Bishop's Collar, The

Seanibus

California

3.63/5  rDev -8.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

The inside atmosphere is dank and not entirely pleasant, but the outside seating is the best in the area. The food and service is highly inconsistent, but good more often than it is bad. The appetizers are usually a better bet. The Sunday brunch is a big avoid. But the beer list is outstanding - a dozen well-considered selections, with a decent balance of style and geography, though it is often heavier on IPAs. The owner goes out of his way to find interesting and unusual beers, and often he has a keg or two of something red hot in the beer press.

This should be a stop on the itinerary of any beer lover.

08-09-2008 22:10:24 | More by Seanibus

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -8.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

Stopped here after a tour of Eastern State Penitentiary for food and a few beers. Standard city bar, narrow with the bar to one side and tables further back. Jukebox and crowd at the bar made for a noisy atmosphere.
Beer selection was about a dozen beers on tap, and about an equal number more in the bottle. Mostly american craft, with a few Belgians. I had glasses of Troegs and Victory, as they we the only stouts on tap. Prices were good for the city.
I had a very good flank steak sandwich, and every else said their food was good too. Service was about average.

07-01-2011 04:32:30 | More by jmdrpi

GnomeKing

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

There were two Heineken girls in thigh-high boots and tight tees there the night I went, but they ignored me because I was sipping a Double Daddy IPA, a Blue Point Toasted Lager, and then a Hop Wallop. The girls' scam was to find a guy drinking Miller Lite or the like, and then say, "I see you're drinking Miller Lite, we'd like you to try Heineken Lite." I would have liked some attention from the beer chicks, but my beers kept me company...there are some interesting choices here--Blue Point and Speakeasy aren't brewers that get distributed much around Philly, so I was happy to see them on the chalkboard. The overall selection is small, though, and the quality isn't earth shaking. 3.5s for both.

The food is cheap and good. The menu is somewhere between bar food and bistro food...mini crab crakes, nachos, spring rolls, turkey sandwiches, etc. My friends and I split a few appetizers, and they were all very good. This is not a place well-suited to having a relaxing dinner (see talk of crowds below), but nibbling on some appetizers works.

Lots of grad students and mid- to late-20s singles hang out here. It gets pretty crowded, sometimes bumpin' elbows crowded. If you want to sit down and relax, go right up the street to Bridgid's.

03-12-2006 03:53:16 | More by GnomeKing

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -4.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

This is a really good neighborhood beer bar in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. Can be overcrowded with a lot of jocks in there but there are about seven or eight outdoor tables weather permitting. I would say that about eighty percent of the building is taken up by the bar area. In the back there is a small dinig section with about four tables/ wooden booths. The food is above average pub fare, offering very good appetizers and burgers/ sandwiches. The beer selection is also quite good, featuring local craft beers, west coast micros and imports. The last time I was here they had Pliny the Elder on Tap.

12-03-2008 23:11:14 | More by corby112

rfgetz

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5 | $$

The bar looks like your standard, corner bar with misc. beer related decor strewn throughout the hasnt-been-updated-since-the-50s furniture and fixtures. A few TVs and a jukebox are the only things that make it feel modern. The taps at times can house a majority of macro crap along side average local product but strewn throughout is a minimal selection of high-grade American craft. Hit or miss, so check before you go whats available - a little bit of an identity crisis.

While the crowd is commonly diverse and local, on weekend evenings, the place also appears to cater to the post-college douchey crowd who yearn for days long passed. The food is decent bar food, nothing much else to be said about it. The bar tenders are topnotch however and always do a great job. I have a love hate relationship with the place, but come back a few times a year.

06-16-2010 14:12:44 | More by rfgetz

slander

New York

3.86/5  rDev -2.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$

On the move again, trying to keep to that loose lack of a schedule we don't have if we're going to make lasagna night in Queens later (so not happening). Just picked a few places to see, nowhere near each other; scattered about in the corners of here and there. I kind of enjoy this town while Dave does not, that which makes horse races. I'm getting somewhat slightly almost noticeably not better at navigating Philly without a compass now, and am easily staying within the boundaries of the rivers. So, up on Fairmount now, the neighborhood's gone gone again...

Little suspect stand alone bricky place awninged up on the corner. I wonder lots of stuff, like what used to be attached or next to it and where they've gone; they don't just build onesies like this. 8 tables outside run both sides of the corner for seasonal seating, see. Inside, just to the right, something different, a strange "Y" shaped wood bar, being a straight bar with an angle on the end and a piece jutting out. Foot rail below, I take notice of them in bars now, I didn't always did but my dogs get a-tired when there's nowhere to foot 'em.

Barback is shiny mirrored old stainless steel unit, with booze over mirrors and a chalkboard running the length above listing food (salads, soups, apps & sandwiches), bottles & tap selections in colored chalk. Phillie's bobbleheads & figurines line bordering below the boards on one side, nic nacs, figurines, plaques, and pics on the other side. Baby track spots above the boards, and mounted flat screens in both corners. Glassware and 3 tiered booze below the bar back.

Red painted walls, trim & molding against a beige ceiling, slab marble tile floors, sunken spots in the molding above, and spinning fans. Pub signage and neons, and Halloween décor just now. A bench to the left just inside the door, a bar counter on the window just past there, and a CD juke sit adjacent to the bar. Shaking through, 8 tables on church pew seating in a step up room to the rear, with some art, a large Guinness mirror, and some beer signage.

