The coolest little hangout block downtown Pittsburgh. Market square is home to many a cool, well respected restaurants, bars , and sandwich shops. Extra fun after the marathon, Friday happy hour, St Patrick's day and after any sports championship parade. Careful with parking, downtown parking authority will be on your sh*t faster than stink in the OrigiNal hot dog shop bathroom. read more

Market Square - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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This little part of Down Pittsburgh is happening when the rest of the Downtown Area is dead. There are some nice places to eat, and the scenery is great. read more

It's so cold that I think if I hit my thigh it would just break right off... Iv been to market square quite a few times... downtown near market square...where there are more upper scale restaurants.. but not quite as much shopping.....so sad.... this is a beautiful area to walk around in or just sit outside in the square and relax...staying here you would also be pretty close to the strip district which is very fun during the day and has great nightlife as well! you can walk all around downtown over the bridges and see the rivers and the beautiful views of the city! read more

In my opinion the best time to visit Market Square is at night. It's just fun and you can find a spot appropriate for just about any attire...whether it's fancy schmancy or chillax wear, you'll fit right in. It's a little part of the city that comes alive and a place I visit with friends when it's tough to decide on a destination for evening fun where I don't have to really give much thought on being amongst the wrong crowd. You have Winghart's, Primanti's and Nola, just to name a few and Perle if you want to get your groove on...even if it's in the center of Market Square (no, that wasn't me you saw). Lol Visit...you won't regret it! read more

Oh Market Square...oh Market Square. Such fond memories I have here.... I pretty much lived down here when I worked at the Starbucks in the square. This was before the big remodel. The square before was a haven for bums and drug dealers, throw in the daytime work crowd and you've got a great mixer! The one thing I miss about the old square is the bums...I lie....really I miss the trees. It's a little desolate looking. But I understand they had to take out the mass amount of seating and dark corners to drive away the all day all night shady characters. The best part about the square now is the bustling restaurant business. In early 2000 the only notable places around were Starbucks, Priminati's and the Oyster House. I did enjoy the greasy Chinese food on the corner of Forbes and Bon Giorno, with all the mail order brides who worked there. But now almost every storefront is full with new restaurants like NOLA on the Square and the fantastical burger place, Wingharts. Moe's frightens me a bit because they're always screaming at me, with me or for me. I'll take Chipotle across the street, thank you! There's also some great events that take place in the square. The family friendly Light Up Night in November to kick off Christmas season downtown. The drunkfest they call St. Patricks Day. They used to serve just about anyone at 8 AM in the morning....but I think once they realized 12 year olds were wondering around with beers, they tried to crack down. Now it starts later in the day so the drunks don't mingle with the family crowd. In the spring/summer/fall they have a fantastic farmers market where you can buy fresh produce, flowers, jams, breads and many more items. It's actually a really great place to hang out when the weather is warm because they have tons of outdoor seating in front of most of the restaurants. The remodel created it as a more pedastrain friendly area. So now you don't have to dodge cars while you eat your taco! Nice! read more

I really enjoy Market Square. I often come here to enjoy my packed lunch when the weather is nice or sometimes order a cheese fry from the infamous Primanti's and enjoy that outside at a table I caught the tail end of the (one would say scary) old Market Square. I have to admit it was intimidating to walk around those dark, tree shadowed corners alone as a 17 year old in the big city (I'm originally from the suburbs & tried to head to the city every chance possible to get away from home). It (Market Square) is all good now though :) Market Square was actually Bobby's original proposal spot, but due to the severe rain on a Wednesday afternoon during my lunch, the spot was changed to the Wintergarden at PPG :) read more

Another Pittsburgh treasure. What a beautiful tree. Nice place to visit with family and friends or alone early in the morning when you can be the only one there. Solitary viewing of site such as these are not possible in NY or Chicago. Go Pittsburgh! read more

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Awesome for city-dwellers! Great options, lots to choose from including fruits, veggies, cheeses, and more! Thursdays during late spring and into the late summer! read more

