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34 stars
| I really like this Northside institution. They serve the beer in jars and I had Spaten German beer- very good. They put really buttery free popcorn on the table so be careful- the grease sticks to your fingers. In the bar they have an old fashioned player piano. I really like the German fare- big portions. The schitzel is good but not great but overall way better than Hofbrauhaus and not Disney- it's the real McCoy. |
45 stars
| A Pittsburgh tradition. Try the Cheese stuffed pretzel appetizer, Count Esterhazy Schnitzel, and Apple Strudel (of course) for dessert. Yum |
34 stars
| I've been going to Max's off and on for 31 years (I KNOW! How could someone as young as I am been going there for THAT long?) And I am not from nor ever lived in the North Side!\n\nThat said...i have always loved the food and the place. I was great the first time and was great last night! Most of the mains can be recommended without reservation....last night I had roasted pork with dressing and gravy. It was deliscious! As for sides....I ALWAYS have potato pancakes and sweet and sour cabbage. (Because of my eastern european background I am partial to both cabbage and potatoes. Do not be afraid of the cabbage unless you dislike sour! \n\nWe didn't have dessert, but did have beer and drinks. They have a nice selection.\n\nMy only complaint was that the food was slow to come out. It was a busy Friday night and I wasn't going anywhere so I had anover beer. No big problem.\n\nGive Max's a try.....it might make your favorite like it did mine! |
23 stars
| The goulash was (sickeningly) sweet and the bread pudding wasn't sweet at all. But the atmosphere is kind of cool. And the prices are downright cheap. |
12 star
| Let me preface this by saying that my understanding of goulash came from what my mom called goulash. Goulash in the Contrucci household was made of elbow noodles, beef and spaghetti sauce. I guess you can't believe everything your parents tell you right? \n\nSo going in here, I was thinking, great...mom's goulash! What was set in front me looked NOTHING like what I was used to. It was a mish mosh of veggies,noodles, gravy and some random unidentifiable food items. I usually eat whatever is put in front of me, so I wasn't scared to dive it. Sadly, I just didn't like it. I thought it was actually not very appetizing at all. I know, I know, this is like \"world famous\" goulash, but I was NOT into it! \n\nWhat I was into was the German Potato Salad. I love it, and honestly, I feel like I never get the same version of it anywhere in the Burgh. This was a no frills version, with scallop sliced potatoes and a thick vinegar sauce. Maybe a bit too much, but not enough for me to eat it all! \n\nWould I go back? If someone else really wanted to go there, but I wouldn't suggest it nor would I go on my own. Oh well, on to the next one right? |
45 stars
| I have been going to Max's for 20 years. I love this place. The Einlauf soup is just simple good eats, but if you're ever there when the soup special is beer cheese - ORDER IT!!. I love their potato pancakes, sauerbraten and the basket of German rolls served with sauerkraut salad and apple butter. The waitresses have been there for years, they are the best! Most delicious long island iced tea in the city. |
45 stars
| This is my favorite restaurant on the Northside, possibly favorite restaurant in all of Pittsburgh. I tell all my friends that this little restaurant is the best kept secret in Pittsburgh. Max's is a quaint little German place that always has plenty of seating, even on Friday and Saturday nights. The service is good. The food is great, I always end up getting the potato pancakes. If you are looking for a place to check out that isn't going to be as crowded and will be more \"authentic\" German food than other places you should definitely come to Max's! |
45 stars
| Excellent German food. I went in for an early lunch, the service was great. Had a whole feast of great dishes. The best sauerkraut i've ever had -- subtle, with caraway. Sweet and sour cabbage, potato salad, spaetzle, a great weisswurst, and a great wheat beer on tap. |
45 stars
| I honestly can't get enough of this place. We used to come here after going to Pirates games since its right up the road. Now its one of my favorite places to go out with my friends.\n\nIts a bit pricey (~$15/person), but the quality and quantity is superb. The service is pretty good. The atmosphere has a nice feel to it, perhaps its the antiquity.. I love the cuckoo clock and tapestries they have.\n\nNow, to the food:\nThe bread they give you... with apple butter!! ... is very fresh and tasty. Try not to fill up on it while waiting on your huge main course.. The Bavarian soft pretzels were warm and soft when we ordered them. Also delicious.\n\nThe sampler platter is a great deal if you don't know yet what you like. You get 3 entrees and the typical sides for ~$16. My favorite, though, is the schnitzel liechtenstein, with sauerkraut and potato pancakes. Fresh and delicious everytime.\n\nI would definitely recommend this place to anybody who likes ethnic, or German/Bavarian food, or just trying new stuff. It's awesome. |
23 stars
| I really thought I'd never be back. The goulash I had was so so gross. But then, was roped in by some friends who were doing a Sunday brunch book club. Of course I couldn't miss out on tantalizing conversation... so I obliged. \n\nI really had no clue what they offered for brunch options, but quickly learned they have a a pretty decent size brunch buffet. I'm not below buffets at all, it's the fat kid in me! Most things still looked a little questionable to me, but I went for the big ticket items. Make your own omelets, potato pancakes and dessert. I'd hit up the buffet again, but still be hasty to check out the regular menu again. \n\nThe omelet was made right in front of you, so I added cheese, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes and onions. I was super excited about it because it was the size of a football. Sadly, it was pretty tasteless. I don't think they added any salt or pepper to the egg mix, so it came out really bland, despite loading up on ingredients. \n\nBut the potato pancakes... I could survive on them forever. They were amazeballs! Add some sour cream and I was in potato patch heaven! I had to keep myself from getting more because of the other thing I loaded up on... dessert. \n\nThe desserts looked unassuming, but they were also awesome. I had a smattering of delectable bites. The scones were so moist and tasty. I had to stop myself from taking more than 20. I also had some carrot cake, brownies, cookies among other things I inhaled and didn't pay attention too. Should I be embarrassed? Probably. But I don't care because it was darn good! |
23 stars
| Our dinner here was a nice experience. We were going to a concert and when we arrived many people were waiting to be seated. We were told to expect a half hour wait. We sat at the bar and had a drink and in what must have been only ten minutes we were asked if we would mind eating at a booth in the bar area rather than wait for the dinning room. We were thrilled, because we were considering eating at the bar. The booth worked out just fine. It wasn't too noisy and we got served quickly. Even though there were several specials that tempted us, we both ordered the best thing on the menu - their J\u00e4ger Schnitzel, with sides of hot German potato salad and sweet and sour cabbage. I had a German black lager and my wife a glass of wine. The basket of assorted rolls comes with delicious apple butter and sauerkraut relish, both very tasty. The schnitzel is quite large, and we only made it about halfway thru when we asked for a to-go box. We're looking forward to finishing it here at home. Maybe next time we'll try something different....but probably not!\nPros: inexpensive, very tasty schnitzels\nCons: no reservations for parties under 5 |
34 stars
| been here a number of times and it's my favorite German food in Pgh! |
34 stars
| What to eat for dinner? Hmmm, a nearby German restaurant sounds good (and it was). There's nothing extraordinary to get into detail about so:\n\n1 star for free street parking\n1 star for ample seating/tables\n1 star for friendly service\n1 star for a very good meal\n\nSimple, yet effective. Danke. |
23 stars
| The food isn't as good as it once was. The atmosphere is kind of dark and needs to be updated. We ordered potato pancakes that had to be returned because they somehow tasted fishy (I don't even want to speculate). The other items we ordered were ok. Staff is great, very friendly and attentive. |
12 star
| Not sure why my review was flagged but I can assure that I,m not an employee or another restaurant making trouble for a competitor, just an average consumer that lives on the Northside .\n When will I ever learn. I really want to like this place. It's a cool building with neat old fashion feel to it. But the food is mediocre at best.The last time I was there I got what they called German goulash. I have had this made for me by real German cooks so I have a good idea what it's supposed to taste like and this isn't it. It was made from pork instead of beef with frozen peas and carrots. The gravy wasn't a rich and savory, it was canned or packaged with I don't even know what spices in it. When I complained to the waitress she said that most people don't like it either. She asked me if I wanted something else but I was in a hurry and ate the meat after I scraped the gravy off of it. I have been to this place 1 or 2 times a year and I have had undercooked potato pancakes, greasy rubins and cold sausages. The only thing I can say is really good is the spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. It is a bit over priced for the size, but it is always really good.\n\nSunday brunch\nA neighbor talked me into going here for the brunch and I was glad she did. For an all you can eat brunch they do a nice job keeping things stocked and fresh. The omelet chef was very good making stuff just as you asked him for, yum. The sausage is great and the bacon is cooked in a range of doneness that everyone can find. So, for dinner and lunch my original 2 stars stand but the Sunday brunch is a solid 4 1/2 stars. |
