Aside from the usual things that go wrong in Philly like the server charging us ahead of time because she as getting off shift smack dab in the middle of our meal, or the jukebox double charging me because of poor signal for songs I never got to hear because there was like an hours worth of stuff ahead of mine... things were just fine. read more

Love if there! Great food, bartender was awesome, great service and great atmosphere!! Will definitely be back!

First time in Philly and dear god I was blown away by one bar...nope sorry one bartender. Jamie the blonde bombshell was very attentive and provided my group of 6 people service with a smile. Will definitely come back! This place when she is there is a must go (Friday/ Saturday) Also Adam the dude with the magnificent beard is welcoming and knowledgeable. All and all an amazing team! read more

Its the one and only Oscar's Tavern. Yearly ranking as Philly's best dive bar. The word comfortable is more fitting for this pub than dive.If you know, you know................. read more

Being that it was first time in Philadelphia, my trip wouldn't have been complete without some cheesesteaks. However, rather than doing the typical "Pat's vs. Geno's" taste test, I asked my friends to take me to where they would normally go. Although I am curious to see which of the two is better, it's not like their Yelp reviews are all that compelling (not to mention Geno's apparently racist reputation). Now, when my friends told me they were taking me to a locals' spot, they meant it - I doubt I would have walked into Oscar's otherwise. Both the inside and out scream dive bar, but in a good way - quiet, relaxed, and unpretentious. More importantly though, the menu looked pretty solid - plenty of variety to choose from, like cheesesteaks, burgers, and typical bar snacks. -- CHICKEN WINGS served with Ranch and Buffalo Wing/Hot Sauce...$6.50 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oscars-tavern-philadelphia?select=Zybwf4Jl8tJSVAYR4BV_EA#TxsV_E53Nxr6iyzMg9MhGQ) Easily the smallest wings/drums I've seen, but they were kinda cool at the same time. The chicken was tasty enough on its own (I liked how they were just slightly crispy), but I thought the hot sauce made them taste that much better. -- FRENCH FRIES...$2.95 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oscars-tavern-philadelphia?select=Zybwf4Jl8tJSVAYR4BV_EA#wwGcdOMJxmiof_pnws0f2g) The order wasn't huge, but it was proportionate to the price (and worth it). The fries tasted great, but I liked how crispy they were even more. -- BACON CHEESESTEAK - Bacon, Melted Cheese, Tomato, Onion, and sliced Steak on a Soft Roll...$6.95 (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oscars-tavern-philadelphia?select=Zybwf4Jl8tJSVAYR4BV_EA#8zqUtbGgzw1GlIPidpi_WA) Way better than the cheesesteaks I've had in SF. The meat was thin yet flavorful and the toppings were terrific. I ordered it without the tomatoes since it seemed out of place, but they actually would have been handy to freshen things up. The roll was a bit too bready for me though. Between the friendly service, decent food, and cheap prices (you get an extra half of a cheesesteak after 5:00pm), Oscar's Tavern is a pretty solid spot whether it's for drinks or a quick, casual bite (we were given plastic beer cups for water). I wouldn't mind returning on a future trip, but I'm curious about more cheesesteak joints next time. CASH ONLY. read more

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Quintessential dive bar. An absolute must stop when in the neighborhood. Bathroom smelled like Bubbalicious

Great dive, great prices. Perfect for a beer and a catch up with pals. Wish they'd redo the bathrooms. Generally avoid anytime you think college kids or business bros might be there. They can ruin the experience. read more

Here's the thing. You're either going to love or hate Oscar's. There's really no in between. Just like you're either going to start or end your night here. In case you haven't picked up on it from the 300 + reviews, Oscar's is a Dive with a capital D. It's also cash only and if you sit in a booth, be careful not to pick the table where your rear end is given a colonoscopy that you didn't agree to by a rusty spring, but...the drinks are strong and cheap so that more than makes up for it right? It's a mixed crowd of trendy twenty somethings, couples, larger groups, and the solo visitor looking to grab a beer and bite to eat. It stands out like a sore thumb in these parts but all the great dives usually do. As many others have said, go for the LIT. It's served in what looks like a 16 oz glass and is not for the faint of heart. Don't come in looking for a wide craft beer selection or chic cocktail list. Do come in looking for a bar with character, no shame and a great time. read more

