Short review: Just don't. Long review: My boyfriend and I recently moved to Philly for my job. The West Tavern is located directly by the off ramp we take to get into Center City anytime we head downtown for the night or to get to work--so needless to say, the huge black sign out front of the building proclaiming, "You may not eat anywhere else again" caught our attention as newcomers. Upon entering this "tavern", it became blatantly obvious that we were at a hole in the wall bar--nothing about this place says "tavern". Don't get me wrong, we both love dark dingy bars, just not when we are in search of good eats. Upon assessing the situation--cheesy country music video playing DJ and all, we made the decision to go ahead and venture forward towards the bar. Immediately we were greeted by a friendly bartender (the one star above) who quickly set us up with a couple of beers and dinner menus. The dinner menu was very...uncomfortable to say the least, littered with dishes such as "mouthgasm cheese", "dirty burgers with white sauce" and something disturbing about miniskirts. To top it off, there was an entire page-long fictional tale about how kick ass their head chef, Ian Russo, is. Kick ass you are not my friend--your establishment is a disgrace and an insult to the people you lure in with your false advertisement. Moving forward, I decided to play it safe and get the nachos ($9) and my beau opted for a burger (maybe $11?--overpriced anyway). My nachos were hilarious--I wouldn't have served them to a stray dog. They were baked...I'm not sure why. There was no actual cheese present, just a watery cheese sauce, equally watery sour cream, 2 or 3 jalapeño slices and some strange seasoning salt you normally see on fries. My man's burger was small and dry, clearly a reheated frozen meat patty. The only reason he ate it was because it was late and he was starving. Needless to say, no mouthgasms were had on this evening. No "-gasms" of any variety were to be had in fact, as the entire night was topped off with both of us feeling sick--way to go Ian! The last meal I ate at the "questionable" McDonalds up the street was a much more pleasurable experience. Maybe you should reevaluate your profession, you clearly have no clue what you are doing. In fact, based on your page long tribute to yourself in the menu, maybe just go ahead and reevaluate your life. Trust me folks, this entire place is a mistake.
(1)
Colleen M.
I went here for my friend's birthday last night to sing some karaoke. The karaoke selection was eh. There was hardly any rap music and it seemed like every song I wanted to sing was not available. I started a tab and drank throughout the night. The drinks were pretty cheap. However, when my husband cashed out our tab they charged us for an extra drink and refused to take it off. We could have continued to argue with the woman but for $5 I decided to let it go. On the plus side, there is ample street parking.
(2)
Beth R.
Maybe it's the location, but such an odd mix of people on a Friday night. Huge age range, also a big range from not drunk to very very drunk among the crowd. I think I'd prefer it on a week night for some pool, but not so much on a weekend night when there's a party going on.
(3)
K. B.
St Patricks Day Review - This place had the best beer prices all day long. $10 pitchers was great after some of the places we went. Were entertained by people playing pong and punching a boxing machine.
(4)
Mimi T.
West Tavern exceeded my expectations. As Good As It Gets -- if you know that you're going to a quiet local place. No specific character and nothing fancy, but if you are looking for a chill place to chat with friends and watch a game, nothing wrong with that! Pleasant surprise, though, was the food: generous pours are accompanied by surprisingly great food! I got the mussels, in a delicious and spicy red sauce, and after the chef came to check on me he came back with a dessert of bread pudding, on the house. (Either very friendly, I guess, or he knew I would be writing this review!) Wine comes in a big jug, and the beer selection is pretty basic. Pitchers of beer and/or strong drinks seemed to be the norm. Great spot for bar food, but it's still primarily a bar!
(5)
Lauren K.
Don't waste your time. I sure didn't. I walked in and made eye contact with the male bartender. I sat down. He walked right by to get on his phone!!!! What? So my friend practically yelled "hey bartender" but no response. Again " excuse me!" Ignored. The female bartender walked by and didn't even look at us. I said ok, thats it we are leaving and as im walking away the male bartender swings around like, oh hey what can i get you. Um, sorry too late. Learn some customer service skills asshole. It was karaoke and the dj sucked his equipment sounded like shit.
(1)
Matt D.
This place is an absolute dump. I was there 3 times. All 3 times I drank the beer from the refrigerator and had explosive diarrhea for 10 hrs after. Must be bad refrigerant. Another lovely time my girlfriend had a mouse run past her shoe. And the managers a pervert. I'd rather drink a 40 in an alley way by myself. I'd save myself money and the embarrassment of crapping my pants in front of all my friends. Have a great day mr. West tavern pervert.
(1)
Caitlin C.
Went here yesterday after the St. Pattys Day Parade. They had awesome specials: $2 Lagers and High Lifes and 50 cent wings. We got 12 Garlic Parm wings, they gave us like 20. They were so good! Crunchy and not greasy, which is rare in Garlic Parm wings. We also got sweet potato fries, fries with cheese and bacon (which I didn't eat), fried pickles, sliders, and a chicken quesadilla.. everything was super yummy. It's a quiet corner bar but I love places like that. If you want to go out to a little place for good food and cheap drinks and still have a convo.. this is your place.
(4)
Joseph V.
Could be a little better painted, but friendly service, good tap selection and surprisingly good food.
(4)
Xand G.
Got strange tasting Hoegardens and Woodchucks. Went back to get a different drink, the bartender said sometimes the first pour tastes bad. Got a repour still didn't taste good at all. Went during Caraoke which was fun, but repetitive. Seriously heard "take care of your bartenders, cause they are taking care of you" at least 60 times throughout the night! Didn't get any food, but friends said nachos were 'edible'.
(2)
Shaina F.
Oh Westies, what a place. Like it or not, this is our bar (being so close to school) and I can't help but review it. For me personally, it's not my favorite place in the world because I really enjoy getting dressed up and going out when I'm feeling like drinks with the girls. However, there are those times when westies is the perfect location - after a long day of work/class, in our scrubs or sweats, when all you want to do is relax with a glass of wine/beer where you won't be spotted! It's mostly beer and hard liquor here (decently large beer selection on tap), only one red and one white wine option, another reason it's not one of my go-to spots. The bartenders are always beyond friendly and work really hard to make sure everyone is taken care of. Though it's not my cup of tea, I really don't mind it here and it gives you a nice warm hometown feeling. And they have a jukebox which is fun! A little less clean than I typically prefer, but like I said, there is always a time when you need a bar like this in your back pocket! So I'm keepin it there for now :)
(3)
Renea R.
