Mouthwatering Lounges in Pittsburgh

Mel's Pizzeria

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (24) • $

"Typical Western PA fare in a dive-bar atmosphere. The white pizza was really yummy. The crust was a bit chewy but overall it had good flavor. We got two extra large pizzas for our group for only $17, which I thought was a pretty great deal. I went on a Monday night and they had a 50 cent wing special, with a minimum order of 6 wings. They were the whole wing, and fried very crispy, just how I like. Also, they were having a special on Yeungling, and a bottle was only $1.50!!! For inexpensive bar food, Mel's cannot really be beat!*They also offer a nice selection 6 packs to go which is super convenient if you're grabbing food to go!!!!"

Poetry Lounge

★★★★★ 4.9 (8)

"Great love music, friendly bartender, creative strong cocktails. Drinks to suit a wide range of budgets and tastes."

Caribbean Fever Restaurant

★★★★★ 4.5 (2)

"Definriely a very nice Caribbean restaurant. I thought the prices were very reasonable, the portions were great, and the flavors were pretty much on point. I tried several items, including the brown stew chicken, rice and peas, cabbage, and the beef patties.The brown stew chicken was delicious. I got it in the large size and it was indeed quite large. The chicken is seasoned well but not too spicy. It's tender, and although I tend not to like dark meat, I really enjoyed it from this place. They served it with potatoes, which were nicely cooked, and carrots, which went really well with the sauce.You get 2 sides with your meal so I choose the rice with peas and the cabbage. The cabbage was very flavorful and just tasted homey. Several other vegetables mixed in too. They gave me a ton of rice and peas, which is great because I thought it was delicious. Soft rice, especially with the chicken, just mixed perfectly. Delicious, delicious, delicious.The beef patties were also very tasty. The inside is in a way almost creamy. It's filled with juicy meat, and the outside stayed nice and crisp. Very nice.All in all, definitely a great place. One of the better Caribbean spots in Pittsburgh for sure. I'd order delivery from them again (I think they are delivery only)."

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!!!"

Edwards Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.9 (83) • $$

"We were in town for a reunion and this place seemed the best choice of all, based upon our hotel location. There weren't too many non-chain options, but we found one!We were able to make online reservations and then went on the trip to find it! PA is hard to navigate with their hills and tiny, tiny road signs. Thank goodness for Google Maps!We parked in their very full lot, which is always a good sign! Plus, the cars were very high end, so we thought it must be really good. Once we checked in, in person, they said they would text us when ready. True to word, 20 minutes later we had a great private table by the bar. I was so happy! Our server was so obliging and polite. He heard all our asks and delivered. For me, service makes all the difference and when there is none, I get quickly upset. He was on point!Food was delicious, not overpriced, and I would advocate this place for any out of towners! Enjoy!"

Jimmy Wan's

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (388) • $$

"Great place for sushi in the area. Love the happy hour and special menu. Big portions of entrees great for a big family get together. Attentive staff and decent wine selections."

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."

Abbey's Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.6 (42) • $$

"Sat outside in the tent due to Covid crap. Inside, well the whole place was packed so service was slow, and the prices were pretty high by WV standards. The drinks were right sized, cold and good mix/flavor. 4 us and not a complaint at all. Shrimp, Mussels, fried pickles, salads, hamburger and sausage sandwich, lobster ravioli were all very well done. Fresh bread, sides and apps all good. Nice onion rings too, but ours came out cold due to the slow service. Worth a shot...just go when it's slow."

Lula

★★★★☆ 3.9 (130) • $$

"Excellent place for lunch and dinner! Their ribeye burger might be THE BEST I've had in the entire area. Smokey, rich beef flavor and just the right size for lunch. Also, their breaded citrusy cod bites with garlic aioli are fantastic! #yumFinally, their French onion soup is delicious and tops off a great lunch in a warm, inviting atmosphere ~ lounge style seating around the bar. Dessert: Tiramisu!A great place to indulge in a drink, or two and enjoy a hot and hearty delicious meal!"

