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    Spirits & Tales

    3.4 (145 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Spirits & Tales Photos

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    SPIRITS & TALES ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Savory Beignets & Smoked Trout Paté
    Jeff R.

    This is a nice ambiance and generally friendly staff. The food, however, tries to be high end but fails to deliver in my experience. I ate here for dinner one night with a couple coworkers, dessert at the bar another night, and breakfast one morning. Dinner We tried a couple appetizers that were pretty decent - the Carmel onion thing (similar to quiche) was very good and the beignets were overdone but tasted ok - but 3 was too few to pair with the bowl of dip. My coworkers enjoyed their salmon, but I was less impressed with my scallops on angel hair pasta. I felt the pasta was overdone done and the scallops were chewy when they should (IMO) be buttery smooth. Dessert The next night I figured I'd give them a shot a dessert. There was not many options on the dessert menu (3) and nothing with ice cream/gelato/custard/etc. I decided to try the Crème Brulee. It came with a macaroon and was generally a decent option. Breakfast I got the breakfast sandwich and asked for the bacon extra crispy so it would snap when bent. When I received my order, I wasn't impressed - you'd think you'd get a more impressive sandwich for $17... anyway the bacon was not crisp as requested (it is a very thick cut) and after a bit of a wait, their brought replacement bacon that was more cooked but still not crispy. I figured I'd give it a go anyway and then found the egg to be way overcooked (it is specified on the menu as over medium which typically means runny yoke and cooked egg white). It was more the consistency of a flat hard boiled egg. Also, for the size of the sandwich, they really should have 3 eggs vs 2. I did potatoes in lieu of the salad and they were about what you'd expect. I wasn't a fan of the taste of the breakfast sandwich - I'm guessing it was the lemon aioli that soured it. OVERALL, this is a pricey establishment that fails to deliver at the prices they ask. I wanted to like it (and have had great experience at other Autograph Collections Hotels), but was disappointed. I'll look for another option next time I'm in Pittsburgh.

    scallops and salad
    William W.

    Was staying at the Oaklander for work. Nice hotel and had dinner here. Its a nice hotel restaurant with upscale modern american fare and drinks. I had the salad and scallop pasta. Decent, but the pasta was a bit in the salty side. Service was great and had a nice view.

    Austin G.

    Staying in The Oaklander for two nights, the front desk gave us two drink vouchers to enjoy at their hotel restaurant/bar. Because of that, this review is for drinks only. Both nights, we ordered their house white wine- chardonnay one night and pinot griot the next. Both were fine. My wife ordered the Vieux Carre with cherries. She loved the cherries, but found the cocktail average. In terms of space, the restaurant/bar is simply designed and comes with a small outdoor terrace with a beautiful view of the Cathedral of Learning. If you're a hotel guest and have a voucher, use it. If you're not a guest, I'd skip this place. Pittsburgh has much better drinks elsewhere.

    Crème brûlée
    Kaylie W.

    Spirits and Tales is such an underrated restaurant. I think it doesn't get as much attention because it's hidden in a hotel, but it has some of the best fine dining dishes in this city. I was a huge fan of the branzino, one of the best versions of the dish I've ever had but it's since been off the menu. The half roasted chicken with truffle wasn't bad. I liked the combo but it was way too salty. The team was nice and served a new dish when we commented on the saltiness. Service is always great here. It is always never busy thus a great place for last minute dinners. It's right on campus so also super convenient. The place is really nice and quiet at night. Their drinks and dessert menu is amazing. I've never had anything I didn't like here. Thus, I always thought it was a great spot when I needed somewhere to chat with friends but wanted a nicer environment. I always loved coming here with friends visiting out of town to catch up on life. Their food and atmosphere never disappoints.

    Having brunch with friends
    Victoria G.

    I have been several times with different groups for breakfast lunch and dinner. It's a treat every time I visit. The service is great and the food is delicious. I enjoy the uniqueness of the menu items. The atmosphere is wonderful with all the windows to see outside the hotel on the 10th level.

    NY STRIP... Piled high with onion straw and full of flavor. Cooked to perfection

    Unexpected Delight. Food, drinks, service, view and more were outstanding. Even if you are not staying at the hotel...I would highly recommend dining here or grabbing a drink.

    Brenda W.

    An inviting space on the top floor (10th floor) of the Oaklander Hotel in Oakland. Huge window views at your table, a bar, and around the corner more comfy seating sans tables. Even the ladies restroom is swanky. No hand blowers here. Plenty of paper hand towels Our server was extra helpful. Prior to him coming over we were busy looking up dishes and ingredients since there were so many words on the menu alien to us. He made it simple for us, answering all our questions. My friend and I ordered drinks. I had the dragon's breath -- mezcal, chili ancho liqueur, luxardo, lime juice, habanero bitters. Presentation was with a bubble on top. We ordered a starter -- the labneh- zataar, pepita, grilled flatbread. For my entree, I ordered the bucatini -- roasted acorn squash, pine nuts, fried sage, brown butter, grana purana. For dessert I got the chocolate, hazelnut, and poached pear tart. You can probably see why we were busy looking up words. All was excellent except the pear. It was a bit too firm in texture. Price was fair. For the two of us, each ordering a drink, A shared starter, two entrees, and 2 desserts, we split the tab down the middle and half was 68.00. That was a lot of food for the layout. I'm happy, especially getting ambiance and great service.

