Blue Dog Family Tavern

Blue Dog Family TavernBlue Dog Family Tavern
Blue Dog Family TavernBlue Dog Family Tavern
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

4275 County Line Rd
Ste 13
Chalfont, Pennsylvania, 18914-2212
United States

(215) 997-9988 | map
bluedog.cc
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.79
Reviews:
37
Ratings:
47
pDev:
13.72%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LehighAce06:
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Rated by LehighAce06 from Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +18.7%

Aug 16, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.04 by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

Jan 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.3 by frankiebrewer from Pennsylvania

Dec 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by kapkenobi from Pennsylvania

Sep 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by epyon396 from Pennsylvania

Aug 10, 2014
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Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4
Tavern, not to be confused with the Pub in Lansdale. Vibe is sports bar and restaurant - located in a Strip Mall off County Line road. there is a bar area, dining area, and take-out beer area. good selection of quality and limited beer, but prices are high.
Jun 24, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by sandlansd from Pennsylvania

Jun 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by MrDave14 from Pennsylvania

Nov 18, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by EFR94 from Pennsylvania

Oct 29, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by GeoffreyM from Pennsylvania

Oct 21, 2013
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Reviewed by TheBigBoy from Pennsylvania

3.51/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.25
This place knows craft beer. Good rotating selection on draft. However, I stop by for the take-out craft beers. For the space, there is good selection of high trending beers. Many of the single bottle available warm only, but decent selection of cold sixes & singles as well. defintiely stop by if in area. You'll probably be able to pick up something new & popular on craft end.
May 09, 2013
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Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota

3.45/5  rDev -9%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
Kind of hard to believe I never--until recently--stopped in this place, as it's about a mile away from Keystone Homebrew, which is where I get all my supplies.

Located in a strip mall, Blue Dog isn't the classiest of joints. I kind of got a bad feel as soon as I walked in and beheld some of the clientele, but oh well, it's Friday night and there's a game on...what can you do? The place is labeled as a "Family Tavern." Not sure exactly what that's supposed to mean, but all I know is, I don't need to be hearing kids screaming while I'm at the bar.

Adjacent to the entrance is a little cubbie hole take-out shop, with a few fridges (get yer Pabsts here!), and several shelves of singles. I gotta say, for as small as this space is, they use it well, and keep it stocked with lots of good locals and crafts. Venturing further in, the bar appears like some kind of weird hybrid between a sports bar and the back room of a distributor warehouse. The "decor" consists mainly of empty beer boxes and cases lining the walls, with general tin tackers and sports bric-a-brac on the walls. The bar itself is fairly large and can seemingly accommodate a larger crowd, and there are two separate rooms with seating areas.

Tap list was fairly decent, with somewhere between 20-25 selections, maybe 5 of those macros, and the rest a decent selection of locals micros and standards of US and Euro fare: Palm, Stoudt's, Anchor, Yards, Sam Adams, Bud, etc. Glancing at the "Riches" event, it seems like they have some success at bringing in the usual "rarities," with promises of CBS and KBS on tap, so that's cool.

We weren't at the place for long, but the service seemed decent. The one beer I had was a stout that was supposed to be on nitro, but definitely didn't seem to be...do these guys know how to serve a beer correctly? Are the draught lines ok? Questions that warrant answering. Food menu appeared to be typical pub/grill grub, but we already ate, so didn't get to sample.

I'd like to come back here for an event to see how they handle it, maybe get a better feel for the service and try the food, but otherwise, this isn't the kind of place I'd frequent.
Sep 22, 2012
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Reviewed by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +8.4%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.75
Made my way to the Blue Dog for the first time today. When I saw that they were tapping Pliny the Younger, I made sure that I was there for it. We stood outside for about 45 minutes in a line waiting to get in before the place opened. The bar filled up quickly once we got there so we took a table instead. The service was very friendly and attentive. The hostess was very nice and introduced up to the owner who spoke with my friend and I for a moment about getting Pliny each year. The beer selection is incredible actually. MANY bottles to choose from, a lot of which I have not seen even in the state of PA before. Service was good considering the chaos of the event. The atmosphere was good, very relaxing and homely. Very family friendly. The only thing that I was worried about was when we first got in there was that the place smelled of stale beer or musty. My friend assured that it's probably their drainage system there. Either way once the food started coming out to the dining area that smell faded. I felt that the pricing was pretty good for what I had. I have no major complains at all about the Blue Dog, I look forward to going back sometime soon.
Mar 12, 2012
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Reviewed by mingo1968 from Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +10.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
The service here was excellent. I can not say enough good things about the service. I had a smoked pork chop sandwich that i thought was very good. I thought they had a very good selection on tap. This place is good to go to if you have kids. They have a kids menu. The place was clean i will be returning in the near future i really liked it. They have a small bottle shop for take out too. My wife had a crab cake sandwich and she said it was good also. The kids had mac and cheese in doggie bowls that they got a kick out of.
Dec 19, 2011
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Reviewed by slentz from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Figured it was time to update my review of this place.

