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Pittsburgh Restaurant Reviews
[African][American][Chinese][Coffee/Tea]
[Dessert][European][Indian][Japanese]
[Korean][Latin American/Mexican][Mediterranean]
[Other Asian][Pan Asian][Thai][Vietnamese]
My restaurant experiences in Pittsburgh.
Ratings: 1 (never go here), 2 (not recommended), 3 (passable), 4 (recommended) to 5 (definitely try it)
Price: $: <10, $$: 10-20, $$$: 20-30, $$$$: >30
Recent updates:
08.03.2013 - Kiku (4)
07.21.2013 - Carmi Family Restaurant (3)
06.28.2013 - Dobra Tea (4)
06.26.2013 - Tin Front Cafe (3)
06.12.2013 - Los Cabos (3)
African
| Abay | 3 | East Liberty | African restaurant on Highland. Eat with your fingers. Wasn't that impressed. Maybe I'm just not a fan of African food. | $$ |
| Tana | 3 | East Liberty | African restaurant on Baum, near Abay. Eat with your fingers. Food was alright, but wasn't a big fan. | $$
|
American
| Five Guys | 5 | Oakland | Burgers cooked with peanut oil. Free peanuts. Always satisfies my craving. | $ |
| Salt of the Earth | 4.5 | Bloomfield | Nice, modern restaurant. Chalkboard menu, no paper menu. Octopus appetizer was extremely tender. Duck and striped bass main course were good also. | $$$ |
| Juice Box Cafe | 4.5 | Shadyside | (CLOSED) Nice cafe with wraps, paninis and sandwiches. The turkey and avocado panini was really good. Fresh squeezed lemonade and other smoothies and juices. | $ |
| Spak Brothers | 4 | Penn Ave. | Cheese steaks and pizzas with a bunch of vegan options. The Pittsburgh Steak hoagie was really good with egg and french fries. Bread was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Portion size is very large. The Blue Steak was good as well, but portion size is much smaller than Pittsburgh Steak. | $ |
| Root 174 | 4 | Regent Square | Modern American cuisine. The dishes were fairly inventive. Got the crème brulee bone marrow and the mussels, both of which were really good. Wished the mussels had been served warmer though. The vegan meatloaf was tasty as well. | $$$ |
| Thin Man Sandwich Shop | 4 | Strip District | Sandwich, salad and soup place with interesting selections and locally sourced ingredients. Had the Thin Man Sandwich which was made with chicken liver mousse and bacon. It was really good, but a bit on the salty side for me. | $ |
| Eden | 4 | Shadyside | Very unique vegan restaurant with interesting food. Particularly liked the beet ravioli, zucchini pasta and the desserts. The hot dishes were ok, but was not a fan of tempeh. Also has vegetable and fruit smoothies, but have not tried yet. | $$ |
| Eleven | 4 | Strip District | Nice, fancy restaurant. The foie gras, lamb, seafood tasting and cannoli were all really good, but very expensive. Downside was that the service was lackluster and slow. | $$$$ |
| Grand Concourse | 4 | Station Square | Fancy brunch, buffet in Station Square. Donut machine. | $$$ |
| McCormick and Schmick's | 4 | Southside | Chain seafood restaurant. Good quality but expensive. | $$$ |
| Cafe Raymond | 4 | Strip District | Cafedeli with sandwiches and salads. The muffaletta was very large and really good. Bread is freshly made. | $ |
| Mancini's Bakery | 4 | Strip District | Good pepperoni rolls. Fresh bread. | $ |
| Bruegger's Bagel | 4 | everywhere | Good breakfast place for bagels. | $ |
| Penn Ave Fish Co | 4 | Strip District | Very good cod fish sandwich, better than Wholey's. Also serves sushi. Seafood was fresh. Waitress was more interested in socializing with coworkers than actually attending to customers. | $ |
| Fuel and Fuddle | 3.5 | Oakland | Great place for late night. The wings were really good. The nachos however were soggy and disappointing and the pizza with potato mash was only ok. | $ |
| D's Six Pack & Dogz | 3.5 | Regent Square | Wide selection of beer in their beer cave. Fried zucchini was good but rather greasy. | $ |
| Quaker Steak & Lube | 3.5 | Oakland | Variety of buffalo wings flavors in Oakland. | $ |