The night life was kicked off with a small hole in the wall bar named "Oscar's Tavern." Why is it named Oscar's? Was it named after someone special? Or was it named after the owner? No one knows, mostly because I never asked. The bartender was a wonderful and personable server. She talked and joked with everyone. The bar has seen better days, probably before I was born, but it felt homie. It was crowded, drinks were pouring, and plenty of conversations were generated. A few locals talked to us about Philadelphia's history and the best places to get cheese steaks. One of them traveled the world and busted New York. She said there's no place like Oscar's and I was slowly starting to believe her. I never found out why they called it Oscar's, but for that one patron, Oscar's name came from love. That's Philadelphia's way of saying welcome. If you want to be part of the culture and enjoy the full experience of the city, than you need to make one stop at Oscar's and throw a few back. And would someone please find out why it's named Oscar's! read more

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Great spot to get a cheesesteak, crab fries and a beer after a long flight. Friendly staff.

This was a stumble-upon rather than a stumble-in kinda visit. M loves a good dive and being it was his birthday weekend, we had to make this unplanned stop. This was our second place of what would become 10 on our Friday night Philly adventure. The cash only bar has reasonable prices, a great selection, and makes one of the best chicken cheesesteaks ever. For $8.50 our cheesesteak was like 1 1/2 sandwiches, it was big and shareable. The bartenders and other customers were fun and made the experience that much better. We enjoyed our food, drink, and playing the touchtunes jukebox. A must go if you love a good dive with good food, drink, people watching, and music. read more

Oscar's Tavern - Kenzinger on draft, and one awesome chicken cheesesteak - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This is my first time here!!! it is not and I repeat not a dive bar!! It is a hometown bar!! The people here are friendly and the bar tender is great for new comers!! They have good prices and cold beer!! read more

If you need a quick cheaper drink if you are in the area passing through or waiting your reservation with another restaurant etc. The crowd appears to be people from all walks of life. The prices are fair the service is quick and generally friendly. read more

Great bar to have a drink and just unwind. It's nothing fancy but the bar tenders are great. Love how this was the first bar we so friendly and open to my wife an I. Want to drink at a cool bar where people will not bug you this is the spot read more

Oscar's Tavern - Bar top - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Best dive in the city. Very Philly vibe from the bartenders to the "decor". Nothing fancy and never disappoints.

It has been some time since I popped into this little dive on Sansom for a drink, but I have never been disappointed in service or product. It is what it is - a dive - but it is a timeless classic. Oscar's currently has many tables set up for parties of all size right on Sansom where the street is blocked for outdoor dining, and the staff is kind enough to allow the use of the tables for the Goldie patrons next door. It is a kind gesture that speaks volumes about the character of the bar staff/ownership. It was nice to see one business supporting another in these trying times. read more

In 2008, I worked for the Obama Campaign in PA and we had an office above Oscar's. It is one of the best dive bars in the country. I stopped in the other night and nothing has changed. Still cash only, still has the amazing smell of crabby fries coming from the tiny grill up front, and you can still get a massive 2 pint beer for less than $5. Can't beat that deal. read more

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I Love a Good Dive Bar and this one checked all the boxes!! Cash Only-Check; Cheap Beer/Drinks-Check; Greasy Bar Food-Check; Torn Bar/Booth Seats-Check; Good Jukebox-Check; Inappropriate conversations shared amongst random folks sitting near each other-Check & Diverse Patrons (young college kids to the ol' head neighborhood bar fly) - All these ingredients make a pretty cool place to hang out!! The barmaid was friendly and recommended the Long Island Ice Tea...Maybe next time. I say check it out and have fun! read more

Incredible place (cash only, so come prepared) that was yet another example of how friendly and welcoming the folks in Philadelphia were to us. We met a couple (Matt and Suse) that we spent quite a time sharing a little about where we were from and both Tom and my time in the Navy (long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away). We introduced them to two of my favorite whiskeys, MacAllan's 12 year old and Jameson Black Label, both of which they seemed to enjoy. We were surprised when Matt and Suse picked up the tab for us and Suse even called an Uber to take us back to the hotel (all of two blocks away, the driver was one of the not so friendly folks we met). A nice, cozy watering hole that has offerings of food (we did not partake as we'd had dinner not long before going to Oscar's). Great place to meet folks and enjoy your favorite libation. read more

