The Most Flavorful Cocktail Bars in Pittsburgh

Tapville Social - Wexford

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (95)

"3.5 stars. Tapville Social has locations across the U.S., and this one is locally owned and operated. The restaurant and bar serves foods, beers, wines, and other beverages. My husband and I ate brunch at this location in Wexford one time, and we had an overall "OK" experience. Please see my attached photos for the menus in August 2024. I had made a reservation through OpenTable, but we did not need it because many tables were available. An employee held a door open for us and courteously greeted us. Another employee was our waitress, and she provided timely and friendly service.They had given us a "Pour Pass" that we could use with our table-top tablet/kiosk to order, but instead the waitress took our order for beverages and foods.Here are my ratings for our foods and beverages:Mimosa flight - 4 stars - I received four flavors: classic, rose (my favorite because it was very sweet), mango, and blueberry. Lemon-ricotta pancakes - 4 stars - Five pancakes were topped with some syrup, cream, and blueberries. I would recommend adding more syrup, but I did enjoy the flavors.Bacon - 4.5 stars - These few slices of bacon were crispy.Fruit - 4 stars - The blueberries, strawberries, and orange slices were fresh. Loaded nacho tower - 2 stars - My husband ate these nachos. He described them as "cheap" and "suck." Please note that he requested no tomatoes. He would have preferred that more cheese be added and that the nachos be served warm rather than cold. I took a few bites, and I thought that they were OK. We did not use the self-pour taps, but dozens of beers, ciders, wines, etcetera were available."

Barry Dyngles

★★★★☆ 4 (231) • $$

"In town for class reunion. Last night together was dinner at Barry Dyngles. Wonderful layout, attentive & friendly staff. The food, the food!! If I see brisket, I'm ordering brisket. Wow! We had 4-6 apps at our table and each was as delicious as the other. Deviled eggs were my fave.Will be back on next visit."

Navarro’s Bar & Grill

★★★☆☆ 3 (35) • $$$

"Navarro's Chophouse is newly opened in Grove City and I took a large group to taste the new menu. Located in the former Cannon's Chophouse location, the Navarros have offered a very accessible menu with juicy steaks, burgers and pastas all with a bit of Spanish and Latin American flavor added in. The restaurant itself is quite nice inside. Outside there is a covered patio with a fireplace perfect for dining alfresco while the weather is nice. The service is also fantastic even while new. Kudos for everyone handling our crowd of 20 with smiles!I enjoyed the 12 oz Sirloin which was very tender and cooked perfectly to temp. All of the appetizers were delicious - especially the Papas Bravas and Fried Green Tomatoes. I heartily recommend Navarro's - not just for a special occasion but also for a fun night out and tasty meal on a regular day."

Bistro 303 Prime Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.1 (7)

"We had a fantastic experience here. We had a mixed party of kids and adults. They were accommodating to all. The bar drinks were very well made, each catered to our liking. The meals were prepared beautifully and carefully. Everything was delicious. The bruschetta was the favorite appetizer. The shrimp were huge! And the egg rolls were very good as well. The surf and turf was wonderfully displayed and delicious. The crab cake stole the show! The sea bass was great as well as the smoked filets. The salmon also got a raving review. The chef came to check on our party and told us about some of the items we had eaten. So friendly and passionate about his menu. Great addition to the Valley! I hope they keep it up! Highly recommend! We will return!"

The Goldmark

★★★★☆ 3.7 (38) • $$

"Good food in Lawrenceville isn't hard to find. There's a new amazing place, all the way down past the hubbub of central Lawrenceville that caught my attention; The GoldMark. For a "bar" that is trying to make a name for themselves in the food world, they sure have made their mark. (pun totally intended) My date and I stopped in on the very first day that the kitchen was open. We decided to order a few things and fight amongst ourselves for dinner. The order came to one Chicken & Waffles sandwich, one GoldMark Cuban, (I love the play on words) and the Mac & Cheese. Yowza. All the food! For $26, it was quite the steal. The Chicken & Waffles sandwich is made with a perfectly fluffy waffle; just a little sweet. The chicken thigh was fried and crisp, and the jalapeño/honey drizzle goodness was just right to top. It wouldn't be Pittsburgh if they didn't put coleslaw on it. This was just the right addition to pull the whole sandwich together. I'd like to go on record and say that I've never had a Cuban. However, this was a great first experience!! They use local rolls, and press braised pork, honey ham, house made pickles, swiss cheese, and a lemon aioli between them for an amazing first-bite (and every bite thereafter) experience. I'm not a pickle fan; but I loved these! I can't forget the Mac & Cheese. They make their cheese sauce in house (no cutting corners here), and then top it with Fritos. FRITOS. Yes, you read that right. It was a little slice/pile of heaven. I can't speak to the bar; because we were just here for the noms tonight, but their Beer & Shot tiers seemed pretty popular at the bar. They have a DJ every night that they're open, good old-school guys spinning on vinyl, hence the name The GoldMark. I'll totally be back to eat the other half of the menu and more! Happy Eating!"