I had never heard of West Tavern before being invited there for a friend's birthday karaoke celebration last night. I went with my girlfriend and three friends to meet up with our birthday friend and numerous of her friends that I didn't know. It was convenient that there was a parking lot where we could park for free. Upon entering the bar I felt like I was transported to another dimension. It's hard to explain what I mean, but it was just unlike any bar I've ever been to in Philadelphia. I felt like an anthropologist studying the strange ways of a new culture. There were only a handful of "regulars" who weren't there for the birthday gathering and they seemed pretty perplexed by us. My friend overhead one 50-something-year-old white guy say to his buddy, "What the hell are all of these people doing here?" to which his buddy replied, "I don't know, maybe they are thirsty?" The karaoke got started with a middle aged woman who struck me as someone who probably worked as a janitor or at some kind of quiet, labor-intensive job but every Saturday she comes to let her diva out at West Tavern karaoke. I want to be like her when I grow up. She sang Eric Clapton's "After Midnight" like she was born to do it. The set up of the karaoke seemed well suited to the seemingly-awkward-or shy crowd who really wants to let out there inner superstar because the lyrics are broadcast on a TV facing away from all of the tables, so you are pretty much giving a concert for only the front door of the bar. No one can judge you if you're giving your all to a duet of Johnny Cash and June Carter's "Jackson" if they can't see your face. Despite having the charm and clientele of a rural watering hole, the drink prices were not actually cheap. I just drank well Woodchucks all night for $5.50 a pop. I would have expected cheaper from this kind of place. It was also awkwardly bright in the bar, at least near the pool table where we were seated. There were numerous single lone middle aged men, getting wasted alone at the bar and I think that is probably the kind of clientele that keep this establishment going. That and janitors-by-day, lead-singer-of-Heart-by-night types. It was totally unlike any bar I've ever been to in Philly before and I definitely felt like I was in an alternate universe but in a way that I actually really enjoyed. Hell I can't afford to travel often so if I can use a token to take myself to another world right inside Philly then that is okay by me.
(3)
Janell R.
I walk in and sit at the bar where both bartenders ignore me until I finally ask them if I can have a drink. Then at the end of the night, someone stole my $1,200.00 coat while I was in the bathroom and when I told the bartender he basically was like, oh well. He did not offer to look out for it or take my name and number in case it turned up. Karaoke was fun but otherwise booooooooo!
(1)
James M.
Bartender got drunk, lost a bunch of credit cards, had regulars covering his slack, started fights, pocketed cash and closed the bar an hour and a half early. This place should be shut down. Pure garbage.
(1)
Donita C.
Looking for a decent cheesesteak in Philly? Don't go here. My companion and I both ordered one. They were out of Wiz, so I went for provolone and a side of fries. Companion ordered the side salad. My fries, while fresh cut, were so well done and thusly dry. The bread was overly toasted, and the meat over-cooked. DRY, DRY, DRY! The kitchen prepared new cheesesteaks for us, and meh! Average and once the dryness was corrected, well, the meat was not seasoned. No flavor. On a positive note, the bartender was pleasant and the salad was great! Real greens and the salad dressing tasted fresh, almost like homemade. The patrons are friendly and welcoming to travelers. I imagine this is a great place to go for a few beers, but the food is standard average for a dive. Eat elsewhere. Go for the atmosphere and beer.
(2)
Melissa P.
You know it's a good sign when they tell you the price of 2 drinks and you go...each? PROS Cheap drinks and pitchers. Free karaoke on Saturday nights, but with normal music played in between, so you're not constantly listening to drunk people wailing. Also, last time we were here, some of the older, regular, (almost homeless looking) men started singing and were SERIOUSLY talented. Jaw-dropping, make you not want to follow them, talented. The voices of angels. Pretty cool. Great atmosphere. Kinda divey but in the best way possible. CONS Only downside is the location, we had a hard time getting a cab from here. Also, one Saturday we came, our voiced prepped and excited for kareoke and they were having a private event and no kareoke! We were devastated. Super fun place!
(4)
Erica M.
Wow Westy's - with so many "dive bars" with good food in the area, how on Earth do you keep up? Our dinner was bad...and insanely expensive for what it was. $12 for a Wendy's-sized burger on a Wendy's-esque bun? And my California chicken club sandwich was pathetic - I don't need a whole lot of food - I'm a little girl - but I definitely left hungry. $74+ tip for 4 sandwiches and 7 drinks (and that includes the Hahnemann special for $2.50 drinks). Pretty pricey for less-than-mediocre food... Oh and by the way? We waited over an hour for our food? Yep. Over an hour. And we were one of 3 full tables...
(2)
Kun C.
Went for a bachelor party. Over all wasn't a bad place. Friendly bartender. Karaoke. Fun environment. Was a little crowded.
(4)
Renee B.
I used to work at 15th & spring garden from about 2010-2012 so I was familiar with West Tavern, or what used to be West Tavern. I used to go there for lunch to get the infamous Dirty Burger. I haven't been there since 2012 but have been craving one ever since. I decided I wanted to introduce my boyfriend to the Dirty family cause I knew his mind would be blown so we went there on a random Thursday afternoon. When we walked it there were about 12 people already there. We sat down after some hard stares and whispers. No exaggeration. Had time for both of us to use the rest room and the "waitress" still had not come over to the table. Being as though I had been here before I knew this was not standard procedure. I had to go to the bar where she barely acknowledged me and ask for a menu. Upon opening this menu I noticed it was different. Not an official menu but one that was made on a word document and placed in the holders to cover the original menu. I saw no "dirty" anything. No fries. No chicken. No burger. What is going on. When she finally made her way over I asked her about it and she muttered they don't sell them anymore and they were changing their whole menu. I knew in my heart that we should have left at this point but I figured we were here now and I was starving. She ask for our drink orders, I got a coke and my boyfriend got a beer. He first asked if they had any fruity drinks. She looked at him like he had 2 heads and gave a shrug. Then she said no they don't have anything. You're a "bar" and have no liquor? Ok. He ordered a beer. I ordered a cheesesteak. I know for a fact the menu said all entrees come with fries. Got my soda-flat. Got the cheesesteak with some kind of salad. Wtf? Who eats a salad with a cheesesteak. I didn't bother saying anything to the waitress because the icy reception we were already getting was not going to make me eat anything else coming out of that kitchen. Cheesesteak was juvenile. I ate and we had to ask for the check because who knows how long we would have been sitting there waiting. Paid and left. WILL. NEVER. RETURN. TO. THIS. BAR. If I could give it 0 stars I would have.
(1)
Walter K.
The banner on the side of the building screams: "You may never eat elsewhere again!" Before entering, we wondered if it was because the food was that good, or that bad. I ordered the Dirty Burger, and asked for cheese, lettuce tomato. "No, sorry, we don't do that. The chef loves the flavors so much that he doesn't want anything on the burger, the taste just doesn't work right." Okay, sure, I'll take your advice. And what do I receive? I preformed, frozen burger cooked well (they didn't even ask about temperature) on a store bought white bun. With fries it came to $11. I can't tell what was worse, the quality of the food, or the price charged. The burger would barely beat a Big Mac in a taste contest. The fried cheese is also a miss, instead of the normal mozzarella sticks the bar serves fried cubes of cottage cheese. It sounds appetizing until the first bite. Avoid the food. Inside, the bar is a bit run down, it's a dumpy sports/karaoke bar with a ton of TVs. Service was average, the draft list is okay, and beer prices were fine (they serve pitchers). Bottom Line: If West Tavern embraced the "no class" attitude the place exudes, they might be able to succeed. But West Tavern tried to be unique and sophisticated and fails on every front.
(2)
Liza G.
Currently working on a $2 plate of fried pickles (tonight's special - 5 large, delicious spears) and a $6 pitcher of beer. Husband wanted buffalo wings, but when he found out the chicken fingers were a special, they offered to coat them in buffalo sauce. Awesome.
(5)
Jason A.