It's simply the perfect dive bar. Great service. Neighborhood atmosphere. Great prices and just overall an amazing bar Don't go expecting high end cocktails or an extensive wine/craft beer list. But I can not recommend this place enough read more

I like a good dive bar, but this place was "too divey" even for me. When we walked in I commented it that it smelled like a college fraternity house - that smell of smoke mixed with old beer. They had sports on TV and were offering some really inexpensive drink specials but we decided to go elsewhere. read more

Don't @ me bro but I don't get the love from my fellow Yelpers. I love a solid dive bar myself but this place just seemed to be a cliché of what a dive bar should be. We walked in here because it was close to our hotel and it seemed like the type of place 6 dudes on a baseball trip would like. The place looked like the interior had not been touched since 1969. Paneling on the walls, shitty wooden chairs, duct tape holding the vinyl booth seats together....ya know dive bar like. The tables even had placemats that had cocktails that were obviously from yesteryear as well; Old Fashioneds, Tom Collins, Sidecars, etc. It's as if they ordered a million of them in 1969 and haven't used them all yet. The décor could be considered charming I guess but when a spring rips my jeans because an establishment is too cheap to re-vinyl a seat, it's no longer charming. The waitress was attentive, so no issue there but all I had was beer. Maybe if I'd have eaten i'd have a different opinion but to me it was just a shithole dive bar that tried to hard to be a shithole dive bar. read more

Came here from out of town. Brie was absolutely the BEST. Haven't had that much fun in a long time. Go see that lovely woman and her mom. Authentic Philadelphia experience. read more

Oscar's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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. read more

This place fit me like Cinderella's slipper fit that damn Disney princess. Between the cheap beer that just kept coming, the jukebox that played songs I haven't heard in years and the heart-attack inducing french fries, I was in love from the moment I walked through the door. Of course, it probably didn't hurt that iI was with a group of about 10 of my awesome Yelp friends, but hot damn, it was a glorious party. The waitress called us "honey" (I'm a sucker for that) and it got louder and louder the later it got. Oh, and it was only Tuesday. Now if that isn't a ringing endorsement for a dive bar, then I don't know what is. Just remember that when you wake up the next morning with your new gang name written on your inner thigh in sharpie. Oscar's is totally my new crush. read more

Oscar's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When I think of the name Oscar the first few things that come to mind are a well versed classic poet, a statue that awards excellence in cinema, and a slovenly green puppet that lives in a trash can. And when it comes down to it Oscar's would probably be a welcome spot for all of them. Stopped at Oscar's for the first time to catch up with even more Yelpers after enjoying some sushi at Moshi Moshi and it was definitely my kind of dive. I thought that I've seen big glasses of beer and huge Long Island Iced Teas before. But Oscar's took both to whole new levels. The crowd was a good mix of old and grubby to young and hip. But I guess that just shows that cheap booze is something that everyone can agree on. The jukebox was kind of sparse, but I was able to get my Weezer and Prince on. read more

As soon as I walk out of there with a couple of friends, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) walks in yesternight, and I missed him! I mean, a celebrity is just a rich human being, I know that, but Jack Bauer has saved the world roughly one day every 18 months or so for the last (taking into account all of the seasons) 10 years. And for that I wish to shake his hand. Another one of my friends who had stayed got a picture with him though, so I can experience vicariously through him. But anyway... the place is chill. I like it. As far as dive bars go, I prefer it to other places I've been to. The music that you hear while you frequent this bar is absolutely amazing. It's really not much, yet it oozes amazingness. Or that could be something I accidentally put my hand in, I dunno it was really dark in there. read more

Banger drinks,banger prices, leave banged up. It's a real dive bar, cash only and heavy poured drinks.

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. read more

Dive bar. Cheap hooch. Nice dim lighting. Ok service. Be better when the weird plastic Covid partitions go away.

