Editor reviews Oscar’s Tavern

By Nate Adams
Collegian Editor
January 23, 2008

The section of Samson Street between 15th and 16th is a murderer’s row of coffee shops, bars and restaurants. One can’t go five feet without tripping over a bistro or a bar and grill. However, unlike most joints downtown, these places are more down to earth than the usual shirt-and-tie fare. It’s on this strip of working class eateries that Oscar’s Tavern lies.

Standing in stark contrast to the usually upscale setting of Center City, Oscar’s is distinctively blue-collar. From the outside, it resembles any hole-in-the-wall bar; it is the kind of place you would probably find in any small town across the country. Inside, however, the bar has a cozy, smoky charm while retaining its working class feel.

Those looking for room to stretch out would do well to spend their evening elsewhere. Oscar’s Tavern is a somewhat cramped joint. Given the small size of the place, it’s impossible to walk around without bumping into the back of someone’s chair, knocking someone on the arm or (if adult beverages have been consumed) spilling a drink. Oscar’s is more bar than it is restaurant, boasting a diverse tap that covers both the higher and lower end of the booze spectrum (Harp and Pabst Blue Ribbon stand side-by-side on the tap).

This is not to imply that you have to drink to enjoy Oscar’s. The Saturday night menu, while very limited, offers all the sorts of eats that a working class person, drinking or otherwise, would enjoy. Standards like chicken fingers, cheeseburgers and mozzarella sticks are all available. The standout of the menu is the chicken wings, which are prepared in such a way that the meat practically slides off the bone. The wings won’t win any contests, but they’ll fill up an empty stomach.

The prices are average, bordering on high. While six dollars for eight or nine wings might look pretty steep on paper, the overall quality of the food goes a long way to forgive the price. Two people could eat comfortably for about 20 dollars, tip included. Not that the service deserves much of a tip; waitresses are slow to respond to the needs of patrons and seem pretty indifferent to the customers in general.

Despite the crummy service, Oscar’s is a charming place to get a beer and a burger with no nonsense. The jukebox holds classic rock and recent alternative standards, so it would be foolish to expect a dance party to break out over there. It’s a place to get a drink and watch the game, not have a romantic candlelit dinner.

Overall, Oscar’s Tavern is a good place to get a beer, but not a great place to get a quiet dinner. With so many other places to eat on Samson, it makes no sense to deal with Oscar’s high prices, limited night menu and crappy service. However, for someone looking to have a drink with lunch and avoid the pretentiousness of Center City bistros, Oscar’s Tavern is the place.

adamsn1@lasalle.edu