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Categories: American (New), Burgers, Bars
Neighborhoods: Fairmount, Art Museum DistrictMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Bishop's Collar is a great American pub. I always get the turkey burger served with Brie and roasted red peppers. Their fries are delicious!
The beer selection could be better, but it's affordable and fun to eat outside when it's nice out. They have really good vegetable quesadillas that are served with fruit as well.
A nice casual spot when you want a beer and a burger. Gets crowded on the weekends and during games, so go early or during the week if you want to avoid crowds.
Very nice atmoaphere and beer selection. Great sandwiches for a good price. 4 stars for the Flank Steak & Provolone. The carmelized onions were the star! The fries were good, but a bit undercooked. 2 stars for the turkey burger. Came out burnt charcoal the 1st time, was dry and tasteless the 2nd. The side salad was really good, with generous chunks of strong blue cheese and a sweet tomato
vinegrette.
Very nice and cozy on the inside and good outside seating and service.
We randomly stumbled into this bar needing to quell an annoying uprising in our bellies. Lo and behold, the Bishop's Collar was beckoning us to enter its cool, inviting premises.
I really like the straightforward and simple menu offerings. I had the pulled pork sammy which was fantastic. It wasn't covered in your typical heavy barbeque sauce so that was a nice surprise. My buddy ordered the turkey with cranberry sauce sammy and it pretty much tasted like Thanksgiving. Each sandwich were about $7...that's damn cheap for a good sized sammy. They also serve a mean Guinness. For some reason or another, it tasted so freakin good.
I'm diggin' the Bishop's Collar. Oh yes. I can't quite put my finger on it but this bar does it for me. The winning combination of laid-back clientele, the friendly and efficient bartender, and the delicious, inexpensive menu all work very well.
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Met up with the Philly Runner's Club (http://www.phillyrunne...) for a rainy Tuesday evening run, and then hit up Bishop's afterwards for a well-earned corned beef sandwich and seasoned fries and a draft to wash it down. The meat was quality smothered in a healthy portion of crout, swiss, and russian dressing. Reasonable prices, you can easily find a sandwich for $7 or less. Brews are between $4 and $5.
The only difficult part of it was having to run 3 miles home afterward, didn't really think through that one!
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The Collar is a great little spot - Fairmount is lucky to have it. The beer selection is good, prices are decent, and it's a great atmosphere. It's more low-key than some of the other (slightly foofy) Fairmount spots - it's a go-to choice. The flank seak sandwich is great - moist and tender. The only down-side is Sunday: Brunch until 3 and then no food after that, and they're strict about no outside food even when they're no longer serving.
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Just returned from a lunch time visit... The weather was nice today but the majority voted to stay inside :(. I had the chili nacho's and the chipotle chicken fingers... food was your average bar food nothing spectacular here the price was decent. My only gripe is with our waitress she was a little slow bringing us the check.. I think this is more of a beer spot than food... I will return and will be drinking when I do so.
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Ambled over one Wednesday evening for a few beers among friends and new acquaintances.
Bishop's collar seemed a little too tight,
Cos the waitress gave our group of six a
Dubious look, carded us, and
Exuded disdain the entire night.
For fuck's sake, we just wanted a couple
Good beers, which are available
Here
In mediocre to moderate quality.
Just be mindful that bishops had
Kings in their pockets back in the day, got away with
Ludicrous things,
Murder among them to be sure.
Now, back to the pt, here you'll find a variety
Of patrons, broads and billy goats and
Peers from high school who will make
Quick chit chat, swap tidbits of
Recon'd info on mutual names of knowledge, & wander off a
Stranger who went to school with you almost
Ten yrs ago.
Until you grow tired of the tired employee,
Very pathetic artwork hanging with price tags
Wanting hundreds of dollars for laughable
Xrap,
You'll do just fine at the Bishop's Collar. Just let all that dark wood lull you to
Zzzzzzzz.....
Entirely overrated. If you're going out for drinks I suppose you're in the clear. But don't eat here until after you down a few.