Blue Dog Tavern is tucked away in a shopping center. If you didn't know it was there you would most likely never find it. When you walk in to the right is the bottle shop. They have a pretty decent selection and usually get most of the limited releases offered in PA. Prices are very competitive with other local establishments. To the left is the dining area and private room. To the right of the dining area is the bar area. Not a huge bar but not too small either. They have a pool table but in my honest opinion I think it should be removed. (what do i know tho!) Blue Dog usually has a good to great tap list. Beer is always served in the appropriate glassware. They always keep their beer lists updated which is completely awesome. In addition, they routinely update on facebook which is also great.

The food has gotten much better lately and I have definitely enjoyed whatever I have ordered recently. The owner is very generous and holds an event every one in a while in which he shares a lot of great bottles without asking anything in return. I really can't say enough about his generosity. All in all Blue Dog Tavern is a great place to come and enjoy great beer with your friends and pick up a few nice bottles to go as well.
Aug 15, 2011
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Reviewed by skiofpinsk from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev +9.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
I've been coming here for the past couple of years. I was kind of hesitant at first, as it's located in a strip mall. Once inside, you're greeted by a small but pretty impressive bottle shop. Just yesterday I picked up both a regular and a Belgo Stone RIS, a Rochefort 10, a Blushing Monk, and a KBS.

Continuing on, there's a decently sized area if you want to sit at a table. The one area has a divider to separate it from the bar, and the other is completely enclosed. It helps if you're looking for something a bit quieter, especially if the bar's busy. The bar seats a decent number, and there's a couple small tables around. A pool table and dart board are in the back. Several flat panel TVs located around, and always have local team's games on.

Food menu is mostly standard pub fare, but their specials are usually something a bit nicer. Prices are good, and you get enough that you'll leave with a full stomach, even without any beer.

The tap list is always great, sometimes excellent. They're known for their "Wealth of Riches" which they've had for the past couple years. KBS, CBS, Nemesis, Devil Dancer, several RR "-tions", Elder, Sculpin, BB aged Angel's Share...the list goes on. The Wealth of Riches event is one of the best around, and last year the owner gave out sample of some pretty rare brews that he had in bottles, including Westy 12. On a more daily basis, a couple macros and more easy to find beers are on the list, but there's always a good 8-10 craft brews. Standard pour is 10 oz, would be nice to get a bit more for what you pay, but it helps if there's a few heavier beers on the list that you'd like to try.

Service could be better. Some of the staff seem like they just don't care. Better beer knowledge would be nice too. Not really a big deal, as long as you know what you're supposed to be getting. It's happened a couple times where I've gotten a beer I've never had before, and the person I'm with does so as well. When they arrive, it'll take a sip or two before realizing that it doesn't fit the flavor profile we were expecting and that each has the other's beer.

Overall a pretty good place, even though the atmosphere is pretty standard. Draft list, as well as the bottle shop, are some of the best I've seen around. Definitely worth a visit! If you're in the area you might become a regular.

Update 7/31/13

The Blue Dog still remains a favorite place to stop, even though I am now 45 minutes north. The only real complaint I had in the past was with the service, and I feel it has improved considerably in the past couple years. It really shows with their events, especially the Wealth of Riches. Very hectic and crowded but they handle it like champs.
Jul 23, 2011
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Reviewed by Troegman from Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +20.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
I've been going here for over two years now and keep coming back as much as possible.

The food is not so basic anymore. They have incorporated a specials list with some abstract options including Python Fritters and Ostrich ect... The Cheesesteaks, sandwhiches and wraps are very good and the wings are great. They are bringing more dinner entrees to the menu as well. Have a decent vegetarian menu as well.

The beer selection is what got me there in the first place. Tap selection is always strong and changes often. They get beers you rarely see in PA. Always a great option.
May 11, 2011
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Reviewed by ajaxivan from Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
The Blue Dog is a great casual place to go to when you want some good food and some great beer.
The atmosphere is nothing to write home about but for me that is part of the charm. The service is fine to very good based on my experience and the food is always good. Their beer selection is top notch and always rotating. The beer menu shows what they have for how much and what abv is for each beer along with a brief description.
I suggest if you live in Bucks or Mongomery counties to stop by, you will be glad you did.
May 11, 2011
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Reviewed by CraftAleRookie from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
The Blue Dog has become a favorite local spot for the family- which says a lot, as I have older teenage kids and it's hard to get them out anymore as a family! What a coup- the wife and kids love this place, and I get a beer menu that's top notch (not to mention a good bottle store on the way out).

