If you get a mixed drink it's going to be 6.75 a piece. After a 5 dollar cover on a sticky carpet. And your bartender serves 20 year olds that didn't have to show ID. So way to go serving under age kids and over charging people having a good time. 1 star won't be back. Read Less

I've played here more times than I can count. Everytime has been an absolute blast. I've spent countless hours at this bar enjoying myself over the 15 years I've lived in the area. When I want to go out for a drink, this bar is my first choice. Metal on the jukebox. Bad ass bartenders. What more could you possibly want from your local watering hole? The owner even runs a radio show where he promotes the local acts playing at his bar. There aren't many bars/clubs in this area that invest as much time and energy into the local music scene as the owner of the Rusty Nail does. I'll admit that the Nail is not for everyone, and it's definitely not for kids under the age of 21. It's a bar. That's how bars work. You have to be 21 or older to go to them. Even if you're in a band. Read Less

Awesome venue and great staff. I've rocked out many a time at the nail. From Holloween, Christmas, New Years, Birthdays, Batchlore party's, and Weddings ect. The Nail has always been a sweet spot to catch a show or a beer. Parkings never an issue unless you're under 21 and like to pick fights online because your entitled and feel like rules don't apply to you. One of my favorite rules is the 21 and over policy. It's a simple rule. I enjoy it just as much as I enjoy the friendly staff and the incredibly friendly owners. My wife and I are having our first child and we may even go to the nail to celebrate once the baby's born. We would leave the baby at home of course because he's under 21. I'm sure he'll understand. Even baby's understand that. Read Less

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 Less

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 Less

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 Less

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 Less

Wed night Jazz jams are way cool. Wings are excellent, which is fortunate, because it is the only food they make. I bring my own hot sauce, but sometimes they have some there. Dirt cheap drinks. Smoky. Some of the most low-life hipster 20-something clientele you will likely find on the Main Line. But it's that, or hand out at the Country Club with retired portfolio managers. Barmaid is always very friendly and efficient. Read Less

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 Less

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 Less

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 Less

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 Less