Tessaro's showed me exactly what people mean when they talk about Pittsburgh hospitality. Im visiting from California and they treated me with the type of authenticity that it honestly felt like I'd been going there for years. And the burger? Legendary. Packed with flavor, juice, and everything you hope a great neighborhood spot nails. Jim (my server) was the kind of person who makes a meal stick with you - he took the time to talk, share a few stories, and make me feel completely at home. Overall, just a phenomenal experience. One of those meals that stays with you long after you leave the city. read more

One of a kind!! Amazing food combined with Unreasonable Hospitality! Will Guidara would be proud! Thank you Jim and Courtney! read more

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Gourmet steak sandwich with blue cheese crumbles. Still the best. Great service. Highly recommend. read more

Tessaro's - Gourmet Steak Sandwich with blue cheese crumbles. Still the best. - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

First time at Tessaro's and the biggest things that stood out was the service, especially Jim. It felt like we were on an episode of Cheers and we were regulars. Neighborhood bar vibes and food came out quick even though they were very busy. I haven't had beef ribs in a while and these did not disappoint! They are huge and come out quick so come hungry if you get a 1/2 rack. Im looking forward to trying their grilled wings the next time I go back, which will be very soon. read more

Tessaro's - 1/2 Rack of beef ribs - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Another great dinner at Tessaro's, a true Bloomfield neighborhood icon. We usually grab seats at the bar or nearby, but this past Friday it was packed--no surprise--so we put our names in and waited. Eventually, we were led up the stairs, around the corner, then around another corner to a part of the restaurant I never even knew existed. After all these years, I had no idea there was a whole set of rooms tucked away in the back and to the side! As always, the food did not disappoint. The burgers are a solid 10. He had the Gourmet Kelly Burger--a fan favorite--and I went with Courtney's Chicken Sandwich, which is always a reliable winner. Between the hearty food, friendly service, and old-school charm, Tessaro's continues to stand out as one of Pittsburgh's classics. Solid food, solid service, and a slice of the city's history. read more

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Ambiance is clean and appealing. There is no better service, esp at the bar. Food is killer. I'd give Tessaros 10 stars if I could. Easy drive from Children's Hospital. I can't say this loudly enough... YOU NEED TO EAT HERE!! Food was so good I forgot to take a pic! read more

Tessaro's - Ambiance at bar - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

First time at Tessaros since maybe 2010? Left absolutely satisfied by the quality of food/service/overall experience. When you step into a place that's been around for a while it can go one of two ways, and this place over delivered from my expectations, really delicious deli burger and excellent home fries. Really good experience! read more

Tessaro's - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

2/13/25 Ate List: Chicken Club Sandwich - 6.3 Another true Pittsburgh institution for generations. The interior feels unchanged- in mostly the best ways. The food feels unchanged as well. Because of that, if you have a craving for something that feels "traditional" - this spot is worth the try. This time, I tried the Chicken Club Sandwich because I remember being let down by their "fan favorite" and fairly popular burger. The Chicken here had a bit of char to it. Very thick and tough too, especially for being on a sandwich. Home fries weren't great. This place is in desperate need of adding fries to the options for sides. Or Tots. A good place, wouldn't be a "first choice" for me even amongst the restaurants in it's vicinity, but something i could see being specifically in a mood for. read more

Tessaro's - Chicken Club Sandwich w/ Home Fries - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

In town visiting my brother. He recommended dinner here. I can see why. It's a nicely decorated restaurant with a friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive wait staff. Our server was such a nice guy. I wish I had gotten his name to give him a shout out. Most of us had a burger They were cooked just right. And they are huge! Our mom had chicken kabobs, which were also yummy. The menu has something for everyone. Two thumbs up! read more

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Decided to try the voted second best burger in the burgh. Waited 25 minutes to put in food, drank two glasses of water, ordered 2 burgers medium rare. Came out 20 minutes later, my brothers was medium well, mine was well... done. I am very particular to wellness of a burger, home fries and toppings were good, bun was great. I believe that if the burger was cooked to my liking that I would've loved it, but as it stands not consistent. This was a Friday so maybe try a slower day! read more