First of all, we did not get the menus that were children's books- which was a big draw for me after I had read yelp reviews.
We started out with the chili nachos(3/5 stars), which were pretty good, but we were also really hungry after taking pictures at Eastern State for two hours. They cried out for more cheese, and the sour cream and guacamole were not spread over the top, but rather gooped onto one side- that and the sogginess of the chips led me to guess the plate was microwaved, rather than placed in the oven.
The burger I ordered (1/5 stars) was overcooked, tasteless and had no natural juices coming out of it. The bacon was good, but the burger was pretty dire and set the tone for this negative review.
My arnold palmer was fairly good.
The service was terrible, there were only two waitresses serving all the tables both outside and inside which means that we were often left to ourselves with dirty plates, empty glasses, and mustardless- my mom asked for mustard as soon as we received our burger but didn't get it until she was taking her last bite of her burger.
I'll admit that I really like going to the Bishop's Collar, which is my favorite bar within walking distance of my second home (the Fairmount neighborhood). While there can sometimes be a wait for a table and while it can get REALLY PACKED on the weekend nights, they do move through pretty quickly and it's not a huge deal to hang out at the bar until something opens up.
The double gin and tonics are strong, and always made consistently: you know exactly how many to drink to straddle the line between pleasantly drunk and unpleasantly plastered. This summer they've also had the Arnold Palmer, which has become my favorite summer beverage and discovery: sweet tea infused vodka (oh. my. god.) and lemonade. They are fabulous, especially if you can manage to snag an outdoor table, enjoying the summer air and sipping on one of these.
And although I'm not really a beer person, they have enough available that I can find something I like if I have to, and my more beer snobby friends never have problems either.
However, secretly, I like the Bishop's Collar because they have perfect, cheap, unhealthy, fantastic, filling bar food. The plate of nachos is intimidating when sober, but after a night of drinking, sharing it with a friend hits the spot. Their wings are not gristly in the least, and the hot sauce, while not quite the same as a buffalo wing, is tangy and tasty. My favorite thing MAY be the chicken chipotle sandwich, with Old Bay fries, which is an absolute steal for $6, but it's hard to choose. Usually we just end up splitting nachos and wings, because it's hard to mess with a classic combination like that.
But back to the Bishop's Collar: hits-the-spot food, great drinks, and a nice, low key evening to hang out with friends in the neighborhood.
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Stopping in for drinks on a weekend is a battle to get through the front door, where everyone seems to want to be, but if you move into the back of the bar, there's usually plenty of room. So don't be scared of the crowd up front, chances are you just need to wander in further if you're looking for a place to, you know, breathe.
Some good stuff on tap and good bar food. Service outside isn't the greatest (the waitresses aren't too friendly and it can be a long wait just for water or napkins), but it's worth it because dining/drinking al fresco is the best.
A more casual spot than Urban Saloon or London Grill on the same block.
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I have had the chicken quesadilla twice in one week. There is fresh fruit on top! Blueberries! Strawberries! Guac and sour cream! So fresh and summery they don't even feel the need to mess with salsa or pico de gallo! Hooray!
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Holy Turkey Burger!
It comes topped with brie and roasted red pepper, and its all juicy and messy and…
Read more »
My wife and I were looking for a place we could just sit and talk and have a burger on a Tuesday night (She is a flight attendant and had been away for several days and as such, I knew there was going to be no home cooking that evening). We live near Fairmount and decided to just take a walk to see what we could find. After investigating London Grill, we decided this place was more of what we were looking for. (And there was a posh Maserati parked out front I could stare at lovingly when I was not doing so to my honey).
The place was nice and casual and had an interesting menu of draft beers. I took the Kwak which was nice, light, and a little sweet which suited the day as it was the hottest we have had in Philadelphia this summer (or at least close to it).
We started with the humus which was pretty good and then moved to a flank steak sandwich for her and a cheese burger for me. Both were quite good, but there was something a little more special about the flank steak sandwich.
