of drinking. And all this rum I drink I'm sure this will help me become well preserved in the future."
"Sure" he replied with a sweet smile.
Good boy.
Not bad, not great. But,I'm partial to The Dubliner a few blocks away. . .
People thought this was:
West Portal is a principal shopping street for much of southwestern San Francisco, California, and is also considered a neighborhood itself. Named for the western terminus of the Muni tunnel beneath Twin Peaks that opened in 1918, the street (West Portal Avenue) and adjacent district is still dominated by the frequent trundlings of the three Muni Metro lines (K, L and M) that emerge from the subway to run in the street median. The ride in the subway from West Portal to downtown/Union Square is about fifteen minutes.
West Portal lies directly adjacent to several larger San Francisco neighborhoods: the affluent and lushly verdant Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood neighborhoods on the east and south, Parkside (a southern sub-district of the Sunset District) on the north, and at the western end of the Avenue, Lakeshore Village and Merced Manor. The residential areas of the West Portal neighborhood, like several of the adjacent districts, are unusual for San Francisco in that the homes are often detached, albeit with small yards. The frequent fog helps keep the area green in the usually rainless summer months, and on a clear day, the park above the tunnel provides a view of the Marin Headlands and the Farallon Islands in the Pacific.
In addition to the streetcar tunnel, West Portal's landmarks include a large movie theater, a library, a school, churches (including the prominent West Portal Lutheran Church and School), many good restaurants (Fuji, Roti, (Old Krakow[1]), El Toreador, Xiao Loong, Fresca, Fuji, Bursa, Spiazzo), bars (Portal's Tavern[2], Philosophers' Club, The Dubliner, Joxer Dailys), a bookstore (BookShop West Portal ([3]), drugstores (Walgreens and Rite Aid), markets, coffeeshops (Starbucks, Pete's Cafe, Greenhouse), a bakery (West Portal Bakery), professional offices, a video rental store (Diamond Videos), and many beauty salons. There is also a childcare located in the west portal area ABC Childcare which has been around since 1988. Despite the semi-recent appearances of larger chain stores, the many unique neighborhood shops give the area a distinctly smaller-city, "retro" charm. The West Portal Muni Metro Station is located at the entrance to the Muni tunnel at the northern end of West Portal Ave.
I have a wooden token from this bar that entitles me to 1 free drink of any make or measure. hahaaha I will never use it. I like the Dubliner down the street but it does not have that much history.
Infodiva hiccup here... I am not a morning drinker!!! I am going to organize a West Portal Yelp Pub-Crawl soon. 94132 OMI yadda
People thought this was:
One of the most laid-back, unpretentious watering holes in the City, you'll find this place just beyond the mouth of the West Portal MUNI station. It's a little cleaner than it used to be (and I'm not sure that's a good thing), but still just a great neighborhood bar that's perfect for bellying up for a couple. Also, if you and a small posse of friends pop in on a weeknight, you can practically own the joint.
People thought this was:
my inner alky lush screams, review your favorite watering hole ! my outer being says, do you wanna look like a waste ? I side with the alky this time. the Philly's is my centrally located saloon, across from a spectacular nail salon and a crepe place, in between a roaring good burger joint and a sub shop, right up the street from Spiazzo (yum) -- what's not to like ?!?!
the owners are wonderful guys and one barkeep calls me Pretty Lady. do you really expect me to say anything neg about the Philly's ?
People thought this was:
Cute spot.
People thought this was:
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