Located on the Border of Oakland and Shadyside. Multiple visits across the last few years. Bar on…read moreone side, dining room opposite. Gastropub feel with deeply solid kitchen. The pickled items are all done in house, and menu/kitchen are very thoughtful on how they execute. They do the pickling well, and they incorporate their ingredients into the dishes without making them feel unbalanced. Some specifics: Chicken fried pickles: Great ratio of batter to pickle. Generally, I think execution of pickled spears versus chips is fraught with peril. ButterJoint does these perfectly. These remain excellent and an unequivocal "get again" dish. Crispy chicken sandwich: chicken thighs done in one of the House brines, then battered and fried. This is a generous sandwich with two thighs. The batter is light and perfect and perfectly adherent. Kitchen cooked these pieces perfectly; no overdone portions. The tallow fries served as a side remain excellent, and the serving is very generous. "You can't eat just one." Pork belly sandwich: what a completely fun bite! Generous serving of pork belly, crispy on the outside and melting internally on a perfectly toasted roll. The condiments on this sandwich are perfect. The brunch burger is excellent. The egg is hard cooked so it doesn't come apart on the sandwich. M got the corned beef hash; the brisket on it is absolutely amazing, and there is a very nice grill on the potatoes. The poached egg on top is a complete delight. This is one of the better hashes that I have had. The falafel is fantastic. Well seasoned, perfectly cooked. The goat cheese crust with hot pepper jelly is an unexpected treat. Pickle shrimp are fun. The Mississippi comeback sauce is basically a remolade or maybe big Mac sauce. Would totally have again looking for a little cold shrimpy bite. We have never walked away disappointed by the menu or the kitchen. Good bar program, good draught list. Consistently gracious front of house team. Great for lunch or dinner, couples or families. Highly recommended.

Butterjoint offers good New-American kind of food with a Pittsburgh twist. If I had one note, the…read moreportions on the apps are a little small for the prices. Entrees are good, though, and the tallow fries are awesome. The vibe is chill, and the servers I've had have been speedy and genuine. Though probably well known as a place to take your paying parents as a Pitt student, this is a great spot for any occasion.

It's been ages since I was here and this was Jenni's first time. This is a uniquely Pittsburgh…read moreplace and I thought she'd enjoy it - and she did! For some reason, the host wanted to put us up against the wall which would have one of us staring at the wall and the other, staring across the nave so I asked to sit in one of the many empty seats so we could both take in the long views from the nave. Our server, Alissa, was very friendly. The potato cakes were tasty but certainly not worth $13. Our meals were delicious but I'm not sure either of us saw the braised chicken; if you see it, send me a message. It was there but again, our meals just seemed very expensive overall at $75 for Mac and cheese with chicken, two potato pancakes, and a prickley-pear lemonade (no refills). Nonetheless, we enjoyed our meals and are subtracting just one star because of the weird seating choice by the host and the overall cost.

We enjoy the theme of this Brewery. It is such a large space. They have several different beers and…read moreit's just a cool experience. How many places can you say where you're drinking beer inside the church. They do have a restaurant here and when we stop by on a Monday night, they were we're pretty steady. There is street parking around this location as well. I had the strawberry rhubarb summer ale. It was very light, but still had great room. An easy summer drinker. My husband had the pious monk dunkel and enjoyed it - come to find out - he had it before the last time we were here!

I loveeeee coming to Cinderlands! The food here is always so amazing and their drinks never miss…read more My preferred method of travel here is by bike but there is a garage nearby that's not bad or you can usually find street parking. Not pictured but you NEED to get a Cindy's Tea when you come here. They sell these in cans as well I always try and grab a pack if we don't bike here! Their crunch wrap is my favorite thing on their menu. If I'm not getting it as my meal I'm forcing it as a table shareable it is that good. Usually I just get their fries with it which is always yummy but this time I tried their mac and it was so delicious! The Chicken Caesar wrap was so good normally I think places never put enough dressing in them but this was perfectly dressed! We tried their Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad and added chicken to it. Idk where I've been but watermelon on a salad?! AMAZING!!! I wouldn't take off or add anything else to this(except chicken clearly lol) it was so refreshing and light and perfect!

Place was surprisingly empty on the night we went. The woman bartender was insanely nice and sweet…read more(specially to my niece). The guy bartender was a good service employee, but maybe due to the woman's friendliness he seemed underwhelming (no offense to him, she was just that nice). Beer was pretty solid. Food was pretty solid too. We would easily come back to the place with all the space, games, and things available for any age.