If you liked Westy's when they were actually called Westy's, you won't like the place now because they've cleaned up their act by about 25% or so. If you didn't like them before because you couldn't handle the semi-scuzziness...don't worry, you still won't like it, because they still have a ways to go before becoming a legit establishment. So what are they trying to do? Become a restaurant? Stay divey? Something in between? Let me just say "in between" doesn't work, because it just alienates everyone. The no frills "dirty burger" is just a meat patty slathered in a bbq-style sauce. No condiments, no cheese, just wet burger on a bun. Apparently they take pride in this, as they go into detail about all the things the burger doesn't have- as opposed to what the dirty burger actually is, and how it may be better that way. As of Spring 2012 they're charging 11 bucks for it; thievery despite coming with fries. The crowd is mixed and varies night to night. Expect to see a lot of jerseys during sporting events. Karaoke night is still fun but it seems forced, like they're reluctantly keeping a tradition alive. The closer you get to the bar the more "old man" the place seems, while the further out you go, the younger the crowd gets. Who knows why this is? They get a point for keeping the pool table though. Caution ladies: There's only one (1) toilet for you. Us men luckily get 3 stalls, none of which have barriers. So prepare to have your junk stared at while you pee. If you're looking for a place to start or finish your night with a cheap pitcher or two, I'd (sort of) recommend the place. But if you're looking for a good meal and good beer, I'd keep moving- nothing to see here. Too bad West Tavern can't decide which one they want to be.
(2)
Anthony R.
This place is run poorly , the food is less than average , the owner is rude and miserable. Save your money.
(1)
Stephanie H.
Westy's has a great dive bar atmosphere . . . one of those places you can just take over with a ton of friends. Their karaoke is always a great time as well. However, if you want good service, you have chosen the wrong place- the last couple of times I've been, they're consistently under staffed. They frequently run out of their beer special and certain liquors- on a saturday night! So word to the wise- keep an open mind when ordering or you might be very disappointed.
(4)
Eric B.
Went here for a quick bite to eat during a business trip. What a surprise. The Dirty Burger was out of this world and the garlic hot wings were some of the best hot wings I've had. The food and drinks were top notch, highly recommended.
(4)
Paul D.
I happened upon this place after arriving in Philly late at night and seeking a bar that was still serving food. Walked over from my hotel and boy am I glad I did. Kinda dive-y (they still manage your tabs by hand and ring them up in an 80's ish cash register) , with tons of beer taps to choose from. If you don't like dive-y local establishments, don't bitch about it, just go somewhere else. But the key is the food. This guy Ian Russo is a classically trained chef and brings a level of creativity and quality to "bar food" you just won't find many other places. This is Triple-D material, folks. Had their hottest wings for starters as I'm a chili-head. Wonderful quality (they cut their own wings, not get 'em out of a bag), very tasty, and legitimately hot. Then, based on the friendly barkeep's recommendation, I tried the 'Dirty burger'. As a recent reviewer suggests, at first glance (and smell) it seems basic and a bit odd--Ian's proprietary spice mix is quite aromatic and I wasn't an immediate fan. But once I bit into the burger, the flavors came together beautifully (think Reuben, another sandwich that is more than simply the sum of its parts). Slightly sweet, savory, I can't put my finger on it, but it just works. Before I knew it I had inhaled the entire burger and likely could have eaten another. Then the barkeep (Bill) introduced me to Ian, who was manning the grill. What a great guy--I chatted with him for 10 minutes about the food, and his background. Just a genuinely nice guy. Same thing with Bill... ended up sitting there for 3 hours or so just chatting away. If I lived in Philly, I would likely live in this place.
(5)
Ali E.
Oh Westy's. I don't care if you have tried to clean yourself up some, you remain Westy's in my heart. Cheap beer, friendly service (if somewhat slow) and solid wings. There really aren't any other bars within a couple blocks of Drexel that appease me so, and it's great for groups. It can get really loud at around 7; if your tolerance is low stick to happy hour. Maybe not a place to go out of your way to check out, but if you're in the neighborhood and you're thirsty, it does the job.
(4)
Bill M.
Meh! pretty average at best. And I'm not just saying that because it was an uncrowded sausage fest on the First Friday of the month. It was more like a uncrowded sausage fest that offered up mediocre games of pool, and Disturbed and Good Charlotte on the stereo system (Ugh!). It was also the second semi standard bar in Philly I've been to that didn't have Yeungling. Isn't their some sort of universal Philly code against that? Despite the above I am interested in giving here a shot on a Saturday night, because I have a good source who says that their Karaoke nights are supposed to be bumping. And he's a karaoke virtuoso like no other. But otherwise I think I can wait.
(3)
Jose A.
Karaoke on thursday nights is pretty cool here, decent beer selection. Worth checking out if your a local. If your from out of town, there are way better bars and spots to hit up. and one more thing, you should get what I like to call "nacho fries" order chili cheese fries but ADD tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream :)
(4)
Tom D.
It's ten and thirty pea em and your posse is ten deep and you are looking for a good time. Westy's might just fit your bill... Let me explain my rating: when you arrive with 10 people at a bar, you have to expect the bartenders to be a bit upset at you. I'd be pissed off, too. I can dig that. But seriously people, how is it that you handle 9 out of 10 of the people and leave poor Tom wishing and waiting to get his beer? Unconscionable! Then, throughout the night, the two bartenders were routinely poor servers of beverages. It got a little sad. Upsides: the karaoke (Thursdays and Saturdays from what I understand) is totally the cat's meow. I had a blast and so did anyone I know that shared the stage. Also, beer was pretty cheap: $3 bottles of lager makes it easier to make a fool of yourself...
(3)
Angie F.
First off if you go here you MUST have a dirty burger. Alex, the owner, is super friendly and hospitable. You feel like you are at the neighborhood bar. This place is a must! For a low key evening with great food and friends, you must go to the West Tavern.
(5)
Andrew B.
Great cheese steak, soft round bun, near perfect ratio of cheese to onion to meat, holds together very well
(4)
Rob Z.
I guess they went through a change. Portions got smaller and just doesn't seem like a good place anymore.
(3)
Bruce D.
Have to have that dirty burger, it's amazing. Strongly recommend stopping in for a drink and some great food!!
(5)
Chrissy R.
Oh I love this place! Went here for the first time last night, because I wanted to try something new and it's only 3 blocks from my apartment (though in a slightly sketchy area). It was a load of fun. Chillaxing regulars and barmaid. 3.50 mixed drinks. Also the food wasn't bad. It was just normal food like you'd make at home--not like your mom would make, but like you'd do. Open a jar of some gravy add roast beef and white bread. I mean, it's nothing fancy but you can make mixed drinks at home too. My dining companion pointed out that despite having Guinness stuff on the wall, they actually have Beamish on tap. I wonder if they are part of the Guinness owns Fado myth/nonsense started by the Irish Pub years ago. I know they've got karaoke several times a week but I've not ventured down for that yet. May have to go tonight :)
(4)
Adrianne J.
The "Dirty" Burger is the best! The sweet potato fries were a little too salty. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. I would definitely go back again.
(3)
Maggie M.
