Cannot really speak about the quality of actual bar because I didn't get anything to drink but the place is nice for a little local (dive) bar . They have a full calander of events, went for a show my fiancé was playing. I liked that they had the bar side and then another like "seating" area with the stage. The guy who I think owns it ? Or at least was running the show was really nice and friendly. Good sound, nice lights. Decent size place. No parking though, had to find street parking. read more

Tonight a disoriented girl showed up at the door of the rusty nail, unable to speak or communicate. The owner immediately tried to get her help, was so calm and patient with her. There was live music and he postponed the show until this girl got help. I also want to give a shoutout to the police who showed up within 5 minutes and handled the situation professionally and with so much patience and care. The rusty nail is a true and safe neighborhood gem with great music from local and traveling bands and cheap drinks. We received an update that the girl was identified and is okay read more

Don't order the chicken paprikash (sp?). Yeesh. Not even close to good. Two people on different occasions made the mistake. Stick with the pub grub. read more

Great place to see live music! Intimate space, awesome bartenders. There was a cover charge but the money went back to the band. read more

Rusty Nail Tavern - Bears Have Hearts playing a live show! - Dive Bars Near Me - Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Solid dive bar that focuses on live music. Any live music. Literally I think anyone could book time on the stage here, regardless of your skill level. Got a harmonica? Cmon in! You and a Kazoo? No problem! When you enter, you tell the bouncer which band you are there to see and pay your cover. Your band will get your cover charge. Pretty cool deal really. You can smoke in here. The air purifiers did OK the last night I was here and I was pleasantly surprised I didn't stink like smoke. Food is pretty limited to what they can put in the deep fryer, the fries were pretty good and it appeared the oil was recently changed. Parking is tough, as they have no lot. Use the Septa lot after hours. Bartender asked me when I came in if I used the lot, nice that he is looking out for you. They have 2 pool tables, chalk, and talc. The sticks weren't in the greatest shape, but the table was pretty level. The stage is small and there really isn't a lot of room for the band or the fans. Generally, when a band finishes, their fans go hang out with them leaving the stage area for the next band and their fans. Interesting crowd here, never know what you are going to get. Got a friend that plays music? Give the Nail a call and get them on stage! read more

Rusty Nail Tavern - Eric and Ray - Dive Bars Near Me - Ardmore, Pennsylvania

This place is the poster child for dive bars. Check out the picture of the front. If you walk in wearing a collared shirt you are overdressed! Expect to have a beer or cheap simple drinks. Expect loud music. Expect a wide variety of bands on the weekends. You need to be in the right frame of mind to visit here. Remember in the movie Roadhouse the band was in a cage? This place doesn't have a cage yet but it would fit right in! read more

Rusty Nail Tavern - Dive Bars Near Me - Ardmore, Pennsylvania

A Great place to see durty Rock & Roll. Good Pizza too. Cheap beers read more

I enjoyed meeting the staff member and while it was a quiet night, I felt welcome. I came for the open mike and will try again sometime when there may be more people. read more

The quintessential dive bar known as "The Nail" to the locals who live in the area, I have never heard it been called its true name even when I would come in here underage. The Nail , whenever you ask anyone who has been to this spot their views on it , look at their face . I will guarantee you will see a curled lip , followed with eyes piercing in disgust as they reenact a throwing up motion. Havertown's and Ardmore's finest (sarcasm) visit here for that cheap beverage, with a dim to dreary setting. If you are looking for good crafted beers , top shelf liquor this is not the place for you. If you are looking to be low key, hide from people trying to find you where you are off the "grid" this is the spot. Don't wear any kind of sandals, or flip flops for several reasons that come into mind. First- The floor will keep it, a part of your attire will stay with this place. A floor that is stickier than fly paper from the alcohol /liquor spillage over a course of an evening. Second- Along with the floor being this way, you don't know what else could be on there if a part of your body is exposed to the elements. Make sure you are up to date your tetanus shot, lockjaw is not a joke . They have a stage where bands would perform, a little soap box you might say with a little floor to do a sticky shimmy. Pool table that looks like its been through war and back , and a bathroom scene with a musky scent to it. Yes hold it in if its number 1, number 2, good luck with that. Parking , you could park at the enterprise lot after hours, or hit up the Ardmore Junction lot half a block away. 2 stars , 1 for actually surviving , staying afloat. Second for allowing me to come in here when I was a minor, oh the days where bouncers couldn't comprehend math. read more

Consider it a sometimes cheesy, sometimes shady, dive bar, that showcases some interesting bands, has a regular radio program, and offers a couple annoyingly placed pool tables in the process. a lot of main line suburban bands consider it a good residency though since they are closer to it.. overall it can be an interesting place, read more

Friendly and helpful staff. Employee offered to explain to me where I could park my car. overall good environment in the bar, not spectacular, but no issues. would consider coming back once we have COVID vaccines. read more

Top of the line customer service, welcoming atmosphere, clean, amazing live bands and shows, just a great place to do business with and to go and enjoy! Highly recommend! read more

See all

Went to see a friend's band (stealing society) and had a blast. Awesome bartenders (Jess!), good food and great people. If you like live music and a good dive bar this is your spot! read more

Dear Bartender, I am not a snob. I am new to the neighborhood and wanted to check out the local bars. Sure I may be wearing nice clothes, but that's just because your bar is on my walk home from work. So what if I ordered a Maker's Mark? Like I said, I was on my way home from work. Just because you don't carry any top shelf whiskey doesn't mean you have to classify me as a snob right away. I just got paid and felt like splurging. That doesn't mean you have to leave me hanging at the end of the bar for a half hour with an empty glass while you make sure your buddies have full pints of Bud Lite. Well at least your drinks are cheap. I might come back. read more

