Philosopher's Club

Still probably my favorite bar in SF and if not, in the top 3. First, it's not a dive bar, it's a neighborhood bar. It's clean and friendly. Some neighborhood bars have regulars who treat it like a clubhouse and let you know you're not welcome. Not here! The regulars are friendly and if you're a Giants fan, within 30 seconds you can fall into a great conversation. The drinks are fairly priced and the bartenders are just the right amount of chatty and very congenial. Sit at the bar or the high-top tables. Don't forget to look UP to see the amazing Philosopher's mural. If you can't figure everyone out, they'll give you the answer key. The only way the public transit options could be better would be if they drove the muni inside the club. And for me, the neon sign outside should be a city landmark. Don't change a thing, PC!

A great neighborhood bar! The bartender is awesome. Very friendly and welcoming, and he makes the best manhattan in town! I also like the mural on the ceiling.

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

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!

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.

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.

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

Have I gone here since forever ago? Yes. Did I end up here after my bachelor party dinner? Yes. Have I thrown up in the bathroom? Yes. Have I made the hour-plus walk home from Philo's after midnight to the Outer Sunset rather than calling a cab or even jumping on the L? Yes. I love this place. Go here if you like dive bars.

Friendly bartenders, great drinks, lots of fun! They also have a pool table, and delicious beers on tap. A must visit bar

On the scale of dive bars, Philosopher's Club is on the higher end. It actually has a cool theme, stiff drinks, and great parking/location. Got a drink before watching a movie for date night. We both agreed we would get a beer next time. Our drinks weren't the tastiest, but they were strong. Props to our bartender. I was craving a whiskey sour and bae got an old-fashioned. But we both agreed they tasted on the sweeter side. I was disappointed, but should've KNOWN that the sour would've been a pre-made mix. Ah well. Next time I'll get a kamikaze or a well drink. Although the selection on tap is slim (think VERY BASIC like Blue Moon and Red Trolley), they do have a wider selection of alcohol vs beer. In terms of the service, I give it a BIG 5 stars. AWESOME bar staff. There were two guys taking care of the entire bar, and they were so welcoming and friendly. I definitely don't always feel comfortable as an Asian girl at someone else's local watering hole, so I really appreciated how friendly and smiley the guys were. They were playing the Warriors game, which is mainly why most people were there. There are lots of seating options from tall bar stools to high tops and tables in the back. The place is cozy and inviting, not dingy and smelly like wet carpet. I'd definitely come back if in the area!

This place became my go to when I lived in West Portal. The true definition of a neighborhood bar. Not really a dive, but very still very relaxed and friendly. Plus a nice outdoor patio if you just want to sit an relax before hopping on the muni (literally right next door) I watched the tail end of the Giants winning the World Series here in 2014. So much fun!

This is whole in the wall place but they only take cash. I was there to get few beers and catch up It's not a bar for pre game or post game it's just a bar and you chill

The Philly Club. Generations of San Franciscans perch on a barstool as their dads and grand-dads did before them Fact: Everyone loves The Philly Club - Fun and chill place to pop in for a pop. We often jump off the K Car and drop on and then continue downtown...a tradition! Tons of old locals grace the place...it is like old home week...a "Cheers" wannabe Bartenders are a hoot. Did I mention cocktails are a bargain? They are.

This place is a decent bar and has a great bartender who is friendly and welcoming. It's always busy here and we usually play pool in the back. They have one table and it's a dollar a game. Drinks are solid and all around fun place for a casual drink in the area