01 star
| My husband and I have been to this restaurant many times over the past 20 years and went for sandwiches tonight. Sorry to say it was the worst food we have ever eaten at this place. Reuben sandwich was greasy and had little meat. Sweet potato fries were not edible. We ate at a table at the bar and told Andy our bartender but got zero satisfaction. Since we've had such a bad experience and no effort by the restaurant to remedy a BAD MEAL, be warned! |
45 stars
| I work on the North Shore and have heard many coworkers rave about Max's. When I finally tried it, I wish I had not waited so long. Entering Max's is like going into your grandmother's living room. Very welcoming and nostalgic.\n\nThe menu is bigger than I expected with a variety of traditional appetizers and sandwiches along with a large selection of German items. Everything from multiple varieties of schnitzels, sausages, chickens and a sampler platter that lets you choose a combination of all of the above. All of the items we tried were full of flavor and served at the perfect temperature. Speaking of being full, the food is very rich so you will leave with a full stomach. \n\nThey have a good selection of beers and even offer a sampler option. The dessert selection looked delicious, but we were beyond stuffed so will have to savor them on a future visit. I can't wait to go back! |
23 stars
| This is americanized German food. For real German food, go to Hofbrauhaus and ask for a schnitzel. |
23 stars
| I've been here once because this was an easy place to meet for dinner with a friend. I enjoyed eating here well enough.\n\nI'm honestly not a die-hard fan of German food, although I guess that wouldn't have mattered: a peak at the menu beforehand revealed that this place's menu is mostly Americanized - proof of this is the fact that my salad was topped with French fries (only in Pittsburgh...). Trust me, even if you don't really like German food, there'll at least be a sandwich you'll like here.\n\nThinking about my usual \"overall\" summary, I have to say this place wasn't bad and served as a reasonable place to meet - the beer menu looked nice from what I saw and the atmosphere was pretty cozy and even nostalgic and homely - but man, the dining options really weren't that extraordinary. I'm still torn as to how to feel about its menu, because on the one hand obviously it being Americanized meant even I could find something to enjoy, but on the other I feel bad for the people who do like German food and may not be getting what they hope for. \n\nIt wasn't bad enough that I'd say don't try it and see - just understand it may not be exactly what you expect. |
23 stars
| I went to Max's for the first time with my family a few weeks ago. I ordered the kielbasa sandwich with a side of kase spaetzle. The kielbasa on the sandwich was topped with a serving of sauerkraut and served on a toasted roll. It was your average kielbasa sandwich. Satisfying, but nothing out of the ordinary.\n\nThe kase spaetzle however was noteworthy and delicious. It was smothered in gouda cheese sauce and I love me some gouda! I ate it all and I would have licked the plate if it were socially acceptable. \n\nAs for the environment, the restaurant is housed in what looks like what might of used to be a house back in the day. It had lots of little dining rooms. The decor was kind of outdated, but I think that's what you'd expect and it's part of the charm. The tables were spaced a little too close for my liking, but it was tolerable. \n\nOverall, I'd go back if invited, but I don't know if I'd go again on my own. |
34 stars
| First I'll start off with the homemade beer. Nothing spectacular, but it has flavor and is very reasonably priced, as is the menu. I went with the potato pancake Reuben. HOLY CRAP. Probably the most filling meal I've ever ate, but it was worth it. My boyfriend was pretty happy he got to finish my leftovers. The German potato salad I had for my side was equally as good. It had a bit of a bite to it, which I really liked. I also had to try my boyfriends meal. He went with one of the wursts, but the exact name is escaping me. It was made with veal, and was so light and tender - YUM. That will be my meal when we return. I can't believe it took me so long to eat here! |
12 star
| I have stopped going to Max's for regular meals because the food isn't so good but a friend likes to go for Sunday brunch.I find a good portion of the food is acceptable for the brunch,except the food is not kept hot or even warm on the buffet. Cold kielbasi and sauerkraut is a turn off even though it would be great if it was warmer. The chef that makes the eggs and omelets to order is really good and the sausage is the best. The bacon and the chicken needs to be cooked a little longer as they are always half raw.\nSo much of what they have would be good if it was kept at least warm. Since they have it in chaffing dishes, I've found that the food comes out cold from the kitchen. Makes you wonder just how safe the kitchen is. |
23 stars
| Brunch, brunch, brunch. Max's serves an awesome Sunday Brunch Buffet! The omelet station is standard (no egg whites for you health-nuts) and heavenly pastries will always await you along with potato pancakes. I'm not in love with their potato pancakes, but being that Max's specializes in German food, you've got to try at least one with their homemade applesauce.\n\nSome of my rotating favorites on the buffet include red cabbage, Eggs Benedict, and the Farmer's Breakfast. You can order off the menu during brunch if you aren't in mood to gorge yourself on the buffet. No drinks included with the buffet :( but you can order them, of course.\n\nI love the decor at Max's - it's an old house, and much of the furniture looks like it was in this house and just remained when it converted to a restaurant. Max's location in Old Deutschtown on the North Side fits it perfectly. They even offer a shuttle to Heinz Field on Steeler game days (small fee applies). |
23 stars
| This is one of the only German restaurants I know of in the area. The meal was good and reasonably priced. They also have a good beer selection on draft and in bottles. We had a party of 6 going for a 7:30 dinner on a Thursday. \n\nBigger parties tend to chat a little more and take longer in my experience. I felt like they were sort of rushing us out. That might be because they closed the dining room door and started vacuuming the front bar room while we were still finishing up our dinner. I'm not sure if anyone was eating out there but I'm very happy we weren't because it seems really gross to me to vacuum around food. This was around 9:15 and I'm pretty sure they serve until 10. \n\nBesides that, our service was good and so was the food. We all split the stuffed pretzels and potato skins as an appetizer. The pretzels are delicious, I could have eaten them all myself! Deep-fried and stuffed with cheese, yummy! \n\nI ordered the Chicken Viennese and was pleased with my meal. It came with a choice of two sides and I went with a delicious sweet potato casserole and my favorite thing of the night: POTATO PANCAKES. I prefer sour cream, but you can also get applesauce. Yum yum yum get lots of potato pancakes! The chicken was delicious and was served over spaetzel, which was just ok. I've had the kase spaetzel there before which is served in a cheese sauce and much better than the regular. \n\nThere was a variety of entrees ordered from sausage platters to wiener schnitzel and everyone seemed pleased with their meals. You get a lot for your money and I'll never turn down a chance to eat potato pancakes! |
34 stars
| I ordered the Roast Pork loin with Apple raisin dressing, sauerkraut, and German potatoes. Oh yeah... Right Choice! Took a little longer than usual as there was a Large Party of 16 that ordered Just prior to us. Happy to say the waitress took Great care of us, plenty of rolls, drink refills, etc. as we waited. Apple Strudel for the Final Act. So Good, I forgot to take a picture. lol |
34 stars
| I really like this place. It has a neat atmosphere where the entrance has a nice bar and then there are a few other rooms that have the feeling of a living room or dining room. I really enjoy their brunches, but their pretzels are amazing. The one thing I don't like, which is a bit disappointing, is their potato pancakes. They are a little lumpy and not quite fried enough. With that said, it is definitely worth the visit. |
45 stars
| Tremendous selection of German dishes. All the sausages come from a particular manufacturer in Wisconsin that uses 100 year old methods of making them (according to the menu). I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but they taste terrific. \n\nThe options for sides are as plentiful as the moan dishes and the hot bacon potato salad was awesome. \n\nDefinitely recommend giving this a try. |
45 stars
| Max's is great. It feels like your German grandmothers house and the service matches this feeling. The food is authentic and inexpensive. If you are not too familiar with German food, just ask and the waitress will walk you though the favorites.\n\nI love the sausages and the stuffed pretzels are amazing, but the Apple Fritter is the greatest thing ever. |
12 star