The place was not overly busy on this visit which was just what we wanted since talking and catching up were on the agenda. Overall, it was a nice casual place to eat a bite, have a beer, and chat up some company.
Hate to give this place a bad review. Been here for drinks many times, and had great experiences. Was just here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. Got a table..and waited...then waited some more.
Hostess (who sat us), finally came and gave us 1 menu..no drink order.
20 min later, another girl (our waitress?) took our drink order.
20 min later, drinks came..took our food order.
30 min later (at least) our cold food finally came.
I understand places being buys at times, and we were patient and not rude at all. However, when we have to ask for service many times then ask for our food eventually, what is that??? Food is decent, beers are good.. but service was snail-like. They were apologetic and nice, but dragging something fierce. They either need 5 more cups of coffee, or hire 2-3 more girls on a busy wknd, come on.
So, go... but only for drinks.
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I am applaud by the reviews that I'm am seeing. The bis is a bar with great staff and great food that is very reasonable, I go there often and I always have a great time. The service is good, sometimes shit happens and you deal, you have a couple of beers and enjoy your company when did everybody become so friggen uptight......
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The prevailing mindset is that Fairmount is an area crowded (possibly overcrowded) with great bars. It seems that when you're in the neighborhood, there are so many great places to choose from. I disagree. There are a few places that make the cut, most notably Bridig's and the Belgian cafe (I haven't been to the London Grill). But the options aren't so great after that. But I am now adding Bishop's Collar to the list of decent spots.
I met with my friend Quinn on a Friday night. We wanted to watch playoff hockey, which was quite difficult with Cole Hamel's first game back. There were some guys giving us a hard time for liking the Penguins (but it helps a lot to be with a cute girl) and it was pretty annoying. Their attitude is probably why I could never start liking the Eagles or Flyers. It seems like being a "Philly fan" is mostly based on blindly hating everyone else. But that's a different story.
Beer: Bishop's Collar always has some kind of special, which is nice, even if it is only a dollar off something that I would never order. They have a decent selection, with Harp and Guinness on tap, as well as nice local and regional beers like Yards, Bell's, Allagash, and Six Points. Prices are mostly $5/pint, give or take a dollar.
I like the place, in terms of the building and the bar. It's a long open room with a smaller bar and some tables in the back. They have three nice TVs, and sports and Irish themed decorations. They also have a decent outdoor seating section when the weather is nice. The staff here is great. The bartenders and servers were attentive and nice, more so than I've seen in a lot of other places. The owner was also hanging out on a Friday night just checking on his business and seemed like a cool guy.
For food, the Bishops Collar does not disappoint. Everything is under $10, and it is up to par with other beer bars. They have a nice mix of different kinds of food and a decent amount of vegetarian options. On any giving night you can grab a burger, chicken sandwich, quesadilla, or similar dish. The kitchen was a bit slow when it got busy, but everyone around me seemed to be enjoying their food.
Bottom Line: It's not the best bar, but it sure is good. I was searching for a place that wasn't a sports bar, but would have the sports I wanted to watch, and I really think this is one of the best spots in the city. The food can't be beat at the price. It's a good place for your evening, or just a drink as you are passing by. Either way, the Bishop's Collar is a win.
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It was a toss-up between Bishop's Collar and London Grill. I choose not to support businesses that serve Fois Gras (if you do, that's your deal and that's cool ... I just don't) so my compassion lead me to Bishop's Collar.
Good call, compassion.
Cheap eats. Great beer selection. Jukebox. Chill atmosphere. Good lighting. It had a crowd around the bar, but at our seats we could still hear each other talking.
Perfect way to kick off Valentine's Day with my man.
We drank 2 beers each, split nachos, wings and fries ... $30 with tip.
The wings actually came with carrots AND celery AND bleu cheese. No extra charge. That pushes it up to 5 star status for me.
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There's a lot to be improved at Bishop's Collar... food was not good, service was slow and not good and the place is too loud and rowdy. Went there following Yelp's reviews and sincerely think it is way overrated! Oh and the menu is not in kids books...think there are a couple left but we were offered simple plastic menus with empty pages...