Scratch & Co

★★★★☆ 4.2 (292) • $$

"One of the best brunches! Reservations on Resy are a good idea, as this is a popular spot. Street parking is available, as is food pickup. The menu has a selection of all the typical breakfast fares and doesn't disappoint. The Bloody Mary has a nice kick from the horseradish and is a little chunky. Small bits of pickled veggies are on the stick. Overall, a really good breakfast cocktail.The breakfast sandwich is served on brioche and I opted for an everything bagel. It came with a good egg to cheese ratio and nice pieces of bacon on top. The smashed potatoes with garlic aoli are a must. They have a nice crunch and are large enough to share.I will definitely be back!"

Emerson's

★★★★☆ 4.3 (96) • $$

"I don't know where to begin. This place is amazing!!! We sat right by the cozy fireplace and had a delicious meal of so many flavors. Our waitress was wonderful and service was quick! I can't rave about the vibe enough - you have to check it out. It's eclectic!The food: Meatballs. Get these. So tender and packed with flavor. I wanted another order. Mezze platter - so good. The toasted pita were perfect for the BEST hummus I've had. The whole chickpeas speak to both freshness and texture. So yummy, and I loved the accompanying crudités. Burrata - I couldn't shovel this down fast enough. It was so good, and I loved the peppers and arugula it came with. The combination of flavors was on point. Crab cakes - I hate when crab cakes are overloaded with lemon flavor, and thankfully Emerson's was not. Chunky crab pieces with a perfect salt level. Trust me - these are fantastic. The dressing it came with tasted like French dressing but with a nice slight heat. I had a pumpkin espresso martini, and tis the season for sure; I chugged this! It was so good. Tiramisu dessert was the perfect night cap. Perfectly done. Come here, folks. You'll make your next reservation while eating your dinner. What a great meal!!!"

De Fer Coffee

★★★★★ 4.5 (264) • $

"Always love De Fer! Their coffee is amazing and so obviously their drinks are delicious too. Love that they make all of their own syrups! One of my favorite food items is the breakfast panini - it is seriously so good. It's made on homeade everything seasoned English muffin & it has a great crunch. The creamy miso chili crispy sauce on it is to die to! I recently tried one of their smoothie (blueberry almond banana) and it was delicious! The vibe of the cafe is amazing and always super busy. All of the staff is really friendly. They have a great happy hour and several cocktails, wine and beer too."

Martorano's Prime - Pittsburgh

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (95) • $$$$

"Before ordering ANY pasta dish, be aware of the fact there is only ONE single way they cook their noods: rare al dente plus. This means that if you like to eat your pasta cooked and edible, don't waste your time. The server and manager explained to us that it is a strict kitchen rule that is enforced - no allowance to customize since they will only make it one way. The toppings, sauce and everything else was fine but what good would it be without eating the virtually uncooked pasta with it? Might as well not even include pasta in my opinon!What I did enjoy were a few times I did their happy hour (in the evening during the weekdays after 9pm) with their wings, garlic fries and cheesesteak."

Sabi's

★★★★★ 4.5 (22)

"We visited Sabi's after 2 local breweries recommending this place! We were not disappointed! The service was excellent ! Special shout out to Gage for the great recommendations and service ! Everything was delicious! Would definitely return to try other menu items because everything sounded delicious! The place is very nice inside and has outside dining options!Brewery recommendations were from ... Ill Will which is just minutes from Sabi's,and Birdfish just a few miles down the road! We HIGHLY RECOMMEND visiting all three! If you're interested in a great cider Sundog Cider house is also amazing!"