Oscar's Tavern has been here for the a long time. Oscar's has endured every Mayor from Rizzo to Kenney, witnessed all the 4 major sports teams win a championship and watching man walk on the moon was a fairly new concept. The important things about Oscar's Tavern haven't changed much, good bar food, cold beer low prices and most of all, a fun atmosphere. If you want to impress your friends by paying the tab, at Oscar's you won't go broke. Sometimes you want to keep it simple, so I always order a hot roast beef and provolone on a Kaiser roll with horseradish and hot peppers or a hand sliced baked ham sandwich. Accompanied with some crispy fries and a tall, 22 ounce glass of cold beer and I am momentarily sitting in "dive bar heaven." But dive as in good, as in complete, dive as in an experience I hope will always be there. read more

So far, this is the best dive bar I've found in Philly. It's absolutely perfect. Friendly and quaint with lots of beer...and GRAVY FRIES! This place is everything you want in a dive bar-dark, cheap beer, cheap eats, loud music, and close talking. Oscar's is the perfect place to end your night. Tall yeungling and gravy fries. Did I already mention those? Make sure you have cash for Oscar's is cash only. read more

Best Dive Bar in Philly This was a Yelp find. I used to like McGillans, but Oscar's has seriously surpassed it in the dive bar realm. This true dive has decor 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 read more

Great divey bar/pub with some insane food/drink specials. Came here for some grub and drinks before a night out and was pleased with the cheap food and drinks as well as the general atmosphere. Seriously, where else can you order a whole cheese-steak and a half plus a pint of draft beer for less than $15. The crew all ordered the cheese-steak special and we ordered some fries for the table and the food was decent - I won't say it's the best cheese-steak I've ever had but what more can you expect when you get a foot and a half of food for like $7. The crowd was older, so it might not be the place to come if your trying to have your 21st birthday bash or something like that (not that we were lol). I think this would be a good place to come and get food and drinks and watch the game, may be returning in the future as Eagles season approaches us. Also, Oscar's is tucked away in the perfect location, at the cross between rittenhouse and center city, you are literally at the fingertips of some of the cities best nightlife and in general a very happening area. read more

Meets all the dive bars requirements and is quintessential Philly: decent drinks and friendly waitress, tasty cheese fries, mixed-crowd, worn-put booths and funky dated decor. Definitely worth a stop if you're wandering near Love Park and want a friendly cocktail with no pretense and have a little cash (no credit cards). read more

Oscar's Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oscars is the definition of a dive bar. Dark bar, cheap food, cheap drinks and I'm assuming nothing has been updated since it opened. The bar even had a box TV that I'm pretty sure I had as a kid. I can't even believe it's still fully functioning. Talk about nostalgia! My fiance ordered a cheesesteak and it was massive. I was surprised at how good it was. The staff is so friendly. I wish I caught her name but she was the sweetest waiter. Her first words to me were "are you okay and can I get you anything?" as soon as I walked in looking for a seat for our group. This is smack dab in the middle of a trendy street in center city and a much needed oasis from the center city life. Can't wait to go back! read more

I miss this bar more than any I've ever visited. Great cheesesteaks, great cold brews, great vibe. Always had a good time!

I can't believe I've never left a review for Oscar's. It's one of my favorite places in Philly. Used to work nearby and when we had a bad day at the office, the coworkers and I would head there and leave happier every time. I lived across the country for awhile but moved back to Philly in 2019 and Oscar's was one of the first places I had to revisit. Of course there are the huge cheap beers, but their vodka and pineapple juice are my favorite and strong enough that 2 will have you feeling good. The fries (cheese on the side) are beyond awesome. The music is always good and so is the crowd. And I probably shouldn't tell this, but they make the best cheesesteaks in Philly. Forget the tourist places, come to Oscar's, dive bar heaven, have a few drinks and enjoy the cheesesteak! read more

To say this is a fun bar is an understatement. It's a cash bar, so ATM accordingly. You can use Touch Tunes to select the music. Be prepared for a lively singalong with fellow patrons and friends if you choose correctly . Our bartender, Angel is a very good soul and we're happy to have met her. We didn't eat, so we can't speak to the food, but I hear the cheesesteak is delicious. read more

Don't go for ambience. Go for the cheap, ginormous lagers. The food is cheap and not so bad. cocktails are reasonable, too. Occasionally folks with light up near the no smoking sign. sometimes there are DJs and kids dancing, other nights it's older locals chatting. Oscar's is a good dive. read more