Everything about this dining experience was just ok - not great but also not terrible. My favorite dish we ordered was the ahi tuna. That was good. Everything else (eggplant, falafel and rainbow spread) was just ok. The service was just ok as well. Nothing stellar but also nothing awful either. You can make a reservation through Open Table. read more

The Forge - The Rainbow Salad - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I recently had the pleasure of dining at The Forge and it lived up to its reputation. The ambiance is cozy and welcoming with dim lighting and tasteful decor, creating an intimate and inviting atmosphere. The menu includes a diverse selection of Mediterranean dishes. We started with the Mediterranean mushrooms, rainbow platter and shawarma hummus. You could tell each item was made of only the freshest and highest quality ingredients. The only thing better than these dishes were the craft cocktails - I highly recommend the Los Hermanos Platos and the Yeah Sure Whatever - and the pizza - the Bianca Pizza was light and flavorful. Our server was excellent - efficient, friendly, and came through with some awesome recommendations. Julie demonstrated a perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness. read more

Came into The Forge the 2nd night it opened, and was really impressed by everything thing I saw. The decor was decorative, and seemingly cost. The warmth of the oven could melt you right into one of their colorful arm chairs. The wait staff was incredibly friendly, and speedy with requests. We got a few drinks which were great. One was a whiskey base, while the other was gin. Cannot remember the names off the top of my head. I also did not feel an ounce of judgement when I ordered the Hawaiian Pizza (Yes Pineapples belong on pizza). Overall I think this a perfect place to bring small groups to enjoy a warm ambiance, and have great conversation. read more

See all

This place gets crazy busy! I came in for a drink to meet my friend after work. Even though they don't have happy hour specials. But the reservations poured right in after I walked in! The staff is friendly and happy to answer questions and the food is so delicious! read more

One of the most beautiful bars in the city. The Forge is very unique. They offer amazing wood-fire pizzas as well as authentic Mediterranean cuisine. They also have a great bar program. Take a chance and ask for a bartenders choice. They will create you a drink to your liking. You won't be disappointed. read more

See all

This review is for a visit during the 2022 winter restaurant week. This was my first time visiting The Forge and I was not sure what to expect. I made reservations on open table and got a high top since all the standard seats were taken. The aesthetic inside is stunning and fun. This is a great date spot. Staff was amazing - friendly, kind and helpful. They were running very behind but gave us complementary sparkling wine, which was a nice touch. I can't wait to try this place again! read more

I loved the ambiance and the food was excellent. We had appetizers and drinks. This is my second time. The first time we had the roasted eggplant. So yummy. This time we had the roasted cauliflower. Also an excellent choice. Great for drinks and appetizers!! read more

Delicious dinner! We made reservations for the bar. Definitely make reservations - they seemed like they were turning people away it was so busy. Cocktails were delicious and so was the food. Bartenders were super friendly and skilled. We split the rainbow mezze and the feta feta bang bang pizza. I loved every part of the mezze, but the hummus, baba, and labneh really stood out. read more

The Forge - Rainbow mezze - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

The cocktails here are amazing! Crafted so well and they do change seasonally. The bartenders here are very good so if you're not sure what you want to drink they can help you think of something good to make that you'll love. The food here is Mediterranean small plates. It's a cool spot to come here for a drink and appetizer before your dinner or drinks after dinner. The vibe is lounge like with big upholstered chairs and dim lighting. It does get really busy, so definitely recommend making reservations before you go. read more

See all

Finally tried The Forge which has been open for the last few months in lower Larryville. The inside is a sea of low tables and velvet lounge chairs. We were a pair that expanded to six with a few extra friends and found it difficult to get six lounge chairs around a single short table. The menu had a decent list of cocktails and drafts, a number of which were locally brewed in PA. A good proportion of the latter were half off for happy hour. We started with a house red and noche verde. As a disclaimer I am not a cocktail person and enjoyed my wine well enough but my friend likes her noche verde quite well. For food we had the babaganoush which was perfectly garlicky and smooth and came with some nicely puffed pitas, though we could've used a few more to finish off the dip. We also ordered the Quattro formaggio pizza which was basic but good. Overall, a fine experience, I'm not too enthusiastic about returning. In lawrenceville a restaurant needs a niche or a shtick in order to survive; I haven't quite figured out what that is for The Forge. read more

