The Bishop

I moved to Bloomington very recently and chose The Bishop for my first Friday night out on the town. I used Yelp reviews to help me decide--I was looking for a casual, down-to-earth place where I could chat with strangers while having a couple of beers.
I was not disappointed. The place was a bit dead when I showed up around 8, and I was a bit intimidated by the row of quiet dudes watching the Simpsons on the tv--it felt like I was invading their territory. However, this did not last--I spent the remainder of the evening on the little patio making friends and having a good time.
The patio gets really crowded and loud because of the crazy traffic coming through, but it didn't bother me because I really just went there to mingle. Most people are friendly, the bathrooms are clean, and though the music is a bit too loud for my taste I'll definitely go there again!

I took a trip down to Bloomington to see The Last Bison at the Bishop in mid April.  It was a relatively quick trip after work on a Friday night.  We had dinner at a BBQ joint and then headed over to the Bishop.  I haven't been to Bloomington but maybe 3 times in my life, so I don't know the area well.  Parking seems like it'd be a pain in the ass, but we got lucky and got a spot right around back from the Bishop.  It's relatively easy to miss, so keep a sharp eye when looking for it.

This place is both a bar and a small music venue that is separated.  So, you can just chill out at the bar if you don't want to see a show or grab some beer and head into the show.  This is also helpful if you're seeing a heavier style of music and need a quick break from the intensity.  The music venue part is relatively small, so chances are you'll be packed in a bit if more than 60-70 people are there.  

The beer selection at the bar is really good and reasonably priced.  They have both local craft beers and a good selection from our friends across the country.  The service was also very friendly, giving us "out of towners" some good advice for how to explore the area after the show.

The only real downside to the Bishop is that it is located right below a comedy club, so the band couldn't play anything amplified once 1030 came around.  The plus side to this, is if you want to see some stand up, its just a few steps away.

Overall, I had a great experience and I would definitely come back here to see a band if they didn't make it to Indianapolis.  I would probably be here relatively often if I lived in Bloomington.

I miss this place and have failed to find an adequate replacement for it in Indianapolis after I graduated from Indiana University. It is a great alternative to the other bars in Bloomington, with a cozy and relaxing atmosphere as well as a phenomenal rotation of craft beer at reasonable prices.

I can't say anything bad about this place, except that it is small and is difficult to find a place to sit at times.