| Smallman Street Deli | 3.5 | Squirrel Hill | Deli on Murray Ave. The reuben was really good, with a lot of meat. A little on the expensive side. | $ |
| Spoon | 3.5 | East Liberty | Fairly fancy restaurant with slow service. Food is good but fairly standard and expensive for what it is. Butternut squash soup with duck confit was good. Chicken two ways was a little salty, but flavorful. | $$$ |
| Bagel Factory | 3.5 | CMU/Craig St. | Decent bagel sandwiches, although the everything bagel was a bit bland. Prefer Breugger's Bagel more. | $ |
| Tin Front Cafe | 3 | Homestead | Vegetarian/Vegan cafe. The rainbow chard lasagna and risotto were decent but overpriced for the portion sizes. Service was lackluster and confusing. Got there and was not offered a seat. | $$ |
| Carmi Family Restaurant | 3 | North Side | Southern soul food. Had the chicken and waffles. The fried chicken was crispy, moist and well seasoned, but the waffles were spongy and not particularly good. | $$ |
| Union Pig & Chicken | 3 | East Liberty | Chicken and waffles brunch on Sunday. Comes with side of mac & cheese and greens. Fried chicken and waffles are ok, but nowhere near as good as Roscoe's. | $$ |
| Soup Nancys | 3 | Strip District | Soup and sandwiches in Pittsburgh Public Market. The Thai curry soup with chicken was ok, but did not have much meat. Grilled cheese was nothing special. Soup & grilled cheese for $6. | $ |
| Burgatory Bar | 3 | Aspinwall | Gourmet burgers. Make your own has a large selection of fancy condiments. The burger was cooked well, although it was a bit greasy. Didn't feel that the burger was worth the price. | $ |
| Deli on Butler | 3 | Lawrenceville | Average deli in Lawrenceville. The cobb on bread and Italian wedding soup were ok, but nothing special. The sandwich was fairly dry in my opinion. | $ |
| Kaleidoscope Cafe | 3 | Lawrenceville | Modern American style restaurant off Butler Street. The fried gnocchi specialty was good but was underwhelmed. For the entrees, the basa and chicken were good, but personally thought the pork and polenta were a bit dry. Service was extremely slow (30+ minutes just to get salad, 2 hour meal). Deal for free bottle of wine if you buy 2 entrees and 1 small plate T-Th. | $$$ |
| Benkovitz Seafood | 3 | Strip District | (CLOSED) Fish sandwich was better than Wholey's but not as good as Penn Ave's. The seafood, however, didn't seem as fresh in general. Coleslaw was also not that great. | $ |
| Monterey Bay Fish Grotto | 3 | Mt. Washington | High end seafood restaurant with an amazing view. Seafood was ok, but definitely not close to the best I've had. Really liked the Chilean sea bass, but the mahi mahi was dry and the trout had many small bones. The waiter also dropped a glass full of water on the table and the manager didn't even comp dessert. In the end, you're paying mostly for the view. | $$$$ |
| Station Street Hot Dogs | 3 | Homewood | Hot dog place now run by the owners of Salt of the Earth, near Target. Has an interesting selection of gourmet dogs (Banh Mi Dog, Sweetbread Dog…etc), but quite pricy $5-9. Had the Banh Mi Dog, but did not remind me of Banh Mi at all. Duck fat fries are ok, but not much different from regular fries, and definitely not worth $5. In the end, it's interesting but not worth the price. | $ |
| Porch at Schenley | 3 | Oakland | Casual dining with a nice ambiance in Schenley Plaza. Pizzas were unique, but too salty; could taste the granulated salt. Antipasti was good, with a nice assortment of vegetables. | $$ |
| Avenue B | 3 | Shadyside | Modern American restaurant. Food was decent, but too salty. | $$$ |
| Primanti Brothers | 3 | Strip District | Novelty factor for french fries on sandwiches. They were good, but nothing extraordinary and were much smaller than expected. The capicola was much better than the cheese steak, which was more like a patty of ground beef. | $ |