| This used to be the best German food in town. I have seen a gradual decline in the food over the past several years. The gravies have changed and the Max's Goulash (one of my favorite dishes) has a different sauce (strangely dessert sweet) and change in the protein. The sides are still great, but the food used to be so much better. |
12 star
| Max's was good, but I've had better.\n\nThe restaurant is located in a tired part of town. It isn't in a bad area, but I'm not sure how I would feel eating there after dark. When you walk in you walk through the tavern portion of the restaurant, which is dark and gloomy. We were escorted to the rear of the tavern, which is covered in B&W pictures from the 40's, which gives it a old world tired feeling.\n\nThe menu choices were standard faire for a true german restaurant. I had Max's Goulash, which said it came with spaetzle, but it is piled in the bottom of the bowl and not on the side, which was okay. The goulash was too vinegary for my tastes, but it was okay.\n\nMy wife's Jaeger Schnitzel was good, but I've had better at Das Wald Cafe (http://www.yelp.com/biz/das-waldcafe-newport-news). |
45 stars
| Man, I just love this place. Pennsylvanian German for sure. Some peeps don't know the Difference. If you want real Pennsylvanian German food, then this is your place. This is the kind of food that my grandmother cooked up in Erie, and my uncle sells at the butcher shop in Girard. Go in the off hours; cause the bar is packed at lunch and late. Also go ahead and put a coin in the machine! You'll see. It pisses the bar crowd off temporarily but so worth it! |
34 stars
| This place is awesome. Authentic, home-made German food that is extra delicious. Really neat place too! Potato Pancakes are delicious. Can't wait to go back. I would take out of town people here instead of Church Brew any day. |
34 stars
| Our first stop in Pittsburgh, what a great start! Had a couple of yuenglings, a warm, salty yummy soft pretzel and a big ole plate of German goodness in da tummy!\n\nThe Peasant Platter had knock wurst, weisswurst and a pork chop on top of heap of sauerkraut...with potato pancakes, spaetzel and a basket of baked breads! So.much.food. And oh soooo good!\n\nThe bar is cool, staff is really nice and I believe they offer their patrons a free ride to and from on game days! |
12 star
| I cannot believe Max's is going from 5 stars to 2 stars for me.\n\nYou have to understand, I love this place. Over the years we have had so many family dinners here including my sisters rehearsal dinner, that it's almost become like eating at a relatives house.\n\nBut now that relative has gone senile and needs to go to a nursing home, and they can't cook anymore.\n\nFor the past two years, every time we come here we say, \"This just isn't as good as I remember.\" For starters, the food is always served cold. Don't believe me? I hope you enjoy tepid knackwurst and cold mashed potatoes.\n\nBTW, to whoever makes their mashed potatoes, you have to boil the potatoes before you mash them. Yesterday they were undercooked, gritty, and gross.\n\nIn fact, all of the food is becoming gross. My friend got the roasted beef and what came out looked like a cold cut covered with a congealed beef gravy that had bits of carrots in it. wtf was that????\n\nI'm done. This place has gone down hill. You need a new chef, immediately. Max's is a North Side institution but there are so many new, better restaurants opening up that they really need to up their game.\n\nPS--thanks for the nausea and hurling about 6 hours after dinner. |
45 stars
| I love this place. The atmosphere, the bartenders, the waitresses and most of all the food. The potato pancakes are delicious as are all their soups. I think there is something for everyone here. Their desserts are all delicious. We eat here before most concert or sporting event. |
23 stars
| The old arcade game was excellent and only a few quarters to play.\nDrinks nice enough .\nBartenders were really nice.\n NIce enough place. |
23 stars
| Got take out from this place on the weekend. Ordered kung pao chicken, steamed dumplings, and pork egg rolls. I was really hungry so it hit the spot, but there wasn't that many chicken pieces in my kung pao chicken - a lot of peanuts (as expected) and a whole lot of celery and carrots (aka filler). So I was a bit disappointed in that. \n\nThe steam dumplings were good, especially when fresh and hot. The egg roll was tasty as well - I didn't find it too oily. Very affordable and a generous portion - I had the leftovers the next day. |
23 stars
| I work on the North Side and went for a walk to find something new for lunch. I am quickly growing tired of Eco Bistro directly downstairs from my office at Allegheny Center.\n\nAt any rate, came across this place at the corner of Ohio and the onramp to 279. The lunch special was inexpensive and grabbed a soda for about $6 in all. I had the Kung Pao Chicken and it was prepared to order. Tasty, cheap, fast. I ate inside - there are only a handful of tables in this place and it's decently clean. |
45 stars
| I somehow discovered this place when searching for sandwich places to enjoy with a friend. How I have never noticed it when walking by it on East Ohio Street, not 10 minutes from my house, I will never understand. Maybe because the entrance is set back from the sidewalk a bit, so it looks dark (i.e. possibly closed) when you first walk by. Or maybe because it's overshadowed by the Isaly's next door. Please, I beg of you, fellow Yelpers, don't ignore this place any longer!\n\nPlease note, as other reviewers have, that North Shore Deli is cash only. But believe me, you won't need much. They do have a website that really just lists the sandwiches they offer and their hours or see my photo of the menu board showing the sandwiches available (all named after local streets). \n\nIt was difficult to decide on just one sandwich. But after reading the few reviews here, I decided to go with the hot sausage. When I first arrived, the meat was still cooking. I didn't mind, I told the gentleman I would return and took a stroll over to Priory for some sweet treats for later. When I returned, I was the only patron there but was greeted again and friendly small talk ensued. I opted for a side of macaroni salad as well. \n\nWhen I got home and unwrapped my sandwich, I was surprised by the hot sausage that looked like it was exploding at both ends. And that it was, my friends. Exploding with flavor, that is. The ends were crispy and delicious and the sausage was just hot enough that the macaroni salad was the perfect cool salad compliment. I guarantee you, this is only the first of many visits. |
45 stars
| You really need to try's this place. Great sandwiches, a hot dog/sausage cart, and friendly service! |
01 star
| I really wanted to like this place. Great reviews and a renovated priory--what a great idea! The pictures on the website are beautiful.\n\nWe found a grumpy old man at the front desk, and he could not have been less interested in our arrival. It felt like we were disturbing him to ask for our room key. But the fun started when we returned later in the evening. We found the rollaway we had requested (and paid for) not present, and I went back down to the old gentleman. He stared at me and then went back to pecking at his computer. I waited. Suddenly he looked up at me and started yelling, something to the effect that there wasn't anything that he could do, and that he would see if someone could do something but probably not. He also angrily admitted that the reservation did show the rollaway.\n\nI slunk away with my guest who had by now come down, too, embarrassed and insulted. It shouldn't be this way. If this is personalized service, I'd rather stay at a motel.\n\nEven without grumpy old man, there's nothing special about this place. The rooms were ok, but the bathrooms tiny (I guess they should be called showerrooms). Everything else was sub-par. The dining room breakfast was served in was tacky and the coffee awful. We did not dare try the free wine. The hotel is in a bad neighborhood.\n\nFor the money, find a special at the William Penn on the Omni Hotels website. If you want a boutique hotel, try the Inn on the Mexican War Streets--a beautiful building with friendly owners just across from the National Aviary and that beautiful park. The Priory does not feel boutique and is not worth the hassle.\n\nPriory, get grumpy old man out of a customer-facing role. |
34 stars
| My wife and I stayed at The Priory when we went out to Pittsburgh for Superbowl weekend. \n\nThe hotel is beautiful inside and out. We don't normally stay in nice hotels, so we were surprised by how nice it was, especially the extremely comfortable king-sized bed. It made for the perfect romantic getaway in a hectic weekend filled with bars, parties, and souvenir shopping on The Strip.\n\nThere are some things you should know before you book at The Priory, however. The hotel is right across the street from a housing project. There isn't enough parking, especially if The Grand Hall is hosting a wedding when you arrive. If you get a room that is street-adjacent you may be woken up by sounds like people talking or shoveling the sidewalk. \n\nOverall, none of these things bothered me that much (aside from getting woken up by the snow shoveler, but I suppose that was better than cracking my head on an icy sidewalk later!). However, if you're the type of person who gets easily annoyed at minor inconveniences or gets uncomfortable around lots of african-americans, you may want to stay at the Doubletree or Westin or something. \n\nIf you're looking for a charming boutique hotel and you're not afraid of being on the North Side, you should definitely check out The Priory. |
01 star