Alta Via Market Square

★★★★☆ 4.3 (114) • $$$

"This was our first time here and we had a lot of decisions to make! Service was wonderful, very attentive to our needs. The small booths make the room feel intimate and special, and although our date night was surrounded by other couples it felt like we were alone just the two of us :) okay so drinks, we got the sangria and mule, second round was sweater weather martini and old fashion. Food we got chopped salad (highly recommend as a starter) and 3 pastas to share as 1/2 sizes. Our absolute unanimous favorite was fusilli- it is a CANNOT MISS! Definitely a good amount of food for 2 people with little leftover."

Ruby’s Winehouse

★★★★☆ 4.3 (58) • $$

"This place was highly recommended Nestled on a face cliff roadside this restaurant is easy to miss and parking can be quite intimidating. I'm not a local so not sure how busy the road can get put a newbie like me might have to make a u-turn. We came on a Wednesday night it wasn't too busy we found parking right away and after taking in grandmas quaint little porch and walking through the front door we was greeted by the bar and a hostess came out and seated us immediately. There was outside seating but we sat inside taking in all the wonderful wine and whiskey the house has to offer. The special was grilled chicken farrafelle (spelled like how I said it lol) and zucchini fries which I ordered. Their food menu is limited to maybe two pages and the restaurant of the book was dedicated to wine. I ordered the bouquet flight and a glass of the one I liked the most. Our food was delicious that all I can say and the zfries had the best crunch and squishy ratio than any I've ever tried."

Streets On Carson

★★★★★ 4.5 (173) • $$

"I had the cheesesteak. It was amazing. The flavor was great roll was perfect. The Cajun fries were the best. Alexis was a fantastic server. Very attentive and helpful."

Steel Mill Saloon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (131) • $$

"I stopped in a couple weeks ago to have a nice cold IPA on a super hot day after showing my gf one of my favorite places in the city for the first time, the Duquesne incline observation deck. I always try to stop in here and enjoy a refreshment while on the hill checking out the views or before and/or after having dinner at one of the many great restaurants on Mt. Washington. It's a great little spot with good food, great drinks, and a wonderful atmosphere. The service wasn't that great on the day we went, but I get it the hill was packed with many wedding parties it seems and I know how those people can take a toll on you. Either way, I've had many great experiences here and I recommend it no matter what."

Seafood Tango

★★★★☆ 3.7 (42)

"I never had a seafood boil before, but this was excellent! We got the large seafood platter and split it amongst the three of us. It was a Tuesday evening. The service was great. The waitress was attentive. She asked what seasoning and level of spice we wanted. The snow crab, whole scrimp, and crayfish were fresh. The mussels and clams were a bit tough. Still, everything was seasoned nicely. We should have rolled the bag to disperse the seasoning retrospectively. The location has adequate parking off of Route 19, close to the outlets and casino. The ambiance inside is open and bright."

The Factory South Shore

★★★★☆ 4 (34)

"Breakfast during our friend's wedding weekend here was so much more than just a meal - it was a delightful experience thanks to our amazing server, Betina. We've traveled extensively and truly appreciate great service, and Betina's was top-notch. From her warm greeting to her incredibly attentive service, Betina's beautiful joy and genuine kindness shone through. She's one of those rare people who clearly loves what they do, and it's contagious! She made us feel so welcomed and valued each morning, going above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed with a smile. We will absolutely be back (especially for Steeler games!) and a huge part of that is knowing we'll hopefully be greeted by the wonderful people, especially Betina, who made our breakfasts so memorable. If you're lucky enough to have Betina as your server, you're in for a treat!"

Tap 814 Speakeasy

★★★★☆ 3.6 (102) • $$

"Oh man I don't know how anyone can't enjoy this place. The cocktails are very good. Any staff I have interacted with are friendly, helpful and accommodating. The food, well, THE FOOD!!! I end up ordering a bunch of appetizers because I can try more at once when I'm there. Truly a good place you should check out!"