I visited with my mother after a visit to the Carnegie Museum. Union Grill was very close, and I…read morefigured it would have something we both like. We were seated quickly, and our server was friendly and professional. He kept my Sprite topped up. Union Grill played great music, and it seems like a well frequented spot. While there were other patrons, the noise level was good. I was delighted to see a chicken tender lunch option, and I am more delighted to say that it was fantastic. The chicken was great. The fries were great. If we were in Pittsburgh longer, I would have loved to come back for the brownie sundae.

Food-flavorful and fresh Service-excellent…read more Atmosphere-casual, clean, comfortable Every dish that went by us also looked delicious.

For a quick stop to have a drink (or two) and snack, Industry was great! My wife enjoyed her cider,…read moreand my opinion doesn't matter since I got wine at a place that prioritizes beer. With that said, there was plenty of options for a beverage. My pinot noir hit the spot. We got the popcorn as a snack, and the truffle oil, parmesan, and chives were a powerful flavor trio. It was delicious. Also, the serving was plenty for two people. I didn't give five stars since we didn't really try much else, so it's hard to rate, but the service, the vibe, and the popcorn were top notch!

Service is hit or miss tbh, even at the bar. But the woman who took care of us was great…read more they made their nachos even bigger than before! Food is a little pricey but the nachos are worth the value for sure. We just got some apps and drinks and it was over $100.

Super liked this spot in the Strip District for a group night out! Met up with a few friends at…read moreKaya and we ordered a spread of appetizers to share, including the Queso Chorizo and Tropical Guacamole. The burger paired with sweet potato fries was a total winner, but I was especially thrilled by how vegetarian and vegan-friendly their menu is. I got the Veggie sandwich and the portion size was super satisfying. Amazing flavors, huge menu variety, good service and great vibes. Will definitely be back!

Kaya has always been our "Where do you want to go?" solution when neither of us has an answer. We…read morelike sitting at the bar and can usually count on a good meal, nice atmosphere, and spot-on service. Unfortunately, this Friday wasn't one of those nights. There were plenty of seats at the bar, so we settled in, ordered a couple of beers, and started with the black bean dip. The dip arrived quickly and hot, but about half the chips were broken bits and crumbs. Great if we were making a taco salad. Less useful for dipping. We tried to get a bartender's attention but couldn't. Our meals arrived over our shoulders: my usual torta with fries and my wife's fried fish tacos. My torta was solid, as always. Her fish, however, wasn't hot and seemed like it had been sitting for a while. Cold slaw and avocado? Expected. The fried fish underneath? That should still be hot. We flagged down the bartender, who put in a replacement order. Appreciated, but it left me eating dinner while my wife sat waiting for hers. That's an awkward dinner date. Shortly before the replacement tacos arrived, the bartender brought complimentary guacamole and salsa, adding, "Hope you don't have any allergies." A nice gesture, although probably a question best asked before dropping off the food. The replacement tacos were great, but by then my wife was over the whole experience. We had planned on another round of beers and ended up calling it a night instead. Kaya has been a reliable spot close to home for us, which made this visit disappointing. Hoping this was an off night, because we'd like our go-to to stay our go-to.

GREAT CIDERS, PIZZAS, and VIBES!…read more Tried Threadbare Coder House for the first time last night - I am REALLY late to this party - and it was fantastic! First off, if you're a toddler mom like me, you know a night out with the kids can be more stressful than fun. Threadbare was totally kid friendly and has an amazing corner with giant light bright boards and magnatiles for the kids to play! It was amazing and the most relaxed my husband and I have been out in a long time! Like it was so nice that even if the service and food hadn't been good I would have returned for that feature alone- thank goodness that wasn't the case! We ordered two pizzas - the buffalo chicken and chicken bacon ranch. Both pizzas were sooo good! We especially loved the buffalo chicken! The chicken is a slow cooked braised cider chicken that is so flavorful. The ranch on both pizzas is homemade and herby, and the dough is a homemade sourdough crust which was perfectly crisp and thin. Very well executed. Service was fantastic! We felt very well taken care of, we were given the cookie for the kids on the house and the food and drinks were out quickly. Our favorite cider was probably the tiki which is a seasonal recipe and has a hint of coconut. It was delicious. We also really liked the imperial cherry and guava flavors. The bridge city bubbly was nice but sweet lovers beware - it's very dry. Overall we loved our visit to Threadbare and will be back soon! Our only regret is that we didn't know about it sooner!