Albert's Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.9 (14) • $

"You can't really go wrong with Alberts. It's a decent dive bar with cheap drinks, a pool table and a jukebox. I've been here several times with local friends & always have a good time. They do not serve any food, so eat before you go. Also don't go here if you are looking for a hipster bar or night life, this is a classic dive! There is usually only 1 bartender, but never a problem getting a drink. If dive bars are your style, check out Albert's!"

Riverstone Lounge & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.8 (6)

"Great local place to grab a good meal. Meals are priced right and are prepared well. All the burgers and sandwiches were great that I've had so far! This place should continue to do well as its the best value in the river valley!"

Starlite Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (63) • $

"Starlite pierogis are still my favorite. Huge!!! And it's fun to just buy them frozen to make at home. Starlite has been spruced up over the years, but it's still old school Pittsburgh dive. Lots of regulars. Lots of older folks. Service can be very slow. Only one cook, often Moondog himself (check out Moondog's next door for the best blues bands around-cash only bar there). But the prices are CHEAP for the amount of food you get. I got a big grilled chicken salad that came with grilled chicken, grilled peppers, onions & mushrooms over lettuce & tomatoes & pepperocini. I got a large Tito's & soda & my tab with tax was $16! So there's that. So even if you watched the TV show with Guy Fieri don't come here expecting some fake shi shi dive, this is real true Pittsburgh people & food & an actual dive. I've never had bad food, just very slow service, so always allow over an hour for dinner."

The Grouse's Nest

★★☆☆☆ 1.7 (3)

"Service was very good - I got the caprese chicken and subbed broccolini for pasta. Was very tasty high quality food - but was barely room temp. Not a lot of chicken but huge serving of broccolini."

The Backstage Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (31) • $$

"Has anyone ever seen that episode of Portlandia where Andy Samberg plays a mixologist (or "bartender" however you look at it) and ends up quitting to move to California? My experience at The Backstage Bar was very close to that entire episode (YouTube it if you have to, it's a great sketch) and I mean that in the most endearing way possible. When we arrived, happy hour was going on. Sadly, there wasn't really anything that I wanted, so I had a hard cider. There were tons of signs on the wall about all of their signature cocktails, so I knew I had to try one. Some girl sitting there was having an orgasm at the drink that the bartender made her saying it was the best drink she ever had. I asked the bartender what he made for her that she was freaking out about and he just looked at me deadpan and said "I have no idea." At that moment, I knew he was going to be my favorite bartender ever.I asked for one of the drinks on the wall and he said "You don't want that one. It's not that good." I appreciated his honesty, because who wants to spend $7 on a sh*tty drink? He told me he could make me something better and he did. He made me some sort of pomegrante martini with juices and liquors that I can't recall. It was divine -- absolutely perfect. After the bar cleared out, we got to talking to Kevin and we told him we were from Chicago. We started talking about different things to do in Chicago, Lollapalooza and the music scene. He made me laugh all night and was such an expert on Pittsburgh history and culture. Seriously, he made me ashamed that I don't know just as much about my own city.In the episode of Portlandia, Carrie ends up following the bartender to California. This is exactly how I feel. I mean, how crazy would I be if I went back to Pittsburgh just to have Kevin make me a drink again? I don't know but don't think it hasn't crossed my mind at least once."

Club Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.9 (74) • $$

"This is one of those venues that's just the right size! I came here for a concert and had a great time. There was minimal time between sets, lots of options at the bar, and the bathrooms were clean--what more can you ask for?One thing to note is that they are CASH ONLY (both for tickets at the door and at the bar)! You can also buy tickets online, though. One downside of the small, intimate size is that there's nowhere to put your coat, so you may want to go without in the winter months. But overall, I would definitely recommend checking Club Cafe out!"

Parlay Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.7 (32) • $$

"I typically do not expect bar or lounge food to be that great however Parlay has several menu items that I enjoyed.Ribeye steak - very well marinaded but be sure not to order it beyond medium or it will be tough to chew.Onion rings - really crispy!Calamari tastes good and the dips are okay.What took me by surprise mainly was the hamburger with cheese and bacon. Meat is juicy and the bacon was crispy as we requested.There is a sushi option but trying a few rolls did not yield any positive reaction.Bonus: it is next to the casino ."

