THIS is one of the reasons I love The Cheesesteak Life. I never would have gone to Dawson Street Pub. And I am SO, SO, SO (yes, three SOs!) glad I did. It's a great little neighborhood bar tucked away on one of the coolest little corners. And with a 4.6 rating on Google Maps, I knew the locals were onto something. There wasn't a cheesesteak on the menu, but I spotted 2 hot dogs for $8. I asked the bartender which I should get: Chili Cheese or Reuben. He said the Reuben dogs were "savory." Decision made. Now, it took a little while for my dogs to arrive. And if you follow me, you know I get HANGRY. But holy mackerel... THESE DOGS WERE WORTH THE WAIT! These are NOT your mother's hot dogs. ROLL VIDEO! And because every good neighborhood bar needs a good bartender recommendation, I took his advice on the Peach beer, too. It was definitely peachy--and I liked it! Great bar. Great bartender. Great surprise. Great dogs. And, of course... BONUS BATHROOM VIDEO! read more

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If I lived in this area, this would be my local. Loved the vibe and energy here. If you are into dive bars that feel like home, Dawson's is calling you. I really liked everything about being here. Service was good, had a real feel for locals and food looked good as well though I didn't have any. If you're looking for decent no thrills drinks and a chill vibe, this is the place read more

I love a good hole in the wall, neighborhood vibe, local dive bar. Their happy hour is fantastic. We got so much food , and beer for some of the best prices we've seen a while. The food is basic but solid for the price imo. We loved our seitan wings , huge fries portion, but could probably skip the quesadilla next time. We will be back! Service was what you'd expect , no fuss no frills dive bar vibes. Happy with their service . I'll upload the pic of their HH menu next time. I was too hungry and forgot :p read more

A solid spot. A mix of classic dive bar and newer soulful neighborhood bar. I had to leave early, so I didn't get to see the love music, or have any food. But, I shall be back for both. read more

Best place ever. Music rocks. Bartenders welcoming and they have the best happy hour around. Philly blind pig barbecue weekends rule!

This is a real pub. Lot's of fun locals and cool gatherings. My favorite is the chili cook off for charity, and a close 2nd is the gingerbread house competition, also for charity. BBQ weekends are awesome, the fat guy who cooks... he also hangs at the bar and is funny as fcuk. He usually makes something interesting or fun... 5 star beer selection. The bartenders will weed out bad patrons... which is awesome... because people there act correct, and are super friendly. Go to Dawson's for music, to tell jokes with your neighbors, and to eat amazing fries and wings. read more

Friendly bar staff and an eclectic open mic on Wednesdays. Quality bar food standards plus specials. It's always sunny in Philadelphia and always Xmas at Dawsons'. read more

We were robbed! We've been coming here for decades. Totally shocked that the female bartender stole my wife's iPhone! She watched us look frantically for it just to produce it 30 minutes later with a story that it was found outside. When confronted, her story fell apart, she got indignant and tried to have me thrown out. I don't stand for petty larceny and the patrons that let it happen. Shame on this supposedly 'friendly' establishment. Stay away!!! read more

This is a friendly, local dive, with well above average food and drink. Prices are pretty decent, too. Make no mistake, this is a DIVE. Back in the day it was a biker bar that we bought meth at. No lie. However, it has changed hands (I believe and hope.), and is a very decent place to spend an evening at. In fact, I just changed my recommendation from three stars to four stars now that I think about it. Go there, don't expect too much, and you'll get a whole lot more than you expected for. read more

Miserable bar staff, granted it was late but unnecessary aggression asking for IDs. We're all adults let's act like it.

A fun dive bar! Bartenders are always really friendly and nice and knowledgeable about the canned drinks they offer. I havent tried the food yet but it sounds good and it's definitely on the cheaper side. Very cozy in here, great for having drinks to catch up with someone. read more

i rly like to go to dawsons for happy hour. sit outside and eat their cheap happy hour food, and drink the half price drafts. everyone is so nice here and the heated benches for the cold weather are a nice touch too. and i love the house of the dead game in the back, even tho i have to plug it in and turn it on every time, because apparently the kitchen staff doesnt like to hear the scary noises (hehe). i usually get the wings and fries. I loveee the seitan wings, and the fries are good too. the malt mayo the fries come with is my favorite. hot take but i wish the fries were mushier sometimes, theyre just so damn crispy. thank u dawson!! read more