| We stayed here and was initially disappointed-- being new to town, our first impression was that Pittsburgh was a very very bad town full of homeless and degenerates (the area, I find out later, is one of the worst spots in the city!). The hotel is located across the street from a housing authority building. Projects? UGH. Great. \n\nThen we were put into a \"historical\" room that was similar to that of a rundown cheap apartment-- old shower stall, moldy threadbare carpeting, lumpy squeaky bed. \n\nI find out an hour later (after freaking out about the lo-end aspect of this room) that they have new rooms that were just recently renovated. I asked to see the room, and then ultimately change to that room-- for a fee, of course. About 50% more expensive. But I pay more because NO WAY would I be able to exist in this old \"historical\" creepy room. \n\nFinally, a regular room-- the \"renovated\" room was similar to that of an acceptable hotel room. Why even keep this historical, old, dingy, dirty room? Do they figure unsuspecting people who don't know any better will just accept it b/c they have no other choice?? \n\nI slept well in the \"new\" renovated room, and would have been freaked out all night in the old room. What a difference. Actually, the bed and linens were very, very comfortable. The bathroom was nice and clean. The room was what I expected a hotel room to be... not high end four seasons, but not cheap and nasty either. \n\nThe hotel obviously had availabilities of the new, renovated rooms, so why put us in an old, unrenovated, ugly old apartment looking room? If they believed in upgrading, then they would have at least gotten repeat business!! For those who are going to book here, pay more for the new rooms, or go somewhere else. The option of staying in the old room should not be an option at all. \n\nI don't think I will ever go back here if I ever go back to Pittsburgh. I will stay at a chain hotel-- marriot or whatever. What is money except a means to be comfortable and live? I will spend more next time.\n\nBreakfast was \"eh\". It was free-- small stations of some fruit, cheese, small pastries, cereal, yougurt and two hot items: sausage + bacon. OJ, Cranberry, Milk and Coffee also available. Honestly, I felt like I was in college, and watching my pennies (poor), staying here... |
45 stars
| We've stayed here twice during recent trips to Pittsburgh, and while the city itself is a bit hit and miss, the Priory is always comfortable and welcoming. A great place to escape after a long drive or a stressful drive around the maze of roads and traffic that make up Pittsburgh.\n\nEach room is pretty unique and always well appointed and very clean. The staff are friendly and helpful with whatever you might need and it's an easy drive to most of the attractions around town. |
45 stars
| Great european style boutique hotel. You can not beat this hotel for the money! |
01 star
| Was at a beautiful wedding. Staff was terrible, unpleasant, and the two slobs at the front desk need to be in the back with their people skills. Nice hotel but make sure you take some warm bodies with you because the \"people\" at the priory are cold, miserable and just plain miserable. I get better guest service at Holiday Inn |
12 star
| I was very specific when I made my reservations several months ago. I needed a non-entrance level room away from noise. We were given a room right off of the hotel Foyer. It is mid-night and a party rages just outside my door even though I have called the front desk asking for their assistance. Right now I would prefer to be in a Motel6. This room was relatively not cheap, it should have at least been cut-rate given out only as a last resort. The next time I am in Pittsburgh it will not include a stay at The Priory, which is a shame because besides this issue it is a nice place. But if you are considering staying at this hotel why take the chance. While the party continues and I am getting no help from the front desk I am tempted to lower my rating to a single star. But, hey, I can always catch up on my sleep tomorrow night. |
23 stars
| Ended up here since for some reason all the major hotels on the North Side were booked. Overall this is a solid option if that happens to you, but probably wouldn't make a point to stay here otherwise.\n\nNice staff, fairly easy walk to North Side or across the bridges but as others have mentioned it's not in a great area. Literally \"on the wrong side of the tracks\". I live in a similar area in Philly so it didn't bother me as much but can see this being an issue for others. I also walked the whole time and didn't use the shuttle so that's an option as well, but did hear others waiting a while to that just to go to PNC Park which I simply walked to myself in 10 minutes.\n\nIt's definitely an old place, so you could see that as \"charm\" or simply as old. Again, not a bad place at all but nowhere I'd miss if I stayed elsewhere. |
12 star
| booked through a third party site and they tried to stick us in a queen room even though they had plenty of kings available. definitely gave attitude about it but \"upgraded\" anyway. he wanted to charge me the difference but I refused. just bad service overall. no one to help with bags morning or night. even the day front desk person was short with us and rude. I couldn't wait to get out of there. the room was clean and charming. the area is definitely rough. I wouldn't stay here again. |
01 star
| We decided to have a little staycation at the Priory earlier this month. My husband made the reservation with a special they were having for a dinner date night. With the special, they give you a few Pittsburgh restaurants to choose from and you get a $50 voucher to that restaurant. When my husband called the Priory, they said they would make the reservations and call us back on the time. We never got a call about the reservation time which was annoying. But the main issue was we checked in, talked to the girl at the front desk about having the shuttle take us to this reservation at Meat and Potatoes, and she set us up with the shuttle. We go in the room, look around for the $50 voucher, and it's not in the room so we assumed (i know we should never assume) that it was taken care of with Meat and Potatoes when they made our reservation. We had a fabulous dinner at M&P, great food, great service, and the bill comes. We asked the server about this Priory $50 voucher and he had never heard about it so the manager comes over and says they didn't give them anything but to have them call and ask for him and he'll work it out. We called the Priory and told them this, the girl who answered gave us an attitude and said you should have asked for it. Then refused to call M&P to talk to the manager. She just said to pay the full bill and we can work it out when we get back to the hotel. We gave the manager our phone and he was yelled at as well about this. He took our word that the Priory would deliver it to him the next day and he deducted the $50 from our bill. It was embarrassing and it wasn't the issue with the money, just the service with the priory. This showed us two things: We won't be going back to the Priory due to the lack of service and lack of respect and we WILL be going back to M&P because their service was impeccable. |
34 stars
| After considerable research for a hotel on the night of a Steelers football game (a Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens, no less!), The Priory was my top choice in that it was relatively reasonably priced and offered shuttle service free of charge to/from the game. In spite of the hotel being located in the less-than-revered North Side of the city, the place has charm and character with a friendly, accommodating staff. At no point did I feel unsafe, although in full disclosure, I did not spend considerable time in the hotel's neighborhood, other than to frequent a nearby watering hole, the James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy. The hotel has ample complimentary parking nearby (one lot across the street, another around the block), including one lot that is only accessible to hotel guests. The other lot is posted to only permit hotel guests to park there but there did not appear to be a way to monitor this, although it is possible (likely?) hotel staff does so. In addition to the friendliness of the staff and shuttle service to the stadium, the continental breakfast that was provided was pleasantly surprising in that in addition to the typical fare (cereal, muffins, danish, hard boiled eggs, coffee, etc.), there was a generous selection of meats, cheeses, and fruits. I would gladly stay at this clean, comfortable, and charming hotel again! |
23 stars
| So apparently I have this habit, at least last week, of visiting a bar/restaurant during its most dead time. In this case, it was somewhat understandable for Clark Bar & Grill because it was a very uneventful sports week. Regardless, I wanted to check out this place, housed in the old manufacturing warehouse of the historic Clark Bar Candy Co. (RIP) just north of PNC Park.\n\nI wasn't overly impressed with either the menu or beer selections. In fact, there were only five beers on tap and one had just kicked. I ordered the special, a Reuben sandwich with tater tots, which were both decent. I washed it down with a Penn Pilsner (local brew) and then left to go check out another place on the North Side.\n\nThis may be a good spot to hit up before/after a Pirates or Steelers game because of its proximity to both stadiums, but I'm not sure I'd venture back otherwise. |
23 stars
| My review is limited to the restroom. I was in town for a Steelers/Jets game and the portable toilet line was very long. So I walked over here and for $5 the allowed me to use the restroom for the rest of the day (they stamped my hand). I was told that it would be donated to a charity (I believe he said ALS). Great idea if it is true. The restroom is not very large (men's room had 2 urinals and 2 toilets) but it is much better than the options out in the parking lot. \n\nAs far as the rest of the place, it was packed with fans prior to game time. Lots of food, drinks and tv. Might be a better hang out spot if the weather is crummy. But I prefer to tailgate. It'd be a good spot to watch the game if you did not have a ticket and tailgated with your friends. |