This review is actually in response to Hailey's comment that was left just yesterday evening. I'm a queer-presenting, openly gay woman who visits the Philly Club quite frequently. It's my neighborhood bar and where a good number of my friends hang out. I actually happened to be at the Philly Club when Hailey's friends were there and saw the situation play out in its entirety. The only reason I'm writing this review is because I was shocked at how grossly inaccurate the narrative is. I'm attributing this to the fact that the girls involved did not write the review themselves, rather, a third party not present wrote it for them. Here is what actually happened: I walked in around 5 and two girls were sitting at the bar, right in the center where the taps were. The only reason I noticed them is because other people were staring and making comments. Not about the fact that they were two women, but about the fact that they were making out in the middle of the bar. Given the fact that the day crowd at Philly is older and more conservative, I'm sure you can imagine the nature of the comments. These comments, which people began sharing with the bartender, were making the situation uncomfortable. I also want to add a note and say that I don't think the two women knew what was happening around them. Understandably, they were focused on each other. The bartender came up to me and said, "I'm going to have to say something here in a minute. Too many people are starting to say stuff." I said that I agreed and that she should just explain the type of place this is during the day and say that there is more privacy out on the patio. If this was taking place at night, with the evening crowd at Philly, there probably wouldn't have been an issue. It's just a matter of space and how space dynamics change. This is where Hailey completely has it wrong. When the girls stopped kissing, the bartender went over and VERY QUIETLY just asked them to stop making out in the bar during happy hour. She explained that the day crowd is just older and more conservative. She also said that they could take their drinks on to the patio where they would have more privacy. The bartender was super quiet and very apologetic throughout. I would also like to say that I have seen and heard bartenders at Philly say the exact same thing to heterosexual couples. About 10 minutes later Casey came in, the girls left, and he followed them out. What Casey said to them, I obviously can't comment on because I wasn't there for that conversation. This is all to say that the the two young women were not "loudly and repeatedly" told they "had to leave because they were lesbians" as Hailey said in her post. They were asked, one time, to cool down the PDA in the middle of the bar at 5:30 and offered the patio if they would like more privacy. They weren't kicked out at all. And to say so, is just inaccurate. Now, as I said before, West Portal is still a pretty conservative part of SF. Are there some people in the bars there that have bigoted points of view? Absolutely. And in SF (not to mention the entire world) in general, there are some places where LGBTQ+ people are not welcomed and would absolutely be kicked out for being who they are. The Philly Club is just not one of them and that is not what happened here. When we give false narratives to try to provoke outrage (as I believe Hailey is doing with her post) we actually end up doing more harm than good.

No bartender upon arrival for a few minutes. Eventually a person showed up and introduced themselves as Josh and asked where I lived. Not cool. I said I don't like answering questions. He waved his left-hand at me close to my face. I left because he was acting creepy during my first drink.

What an excellent establishment! Such a welcoming environment and get ready for this....bartenders who actually enjoy their job and are happy to pour you a beer or make a drink! We popped in to watch the Warriors take game six and wound up high fiving complete strangers who wanted to make sure that we were welcome at their local spot. It was a great night out. SF is still so full of surprises and this place is one of them. Guys--don't change a thing--you're good people.

Went here one afternoon when the air quality index was in the 90s in my neighborhood and in West Portal AQI was in the 20s. They have a patio out back with a big TV where they showed a game (don't remember which game, wasn't paying attention). Bar offered chili (great for a foggy evening) or you can order food next door. Must have food to stay. Bar follows COVID guidelines. I ordered onion rings next door and an Anchor Steam at the bar. I might go back and get some writing done on a late afternoon. Patio is rather small.

My boyfriend and I came to Philosopher's Club on a Friday night to celebrate my first Friday night free. The drink were strong, cheap and served quickly, and the overall ambiance was very friendly. It was pretty loud and crowded but we were able to find a table as we got there around 10 or so. People seemed fairly friendly but the group I was talking to moved away pretty quickly when they realized that I wasn't alone, but that was pretty nice of them to talk to me in the first place as I've gone to bars alone and had no one approach me. You can tell there are definitely regulars which is cool to see. We left after a few drinks but will be bringing our friends next time they come into town as it seems like a fun spot for groups.

This place used to be good. Nice tables and average at worst beer selection make it an easy option. Easy restroom, etc. I have to say the staff is pretty grouchy these days for some reason. I understand maybe charging for water if it's busy and someone is by themself or maybe a couple, but to a pregnant lady is a group of 6 paying customers on a Sunday night with like 3 other patrons. Really?

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! :)

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.

Very nice place to spend New Years Eve. Four of us hung out at a table from 10-1. It was very good energy in there. Youngish crowd. Festive. Had NYE shows and sports on. They seemed fine with outside food. Limited tap beer selection, but my table enjoyed their simple well cocktails. Seemed to be strong pours. No champagne at midnight. Guess I should have expected that, but I was a tad disappointed. Only one bartender in service. I would definitely return.

