Piper's is the Art Garfunkel of Carson Street: it might be the second-best beer bar in the city, but unfortunately sits right across from the best (Fat Head's). It's hardly a runaway, however, as Piper's does enjoy certain advantages over its corpulent neighbor:
1. Four (!) beer engines. It's rare to find a bar that has even one. Fond as I am of cask ale, this is my favorite thing about Piper's.
2. A classier ambiance with a significantly lower bro quotient (brotient?).
3. Generally less crowded, although Piper's is a somewhat smaller space and at times is just as packed.
4. An extensive and reasonably priced spirits list, with an emphasis on Scotch.
5. A more expansive and varied menu, including excellent fries and meat pies from the Pub Chip Shop next door. Food is quite good given the inherent limitations of British cuisine.
While composing this list I realized that Piper's deserves better than the four stars I originally intended to award. Although I still slightly prefer Fat Head's on the strength of their beer list and sandwiches, Piper's is an excellent bar in its own right and merits a fifth star.