12 star
| First I would like to say the Pasta Too of old had good food, this was just average. The italian and mushroom steak hoagies weren't that great. The steak was so chopped that it kept falling out of the bun. The pizza wasn't that good either. The prices are higher than the food was good. $6.25 for 7\" italian and $7.50 for 7\" mushroom steak. So not worth it but I guess they figure they can get from the people who work at the hospital and with all the new housing going up. I will not get anything from there again. |
45 stars
| Awesome fast pizza |
23 stars
| We didn't order directly from them, so I'm not ranking any lower than three stars.\n\nHOWEVER, our wedding catering sourced their bread from Breadworks and it was quite unimpressive. In fact, many of our guests identified it as the one thing they would have changed about our meal...\n\nNot sure if it was because our reception was on a Saturday and maybe the hotel only takes deliveries on weekdays or something, but it just wasn't fresh-tasting and certainly wasn't on-par with say, Mancini's. |
34 stars
| Breadworks has great bread although I usually only buy it in the summer because I make my own bread. I am rating it 4 stars and not 5 for one thing, the focaccia. They now stick it in pizza box and you can't see what your getting. The last 2 times I got it, the bread was burnt. At the price of this bread it shouldn't be burnt and it never was when you could see it before you got it home. I think I will stick to what I can see. |
45 stars
| I was fortunate enough to enjoy a Saturday night Oktoberfest celebration here this past weekend. A friend of mine is a member of this private German heritage club, and got tickets for me and our lady friends for this celebration.\n\nWe brought our own steins (which cost varying prices to fill throughout the night depending on whom we asked), but were always full of beer from excellent breweries like Spaten and Hofbrauhaus. We enjoyed a phenomenal buffet, with two delicious wursts, pork cutlets, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, and a whole mess of tasty German sides dishes. And we spent the next three or four hours in a handsome ballroom with folks as much as three times our age, drinking beer and enjoying awesomely German music from \"Fred Zurich and His Sound Machine\".\n\nWhat a great time this place was! I've never had so much fun being 1/4 German in all my life. If you have a chance to visit, take it! |
23 stars
| Okay, I'm biased because I'm actually German. And in Germany I'd probably never set a foot into a traditionally designed beer house - just because I'm from Berlin and this is more stuff Bavarians would do.\n\nBut I was in Pittsburgh so different rules. Came here for brunch on a Sunday because of an invite. You're not a member? Sorry no entry. Luckily, my accent gave it away and apparently Germans are always welcome.\n\nThey serve proper Bavarian food - Wurst, Bacon (?), Red Cabbage, fried potatoes - pretty solid. You can also get omelettes together with a Krug of German beer. Is that what we Germans do for breakfast back home? Maybe in the Bavarian woods, I'm not sure, but it is definitely something.\n\nThe interior is quite unique - imagine Oktoberfest in 1935 and you get the idea. Fun fact: not everyone in there speaks German and they have waitresses that work there for over a decade. I do, however, appreciate that this Pittsburgh institution is around for more than 100 years and hope they'll stick around for a while.\n\nMaybe, in another 100 years, even the neighborhood won't look as dodgy as it looks right now. |
23 stars
| If this place wasn't up on a hill, it might be a hipster paradise. As it stands, it is a beloved and well-attended local bar with frequent karaoke nights. I've been there twice, and so far the bartender has been the same wonderful, slightly hurried lady, who remembered us the second time around and who was willing to help me experiment by making a manly cocktail with a raw egg shaken into it. I guess it helps that the other half of Billy's bar is Billy's restaurant, with eggs to spare. A good time is always had, belting out the classics with friendly faces and free popcorn abounding. Be forewarned: if you start coming every week, some of the classics will become even more \"classic\", as you start to realize your new friends have favourite songs to jive to on a regular basis.... |
01 star
| I really don't know how this place got any good reviews. One big problem is that the place is dirty, the carpets, the lighting above the tables and the furniture. I have tried this place 5 times in the past 2 years and this is how it went. The 1st time I had a burger which tasted funny and I didn't finish it. I got food poisoning and was so sick. This I thought might have been a stomach flu so I did try this place again. The 2nd time I was with some friends from the neighborhood and 3/5 of us had the spaghetti and meatballs and we got food poisoning.Now I'm thinking that they have a hygiene problem with the ground meat. I was going to stay away from the place but a friend from Troy hill liked to stop there because it was close to her home. No problem,next time I got french fries with gravy. How could this be a problem?.When they got to the table they had put cold canned gravy on my fries.When I told the waitress about it she took it back to the kitchen and microwaved it till it was the heat of lava. Needless to say I refused to pay for them. The 4th time my friend dragged me there, I had a salad. I didn't get sick but it wasn't anything special with bagged salad mix and a couple of under ripe tomato pieces and cucumber. The last time I only got a slice of pie and this was good. I no longer have to go to Billy's, my dear friend has passed away and I refuse to go anywhere near the place. To the owner-Please sell the restaurant, you obviously don't care for the place or know how to handle food safely. |
23 stars
| This place was a total surprise to me. I didn't really know anything existed on Troy Hill aside from Penn Brewery until I went for a ride through the area this past weekend. While passing through I noticed Billy's, it was open, the steeler game was about to start.... Why not check it out?!\n\nThe interior is dated, but clean and has some character. You enter though the bar and the dining room is on your right, this being a Sunday afternoon though, the dining room was not open. No biggie, I'll saddle up to the bar which seats about 12 people. The bartender was very nice, introduced herself and wanted to get to know me. \n\nThis seems like a mostly locals only bar, but they are very happy when people from outside the neighborhood stop in. One thing I heard several times while I was in there was \"Troy Hill is getting better, more people should come here and find out.\"\n\nI tried the soup of the day, chicken and corn chowder, and an order of their wings, $.60 during the Steelers games. Both were very good and made me want to come back to try more of the menu. The beer selection is a bit limited, they mostly stick with the big name domestics, but that being said, the beer is pretty darn cheap. Sam Adams Octoberfest was $2.50 a glass or $12 a pitcher! \n\nI'll certainly be back to Billy's and I think you should go too, turns out there are things on Troy Hill! |
45 stars
| Good neighborhood bar/restaurant. Always good food. Never got sick, or anyone I was with get sick. Have been there with another person upto party's of 10. Always friendly staff. Usually goto Billy's once a month, maybe more. Living right on top of the hill from Billy's, we are regulars there! |
01 star
| How to put this gently?\n\nWhile I may go back to Pittsburgh some day, I will never return to the Carnegie Museum of Art. \n\nIt's not that I mind that its gallery seemed small compared to others I have viewed (sometimes small museums have some hidden treasures) or that one whole gallery was blown glass and I felt like I was at a bong shop on haight st. in sf. \n\nIt comes down to the fact that a docent, while trying to explain a painting with a watchtower in it, told the students it was a watchtower \"from Auschwitz, a place where they basically fried a lot of Jews\". Seriously? That's how she chose to describe concentration camps to a large class of what I could only guess were middle schoolers? It sounded like she described a bad breakfast joint...\"oh that place? they basically just fry eggs\".\n\nOn top of all that, the description of the piece stated the watchtower was reminiscent of those that were spread throughout East and West Germany during Hitler's rule (i.e. not those in Auschwitz).\n\nIn sum, docents are a reflection of the institution in which they volunteer, and this one sucked. So, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, if you're going to hire racist people to lead your tours, at least make sure they have their facts straight (or can read). |
23 stars
| I visited both the art and natural history museums last weekend. I majorly bummed that the large dinosaur exhibit was under refurbishment. Most of the rest of the museum is a large taxidermy exhibit - not my thing.\n\nIn addition, the art museum, although nice, did not live up to the \"major impressionist collection\" rep it has. Maybe I'm just spoiled with Philly museums, but this one was a bit of a disappointment. Major thumbs down to the museum for not notifying visitors ahead of time that the statue room was shut down for a private function during the day. |
23 stars