Philosopher's Club is a great little place to catch a game, have a decent priced drink, shoot some pool, or host a Yelp Mix CD swap. I like the proximity to the train, which helps keep all of us drunks off the road post pints. The decor is cool - check the ceiling (painted by one of the owners), the nostalgic artwork, and the photos galore. The regulars are friendly and welcoming, it's not overly hip - which is a plus - and they have pool tables in the back. Good times all around.

Wish I could give this racist bar 0 stars. I asked the female bartender for a sex on the beach. She responded in a rude matter and with a mad face and body language and said, "I can't make that right now." So then I said okay one moment so I can figure out what I want. She then walked away very angry. She walked over to another bartender and was telling him the story with her hands all in the air mad. Like okay my bad for asking a bartender to make a drink. 10 minutes later my boyfriend went and asked another bartender for a sex on the beach and the bartender makes it no problems at all. So why couldn't that lady make it, I have no clue. Then about a hour later I seen the lady outside the bar talking to a group of ladies, and what is she talking to the ladies about, ME!! Telling them the story of me asking her to make me a sex on the beach. And her telling me no she couldn't and the ladies laughing and saying yeah and she probably would of only tipped you a dollar and the lady saying yeah. Moral of the story is don't go to this bar unless you're a white local regular.

This bar openly discriminates against LGBTQ people. Do not come for a friendly atmosphere. The female bartender loudly and repeatedly asked my friend and her girlfriend to leave because they were lesbians, and the second bartender on shift, Casey, followed them outside and barely offered an apology on behalf of the female bartender, stating that this was not the first time this had happened with her and a gay couple. This was after my friends had repeatedly visited the Philosopher's club for birthdays and outings with friends while the female bartender was not working, a place they thought had been a safe and supportive establishment until they encountered this hag. If you're supportive of the LGBTQ community, or are part of it, it is not a good idea to patronize the philosophers club.

As a person living on Twin Peaks for over 30 years, I have to admit I like this place. Good atmosphere. Good patrons. Friendly staff.. Despite three decades living nearby, I've only just started to occasionally come here sometimes. And the only reason I took off one star is that I don't understand their staunch anti-laptop policy. To have wi-fi and allow usage of cell phones, which apparently is no problem, but to think laptops are a problem because they "defeat the purpose of being in a bar"? A policy I respect, but don't understand. This makes no sense to me. Being distracted with the game on tv is fine. Being distracted by your cell phone is fine, but a laptop is taboo? These days isn't a cell phone just a miniature laptop anyway? I wanted to use my laptop to place an order with the Chinese restaurant across the street because my girlfriend was hungry, but was not allowed. Ugh.. so we just went somewhere else and got food from another restaurant instead..

So, you looking for a drink in the West Portal area? But you don't want to walk far from a MUNI station? I know a place that should satisfy those needs. The Philosopher's club is at a superb location, next to the West Portal station, which probably explains why it's been there so long. As soon as you walk through those heavy doors you can feel time stop. There is a full wall decorated with old photos of San Francisco, mostly showing the construction of West Portal. And if you look above you can find a mural of brilliant philosophers watching over as you drink, from Bob Dylan to Gandhi, they got the them all. The drinks are standard, nothing really fancy. There's a jukebox, and a pool table in the back. Like I sad, nothing fancy. Cool place to hangout, away from the clubs and the mess that is downtown. Have one on me...not really.

Just finished working in SF on Friday 5pm.... great friendly bar... lots of tvs... friendly bartender too... I may never leave.. at least til traffic clears up

One of the most Original names for a bar in SF. Love the location. Love the bar. Great neighborhood bar and wonderful junction to catch muni downtown or have that drink getting off the train coming home from work. My image of the bar is the black and white photo.

Dropped in for a cocktail with my sister and loved the local vibe. Deb the bartender was friendly and the drink was good.

Excellent dive bar. Long time local spot, simple place. No food. One pool table. Come here for drinks, not fancy ass cocktails. A couple TVs showing sports. Awesome mural on ceiling.

