J.R.’s Saloon

The self-proclaimed “oldest bar in Fishtown,” J.R.’s Saloon opened in 1980 under the leadership of owner James Rowson, who lives above the bar and contributed his initials to its name. J.R.’s Saloon is a family operation with Rowson recruiting his wife and son to support the bar as well. So tied to family and the local Fishtown community is Rowson that he has garnered some publicity for wrapping Christmas gifts on occasion for neighborhood children.

A large black sign sits above the corner of the bar, illuminated by thin blue neon twisted in the name of the bar as well as, of course, a martini glass. Besides a simple awning, there is precious little in the way of proclaiming the presence of a dive bar here, in keeping with the grand tradition of Philly dive bars all vying for least-prominent exterior signage.

J.R.’s Saloon feels like so many Philadelphia dive bars, a long single room running along the front of a residential building, small door in the corner of the structure and few frills inside. This particular Philadelphia dive bar is a little bigger than most, a large front room housing the bar while a pair of supplementary rooms stretch the space. A lone pool table can be found in a middle space while televisions flank the rear room.

The floor, ceiling and walls have all swapped their usual dive bar spots here at J.R.’s Saloon, the main room covered with brick underfoot and wood paneling along the ceiling. The wood ceiling in particular creates a ‘warm shoebox’ effect, which is most definitely a good thing at a dive bar and adds to the very stripped down nature of J.R.’s Saloon. No doubt, the long bar in this room will be filled with regulars, many of them dating back to a time when Fishtown was a bit rougher around the edges. Accordingly, one version of the t-shirts sometimes sold by the bar proclaims J.R.’s Saloon as “Fishtown’s oldest dive.”

Keep an eye out for the date of the bar’s opening burned into the top of the bar counter itself. Everything here is bathed in the soft light of opaque glass blocks that serve as the primary source of all light. Decorations here follow no discernable theme, the pieces ranging from Coors Banquet beer mirror to framed photo of pre 1990s movie stars in the style of a pre-Renaissance painting. Because why not.

A small kitchen in the middle of J.R.’s Saloon has rotated through concepts over the years, but most recently it produces standard bar staples that include pizza, burgers and even pierogis. While a standard set of typical bar food favorites makes up the majority of the menu, a handful of specials are often scrawled on the mirror behind the bar.