| Why Go?\nYou want to see lots of shiny gems, random contemporary art that doesn't make any sense (at least to me), and dinos all in one place\n\nWhen to Go?\nIf you're cheap go 1hr or 1.5 hr before closing cuz we got in FREE!!!\nbut keep in mind you only have so much time to spend so be selective\n\nWhat You Should See?\n1.) Gems! Gems! & more Gems! Makes you feel like ur at tiffany's w/ all the glass cases\n2.) Dinos obviously, you can click on their touch screen to see which parts of the skeleton is real vs. a cast\n3.) Hall of Sculpture - when you walk in ur surrounded in greek architecture; of course their casts but still gives u the feel\n4.) Sperm Whale Exibit - if it is still there check it out interesting to hear the maori tribe story\n5.) Art side...meh not too much that I liked but for ppl who like old oils / contemporary art (i.e., canvas covered in black paint, elephant dung, rocks in a circle) then its for you\n\nCafe \n* Not bad food either sandwich w/ a side for around $6-$7 |
34 stars
| The boy and I spent most of a day here. In the morning, we and his sister-in-law and 18-month nephew went through the Natural History museum. The dinosaur exhibit was, of course, the highlight. I was also impressed by the bird collection. We were both a little disappointed at the botany display, which was only one smallish room. I noticed that in a few of the displays, cards indicated that a certain number of artifacts were supposed to be on display, but some had been removed with no explanation or updating to the information. Or maybe someone stole them and the museum hasn't noticed yet!!\n\nIn terms of natural history museums, I think we have been spoiled for all others by the Field Museum in Chicago.\n\nWe spent the afternoon on the art side, and only managed to get through a couple of the modern art displays before becoming overwhelmed. There was one film about migration in the modern art room which we both really enjoyed. I found the art involving the venetian blinds and various types of light bulbs to be fascinating. We spent the last hour of our time upstairs in the Ancient Egypt exhibit. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a corporate event happening that afternoon which involved a scavenger hunt; if you think that children's field trips and scavenger hunts are annoying, imagine a whole herd of businessmen and women on a scavenger hunt, and not using their indoor voices, either.\n\nOther than that, the museums were both quite pleasant and not too crowded. Well worth the student price of $11. |
45 stars
| There are actually 4 museums in the Carnegie Museum group in Pittsburgh. I'll review the Natural History and Art Museums in this review (separate review for the Warhol forthcoming.)\n\nThe low-down - for $15 you get admission to both the Natural History Museum and the Art Museum. It is well worth the money as you can spend hours on both sides.\n\nThe Natural History Museum is a dinosaur lover heaven. The fossils are seriously awesome, especially the one that you see when you walk in (that is still in the huge rock face.) Just a great collection and definitely a good place for families.\n\nThe art museum has some great items in it - the Monet probably stands out for most people. I loved the \"Chariot of Aurora\" installation - a 32 panel wall that once graced the luxury cruiseliner Normandie. There were plenty of gems in the modern collection besides the Monet - loved the John Singer Sargent and the Bourgerou. \n\nAlso impressive was the Hall of Architecture and the Hall of Sculpture. These transform you into another place and time while you are there. \n\nI thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent here and would not hesitate to come here again. Highly recommended. |
34 stars
| I'm from Detroit. We have a decent art museum, but nothing this awesome.\n\nThe Carnegie Museum houses two very nice museums. Natural History and Art. The Natural History Museum is very impressive and it's cool knowing that all the specimens belong to the museum and they aren't on loan from some hoity-toity New York museum. It's not huge like the Smithsonian, but it's certainly cool seeing real dinosaur bones. My accompaniment had to stifle all my Jurassic Park \"Mr. DNA\" references.\n\nThe art section is also quite impressive. I personally still prefer my Detroit Institute of Art, but this museum is still nice. I got a little confused about how to walk around. I prefer my museums in chronological order, not cool to less cool, which is what this seems to be. The modern art is very cool, but after being at the Warhol the day before, I had my fill of high-concept stuff. There's quite a bit of Impressionism, which by scientific fact all women love.\n\nThis is great way to spend a long afternoon and there's plenty to do in Oakland afterwards. |
45 stars
| Totally incredible way to spend an afternoon with my family - these museums have it all! Since we have a family membership (which I highly recommend), we typically pop in for an hour or two at a time, focusing on different areas of the complex in Oakland every time we go. Our daughter seems to enjoy the dinosaurs the most, but she's also intrigued by the art collection! My favorite part is the Hall of Architecture, filled with many incredible casts of facades and sculptures. Just the fact that they have casts of the Venus de Milo and Nike of Samothrace is unbelieveable - I don't think that casting of these timeless works of art is even allowed anymore. Don't miss out on the basement kid's room, because it's full of hands-on activities for the young ones.\n\nWe will definitely keep our membership current as the years go on - it's timeless, and always fun! |
34 stars
| The staff were incredible and very helpful.\nDinosaurs!\nGicometti!\nCarnegie International 2013 was trip! And to see CI from previous years...it was like a hot party that all the great ones are invited to! |
01 star
| In response to the response I received from the Museum rep, I called and left a message and never received a reply as of yet, but you reponded on Yelp. This week is the 3rd week. your response stated that my refund was sent this week, if you are speaking about this current week, today is the 14th, monday and the week has just begun. If you are talking about last week, can you please tell me what day since leaving messages do not gain a response except to be contacted here on Yelp. Thank you. |
45 stars
| It's the first time I've \"Yelped\" anything other than a restaurant. However, after spending the better part of a day enjoying the Art/Natural History Museums, I'm branching out...guess I'm way overdue! \n\nUndoubtedly, there are plenty of bores who cannot imagine a quality museum anywhere west of Bilbao. Pay them no mind. The range and quality of exhibits at the Carnegie are rightly rich sources of pride and accomplishment to the organization and Pittsburgh. And, each and every staff member I spoke with was courteous, helpful and obviously well trained...something that's not always the case in many exalted European settings. If you're traveling with children you'll appreciate the numerous interactive areas created for the kids. \n\nPittsburgh is so much more than football, hockey and salads with hidden french fries (tell me again why they do that?). You'll completely understand when you visit the Carnegie Museums. |
01 star
| Estimated delivery time 45 minutes actually delivery time 120 minutes.\n\nPizza Hut , a pizza of last resort. |
45 stars
| Decided to hit this place before hitting on 12 while the dealer shows a 9 at the Rivers. We didn't have a reservation but the server seated us anyways (we had to be done by 7). It is BYOB but they deal you a $4 corkage fee per person drinking. The bread sticks were fresh and warm and were the perfect accompaniment to the delicious soup du jour, potato soup. The side salad that comes with the meal would make the hall of fame for any side salad league. It came with olives, Gorgonzola, julienned carrots and other veggies. I had the pork tenderloin with veggies and mashed potatoes. The tenderloin was perfectly cooked and the mashed potatoes were like having two aces in the hole. It would be tough to find a better waitstaff. Plates disappeared, water was filled, and I never knew they were there. If your looking for a place to try before going to the casino or bucco game this is a sure bet, just call ahead for reservations. They do have outdoor seating but the views wont show up on any postcard. PS The 7:00 reservation called to say they were going to be late so we were allowed to relax at the table till 7:30. |
23 stars
| Food: menu will appeal to vegetarians and non-vegetarians, with daily dinner specials, separate lunch (sandwiches) and dinner (entrees) menus, both soups were vegetarian (according to the waitress, never heard of vegetarian minestrone before), I ordered penne with multiple veggies and a white wine sauce, it was above average but not great, soup was good, a bowl of bread sticks was on the table and replaced regularly, salad was average size and quality\n\nPrice: dinners range from $12-18 with most toward the higher end of that range, not expensive, but the quality of the food probably deserves the lower end of that scale\n\nDrinks: BYOB\n\nAtmosphere: sports bar-family restaurant type setting, with pictures of athletes all over the wall, but better than sports bar quality food and service\n\nService: waitress refilled water many times, was on the ball and timely, answered all questions about the menu\n\n(+): good service, reasonable prices, good but not great food\n\n(-): nothing wrong with Legends, but also nothing spectacular\n\nWould I go back again? I wouldn't drive to the North Side to eat here, but if I was in the North Side, it would be at the top of the list, particularly if friends/family were at AGH (directly across the street). |
23 stars