7 Day a Week Happy Hour. Worth Repeating - 7 Days a Week! Happy hour at Dawson's means cheap food and cheaper drinks. Their food is pretty awesome. Get the hummus plate, which comes with a huge pile of veggies and enough hummus to dip to your hearts content. I usually get a grilled cheese as well - pick your bread and cheese. Add tomato for free and bacon for a bit extra. Either way, it comes with fries. Prices, even non-happy hour, are reasonable. Cash only, which can be tough, but they have an ATM on site. Great, great beer selection. They have a decent number of taps and plenty of bottles. I can't speak personally to the live music, other than they have some on occasions with a small cover charge. It is not a huge bar, but not so small that you wouldn't want to be there for a show. Happy hour seating does seem to fill up, especially on Friday afternoons. Consider getting there a bit early if you'd like a seat at the bar. read more

Dawson Street Pub - New HH menu - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I started coming here back in the late 1980s as it was the first craft beer bar around. Back when Yards was still brewing in a garage in Manayunk. For about 10 years we used to come here about once a week for good beer, great atmosphere and a really good chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries. This was even the first bar we went to for my bachelor party. It had been about 6 years since we were last here and decided to stop in later afternoon on Saturday. We were the only two customers at 4:30. Asked the bartender what IPAs were on and she could not have been more bothered - pointed to the tap list (which we had not previously seen) and to the fridge. If IPAs are your thing, this is not your bar. While the beers are heavily local, the only IPA on tap was a spruce IPA from yards. Bartender and others working did their best to ignore us, and in the case of the bartender she came across as decidedly unfriendly. It really felt like unless you're a regular here you can pretty much just fuck off back out the door. It's a shame - we used to know everyone who worked here and it was always a friendly neighborhood bar. My how the times have changed. Probably would have been one start but the bathrooms are much nicer than they used to be, though the back room is like walking through someone's basement storage room now. No more couch and cool graffiti wall. read more

My go to in the area. Great mix of clientele. People in their 20's to anyone older who appreciates good music. Live bands most Friday's and Saturday's. Open mic on Wednesday's and good music playing on the stereo otherwise. Or else there are movies. Not a huge tv place but they do have a pinball machine and some other arcade games in back! The draft beer is half off EVERY DAY from 5-7. There aren't domestics we're taking about, they're high abv delicious microbrews. Right now I'm looking at a double ipa w 10% that's half off also. But not to worry those of you prefer lighter beers. There's Yeungling Premium on draft for less than anywhere else at happy hour. During regular hours it's less than even canned or bottled beers. That's a full pint btw. Lastly the owner is an awesome guy. He takes full responsibility of the bar and was super helpful hosting my birthday party. He made sure everything was taken care of and offered me some specials specifically for the party. Hands down my favorite bar in Manayunk. Again, I've said this before, parking does suck if you're trying to park after 6:30/7 pm but if you know anything about parking in Manayunk. it's that it's not unique to this bar. That's just Manayunk. Take a Lyft anyway, you won't be legal to drive after a couple of those 10% beers. So to wrap it up, come here for a beer stay for the music and enjoy yourself. It's the best bar in Manayunk if you enjoy good beer, good food, and good people. read more

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Great divey bar with a lot of craft beer options on tap, as well as in the fridge. This is the perfect place to listen to live music. On Wednesday they have Open Mic Night, no cover price. Just remember that it is cash only. They have an ATM in the back. read more

Dawson Street Pub - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Cool local spot with above average food. It's def a locals place, but they're friendly And lots of live music read more

Nice little dive bar in a quiet area that has made accommodations for COVID times. Really appreciate the abundance of vegetarian options, especially for a small bar! Absolutely LOVE the seitan Buffalo wings, will be a return customer for those. Only complaint is that the bartender was not the friendliest, but we all have bad days! read more

Music is obnoxiously loud. I walked in the door and realized that a conversation was literally impossible. Felt like I was at a terrible warped tour re enactment. Most of the clientele was of the questionable variety. Even saw a woman go to the footbridge across the street and vein pop in the shadows. Than stumble back into the bar and still get served. Will never go back to this shady place again. read more