A- "Tavern" fits for the Blue Dog Chalfont- the sectioned off dining area secludes families from the bar. The crowd is generally easy going, and there's plenty of seats at either tables or the very large bar.

Q- All around, the quality of everything (Beer selection, simple foods, and entrees) is very good. Food portions are good (not too big, not too small).

S- Prompt and friendly, pretty much sums up everyone you encounter from the hostess to the waitstaff.

Selection- The tap list is always robust- from the darkest thickest ales to the basic simple lagers, there's always a top-notch selection on the beer list. And if you keep an eye on the "coming soon" brews, you can sample some exclusive stuff too (I've had both Pliny the Elder and Younger at this establishment).

F- From a simple rueben sandwich to my daughter's favorite entree ("Chicken Fantasy"), the food is very good and reasonably priced. The menu is a book of many page turns, so there's plenty to choose from. Excellent soups, creative salads, and lots of good appetizers round out a full selection of burgers, sandwiches, and entrees.

My only suggestion for improvement would be to make some of the appetizers a bit more on the portion size. That aside, the overall value is good. For Beer Lovers, you can't beat this place for all around food and brew selection and price.
Apr 16, 2011
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Reviewed by haazer from Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
Stopped in here to meet up with a friend from College and a hometown buddy that was in the area from NY this past saturday, 3/12/11. As you walk in on your right hand side is about 4 cooler doors worth of bottled and canned craft, import and your macro selections. Theres also a few shelves with bottles, and 750ml's available. Pretty much the same selection as the one in Lansdale although the area is a little smaller. The selection here is always great though. HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend picking up the Spring House Smoked Porter, a nice gem in PA that not many on BA seem to know about.

The atmosphere was good on this particular night. They had live music(no cover which is always nice) and the lights were kinda dimmed. The band was actually fairly talented and played a lot of classic rock. This location has a larger dining area with open booth and table seating directly on your left and runs back to the end of the building by the bathrooms. The bar is about the same size as the one in lansdale, with about 8-12 taps. Theres some case boxes stacked along the wall aside of the bar also.

Now, my service rating for this place is going to be fairly skewed, but first impressions are important right? I walk in here and notice that the very next day they're tapping a sixtel of PTY, and they'll also have other great offerings on draft from RR and other breweries. I get talking with one of the bartenders who's an obvious beer geek also. I had mentioned that I never had any of the Pliny's before. He says, make sure you get your beer from me when your done. I finish my Founders Double Trouble, return to the bar and he pours me Pliny The Elder and rings it up as another Double Trouble. Couldn't beleive it. The Beer Gods were with me that night.

All beers in here are reasonably priced, some are spot on, others more or less than what you might see elsewhere. Then again you get what you pay for.
Mar 14, 2011
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Reviewed by hippityhops85 from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 3
I've been frequenting the Blue Dog for about two years now. I go there for the beer selection solely. The food is mediocre at best but when it comes to the beer seletion, Chris and Rob know what they're doing. Excellent, quickly rotating taps, rarity events, and the bottle shop is the cheapest and most diverse in the area. If you want to try some hard-to-find brews from around the world, I would definitely stop in. The bartenders, in general, don't know anything about the beers that they have on tap so I wouldn't expect a wealth of knowledge but if you go in knowing what you're looking for, I do not think that you will be upset. Chris is always willing to go through his most recent bottle acquisitions and make excellent recommendations as well.
Oct 31, 2010
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Reviewed by John_M from Washington

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
Stopped by the other day for the second annual "embarrassment of riches" event.

Blue Dog is a pretty inconspicuous tavern located in a grocery store strip mall. I was initially concerned I had the wrong location, but as soon as I walked in, I knew I was in the right spot. As you walk in, you first notice a couple of cold boxes for off premise purchases (I assume) and a cash register. As you walk by that, you notice a good size bar area to your right that has to hold close to 40 seats. Given the selection and popularity of this event, it was completely full this day (at 11:20 in the morning), with some folks standing and drinking beer as well. There's also a pool table, as well as stacks of beer cases, which on this day were doubling as impromptu bar tables. Given that the bar area was full, I ordered a couple of glasses of KBS and CBS, gave the bartender my credit card (my first mistake), and proceeded to the open area dining room (there is also what appears to be a slightly more formal enclosed dining room). The place has sort of chilis/applebee's vibe, and atmosphere is not exactly this place's strong suit. Service was very prompt, though my server told me right off that I shouldn't have ordered beers at the bar if I intended to sit in the dining area. Apparently it's not possible to transfer one's tab from the bar area, which is why he was so put out. At this point I had the opportunity to meet Chris the owner, who struck me as very personable and pleasant. When I asked him how well his place did business-wise, given the unlikely location, he laughed and (quite rightly - stupid question on my part) pointed out that distributors don't sell kegs of KBS, CBS, younger and supplication to accounts that don't sell a lot of product. Anyway, it was enjoyable talking to him, and I appreciated him taking the time to stop by on what was obviously a very busy day for him.