| Peppi's | 3 | Strip District | Decent Phili Cheesesteak. | $ |
| Panera Bread | 3 | everywhere | Good sandwiches. Chain store. Can be found in most places. Not too expensive. | $ |
| Uncle Sam's Classic Subs | 3 | Oakland | Good subs. Chain. Cash only. | $ |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | 3 | Robinson | Good BBQ, wings and ribs | $$ |
| Buffalo Blues | 3 | Shadyside | Good sports bar on Highland. Liked the ribs and buffalo wings. Place gets very crowded when there are Steelers or Penguins games. | $$ |
| Jimmy John's | 3 | Oakland | Good sandwich/sub place in Oakland. | $ |
| Wholey's Fish Market | 3 | Strip District | Unique fish sandwich where whole fish is fried and placed on sandwich. There were small bones in the fish though that were not cleaned. Fresh fish. | $$ |
| Harris Grill | 3 | Shadyside | Pub food. Bacon night on Tuesdays. Interesting menu. | $$ |
| Camille's | 3 | CMU/Craig St. | Sandwiches and burritos on Craig. | $ |
| Museum of Art Cafe | 3 | Oakland | OK place in the Museum of Art with sandwiches and salads. | $ |
| Deluca's | 3 | Strip District | Decent brunch place in Strip District. Usually a wait on weekends. | $$ |
| Pamela's | 3 | Shadyside | Good for breakfast, but unhealthy. Large portions | $ |
| Elbow Room | 3 | Shadyside | Pretty average bar food. Hummus and artichoke dip were alright. Quesadilla was pretty good. | $$ |
| Meat and Potatoes | 2.5 | Downtown | Fancy restaurant next to Theater. Apparently celebrities go here? Waiter said they could not temp the duck, and would not allow me to order it medium. Duck came out medium-well and was chewy and not good. Unacceptable for a place specializing in meat. Not worth the effort to go downtown. | $$$ |
| Eat Unique | 2.5 | CMU/Craig St. | Ok sandwich place on Craig. Sandwiches are very buttery and heavy. | $ |
| Blue Dust | 2.5 | Waterfront | Good selection of beers but the food was just average. The brisket sandwich was fairly dry and there was nothing special about the crab sandwich. | $ |
| Walnut Grill | 2.5 | Shadyside | Place has ok food but seems overpriced. Had steak and eggs and the steak was too well done | $$ |
| Union Grill | 2.5 | CMU/Craig St. | OK restaurant on Craig. Phili cheesesteak was subpar. Not a big fan of the fish tacos. | $$ |
| Max & Erma's | 2.5 | Shadyside | (CLOSED) Normal burger place. One on Walnut | $ |
| up! Modern Kitchen | 2 | Shadyside | Fancy AmericanItalian style restaurant. The arancini was a bit dry and the bruschetta was very garlicky. | $$$ |
| Eat n Park | 2 | everywhere | Diner that is open late. Similar to Denny's in food and quality. | $$ |
| Maximum Flavor Pizza | 2 | CMU/Craig St. | Ridiculously cheap pizza with good deals, but incredibly oily and unhealthy. On Craig St. | $
|
Chinese
| Hunan Bar | 4.5 | Oakland | Authentic Hunan and Szechuan restaurant on Atwood. Lunch specials have very large portions for only $7. Much more expensive for dinner. The fish fillet with silk tofu and farm house stir-fried pork with green pepper were really good. Service was a bit lacking though. | $ |
| Little Shanghai | 4.5 | Strip District | Unassuming, hole-in-the-wall place at the end of the Strip District. Feels like being in a restaurant in Taiwan. Authentic menu is on the wall, but it's all in Chinese. The beef noodle soup was the best I have had so far in Pittsburgh. Could have been spicier though. | $ |
| China Star | 4.5 | Ross Park | Probably the most authentic Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh. The beef noodle soup and onion pancake were excellent. On the expensive side though. | $$ |
| Rose Tea Cafe | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Decent Taiwanese place near Forbes and Shady with authentic food and good bubble tea. Overpriced now. | $$ |