What is a good dive bar? It's a basic bar with bartenders who know what they are doing and drinks that are stiff and cheap. Honestly, it's a dying breed. Dawson Street is just that. But what has impressed me is that Dawson's has gone beyond that. Not only do they offer affordable drinks, they also offer a nice selection of craft beer (on draft and in Bottle) and a decent selection of liqour. The service has always been friendly and welcoming, and no matter when you go there is normally a friendly local crowd. And it is clear the owner has fostered a strong community environment. The food is typical bar food. It's not the reason to go here, but it is a reason to stay. It's done well and is well worth the money. It also has great happy hour specials on beer, and live music often (including a popular open Mic night). The fact I didn't lead with those facts doesn't mean they aren't amazing pluses (they are) but shows just how great a bar this is. And yet it also seems a bit under the radar. So if you are reading this far you clearly want to go. So just go, it's that type of place. read more

An awesome "off the main strip" kind of place to visit in Manayunk. Amazingly fair prices and one hell of a beer selection! I, as always, took advantage of their on draft cider, Jacks; which is always refreshing and light. To accompany my mid-week indulgence, an artisanal gourmet grilled cheese with fresh hand-cut fries! Absolutely delicious! The best part was the bill... Way less expensive than the showy joints on Main Street. It's a cool off the cuff place to meet up with friends and enjoy a great beer selection and gourmet bar food. Add in some local music and you've got yourself a night to remember. Just a tip... It's cash only. It would obviously be better if they accepted cards... (Get with Squareup.com) but it's still worth the visit. read more

So after going there dozens of times I learned this. The lady with the blonde hair and the mustache will automatically give you an attitude from the second you walk in there, till you leave. No smile. No thanks. Just bitchiness the whole time. In your time their you wonder why does she work here?? Hmm ohhh it's cuz her family member owns the place. The foods okay. The beer pricing for happy hours decent. But the overall tone that this bartender sets puts this place in the dirt for me. This place would be a lot better if Paula worked more and the miserable mustache lady didn't. Also if you'd like a spot at the bar, forget it. The owner and the 10 friends take the entire bar up. The live music is cramped and poorly done. If you like good live music environment, go to a place like the grape room. read more

New to the neighborhood and I'm glad to have stumbled upon this friendly little pub with live music. I'm obsessed with their BBQ Curry WINGS! read more

8 minutes and 26 seconds (downhill). This is how long it takes me to walk to Dawson's, so it's a natural first stop on any bar crawl of Manayunk. I like Dawson's for two simple reasons: the prices (low) and the beer (varied, out-of-the-ordinary). Quirky decorations, such as a mounted stag's head with sunglasses, low-key music (think The Smiths and The Cure), and standard pub fare without the inflated prices rounds out the experience. If you are looking for a quiet, old-school atmosphere to knock back a few beers with friends, this is your bar. This bar rarely gets crowded and is one of the few authentic dive bars left in the neighborhood. Next time you are in the area, you have to check it out--and it doesn't matter what day you want to go, because Dawson's offers happy hour *7* days a week. read more

What a GEM to find in Manayunk! We stopped by for Happy Hour on Sunday (!!!) with a few friends. The place was empty when we walked in. For a dive bar they have excellent beers choices and even better food. I was able to get a great Unibroe beer for $4 and enjoy some tasty VEGAN bbq wings for $2.50. This place was beyond friendly - they even gave us a sample of the beer they were switching out on tap. My only complain was that the food came out super slow but it was worth the wait. If I lived closed I definitely could see myself making this an after work habit! read more

Went here a couple weeks ago to see a friend's band play. The place was actually pretty cool. Nice bar, beer selection, comfortable atmosphere, nice little spot for the band to play. The parking situation is AWFUL, but that's not the bar's fault. So, if it was so nice, why the 2 stars? The bartender. Oh. My. GOD. I've had some shitty bartenders. I've had them steal money from me, ignore me, repeatedly bring me the wrong thing. This one takes the cake. No idea what her name is, but she's tall, with blonde hair and a constantly shitty, mean look on her face. I've never actually been scared to ask for a beer from a bartender before. Any question (no matter how nicely asked or how simple) was responded to with a glare and a short, snarky answer. Some friends of ours came in a little after us and one of the asked what kind of domestic beers they had and the bartender loudly huffed, turned around, grabbed a beer menu, slammed it down on the bar and walked away. After that, we started hearing other people at the bar talking about how awful she was. I really wanted to order food, but didn't want to have to talk to her at all, so I went hungry. Dawson, you seem to have a genuinely nice bar and despite the parking, I'd love to come back and re-review, but under no circumstances will I EVER be back while that woman works there. I have no idea how she's managed to keep her employment there after one service. She is completely ruining your establishment. read more