I don't know. I never saw the appeal. They have a decent beer selection and the food is OK. But every time I'm there I end up in a shoulder to shoulder crowd in a tiny room and paying too much for it. It's not that I wouldn't go back, but it's probably better on week nights when it's less crowded.
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I have drove pass this bar many times when I lived on the other side of Philadelphia (N. Lib) till I move to this area and decided that I needed to check it out. I tested it out with my friends for lunch before I drag my husband and his friends. My foodie friends gave it thumbs up for their food. I was impressed with their beer selection. So, it was time to bring the man back. He was happy and this place has been a hangout with our neighbors and friends. I love their homemade soup. One of my fav soup is their chipolte crab corn soup.
It is crowded most nights because this place is affordable, food is always good, and drinks list is awesome. My foodie parents always say if the place is empty, the place must suck. Only thing I do not like is the ladies bathroom...stall is too small.
I don't have much reason to go to Fairmount, but when I do, the Bishop's Collar is my first and probably only choice. Decent atmosphere, good beers on tap, and better-than-average bar food. Not to mention CHEAP food. I like that.
The outdoor tables rule.
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My husband and I went to the Bishop's Collar early on a thursday evening for dinner. I was looking forward to it because of all of the good things that I had heard.
First, the good things, the place seemed very chill and I thought I would love to just hang out there at the bar one night soon. I loved the menu in children's books thing even though my book was dirty and greasy. The beer selection was great and I tried something that I have added to my list of things to look for when I get to a good beer store in Jersey.
For dinner, my husband ordered the meatloaf sandwich which was very good even though it was a little spicy for my taste. I ordered a cheeseburger and asked that it be cooked to medium. What came to me was a burnt hockey puck covered with cheese and put on a bun. After delivering our food, we literally never saw our waitress again so all I could do is complain about the inedible burger when someone (not our original waitress) brought us the check. Yes, they did take the burger off the bill but the awfulness of the burger makes it unlikely that I will go back for the food.
People thought this was:
Solid. I haven't eaten everything off the menu yet but everything I've had is pretty decent and inexpensive. Awesome place to sit and watch baseball; the bartenders are friendly and fairly attentive. Can get a little loud later, but a good time kind of loud. I love that the party extends to the street on occasion.
I live maybe a block and a half away and this place is definitely in contention to be the spot.
EDIT: after spending every single Phillies NLDS, NLCS, and WS game here, it's no longer in contention. A good burger, a great ceasar salad, and as much Yards and Lager as your little heart desires. And the bartenders generally rock my socks. So much love.
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This is by far my most favorite hang out bar...mostly because I was first introduced to Stella here. It's a great neighborhood bar and since I lived down the street for many years, I was always a loyal customer! They have great burgers, a good beer selection and a friendly staff. I also like that the crowd on any given night is always mixed--all ages makes for a lot of fun times. And their jukebox always has good selections. The weekends it gets super crowded and a lot of people from the neighborhood hang out there...always a good time! You should def check it out!
This is my default place to go whenever I'm in the area.
When it's quiet, it's a great place to sit at the bar and escape into a pint and a baseball/football/hockey game or to have a conversation with a friend/date/whomever.
When it's crowded, watch out. If you're with two people or less, It's a production to move, get beer and find a seat. You have to have really good hearing or invade your friend's personal space to talk. It's best you work out some kind of semaphore or hand-signals to communicate.
If you're in a group of three or more, try to snag a booth off to the left instead of trying to wedge into the bar area or waiting for an outdoor table. Most crowded nights, the floor server is quicker and more accurate with food and booze orders than the bartender.
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I went last night for a bite to eat and I really wanna like this place but I'm kind of luke warm to it.
I was amazed at the amount of take-out business it does though. Seriously a constant stream. My dining companion and I were sat at the bar and they use this archaic system of putting paper tabs between different bottles of liquor behind the bar. The place was busy, but not a HUGE crowd and the bartender was getting confused constantly looking through different tabs to find the right one.