So, growing up i always loved Westy's -- when my friends and i were underage, we could get served and we could watch the Phils (what more do you need?). Now that I am grown up, however, it had been many moons since I stopped in. When I heard Westy's got renovated I thought now would be the perfect time to revisit. The renovation seems to be entirely comprised of the menu and the name (although they also lost the fridge of quarts, 6-packs and 40s that used to be where the beer list chalkboard is now). The pool table is still there, but seems to have been leveled and re-felted (or else is completely new). The menu is amazing and their cooks are awesome! Will is nice and works hard to keep the menu fresh and exciting. They specialize in something called Dirty Sauce, which I did not try, but their wings were outstanding and their seared ahi was 4-star restaurant worthy... Service was damn good, during the afternoon shift, anyway: the barback is the son of one of the owners and is incredibly helpful and friendly-- have you tried the turkey burger yet? he swears by them!-- and the afternoon bartender (Melissa) kept a cold drink in your hand with no wait time-- I swear she had eyes on all sides of her head. Happy hour had cheap lagers (my only real requirement)... and the bouncer is *very* professional-- he is constantly walking around talking to people, and he's very nice so he's keeping things friendly but under control at all times :) his size and attitude very much inspire confidence... The one blue note to my lovely return to Westy's is that one of the co-owners, Alex, works as a bartender at nights (at least she did when I was there). She is a *lousy* bartender. Her treatment of and attitude toward my friend from the minute she took over the bar was so overwhelmingly rude that we had to sit and figure out what the hell was going on. I don't usually look for personal motives in treatment like this, but Alex's behavior was so over-the-top and such a real deal-breaker that we didn't have a choice-- my friend felt so self-conscious and uncomfortable that we actually had to leave. My friend is black, and since she was the only (visibly) non-white person in the bar at that time who was not employed there, we decided that it had to be racism-- there was simply no other "logical" explanation. Since our visit, however, I have read other reviews and talked to friends who still go there regularly, and I learned that Alex is known to pick out one person in a group (or one each in several groups), arbitrarily decide she doesn't like them and then provide pretty awful service to that individual. This kind of behavior from an employee would not normally and necessarily detract from the establishment's overall rating-- (maybe the owner/manager just didn't catch them in action yet)-- but this was the CO-OWNER! Such behavior is completely unprofessional and totally inexcusable. It really ruined what had been a great Friday for us and made me want to give them only 1 star... It's a real shame that this happened. It's still a great bar with really great employees and I liked being there as much as I did when I was 19 and 20 (even if I hate the new name). I so very much want to give them 2 stars because of Alex. But that doesn't seem fair to everything and everyone else working their butts off there. So, instead of the 4 stars that the ambience, food and employees deserved-- and which I had planned to bestow prior to the 6:30-7:00 shift change-- the owner absolutely ruined things and they wind up with only 3... Boo, hiss, Alex! n.b. I plan on finding out when Alex bartends and avoiding Westy's like the plague at those times... what really sucks about that plan, though, is that she's still the owner so the money I spend even when she's not there still supports her.... and that Sucks giant rotten eggs.)
(3)
Brian K.
So this place has an identity issue... dive bar by location and inside (Ok, they updated the bathrooms) with pricey menu (burgers are $12-15) with no atmosphere to warrant pricing. For $45 I had 4 beers and "basket" of fries. For $7 the so-called basket was more like pomme frites (small waffle cone with a few dipping sauces). Give me a break, you are a corner dive bar. Decent beer selection but again pricey for a pint. Sure, if you have lots of hot girls or prime location, you can command such prices. You're a dive bar in City Center with no atmosphere. Definitely miss the old Westy's as at least it knew what it was.
(1)
Caitlin C.
This the neighborhood bar where you feel at home. You won't find girls in glitter tank tops or Abercrombie boys mixing up cosmos's here. All you'll get is some excellent karaoke (these guys are pretty good) and local twenty somethings who've come from Finnegan's. You will also find the local old men who just sit at the bar and look sad. TIP: If it's late the kitchen will be closed, but just pay the chef $10 to make you some cheese fries.
(3)
John H.
Food is amazing the Dirty burger is a must try!!? Little pricy but worth it the crowd is good all nights! Jukebox is awesome has everything u can imagine on it! Not to mention how friendly and nice the staff is they always greet you with a smile and hello def recommend this bar
(4)
Kelly S.
If you're looking for a night at a dive bar, you've come to the right place. Sometimes you need a little dive bar fun, right? No-frills Westy's is located at 15th and Callowhill, close enough to walk from the City Hall area, but far enough from the usual night spots that it is truly a neighborhood bar. My friends and I spent a few nights here drinking cheap beer, watered down cocktails, and singing karaoke (after drinking enough to get up the courage to sing in front of some tough-looking regulars). My friends and I always have a ball here, although too many nights of drinking here will give me heartburn. If you're looking for a place to play pool and have a few cheap drinks with some mostly friendly Philly locals, Westy's is your place. If you want good quality drinks, pretty decor, or good food, then you should go elsewhere. Also, don't wear anything too nice. Although smoking is now banned in Philly (thank goodness), you still run the risk of ruining your clothes by having beer spilled on them by one of your intoxicated fellow drinkers. I speak from experience.
(3)
Mike C.
I've walked by this place dozens of times on the way to and from work and never stopped in. As The West Tavern, as far as I read, it was a standard dive bar. However, I noticed a bunch of - outside, at least - "renovations," though I'm not sure you can consider an ugly round sign a renovation. Regardless, they have a huge banner proclaiming a new NY chef with his INFAMOUS DIRTY BURGER. I grabbed a menu off the sidewalk one day and read about this magical creation. No lettuce, no tomato, no onions, no ketchup, no cheese...nothing but...DIRTY SAUCE! Honestly this sounded rather awful, but today I wanted a burger and said, well, what the hell. So I'll focus on that for this review because that's why I went. They have a "Philly standard" tap list - macros and some assorted Victory, Flying Fish, Dogfish Head and Yards stuff. That's fine. They've got a unique dive bar type layout with a pool table and some tables and chairs on the floor, and jutting out into the middle of it nearly at room length, narrow with TVs for viewing on both ends is the presumably ancient bar. Cool setup, really, but the TV next to my head was really loud. The bartender was quick and really pleasant, so no complaints there. I got the original Dirty Burger with fries. I got the Dirty Fries with both Dirty sauces (I already hate the word dirty and have no idea what connotation the chef is going for with it.) Out comes the burger on what looks to be a bottom-shelf bun that was buttered. I wasn't given an option of temperature for my burger, but it is about medium-rare to rare. This could be fine if the burger didn't look like a flat puck of a frozen burger, and tasted like one was well. The renowned Dirty sauce tasted like a very thin, slightly sweetened BBQ sauce. If anything, it strongly reminded me of the sauce you get on government school cafeteria "ribz" crossed with government school cafeteria salisbury steaks. Basically, awful and tasteless and extremely generic. The fries were crispy and the dusting on them was good - basically a sort of spicy sweet, which was fine. The actual Dirty sauces provided with them were just as bad as the burger's - the red sauce tasted like watered down Heinz with a dash of sugar. The white sauce was an aioli with coarse ground black pepper in it. That's it. For $11, this was really poor and the hype, well, ridiculous. I might be back to try the wings most people seem to be in concurring with, but the whole "Dirty" shtick is really embarrassing, if not just for the name, but also when the end product is just that bad. That said, if you're looking for a dive bar north of City Hall, this might not be a bad choice.
(2)
Hannah M.
Went here last weekend with friends for Karaoke. Really enjoyed it. The best part, though, was someone who doesn't work there (or does he?) It was Chuck, the singer, magician, and balloon maker. And don't forget good looking!
(5)
George N.
No takeout beer here. Otherwise ok, kinda local place, mixed crowd, definitely low brow though.
(3)
beck r.
Not only did I go to Philly from Brooklyn to get a "Dirty" but saw the episode of FOX 5. It was awesome all that was said was true. I am not a Burger lover but needed to try it. One of the best. It is worth the trip.