Given the event I was here for, it goes without saying that the selection was incredible. On this particular day it included (in addition to KBS and CBS) two vintages of regular breakfast stout, sculpin, consecration, supplication, temptation, laguinitas fusion... and that's just what I can recall. All together there was something like 25 beers on tap, and it was apparent that the owner is committed to offering quality stuff on tap. They also have an impressives bottle selection, but I gave that no more than a passing glance given the draft selection.

Food consists of your pretty standard pub grub. I got the nachos, which consisted of olives, jalapenos, mild salsa, sour cream, guac and melted cheese wiz over a bunch of chips. While fine, I got the distinct impression that food is kind of an afterthought here (judging by some of the other items I saw ordered by other patrons).

Prices were pretty reasonable I thought. My KBS and CBS came in a 10 ounce tulip and were $5.79 a glass I believe.

As for service, it was just plain odd, and I gather the staff were a bit stressed by the crowd. I've noticed in the past that some places really shine when they're hit by a large crowd (after all, if nothing else the tips should be good), while at other places the service really suffers. At least on this day, I think the crowd really had an adverse impact on the quality of the service here (even though the place was well staffed). There was a problem ordering a sampler platter (not enough glasses), and my server told me I would need to go close out my tab at the bar and then pay him (still not sure why he couldn't have done that, but apparently he couldn't). When I went up to the bar to retrieve my credit card and bar tab, he came up to me with my check, pointing out that I'd forgotten to pay. I reminded him that my credit card was with the bartender, and I had to pay her first before I could pay my dining room tab. As for the bartender, initially she couldn't find my credit card, and it reached the point where I went back to my table to pay my check in cash, assuming I'd just have to report my card as missing. However, she finally found it, but then blamed me for not giving her my name correctly (she initially thought my last name was Patterson, even though I repeatedly told her my last name, and at one point she even repeated it correctly). My point is that the place was slammed, and the large crowd clearly had an adverse impact on service. At one point the staff started bickering with one another, after one server apparently grabbed some other server's drink order from the bar.

All that aside, I would certainly go back here again, as the beer selection is THAT good. Also, while the service was a bit off on the day I stopped by, I'm more than willing to attribute that to a large crowd and attempts by the staff to get everyone's order to them very quickly (in this they succeeded; everything came very quickly). My problems aside, this is clearly an outstanding place.
Sep 27, 2010
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Reviewed by micromaniac129 from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
The Blue Dog Tavern is a place that our family goes to alot for school fund raisers.
The atmosphere when we, go which is usually during the week, is good and freiendly. Although it can get taken over by a crowd of school kids.
The food is good and usually goes out in a timely manner.
They have a very good beer selection with good standards in a rotating seasonal selection.
If your a micromaniac like myself and are in the area check it out.
Its good to have a place that serves a good selection of beer here in central Bucks Pa.
Sep 27, 2010
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Reviewed by orangesol from Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
My first trip to the Blue Dog Tavern for the "Wealth of Riches" event.

A- Blue Dog Tavern seems to be somewhere between a sports bar and a good beer bar. A large bar area with a even bigger seating area to the left for family's and larger groups. TV's throughout the bar and seating areas. Plenty of people coming and going but that may have been because of the event going on. I would like to see this place on a normal saturday.

Q- The quality was good. All my beers were in the correct glasses and all tasted fine. I did have a few short pours in my flights but that was not a huge deal. I think that had more to do with the two bartenders dealing with the huge crowd. The prices were pretty good as well. Some of the food items seemed to be a little over priced but the beers were pretty spot on. The bottle shop prices also seemed to be a little high.

S- I really want to give them a higher score here but the service was pretty slow even with an event going on. I was sitting at the bar and it still took me close to 20 minutes to get my first drink. I even got the attention of one of the bartenders and got the brush off. Once they did serve me everything seemed to smooth out. My food took a good while to show up but the bartender sent someone to look for it and it arrived a couple of minutes later.