    Ashley S.

    Spirits and Tales now offers espresso martini flights, and it's a brunch game changer!! They are located in Oakland, right near Cathy, on the top floor of the Oaklander hotel. My sister and I shared the flight and I'm glad we did. The drinks were normal sized, not smaller, and it's only $30 for the 3 cocktails which is not bad at all. For brunch I ordered the eggs benedict (classic). My boyfriend got the hamburger and wine. My sister ordered the breakfast sandwich. My eggs benedict was really delicious. They drenched it in the hollandaise sauce; I loved it!! The espresso martini flight came with 3 flavors: Chocolate Raspberry Espresso, Cafe Bliss, and Simple Indulge. My favorite flavor was the chocolate raspberry espresso. My sister got the breakfast sandwich and she really liked it. My boyfriend got the hamburger and said it was really good as well. I have my eyes on that spritz flight next

    Spinach and Artichoke Scramble
    f g.

    Beautiful atmosphere, and pretty nice view of the surrounding area. Servers are kind and the food is great! I got the Spinach Artichoke Scramble for a nice brunch. It was Deeeeeelicious! Highly would recommend!

    a bar with shelves full of liquor bottles
    Xin F.

    Came here for happy hour but ended up staying for a meal. Great ambiance and view overlooking Pitt/Oakland area. Unfortunately the day I was there, they were understaffed.. servers were mostly grumpy and had to wait for more than an hour by the bar to just put an order for food and drinks. Food wise, my burger was served well done when I asked for medium rare. The outer part of the burger was also kinda burnt. Truffle fries were good. I would give this place another chance but would definitely want to make reservations prior.

    Breakfast Sandwich Omelette Breakfast Potatoes La Prima Drip Coffee Espresso Martini
    Elizabeth O.

    Our server, Taylor, was lovely and knowledgeable about the menu. We ordered the omelette with breakfast potatoes, the breakfast sandwich with breakfast potatoes, and an espresso martini. Everything was absolutely delicious. The bacon on the breakfast sandwich was to die for and we would pay big money for the recipe for the breakfast potatoes! The espresso martini was fantastic and beautifully presented as well. The view of Oakland and Pitt's campus is a beautiful complement to the city. We can't wait to come back!

    Wagyu Burger
    Marla C.

    I have gone for dinner and brunch. The service was not bad when I went for dinner but maybe because they were training a new staff member that night. I went to brunch a couple weeks after having dinner there because it seemed more people posted about the brunch so wanted to give it a try. The service was terrible and they were not busy. The staff all kept disappearing into the back. They took forever to wait on us and didn't check on us once we were given our food to see if we needed anything. While at brunch it was so quiet in the restaurant you could have heard a pin drop. They needed music playing. It just felt very awkward and uncomfortable. I wish you can a better view of the Cathedral of Learning. You do get a nice view of Soldiers and Sailors. The food is okay. For dinner I split a charcuterie board with friends it was good. Then I got the Waygu burger and fries which I liked. When I went for breakfast I got the spinach scramble. It was okay but I needed some hot sauce. The drinks were good both times I went.

    Coffee flight

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    4 months ago

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    8 months ago

    I've only been for breakfast but the food is pretty good. It's a short menu and pricey for what it is but the view is amazing.

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    Unspeakable

    Unspeakable

    5.0
    (20 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    We've been here 4+ times now. Unspeakable has such an incredible vibe--cozy, intimate, and dimly…read morelit in a way that feels perfect for a date night or catching up with a close friend. The atmosphere alone is worth a visit. The drinks are definitely crafted with care and have a lot of complexity, but with only two bartenders working, it took quite a while to get ours. Not the place to go if you want quick service or are grabbing a drink before another event. My biggest downside is the price point--most cocktails are around $17. They're good, but at that price I can really only justify having one. Note: They do not have food, just snacks like peanuts. Overall, amazing ambiance and well-made drinks, just expect slower service and a higher bill.

    This is my new favorite cocktail bar in Pittsburgh. Every single drink I've had here has been…read morefantastic. I've been twice so far, I've tried six different drinks. Very impressed by their craftsmanship and experimental flavors. There's not many places in this area that even attempt to do that. I love the speakeasy vibe. Super cool entrance and fun comfortable lounge upstairs. It's a fantastic place to go as an intimate group. But it's kind of small to take a group of more than 4 friends. Cocktails were made surprisingly quick even on a busy night. Everything is just really great about this place. Except for maybe the price lol but at least you're getting what you pay for in a good way

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    Upstairs fireplace
    Upstairs fireplace
    Violet desert
    Violet desert
    Unspeakable

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    The Forge

    The Forge

    4.5
    (258 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Back for another fantastic meal at the forge. They have a summer drink menu, I got the Lemongrass…read moreis greener. Super delicious, nice ginger flavor. We shared the rainbow platter, shawarma hummus, gambas al ajillo, labneh, and a peach! Pizza. The shawarma hummus had a delicious flavor. The pickled veggies had a nice kick.

