Oscar’s Tavern

Cash only and dark drive, just what the doctor ordered.

Stopped for dinner. Place is dirty. Bathroom had feces and period on it. Burgers are big but tasteless. The coke was great!

Love this place. Calm, friendly and very very good value for money. Food is basic but decent.
Huge beer on draft just $ 6.50. Tiny entrance but goes back a good 40−50yds.
Just ordered a second beer and only $ 4.
Update: I’m here again in May ’16 and still just as good. Consistency.

Wow this place is awful! We ordered some food and but not everyone had cash. This place is cash only and has no freaking ATM. So two of my friends only had cards and the waitress said they couldn’t stay because they weren’t ordering anything.
She said «this isn’t just a hangout place for you guys so please leave.» No. You don’t kick out good-​willed people who just don’t happen to have cash and there’s no ATM. Welcome to the 21^st century.
When we canceled our order cordially she was super passive aggressive too.
I am not usually one to give negative reviews but the that treatment was literally crap.

Can’t believe I have never reviewed Oscar’s, my favorite go-​to dive bar. It’s everything you want in a dive: greasy food, huge cheap beers, low-​key environment, and a juke box up for grabs. I like the clientele at this bar, and I like that I never have to spend more than $ 10 here. They also have a cheesesteak and a half special here, which I’m pretty sure nobody else does. Check it out, but also keep it on the downlow, so that when I come here, I can easily find a seat!

Probably my fave go to dive bar in Philly and I think anyone who works or lives in Center City knows about this wonderful dive establishment. Sure it is cramped, the interior needs some updating, and the exposed springs in the chairs could possibly hurt you. But do you go to dive bars for ambiance? Ummmmm last time I checked you do not. The drinks are cheap, strong and huge if you get a long island. If I remember correctly the long islands are $ 12 and it is the best $ 12 I have spent in Center City. It normally gets packed pretty early so get there by 5−6ish or plan on standing. Bring cash and the lady working the bar with blonde hair is an absolute sweetheart. I forgot to mention this is a dive bar with a great selection of top shelf liquor as well? Well it is!
Thank you Oscar Tavern for the awesome nights and here is to more.

My favorite bar in all of Philadelphia. I don’t need stemmed crystal. I don’t need crown moulding or stools I can actually sit on. Those are ill-​afforded luxuries that play no part in me enjoying the people watching and the fun I always have when I come here with my friends when I’m in town. The dim, red lights; the shabby stools, everything is falling apart and I love it. The dive into this bar is very deep, very cheap and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Those LITs and $ 3 tall drafts will set you right (or upside-​down, if you’re not careful)

This place seemed neither divey nor run down to me. It is just not posh, which is great. Down to earth waitress, big tables and booths are great for meeting a crowd of friends. Super friendly seeming patrons. I like that it was a diverse mix of folks, black and white, which isn’t always the case in all establishments. I don’t go to bars often, but when I do, this is my new go-​to.

Dive bar. Dim lighting. Leather booths that were falling apart. Ceiling tiles that were soaked brown from leaky pipes.
Staff was nice. Domestic draft beers for $ 4.

Typical dive bar, but serves its purpose in allowing you to wet your whistle without robbing the bank. Thin entrance way, as the walk way extends the length of the bar leading to a slightly more spacious seating area. Nice juke box with a variety of tunes and the volume is reasonable allowing you to have conversations. Good place to rest your tired feet when walking the city blocks.

After our groups outing in the city for the holiday events we stopped in at Oscar’s on the way to the high speed line. A long and narrow place was pretty busy. We found a few small tables together since the bar was full. Bar maid immediately came over to ask what we needed. Ordered up a few beers to kill some time. I felt a little cramped and it was very warm, but it fulfilled a need at the right time.

$ 7.25 CheeseSteak Special for one and half cheesesteak is the only reason I visited Oscar’s Tavern. Nobody can turn away that kind of deal! A friend and I shared the special and we both left satisfied. The cheesesteak bread roll was warm and soft, and the bread to meat ratio was perfect! Cheesesteak had fried onions and American cheese (I think). The flavor was great on its own, without any condiments. I think its comparable to other highly rated cheesesteaks in Philly, such as Jim’s. Its nice to know that now I don’t have to travel all the way to South Philly to get a good cheesesteak, and did I mention its only $ 7.25 for 1.5 cheesesteak!!!
The atmosphere was unique, It looks like sports bar with Christmas lights, Happy birthday signs and an old school juke box. But hey, whatever floats their boat I guess, because on a Thursday night, the place was packed with only 1 bartender and 1 waitress. Service wasn’t too slow, since most people took advantage of the beer on draft more than the food.
I would definitely go back for the cheesesteak again, perhaps try their other items. My friend got the Oscar Special (Italian hoagie with chips), and the portion was surprising large.