See all

We made reservations here while looking for a local Pittsburgh place for drinks and small plates after work. The vibe and atmosphere of the is fantastic and tavern-like. There are three seating options of the large chairs, high tops, and bar seating. The highlight of the menu is the bartender's choice. You let the server know which tasting notes and what flavors you desire in your drink and they tailor it to you which I think is a very unique way of service. The only downside is the limited food menu of either pizzas or small plates. During our visit, we ordered a cheese and side board, we ourselves were not a huge fan of the cheeses but appreciated the presentation and varying flavors. read more

The Forge - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We had a wonderful experience here. We loved the speakeasy vibe, comfortable seating and friendly service. We started with cocktails. I had a bourbon based concoction that was nice and hubbie had a good Montepulciano wine that the waitress recommended. For dinner we enjoy the "rainbow" platter which is an outstanding assortment of salads and dips along with some naan bread. The home made cheese dip was so good! We really enjoyed dining here and look forward to trying even more things next time. read more

See all

Use to love this place but the last 2 times the wife and I tried to go we had the same experience. We live in Lawrenceville, like to grab a seat at the bar and have drinks. The last two times we've stopped the bar has had half a dozen empty seats but we were turned away due to "reservations." This new trend of reserving bar seating is pretentious and unnecessary. The food and atmosphere really isn't worth it. There are plenty of other bar seating nearby - Senti, Morcilla, Maggie's, Grapparia, etc. read more

GREAT spot!! What a cool atmosphere! Love the comfy couches and chairs. Great spot to get some DELICIOUS cocktails. And the food!? Loved it! The veggies were delicious and the pizzas all looked so good. Will definitely be returning! read more

The Forge - Ricotta pizza - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Walked in around 9pm on a weekday without a reservation but easily located two seats at the bar. Service seemed short handed, the hostess was working behind the bar and things between staff seemed tense at times. Several small plate items were unavailable, but at the recommendation of the hostess, we ordered the old world falafel and were very impressed! We also enjoyed the seared ahi tuna and blooming cauliflower, with the cauliflower having a nice rosemary and salt seasoning. As for cocktails, I would recommend the Forge Loko, similar to an espresso martini. read more

Made a reservation for Friday night. It was 7pm and the place hadn't filled in yet. We were seated right away in a velvety, plush set of lounge chairs. Right away points for setting and ambiance. Menu came up off a QR scan. Drinks were legit mixology level experiences. My wife had the "bartenders choice". I was really impressed. She gave a few examples of things she liked and things she didn't like. And she loved the end result. I had a couple great cocktails as well (drinks 5 out of 5). For food, we ordered a bunch of shared plates for our party of four. That included the works platter (5/5) (cheese and meats, and the cheese was phenomenal). Followed by a marg pizza (3/5) and a flatbread (4/5), oyster mushrooms (4/5), baba ghanoush (5/5) and a cauliflower thing that was really the only thing I didn't love (1/5). In fact it was really bland. Outside of that, service was attentive. Vibe was chill, bar was ample, and the food met the occasion. And for everything we ordered, the bill was in the lower range of my expectations. After a couple cocktails each plus food, it came to about $60/person before tip. Would definitely venture back. Only downside, parking in this area always sucks. But I guess that's the price of admission for Lawrenceville. read more

We sat at the bar - service was fantastic, drinks were awesome and the appetizer platter was delicious! We will be back! read more

The Forge - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ambiance, service, were great. The lounge feel is awesome. It reminds me of an old Hollywood speakeasy feel! read more

You can't go wrong with your order! everything is tasty and tummy made with love. Great service and atmosphere

The forge is special because 1) it is filled with couches and armchairs and nooks to have dinner in which makes you feel like you're being served in an upgraded home 2) they have "ditched the boring 5-7 happy hour model" and have happy hour Tuesday- Sat from 10pm-midnight! Review: I really enjoyed the Forge's atmosphere, intimacy, and the server was very fun and offered to make drinks based on our preferences of flavor and alcohol (it's called Bartender's Choice) on the menu. Because of this, there are just 4 cocktail options, but we ordered 3/4 and loved them all. The street side was very tropical and an unexpected but lovely change in cold November when I had gone. Also props to the Left Hand Side! Instead of pizza we opted for the yvelines flatbread (brie, shrimp, cranberries) which was very much enjoyed around the table. Great place to switch up the vibe and opt for something cozy and fun yet upscale especially in the winter! TIPS: 1) go on a weeknight especially if you're a bigger group that wants one of the enclaves to yourself and to also take advantage of happy hour. 2) if not, book ahead this place is popular and booked up read more