This came recommended from a friend who used to live in Pittsburgh as the place to try for our short trip to town. And it did not disappoint. The burgers are the speciality and the clear star of show. Our group tried a few different ones (breakfast, bbq), but the standpoint was the bacon & blue cheese. We opted for the "dry" - melted blue cheese chunks, but the regulars next to us later told us that it's even better with the "creamy" blue cheese dressing. read more

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Long considered by many to serve up the best burger in Pittsburgh, Tessaro's has been a favorite of mine for years, but I've never left a review. Smash burger joints have been popping up all over the 'burgh in recent years, and I do like that concept. But when I want a thick, juicy burger where I can really taste the meat, nobody does it better than Tessaro's. Theirs is a fat, jaw-straining patty (has to be at least 8 oz), and I'm amazed at how they nailed the medium temperature, considering its thickness. Not too pink, not too dark, just right. They don't serve fries, but the chunky home fries are awesome. My only (nitpicky) complaint is that you kind of need to tear the bun with your teeth when taking a bite, and the bun can get a bit destroyed in the process. It's a great choice of bread though - fresh, soft, and very tasty. Just make sure you bite all the way through it or things could get messy! It had been too long since last visiting this East End gem. I have to get back again soon. read more

Tessaro's - Bleu burger with cauliflower - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Have not been to Tessaro's in years. We went yesterday (Sunday 18th) The menu was very disappointing and sides listed were not very enticing. Ordered the 1/2 baked barbeque chicken and it was OK, got potato salad side dish and it was big chunks of potato swimming in mayonaisse and was gross. Wife got grilled chicken sandwich and it was burnt black on the bottom, and cole slaw that was very mucky. The table of 6 people next to us who ordered 6 hamburgers. 3 of them were not cooked properly and were sent back! Very disappointed, nothing like it use to be, and will not be going back! read more

Absolutely excellent food and service one of the best burgers in the Pittsburgh area and one of the owners she goes out of her way to make sure you are well taken care of thank you read more

Fabulous! Service, ambience, food and value... all terrific! There is always room for your party. They have so many different rooms, we rarely have to wait. The food is so good. It is so fresh. They have sides that are very different than other places. Salad, sandwiches and burgers. You can never go wrong!! read more

First time at Tessaro's and it did not disappoint. It was busy on a Saturday night at dinner time so we sat at the bar and still got excellent service! Burgers are huge and you can tell the meat is high quality. Home fries were the best I have ever had. Will be coming back! read more

It's a great burger and I got my monies worth. I was skeptical because they don't serve fries in fact they don't even have a fryer. I asked about it and the waiter was very nice and promised that the potatoes were just as great and they weren't lying. The place is quite small but it's intimate and inviting. It's giving pub feel and you can smell the food while standing outside. The burger was everything that I wanted to be as they didn't overcook it or over season it. They allowed the quality beef be the star of the show. read more

Tessaro's - Hamburger - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

What a dark dingy hole!! DIRTY as hell. Front door dirty, floor sticky. Went to the mens room, also dirty, smelly. Had to leave. Didn't even order food. But looked into the exposed kitchen, filthy grimy cooking grate , with wood underneath, AS IF THATS SOME KIND OF SELLING POINT??? read more

First time here. Prime dinner time on Saturday, no reservations...no problem it is sneaky big. Stop here you won't regret it. Hand made burgers, good service, and solid menu. No fries is always a problem for me. Award winning burgers can compete anywhere, but no fries. Busy and loud. read more

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Good burger! I'm a very basic girl that just gets a hamburger, nothing fancy. But the taste/seasoning was perfect. Would have loved French fries instead of the home fries but they were out of I think that would have completed my burger. The waiters were all very pleasant. They actually split our checks with 6 people which is very nice of them. The place is actually big because there's also an upstairs, initially I thought it was just that entrance with the bar area. My fave question at the end of reviews, would I come back? And answer is yes! read more