This is a beautiful time of year to head down to Market Square! Through 12/23, the Holiday Market is set up and worth a browse through. The vendors are mostly selling ornaments and other crafty items so it's a nice stop for any last minute Christmas gifts. There are several restaurants surrounding the square which is very convenient when you get that shopping hunger pain (or maybe it's just me that gets that, haha). They also have a couple food booths (a German themed one run by NOLA and a cookie booth) if you'd prefer to stay outside and eat or just get a snack. On a side note, Market Square is also great in the summer. The restaurants have outdoor seating and it's great people watching. Sometimes there is live music too. Parking is not a desirable situation (street parking nearby is difficult to find), however on Saturdays during the holiday season parking was free so that was a nice holiday gift from the city of Pittsburgh! read more

Market Square - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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While walking around downtown Pittsburgh, we stumbled upon Market Square. Of course at the time, we didn't realize it was Market Square. After taking some pictures from the square, most notably of the building that looks like a giant black castle, we decided to take a look at what the Square had to offer. Lining the perimeter of Market Square are a number of restaurants and coffee shops, which seem to cater to almost all audiences. Unfortunately our top choices all seemed to be closed, which seemed silly considering it was a weekend afternoon. I guess these places don't get too much weekend traffic, who knows. Eventually we settled for a burger joint that was there, even though it had less than stellar reviews. Just seeing the square makes me feel like it has a lot of potential and while I am sure that it gets its fair share of use during the warmer months, I couldn't help but feel that it was under utilized. I would be interested to visit again during the summer and see just how bumping this place can get. read more

Well, Market Square is a decent feature in downtown. It's a square (look at the pictures) that's kind of a park in the middle of the city. It's lined with shops, mostly restaurants. But most of the restaurants are chains, which is a bit of a let-down. If you're close, walk or bike over and have a look. Maybe I'm all wrong - if I am, please post your own review and let us know what you think! read more

A really cool Square full of people from all over! Lots of businesses to check out and restaurants to eat at. Came during lunch time on a weekday and it was full of business people catching a drink and meal. Very nice part of our trip to Pittsburgh! read more

Meh. I was actually surprised that you could review a concrete slab. I searched for concrete slab and of all things, Primanti's was the second result: http://i.imgur.com/cEeaV.png I have many fond memories of Market Square. I miss the old days of sitting in the Market Street Ale House and watching the crackheads fight each other while sipping on a beer. My fondest memory is from 2005 and that of two women - one dressed in all white, the other dressed in all black - fought each other for about 5 minutes, chased each other around and ripped off the other's clothes and hair. One of them was down to just her jeans and bra. The fight was then broken up by a gentleman who attempted to mediate between the two. The women weren't having it. They instead turned on the gentleman beating him with their fists and feet, one even grabbed a felled branch from a tree and chased him away. The two women then consoled each other and walked off together into the night. Memories aside, I was excited to hear that Market Squre was going to be redeveloped and that bus traffic would no longer roar through there. I was hoping for a park or something park-like to be built / grown, perhaps with some more trees. Instead we were given a concrete slab on which we can bake under the hot summer sun. read more

The Fourth star is being given because of Nicholas Coffee Co and Chipotle being located in Market Square and also there is a lovely water structure that belongs to the PPG Place that's fun to play in during the summer. Which in the winter converts to a skating rink. I must say that I am still sad over the murdering of innocent tries. A couple years ago before the square was redone poor innocent trees were just sawed down, instead of being uprooted an replanted else where. There is definitely less greenery in the square and that doesn't sit well with me. The lyrics, "Tear down a tree and put up a parking lot." come to mind. Yes all the fancy stores are nice...but I wished the trees could have been saved. There is space for us and nature to coexist. There is still plenty of room to have trees in Market Square but they've been replaced with outdoor seating. read more