Wood paneling and Christmas lights on the wall. Water in a plastic cup. Yup. This place is local, dive, and gotta be authentic!
Three halves of cheesesteak for under 8 bucks and three dollar pints. Great deal in the city center! Great people watching too. Bring cash. No cards accepted so plan accordingly.

Im a sucker for yuengling and oversized glasses, this dive does that combo for 4 $. Expect year round Christmas lights, wobbly stools, and unpretentious drinking.

If you’re looking for the diamond in the ruff, that local dive with food you’re going to consider moving to this city for… you MUST stop at Oscars.
The wait staff if friendly, but not fake, «I’m working for a tip» friendly. The Philly cheesesteaks here ARE the best in the area.
Seriously, we tried them all. Oscars is IT!
Also, Suzanne (employee) is AMAZING! If you’re looking for a «Cheers» vibe, you gotta head to Oscars :)

I love dive bars. Dive bars are fun. They’re inexpensive. They have an unpretentious attitude. They have real chill bartenders… Most of the time.
Came here on a Friday to get some late night drinks. Everything seemed fine when we walked in. Place looked chill. When we went to go sit down though the bartender snapped at us. Apparently someone was sitting there. There was no way for us to know.
It wasn’t a huge deal. I’m not gonna slam the place, it had a chill vibe, cheap drinks, and it looked like everyone was having fun. After our round though, we felt we should take our business elsewhere.

Best Dive Bar in Philly
This was a Unilocal find. I used to like McGillans, but Oscar’s has seriously surpassed it in the dive bar realm. This true dive has décor from at least 30 years ago, check. They serve pretty good greasy bar food to soak up the alcohol, check. The servers and bartenders were super friendly and surprisingly attentive, check. Cheap drinks, check. Not too crowded, check.
So if your reading this remember, especially ladies, this is dated dive bar. You go to this establishment to get drunk. You don’t need to get all dolled up and shouldn’t go if you prejudge people.
Friendly, awesome, no frills dive bar that has stood the test of time. Please Oscar never change. I will never go to Philly again and not stop in.
Thanks

A perfectly placed dive bar in a very trendy part of the city. Both times I’ve come here, I’ve had great service and even better cheesesteaks!
It is one if the best deals in the area to get a cheesesteak and a half for $ 7 after 4 pm! I also recommend the crabby fries which are as addicting and better seasoned than chickie and Pete’s…and only $ 3.50 vs $ 8.
Both during happy hour and late night it seems to have a small crowd of locals jut hanging out watching TV. It is definitely a good place to catch up with a friend or simply a place to grab a quick bite.
Sadly the only thing that is massively annoying is that the place is cash only and there is no ATM on the premise it even on the block! So come prepared with bills and an empty belly.

One of the better dives in center city. It’s at least got some classic character, even if it’s filthy and smells funny. There’s a good bit of seating also, in a nicely dark cave-​like space.
They also offer 23 ounce beers, so there’s a good bit of value there. I’ve never been brave enough to order the food.
It’s the sort of place you go after you’ve finished dinner or classier drinks, and want to keep the night going without gouging your wallet. And it works for that.

I love the smell of a dive bar in the morning! A little bit musty along with that stale beer tang and just a hint of cleaning products. I stopped in for an early lunch yesterday at 11:30 and smiled at the aroma.
If you are looking for a classic dive bar you’ve found it. It has zero presence from the outside. It’s long and narrow on the inside with lots of dark wood and dim lighting. If you plan on looking at the menu, plan on using your flashlight app. The grill is behind the bar and visible to all.
Speaking of menus, expect bar food. We’re talking burgers and cheese steaks and sausage sandwiches. I ordered a cheeseburger and fries and the two went for just under $ 10. By the way, CASH ONLY.
My burger was a frozen patty that was not very thick. It was served on a soft Kaiser roll. It was hot and juicy but otherwise nothing to write home to Mom about. My fries were frozen from a bag and had that weird coating on them that doesn’t ring my bells. However they were hot and crispy. I have a good friend that would call this kind of food fuel.
My drinks were cheap and the bartender was excellent. The guy working the grill was also great and interacts with the customers so overall customer service was just fine.
I’d be happy to stop back for an adult libation or two or three. I’d give them another shot on the food and try something different.