Philosopher's Club

The two owners, Josh and Justin, are amazing. They treat their customers like family and are welcoming to all that enter. This is my go-to spot in all of west portal and it never disappoints!

I like this spot. The bartenders are chill and let you bring in your own food. It is a quiet spot with regulars. They play the game on the big screen when it is on and there's a pool table at the back, as well as an outside patio at the back. It's a good spot to unwind and chill away for a bit

Nice neighborhood bar right around the corner from the west portal muni stop. Worth a visit for cozy interior and intriguing ceiling mural

Tl; dr: Old-school SF bar. No-frills standard cocktails and beer at reasonable prices. Perfect spot to chill after a long day. No food, but you can bring some food in while you enjoy a pint. Yes, they have credit cards now. No, you can't bring your dog.

After I moved to San Francisco, I discovered there's a specific breed of bar that is unique to this city: the building, the bartop, and the bartenders have been in the industry for a while, but it doesn't smell like dive bar (Thank goodness). You're not going to get a mojito or an Italian red wine or a round of fancy 1942 shots here, but you're going to get a solid Margarita or Manhattan, Fort Point on tap, you know, the classics. The beer (and the aforementioned Margarita) isn't going to break the bank, though yes, I'm sure it's more expensive than it was 5 years ago. And it's one of those places that when you walk in, everyone is going to look up to see who just walked in, in case they know you.

People pre-game before going elsewhere (more expensive) in places like this, or end the night here, or end up staying - there are several TV's to watch the game here, as well as a really nice patio outside. I suppose there are a lot of regulars warming the seats. The Philosopher's Club in particular is close to the MUNI metro station, so it lends itself to that kind of behavior.

Some people find this intimidating. In my personal experience, this is quite helpful, as, if you've been to one of these establishments and walk into a similar one, it's easy to get into a conversation with the bartender there (all bartenders in these types of bars are very friendly, low-key, and don't like bullcrap... and they all seem to know each other). It's a place where I can sit by myself with a book and choose to have a conversation with people sitting next to me, or not. No pressure.

I guess it's like Cheers, but San Francisco? But if you've read this far, you'll know that you either know what this kind of bar is and you like it, or you prefer other kinds of bars. There's a bartender behind the bar, not a mixologist, you see?

I guess what I'm saying is that I have a soft spot for bars like this, though I do frequent other places, and this is my favorite of all of them.

The Philosopher's Club takes credit cards now, so you don't need to have to use that ATM in the corner if you really don't want to anymore.

My friends had a sort of reunion and we had our gathering there. What a nice, chill place. Friendly , slightly older crowd. The bartender was great! I wish I can remember his name. I may have had one too many to remember. They have a pool table in back. Convenient location just next to West Portal muni station. Plus a nice painting on the ceiling above the bar. Go and have a drink!

I've been meaning to come to this neighborhood bar to see one of my favorite bartenders who also works at OJW but was deterred from coming sooner due to the fact it is located further from where I live and the fact that you are limited regarding either having to pay for parking or if parking nearby the enforcement by SF Parking with the 2 hour residential sticker which I'm not a resident. At any rate, I decided to take the plunge and parked in a 2 hour spot to see what the Philly Club is all about. As I walked in, there were some Regulars and was warmly greeted by my bartender from OJW. At the PC they do not serve food and therefore I brought a sandwich with me from a shop nearby. This place allows you to bring food in while you consume your beverage of choice. First impressions the PC has a nice feel for a local neighborhood bar complete with the old school cash register which is going away soon with the touch screen variety that most restaurants and bars use these days. I can see why there are a lot of regulars who come here - both young and old. Prices for beer are on par with other bars of this caliber. As Yelpsters mentioned the owner is an artist and has some great paintings that she has done of famous local professional athletes behind the bar as well as her ceiling mural that she painted in 2010 of her choices for famous philosophers of which one is Alice Waters but where is Julia Childs? Overall 4 solid stars for this warm and friendly neighborhood bar.

Love this place. Energy is right. People authentic. No rush. A gem in any city. Fortunately in San Francisco.

What a great neighborhood bar! Great spot to catch a Giants game. Superior bobblehead collection. Lots of regulars but they were really friendly. Not dive bar cheap but not hipster craft cocktail expensive. loved the "philosopher" mural on the ceiling. Cash only but there is an ATM. There is a metered city parking lot across the street and it's right next to MUNI. Totally dug the place and I will be back.

Came in on a cold san francisco summers eve Sunday. I was instantly greeted by the handsome long haired bartender, I once knew as Fabio/Jesus. He welcomed me in from the cold, and made me feel warm. This is the place to be, whether you're cold, warm, or looking for a good time. Casey makes you feel welcome and at home.

Situation
- Drinks with friends Friday evening before going to the nearby movie theatre

Feedback
- All the bartenders that work there are great
- There are a handful of TV's with sports
- The mixed drinks are pretty decent
- There are only 4 beers on tap