(5)
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Address :1440 Callowhill St
Philadelphia, PA, 19130
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Groups : Yes Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Karaoke Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes
Stephanie C.
Short review: Just don't. Long review: My boyfriend and I recently moved to Philly for my job. The West Tavern is located directly by the off ramp we take to get into Center City anytime we head downtown for the night or to get to work--so needless to say, the huge black sign out front of the building proclaiming, "You may not eat anywhere else again" caught our attention as newcomers. Upon entering this "tavern", it became blatantly obvious that we were at a hole in the wall bar--nothing about this place says "tavern". Don't get me wrong, we both love dark dingy bars, just not when we are in search of good eats. Upon assessing the situation--cheesy country music video playing DJ and all, we made the decision to go ahead and venture forward towards the bar. Immediately we were greeted by a friendly bartender (the one star above) who quickly set us up with a couple of beers and dinner menus. The dinner menu was very...uncomfortable to say the least, littered with dishes such as "mouthgasm cheese", "dirty burgers with white sauce" and something disturbing about miniskirts. To top it off, there was an entire page-long fictional tale about how kick ass their head chef, Ian Russo, is. Kick ass you are not my friend--your establishment is a disgrace and an insult to the people you lure in with your false advertisement. Moving forward, I decided to play it safe and get the nachos ($9) and my beau opted for a burger (maybe $11?--overpriced anyway). My nachos were hilarious--I wouldn't have served them to a stray dog. They were baked...I'm not sure why. There was no actual cheese present, just a watery cheese sauce, equally watery sour cream, 2 or 3 jalapeño slices and some strange seasoning salt you normally see on fries. My man's burger was small and dry, clearly a reheated frozen meat patty. The only reason he ate it was because it was late and he was starving. Needless to say, no mouthgasms were had on this evening. No "-gasms" of any variety were to be had in fact, as the entire night was topped off with both of us feeling sick--way to go Ian! The last meal I ate at the "questionable" McDonalds up the street was a much more pleasurable experience. Maybe you should reevaluate your profession, you clearly have no clue what you are doing. In fact, based on your page long tribute to yourself in the menu, maybe just go ahead and reevaluate your life. Trust me folks, this entire place is a mistake.
(1)Colleen M.
I went here for my friend's birthday last night to sing some karaoke. The karaoke selection was eh. There was hardly any rap music and it seemed like every song I wanted to sing was not available. I started a tab and drank throughout the night. The drinks were pretty cheap. However, when my husband cashed out our tab they charged us for an extra drink and refused to take it off. We could have continued to argue with the woman but for $5 I decided to let it go. On the plus side, there is ample street parking.
(2)Beth R.
Maybe it's the location, but such an odd mix of people on a Friday night. Huge age range, also a big range from not drunk to very very drunk among the crowd. I think I'd prefer it on a week night for some pool, but not so much on a weekend night when there's a party going on.
(3)K. B.
St Patricks Day Review - This place had the best beer prices all day long. $10 pitchers was great after some of the places we went. Were entertained by people playing pong and punching a boxing machine.
(4)Mimi T.
West Tavern exceeded my expectations. As Good As It Gets -- if you know that you're going to a quiet local place. No specific character and nothing fancy, but if you are looking for a chill place to chat with friends and watch a game, nothing wrong with that! Pleasant surprise, though, was the food: generous pours are accompanied by surprisingly great food! I got the mussels, in a delicious and spicy red sauce, and after the chef came to check on me he came back with a dessert of bread pudding, on the house. (Either very friendly, I guess, or he knew I would be writing this review!) Wine comes in a big jug, and the beer selection is pretty basic. Pitchers of beer and/or strong drinks seemed to be the norm. Great spot for bar food, but it's still primarily a bar!
(5)Lauren K.
Don't waste your time. I sure didn't. I walked in and made eye contact with the male bartender. I sat down. He walked right by to get on his phone!!!! What? So my friend practically yelled "hey bartender" but no response. Again " excuse me!" Ignored. The female bartender walked by and didn't even look at us. I said ok, thats it we are leaving and as im walking away the male bartender swings around like, oh hey what can i get you. Um, sorry too late. Learn some customer service skills asshole. It was karaoke and the dj sucked his equipment sounded like shit.
(1)Matt D.
This place is an absolute dump. I was there 3 times. All 3 times I drank the beer from the refrigerator and had explosive diarrhea for 10 hrs after. Must be bad refrigerant. Another lovely time my girlfriend had a mouse run past her shoe. And the managers a pervert. I'd rather drink a 40 in an alley way by myself. I'd save myself money and the embarrassment of crapping my pants in front of all my friends. Have a great day mr. West tavern pervert.
(1)Caitlin C.
Went here yesterday after the St. Pattys Day Parade. They had awesome specials: $2 Lagers and High Lifes and 50 cent wings. We got 12 Garlic Parm wings, they gave us like 20. They were so good! Crunchy and not greasy, which is rare in Garlic Parm wings. We also got sweet potato fries, fries with cheese and bacon (which I didn't eat), fried pickles, sliders, and a chicken quesadilla.. everything was super yummy. It's a quiet corner bar but I love places like that. If you want to go out to a little place for good food and cheap drinks and still have a convo.. this is your place.
(4)Joseph V.
Could be a little better painted, but friendly service, good tap selection and surprisingly good food.
(4)Xand G.
Got strange tasting Hoegardens and Woodchucks. Went back to get a different drink, the bartender said sometimes the first pour tastes bad. Got a repour still didn't taste good at all. Went during Caraoke which was fun, but repetitive. Seriously heard "take care of your bartenders, cause they are taking care of you" at least 60 times throughout the night! Didn't get any food, but friends said nachos were 'edible'.
(2)Shaina F.
Oh Westies, what a place. Like it or not, this is our bar (being so close to school) and I can't help but review it. For me personally, it's not my favorite place in the world because I really enjoy getting dressed up and going out when I'm feeling like drinks with the girls. However, there are those times when westies is the perfect location - after a long day of work/class, in our scrubs or sweats, when all you want to do is relax with a glass of wine/beer where you won't be spotted! It's mostly beer and hard liquor here (decently large beer selection on tap), only one red and one white wine option, another reason it's not one of my go-to spots. The bartenders are always beyond friendly and work really hard to make sure everyone is taken care of. Though it's not my cup of tea, I really don't mind it here and it gives you a nice warm hometown feeling. And they have a jukebox which is fun! A little less clean than I typically prefer, but like I said, there is always a time when you need a bar like this in your back pocket! So I'm keepin it there for now :)
(3)Renea R.