El Botanero Insomnia Mexican Bar And Grill

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (21)

"As an interracial couple, we were met with racism. As soon as we walked in, we were glared at. I was the only Caucasian there. My husband said he had a bad feeling. We were told to sit wherever. Waited 10 minutes and was not given menus. 3 other gentleman walked in right after us, was given menus and drinks right away. I had to take the menus from the bar. It took another 10 minutes to receive a margarita. We placed an order for fries with cheese and meat. The menu was mostly fish and didn't have the normal food selection but decided to try something anyway. The margarita wasn't great and not strong. Another 2 tables got their food before we did. Again, we only ordered fries. My husband said he has experienced this in the past. Certain communities do not approve of marriage to other races and will be treated differently and shunned. Finally after a good 20 minutes our fries arrived. He stated if they come out cold, this would be a perfect example of discrimination. They were ice cold. They had to be just sitting in the back. We immediately asked for the check and left as soon as possible. We were stared at as we left. We ended up at another restaurant as the fries were not edible and we were still hungry. We do not tolerate any type of racism and will never be back."

John Anthony's Restaurant Lounge & Banquets

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (48) • $$

"Food is good, interior needs a lot of work. Visited right around Covid and the local community loves this place as a staple. Typical busy days of Friday Saturday evenings."

Dorothy 6 Blast Furnace Cafe

★★★★☆ 3.8 (266) • $$

"Food was pretty good. The steaks were grilled perfectly. 1 medium and 1 medium-well. The true Pittsburgh Pierogis lived up to the reputation. Service was crazy good. It was a slow night but, you can tell they hustle here. The neighborhood is sketch AF. Make no mistake. However, the place is spotless inside, renovated and very cozy. Soft lighting but not dark. And some TV's to watch the Pens!!!!"

The Spot Etc

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (20) • $

"Great happy hour specials. The chicken is my favorite. I wish they would bring back their chicken and waffles I would be there every weekend for brunch. The atmosphere is safe and friendly. I highly recommend this place."

Rocks Landing Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (13) • $$

"Stopped in here before a concert and was not expecting much based on the look from the outside. Despite this, my wife and I ended up having a great time. The outside area was a great setup for the nice weather. We sat outside, had some drinks, and talked to others waiting to go into the concert. The service was really great too. All of the bartenders and staff were super friendly and accommodating. Would definitely stop back!"

The Fireplace

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (21) • $

"just moved to the area and a decided to check this spot out with another couple. it was a Saturday evening and the place was filled with people. the bar and the restaurant had a nice vibe. very large menu with a lot of options but i went with what they're famous for the fish. my cajun broiled cod was delicious. it came with a side and either a salad or soup. the bread for the table as a loaf that came out hot fresh out of the oven. we will be going back again"

Magnolia & Pine

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (61)

"Magnolia and Pine was absolutely delicious. The pasta was to die for, I ate every last bite. It was the perfect portion. My husband said the calamari was okay. We sat at the bar and food came quickly. The decor in there is gorgeous. Can't wait to get back to sit outside!"

Coral Lanes & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (2)

"Been bowling here since I was a kid. Twelve lanes is perfect. Open bowling for a few hours on a Saturday. The owners are friendly, lanes are perfect, and place is clean. There is a bar too if you want a beverage while bowling. Happy to see I can still get a strike or two after all these years."

T N C's Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.8 (13) • $

"Tried this bar out for the first time two weeks ago and couldn't just leave it without a review. It was the best food I have had in a very long time since moving from California. Most of the bars out here are good but just aren't something to brag about or have very low quality food. However, TNC's food was not only delicious, but we'll priced. Too many times have I gone to a restaurant out here and the prices were either way too high for the lack in quality or just at that level where the saying, "you pay for what you get" works perfectly. I will definitely be going back to TNC's and would gladly recommend it to anyone looking for a good meal at a good price with good customer service. :)"

RBG Bar & Grill

★★☆☆☆ 2.2 (5) • $$

"I actually had a great meal here, contrary to what the previous diners posted. Clean, good service, hot fresh food. What more can you ask for at a hotel restaurant? They had kids meals and high chairs, too. A little pricey but I'd definitely eat there again."