| So....what do you say when a highly rated place let's you down?? It was okay....\n\nWhen a meal rocks my world, I usually want to lick the bowl clean, yes, like a dog. I did not, sadly, feel that way about this place. It IS BYOB but the catch is it's $4 PER glass. Yep, that's right, not per table my friend. Keep that in mind.\n\nI got the greens and beans on recommendation from many Yelpers on here. Maybe I just don't have the taste for it, but I thought it was weird, watery and....not good. I also thought it was going to be green beans and it was kidney beans and spinach that tasted like a warm Caesar salad. No thanks....\n\nI ordered the Penne Vodka, which is my fav meal to order at Italian restaurants. I also like to add a meatball on if it's homemade. It was, in fact, confirmed to be homemade so I was all over it! The meatball itself was delicious. I love a bread-y meatball. You know the type. Soft and packed with flavor. It was the winner of the night. The vodka sauce was good, but I wanted way more. Now I have to preface this by saying I'm a total sauce-aholic. I love me a good amount of sauce, this didn't even come close. Then I looked over at Serena R's plate, and her ravioli (which I thought was the same) was SWIMMING in it! So I stole some of hers....\n\nWould I come back? If someone really wanted to. But I have a hunch there's way better Italian places to dine at in the Burgh...so now I'm on the hunt! I gotta connect with my roots, ya' know? |
12 star
| Small, overcrowded, unfriendly staff.\n\nThe food is okay - typical Italian fair that could be better seasoned. \n\nThere are much better options nearby, but in a pinch, it's decent. |
45 stars
| This is our favorite restaurant, bar none. The food is terrific, the service is top notch, they remember our names and it always feels special when we dine there. I've never had a pasta special I didn't adore. \n\nI truly feel like they are happy to see us when we come in the door and go to extra pains to treat us well and we are just an average couple who aren't spending hundreds. That doesn't matter - we are their customers. \n\nWe've been by for lunch which is very competitive price wise with nearby restaurants. |
45 stars
| We made reservations for my mother's birthday for 14. No one in my family had ever been to the restaurant; we used yelp and trip advisor to find it. They were ready for us and everything was fabulous. \n\nI had spaghetti and meatball. The pasta was perfectly done. The kitchen was great. Everyone got their meals almost at the same time (which is very hard for a small restaurant with a big group). The people were professional and friendly. The BYOB allowed us to have wine that suited everyone's taste. They did the pasta and non-pasta dishes very well. \n\nThis small restaurant is a gem in an up and coming neighborhood. We walked from the Priory Hotel on a beautiful March evening. |
45 stars
| Service is friendly and quick! Everything comes at a timely manner and all the food is fairly priced. Although it's a little small, it's really amazing! The pasta is incredible! |
45 stars
| I have been here several times and always have a great experience! The food is always delicious, the staff is super friendly, and there are plenty of different dishes to choose from. The desserts are particularly great! The apple pie is delicious :) |
34 stars
| Legends...interesting name. With a name like Legends, one would assume sports bar, but not so much. And I very much liked it that way! Let's roll into a pro/con list...\n\nPros:\n-Great, friendly service. Morgan was my server and she was super fantastic. Quick, efficient, sweet. She offered up helpful suggestions and even let me try a sample of the soup of the day before I placed my order.\n-Homemade focaccia: Mmmm rosemary! Tasty and free slivers of love to go with your meal. \n-Portions: Mammoth. From the bowls of soup to the pastas to the pies...sharing is caring.\n-Spinach ravioli: My main dish of choice. Flavorful spinach and cheese pillows of pasta cooked al dente and smothered with tomato basil sauce with a touch of cream. Damn good pasta, my friends.\n\nCons:\n-Menu items price out a few dollars higher than similar Italian joints. But, the value is here, though, because of the increased portions. \n-Restaurant set up/ambiance: Is a bit odd. It's kinda like a diner...with bare tables...and carpet...and a few random pictures on the wall. \n-No booze, beer or wine. It is BYO, but I didn't see the corkage fees listed on their menu.\n\nOverall, a solid place for homecooked Italian eats. I would sprint back to Legends just for that ravioli! Mangia! |
23 stars
| This is a really small restaurant and is BYOB. The servers are friendly and the food was good. I ordered two appetizers (small plates) which were very good - greens and beans and then muscles. The flavours were both good, but the muscles were served with multiple closed shells which for the small portion was a negative. I don't have much to say about this experience....It was just a-ok. |
12 star
| OK, so based off the recommendation of my date, I thought that I would like Legends North Shore but I left dinner disappointed and in need of a mint to mask the over abundance of garlic (salt) that I had consumed.\n\nThis restaurant is in a prime location on the North Side and has plenty of opportunity to capitalize on the growth in the area. That said, allow me to jump into some of the minuses:\n\nBeans and Greens appetizer - I love beans and greens, but was shocked by the amount of garlic the chef added. Actually, I don't think it was garlic...I believe it was garlic salt (a huge no-no) Don't get me wrong, I love garlic, but there was so much that it killed a simple, rustic dish.\n\nBlackened Shrimp Pasta - My date and I shared this dish. This dish tasted as though an entire container of garlic salt had accidentally been dropped onto the plate before being served. The shrimp and pasta, however, were cooked well. Had the chef backed off the garlic he would have presented a more edible dinner. i was not in the mood to send this dish back to the kitchen, but did call this out to the waitress once our meal concluded.\n\nThe restaurant is cute, in a great location, and service is friendly and prompt. These are all important things to me, but quality and taste takes precedence. Unfortunately, Legends just didn't do it for me.\n\nWould I go back? Most likely not. There are far too many other Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh that I would like to give a try. |
34 stars
| This restaurant is a gem. Wanted to check out another neighborhood in Pittsburgh. To an ignorant outsider, North Side didn't seem much more sketch than South Side or Oakland. \n\nAfter picking up two bottles of red at Wine and Spirits on Ohio Street, my team and I got a table at the warm, homey Legends of the North Shore, where it's BYOB. For appetizers we ordered the margherita bruschetta (best choice), fried polenta, and greens 'n beans (mainly because we went on a Tuesday when they had a special deal for 99 cents with any entree). The focaccia bread is great with the homemade mixture of olive oil and herbs. \n\nI ordered the mussels bianca over linguine--terrific. Also comes with shrimp. The portions are generous but delicious, in part because it's clear that the tomato sauces are all made fresh and in-house. I tried my coworkers gnocchi--good, but I was quite satisfied with my own dish. My coworker who ordered the eggplant parmigiano really enjoyed her dish as well. |
23 stars
| Legends is good...but not special. It's just your typical Italian-American restaurant, but with a shorter menu than most. Huge portions of pasta, as expected. Started with Mussels Diablo which were good, but we had a lot of closed shells. I had the Penne alla Vodka and the sauce was good, especially with fresh basil leaves. The pasta was a bit overcooked. Basically, if you're Italian you know how to make this food at home. That doesn't make it bad, just A-OK!\n\nThe party next to us brought a bottle of grape Pucker vodka and tonic water as their BYOB. Hey, whatever works... |
45 stars
| I've eat'n here a few times over the last couple of years and have been very pleased with both the food and service every time. I most recently was there on this past Saturday, which I don't recommend showing up on a Saturday without reservations, we got the last two seats at the bar and were lucky to get those. We ordered the pasta special and it was amazing. It was shrimp and crab ravioli in a white wine sauce, cooked with asparagus, roasted yellow peppers, and mushrooms. It was probably the best ravioli I ever had. It was topped with four huge pieces of shrimp cooked to perfection. Most meals come with either soup or salad, either is guaranteed to be delicious, and some bread served with olive oil for dipping. Some other things I've had that I really enjoyed were the spaghetti and meatball, the hot anti-pasta, and their fudge. Everything has a very home cooked feel to it, better than mom used to make. They also use the freshest of ingredients, the secret to any good Italian meal. The service here is very good too, and very friendly. If you want a good home cooked Italian meal and warm, friendly atmosphere, this is the place for you. |
45 stars