I had never heard of West Tavern before being invited there for a friend's birthday karaoke celebration last night. I went with my girlfriend and three friends to meet up with our birthday friend and numerous of her friends that I didn't know. It was convenient that there was a parking lot where we could park for free. Upon entering the bar I felt like I was transported to another dimension. It's hard to explain what I mean, but it was just unlike any bar I've ever been to in Philadelphia. I felt like an anthropologist studying the strange ways of a new culture. There were only a handful of "regulars" who weren't there for the birthday gathering and they seemed pretty perplexed by us. My friend overhead one 50-something-year-old white guy say to his buddy, "What the hell are all of these people doing here?" to which his buddy replied, "I don't know, maybe they are thirsty?" The karaoke got started with a middle aged woman who struck me as someone who probably worked as a janitor or at some kind of quiet, labor-intensive job but every Saturday she comes to let her diva out at West Tavern karaoke. I want to be like her when I grow up. She sang Eric Clapton's "After Midnight" like she was born to do it. The set up of the karaoke seemed well suited to the seemingly-awkward-or shy crowd who really wants to let out there inner superstar because the lyrics are broadcast on a TV facing away from all of the tables, so you are pretty much giving a concert for only the front door of the bar. No one can judge you if you're giving your all to a duet of Johnny Cash and June Carter's "Jackson" if they can't see your face. Despite having the charm and clientele of a rural watering hole, the drink prices were not actually cheap. I just drank well Woodchucks all night for $5.50 a pop. I would have expected cheaper from this kind of place. It was also awkwardly bright in the bar, at least near the pool table where we were seated. There were numerous single lone middle aged men, getting wasted alone at the bar and I think that is probably the kind of clientele that keep this establishment going. That and janitors-by-day, lead-singer-of-Heart-by-night types. It was totally unlike any bar I've ever been to in Philly before and I definitely felt like I was in an alternate universe but in a way that I actually really enjoyed. Hell I can't afford to travel often so if I can use a token to take myself to another world right inside Philly then that is okay by me.
(3)Janell R.
I walk in and sit at the bar where both bartenders ignore me until I finally ask them if I can have a drink. Then at the end of the night, someone stole my $1,200.00 coat while I was in the bathroom and when I told the bartender he basically was like, oh well. He did not offer to look out for it or take my name and number in case it turned up. Karaoke was fun but otherwise booooooooo!
(1)James M.
Bartender got drunk, lost a bunch of credit cards, had regulars covering his slack, started fights, pocketed cash and closed the bar an hour and a half early. This place should be shut down. Pure garbage.
(1)Donita C.
Looking for a decent cheesesteak in Philly? Don't go here. My companion and I both ordered one. They were out of Wiz, so I went for provolone and a side of fries. Companion ordered the side salad. My fries, while fresh cut, were so well done and thusly dry. The bread was overly toasted, and the meat over-cooked. DRY, DRY, DRY! The kitchen prepared new cheesesteaks for us, and meh! Average and once the dryness was corrected, well, the meat was not seasoned. No flavor. On a positive note, the bartender was pleasant and the salad was great! Real greens and the salad dressing tasted fresh, almost like homemade. The patrons are friendly and welcoming to travelers. I imagine this is a great place to go for a few beers, but the food is standard average for a dive. Eat elsewhere. Go for the atmosphere and beer.
(2)Melissa P.
You know it's a good sign when they tell you the price of 2 drinks and you go...each? PROS Cheap drinks and pitchers. Free karaoke on Saturday nights, but with normal music played in between, so you're not constantly listening to drunk people wailing. Also, last time we were here, some of the older, regular, (almost homeless looking) men started singing and were SERIOUSLY talented. Jaw-dropping, make you not want to follow them, talented. The voices of angels. Pretty cool. Great atmosphere. Kinda divey but in the best way possible. CONS Only downside is the location, we had a hard time getting a cab from here. Also, one Saturday we came, our voiced prepped and excited for kareoke and they were having a private event and no kareoke! We were devastated. Super fun place!
(4)Erica M.
Wow Westy's - with so many "dive bars" with good food in the area, how on Earth do you keep up? Our dinner was bad...and insanely expensive for what it was. $12 for a Wendy's-sized burger on a Wendy's-esque bun? And my California chicken club sandwich was pathetic - I don't need a whole lot of food - I'm a little girl - but I definitely left hungry. $74+ tip for 4 sandwiches and 7 drinks (and that includes the Hahnemann special for $2.50 drinks). Pretty pricey for less-than-mediocre food... Oh and by the way? We waited over an hour for our food? Yep. Over an hour. And we were one of 3 full tables...
(2)Kun C.
Went for a bachelor party. Over all wasn't a bad place. Friendly bartender. Karaoke. Fun environment. Was a little crowded.
(4)Renee B.
I used to work at 15th & spring garden from about 2010-2012 so I was familiar with West Tavern, or what used to be West Tavern. I used to go there for lunch to get the infamous Dirty Burger. I haven't been there since 2012 but have been craving one ever since. I decided I wanted to introduce my boyfriend to the Dirty family cause I knew his mind would be blown so we went there on a random Thursday afternoon. When we walked it there were about 12 people already there. We sat down after some hard stares and whispers. No exaggeration. Had time for both of us to use the rest room and the "waitress" still had not come over to the table. Being as though I had been here before I knew this was not standard procedure. I had to go to the bar where she barely acknowledged me and ask for a menu. Upon opening this menu I noticed it was different. Not an official menu but one that was made on a word document and placed in the holders to cover the original menu. I saw no "dirty" anything. No fries. No chicken. No burger. What is going on. When she finally made her way over I asked her about it and she muttered they don't sell them anymore and they were changing their whole menu. I knew in my heart that we should have left at this point but I figured we were here now and I was starving. She ask for our drink orders, I got a coke and my boyfriend got a beer. He first asked if they had any fruity drinks. She looked at him like he had 2 heads and gave a shrug. Then she said no they don't have anything. You're a "bar" and have no liquor? Ok. He ordered a beer. I ordered a cheesesteak. I know for a fact the menu said all entrees come with fries. Got my soda-flat. Got the cheesesteak with some kind of salad. Wtf? Who eats a salad with a cheesesteak. I didn't bother saying anything to the waitress because the icy reception we were already getting was not going to make me eat anything else coming out of that kitchen. Cheesesteak was juvenile. I ate and we had to ask for the check because who knows how long we would have been sitting there waiting. Paid and left. WILL. NEVER. RETURN. TO. THIS. BAR. If I could give it 0 stars I would have.
(1)Walter K.
The banner on the side of the building screams: "You may never eat elsewhere again!" Before entering, we wondered if it was because the food was that good, or that bad. I ordered the Dirty Burger, and asked for cheese, lettuce tomato. "No, sorry, we don't do that. The chef loves the flavors so much that he doesn't want anything on the burger, the taste just doesn't work right." Okay, sure, I'll take your advice. And what do I receive? I preformed, frozen burger cooked well (they didn't even ask about temperature) on a store bought white bun. With fries it came to $11. I can't tell what was worse, the quality of the food, or the price charged. The burger would barely beat a Big Mac in a taste contest. The fried cheese is also a miss, instead of the normal mozzarella sticks the bar serves fried cubes of cottage cheese. It sounds appetizing until the first bite. Avoid the food. Inside, the bar is a bit run down, it's a dumpy sports/karaoke bar with a ton of TVs. Service was average, the draft list is okay, and beer prices were fine (they serve pitchers). Bottom Line: If West Tavern embraced the "no class" attitude the place exudes, they might be able to succeed. But West Tavern tried to be unique and sophisticated and fails on every front.
(2)Liza G.
Currently working on a $2 plate of fried pickles (tonight's special - 5 large, delicious spears) and a $6 pitcher of beer. Husband wanted buffalo wings, but when he found out the chicken fingers were a special, they offered to coat them in buffalo sauce. Awesome.
(5)Jason A.