| Rose Tea Express | 4 | CMU/Craig St. | Taiwanese snack place with bubble tea on Craig Street. Sister restaurant of Rose Tea Cafe. Best Chinese food near CMU. The mala beef was really good, but unexpectedly served cold. Chicken with rice was good as well. Didn't really like the zha jiang mian though. The noodles were over cooked and soggy. Cash only. | $ |
| Taiwan Cafe | 3.5 | Oakland | Good Chinese food in Oakland for pretty cheap. Lunch/Dinner specials < $6. Bubble tea was good but no almond flavor. Sushi also. | $ |
| China Palace | 3.5 | Wexford | Good Chinese place out in Wexford. Peking duck. Wasn't too expensive for the amount of food we ordered. | $$ |
| Everyday Noodles | 3 | Squirrel Hill | The only place that I have been to in Pittsburgh that has xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and they were actually pretty good. They also have handmade noodles, but they weren't particularly exciting and I thought the flavor was off. Scallion pancakes were not good. Very doughy, dry and crumbly. The wontons and pot stickers were ok but nothing special. Would really only go back for xiao long bao. | $ |
| Cool Ice Taipei | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Taiwanese snack place, similar to Tea Station. The beef noodle soup was good, but prefer the one at China Star better. It was also a bit expensive for the amount of meat and vegetables included. The milk tea was probably the best in Pittsburgh, but they don't have tapioca. Instead they have QQ, which is close to the same, but not spherical. There is also pudding milk tea. | $ |
| Orient Kitchen | 3 | Bloomfield | Decent Chinese place on Baum. Live fish. The second time, the chicken with ginger was not so great though. | $$ |
| Sichuan Gourmet | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Same owners as China Star in Ross Park Mall, but was disappointed with the food. The menu is authentic but the food was oily. Might give it another chance, but wasn't impressed. | $$ |
| Ya Fei | 3 | Robinson | OK Chinese food in Robinson near Ikea. Fairly Americanized. | $$ |
| Zaw's Asian Food | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Food was descent but the menu is very Americanized. Only takeout and expect to wait around 45 minutes. Szechuan eggplant was good. | $ |
| China Palace | 3 | Shadyside | Good Chinese food but is overpriced. | $$ |
| Little Asia | 3 | CMU/Craig St. | OK Chinese on Craig. Food is often too sweet even if you ask for spicy. | $ |
| Ka Mei | 3 | Squirrel Hill | OK Cantonese place on Murray. | $ |
| Golden Palace | 3 | Robinson | (CLOSED) Only real dim sum place in Pittsburgh located in Robinson. Dim Sum was only ok, and did not have some items. Waitress almost set the place on fire. | $$ |
| How Lee | 2.5 | Squirrel Hill | Cheap lunch specials with standard Americanized Chinese food. Forgot the sweet and sour sauce on my sweet and sour chicken for takeout. Egg drop soup was very oily. The items off the Szechuan menu are much better, but still extremely oily. | $$ |
| Tai Pei | 2 | Aspinwall | Standard Americanized fare. Chopsticks don't come standard. Lunch specials were significantly more expensive than other places ( $10). | $$ |
| Szechuan Taste | 2 | Cranberry | Food was Americanized and about the same quality as Orient Express. The egg drop soup was very oily. | $ |
| Wai Wai | 2 | Liberty Ave. | Americanized Chinese restaurant. Fairly sizable portion sizes for the price, but the quality is about the same as Orient Express. | $$ |
| Orient Express | 2 | CMU/Craig St. | Cheap and fast Chinese food on Forbes, but the quality is not so great. | $ |
| Golden Palace Buffet | 1 | Oakland | Chinese buffet in Oakland. Food is very Americanized and greasy. | $ |
| Tasty's | 1 | Shadyside | Dinky Chinese place on Highland with very poor quality Chinese food. Service was poor. | $
|
Coffee/Tea
| Commonplace Coffee | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Nice cafe with a number of exotic coffees. Got the Rwanda which was very good. | $ |