Also, I ordered a coke and was stereotyped as a Fat White Girl and given a diet coke. UGH. Bartender was nice and fixed his mistake though. While he refilled my dining companion's drink several times I had to make an issue to get mine refilled.
The food though, was pretty good. We had the chipolte chicken fingers to start, and they were made from chicken breasts not pre-fab frozen shit. However, I had my last chicken finger in my hand about to dip it when the bartender got rid of the plates and the dipping sauces. Kinda lame that.
I also had a corned beef sandwich with sweet kraut instead of sour kraut. I don't know what the hell that means but it was delish.
I'd wonder what the heck that place would be like with more than 40 people there.
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The owners of this bar also own St. Stephens, and I must say that I enjoyed The Bishop's Collar more. I went here on a weekday afternoon, when it wasn't very crowded, so I liked that. I've passed here on many a weekend evening, thought about going in, and then deciding against it because of the people basically pouring out the door. However, my experience here was a pleasant one. I had some of their turkey chili, which was inexpensive and delicious. It was very spicy, which I loved. Their beer selection is decent, although they share many of the same beers on the St. Stephen's menu. There were some different ones, however. The bartender was friendly and the service was efficient. I will probably return here again soon!
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I don't know why I'm taken by places like this but I am. The last time I was here was during the Kentucky Derby and everyone was filling out derby sheets and just having a really good time. I think that the Fairmount area is typically overpriced and the bars are usually spilling with people (often obnoxious), making for a generally unpleasant time. This place is the exception. I've never had a bad meal here. And the service is pretty prompt.
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I like Bishop's collar for what it is- a bar with okay bar food and okay beer. I actually like it a lot more now that there is a smoking ban.
This place gets very loud when it is busy, so it isn't that great for a group of people. Weekdays, especially around lunch, are great. I like the chipotle chicken sandwich and I swear they use McDonald's fries. The roast beef is good, too, but I didn't like the quesadilla.
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I strangely like this place and although it's difficult to say why exactly, I think that I can better explain with the help of London Grill which is on the very same block.
You see, London Grill seems to be like most of the other restaurants in the city. Same menu items as everywhere else on a 8.5 x 11" white menu. Same so-so service. Same attitude and cliental. Same food quality and price. But they serve Guinness so they are, like, British, right?
But then there's Bishop's Collar. And although the food is largely the same, it has a much more modest attitude. It is original in that it's menu is within the pages of a children's books but it doesn't come off as most innovation does in this city which is "Look! This is a novel idea! This is why our food is expensive and our staff is so crappy!" Instead, they offer food for a reasonable price and of great quality. Plus, they serve Bell's.
But once again, my nemesis Sunday rears it's ugly head. This place is open for brunch only on Sunday. Too bad as it's located in Art Museum so if I want to take the time to walk all the way over there, it will have to be on Saturday.
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This is a good bar to have in your neighborhood. There's a great selection of beer and friendly bartenders to serve it. Food is good and served late (the fries are great for a group to pick at and real cheap). Chili, nachos, burgers, sammies--all are tasty and what you'd want from pub grub. Be warned, though, this place gets crowded (especially when there's a game on) and the tables fill up quickly.
All told, this is probably my favorite bar in the area for a weeknight out.
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Great corner bar to chill out with some friends.
Went on a Thursday and was super impressed with the crowd there. Standing room was packed full of people from the neighborhood. Good, clean fun with decent classic rock playing overhead.
Stellas run about $4.50 and reasonable prices on Framboise ($8). Can't comment on the food but I'd def check that out on my next visit.
One thing that I found super hospitable and even cute was the umbrella basket by the door that had a note that said take one pass it on. Talk about paying it forward!!!
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Although I did not partake in the food assortmant selected and shared by my associates, I sticking with the Chicken Ceasar Salad, I notice the Nachos look great. The presentation was impressive. Salsa, sour cream & guacamoe placed across the platter of red chips.
The salad was good. It is hard to screw of chicken ceasar.
Avoid eating near the door on cold nights. That table is empty for a reason.