If you liked Westy's when they were actually called Westy's, you won't like the place now because they've cleaned up their act by about 25% or so. If you didn't like them before because you couldn't handle the semi-scuzziness...don't worry, you still won't like it, because they still have a ways to go before becoming a legit establishment. So what are they trying to do? Become a restaurant? Stay divey? Something in between? Let me just say "in between" doesn't work, because it just alienates everyone. The no frills "dirty burger" is just a meat patty slathered in a bbq-style sauce. No condiments, no cheese, just wet burger on a bun. Apparently they take pride in this, as they go into detail about all the things the burger doesn't have- as opposed to what the dirty burger actually is, and how it may be better that way. As of Spring 2012 they're charging 11 bucks for it; thievery despite coming with fries. The crowd is mixed and varies night to night. Expect to see a lot of jerseys during sporting events. Karaoke night is still fun but it seems forced, like they're reluctantly keeping a tradition alive. The closer you get to the bar the more "old man" the place seems, while the further out you go, the younger the crowd gets. Who knows why this is? They get a point for keeping the pool table though. Caution ladies: There's only one (1) toilet for you. Us men luckily get 3 stalls, none of which have barriers. So prepare to have your junk stared at while you pee. If you're looking for a place to start or finish your night with a cheap pitcher or two, I'd (sort of) recommend the place. But if you're looking for a good meal and good beer, I'd keep moving- nothing to see here. Too bad West Tavern can't decide which one they want to be.
(2)Anthony R.
This place is run poorly , the food is less than average , the owner is rude and miserable. Save your money.
(1)Stephanie H.
Westy's has a great dive bar atmosphere . . . one of those places you can just take over with a ton of friends. Their karaoke is always a great time as well. However, if you want good service, you have chosen the wrong place- the last couple of times I've been, they're consistently under staffed. They frequently run out of their beer special and certain liquors- on a saturday night! So word to the wise- keep an open mind when ordering or you might be very disappointed.
(4)Eric B.
Went here for a quick bite to eat during a business trip. What a surprise. The Dirty Burger was out of this world and the garlic hot wings were some of the best hot wings I've had. The food and drinks were top notch, highly recommended.
(4)Paul D.
I happened upon this place after arriving in Philly late at night and seeking a bar that was still serving food. Walked over from my hotel and boy am I glad I did. Kinda dive-y (they still manage your tabs by hand and ring them up in an 80's ish cash register) , with tons of beer taps to choose from. If you don't like dive-y local establishments, don't bitch about it, just go somewhere else. But the key is the food. This guy Ian Russo is a classically trained chef and brings a level of creativity and quality to "bar food" you just won't find many other places. This is Triple-D material, folks. Had their hottest wings for starters as I'm a chili-head. Wonderful quality (they cut their own wings, not get 'em out of a bag), very tasty, and legitimately hot. Then, based on the friendly barkeep's recommendation, I tried the 'Dirty burger'. As a recent reviewer suggests, at first glance (and smell) it seems basic and a bit odd--Ian's proprietary spice mix is quite aromatic and I wasn't an immediate fan. But once I bit into the burger, the flavors came together beautifully (think Reuben, another sandwich that is more than simply the sum of its parts). Slightly sweet, savory, I can't put my finger on it, but it just works. Before I knew it I had inhaled the entire burger and likely could have eaten another. Then the barkeep (Bill) introduced me to Ian, who was manning the grill. What a great guy--I chatted with him for 10 minutes about the food, and his background. Just a genuinely nice guy. Same thing with Bill... ended up sitting there for 3 hours or so just chatting away. If I lived in Philly, I would likely live in this place.
(5)Ali E.
Oh Westy's. I don't care if you have tried to clean yourself up some, you remain Westy's in my heart. Cheap beer, friendly service (if somewhat slow) and solid wings. There really aren't any other bars within a couple blocks of Drexel that appease me so, and it's great for groups. It can get really loud at around 7; if your tolerance is low stick to happy hour. Maybe not a place to go out of your way to check out, but if you're in the neighborhood and you're thirsty, it does the job.
(4)Bill M.
Meh! pretty average at best. And I'm not just saying that because it was an uncrowded sausage fest on the First Friday of the month. It was more like a uncrowded sausage fest that offered up mediocre games of pool, and Disturbed and Good Charlotte on the stereo system (Ugh!). It was also the second semi standard bar in Philly I've been to that didn't have Yeungling. Isn't their some sort of universal Philly code against that? Despite the above I am interested in giving here a shot on a Saturday night, because I have a good source who says that their Karaoke nights are supposed to be bumping. And he's a karaoke virtuoso like no other. But otherwise I think I can wait.
(3)Jose A.
Karaoke on thursday nights is pretty cool here, decent beer selection. Worth checking out if your a local. If your from out of town, there are way better bars and spots to hit up. and one more thing, you should get what I like to call "nacho fries" order chili cheese fries but ADD tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream :)
(4)Tom D.
It's ten and thirty pea em and your posse is ten deep and you are looking for a good time. Westy's might just fit your bill... Let me explain my rating: when you arrive with 10 people at a bar, you have to expect the bartenders to be a bit upset at you. I'd be pissed off, too. I can dig that. But seriously people, how is it that you handle 9 out of 10 of the people and leave poor Tom wishing and waiting to get his beer? Unconscionable! Then, throughout the night, the two bartenders were routinely poor servers of beverages. It got a little sad. Upsides: the karaoke (Thursdays and Saturdays from what I understand) is totally the cat's meow. I had a blast and so did anyone I know that shared the stage. Also, beer was pretty cheap: $3 bottles of lager makes it easier to make a fool of yourself...
(3)Angie F.
First off if you go here you MUST have a dirty burger. Alex, the owner, is super friendly and hospitable. You feel like you are at the neighborhood bar. This place is a must! For a low key evening with great food and friends, you must go to the West Tavern.
(5)Andrew B.
Great cheese steak, soft round bun, near perfect ratio of cheese to onion to meat, holds together very well
(4)Rob Z.
I guess they went through a change. Portions got smaller and just doesn't seem like a good place anymore.
(3)Bruce D.
Have to have that dirty burger, it's amazing. Strongly recommend stopping in for a drink and some great food!!
(5)Chrissy R.
Oh I love this place! Went here for the first time last night, because I wanted to try something new and it's only 3 blocks from my apartment (though in a slightly sketchy area). It was a load of fun. Chillaxing regulars and barmaid. 3.50 mixed drinks. Also the food wasn't bad. It was just normal food like you'd make at home--not like your mom would make, but like you'd do. Open a jar of some gravy add roast beef and white bread. I mean, it's nothing fancy but you can make mixed drinks at home too. My dining companion pointed out that despite having Guinness stuff on the wall, they actually have Beamish on tap. I wonder if they are part of the Guinness owns Fado myth/nonsense started by the Irish Pub years ago. I know they've got karaoke several times a week but I've not ventured down for that yet. May have to go tonight :)
(4)Adrianne J.
The "Dirty" Burger is the best! The sweet potato fries were a little too salty. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. I would definitely go back again.
(3)Maggie M.