| I ate here this past Friday evening with my girlfriend and two other dining companions. I had made 7 PM reservations for us and we arrived shortly before that to a table that was ready for us. The inside of the restaurant is actually much tinier than I had expected with as many people crammed in as possible. It probably was helped that the night we were there, there was a party of 10+ next to us. They would also order just before us understandably leading to some slower service times for us which I would guess is not the norm. Other than it being crowded there was not much else in the dining room to look, just some table and chairs as well as some pictures on the walls.\n\nFor dinner my girlfriend and I decided to start of the evening with the polenta to share. It came out cut into pieces and served with some sweet sausage and a pesto drizzle. I thought that the sweet sausage was the best part of it with the polenta being ok while my girlfriend really enjoyed the polenta. For our dinner entrees I ordered the Penne Vodka which came with a tomato basil cream sauce and prosciutto while my girlfriend went with the Penne Parma that had some artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, olives and sweet sausage in a garlic wine sauce. Both pastas also came with salads before the meal and both my girlfriend and I ordered the house balsamic dressing. The salads came topped with many different things and I thought that they were pretty good salads for being included in the meal. The Penne Vodka that I ordered ended up being really good! It was delivered when still at a fairly hot temperature and I really enjoyed the sauce. It's only peculiar item was that the prosciutto was almost off to the side and not in the pasta which I found to be odd but I still enjoyed it. Even though I really enjoyed my pasta, I actually thought that my girlfriends meal tasted better. The garlic wine sauce on hers was awesome and made each bite of her entr\u00e9e that I had a treat.\n\nThe bottom line for me is that I would definitely head back here again. I was very happy with all of the food that we had and also loved that the prices were good for the quality of food that they were serving. |
23 stars
| Legends of the North Shore on the top 25 restaurants in Pittsburgh list? I would have to disagree. I joined a three dining companions for dinner on a recent Friday night. When I walked in, I was shocked by how incredibly tiny it is inside. We were crammed at a table next to a large party. Our server was very matter of fact and to the point. What I would expect eating at a dinner, not a nice Italian restaurant. I decided to order the Penne Vodka with prosciutto and the wedding soup. The soup was nothing memorable. I enjoyed the crisp bread (foccacia) and oil better. When the entree's arrived, I was surprised that my Penne vodka was garnished with prosciutto. I assumed from the menu that there would be more proscuitto than a thin two inch slice on top of the dish. Overall, the sauce was very good. Not too creamy, not to tomatoey. However, I enjoyed my husband's gnocchi bolognese much more. The gnocchi was tender and the sauce was flavorful and meaty. All in all, I doubt I will be heading back to Legends. With so many great restaurants in Pittsburgh, Legends doesn't make my list. |
23 stars
| Stopped by for lunch and was greeted by great-looking focaccia coming out of the oven. Based on that view, I decided to have the eggplant foccacia. It came with homemade Italian wedding soup, which was good with fresh veggies. It also came with delicious bread and seasoned oil for dipping-- excellent! The eggplant was good, but honestly, the sun dried tomato and olive tapenade did not enhance the sandwich. It would have rocked with a homemade marinara instead. \nThe waitress was friendly in a casual way, and the atmosphere was warm and contemporary. I will try something else next time, as it is worth a return visit! |
45 stars
| After reading some peoples reviews I wasn't sure of this place. My boyfriend and I decided to go anyways. All I can say is, wow you people don't know food if you left a negative remark! Our food was phenomenal. The service was phenomenal. No it isn't a super fancy place, but the food is incredible and very reasonably priced. Our $56 dinner was worth every penny. I had a special, he had ravioli's and we split a desert. Amazing little place that I will 100% go to again. |
23 stars
| Rated one of Pittsburgh's best in 2012 I was excited to enter Legends and prepare for what was sure to be an amazing meal. Upon entering Legends, you get the immediate \"hole in the wall\" vibe (a vibe that I love) with diner style tables and chairs. \n\nWe started with the margarita bruschetta. This was delicious increasing my already high expectations. Our waitress came back- I ordered the Penne Vodka and was excited, but overwhelmingly disappointed. The sauce, although good, is simply ordinary. I've been to countless Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh and could name at least 20 better than Legends. \n\nHad Legends not received substantial praise I may have not been so disappointed, but when you're touted as one of the best I expect nothing short. To their benefit the restaurant is BYOB, maybe this gets so much praise because everyone's drunk before their meal is served...\n\nFood C+, Service B- |
01 star
| If I could give this restaurant a zero, I would. We were just asked by our waitress to leave because someone with a reservation was waiting for our table. My father and father-in-law were still finishing up their coffee and we had not yet finished our dessert! I've never been so humiliated. Do NOT go to this restaurant!\nTheir food was mediocre at best. If you want excellent Italian in a small intimate restaurant, go to Dish on the South Side. I will not be going back. |
45 stars
| Caruso's is the best place to buy beer (and pop and snacks and smokes) on the northside by far. Hidden in its original spot in the Mexican War Streets, Caruso's is a home away from home. He has a wide range, from cheep crap to really really good stuff. If you don't see it he will try to get it in. You can go and just hang if you want as well. Dogs welcome. Family owned since 1930 and Sam has been there for 40 years. Do yourself a favor and stop by. |
01 star
| The best thing about this place is Sam. The worst thing about this place is also Sam.\n\nWhat was great was that Sam made me feel at home and treated me like someone he had known for a long time. He took me to the back of his warehouse, gave me a free beer to drink, and engaged me in plenty of conversation. At one point, though, he said, \"You look oriental, but you also look American.\" I'm pretty sure he wasn't meaning for it to be offensive, and I just discounted it as his being an old man who didn't know it was no longer politically correct to say things like that.\n\nThis is not why I recommend against Caruso's, however. The reason why I'll never go there again is because Sam knowingly sold me expired beer.\n\nI was on my way back from the North Side to the East End where I live and after seeing these good reviews, I decided to stop by. I wanted a case of Yuengling, but Sam said, \"Why don't you try this instead,\" and popped open a fresh bottle of Castello, an Italian beer. He had me drink it, all the while espousing its comparative taste to Yuengling at a cheaper price point. It certainly tasted alright, and a case of it was a couple dollars less than what Yuengling was going for.\n\nSince the Castello tasted fine, I ended up buying a case of it on Sam's recommendation. A few days later when I opened the box and drank a couple of the beers, however, I noticed that they tasted funny. That's when I looked at the label and saw how each of the bottles had its \"sell by\" date marked out in black Sharpie. You could see the numbers underneath the Sharpie, and the dates were for well over two years ago. So basically, Sam had convinced me to buy something he hadn't been able to sell, knowing that I lived in the East End and probably wasn't going to visit again anyway.\n\nStale beer aside, there's another big reason not to go to Caruso's: Their prices are steep--$24 for a case of Yuengling. While Sam might be a more charming character than the young folks at my neighborhood distributor Pistella's, at least I know that Pistella's has significantly lower prices and actually has enough customers and product turnover that they won't purposely sell me something that's not fresh. |
01 star
| Awful. I didn't know how bad it was until I went to a different GE and saw how good it could be. The lines are long, the produce selection is minimal, and the store is overcrowded.\n\nThe last straw was yesterday when the cashier blew her nose, stuck kleenex up her nose, then put it back in her pocket and continued to scan groceries. When I complained to the manager, they denied any of their employees were sick.\n\nI'm done shopping at this store. |
01 star
| Scariest/shadiest grocery store experience in my life. Hubby and I pulled in only to see a few cars down, people selling who-knows-what out of their car trunk. Also this is the only Giant Eagle tht gives you a really hard time if you ever forget your advantage card and give your phone no instead (it works at the other ones just fine). Then we leave by waiting for a really dazed/swaying woman to finish wandering around back and forth in front of us, and pass by a drive-by fat cash exchange (drugs?) on our way out of the parking lot. We are definitely scared to return, and will never need grapes (or any other groceries) so desperately again. |
01 star
| The store reeks of rotting fish, the security guards watch you like a hawk and the food selection is the worse I've seen in any Giant Eagle in the city.\n\nOne plus if you must shop here there are plenty of jitney drivers waiting for you to come out to offer you a ride. That can be a big help if you are like me and don't have a car. \"Need a car\" haha some things about living in the hood just never change. \n\nWith this being the closet G E to Downtown and PNC Park and Heinz field I would think they would renovate but it's been years and still no change. |
01 star
| Awful. Worst grocery store I've ever been to. To make it worse, they are supposed to open at 7. At 7:10, I was told they were \"still getting ready to open\" and I should come back \"around 7:30\" |