Piyola

Um Piyola is the full freaking package - price, ambiance, service , quality food. Holy freaking goodness. We ordered a bunch of starters and only one entree and every single thing we bought was absolutely delicious. Burrata magnificent, fresh, delicious, pair the cheese with the bread and holy freaking smokes and okay the bread wow I like actually can't put into words how amazing and fluffy and delicious the bread was. Then the samsas flaky crisp delicious.My do'ner sandwich was on that same soft delicate incredible bread. I think I found my new favorite restraunt like oh my goodness. And all these delicious carbs at an incredibly reasonable price. I literally can't even piyola has my whole heart. The wait staff was kind knowledgeable and the food came FAST I mean FREAKY FAST like you'd of thought we were in jimmy johns the food came out so quickly. And it was fresh and delicious. Honestly I am with a loss of words this place is delicious and I will be coming back to taste the menu - it is something different in the area and an absolute home run. Great job Piyola team and family you have really made something trulyagnificant

I'm being completely honest here, I do not understand the hype of this place. The food was fine but I've had tastier meals at other places similar to this. We had no idea that we needed to make reservations but we were able to get seated in the front area. The staff wasn't as friendly as I was expecting, based on all of the reviews. Maybe they were having an off day but only 2 of the servers were actually friendly and had a smile on their face. To start, the server asked if we wanted water with our meal. We said yes and she brought out a bottle that we had to pay for. She didn't even give us the option or state that there was a cost. That was something that threw me off. We ordered the Assorted Shish Kebobs and bread. The bread was nothing to write home about. Very yeasty and tasted like a bland bagel. The main dish was beautiful to look at so that made me excited but I was let down by the flavors. First, let me say that the meat IS fresh and they know how to cook each kind perfectly. The lamb chops were delicious and I wish we had just a plate full of those. Every other kebab tasted like cumin. We watched how they prepared the kebabs and how they added so much cumin to all of the meat. I couldn't get the smell of cumin off my hands for the rest of the night. The tomatoes were good and the rice was cooked nicely but had really no taste, the salad is just arugula with a couple tomatoes thrown on and you get two very small pieces of corn. The red onions were delicious and a nice reprieve from all of the cumin. The tomato consume was just crushed up tomatoes with spices. I don't know, I'm just really let down by this restaurant and I was hoping to really love it. I don't believe I will be going back for a 2nd visit unless someone else I'm with wants to.

4.5 stars. Piyola restaurant opened in 2024 and serves halal Uzbek foods. Please see my attached photos for the menu in January 2025. I had called the restaurant to make a reservation for lunch for two people for their opening time of 11 AM on a Saturday. The weather outside was very cold and snowy, and my husband and I stood outside for several minutes before an employee opened the door. I discovered that I did not actually need a reservation given the number of available tables. Things got better! The interior of the restaurant had a very beautiful interior design. The employees promptly and politely took our order, brought our drinks and foods, and at the end processed our payment. Please note that I have eaten Uzbek foods elsewhere for many years, so I am familiar with how they are supposed to taste. Here are my reviews for our foods:Beef samsa - 4.5 stars - This appetizer was a flaky puff pastry that was filled with minced beef and onion and accompanied by a garlic-tomato sauce. It tasted very good. It was served at room temperature, so I would have preferred that it be hotter and slightly fresher/crispier.Mixed appetizers - 4.5 stars - This cold sampler appetizer was a very large size, so we had leftovers to take home. It consisted of two breads (pita and naan), three dips--hummus, labneh (yogurt with herbs, olives, and olive oil), and eggplant spread (tomato-based sauce with eggplant, peppers, carrots, onions, garlic, and dill)--and eggplant rolls (rolled-up eggplant, tomato, cucumber, cheese, garlic-mayonnaise sauce, and herbs with a side of tomato sauce).Assorted shish kebabs - 4.5 stars - This entree is supposed to feed 2-3 people, and we had leftovers to take home. The shish kebabs came in multiple flavors: lyulya (minced/ground beef), chicken, beef, and lamb. We also received two lamb chops, rice, salad, and tomatoes. The meats were very juicy and nicely seasoned. The rice was cooked well. The vegetables tasted very fresh. Raspberry-mint tea - 5 stars - We received a large teapot of hot tea, and its raspberry-mint flavor tasted delicious. The total price was $101 *plus* a tip.

A month or so ago, I had the awesome opportunity to attend Hello Neighbor's Neighborhood Nosh event, with all food provided by immigrant and refugee owned businesses. That's where I was introduced to Chaykhana, and the owner mentioned they were about to open a second place in Mt. Lebo. This is that spot, in the site of the former Caspian Corner, and looking at former reviews all I can say is WOW, they have completely transformed this space. It's stunning, especially as you go to the back and see the surprise of the beautifully, warmly decorated dining room that you'd never guess was hiding back there.We walked in around 8:15 and they closed at 9, so it was really nice of them to still take us for dinner. And we were never once rushed. At our server's recommendation we started with a pot of raspberry mint tea to share which was a great starter on a cold snowy night. My friend is gluten free so we went with the potatoes and mushrooms for an app and they were delicious, with the crispiest potatoes! I also couldn't resist trying the hummus which I like to try everywhere and it was very good, with a hint of curry to it. The bread was thick and I prefer a thinner pita but that's minor.On to our dinners and when I mentioned I was vegetarian, our server pointed out several options but didn't hesitate to recommend the mixed veggies as the best one. I went with that and was not at all sorry. A beautiful, fresh and filling plate and I had plenty left for the next day (when I think it tasted even better). My friend got the Uzbek Plov which she enjoyed.Our server was extremely attentive and the owner came around to make sure we were happy with everything. This is a beautiful space and they clearly care very much about the food and customer experience. I'm sure we'll be back!