S- Here is where they shined on this day. Since the event was going on they brought out all the big guns. I went to the event hoping to score a CBS but alas it kicked an hour before I got there. Not really sure why they were serving it in 13oz glasses. If they would have rationed it a little better a lot more people would have gotten to try it. Oh well. I started with a Russian River Temptation and it was great. I then moved to a flight of 09 Founders Breakfast Stout, KBS, Russian River Supplication, and a Brooklyn Detonation. While I have had them all before I was still impressed and they all tasted great. I wanted to try a few more things but I wanted to be able to actually make it home in one piece. I just wonder what this place has on when an event isn't going on, that is why I am knocking it down a few notches.

F- The food was ok. It tasted pretty good but the execution was not the best. I got a Honey BBQ Chicken Melt. It is a hoagie I guess, I think it would be much better as just a normal sandwich. I think they put more BBQ sauce on it than chicken. The sauce also caused the bread to fall apart and make the sandwich into a total mess. I ended up eating most of it with a fork. The fries were also not the best. Same as most other places, take them out the bag and fry them up. Not a favorite of mine but still good.

I don't think I will be making any spur of the moment trips down here but I will return if they have another event like this. The tap list is just too good to pass up.
Sep 26, 2010
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Reviewed by oglmcdgl from Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +13.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Been here mad times a block away from my folks so whenever I'm up this way I make it a point to stop in. Great take out selection as its what I normally do here but the tap selection is awesome and the tenders really care. Hell I've hard kbs, cbs, nugget nectar on cask and all types of other baller ass shit here. Darin is a great dude and if he's working hell treat ya right. Please do try to find the time to stop by. You'd never think its here and you won't be disappointed. I've had some good food here but haven't really had enough to give a true run down on it. I'm a chef and I would never judge a place on one time. Nice food just not stellar but in open to more.
Jun 20, 2010
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Reviewed by ajay from New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +16.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 2.5
I can't believe anyone would rank the selection of beer here any less than A.

Let's see - yesterday on tap: RR Younger (to be fair, charity event only), RR Damnation and Supplication. Oh, and a Lagunitas IPA only available here or at the brewery itself.

Not to mention a host of other amazing brews. I do echo the previous poster - all strong beers, but I can live with that.

The food (at least the apps) we got - we were not impressed.

But we had a half-hour conversation with the GM and owner - couldn't have met two nicer guys, or who are solely in this for good beer.

There are even big fans of Matt over at Capone's, even if they are competitors (11 miles separate the two).

Run, don't walk here. And don't drive here. :-)
Mar 15, 2010
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Reviewed by zekeman17 from Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Have been to the Blue Dog a number of times. Always 8 to 10 micros on tap, and a good selection of bottles. Bartenders know their stuff--waitresses are nice, but may not know the beers all that well. One waitress told me that the waitstaff is required to taste all the beers (tough job, eh?), but if they don't like beer or micro brews, their opinion isn't going to count for much.
The only complaint (if you can even call it a complaint) I have about the beer is the strength. Of the beers on tap, most are 8-10%. I wouldn't mind a few with less alcohol so that I could have more than 1 or 2 and not have to worry about driving home.
Food is pretty good: good place to go and watch a game and have a couple of beers and dinner.
Mar 08, 2010
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Reviewed by BigMike from Pennsylvania

4.63/5  rDev +22.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Stopped in after work because i heard they had Russian River's Blind Pig on tap. The look and feel is pretty much your local sports bar. Lot's of cases of beer all over the place. Help was pretty nice.
I had my Blind Pig and they perused the bottle shop. It's small but they have some good deals. A lot of hard to find stuff and they dont try to rape you with the pricing. I picked up about 6 bottles before i left.
This place is great. Rob and Chris and extremely friendly and helpful. This is probably my new go to bar.
The food there has never disappointed. I reccomend the Rueben sandwich. Very tasty.
Overall i had a really good experience. I would definitely go back if they have something good on tap again and i would definitely visit the bottle shop again.
Feb 19, 2010
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Reviewed by Minotaur from Pennsylvania

3.96/5  rDev +4.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5
Just stopped in for a beer and to check the place out; I pass it probably once a week and just finally decided to make a stop tonight.

On a Friday night at 6:30 we found a spot at the bar immediately, and there was no pressure or rush. The bartenders both knew their micro brew. They had about 8 craft beer on tap and a few BMC.

The beer (one Voodoo Cowbell and one Backwoods Bastard) were poured correctly and into the proper glasses.

The service was friendly and knowledgeable, and asked/invited our party back to several of the upcoming beer events. They were able to talk intelligently about beer both current, past and present.

The servers/waitresses did not seem quite as deep in their knowledge but also didn't seem to screw anything up.