Now, I have been to Market Square before, but usually I simply walk through during Light Up Night or on a random day in the city. I never actually have made it a destination for myself, that is until this past week. My mother and I ventured down to act like tourists, and our lunch stop was Market Square. Honestly, I did not know Market Square was so awesome. We happened to be there on Thursday, which is the market shopping/ live music day. I was told that they have the vendors come every Thursday, but I am unsure of the live music; however, it was awesome either way. We actually sat in the square and listened to the music and just people watched for about 45 minutes. It was a perfect afternoon in my beautiful city of Pittsburgh. read more

A nice area right in the middle of the city to have some lunch or to sit outside at one of the many movable tables and chairs to enjoy the weather, scenery, and passersby. The restaurants around the square are okay but nothing really great. Ever since they remodeled the square a while back it is much better. Cars used to be able to go right through the middle of the square and now they have to go around the perimeter. I think it would be best with no cars are all, but this change was better than nothing. They also have lunchtime events such as farmers markets, Christmas markets, concerts, and other small events and sometimes there are even larger evening events as well. read more

Some good restaurants around as well as a nice place to sit and relax. They have a lot of special events n'at going on at various times. read more

Market square is a delightful blend of the well-dressed businesspeople of Pittsburgh and, well, the rest of the folks that congregate downtown. And I love it! I love places where the bougee people of the world are forced to face homelessness and grit and see the world for how it actually is. The events are nice because they break up the monotony, the restaurants are overpriced, and there's always some sort of sight to be seen. read more

Market Square is and always has been a unique and pleasant place to spend a few hours. Although it used be known for the homeless and pigeons a while back, even then it was a unique experience. Not too much of that now and the transformation was definitely a good one. There is shopping, dining, entertainment, and housing all within the general area. It's clean and has plenty of room to handle the lunch and dinner rush. It's a different atmosphere that makes people friendly and want to talk and interact. If you haven't been there, go there. There are a few parking garages within three blocks of the square and there is pay parking on the streets but hard to find a spot in the square. They do have valet parking so if you don't mind paying a bit extra for parking it makes the most sense. read more

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Been to Market Square many times. Shops but mostly food venues. Summer is best to visit. Greek foods, pastry, NOLA on the Square (bands and such). Valet parking but be careful to retain your ticket in case they do not park your car in a paid area.... contest it. Last time my car was simply parked on the street with a big fine on the windshield.... read more

Very cool area. I'm not originally from Pittsburgh, and when I came, I was shocked at the lack of a go-to "commerce/entertainment" district. Well, market square is about the best Pittsburgh has to offer. It's not a big city, and most of this area (market square) really shuts down after 5pm, but it is somewhat lively on the weekends. Much cleaner, and presumably safer, than South Side; although SS's bar scene/nightlife is much, much better. It has a wide array of restaurants, both in choice of cuisine and prices. Not many shops around, and most are widely disbursed. Overall, this area has soooooo much potential; but, in comparison with other cities, Pittsburgh's lack of a viable public transportation system really holds places like Market Square from being a premier entertainment destination. read more