Ugh!! What a disappointment. When I dated a guy in the hood in 2001, this was our go-to dive bar. I haven't been to it since before they remodeled, but it seems to have become opportunistic because of all the money in SF. $5.50 for A BOTTLE of Newcastle? $6 for Trumer on tap? Also, though I'm NOT a hipster, I enjoy my PBR and they didn't even HAVE that (though they had like 15 beers in bottles). WTF? Never again--for those prices I will go to a douchy hipster bar on Valencia!!

Having a frothy beer piss into a trough that looks like it should be used for feeding cattle is the #1 reason to go here. I deducted a star for the absence of a measuring mirror behind the trough but otherwise found my drinking experience monumentally rewarding. No food, lots of kitschy sports crap on the walls and a hint of Boston Irish to the place.

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.

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).

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.

Best bar in West Portal hands down! Super friendly staff and moderate prices. Beer, wine, and strong cocktails. They play awesome music most of the time and they have a little patio in the back for smoking. It usually doesn't get too crowded here, but on holidays or game nights it can be hard to find a seat. They sell bags of nuts and chips for one dollar. Other than that, no food for sale. However, you can bring your own food inside!

This place can be AWESOME or not so good depending on when you go/who's in there/the bartender....Some of my cronies say no one selects Philospohers as a destination...it's where you end up at the beginning/end of an evening...when Muni meltsdown...when you're too liquor'd up to go anywhere else and you don't to run into an ex at Joxer's or The Dubliner...well, who can argue with that logic?? Anyway, I stopped by last evening after hopping off Muni (literally) and thought, why not? So to close out the evening, enjoyed a Bailey's and Coffee...dee-lish on a cold, West Portal evening (as most are...we're in the Fog Belt this side of town baby) The crowd was subdued and the barman was hilarious!! Challenged us to Liar's Dice and even though we lost (it's Lent afterall (~_~) he bought us a round a drinks! How do you like 'dem apples? (very much nodding vigorously) We even got to play a quick game of pool (amazing, usually it's backed up with games for 2 hours) All in all, a great way to wrap up the evening! 5 STARS for last night's visit, 4 Stars as a mean average of all other visits!!

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.

"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!

For what it is, and what it aims to do, The Philly Club deserves 5 stars. I was introduced to this gem by my college roommate, a SF native. This bar SCREAMS old-school San Francisco and has a community of very dedicated regulars of all ages (literally - I've run into friends of my friends' parents). Decorations include old black and white photographs of SF over the years in addition to tons of Giants, Niners, and other local sports memorabilia (including high schools). This is a bar that can serve nearly any type of drinker's need. I've seen people alone at the bar in daylight with a shot and a beer, engaged in deep conversations with the bartender, I've seen the bar go from empty to packed with rowdy fans after a Niners game, I've partaken in pre (and post)-St. Patrick's Day parade festivities, and I've probably most enjoyed my time there on Sunday afternoons. My recommendation: start with the great Bloody Mary's (can be made extra spicy), and after a few, switch to draft beer and catch up with a friend while watching a Giants game. Often times there's a free community potluck going on on Sundays near the back of the bar. They're cash only, but they have an ATM right in front, drinks are cheap, and trust me, you'll need the cash anyways after a few drinks when the jukebox starts calling your name. Textbook example of a "come as you are" type establishment - everyone is welcomed here.

The name is much cooler than the bar. Only ended up here after the MUNI effed me. Nothing good on tap. Not as cheap as it should be but, I wasn't drinking canned bud light like the rest of the regulars were. Would only come back here ironically.

I enjoy hittin up "the Philly" after getting off the Street Car at WP station. The bartenders are friendly and there's enough TV's going to keep me occupied while I sip my beverage. You can come here with friends or alone and always feel at home. Excellent spot for Pre/Post-gaming for Giants games. Lot's of memorabilia on the walls and counters. CASH ONLY Cheers!

Crazy mural on the celling featuring some unidentifiable philosophers? Check! Pool table that needs a vacuuming and whose pockets have velcro instead of felt to make sure that your ball hovers at the pocket instead of falling in? Check! Tons of TVs turned to different channels? Check! All purple women's room with dawn dishwashing soap to wash your hands? Check! If you're looking a place that won't be too crowded to enjoy a drink in a divey atmosphere, you've found it.

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.

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!