I didn't eat but the food selection and prices seemed average and all the food that came by looked to be of ample portions and decent quality.

The atmosphere in the bar was definitely after-work local folks and sports fans but there were no attitudes. It was definitely low-key and someplace I would stop into again.

They also had a reasonably good bottle and 6-pack selection of some of the harder to find macros such as Lost Abbey, Duck-Rabbit and Jolly Pumpkin.

Definitely worth a stop.
Jan 09, 2010
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Reviewed by BARFLYB from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3
Been coming here on and off for a couple years, mostly for the take out, but a outstanding event with many interesting taps brought me to the bar a few times this week.

A- Blue dog(chalfont) is somewhere between a sports bar with BMC drinking patrons, but there is also a big craft beer influence coming out of the taps, like some other beer bars in the area, I mainly see people drinking down the swill, the craft drinkers are few and far between. A big bar area with a even bigger seating area for family and social event's. There is a lot of room. There is just the slightest feel of a corporate vibe coming from here, but that does not bother me.

Q- The quality is up there, I had many offerings over the week and I did not detect any dirty tap lines, the beer tasted just fine. Appropriate glassware and serving sizes. Clean glassware to, no soap. A very clean establishment which I take very seriously, no problems here. The only flaw would be the short pours I received on multiple occasions. I mean they were short. When I asked for a top off, the waitress told me that the foam was part of the beer(which it is, but not this much), and that she got in trouble for "topping off" before, so she could not help me out there. No problem with me, I dont want to get anybody in trouble here. They must really value their foam at the dog. Also, as the geek traffic is not huge here some beers may be sitting around for a while on tap, so you may want to ask for a taste of that certain IPA before diving in, nobody want's to have a dead Pliny which was not the case when i was there.

S- While not being beer geeks the service was on point. The beers ordered in my party were all correct (except for a little CBS,KBS mix up) and in the proper glass (except for a founders Dumbo head wheat in a tulip besides a pint glass, twice actually) I love me some dumbo head. Our server was intentive while not overbearing or rushing you to drink more. He even gave us updates on what was kicked and what was being put in it's place, kudos.

S- Well, this place is in SEPA so the selection is top notch. The tap list for this event was bananas and the dog does various events throughout the year so there is something interesting on alot of the time. Just to give a short list I had CBS, KBS, DFH Sahti, Bullfrog Edgar, TH Liberator Dopplebock, you get the picture. The to go selection is up there in quality and quanity as well. There is a lot of stuff to buy here and at the best prices i've seen in the suburb area.

F- Im not a big foodie, but I did get a tuna sandwich, it was OK, nothing earth shattering. I had a hard time finishing it. The fries can use some work also. I should have stuck with the chips, which looked interesting. A big menu so Im going to jump on a few things in the future.

I love the dog and will be returning in the future. Very generous pricing on the beers as well, best in the area. I hope this place gets bombarded with geeks in the future.
Sep 26, 2009
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Reviewed by koopa from New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Went to the Blue Dog for the Canadian Breakfast Stout event last weekend.

Better than I thought considering its in a strip mall. Fairly spacious sitting area with nice decor and a large bar area separated by a decent wall that keeps the volume down in the table area. Big flat screens all over....fairly sports bar like.

The service wasn't especially knowledgeable when it came to beer, but they were extremely attentive and well mannered. I was really pleased with our waiter.

Selection: Ok the tap list for this event was extremely good so my score for selection might be a bit biased. I have no idea what the selection is like at this place when no special event is going on. Oh and they have a bottle shop / section up front with some decent stuff. Like Bullfrog Bottles pre release!

Food: Food was fairly good. I had a huge cheese steak and only finished half of it! Menu looked fairly interesting.

Value: Reasonable.
Sep 25, 2009
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Reviewed by rfgetz from New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
This place is in the midst of transforming itself from a typical suburban sports bar with a few deent selections to a craft beer destination.

The atmosphere is cookie cutter sports bar, few TVs, somewhat beat up bar, pool table, some decent beer decor but way too many BMC posters up. Beer boxes line the perimiter of the bar area

The service is good... friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. The food is suprisingly fantastic... full menu covering all the bar food basics, but lots of fresh resturant quality plates.

The selection in the bar is the part thats consantly developing. 15 taps with about 5 featuring solid craft lineup and 5 featuring BMC and other low end beers. The bottle shop is small but features a nice selection of harder to find beers from Founders and the like. The selction is constantly transforming both at the bar and shop. The prices are always fantastic matching many out of state prices.