    Amazing experience from start to finish. Loved the ambiance - felt high end without being stuffy…read more My husband and I got 2 very interesting cocktails- one was like a spicy dill margarita and one was a dirty martini with a black pepper/curry taste to it. The dirty martini was fairly pungent and strong so not sure I would get it again but I'm also not big on dirty martinis so probably just the wrong choice on my part. But the food was the star of the show. We ate so many good dishes- starting with the rainbow platter. Loved the baba ghanoush and the roasted cauliflower - those were my favorite of the 7 dishes on the platter. We also ordered the labneh, hummus with chicken and lamb shawarma, and the kafta kebabs (rolled up in some sort of tortilla) which were all fantastic! If we come back (which we will) I would just order the baba ghanoush instead of the rainbow platter, all the other dishes we ordered, and maybe one additional plate. I felt like I didn't really need the Israeli salad (tomato and cucumber) or the pickled cauliflower and radish that came on the rainbow platter. The hummus was SO soft and fluffy. This was some of the best food we've had in Pittsburgh. After having lived in a Philly for 4 years, we know good mediterranean/lebanese food and I'd be surprised if you can find better in Pittsburgh. Service was also very good.

    Photos
    The Forge
    Baked Brie bowl - wood-fired oven-baked Brie wheel encapsulated in pull-apart dough with spicy thyme, pepper, and garlic sauce
    Baked Brie bowl - wood-fired oven-baked Brie wheel encapsulated in pull-apart dough with spicy thyme, pepper, and garlic sauce
    Drunken mushrooms - mushrooms stewed in red wine, onions, spices, herbs, cream, served with crostini

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    Drunken mushrooms - mushrooms stewed in red wine, onions, spices, herbs, cream, served with crostini
    Cavo Nightclub

    Cavo Nightclub

    3.5
    (115 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    I had my first experience doing a private table/bottle service at Cavo last weekend, and it is SO…read moremuch more fun than just going as a regular patron. They supply you with a party bus to take you to the venue beforehand which definitely set the energy for the night. Once there, we got escorted up to our table in the upstairs section. It was the perfect mix of comfy & private, but we still had the balcony to dance on over top of the main dance floor. The bottle list was a good mix of options at various price points, and they had good mixers too. The bottle girls & bouncers were all extremely professional & friendly. The music was great. I think this would be my only way doing Cavo now! Food: N/A Drinks: A- Service: A Ambiance: A

    We attended the Moonlight Fashion Show benefitting the City Music Center of Duquesne University…read more The place is... probably like every night club... but still let's review. The floor was so sticky that your shoes would be fully stuck while walking. The staff is very uninterested in their jobs. Coat check basically grunted and pointed when asked questions. Unfortunately, the cleanliness of the floor really doesn't make food of interest... even though the event had tables of appetizers set out. But honestly, it was too dark to even see what there was. Like I said probably a stereotypical night club, but it was just gross enough to make me happy that I never go lol Probably only fun when drunk and dancing.. but hey that's their genre!

    Photos
    Room #2
    Room #2
    Room #2 (bar)
    Room #2 (bar)
    Room #1 (entry)

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    Room #1 (entry)
    BURN By Rocky Patel

    BURN By Rocky Patel

    4.0
    (112 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    First timer at a cigar bar and went to Burn on a mom's night out & the gentleman was SO welcoming…read moreand helpful! He really took us under his wing and showed us around. He took such good care of us! what a great experience and awesome vibes!

    We came to Pittsburgh while they were hosting the D2 March Madness in 2026, and thanks to my…read morenephew's team bringing us out here, we were able to uncover this gem of a cigar lounge. I've been to quite a few cigar lounges--and even worked at one--so I have a good sense of what makes a place stand out. Burn by Rocky Patel did just that on every level. The ambiance, décor, cigar selection, and service were all top-tier. It's a classy lounge with a twist of sports bar energy, which made it both elevated and fun. We enjoyed it so much that we came back the next day, and they had live entertainment--a violinist playing along to hip hop and R&B--which created such a unique vibe. Kayla, the bartender, let us know about the live entertainment the day before, it wasn't posted on their social media or website. She was attentive, sweet, and made excellent drinks. Evan, who was working the cigar side, was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and communicated well with customers even during a heavy flow. One thing that really stood out was the crowd--mixed ages, mature, and plenty of ladies confidently partaking in the beautiful art of cigars, which I loved seeing. Even if you don't smoke cigars, the vibes in this place are worth the visit. If and when I return to Pittsburgh, this place is a must. It's also within walking distance to the stadiums, which is a huge plus. Feedback for management: The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is the disconnect between locations and social media postings. There was an event listed on the website that wasn't actually happening at this location, while an amazing event that was happening wasn't shared online; which would have been a shame to miss. It may be worth considering in-house social media and website management to ensure updates are accurate and timely to the specific location.

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    BURN By Rocky Patel
    Lighters for sale!
    Lighters for sale!
    Inside

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    Inside

    Spirits & Tales - lounges - Updated July 2026

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