Enzo's Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.1 (41) • $$

"Had a memorial lunch here in banquet and the food was spectacular! Pasta, chicken Marsala, sausage and peppers, green beans... everything was piping hot and absolutely delicious."

Wheelhouse

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (131) • $$

"Wheelhouse is a lifesaver. If you are in town and want a good meal after 9pm. Come to wheelhouse, because most restaurants close at 9-10pm even on weekend. Dinning area is huge. TVs on all the walls. Full menu of burger, sandwich, pasta and steak. $24.61 for a big bowl of chicken pasta with a salad is not bad in 2024. Taste better than some of the so call homemade Italian restaurant I been to. Pasta is just right, al dente. Service is good even they are busy at 10pm. Definitely coming back for more."

Mama Rosa's Restaurant & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.5 (69) • $$

"One of our favorite spots when we lived in town. I call to get a gift certificate for my mom a couple times a year and EVERY SINGLE TIME I have the best experience. I get no push back bc I can't "just come in and get it" and even better, they always offer to mail it to her themselves!It really means a lot to my family and me that your team steps up like that. Thank you!"

North Park Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.7 (226) • $$

"Decor is "American Pub" with a strong mom and pop sports vibe to it - perfectly good for a local night of not cooking. As for the food... Bruh - never would I EVER have guessed that *this* is the place to get THE best burger in the Burgh but WOW. Ever seen someone react to a crabby patty on SpongeBob? Yeah, it's like that. Bacon, egg and cheeseburger. every element of this thing is perfect It's like getting pizza in Italy or a croissant in France. Don't get me wrong, the rest of the food is really good (I live nearby and I'm a regular), but for real? Burger. OMFG!"

Emil's Lounge

★★★★★ 4.5 (84) • $$

"Excellent. Neighborhood gem. Best kept secret. Fish Fry. Friendly. Food is consistently good and fair prices."

Kelly's Bar & Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.6 (218) • $$

"Kelly's is exactly what I want in a neighborhood bar. It's small. It's dark. There is one side which hosts a massive rail and other intimate booths which run parallel. The music was on point all evening. We came after a Pirates game and it was slammed, after waiting for five minutes we got a table. The food here is homey. Massive portions and definitely proper pub food. Went with the fish sandwich, Cajun meatloaf and Mac and cheese. The fish sandwich is massive. It needs sauce, so make sure to coat the boat in provided tarter. The meatloaf had a nice kick and was smothered in perfectly cooked onions. The Mac and cheese was good, albeit not the most amazing and didn't live up to the hype for me. I would, however, order it again. If you're looking for a cool spot in a gentrified neighborhood, Kelly's is your go-to."

DeGennaro's Restaurant & Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (27) • $$

"Some of the best pizza around! I always have driven by and wanted to try it so on a Friday night while my wife and kids were out of town I ordered a large pizza for pickup. 30 minutes is what they said l.. it took less time to get there - about 20 minutes. The waitress was really friendly and went back and incidentally my pizza was just coming out of the oven hot and fresh. Got it home and it's really good. I'll definitely come back friendly people, nice atmosphere, clean restaurant. Thanks!!"

Char House on the Boulevard

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (58)

"Such a cute place! We were seated right away. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu. We had pulled pork onion rings and southwest spring roll appetizers that were both amazing. Ribeye and Salmon were also both a big hit."

Penn Society

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (17)

"The BEST espresso martini I have had in Pittsburgh. We stopped in right when they opened on a Friday night. I love the cozy and dark vibe and the comfy couch seating. The espresso martini was rich and chocolatey. It was truly divine. I'd love to come back here and experience it later at night while the DJ plays."