The Forge - Streetside, Left Hand Side, Yeah Sure Whatever (I'd recommend them all based on your alcohol preference) - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My friends and I had the BEST time at The Forge. The food is great, the atmosphere is great, the decor is great, and the people are stellar. We had an early 5:30 reservation to start our evening here. We sat at one of the "standard" tables with a small couch and a chair for three of us. It is definitely intimate seating. All of the seating is plush, like swanky living room furniture. The whole place is painted black and very chic. Hannah was our server and was so lovely. She walked us through everything and gave us guidance when asked. We ordered the brussels sprouts, vegan shawarma, the roasted vegetable board, and the Fun Guy pizza with a gluten-free crust. Brussels sprouts - exactly as crispy and delicious as you'd expect Vegan shawarma - oh my god?? This was all of our favorite. The mushrooms were done so well and the pita pocket was just oozing with goodness. 12/10 worth the gluten risk for me. Veggie board - this is basically a pile of roasted veggies with hummus to dip. Delicious, but not exactly a board. Pizza - this was the most mediocre of the dishes. No complaints, just wasn't as full of pizzazz as everything else. My friends who aren't GF said they couldn't notice the difference with the crust. The drinks! Oh my word. I could have had everything on the menu. I had two different bourbon cocktails and my friends got the same vodka drink twice because they loved it. I have a hunch you cannot go wrong with anything on the drink menu. The best part of the evening was when we asked Sara, another staff member, for recommendations on where to get drinks in Lawrenceville and she sat down with us for a full 10 minutes and hand-wrote a list of spots up and down Butler St. Incredible. These people are amazing. This spot is very much LGBTQIA+ friendly. The food rocks. read more

See all

After we came a couple of times for small plates and drinks, I inquired about having a daytime wedding shower(celebration) here. The ambiance was perfect. The place is welcoming and cozy. Zur the owner was great to work with and was flexible in choosing a menu. The food was delicious. I needed gluten free and vegan options and both were easily met. We had such a memorable experience celebrating love. read more

Attended a drag brunch and it was a great time. The drag queens were entertaining, the food was hot and tasty, and everyone had a great view. There are no stairs, so I was able to maneuver easily with my knee scooter. The seating is soft benches or velvet armchairs. Servers were wearing their masks and patrons wore masks when moving about the space. The large windows were open for plenty of air circulation and it wasn't noisy despite being right on Penn Ave. The bathrooms were well-lit, clean, and had extras (scrunchies, lotion, face wipes, Bobby pins, menstrual products, mints, etc.) Looking forward to my next visit. read more

The Forge - The Forge Scramble with bacon, tomato, and cucumber - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

I feel like this place is quite underrated. Really lovely atmosphere inside with big, comfortable chairs. Another thing I loved was that it wasn't too loud or too crowded, so it was actually possible to talk to people which was great. I got the bartender's choice drink based on things I like (I said gin and citrus), and I really enjoyed it. Food was great - puff pastry, labneh and pita, and stuffed peppers. It was all great, and the owner/chef himself came out to ask us what we thought which was nice. read more

The Forge - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Run, don't walk, to The Forge, now. This place is awesome! It's set up for perfect night out with friends. Gorgeous decor, comfortable high back jewel tone chairs and you feel like it's just your group. To eat, we had hummus, baba ganoush, charcuterie, roasted cauliflower, pizza (even gluten free crust!) and Brussels sprouts. There was a decent size wine list and a variety of fun drinks options. Everything was delicious. You would drive right past this place if you didn't know it was there. But trust me, next time, don't drive past! read more

