Westmont's Pour House Is a Beer Lover's Paradise

I really wanted to like The Pour House. I had heard great things about their extensive beer and burger-centric menu, and I figured a Flyers/Phillies double header would provide an ideal opportunity to experience it for myself. I really, really wanted to like The Pour House. And you know what? I really, really did.

A little background: I was a bit apprehensive about when I learned it was owned by the same group that owns the P.J. Whelihan's franchises that dot the South Jersey landscape.  Nothing against P.J. Whelihan's; it’s just your run-of-the-mill sports bar that offers pretty standard food and drink. When I saw The Pour House’s beer list, however, featuring 141 different bottles (including the notoriously difficult to find Brooklyn Black Ops) and an impressive array of drafts, my apprehension took a back seat to curiosity and I prepared to dive in. 

I’m happy to report my experience was a positive one. The Pour House is lined with televisions, but the focus is less about what’s showing on them than what’s sitting on the plate or in the glass in front of you. Weekly drink specials are outstanding, with a number of wonderful craft beers available at prices you’re not likely to find anywhere else.  

The Pour House is certainly no secret; they don’t take reservations, and I faced a 45-minute wait when I arrived early Wednesday evening. Fortunately, the establishment offers some pretty nice ways to pass the time. I took a seat at the bar and started on some deliciously fresh $1 oysters (a Wednesday special) and my first beer of the evening, a Six Point Bengali Tiger IPA.

And that’s the best thing about The Pour House: It’s a beer lover’s haven. I spent half of my night ignoring the Flyers playoff game on the television in front of me in favor of studying the extensive beer list in my hand. It was far more interesting. I felt like a kid in a candy shop, overwhelmed by a nearly endless arrangement of wonderful choices and no idea what to choose.

The prices are on point as well. Plenty of the beers are priced in double digits, but they’re rare brews you’re not likely to find at the local liquor store, and it’s a seller's market. Regardless, there are still a lot of great choices at great prices, so there’s no need to fret. The food, too, falls squarely in the $8-$11 range, with only two entrees that I noticed costing more than that. I heard the burgers were good, and I wasn’t disappointed. The Jersey Burger I tried is topped with pork roll, beer mustard and a fried egg. It tastes as good as it sounds.

The Pour House may not be the ideal sports bar, but it’s certainly an ideal place for a good beer, a good burger and good conversation. With Keg & Kitchen opening down the road, Haddon Avenue in Westmont is transforming into a craft brew paradise.

Morsels

-Haddonfield is celebrating spring on Friday, April 27, at noon with Dish and Dazzle at . The event features some of Haddonfield’s trendiest boutiques and is free to attend with the purchase of lunch at Melange. If you’re interested, reserve a place by calling Melange at 856-354-1333.

-Organic Diversion, a full service organics recycling company, announced today that six Collingswood restaurants—, , , , and —will participate in its Farm-to-Fork-to-Farm composting program. The program collects and processes organic waste materials and, rather than sitting in landfills, will compost the waste for other uses. The program also includes training and education in organic recycling. In addition, Organic Diversion is joining the celebration of Earth Day on April 21 by participating in the Collingswood fourth annual Green Festival.  Kudos to all six restaurants involved for doing their part in making our planet a little bit greener.

-As always, you can follow me on Twitter @davevaliante, and feel free to send me any ideas and suggestions!