Red Horse Tavern

★★★★☆ 4.3 (113) • $$

"Fantastic. We had a larger party so got to try a lot of things on the menu and it was all spectacular. The tavern stew was delicious, The pork chop, amazing! Love the pretzel bread and their signature banoffie pie was to die for. . My only criticism is our waitress seemed annoyed for some reason but she still took excellent care of us. This place is well worth the visit"

Acacia

★★★★☆ 4.3 (204) • $$

"This is the best place to get a cocktail in the south side! The bar is small and hidden, so it is very easy to walk past without even realizing it. The staff are amazing and super friendly here. My friend and I were greeted the second we walked in on a busy Saturday night. The bartender gave us water right when we sat down at the bar and continued to fill it throughout the night without us even asking. The drinks they made were also very good. They have an apple cider punch on the day we went for $6 a glass. Very reasonable price for a great cocktail, definitely the best price I've seen at a cocktail place."

Muddy Waters Oyster Bar

★★★★☆ 4.4 (801) • $$

"Great service and good food. The chargrilled oysters were almost identical to the ones I had in New Orleans. The banana foster bread pudding is out of this world!"

The Rebel Room

★★★★☆ 3.8 (41)

"Pretty good breakfast- especially if you pre-paid for it. I will say, the first morning we showed up at 8:30 and were served lickity split. But when we showed up at 9:30 (30 minutes prior to the end of the breakfast window) - there were a lot of people trying to get the waiter's attention. It was pretty tense."

LIFeSTYLE Altus

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"Stopped here on Saturday night for dinner. A newer place in town, the building looks like a new build with plenty of room to grow, an elegant lit bar, lounge area for those who are waiting in the back, and open ceilings.We sat near the window and waited for service for quite awhile until a manager (hat, glasses, tie) came over and apologized and sent a waitress to us.We ordered a margherita flatbread to share as an appetizer. This was good - I would have liked to have more basil on the top - whether more of the chopped or whole leaves. This really adds to the margherita style of pizza. Overall good - and highly quality cheese. I ordered the cacio de Pepe for my entree which comes with a house salad. The salad dressing was good - a light dressing and the lettuce had almonds and cranberries on it. The cacio de Pepe was very good - the pasta was cooked properly and the flavor was on-point. Very good take on an often-overlooked dish. For dessert, I ordered the blackberry cheesecake - which was good, but the bottom crust was way too thick and was hard to cut with the spoon even with me applying all the pressure I could. The waitress ended up taking the pizza off the bill for our wait at the beginning. She was attentive but there were some lulls in service where we could have kept the meal moving and cleared the table quicker for their benefit. Good place - worth a try!"

Voodoo Brewery Co. - Pittsburgh Pub

★★★★☆ 3.6 (70) • $$

"Great first meal for us in Pittsburgh! We tried the caprese pizza and the voodoo island cocktail. The restaurant was pretty empty when we went, around 1:30pm on July 4. We were glad they were open on the holiday. The pizza was delicious and we were stuffed with just that. We also got to try a bunch of beers as samples and got a pint of the white magick of the sun which was a spiced ale. It was delicious and we wanted to buy a case but they said they didn't have any left. Would go back to try other brews and other food!"

Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila

★★★★☆ 4.1 (58) • $$

"We've been meaning to try Tocayo since they first opened and finally got to recently. The staff is very friendly and helpful, when 2 veggie tacos were ordered with a side of rice and beans, an employee made sure to notify us that the rice and beans were not vegan in case there was any dietary restrictions. I've been a vegetarian for 30 years and have NEVER had that happen before! It was so cool for them to take dietary needs seriously and be proactive about them. The chips are really good, very substantial compared to other restaurants. The queso is really good too. We had the cauliflower and portobello tacos with side salad and chimichanga with rice. Everything was very fresh, very flavorful and absolutely delicious. We will definitely get their food again!"

The Cub Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (5)

"The biscuit sandwich was tasty and made to order and the baristas were friendly and knowledgeable! My cortado was good as well. If I had to critique something it would be the grits being super thin( I needed a spoon to eat them.) They would've been perfect if they had have been thicker. Will definitely stop by again."

Little E's Pizzeria

★★★★☆ 4.3 (94) • $$

"Every time I go to E's it's confirmed that their Pizza is Best in Town. My daughter is in Italy right now and when she visits Greensburg on the 6 of November she asked for E's over other restaurants in town"

The Forge

★★★★★ 4.5 (233)

"Great atmosphere and comfortable to hang out with friends. Great eclectic selection of foods with a scrumptious offering of small plates, especially for groups willing to share. Broad and interesting drink choices. Staff is very friendly."