Thredbard cider House is one of our must stop when we are in town. We arrived on a Wednesday…read moreevening at about 5 o'clock, which is when they open. We were the only ones for quite some time and it was a little odd as when we first walked in the lights in the entranceway were off so it almost made them feel like they were closed. Thankfully, there was a server who was folding Silverware who greeted us and had us take a seat. They have several ciders that are available, and I opted to start with a flight. I tried the majority of their seasonal offering with the exception of the pumpkin spice as I'm not a fan in general. I really like the spice cider. It is my favorite. I did end up ordering a glass of it. The food options arevery artisan. My husband opted for the meatballs . They are very large, the overall flavoring to him seemed a little blah. I did try them. I found them to be a very moist and thought the flavoring was good. I opted to do the featured flatbread, which was the mac attack. If you've had a famous, fast food chains signature burger with thousand island dressing you will find similarities. I did find the flatbread crust was a little bit to thick for my liking and there was more sauce on it than there was actual meat. It was OK. They have a private lot, which is fantastic as parking is at such a premium in the city.

Super laid back neighborhood bar. Staff were friendly, and prompt service. Stopped in for a late…read morenight drink and food, menu was perfect with plenty of options. I enjoyed that it wasn't overwhelming. Dart board and music were available. I ordered soft pretzels and they were out of the dill salsa but bartender suggested dill/jalapeño ranch instead. Really yummy. The only thing I didn't like was the bathroom door lock was broken. I hope it gets fixed soon.

The food here is standard bar fare. They have some vegan options, which is always appreciated. On…read moremy last visit, I ordered the impossible burger but they had run out. Instead, the chef offered to make a lentil patty. It was decent, but not spectacular. The fried pretzel logs were really good.

If @barmarcopgh is on the table, I'm probably saying yes. And this visit was no exception…read more I've been here enough times to know what keeps bringing me back, but getting to spend my birthday dinner here with one of my closest friends, @katesabolcik , made this visit a little extra special. One of my favorite places with one of my favorite people. And can we talk about the sweet corn soufflé? I genuinely don't know how to describe it. I just know I'd prefer it to be available all year. It's mind-blowing that something so seemingly simple can have such powerful flavor. It gave me everything I needed. It's also worth mentioning something I wish more people knew about Bar Marco: they operate on a no-gratuity model. The price listed on the menu is the price you pay. Their employees are compensated fairly, and gratuity is already built into the way they do business. No calculating tips or second-guessing the check. Anything extra is completely optional and appreciated, but never expected. It's a business model I really respect, and another reason I love supporting this place. I also finally made it to @senzapgh last night, their sister restaurant. Both are SO good, but so uniquely different. They share that cozy, dimly lit atmosphere, but the flavors and menus take you in completely different directions. Two restaurants, two very different experiences, and plenty more to talk about. But we'll save Senza for another post.

We are touristing in Pittsburgh and found Bar Marco. First off, the staff was wonderful, super…read morefriendly and helpful. I am obsessed with amaro (weird herbal liqueur) and they had a big and unusual selection. I asked for the funkiest one and got a Vietnamese one calles May that is indeed one of the bitterest and strangest I've had. Dinner started with a PERFECT dish of riccotta with delicata squash and balsamic. Every bite was balanced with sweet and savory, bordering on dessert. Then the Massachusetts trout came, accompanied by a puree of something and radishes and parsnips. This may well have been the most delicious piece of fish I've ever eaten. Also had the pasta with ragu, which was great. We wrapped up with a polenta cake with corn ice cream and a grape compote (and another amaro...). Finally I forgot my hat when we left and they chased me down! Such nice and skilled people. Might go back tomorrow night...

Stopped in for bevvies during a hike. Sat at the bar rail at the window facing out; great view of…read morethe foot traffic on Butler Street. Neighborhood place, feels very Pittsburgh. Front of house staff (bartenders in this case). Super friendly and very nice. Wings are pretty solid; garlic Parm and regular buffalo. No breading, just good fry and good sauces. My counterpart totally loves the crisp on the wings: "Total happiness for me. I think they are really good."

We came on a Saturday night around 9pm and were able to snag a booth because people were leaving…read more There is someone at the door carding everyone. They have solid drunk pub food and we ordered wings, fries, and a few other food items along with beer pitchers and trash cans. This is your typical divey bar and it's nothing fancy but if that's your vibe then it's great! I asked for an amaretto sour and they had to check to see if they had amaretto (they do!) which I found funny. It can get pretty crowded and it's not super big so come early if you want to make sure to get a table!