A recent event featured dozens of hard to find beers on draft from Founders, Russian River, Ballast Point, Stone etc. etc. etc. This could be the palaces comming out party and i look forward to a return.
Sep 20, 2009
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Reviewed by jackorain from Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -30.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | food: 2
I would like to start out by saying that this is the closest beer bar/restaurant to my house by far so I have repeated given this place try after try. I would say we have been here at least a dozen times.

The two main reasons we came here is the beer selection and my 3 and 6 year olds like because they use dog bowl for the kids meals, give out balloons and have Ms Pacman (which by the way they can't play, so all the quarters are pretty much wasted, but hey they still think its fun).

Each time we came there was at least 1 major problem and several lesser ones. If it is not slow server service, it is excruciatingly slow kitchen service. Almost every time we are there, something is wrong with food order when it finally does arrive. On those occasions where we did want send it back and potently wait another 45 minutes for the "fixed" order to arrive, the server was nowhere to be found.

Now on to the server beer knowledge. On most occasions, they do not know what is on tap so they hand the list. Usually fine with me; however, when you ask for beer after beer after beer and are greeted with "we are out of that" or "let me go check on that one", it gets a little old. One visit, I said "I guess that means you have beer X from down here on the 'on deck circle' section of the list" and after a 'go check' was greeted with "No sir we are out of that one two". Also when you ask about bottles, you are told that everything in the bottle shop is available you just add $2 dollars to the price. While the $2 sir charge for drink-in is a value, you might want to note that this means that one needs to get up, go over to the bottle shop, pick out one's beer, return to the table, wait for the server to return, order beer, have them go get it, and then bring it without a glass.

On one occasion, my wife and I stopped in the bar in the evening for a drink and appetizer without the kids. There was karaoke and Miller Lite girls, Bacardi girls and crowded bar full of people drinking BMC and alcopops. We braved the crowd, only to find out the bartenders were too busy to provide the service we all expect at a good beer bar (even a crowded one). They either didn't know anything about the offerings or just couldn't stop to give us the info. We ordered the Mediterranean Trio. It was supposed to be a couple of types of hummus and a baba ganoush. One of the hummus types was some gloppy mess with sun dried tomatoes stirred into it and the other was the same gloppy mess with some other undetectable thing stirred into it. There was no baba ganoush at all. We asked where it was and by the timeit came out we knew we weren't eating any of it. Once informed, the bartender sent the manager (owner?) over who actually argued with my wife, the we should have to pay for it, even though we told it him it was old and disgusting, and had each only had one bite. Finally, he begrudgingly relented and had it taken off the bill, without an apology.

AS far as selection goes, it is pretty good. The 20 or so taps are 80% craft. The bottle shop is pretty good with many a rarity on occasion.

Prices for beer and food are good value and the selection is good but alas the other negatives far outweigh this positive.
May 14, 2009
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Reviewed by bwd110 from Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -17.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 2
Tough to find a good bottle shop in PA. Other than the few great ones, there are slim pickings. I've had terrible experiences at the Blue Dog in Lansdale, but have been to this Chalfont location a few times as well.

Atmosphere is average. It is a local bar trying to attract a young crowd. Nothing special here.

Quality is fair at best. Not much effort seems to be exerted to create a good menu, keep the website updated (they still have KBS and Nugget Nectar on the Coming Soon list. Today is May 8th!), and keep up a cleanly appearance.

Service is not bad. Only ever had female bartenders or cashiers at the take-out section, and while they know little about beer, they are always friendly and will try to help find particular beers. They make sure to point out their events and tasting calendar and ask that I check their website for updates. Ok, sweetheart.

Selection and price is where this place redeems itself. Nothing terribly earth shattering, but when Consecration, KBS, and Sculpin are available, Blue Dog gets it and the prices are generally very good.

Food is bad bar food. Have not had a good meal here. Passable at best.

I like this place for a quick check, or if I'm in the mood for a bomber when passing by - This place, however, is proof that PA needs to repeal the case laws! Better bottle shops will sprout up...
May 08, 2009
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Reviewed by DarkerTheBetter from Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
I stopped by this afternoon after a little birdie told my what was in the bottle shop. Located in a vast strip mall, the Blue Dog is a surprising diamond in the rough.

Right in the door is the miniature bottle shop. There are four coolers worth of brew, two of which were notable. These two were stuffed with awesome beer. The two I showed up for were KBS and Consecration. There were so many crazy beers here, I left with a dozen and had several more I'll be happy to go back for.

The bar and a pool table were back in the right corner with a little enclosed dining area to the left. We headed to the bar. It was u-shaped and at it were seated several guys, all there by their selves. Around the bar were five large tvs, all on different channels of sports which explained the sports paraphrase decorations. Not a bad vibe at all.