So, growing up i always loved Westy's -- when my friends and i were underage, we could get served and we could watch the Phils (what more do you need?). Now that I am grown up, however, it had been many moons since I stopped in. When I heard Westy's got renovated I thought now would be the perfect time to revisit. The renovation seems to be entirely comprised of the menu and the name (although they also lost the fridge of quarts, 6-packs and 40s that used to be where the beer list chalkboard is now). The pool table is still there, but seems to have been leveled and re-felted (or else is completely new). The menu is amazing and their cooks are awesome! Will is nice and works hard to keep the menu fresh and exciting. They specialize in something called Dirty Sauce, which I did not try, but their wings were outstanding and their seared ahi was 4-star restaurant worthy... Service was damn good, during the afternoon shift, anyway: the barback is the son of one of the owners and is incredibly helpful and friendly-- have you tried the turkey burger yet? he swears by them!-- and the afternoon bartender (Melissa) kept a cold drink in your hand with no wait time-- I swear she had eyes on all sides of her head. Happy hour had cheap lagers (my only real requirement)... and the bouncer is *very* professional-- he is constantly walking around talking to people, and he's very nice so he's keeping things friendly but under control at all times :) his size and attitude very much inspire confidence... The one blue note to my lovely return to Westy's is that one of the co-owners, Alex, works as a bartender at nights (at least she did when I was there). She is a *lousy* bartender. Her treatment of and attitude toward my friend from the minute she took over the bar was so overwhelmingly rude that we had to sit and figure out what the hell was going on. I don't usually look for personal motives in treatment like this, but Alex's behavior was so over-the-top and such a real deal-breaker that we didn't have a choice-- my friend felt so self-conscious and uncomfortable that we actually had to leave. My friend is black, and since she was the only (visibly) non-white person in the bar at that time who was not employed there, we decided that it had to be racism-- there was simply no other "logical" explanation. Since our visit, however, I have read other reviews and talked to friends who still go there regularly, and I learned that Alex is known to pick out one person in a group (or one each in several groups), arbitrarily decide she doesn't like them and then provide pretty awful service to that individual. This kind of behavior from an employee would not normally and necessarily detract from the establishment's overall rating-- (maybe the owner/manager just didn't catch them in action yet)-- but this was the CO-OWNER! Such behavior is completely unprofessional and totally inexcusable. It really ruined what had been a great Friday for us and made me want to give them only 1 star... It's a real shame that this happened. It's still a great bar with really great employees and I liked being there as much as I did when I was 19 and 20 (even if I hate the new name). I so very much want to give them 2 stars because of Alex. But that doesn't seem fair to everything and everyone else working their butts off there. So, instead of the 4 stars that the ambience, food and employees deserved-- and which I had planned to bestow prior to the 6:30-7:00 shift change-- the owner absolutely ruined things and they wind up with only 3... Boo, hiss, Alex! n.b. I plan on finding out when Alex bartends and avoiding Westy's like the plague at those times... what really sucks about that plan, though, is that she's still the owner so the money I spend even when she's not there still supports her.... and that Sucks giant rotten eggs.)
(3)Brian K.
So this place has an identity issue... dive bar by location and inside (Ok, they updated the bathrooms) with pricey menu (burgers are $12-15) with no atmosphere to warrant pricing. For $45 I had 4 beers and "basket" of fries. For $7 the so-called basket was more like pomme frites (small waffle cone with a few dipping sauces). Give me a break, you are a corner dive bar. Decent beer selection but again pricey for a pint. Sure, if you have lots of hot girls or prime location, you can command such prices. You're a dive bar in City Center with no atmosphere. Definitely miss the old Westy's as at least it knew what it was.
(1)Caitlin C.
This the neighborhood bar where you feel at home. You won't find girls in glitter tank tops or Abercrombie boys mixing up cosmos's here. All you'll get is some excellent karaoke (these guys are pretty good) and local twenty somethings who've come from Finnegan's. You will also find the local old men who just sit at the bar and look sad. TIP: If it's late the kitchen will be closed, but just pay the chef $10 to make you some cheese fries.
(3)John H.
Food is amazing the Dirty burger is a must try!!? Little pricy but worth it the crowd is good all nights! Jukebox is awesome has everything u can imagine on it! Not to mention how friendly and nice the staff is they always greet you with a smile and hello def recommend this bar
(4)Kelly S.
If you're looking for a night at a dive bar, you've come to the right place. Sometimes you need a little dive bar fun, right? No-frills Westy's is located at 15th and Callowhill, close enough to walk from the City Hall area, but far enough from the usual night spots that it is truly a neighborhood bar. My friends and I spent a few nights here drinking cheap beer, watered down cocktails, and singing karaoke (after drinking enough to get up the courage to sing in front of some tough-looking regulars). My friends and I always have a ball here, although too many nights of drinking here will give me heartburn. If you're looking for a place to play pool and have a few cheap drinks with some mostly friendly Philly locals, Westy's is your place. If you want good quality drinks, pretty decor, or good food, then you should go elsewhere. Also, don't wear anything too nice. Although smoking is now banned in Philly (thank goodness), you still run the risk of ruining your clothes by having beer spilled on them by one of your intoxicated fellow drinkers. I speak from experience.
(3)Mike C.
I've walked by this place dozens of times on the way to and from work and never stopped in. As The West Tavern, as far as I read, it was a standard dive bar. However, I noticed a bunch of - outside, at least - "renovations," though I'm not sure you can consider an ugly round sign a renovation. Regardless, they have a huge banner proclaiming a new NY chef with his INFAMOUS DIRTY BURGER. I grabbed a menu off the sidewalk one day and read about this magical creation. No lettuce, no tomato, no onions, no ketchup, no cheese...nothing but...DIRTY SAUCE! Honestly this sounded rather awful, but today I wanted a burger and said, well, what the hell. So I'll focus on that for this review because that's why I went. They have a "Philly standard" tap list - macros and some assorted Victory, Flying Fish, Dogfish Head and Yards stuff. That's fine. They've got a unique dive bar type layout with a pool table and some tables and chairs on the floor, and jutting out into the middle of it nearly at room length, narrow with TVs for viewing on both ends is the presumably ancient bar. Cool setup, really, but the TV next to my head was really loud. The bartender was quick and really pleasant, so no complaints there. I got the original Dirty Burger with fries. I got the Dirty Fries with both Dirty sauces (I already hate the word dirty and have no idea what connotation the chef is going for with it.) Out comes the burger on what looks to be a bottom-shelf bun that was buttered. I wasn't given an option of temperature for my burger, but it is about medium-rare to rare. This could be fine if the burger didn't look like a flat puck of a frozen burger, and tasted like one was well. The renowned Dirty sauce tasted like a very thin, slightly sweetened BBQ sauce. If anything, it strongly reminded me of the sauce you get on government school cafeteria "ribz" crossed with government school cafeteria salisbury steaks. Basically, awful and tasteless and extremely generic. The fries were crispy and the dusting on them was good - basically a sort of spicy sweet, which was fine. The actual Dirty sauces provided with them were just as bad as the burger's - the red sauce tasted like watered down Heinz with a dash of sugar. The white sauce was an aioli with coarse ground black pepper in it. That's it. For $11, this was really poor and the hype, well, ridiculous. I might be back to try the wings most people seem to be in concurring with, but the whole "Dirty" shtick is really embarrassing, if not just for the name, but also when the end product is just that bad. That said, if you're looking for a dive bar north of City Hall, this might not be a bad choice.
(2)Hannah M.
Went here last weekend with friends for Karaoke. Really enjoyed it. The best part, though, was someone who doesn't work there (or does he?) It was Chuck, the singer, magician, and balloon maker. And don't forget good looking!
(5)George N.
No takeout beer here. Otherwise ok, kinda local place, mixed crowd, definitely low brow though.
(3)beck r.
Not only did I go to Philly from Brooklyn to get a "Dirty" but saw the episode of FOX 5. It was awesome all that was said was true. I am not a Burger lover but needed to try it. One of the best. It is worth the trip.
(5)