Tessaro's - Hamburger - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

As usual, fantastic...Meg was charming and helpful...Pork Chops w/ the hot sauce on the side just hits differently. What else can you say about the burgers! read more

We had to wait for about an hour to get a 19.50$ chicken salad that was far too small to be anything more than a snack, and a 18$ medium rare gourmet Kelly burger that was filling but bland and almost cold. The best tasting food we got was the rice I mixed with butter. The food looked tasty, the restaurant was clean and fancy looking. The only reason this is getting two stars is the looks and the server was decent read more

Before last week, it had been at least ten years since I had eaten here and let me tell you... it's exactly the same as I remember. This isn't a bad thing. In those ten years, Pittsburgh has gotten a lot cooler, hipper, and foodie-driven. But Tessaro's is like a time portal to the time before Google went into Bakery Square. It's classic Bloomfield. It's unpretentious. Nobody's drinking a fancy $20 cocktail. Just good burgers for a good price. Portions are gigantic. Beers are plentiful. Service is pretty good (and I think most of these servers have been there for years and years and know the menu inside out). All around solid experience. read more

Tessaro's - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

It's not very often that I take a bite of a meal and pause. I happened to be craving ribs and didn't know what a good place to get them was. I went on my phone and away that tessaros serves them on this days only. We immediately made our way over. I'm gonna be honest and say I didn't have high expectations. Wow was I wrong. For context, I was in St. Louis a few weeks before this and had a trip back there in a few days so I was by expecting these ribs to compare to anything in St. Louis. I waited to post this review until after I got back from St. Louis to confirm my suspicions. These ribs are indeed better than every rib place I visited. I don't know what they're doing in the back or where they acquired these ribs from but bby these ribs are doing something crazy. I almost don't want to post review because I want to gatekeep, but I feel it's an injustice not to alert the masses. My partner got the burger, took a bite of the ribs I got, and I swear I've never seen him look so disappointed. We sat at the bar and the bar staff/servers were so nice and funny. Do yourself a favor and make your way over there. You won't regret it read more

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We are long time fan's of Tessaro's. We love the burgers. They are the gold standard for what a burger should be. But last night we took some friends from Germany for a "real American burger" and were disappointed. Most of the burgers were overcooked. We were told that they were training a new cook. So be aware if you order a burger, check it for doneness before eating. Otherwise the staff was friendly and very accommodating. read more

Tessaro's isn't trying to be fancy -- and that's exactly what makes it perfect. The food fills a void most people don't even realize they're missing: simple, straightforward cooking made with high-quality ingredients and real care. The burgers are legendary for a reason -- smoky, juicy, and cooked to perfection. Everything on the plate has purpose, and nothing feels overdone. It's the kind of meal that just hits right, every time. No gimmicks, no unnecessary frills -- just honest food done incredibly well. Tessaro's understands that great food doesn't need to be complicated. It's comfort, consistency, and quality -- and not much more you could ask for. A true Pittsburgh gem. read more

There really is not another burger place in Pittsburgh that even comes close to matching this place. They flame grill 1/2 pound burgers to perfection. They don't fill the meat with tons of unnecessary salt and garlic. It's just 1/2lb of pure burger joy on a fresh bun. I always get the American burger with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. It rocks my world. I have to tell you, though, in case you are a pickle snob, that these babies come straight out of a huge hamburger dill jar like you'd get at the grocery. I like them though because they are super tart. For sides, they have the best red potato salad with hints of vinegar and mayo just like Mom used to make. It is so delicious. And their boiled red potatoes are super good too. Just plain red potatoes with butter. Their servers are always excellent and this visit was no exception. We really love this place. read more

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Tessaro's is a gem. Feels like stepping back in time when you enter this cozy establishment, with booths and art deco decor that's reminiscent of the 30's. We were miraculously able to snag a couple seats at the bar and were taken care of immediately. The bar staff was attentive and professional despite the packed house. I ordered the burger which is their specialty and it is obvious why. Delicious and messy, just like a good burger should be. Tessaro's does not have a fryer, so home fries is the standard side, but I was not disappointed. A Southern Tier Pumking with a sugared rim was the perfect pairing. read more