Very tasty food and friendly staff at Piyola! My husband and I visited for Valentine's Day with a dinner reservation. They were completely full, and we did have to wait about 10 minutes for a table to open, but they did lead us into the back dining room once it was ready. The space is very lovely and well-decorated, but the tables are quite close together and the sound ECHOES, so it wasn't the most intimate dinner ambiance. The servers were all running around and seemed to be perhaps a bit overwhelmed by the volume of people, but they were nonetheless friendly and kind! We ordered raspberry mint tea which was served in a beautiful kettle. It was so tasty! For appetizers, we tried the eggplant dip with Uzbek bread, one of each type of Samsa (beef, chicken, and pumpkin), and fried Pelmeni (SO good). These dishes were incredible, I would truly go back for the apps alone. For our entree, we tried the shish kebab sampler, which included a variety of grilled and skewered meats, rice, salad, and grilled tomatoes. It was very tasty! That being said, I was more blown away by the apps than by the entree, just in terms of unique flavors. Still a very yummy centerpiece to the meal! And it looks beautiful, too. A bit of a letdown was the fact that once we got our entree, we didn't have anyone check on us for about 45 minutes. I'd have ordered dessert had we gotten the chance, but by the time we flagged someone down, we were ready to pack up leftovers and go home. I think it was a busy night, and I give them a lot of grace for managing so many tables, so I hope they grow into establishing a slightly better dinner service model. Again, ALL the food is delicious and I want to return to try more authentic Uzbek fare. I look forward to returning on perhaps a less busy evening or for lunch!

First time trying Uzbek food and had a gr8 time. Neel found this place on reels and we came out here for lunch on a sunday. Empty enough to get seated quick but busy enough to see that people liked it. They got the plov which comes with a salad and bread, I got the Chicken shashlik. Let me tell you, this was one of the best chicken dishes that I've had here. Chicken was moist, juicy, and tender and the whole dish was filling as well. I could not stop talking about this Chicken the whole time I was there. They worked magic on it frfr. Worker told me I have good pronunciation and it made me blush. Would 100% come back again. Got a warm Samsa as an app and it was hot and meaty as the boys I came with.

Truly such an excellent restaurant. Everything about this place is great. The atmosphere is lovely and makes you feel special. The people running it seem very friendly. The food is authentic and excellent. Love this place. I got to try out their shawarma, honey cake, and Uzbek bread. The shawarma was very good. It was filled with tons of very high quality meat. I will say that it was a tad bit soggy, but I honestly didn't mind. The flavor made up for it. Great slightly creamy sauce. Tender meat. Fresh tomato and vegetables. So good for a very reasonable price.The honey cake was also extremely good. I thought it might have a bit of that refrigerator taste many restaurant desserts have, but not here. It seemed fresh and the cream on the inside was still very good. Sweet but not excessively so. Definitely recommend this treat.The Uzbek bread was a fantastic addition to this meal, and to any meal, really. It's huge and very good. Crispy on the outside, soft in the middle. Bit of seeds for extra flavor. This would go especially well with the kebabs.All in all, this is a great restaurant. I would be happy to celebrate special events here. Can't wait to come back!

Meet some friends and had a nice dinner at Piyola. We were seated in the back dinning area that is very nicely decorated and was rather full. The service was good and they would discuss any item we asked about. The menu explains most of the items on the menu. We started with a Beef Samsa that had some onion in the beef in a pastry shell. Then we had an eggplant dip with some Uzbek bread. Tasty fresh bread and the dip had tomato, with some peppers, onion, garlic and some other flavors. We split an Uzbek Plov which is some roasted lamb on rice and carrots, chickpeas and raisins. Also had the Beshbarmak that is lamb shank on a bed of noodles with some onion and spices. Both were really tasty entrees. If you are looking for an interesting meal and a good dinning experience, check it out.

My husband and I were wonderfully delighted to find this incredible new restaurant in Mt. Lebanon. On a Friday evening, it was very busy (reservation suggested), but the staff did fit in two extra hungry people. Having waited for a table, everyone was most accommodating in getting our food out quickly. We shared their kebab platter which was beautifully presented and cooked to perfection. Whatever your food preferences, there is something on this Uzbek menu that will appeal to you, and your family.It's not only authentic delicious food with friendly caring staff, it's fun. We can't wait to go back - again and again!

Lovely ambiance. Incredibly kind staff. Good, authentic food. Love this place and it adds a nice flair to Uptown