The Artful Dodger

Total gem! One of the most adorable historic bars I’ve ever seen. Bartender/​cooks that treat you like family. Great mid-​day Philly surprise!

Great location. That’s probably othe only good thing I can say about this spot.
The food was gross. It was to the point that it was not only inedible but borderline unsafe to eat. I had the burger, wings, and shared some tater tots– all pretty simple stuff but they managed to ruin all of them. I left feeling disgusting and regretted coming here. Needless to say I won’t be back. I suggest you stay far, far away from Artful Dodger.

Sad to say the doors are closed. I hope someone buys it and brings new life into this now landmark pub.

Corner pub feel in an area of the city that is lacking in corner pubs. It’s small, narrow, and built for having a few beers and eating pub grub while sitting at the bar. The interior of the place feels like an english pub and when you walk out of the place onto the cobblestone 2^nd street you may think you have actually gone back in time… but don’t worry, there is a wawa just down the street to bring you back to reality and provide you with some snacks to stumble home with.
The draft list is limited but respectable, the bottle list makes up for the limited draft selection. The benefit of the draft list is that beers are poured in imperial pints in traditional English style, so you get to enjoy an extra 4oz compared to most bars in the city. The downside is that a Troegs Sunshine Pils cost $ 6…not bad, but not a great deal either.
They do have the MLB package and you can claim a TV to watch out of town games… and I think you can actually call ahead to reserve a TV to watch a game.
Overall, it’s a cool spot. I’ll put it on my list of regular haunts.

If I envisioned a bar in Philly, this is what it would be. Small, local vibe, rowdy but having a good time, and the owner as bartender and doing his job excellently. I was certainly the odd man out being a visitor, but enjoyed every minute I was there. Not a huge beer selection, but a really nice local selection. The owner/​bar tender was awesome: friendly, attentive, and operating like a true pro. He was the only one there with a good sized crowd to serve, and he did it almost effortlessly. If I lived nearby, I’d be a regular. Well done Artful Dodger, well done.

Artful Dodger is a small, homey pub tucked away on 2^nd street, and it has the feel of a place that makes you want to be a regular. The beer list is okay, but nothing special, ditto for the food. Fish and chips were a disappointment; soggy rather than crisp.
The bartender on my last visit was sharp, attentive, and a little sassy; which incidentally is the perfect combination of traits for a bartender. The small bar has a few HDTVs playing sports.
Bottom Line: This tiny place certainly has the public house feel. It’s not worth going out of the way for, but it’s a nice spot.

Purchased a Living Social for food a few months back based on the reviews of their fish and chips, so came in to take advantage last week. Clay loves fish and chips but rarely orders them out so I thought that would be a nice treat.
We arrived to a large number of people enjoying the dart league but were able to grab a large table in the corner. The waitress seemed surprised to have other guests, but quickly got us the specials list. We each enjoyed some local beers. I had a salad and the onion rings which were very lightly fried and tasty. Clay liked his fish and chips (mission accomplished!) and was pleasantly surprised that it also came with a nice house salad.
We probably won’t become regulars since it’s not nearby but will definitely consider the Artful Dodger if in the area again. I really enjoyed the ambiance and Clay said it reminded him of traveling with his dad in England so they are clearly doing something right.

I wanted to like this place so badly. It definitely seemed like the kind of dive (ish) spot that may surprise you with good food… but this was not my experience.
First I must say our waitress was super sweet but couldn’t make up for the glaring mistakes:
–Wings– severely undercooked… and I mean frozen on the tips… this is scary and worth reporting to the board of Health but I don’t have the time or energy
— Tater Tots wrapped in bacon and stuffed with jalepenos and dipped in cheese– they sound way better than they are. I would not get them again for sure!
–Burger– tasted delicious but made my stomach upset for the next 24 hours (painful experience) so there must have been something bad about the meat.
I would never go back to this place. The only reason I tried it was because my friend had a Groupon.

It’s a cute little nook, I like it just fine. The dart board is in the back of the bar, right in front of the bathrooms which I like to point out to whoever I’m with, while adding, «You know if anyone’s gonna get a dart to the earhole, it’s this one over here…» *Points to self* «…and that would make me the opposite of an artful dodger.» Chuckle chuckle, insufferable. This is my routine for when I go to the Artful Dodger. Seriously, I really can be a bit of a Magoo at times, wandering precariously, but really, no darts have ever buzzed my way. So that’s good.
I also like that their 8 draught beers are typically from an assemblage of local breweries like Troegs, Victory, Philadelphia Brewing Co. etc… though on a couple of occasions, I’ve received beers that tasted a little off, as if touched with tap line funk. I prefer my funk to be adelic. Still, I giver the olé thumbs up. Good jukebox, friendly service, relaxed atmosphere…
Please note: I enjoy also sharing my freakish knowledge of songs from the musical Oliver! when I’m here. An added treat.