Market Square... the least square of all the squares. Unless you are talking physically. Then it is very square. Ever since I was but a wee lad age 7 or 8 and my father brought me to Pittsburgh i dreamt of working downtown. Now that I do I've fallen in love with Market Square. This review is in two parts, the first covering history, the second an actual review. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ History Part: (Skip if you just want to hear about today. I'll see you down below.) This historic center of town lies equidistant from both the Allegheny and "The Mon" Rivers. Historically this was the center of the town that was built outside Fort Pitt- the Town known as Pittsburgh. It was called the Diamond originally (much like the famous Diamond in Ligonier, just East) and over time a Market sprung up known as "The Diamond Market". The Square has been through a lot over the years. In the 1800's this was not only the physical center of the city, but it was a central stop on The Underground Railroad. When you come here, don't forget that this is historic and hallowed ground. In the redevelopment and "renaissance" of the 1950s in PIttsburgh the square got cleaned up, and was given a facelift. This period of rebirth helped the city emerge from it's dirty dusty lamps-on-at-noon image. In the 1980's PPG built their world famous PPG place, occupying one quadrant of thesquare and putting another plaza right next to Market Square. Most recently, Market Square received a major overhaul again. This time the roads were rerouted around the outer edges, and you can no longer (legally) drive through the center of square. This is nice as it lends itself to better use. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ REVIEW PART (for those who don't wanna learn about the past and just want to know if they should go to Market Square): GO. It is awesome. There are a few chain places here now, but also some great local eateries. Chains include (but not limited to): Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks. Local places: Nicholas Coffee, NOLA, Las Velas, Primanit Brothers, Diamond Market Grill, Prantl's Bakery, Mancini's Bread Company and others. Also, in the basement of PPG you will find the PPG Food court (open mostly for lunch, and a couple of places for breakfast.) Also right off Market Square just two doors up Fifth you will find little gems like George Aiken's and Cherry's Diner. In the summer months there is a Farmer's Market every Thursday, free music almost every day and events put on by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP). In one of the few admirable moves that LML (Little Mayor Lukey) has made, the paying-for-parking-until-way-after-dark-and-robbing-the-citizens-of-pittsburgh-law was repealed and you can now park in and around the square and all over downtown for free after 6:00pm. This is awesome because I can now work a little late, have my significant other meet me for a nice dinner in Market Square and then drive home after the rush is all over. Also, they recently added $5 valet parking in the Square. The only unfortunate part of this is that the valet has taken up quite a few spaces, but it's nice to feel affluent by pulling up, and giving your car to kid and saying "first gear has a lot more power than you'd think. Take'er easy." Just hope they haven't seen Ferris Bueller. I'm getting off topic again. Apologies. Yes. Go to Market Square. Take a date there before a show, have some beers before a Steeler Game (to save money) or before a Pirate game (to save yourself) or just spend an evening here enjoying the alfresco dining and one of the prettiest cities in our country... nay... on this planet. read more

This review is for the Christmas Market at Market Square. These little huts are so cute and if you are looking for a unique gift at a reasonable price, come here. There is one food booth that sells German style sausage and pastries and another that sells Christmas cookies. There are restaurants surrounding the square but I would have liked to see some more homemade goodies (especially WARM drinks/snacks) within the market itself. But overall, a must-visit for a day downtown. read more

Tiny, but adorable. Came to Pittsburgh for a work trip and got a chance to explore downtown a bit and ended up in this spot. On the day I visited, there was a local farmers market and live music. Even though it was a work day, there were plenty of people walking around and buying what they could. There are little cafes and restaurants all in the same area which makes it really convenient as well. Definitely a great spot for lunch read more

We stumbled into the farmer's market a few weeks ago, which is held every Thursday during the warmer months. Coming from the city that hosts the largest producers-only farmer's market in the U.S., I was quite impressed. There was a variety of high quality hot food available (tamales, pierogies, spanakopita and cheese pastries, etc.) and free tastings of alcoholic beverages like potato vodka (even being from Wisconsin, we don't even do this sort of thing at our markets). I'd stop by again. There were many high-quality vendor choices with a variety of great options, including huge tubs of flavored pickles (had never seen that before). It was a cute little market. read more

Love market square! How could you not? Great restaurants - particularly Nola, Wingharts, Il Pizziola, Sienna and Bluebird. The farmers market on Thursday in the summer is great - filled with food, veggies, flowers, take out and always something a bit off the beaten path. People watching is a must. Live music. Great coffee shops. Denham and Co to get your hair did. It's really everything you want and need in a walkable downtown square! read more

If you're looking to sit back and relax in a bustling city setting and maybe do some people watching and take in the city atmosphere then this is the place to do it. The guy working at the Pittsburgh Visitors Center told me that Market Square used to be the old city center of Pittsburgh. I have to say that to me this place was like the Times Square of Pittsburgh minus all of the giant screens. I say this because Market Square is a building enclosed area sorrounded by mostly chain restaurants and other businesses filled with lots of people, very pedestrian friendly and tables to sit at outdoors in the middle of everything. Lots of downtown workers were just hanging out here on their breaks too. It also reminded me a lot of Bryant Park in NYC with a great urban park feel to it. Lots of tables to sit at, lots of big buildings around to look up at, and lots of people making their way through the area. You get a great view looking up of Pittsburgh's PPG Place skyscraper which is an awesome modern glass skyscraper which is in my opinion Pittsburgh's most impressive building. My recommendation: if you find yourself strolling around downtown Pittsburgh and you want to take a rest then head over to Market Square, grab a drink and an outdoor table (maybe a snack too), and just take in your sorroundings. While doing so don't forget to look up at all of the great architecture around you. read more

Market Square - Looking up at PPG Place while sitting in Market Square. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We wandered into Market Square in search of a cup of coffee and found it there. The square itself is nice and shady on a hot summer day, but the feature I really liked was actually next to the square. I'm surprised that this feature didn't appear in the guides to the city we looked up. It's the square in the middle of the PPG facilities. PPG stands for Pittsburgh Plate Glass, and there are several buildings of varying heights and sizes all glass clad and all with the same design, including a tall tower with four big points on top. It was visually stunning, and I later learned they set up a skating rink there in the winter. Worth a look. read more

Absolutely stunning. From the architectural features of PPG to the gorgeous and ever so relaxing water fountian, to the clearly well maintained and clean environment, this is such a great area for so many things. Tons and tons of amazing eating options close by, ample opportunity for a quick lunch on a work lunch break. It's like NYC but with better curb appeal, less people, cleaner streets, and more space. read more

Market Square was a BLAST yesterday on St. Paddy's Day! Whatever it used to be it isn't anymore. There are lots of places to eat or just hang out. Yesterday my friend and I saw a free concert with Bearded Bastard Irishment and 3 Car Garage and had a great time. Everyone was friendly and jolly! read more

We just love going to market square ! We always seem to find a good parking spot and it's free after 6:00 !! Great restaurants and there is a Starbucks too !!! read more

Came here on a Saturday morning and it was kind of busy but had plenty of seating available. Lots of cute restaurants and coffee shops and plenty of trees to provide shade near the sitting areas. Overall, the atmosphere was calm and the people were just relaxing together and reading or catching up. read more

Market Square - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Cool place for out-of-towners. Like me. Walking distance to the Wyndham Grand. Pretty boss.

First time in Pittsburgh and I'm so glad I visited Market Square. So beautiful during the holidays. Skating rink with beautiful tree and surrounding decorations. Tons of booths set up in the square selling holiday decorations, gifts, food, etc. Live music, activities for kids, and tons of stores & restaurants around, within walking distance. Did the valet parking for $10 instead of the hassle of trying to find a place to park. Will definitely be on my list to visit again! read more

Great place to hang out, people watch & have a cocktail, lunch or dinner. We like to go to local spots like the Original Oyster House or Primanti Bros, but there are chains in the Square as well. Lots of fun! read more

The Holidy Market Village is definitely worth a visit. Browse / shop the unique vendor booths and enjoy local music artists playing on the stage. The square is outlined with a range of cool restaurants and a few clothing stores. Close by is an outdoor ice rink filled with couples, children, and individuals circling a decorated tree.... a nice photo opp for anyone. Market Square seemingly has appropiately seasoned events year round. read more

There are a lot of store in market square. You can easily find a restaurant to eat. And you can sit somewhere for watch people while drink your coffee. When I was there some people were playing chess and they were looking pretty cool ! Really ni place to visit if you are in Pittsburgh read more

Nice to see all the folks out during lunch. But they should ban cars to make it more open and fun.

This place is great for so many things! A day of sight seeing, a family day in the city, and a night out with some friends are all things that fit right into the atmosphere of Market Square. Everything is always clean in the public area and it's very kid friendly. There are a lot of great restaurants but I do have one complaint. There needs to be more variety. There's a Diamond Back Grille, a Subway, A Moe's, a Primanti's, and some other places but really if you don't like that kind of stuff then you're out of luck. Sure its great to eat in the nice public area but there really is nothing special about the restraints themselves. My advice would be to scout out some other great local places downtown. Unless of course you like Mexican-American-Italian-Greek food! read more