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. Â
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.
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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.
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.
This place is the poster child for dive bars. Â Check out the picture of the front. Â If you walk in wearing a collared shirt you are overdressed! Â Expect to have a beer or cheap simple drinks. Â Expect loud music. Â Expect a wide variety of bands on the weekends. Â
You need to be in the right frame of mind to visit here. Â Remember in the movie Roadhouse the band was in a cage? Â This place doesn't have a cage yet but it would fit right in!
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.
Definitely a dive bar, but this place has some great live music and cheap drinks. Â A good old fashioned rock 'n' roll bar. Â 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.
Review Source: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.
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,
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