The Forge - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This may have been my favorite meal of the year so far. I had been wanting to come here and didn't really know what to expect, but needless to say I was blown away. The service, the ambiance, the food, it was all amazing. They had tons of vegan options too for me and my girlfriend. Probably the best vegan pizza I've ever had. The owner even came out to check on us and make sure we were enjoying everything. I will 100% be coming back here in the near future. read more

After a slow start, this place was WOW. We showed up for our 6:30 reservation on Saturday and had to wait alitte over 15 minutes to be seated. They were nice and apologized several times. This gave us time to checkout the menu. This place has such a cool vibe. Eclectic lounge seating with coffee tables create a welcoming and very intimate atmosphere. The dimly lit room has your eyes immediately drawn to the massive backlit wall of liquor behind the bar. We got seated in the back corner which got me excited for the wood fire pizza making on display. Our server, Sarah (sp?), was awesome -super personable and made sure we were having a good time. We ordered several cocktails throughout the night. All of them were pretty good and came out in a timely manner. I was personally more impressed with the food (probably because I hadn't eaten yet that day, and I was HUNGRY.) For 5 of us, we ordered 2 orders of the drunken mushrooms, 2 seared tuna, a braised brisket, a blooming cauliflower, an eggplant caprese, and then two pizzas - fun guy and Keith's pie. They thought we would need to-go boxes, but we were able to finish it all. Mushrooms: 5/5. They were tender, not mushy and the red wine cream sauce was sweet and savory. Would eat this like a bowl of soup. Can never beat a poached egg, which just made the sauce even richer. Seared tuna: 5/5. It was seared very nicely and the cilantro, ginger, garlic spice mixture was delicious. Someone in the group noted that this was the first time he's ever liked trying seared tuna (not the most adventurous eater, but still saying something) Brisket: 3/5. It was good and tender, just didn't standout. The fig sauce on top was nice. I get it's a small plate, but still seemed like a small portion. Cauliflower: 4/5. I really enjoyed this while others were underwhelmed. It comes roasted with yummy herbs and a tasty sauce drizzled on top. Very flavorful and comes with a light side salad. Eggplant: 3.5/5. This was definitely the lightest of the dishes and since it was the last of the small plates to come out, maybe why it wasn't as exciting. Don't get me wrong, it was still tasty and the eggplant was very crispy, it would've probably been better to have this one first. Pizzas: 4.5/5. Both were very good. It was fun to see the pizza maker in action and get it acouple minutes after seeing it come out of the pizza oven. Much more exciting than delivery! It was crispy, but still had a nice chew. Sauce to cheese ratio was good, a nice amount of toppings, and I liked how the cheese and sauce went all the way to the edges. The Keith's pie was a great take on a Hawaiian. This was my first time here and a few minutes into eating, already knew I would be returning. Definitely looking forward to coming back. Tips: Reservations recommended 2-hour time limit (depending on group size) Happy hours Weds-Fri 5-7pm read more

See all

I've been meaning to post a review here for the longest time. Have time now to do so. I've been eating at this restaurant many times since the summer of 2020. It has always felt safe with masking, distance seating and hand washing re Covid recommendations. This is the best middle eastern restaurant, by far in the city of Pittsburgh. There are so many dishes that are the best I've had: Yveline (sp?) flatbread with apple slices, guerre cheese, dried cranberry and baby shrimp; Rootatolie a mixture of roasted root vegetables; drunken mushrooms; and my favorite taste in the world: Babaganouge . The service is excellent. The chef and owner makes it a point to greet customers and make them feel welcome!! I've eaten here alone and with friends and family at least 20+ times. Thank you all for this restaurant. read more

The Forge was such a great experience! The atmosphere is loungey and great for a night out with friends, family or significant other. Service was outstanding- the chef even came around to check on everyone which is a classy touch. The food was unique and delicious. We had the golden oyster mushroom and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. The feta feta bang bang pizza was amazing and the margarita was really simple but good. read more

The Forge - Feta feta bang bang bang pizza with prosciutto The Davey's Pizza - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Great craft cocktails. I ordered the bartenders choice. You provide the bartender with your preferred base (vodka, tequila, bourbon, etc.,) and they ask what flavors you like and they do the rest. Nice chill spot. Only complaint is they close a little early. Right vibe to hang with friends. read more