The coworkers and I decided to avoid Main Street after an early day, and there was a super annoying bar crawl dominating our first stop. So we basically looked for where they had just come from to avoid running into them again, and wound up and Dawson St. Where did this place come from? I was expecting something about a half-step up from a dive, but what I got was seitan quesadillas and a killer bar! Two of us had vodka with their homemade cucumber lemonade. I usually don't go for anything fruity when I'm out because it's so overpowering, but this was one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had. Light and cool without being saccharine sweet. Amazing. And the food! A couple of the guys shared a cheese tray, which comes with beer pairings. The bartender seems to just kind of wing it with the pairings, and our beer connoisseurs were highly impressed. Also impressive, the vegetarian selection. Three out of the five of us are veg, and even in Manayunk we usually resign ourselves to a basket of fries when we're out drinking. Not so this time! In fact, the vegetarian selections were so incredible that even the omnivores ended up choosing veggie stuff. Seriously, how many bars feature seitan? Also, attention smokers, they have a pretty nice little hidden patio area. Sure everyone can go out there and grab one of the tables, but for those of us with the cancer sticks it is a welcome relief from standing on the sidewalk all night. My one gripe (other than having to pay ATM fees) would be the speed. They might have still been recovering from the pub crawl that had just passed through, but service seemed a little slow for mid-afternoon, especially since we were the only ones there when we ordered. Other than that, though, Dawson St. is probably my new favorite place to get some killer food, amazing drinks (made by someone who knows her stuff) and generally chill while avoiding the Manayunk frat-grown-up scene. read more

I like this place because it has grown with me. When I was younger, I used to frequent dives- and this was one. Now that I am older- it has cleaned it's act up (but not too much to turn me off) and it is a great place to go. Awesome selection of beer on draft-- at least a dozen yummy mostly domestic brews. And a beautiful old wood bar to drink them at. They do have a website and bands play here, so check that out too. The food is also pretty good for bar food. Nice place to meet pals and shoot the shit. read more

Such a great local bar! I'm a big fan of happy hour, dogs, and kid-friendly places. Dawson's is all of those things! Yay! Happy hour is everyday which rules, food and drink specials, and super friendly bartenders. Live music on some nights and it's an easy walk from the train station, hollaaaaaaa! Try the vegan wings!! Bring your pup! All things yay. read more

Dawson's is a sweet place for happy hour! There's cheap eats and a great beer selection and live music on (some) nights. I've tried a number of things on their HH menu and haven't been disappointed. I say definitely order the wings but of course you can't go wrong with the quesadillas (yes, plural) and obviously you need to order a side of fries to share with your frandz while you're there. There's usually plenty of street parking before 530/6PM and plenty of seating on the inside as well. If you're looking for a nice chill spot to hang out with your coworkers after work or meet up with some friends for some light boozing and major food baby cultivation, come on by Dawson's! read more

My friend is a regular at Dawson Street because she lives down the street. She's Terrace Street Posse. The beer was serious; I especially like that they have multiple choices if you're into local brew. Happy went until 7, but after that beers were priced to be on par with Manayunk inflation. Oh well, I'll give them the benefit...because we are in a recession and the beer prices weren't outRAGeous. One other observation was the jukebox. There was an amazing collection of artists in there...but the albums were all the slightly less popular one of really popular artists. For example, they had a Coldplay album! But it was Parachutes rather their first critically acclaimed and eventually super popular rush of blood to the head. And I really wanted to hear Immigrant Song, but they didn't have that Zeppelin album... I'd definitely go back. read more

