Bottlerocket Social Hall

...this was copied from a blog. I did not write it but I concur...The BottlerocketI don't know anything about the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Allentown other than I once spent New Year's Eve at Alla Famiglia with a group a friends including a woman who bitched about the size of the amuse-bouche ... I think we all know she just wanted everyone to know she was familiar with that term. We get it. You took French in high school, too, Katie.I'm driving up the hill much more slowly than is typical for me because of these damn slippery trolley tracks. Honestly, it's the one thing that precluded me from buying a house on Mt. Washington. You can all me crazy all you want, but I'm a texture person, even if said texture is under literal tons of steel and rubber. My Princess and the Pea-ness (heehee) isn't about being high maintenance, instead it's that I'm hypersensitive to well, everything, and if something feels off? YUCK. Immediate ick, I think the kids say. Or skibidi Ohio. Or something.I pass what seems to be a quiet police station with a hot dog cart out front, and Waze tells me I've arrived."Yes," I think, knowingly nodding my head. "This is how every good comedy show begins. Arriving at a venue that is inexplicably weird and right." Yet, cops and comedy don't seem to mix from what I've witnessed. The hot dog cart welcome wagon, though? Perhaps this place is on to something."What do you want from the bar?" My friend texts."Cab." I reply."They don't sell wine here."...I'm annoyed. It's a Thursday night and I had planned to see Geoffrey Asmus, my body filled to the brim with my favorite potion."They have champagne, though." My buddy offers.Redemption.Champagne makes me feel fancy. The cold, gold sparkles always infect me with their effervescence. And I don't care if it tastes like carbonated piss water. I was made to drink bubbles and gasp as they snatch my breath....The Bottlerocket is a real gem. Hidden in broad daylight, this unassuming venue is everything a comedy creep like me could ask for. As I walk past, a friendly, quiet man selling hot dogs acknowledges me, but I'm not ready for the scene inside.3 ... 2 ... 1 ...Whoosh! I open the door and inside it's bustling. The energy within the building could not be more counter to the quiet, dark, muggy night outside. A most personable woman greets me at the front, welcoming me into the show as though it's her own home, and I know at once, because of her, that this is where I should spend my free time. She is the antithesis to the Gen Z's who stare at you, mouth agape, not knowing how to communicate or make change when you enter the place in which they work.I feel like I'm entering a most miraculous circus, one where there's surely a man with a top hat is about to usher me to my seat with a sweep of his hand.The walls are an alarming, familiar, and delightfully disturbing red and black pattern, and I am hopeful that I'm about to witness a creep show.The Bottlerocket and its talents do not disappoint.Death!Dying!Dancing!Freddy Mercury!Mustaches!Mensa!The openers - from "new-to-me" to "dude-I've-seen-him-before-you'll-love-Senneca-this-guy's-irreverent-af" have us hype for what's coming, and our headliner does not disappoint.The energy from the stage is palpable. Those seated next to us in both groups and singles are equally comfortable, and this speaks to me in volumes as I'll never miss a show just because my friends are not drooling as hard as me to get their next comedic fix.And it's the venue and its people - both performing and behind the stick - you need to thank for that. Welcoming a person walking in on their own as fabulously as I was, as if I was THE person they were waiting for? That's a gift. One that's always the right texture.

Lol. That's all I gotta say but also much more.If you're a single Gen Z girl who wants to dance awkwardly in a circle with her friends and pretend you went to a cool bar/club hybrid thing with a late 00s early 10s Millenial hipster vibe the come here. However, it's not cool, the bartenders are rude, and it's trying so hard to be a flashback kind of "dive" when there are real, legit Pittsburgh actual dives you could otherwise frequent. It gets a 2 instead of a 1 because the DJs are really good and the theme nights are kind of fun. It's just the scene it attracts is very mid.

Step beyond the doors here and it is like a trip back in time to the 70's. The club is fun, but feels like a retro throwback in its original, never modified decor. They have a lot of tasty drink specials and some basic food offerings. The events are a funky mishmash of different concerts and cultural offerings throughout the week. The performance area is small and very basic, but works.

I took my husband here for a holiday event and it's so cute! In the theater area, seats have QR codes so you can order drinks without missing a thing -- staff will bring them to your seats. We really enjoyed the event here and would definitely come to another!

I loved this place! They had a great vibe and a great aesthetic. I loved how it was retro with old tvs and memorabilia all around. They have a great tap selection too! The service was friendly and fast and they have hotdogs that vary. They like to invent different types. They also have different themed nights which is pretty cool. When I went it was a live band. Highly recommend.

This place is lots of fun. The topics are often the right kind of nerdy, and end up being quite enjoyable. If I lived closer, I think the monthly $5 membership would work out really well.They have East End Big Hops on tap, which is a big plus for me.There's comfortable seating by the stage, so get there early to grab those seats. Otherwise, you can watch on the smaller screens at the bar.There's usually a Q & A, which can be quite fun, and it's fun to meet people with a common interest.Parking is a bit tricky, there are 2 signs to help you find the lot, but one got stolen, however they will be replacing that sign shortly.

Bottlerocket has become one of my favorite places in Pittsburgh over the last several months.I've now been here for several events, including a few Rick Sebak appearances, a dance night, and I have tickets to a concert at Bottlerocket later this month.Ticket and drink prices are pretty reasonable, and there are various cocktail specials depending on the season.It's a smaller, somewhat intimate space, but I think that's part of its charm. I love that the owners kept the retro look going with it's wood paneled walls and vintage signage. The servers are always sweet and warm, and it's easy to chat it up with strangers like they're friends.The parking situation can be a little tricky. The spots allotted for Bottlerocket patrons are somewhat limited, but there's usually spaces open on Warrington Avenue or a nearby city meter lot.It definitely has an old school Pittsburgh kind of vibe to it, which is becoming harder and harder to find anymore. Support them!

I love love love this place!!70s throwback vibe that's so welcoming and comfortable. They've only been open since June 2022 and already have a great following. Lots of my friends bands play here, they have movie nights, standup comedy and so much more. The staff are the coolest people too. Genuinely friendly and fun to talk with, like old friends or family.Cocktails are insanely delicious and super affordable...especially during happy hour when they're only five bucks. Can you believe that?I'm seriously in love.Fun bar food too. Hot dogs and snacks. Cheap and good. My only complaint is that they aren't located in my neighborhood. That's not too terrible though because there's a bus almost right from my doorstep here. Win-win.

What a cool place with fun staff, vibes, and drinks!! A friend and I wanted to try this place and it didn't disappoint. The holiday drink menu was everything and more! Also, who can best $5 during happy hour?!? The staff was super friendly and warm. I love good programming so we stayed for a glimpse of trivia night. Parking is a little difficult and can be tight, but once you park the car--it's so worth it! I can't wait to go back!

Came here from out of town to see Patrick Hinds for his book party tour. We Ubered in from Green Tree (from a hotel as we're from out of state) and had no problem finding the venue. Doesn't appear to be in the greatest of neighborhoods, but there's a police station basically next door and we didn't feel unsafe at any time. The venue was the perfect size for this type of event. The bar is there as soon as you walk in, with the stage area further in. They serve standard neighborhood bar liqours and beers, as well as, hot dogs and chips. You can get regular hot dogs or they have a few varieties. My friends and I actually had 2-3 each, and all were good. Bartenders were friendly and doing a good job. They also have the option of ordering from your seat using a QR code card. We didn't test that out, and the seating was general admission, so I'm not sure how that works. There's some history and character to this place and we enjoyed the show. I would see something else here if it presented itself.