726 N. 24th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 232-3232
There are a few elements that make up the perfect neighborhood bar: a cozy, welcoming atmosphere; a loyal, local clientele not above letting a newcomer into the mix; a menu of tasty, comforting treats; and, in a perfect world, a lovably, salty septuagenarian bartender with a campy nickname like Pops or Ox.
In a lot of ways, Brigid's is the perfect neighborhood bar. It's elbow-to-elbow small, a little grungy, loaded with character, and it serves up fantastic food to crowds of locals and non-locals alike every night. The only bummer is that the bartenders are mostly thirty-somethings with normal names, but we're willing to let that slide on account of its adherence to everything else on the list.
Brigid's is known for its stellar beer selection, and the bartenders (who, incidentally, will not answer if you wistfully call them Chief) are more than happy to pass samples your way if you're unsure which suds are for you. The draught list changes regularly and features lots of local and micro-brews, with the one constant being Philly favorite Yards Pale Ale. Aside from what's on tap, Brigid's boasts a stellar collection of Belgian imports along with a long list of foreign and domestic micro-brew bottles.
The servers and bartenders are extremely helpful when it comes to picking beer, so I'd encourage you to take advantage of their knowledge and try something new. Since my first visit, I've been adding to my Belgian beer knowledge at pubs all over town (and Philly is a great beer town with many fine Belgian-heavy bars), but I'll always credit Brigid's for getting me hooked.
There's a cozy dining room complete with a fireplace behind the extremely snug main bar area, and patrons are more than welcome to eat at the giant, oval bar if there's room. This is what a friend and I decided to do on a recent night when the waitlist was long and two stools conveniently opened just as we ordered our beer (Bullfrog IPA pint for me and a bottle of Duchesse de Bourgogne for her).
The menu changes pretty regularly, and it's a kitschy mix of lowbrow classics (mac n' cheese studded with all-beef hotdogs) and highbrow reinterpretations (nachos topped with pico de gallo and house-cured chorizo). Nearly always on the menu are the Farmhouse Mussels, which are some of the best bivalves you'll ever eat: steamed in beer and adorned with leeks and bacon. You don't want that bowl to end. As I inhaled those, my friend sighed happily as she tucked into her upside-down chicken and sausage potpie - comfort food at its best.
Brigid's is the perfect place to unwind at the end of a long week, or to stop in for dinner when you're in need of the company of strangers and a comforting meal. I've lived within walking distance for nearly a year and I'm kicking myself that it took me this long to stop in for a bite. While to my knowledge they still haven't found that perfect old-timey barkeep, I'll keep going back until they do.
by Tara Pierson Hoey
[Photos: Renee Wagoner]