This bar is a little rougher than i expected to find so far out on Haverford Ave, but then, i live an apparently sheltered life here in Philly. This Rusty Nail is a great spot to see bands, as long as you don't really want to dance to them. The "stage" is just an area separated from the bar by a low wooden wall with no glass/screen/etc., just air, and is to the side of the pool table (which i understand they sometimes move). I have never been there when there was enough room to shoot pool, but I only ever go there for "shows." There is a guard at the front door to wand and pat down all patrons and there is usually a bouncer right inside that door waiting to collect your cover money (be warned-- they will sometimes collect said cover even AFTER the show is long over). The beers are cheap and cold, the crowd is loud and rowdy, the music is ear-splitting and diversely entertaining, sometimes even good. read more

I went here last night for my brother to perform during their hip hop night! I really enjoyed myself the food was delish! Drinks were great and loved seeing the local talent ! Not to mention my brother Vii Central ( Spotify , Apple Music, YouTube..) really killed it! Good times and good vibes I will be returning read more

The best dive bar ever! Tons of random wood outside, pool, condoms for sale and a cast of characters I love it! Went there after my engagement to play pool and cause it was open:) They have great music live and otherwise read more

If you like unpretentious bars, this is the place for you. Low key, salt of the earth adult patrons, great music, good vibes. They are not trying to be cool. It's just a place to hang out and have a good time. Fancy clothing and uppity attitude not required. If you want to be uncomfortable trying to act like you know what you are doing while perusing a beer list the length of the phone book, move along, this is not the bar for you. read more

Probably the best dive bar I've ever been too - and I've been to many. The drinks are generally inexpensive, the bartenders generally attentive, and the music generally good and loud. They showcase every genre of music, from hip-hop to regular jazz and blues nights - and everything in between. You can smoke, relax, shoot a game of pool and toss back a few. Feels like sitting in a buddy's house. Yeah, it's a dive bar but it's a dive bar that's home. read more

The entertainment: I went to see a friend of a friend play some music 7/10/15. I left after the first two acts. I never got the see the musician that I came to see play. The first act was a self proclaimed south Philly guitarist that grunted more times than he spoke. The second, a ukulele act. They were mirror images of each other. They egged each other on, which made it worse because they were really bad. If they were at an open mike night, the emcee would have cut the microphone on them. I wouldn't call what they did singing. Terrible guitar work, terrible singing, they were intent on being disgusting for its shock value because they lacked in all other areas. They were a one man show because no one would want to share the stage with them and be associated with them. Boys pretending to be men that were in an obvious Bro-mance with each other. The venue: I have been to worse. It is a Pit. Degusting bathrooms, dirty, worn out chairs, tables, floors and walls. $4 drafts. The help is friendly enough. Parking is a pain. A full smoking establishment. Every piece of your clothing will absorb that stench. Conclusion: Stay away. When venue books those two acts for the 2nd time as the opening act, it shows piss poor planning. When venue books those two acts that have matured only to the 14 year old level, (that is being generous) that masquerade in a mans body and they expect you to tolerate the dive bar aspect, move on, don't go. You can not trust the person that books the acts If they consider that entertainment. Those are the acts you want to put on the stage at 1:30 AM to drive the hardcore lushes out for closing. They drove me and the money I would have spent out to be spent elsewhere. read more

I've been going to his bar for over 15 years, many of my visits as part of a band playing there. The owner Chris is one of the coolest bar owners I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. No one in this area supports ALL local music like the Rusty Nail does. Not just rock. Not just metal. ALL local music. Does that mean some Friday night you might walk into hip hop night? Yeah. Does that mean you might catch some 18 year old kids in a band who just started playing music? Yeah. Regardless of whether it's live music or the jukebox, you won't find a more relaxed atmosphere than The Nail. Is this place for everyone? No and I'm thankful for that. It's why I enjoy going there, even now that I don't drink anymore. read more

Went for a live music show can be popping one night n corny the others. Exspecially on football nights a small lil bar

The gold medal of DIVE bars where you can expect the worst entertainment and the stickest floors. I went there after work to get a ice cold beer and was handed a warm tall one in a finger printed smoged glass. And if you like basement bands with no talent, this one has what you're looking for. My friends said they were going in July when Kelsey Coan sings and I told them not to waste their money. I bought her album thinking she was good then went to see her live at "THE CRAFT HOUSE, Cherry Hill, NJ. BIG MISTAKE. Kelsey Coan was so bad I walked out. I think she should stick with the recording studio where no one can see her. Did I say the Rusty Nail allows lots of smoking inside? Maybe that's a good thing because you can't see the bugs crawling on the floor too well. All in all if you want a cheap drink and a place to hide out, then the Rusty Nail is where you want to be! read more

Definitely a dive bar, but this place has some great live music and cheap drinks. A good old fashioned rock 'n' roll bar. It's definitely not fancy by any means, but I had a great time checking out some local bands on a Friday night, and was pleasantly surprised by the professional quality lights and sound system for the stage. I will definitely go back soon. read more

essential dive. this bar is like my cheers... great bartenders, great place to get hammered.

This was my place in the late 60's. Went there every weekend. And I continue 'dive bar diva' some where far away. Jimmy the owner still there? We would rent that place on New Year's Eve for about 5 years. Great memoirs. read more

how can you not love the nail??? i took my time to find the nail on here just because i love her that much. thanks for the good times.

Some of the first gigs I ever played were at this bar. I love this place. I dont know what the locals scene is or whatever, I'm totally removed from that. What I do know is that every time I have ever been to the nail I had a good time! read more

it's been around forever and it is always a fun place to hang...if you ask me? it's a good bar...and they let original bands play...how cool is that? in ardmore? in ardmore????......have a beer,shut up and enjoy the night.....the bleeding hearts read more