Tessaro's - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This burger is huge. It was so good. The special has candied jalapeños, grilled onions, cheese and homemade steak sauce. I wish they had French fries. It was busy in there. The staff was okay could have been better. read more

Tessaro's - Burger special - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Best burger in the city served by the nicest people. All the food is great and drinks are generous and reasonably priced. All around great place read more

Delicious but a little noisy. The steaks are wonderful! The service is good but a little hectic because nobody can hear anybody.

Very good restaurant. Amazing food. Very good service with quick waiter and waitresses. The prices are just right. Not too high, not too low read more

I feel like I can finally call myself a true Pittsburgher now that I've had a burger at Tessaro's! We stopped in around 8 PM on a Saturday evening and we were seated within 10 min of arriving. The place kind of has a New York City diner feel to it. I ordered a cheeseburger with a side of broccoli and my date ordered a tuna melt with home fries. We also ordered some wine too! Our food came out quickly. My burger was your typical cheeseburger but it looked delicious! The tuna melt was kind of like a Reuben in tuna melt form. Our food was really good! I can definitely see why they are known for their burgers. Our service was also really great! I like this cute little no frills spot in Bloomfield. I will be back for dinner again! read more

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Well done Tessaros! This was my first time trying this place .. normally place is packed when we try but hey go at 9pm and u get in!!!!! Our hamburgers were delicious... hands down one of the best in the burgh! My sis got her's with potatoes salad ( really good) and I got mine with the home fries. We both said after we should not have eaten the whole thing ... but just could not stop! Look forward to trying this place again ... next time ... Deli Burger! read more

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Always delicious!!! Burgers!!!!! No need to smash ..... plump, juicy .... Amazing! Must try!! read more

A great spot if you're craving burgers! They have a selection of different styles ranging from breakfast burger (pictured in this review) to Cajun, BBQ, etc. The burger is a 1/2lb patty that comes loaded with the standard burger ingredients (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles) unless you request otherwise. I wasn't a big fan of their "home style fries" which are basically just diced potatoes. Regardless, the burger itself was cooked perfectly to what was requested and very flavorful. Service was great by the staff. We were seated quickly, and once we ordered food, there wasn't a long wait. Our waitress was attentive and made sure our table was taken care of. We stayed towards closing time but never felt rushed. The ambience was nothing special, just your standard neighborhood bar/grill, facilities were clean which is always a plus. All in all, great place to catch up with friends! read more

Tessaro's - Breakfast burger - $16 - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Love the idea of combining mushroom and onions into a burger, which makes their special gourmet Kelly burger with THICK, juicy patty perfect. Also recommend the lobster bisque and veggie kebab. read more

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Best burger in the burgh!! Such a great restaurant and bar. The hamburgers are so fresh, delicious, and huge!!! They have other great food options as well read more

This place is your typical neighborhood bar and grill. Solid burgers and great service. The portions are gigantic and you will definitely leave stuffed. I love how cozy and neighborly it feels inside. Be sure to go early for dinner because it always seems to be packed, especially in the weekends! read more

Tessaro's - Caesar salad - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

As a burger aficionado and new PGH arrival, I had to go to what was being toted as one of the best burgers in town. I had the Cajun burger with red potatoes and also began with a side salad. The food was all very good. The bun would probably be better if it was toasted or a better quality bread. The potatoes were fantastic. I really like the ambience of the bar and restaurant and I'm sure I will return again to try something else. The salad was a little pricey for what it was. The burger with a side was moderately priced. The service was efficient and friendly. A good place for gathering socially or just grabbing a drink, some food, and watching sports on their tvs. Note: you will save 3-4 percent by paying cash, as there is a credit card surcharge. read more

Tessaro's - Cajun burger with a side of boiled red potatoes - Steakhouses Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania