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    Shale's Cafe

    4.3 (35 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs, Sports Bars
    Open 3:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Shale's Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    SHALE'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Shale's Cafe

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    Great mural on the exterior wall
    Doug B.

    Great hockey bar located directly across the street from PPG Paints Arena. A friend and I were in town from LA for a Kings vs Penguins game and we met a bunch of our local Penguins friends here to pregame. Even though we were wearing Kings gear, everybody in the bar was friendly. There is a ton of hockey stuff everywhere including jerseys, banners, equipment, and a beautiful mural on the side of the building celebrating everything Penguins. As game time became closer, more and more patrons kept arriving, most wearing Penguins jerseys so it's a great place to hang with your fellow Penguins fans. We started out downstairs and as more of our larger group started trickling in, we all moved upstairs which has a separate bar, music, and a TV. Great friendly service from all staff.

    The best place. Such great service and atmosphere. The drinks are great by April and Marie and the service is even better. Even the owner came out to meet us! Definitely recommend to complete your stay in Pittsburgh.

    Coors and Bushmill... Dive Bar Top Shelf.
    Jesse T.

    If your going to a show or a Pens game at PPG arena, I would highly recommend Shales. The drinks are cheap, the service is dive bar appropriate, and the crowd is usually determined to having a good time. On a slow weeknight there can be some sketchiness, but for the most part they keep the riff raff minimal. Oh, and the men's room is down right disgusting. So best to go wee before you get there.

    Blue Moon Ginger Spice

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    1 month ago

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    1 month ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 month ago

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    8 months ago

    Great place to watch the game. Good service, friendly staff. Very busy around sports season.

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    I always go there before a Penguins game. Ambiance is perfect, prices are great and most important the beer is COLD!

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Classic Pittsburgh Bar. Reasonably priced and a great time, especially after a Pen's Win!

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    11 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    The personal touch here is wonderful. Here for a Queen concert l. Beyond needs and expectations. Thank you Brock.

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    11 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    10 years ago

    When I walked in and saw Jim Parey I thought I was in Hollywood!!! He's the bees knees!! So handsome and sexy. Oh and the place is nice too!

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    13 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Love this place bar tenders are great. Best place to stop before and after a Pens game.

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    13 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Shale's Cafe

    Review Highlights - Shale's Cafe

    Had a great evening after a Pens game and couldn't have found a better place to enjoy the after party.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    Piper's Pub

    Piper's Pub

    4.3
    (466 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Stopped in for a lunch meet up with an old friend from my military days. Seated quickly and drink…read moreorders taken. Nice looking place! Ordered the brussel sprout/chickpea appetizer. It was delicious, with a terrific basalmic type glaze. We both got salads; hers with chicken and I went for the salmon. Nice presentation, and the food was perfect, done just right. Quite yummy! Drinks refilled without asking, great food and atmosphere. I've known of this place for quite a while...and now I wish I'd have tried it earlier. A terrific spot!

    My fiancé and I went here for the first time recently! It was a Friday just after 7 pm and it was…read moresuper busy. We had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated, which wasn't too bad at all! The staff were super nice and were hustling! I got the fish & chips and the haddock was huge!!! I really enjoyed it. The fish was hot, fresh, and super tasty. Good tartar sauce too! My fiancé got the Black Watch burger and loved it! I tried a lil bite and liked it! There was a lil spicy kick to it which was nice. We both agreed that the fries were good, but were plain and could've been seasoned a little more. They were pretty thick (bordering on steak fries) so they weren't super crispy (we love crispy) But the fries dipped in ranch and mustard were solid - they have really good ranch!! Super cool & cozy pub!

    Photos
    Vibe
    Vibe
    Chicken & Waffles w/ sausage gravy -- excellent flavors & moist
    Chicken & Waffles w/ sausage gravy -- excellent flavors & moist
    Cute assortment coffee mugs

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    Cute assortment coffee mugs
    The Commoner