See all

Came here with a few girlfriends for drinks and appetizers. They are taking covid precautions seriously which I appreciated , limited capacity, tables well spaced and all reservations. The service was prompt and pleasant. The waiter helped us with our drink selections and helped us choose great options. The cocktails were delicious!! We ordered the mezze platter and for 4 of us it was perfect!! This is a large platter with samples of all of the Mediterranean starters. It's all vegetarian as well. The hummus was good, I could not stop eating the labneh and the vegetarian grape leaves still packed flavor. Love the decor and lounge vibe - would definitely come back here! read more

I would give them 5 stars but their cocktail quality has gone down since the change of staff which is extremely disappointing. I love gin and I always got an aviation. But now if I get that or any drink with gin in it the flavor is just completely off balance. It isn't the same anymore. Just tastes like gin. I don't even want to finish the cocktail anymore. Other drinks I'm sure are fine but the standard has gone down a bit. I've always loved coming here. Awesome atmosphere, and one of the best pizza/cocktail experiences around. The food is great especially their choices of amazing charcuterie board. But the price is a bit on the higher side. I do like coming here but I think they need to work on keeping their cocktails competitive with other high class cocktail location read more

See all

This cozy space with pleasantly scattered low tables and comfortable seating invites you to take time to enjoy the company of your friends. Excellent craft bar. The kitchen delivers brilliantly on the mediterranean tapas menu and the front-of-house team is friendly and gracious. Very highly recommended. read more

This place was delicious! My table of 3 got a variety of foods to share: To start, we got warm olives and falafel. The olives were-- well, they were exactly what you'd expect. But the falafel and the sauce it came with (tahini based, I think?) was spectacular. One of my friends said she'd eat that for her whole meal if there was enough. We then got a few more entree-ish things. The grape leaves weren't my favorite, but my table mates loved them, so an overall good review there, but the real stand-outs were the Davey's Pizza (vodka sauce, ricotta, and basil) and the Baked Brie Bowl. Both were spectacular! The pizza was crispy without being burnt or dry, and the ingredients tasted fresh and well balanced. I'll admit I was suspicious of the Brie Bowl at first, but it turned out to be a *delicious* bread roll (just the right density) with almost-melty cheese that had some sort of garlicky flavor incorporated in. It turned out to be my favorite thing on the table! I'd go back just for that. All around A+ place. Comfy chairs, too! read more

Neat atmosphere except for the early 80's playlist - Debarge and Paula Abdul are NOT cocktail lounge music. Small plates were overpriced and fine but far from remarkable. Drunken Mushrooms were just mushrooms in brown gravy with a touch of sherry. Meh. The Works cheese charcuterie platter was good but for $32??? Overall a pass vs so many better options in the same street. read more

Great vibe ( I hate using that word, but I mean it). Great, quick service. I had 2 drinks and a really amazing brick oven pizza! I went by myself and sat at the bar, had great small talk w the bartenders and had a cute little self date! Will be returning! read more

This place is amazing. They have exceptional food, exceptional drinks, and exceptional staff that go above and beyond. The bar has a great selection of spirits. Cozy seating extenuated by welcoming staff. Can't recommend this place enough. Pizza is phenomenal. read more

Amazing service! Such a fun atmosphere to hang out with friends and the food was AMAZING! Definitely a must for the Pittsburgh foodie! read more

After searching for good places to go in Pittsburgh, I came across The Forge and I'm glad I did. While it was a little crowded for comfort in light of COVID, the food was amazing, very flavorful and fresh. Also, the ambience was lovely, the service attentive and the cocktail list was not surprisingly, excellent. I was also really impressed by the wine list, especially given cocktail bars don't tend to offer great wine selections. read more

The Forge - Vegan cheese board - Lounges Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The Forge is a cute spot with an intimate air to it. My husband and I stopped by for dinner and all-in-all had a good experience, but really wasn't a total wow factor. The food and drinks were good, but cocktails could get a little pricy for what you got. Our waitress was obviously overwhelmed as she was the only one in the entire place during COVID era and it definitely reflected. We asked for extra red pepper, cheese, napkins, etc. and she forgot by the time she visited us again and we were so hungry it didn't matter by that time. Overall, a pleasant experience but didn't knock it out of the ballpark for me. read more

See all