Michael’s Place

Opened during the late 1990s by founder Michael Bordoni, the aptly-named Michael’s Place is a classic South Philadelphia corner dive bar complete with minimalist exterior and equally minimalist sign. Over a door cut into the corner of the building, the sign features simple black script lettering spelling out the name of the bar atop a plain, white background. A handful of beer specials are often publicized in defined, framed sections of the exterior wall ($3 16-ounce Miller High Life drafts during our visit).

Michael’s Place is co-owned by Bordoni and Perry Cavalieri, who joined the ownership group of the bar roughly five years after it opened. The two are long-time friends whose fathers operated the now-defunct J&D Billiards Parlor at the intersection of Passyunk and Moore in South Philly. J&D Billiards Parlor was a pool hall on the second floor of a building that housed a boxing gym on its ground floor featured as part of a 1963 Sports Illustrated article that also mentions the bar.

Immediately upon entering, the positive dive bar omens are readily apparent due to a tap beer selection that includes PBR, Miller High Life and a second PBR tap. This is a good sign. The space is as snug as its corner plot would suggest, a long bar commanding the front portion of the bar with only scant room for additional low tables and chairs on the opposite wall.

While Michael’s Place may not feel immediately like a Christmas-themed bar, there is actually a pretty considerable amount of Christmas cheer to be found inside its walls. A number of Christmas trees, snowmen and Santa figurines can be found distributed throughout Michael’s Place and a very permanent-looking sign just below the ceiling reads “Merry Christmas.” Keep an eye out for the saxophone-playing Santa behind the bar.

A slightly separated secondary area can be found toward the rear of the bar that manages to squeeze a pool table into the available space. Notably, the table is free to play on Tuesdays. Perhaps even more notably, a mounted pay phone can be found here. Though it was not tested on our last visit, it would no doubt make for an excellent conversation starter with the younger folks in a drinking group who may have never encountered such a contraption.

Bringing food into Michael’s Place from nearby restaurants is generally allowed, though hot dogs are sometimes available here as a means of beer-absorbing last resort. The classic Philadelphia Citywide Special is of course available here, in this case for a very affordable price ($5 on our last visit). The bar has also been known to informally celebrate Scotch Friday, a nod to Cavalieri’s personal tradition of celebrating the end of the week with a bit of scotch.