Three Twelve Kitchen and Cocktails

★★★★☆ 4 (86) • $$$

"Stopped here on a Saturday night on a road trip to an undiscovered area in PA. Not a bad drive - it's crazy how places exist that you never know did. Seemed like an upscale place upon walking in - set in the downtown historic type district. There is street parking and a parking lot right next door so you shouldn't have any issues with that. They have a bar area, a seating area and then a larger seating area. We were sat in the large area and ordered a couple drinks. I went with the penne Alfredo with chicken which is something I maybe order once every few years - but this was good. I liked the flavor and the waitress - though at times aloof, was nice. Had the cheesecake for dessert which was okay. Would come back if in the neighborhood."

Buenatarde

★★★★☆ 4.3 (52)

"We were here on a Sunday night, only a few tables in the whole place. The waiter was great! He was attentive and very nice. The food was AMAZING, and this is coming from people who are Mexican and live in Mexico! My mother is VERY PICKY and she loved it.The carne asada is TOP NOTCH!And the quesadillas de carne or pollo for kids are also great. The street tacos with carne asada are quite the dish. Congrats for wonderful food!"

Butcher and the Rye

★★★★☆ 4.3 • $$$

"Excellent all around. Rye/cayenne mule was excellent but the dirty pasta is not to be missed. Period. The recipe for it is also online, and it takes a long time to make, which is worth it if you've had it at the restaurant, because you'll remember how good it was and look forward the whole time to what you are about to eat. Service was also excellent. It's a little loud, but there are intimate spots throughout if that is why you are eating out. But if you want intimacy, make the meal at home for the third date..."

Bacon, Bourbon & Beer

★★★★☆ 4.1 (80)

"Stopped here for lunch. Was not very busy surprisingly. Service was prompt and friendly. They appear to have a well stocked bar as the name implies. I had a turkey club with fries. Very good, would definitely get again. I suspect most of their sandwiches are pretty good. Their ranch and blue cheese also very good. The steak salad was pretty good as well. Food prices were reasonable for what you get. I would definitely go back."

Gordo's Tacos & Tequila

★★★★☆ 4 (162) • $$

"While up in the Grand View area we stopped in here for a cool drink and their margarita menu caught our eyes... They use freshly juiced fruits in them (grapefruit, lime, etc), which is my preference for a marg. We got a regular margarita (lime) and a grapefruit. The grapefruit was great! Flavorful and fresh - both definitely helped cool us down and tasted great. The menu looked decent, but we weren't hungry. Service was mediocre, the bartender helping us seemed pre-occupied with other tasks. The place is decent, sort of an industrial vibe to it.It would be worth stopping back in again, maybe trying their food too. Very walkable from the Grand View overlook area (the Mon incline, etc)."

Thorn Hill Tap House

★★★★☆ 3.7 (290) • $$

"My husband and I came here for dinner before our movie date. The atmosphere was great, service was excellent and the food was delicious. The only picture I got was of the outside because I was so hungry I ate before my phone did but overall great spot, will return."

Apres Ski Bar at Butcher and the Rye

★★★★☆ 4 (22)

"Had a truly fabulous time at Apres Ski! It's the perfect place to go for a romantic date night or a gathering with friends to feel like you're up in a chalet at a ski resort. The decor was a lot of fun and really added to the experience. I was lucky enough to purchase a "ski pass" when it was on sale, meaning it was easier for me to snag a reservation and we got a bottle of Moët! The food and drinks were all fantastic. My favorite would have to be the fondue (soooo many delicious dippers!) and honestly all of the drinks were tasty and perfect for winter weather. One was like a hot toddy, served in adorable tea china. They accept some walk ins, usually right when they open at 5, but I would try to make a reservation if you're looking for anything later than that or with a larger party (they will only seat up to 6 people so be sure to narrow that guest list to your favorite ski buddies.) And if you want to feel like you're in college again, definitely do a shot ski! Cheers!"

A J's Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (30) • $$

"Have been here several times. This is a great gem in Vandergrift. I have only had "bar" food and have never been disappointed. Food is good, beer is cold and service is terrific."