    The Commoner

    4.0
    (990 reviews)
    0.5 mi
    $$

    LOVED our dinner at this place…read more We came here for dinner while visiting Pittsburgh. The first thing that struck me was the interior decor. Very industrial and moody with an open kitchen/preparation area that adds some intrigue. I do like to see the happenings of what's going on as someone with zero attention span. Service was excellent. George was fantastic. He kept a close eye on us without being overbearing. He anticipated what we might need so we didn't spend one second waiting to order anything. The menu is not endless or overwhelming which, presumably, allows them to focus on the items that are listed. I have decision panic so it was kinda nice to have less things to choose from. They asked if there were any allergies or dietary restrictions so I mentioned my vegetarianism. George went through the menu and pointed out the vegetarian options including what seems like it is vegetarian but isn't. They had TWO vegetarian entree options and fortunately the non-mushroom one was something I probably would have ordered anyway: pesto with walnuts, arugula, and a very generous amount of grated cheese. To start, I ordered the Brussels sprouts whichc I was warned had fish sauce. This was fine but nothing that blew me away. GF, on the other hand, loved this. GF ordered the wedge which was brought to our attention as vegetarian with the bacon on the side, which was her request. We ended up sharing both, a large part of that was because hers came out first and I couldn't wait but I'm so glad because the wege was FANTASTIC. The dressing? holy fuck pure ecastasy. The wedge was more like a filet shape which was much easier to eat. Who decided on the wedge shape anyway? The lettuce was so fresh and crisp and went wonderfully with that orgasmic dressing and breadcrumbs. Back to my pasta. Also delectable. Noodles were al dente. The sauce was creamy and packed that pesto umami flavor. The walnuts were a really nice contrast in texture. Everything about it absolutely fucking slapped. GF ordered the mushroom entree which came served on a bed of barley which, don't mind if I do, had a few forkfuls to "sample" for "my review". Again, so fucking good. Because it was my birthday, George provided a dessert (yuzu maybe?) that was served inside a meringue-esque igloo, creamy perfect balance of sweet and tart custard with some berry business underneath. Wonderful. I almost forgot their spectacular cocktails! Holy shit, literally they have a CORN CHIP cocktail that I could not pass up. It comes with two massive cornchips on top of a flavored foam. When you bring the glass up to sip, the cornchips are right in front of your nose and their aroma sets the stage for the drink which was STRONG. It wasn't as corn chip forward as I expected but I understand that flavor is probaly hard to create. For my second drink, I ordered the blue one which was refreshing, light, and really good. GF ordered a spritz which was gorgeous "it was good". For second round, I picked out some uranium thing that was very cucumbery, GF says, "it was good". I just read it outloud to her. "it's true!" Fantastic meal at a great place.

    Decor was impeccable, service was top notch, and the food was solid. Wasn't the biggest fan of the…read moreseasoning of the half chicken, but the cook on the chicken was perfect. Really liked this spot. The staff was great, the location was central, and its very upper crust. Great place for date night, drinks, and fellowship. I definitely will need to try another dish on my next visit.

    Photos
    The Commoner
    The Commoner
    The Commoner

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    Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room

    Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room

    4.3
    (1.1k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    I somehow always find myself back here for a delicious late night bite!! They really are one of…read morethe only spots downtown that serve food later in the evenings, which is something to always appreciate. Our server (I believe his name was Cody) was genuinely one of the nicest guys ever!! Incredibly amazing energy and super kind to answer and questions or provide recs. We tried the White Sangria and they had a Pina colada both delicious and so refreshing! We have recently tried the Pesto pizza (I sub chicken on top instead) and the brisket mac and cheese which was probably the biggest mac and cheese I have ever seen and super yummy. If you haven't checked it out yet I definitely recommend it to everyone I know!

    We went to the Benedum and stopped in after for a late dinner. It's a cool space, small with good…read morebar seating. That is where we ended up at the bar. I tried a black cherry ale that was delicious. My husband got a Vienna lager he enjoyed. He got the black and gold pizza with potatoes, garlic sauce, pepper, res onion parmesan, and provolone. It is fired in their brick oven with a crispy crust. He enjoyed it but it was a little over done and it was hard to distinguish the toppings as the char was heavy. I got the carbonara. It was definitely not traditional. The sauce was very thick and almost floury. They serve it with pork belly, which does not give the same punch of flavor to cut through the sauce as guanchali or bacon. The papardelle noodle were dry and clumpy. The dish was very heavy. Do not recommend. The place is chill. It is close to the theater. I might try it again if in the area.

    Photos
    Lots of drink selections.
    Lots of drink selections.
    Brisket Mac and Cheese
    Brisket Mac and Cheese
    Appetizers

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    Appetizers

    Shale's Cafe - pubs - Updated June 2026

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