The Dawson Street Pub is one of my favorite places in the city. It's got an incredible beer selection -- you can always find at least one or two Yards varieties on tap along with a nice mixture of other local and national microbrews (they also have a massive list of delicious bottled beers). And the food is excellent for bar food. I recommend the burgers and the Jerk Chicken sandwiches. The things that set this bar apart from most others (other than the beer selection), though, are the people and the music. I've been going to the Dawson St. Pub for years now and it's tough to find a better bunch of people than you're likely to meet at the this place. And they consistently get good musical acts to play there every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Dawson Street Pub has been a regular hangout for some of Philly's most talented local musicians -- you never know who might stop in to play a set on any given night. read more

I came here on the recommendation of Yelp and was not disappointed. I got the mango wings which were ridiiculllously hot (I'm a spicy food junkie with what my friends claim thousands of dead taste buds and even I was tearing up) ... but sooooo yummy! My friend ordered the chorizo burger and fries and both were very very good too. Don't you worry my vegetarians they serve seitan as well... this impressed me because I don't think I've ever been to a bar that serves seitan! Just as our food came out a live jazz band was setting up and began playing... They were really great and I was having a jolly ole time getting wing sauce all over my face and listening to some good tunes... Oh and i forgot to mention their awesome selection of beers. They have pages upon pages of bottles and a pretty solid selection on tap. Yes! It's in the middle of nowhere so I'm guessing mainly frequented by locals?My friend and I got glances from everyone at the bar when we first came in. My only negative thing I have to say about this place is that the bartender was a huge bitch but even so I'm a fan! read more

Instant love. Real beer engines. Tin ceiling typical bar. The burger was a prototypical burger but with my choice of pepper Jack cheese and that is a good thing. This is one of the cleanest bars I've ever been in. The bar stools were full and there were 3 tables worth of people. It made the place feel full without being crowded. Service was friendly and prompt. The beer selection is an awesome mix of local and popular micro brews. A definite recommendation as a bar. I later found out that this place is the 11th ranked bar in Philadelphia and I'm sure if they really nailed the menu that ranking would be higher. read more

In case you're wondering, they do have the best veggie "wings" in the area! Quaint little hole in the wall that is better kept than your average hole in the wall. The beer selection is great, the vegetarian selection is actually pretty good, and the bartender has always been super nice. Cash only but they do have an ATM in the back read more

Love love love this place. Its very casual with an amazing beer selection. There wings are decent and I love there veggie burger. The bartenders are great and each on is attentive without being up your butt and very knowledgeable about all the different beers. Cash only but like the other reviews I can tell you there is an atm on sight. very relaxed almost like you went to hang out at a friends house who just happens to have an amazing beer selection! read more

We love that we live in walking distance to this neighborhood bar! Dawson Street Pub offers yummy food, great beer selection, and friendly service! They offer a 7-day happy hour and have plenty of live music. Only drawback would be that they are cash only but, do offer an ATM inside. Cheers! read more

Dawson Street Pub - Delicious BLT & a cold beer! - Pubs Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I moved to Roxborough last year and can't say how thrilled I am to have this place in the hood. Great dive bar with with live local music AND veggie wings as good as I'd get in Fishtown? Yes please. Not to mention, the hummus is the best. In fact, generally speaking this little dive has better vegetarian options than most of Manayunk/Roxborough. The happy hour is righteous. Well done all around. read more

went last night. had a great time. its a small spot but a comfortable atmosphere. i only had the curry ginger wings. the sauce was delicious but the wing was pretty fatty. i enjoyed it though. i was a little disappointed that the line-up included 4 bands. by 1am no one was there to see the "headliner". when we arrived at 10:30pm it was packed and a great vibe. i'd suggest they limit the number of bands playing a night to 2 or 3 at the most. the bartender girl (tall, blonde hair) was mean looking and acting the whole night. maybe she should find a behind-the-scenes job of choice. i'd recommend this place to a group of friends who love live music and beer. the beer prices were great. the beer selection was even greater. read more

This is my favorite bar in Philadelphia. It has a friendly and inviting atmosphere, great beer selection, great bar food, and great music. Weekends feature the best of local musicians. The open mic night is one of the best in Philly. Everyone is welcome and you hear everyone from people just starting to some of the best local musicians. There are great food and drink specials during Philly sporting events and other local and national events. Really, the Dawson has it all covered, If these are things that you like, then this is the bar for you. read more