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So I've been meaning to try out The Bishop's Collar for weeks now, and finally got the chance on Saturday afternoon. I liked it, but not as much as I had thought I would. First of all, the decor... I felt like they hadn't decided between being a dingy bar joint and something a little more upscale. The bathrooms, the grungy tile floor, and the bad paint job point to dingy bar joint. The beer and food offerings and some of the bar area try to be much more classy... Anyway, the food was pretty decent and the beer selection was impressive. Our waitress was a little frazzled and inattentive, but very friendly. All in all, I enjoyed it, but wasn't wildly impressed...
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I recently moved into this area and everyone I knew told me I had to check this place out - I am very glad I did.
They have a bunch of great, different (read: not Bud, Miller and Coors Light) beers - I love Belgian beers and this place has an amazing selection. The food is awesome for bar food - the chicken nachos are my hands down favorite (second to the Wonder Bar in Atlantic City, NJ). They also have outdoor seating which is always full but great in the warm weather.
Great go-to spot in my neighborhood - I have noticed this place is packed during games but I have not witnessed that first hand just yet.
No frills, just good beer and good food. Always crowded with the outside tables impossible to get in fair weather which is understandable as sitting on that section of Fairmount Ave. sipping a Stella very pleasant. Bar usually 3 deep with sports on the TV. Food fun and quite good. Terrific burger and fries, turkey if you want one. Quesadillas, turkey chili, meatloaf and a menu that is fairly extensive and well prepared enough to tell you that sports bar or not, someone in the kitchen is paying attention.
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I met some friends here for brunch today before heading over to the art museum. It opened at 11 am and I got there at 11:15 and luckily there was one table opened that I grabbed (I think it's generally seat yourself for brunch, at least). The servers were attentive to all the tables. I ordered the strawberry blueberry cream cheese french toast, comes with scrapple or turkey bacon, home fries and a salad (I thought the salad was a strange addition for breakfast/brunch foods, but enjoyed it anyway). The fruit was fresh (not canned) and tasty, as was the french toast! There are seats at the bar, church-like pews at the tables and chairs. The place got loud as we were sitting there, so if you are with someone older and/or hard of hearing, this might not be the best choice. Clean white linens were a nice touch, too.
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This was a terrifically nice, low key, suburban, friendly spot to grab a light and inexpensive meal. I love when you order a burger and it's 6.50, and that comes with fries (they didn't put a huge amount but i'm not complaining they were good Mcdonald's type fries).
Watch your head going to the bathroom gents.
With the really nice outdoor patio you get a quaint view of the corner, but inside is done very well with an almost Spanish type decor, brick red walls with symmetrical pictures of flowers and such on the walls.
The menus are Dr. Seuss books, and the two sides to the menu are on the inside front cover and inside back cover. I was pretty giddy.
the chicken fingers were fine as well, but I really enjoyed my turkey burger, the roasted peppers was a good addition, and the buns they used were real burger buns.
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Who doesn't like a place that is doggie friendly. I like this place and wished I lived in that old lady condo diagonal from this joint. I would just recommend you not have too high expectations, its not really that special. I just like that there is out door sudo seatting for me and my pet during the summer. Plus if it's all taken up there I can still walk to the London Grill and or Little Pete's for other brunch options.
This might be my favorite new find in Philly. I'd never been, but stopped by after a trip to both the Rodin museum and Philadelphia Museum or Art. They have a good beer selection and played good music... it had a good, comfortable vibe about it. It was a happy place. I'd go back.
this place was beyond packed when i was there. nary a seat inside or out, tables spilling over. my friends and i ended up having our drinks on a philadelphia weekly box. i kid you not.
i've hear the food is good, but we didn't eat. the drinks were fine with a decent beer selection and reasonable prices. the clientele seems to skew male and everyone seemed polite and good spirited.
i wasn't terribly impressed, but i would give it a second chance on a less crowded night if i were in the area.
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Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Fairmount
Category: Greek
Neighborhood: Logan Square
Category: American (Traditional)
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