12 taps on a single tower on the center of the bar. Some local Pennsylvania wares (PBC Kenzinger, Yards Philly Pale Ale, Sly Fox Black Raspberry Reserve, Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale), some regional micros (Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout, Allagash White), some irregional micros (Russian River Pliny the Elder, Green Flash Hop Head Red), a few fantastic imports (Delirium Tremens, Stella, Guinness) and a cider (Ace Perry Cider).

Also a dozen bottles listed on the boards above, a small collection of mismatched micros (Moylan's Hopsickle Impy IPA, Bells Two Hearted Ale, Hoppin' Frog Bodacious Black & Tan, Pennichuck Engine 5 Red Ale, Fisherman's Brew, DogFishHead Theobroma), a few Belgians (Chimay Red, Westmalle Dubbel, Urthel Hop-It, Sara Buckwheat Ale), and imports from somewhere (St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Hitachino Sweet Stout). I also spotted some other random bottled selections in the stickered cooler fridge down past the bar (Anchor Steam, Sam Imperial Pilsner, Victory Hop Devil, Guinness, Magners, Lindemans Framboise).

Um, Pliny please, perfectly pretty no brainer, huh. Beer was what with being damn tasty and all, no surprise, and seemingly well kept. Not a happy girl bartending. It very well may have been the too many goddamn "Philly bar crawl 2008" kids here drinking Twisted Tea, but I cannot say for sure. No, I can say for sure. And so goes the crowd here today on their amateur day crawl, but we are not deterred. All that aside, kind of edgy yet not uncomfortable in any way, it's a good little bar, and Pliny, too.

12-02-2008 03:26:25 | More by slander

BWH3

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Went to this pub last night for the first time. Dank, somewhat dingy bar long and dark with seating in the back for eating or drinking. Place seems to be mostly locals from the neighborhood. Crowd young, loud and boisterous watching some of the 76ers game. Beer selection and quality are nice. I had Bells Best Brown and St. Bernardus Christmas. Other than their homage to Guiness, the selection is pretty diverse and contained a mix of local, domestic, and foreign. I deduct a few points from quality because the St. Bernardus was served way too cold. Waitress did not really know much about the beers when my friend asked. Food came out at an appropriate time but was a bit cool. All in all the food was tasty and plentiful but nothing remarkable or fancy. I would say the Bishop's collar is a good place to stop if you are in the Farimount neighborhood or are looking for a change of scenery, but this is hardly a destination for serious beer advocates.

11-13-2008 14:23:48 | More by BWH3

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Swung by here based on the tap selection. I have been wanting to check this place out for a while, but I am very rarely in the art museum area.

A relatively simple setup inside. Narrow room, bar along the right and table area in the back. Nothing elaborate, except for the bobble-head collection running along a shelf above the bar.

Tons of philly sports teams represented through pictures, pennants, etc. Not scoring any brownie points from this NY sports fan, but I can appreciate the dedication.

The tap list was about 12 deep and included Pliny the Elder, Bell's Two Hearted, Deschutes Black Butte, Chouffe, and a couple of Allagash's. I went for the Pliny and followed that up with a Two Hearted. The bottle list was small, but they had some heavy hitters.

Service was on par, no real impressions either way. A solid neighborhood bar.

09-19-2011 14:06:12 | More by ColForbinBC

monkeybleu

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

I dropped by my brother's new place in the art museam area of Philly. Needing a good dinner, we walked to Bishop's Collar. Figuring it to be a standard neighborhood bar, I was a little suprised to walk into a crowded place on a Sunday night...The outside seating was full too.

So we sat at the bar and found a small, but very impressive selection of brews on tap and in the small cooler. After a day of skydiving, nothing sounded better than a La Chouffe on draft. There were also some of the standards- Bass, Guinness, Stella...truly something for everyone. In the case was a nice variety of other bottles.

Upon being seated for dinner, they present their menus in children's books. The selection was fairly basic, lots of salads, exotic burgers and sides. Nothing too pricey. The food was pretty good, although nothing wonderful, but an excellent value. Service was friendly.

The atmosphere was very inviting. A comfy bar. Inside seating for perhaps 25 people and more tables outside.

All told, a very comfortable place, a nice crowd, good food. Despite the smallish beer selection, what they have is far superior to most places...truly something for everyone.

06-13-2005 22:01:32 | More by monkeybleu

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4

The Bishop's Collar is a quaint little pub in a location that goes way back! In fact, the marble floor remains the same. It's seen sadder days recently (80's-90's) but the new owners have again breathed life into it! The draft selection is quite good, and always changing (though quite slowly), with 12 taps that normally feature Yuengling, Hoegaarden, Necastle Brown, Stella Artois, Guinness, Bass and Harp. Other notable selections from my most recent visit included Anchor Porter, Spaten Oktoberfest, and St. Bernardus Tripel. The bottle selection is quite nice as well, and currently includes Avery White Rascal, Pyramid Broken Rake, Hair of the Dog Ruth, Tiger Lager and ACME IPA. The kitchen is small, but very well run, and you can enjoy yourself equally at a table or the bar. Appetizers include Hummus at $4; and Tuna Chili, Beef Stew, Wings, or Nachos all at $5. A Mozzarella & tomato salad is $6, and a Caesar salad w/ chicken will run you $7. Sandwiches w/ fries include a Veggie Burger, Grilled Chicken and Turkey London Broil at $6; and a burger with any topping or Hot Turkey w/ stuffing is just $6.50. The Crab Cakes are a bit more pricey at $10 - but still a steal! The atmosphere is laid-back and this is a good place to stop in for a casual dinner, a quick bite, or a beer after work. Enjoy!

10-31-2003 04:00:29 | More by NeroFiddled