Corner cubby, fish and chips; beer and dips — a local’s lounge.
The Artful Dodger has been a trusty friend since I moved downtown. It’s always there when I need a quick pint, a bite to eat, a place to meet a friend. I loved meatloaf mondays, watching World Cup, throwing darts into the night.
The barkeeps have always had that casual classic attitude that I enjoy. Most of the locals are cool and down to earth, you get a few snots, but they don’t bother too many people. The food is good, beer is local, it’s a good bet.
Keep in mind that this bar may be in a happening area but it is very much a local’s spot, so all those rules apply.

The cheesesteak spring rolls were yummy and the highlight of my meal here.
The beer I ordered on tap was stale? so I switched.
Nice little cozy dining room but I didn’t go into the bar area so I can’t comment on that.
Nothing amazing, nothing terrible.

I’ve tried to come here twice and play darts. Each time I’ve walked out frustrated.
First time, people were standing near the dart board and the bartender said that he «would not ask them to move.»
Second time, the bartender said «someone stole our darts, you have to bring your own.»
Gimme a freakin break.

the bf and i wandered by this place. i had no expectations, as it looks like any other local pub. they were sponsoring a rousing evening of darts… and they were serving thanksgiving turkey dinner. moist, well-​made turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, and beans and mashed potatos. i was sold. the bf thoroughly enjoyed his ahi burger.
so, will i run cross town to head to the dodger again? no. but, i’m way glad that i’ve found a spot along that headhouse corridor where i can have non-​disappointing food and beer.

I met up with a friend here for a beer. I don’t really have much to say. It was pretty empty for a Friday night, but was a nice spot if you just want to chill with some friends and have a few drinks. The Phillies game was on, and Victory Golden Monkey was on tap. I don’t think I’ll be rushing back, but if I’m in the neighborhood I would stop in.
Favorite moment was when a guy walked in who was pretty wasted, thrust a few dollar bills at the bartender, and asked for the cheapest beer. He got a Miller High Life.

Although my pork sandwich was just ehhh, the fries were delicious and the service was great. Also, played a great game of quizzo! I did, however, try my boyfriend’s burger, and it was phenomenal.

My husband and I went here last Friday night and we really enjoyed ourselves. We got there at about 7pm and immediately found seats at the bar. The bartenders were friendly, but not overly chatty or invasive. We started off with the Walt Wit – I have tasted better in the city (it tasted like they maybe needed to clean the line)– but at $ 4 a pint (we may have caught the end of happy hour?) it was totally worth it. Finished those and moved on the Yuengling Bock Beer which is the first time I’ve seen it on draft in the city. Oh, did I mention they serve REAL PINTS?! That’s means a full 20 ounces of beery goodness!
Excuse me while I do cartwheels around my desk…
Right. So anyways we decided to order some food and settled on the wings and the homemade fries with cheddar and bacon. We couldn’t decide if we wanted the regular or «suicidal» sauce on the wings so the bartender suggested we get the regular and a side of the hot stuff. Very good call. The wings were excellent and the «suicidal» sauce was very hot, but extremely flavorful. The fries were good – not the best and not the worst I’ve ever had.
They have a dart board, but keep no house darts… boo. Will have to remember to bring our own next time. Also, juke box with good selection of classic hits. Very nice.
All in all we’d most certainly return and will suggest to friends.

Its nice, but it smells like farts and mothballs. Each time I get a whiff of that certain smell I lose my appetite. It smells like grandma after a big bowl of chili and a tall glass of beer.
The food was so-​so. It actually came out cold twice while I had dinner there. Nothing on the menu jumped out at me, the norm pub food. The happy hour was good. There weren’t many people and the bartender was nice.
Its really just a typical pub with the added bonus of farts and mothballs.

Decent little spot.
A little bit out of the way on this corner of head house square.
Cozy bar. Good spot to watch a game. Attentive bartenders.
I always thought that this place was an «upscale» place. But the bar area, is really like a dive bar. Going to try their food next time I’m in the area.

What the Artful Dodger may lack in aesthetic (at least on an empty Monday night), it makes up for in food. Seriously, some of the best pub food I’ve put down.
When they brought out a salad worthy of a high-​end restaurant I was intrigued. Then the main course (chicken florentine) was a solid portion and extremely tasty to boot.
I think that’s the first time I’ve said «boot» in a review.
Go here.

The Dodger is the Philly pub that has come closest to bringing me back to all those wonderful pubs that I left behind in London. It has a wonderful stone and wooden eat in area that serves up plenty of Fish and Chips, Shepard’s Pie and other traditional pub eats. and it has a laid back sports pub that has darts and a good jukebox.
It’s one of those good middle ground places that rarely gets crowded. The crowd inside is generally relaxed and easy going. I’ve also always recieved nothing but good service and flowing beer.