The beers were pretty wild. 15 taps, two hand pumps and some nitro? Not bad at all, not to mention again the bottle selection. I had the cask O'Hara's and the lady had Brown Shugga. I could have easily had a half-dozen more with no regrets. I am however pretty sure the lines to the handpump were rancid as my stout tasted like brett.

Service was alright. The bar tender seemed a bit distant, but he got everything in a timely fashion. I've heard bad stories the wait staff, but this guy seemed all right.

We split a pretzel roll reuben and some sweet potato fries. I should note that sandwiches come with 'tater chips and not fries, which is disappointing.

Not a bad place, really. Nothing flashy, but it delivers on beer. I'll be back for the bottle shop, without question, but I'm not sure if I'll return for the (fryless) food.
Mar 29, 2009
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Reviewed by jlandis from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
This bar has the usual collection of macro brews along side a selection of local brews along with some harder to find US micro brews. Last year I had the privilege of trying Pliny the Elder on draft for the first time.

Take out single beers are limited but it continually rotating so it provides an opportunity to try some harder to find micros at home.

The wait/bar staff is kept busy, and usually limited in knowledge of beers kept on draft.

Food selection is decent and well priced, but I'm usually there to try the new beers on draft.

Along with the last reviewer this is my go to spot since Vidalia's closed, so I'm glad to see there still a market for craft brew in the area.
Mar 10, 2009
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Reviewed by guzzle211 from Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Blue Dog Tavern has some of the better local drafts, including RR Pliny the Elder, Blind Pig, Ithaca Flower Power, etc. The nitrous and hand pump beers seemed to have an unpleasant sourness. Plus, I have had many beers poured with oversized heads.

Service is good and friendly. The bartender are relatively knowledgeable and always up to speed with the drafts.

I have eaten there several times and will base this review over all of them. One time I ordered the fried chicken dinner and it was great! Not only was the chicken delicious, but the mashed potatoes and side veggies were awesome as well. Another time I ordered the Greek Salad, which is supposed to come with grilled steak over Romaine and a boastful amount of other ingredients. When asked what temperature, I replied "medium rare." What I was served was some cold, slimy, gray roast beef over a wilted bed of indecipherable greens. But I have had great chicken and tuna salads on during other visits. The wings are good too.

They have the best local selection of singles since Vidalia closed, (although slightly limited by space, but a very solid line-up.)
Nov 01, 2008
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Reviewed by ChuckMartel37 from Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -24%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 2 | selection: 4
Considering the area, the Blue Dog is great for running in to grab decent beer to go. They have the locals like Victory, Sly Fox, Brooklyn and the like, but also some imports like Sam Smiths and Chimay. They definitely tend to lean more toward domestic micros rather than imports. The have about a dozen or so taps of micros and a handpump, so I dont mind stopping by now and again to see what they've got...

That being said, I dont like hanging out there for any length of time, especially on the weekends. I have never been there during dinner hours, so I cannot comment on whether or not the food is any good. On the weekend nights the bar gets very smokey and packed full of local types and it seems like everyone knows each other. One good thing about the Dog is that they have a Beer Pong table set up on Friday nights (which for me is reason enough to go), but that can tend to get rowdy. I have seen a few fights and people thrown out stemming from a game of Pong.

Service is fair. It seems like most of their bartenders dont know much more than the macros, or maybe they just dont like to be chatty. Their prices arent overly expensive at the bar, but their takeout is relatively cheap. They have one cold shelf of 12oz domestic micro bottles for $1.75, and imports are obviously more. I use the Blue Dog more for takeout than anything else.
Aug 30, 2007
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Reviewed by chefdejour from Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
My choice of bar/restaurant when I get to go out with a friend for dinner and beers.
The food has yet to disappoint me, their fries, rings, wings, are fantastic and the brisket sandwich was a great surprise. It is NOT BBQ, but it's a great sandwich. Decent selection of drafts, though it pales in comparison to the bottle selection at the front door. Unfortunately they surcharge the bottles by a buck or two (I don't remember) if you drink them there - which explains why I usually pick them up and take them home.
The variety of bottles from the "Everything in the is row $2.50" to the $10+ belgians and imperials is ever changing and it's THE place to go in my area for the $4.75 Stone 22oz'ers.
The service could be better, they have great beers, but most of the staff doesn't seem to know anything about them.
The selection of food and beer are both great, I have not wandered from the "bar food" but my wife and friends like the pseudo-chic tuna bites and then like.
Overall a decent place - honest food and a great beer selection, all of which is very reasonably priced.
Jun 28, 2007
Blue Dog Family Tavern in Chalfont, PA
Place rating: 3.79 out of 5 with 47 ratings