| Dobra Tea | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Wide selection of teas, over 100 varieties. About $6 for a pot of tea. Nice tea rooms in the back to relax and work. | $ |
| Kiva Han | 3 | CMU/Craig St. | (CLOSED) Coffee shop with ok deli items. | $ |
| Te Cafe | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Lavender lemonade (voted best in Pittsburgh?) was ok. | $
|
Dessert
| Razzy Fresh Frozen Yogurt | 5 | CMU/Craig St. | Really nice frozen yogurt place with all the standard toppings such as mochi, granola, and fruit. $0.41 per oz. More yogurt flavors in the Craig St. one than the one on Murray Ave. | $ |
| La Gourmandine | 4.5 | Lawrenceville | French bakery. We had the croissant aux amandes and the tortillons au chocolat, which were both really good. Only minor complaint is that I wished that they were warm instead of cold. | $ |
| Food Glorious Food | 4.5 | Highland Park | French style bakery open Th-Sat. We had the fruit tart, apple strudel and a number of other pastries which were all really good. Get there early as some items sell out quick. | $ |
| Milk Shake Factory | 4 | Southside | Large variety of milk shakes and desserts, mostly made of chocolate. Wish they had different sized milk shakes though. I don't know how any normal person can finish one by themselves. | $ |
| Waffalonia | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Very nice Belgian waffles for pretty cheap. Nutella and banana is a great combo. | $ |
| Oh Yeah! Ice Cream | 4 | Shadyside | Nice ice cream place on Highland. Have many different mix ins to choose from, including wasabi. Had a lounge area to watch movies. | $ |
| Mercurio's Mulberry Creamery | 4 | Shadyside | Good gelato place with many different flavors. Couldn't make a proper double espresso though. | $ |
| Dave & Andy's | 4 | Oakland | Homemade ice cream. Coke float was good. Need to try waffle cone next time. | $ |
| Allegro Hearth Bakery | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Interesting selection of desserts. Had a few vegan ones which were good. | $ |
| Enrico Biscotti | 4 | Strip District | Good homemade Italian biscotti in many flavors. Located in the Strip District. | $ |
| Prantl's Bakery | 3 | Shadyside | The apple pie was good, but was too sweet for my taste. | $ |
| Pino Gelato | 3 | Southside | Gelato was ok, but place is really small and Mercurio's has much more variety. | $
|
European
| Point Brugge | 5 | Point Breeze | Nice Belgian place in the middle of a residential neighborhood with really good food. Have to try the mussels with red curry sauce. | $$$ |
| Cafe du Jour | 5 | Southside | French style restaurant. Cash only. Everything was amazing from the shrimp appetizer, Oaxacan style chicken and white bean soup, to the salmon and tilapia entrees and flourless chocolate cake. BYOB for $2 a stem. | $$$ |
| E2 | 4.5 | Highland Park | One of the best brunches I've had. The polenta peppernata was cooked perfectly. The polenta was light and fluffy, and eggs were nice and runny. Orange almond donut was really good as well. Cash only for brunch. Service was a bit slow though. | $$ |
| Zenith | 4.5 | Southside | Amazing vegetarian Sunday brunch for $10 that includes entree and buffet. The entrees were large and buffet included a wide selection of pastas, salads, sweet breads and desserts. All dishes were very good and fresh. I really enjoyed the portabello fajita and peanut noodles. | $$ |
| Park Bruges | 4.5 | Highland Park | Sister restaurant of Point Brugge with French inspired dishes. Much less crowded. Poutine was very good and friends from Canada said it was authentic. The creole mussels were good also, but preferred the ones at Point Brugge better. The cocoa zucchini bread was moist and delicious. | $$$ |
| Cafe at the Frick | 4 | Point Breeze | Very good cafe for lunch only next to the Frick Art and Historical museum. Fresh ingredients come from on-site greenhouse. Patio area has a nice view of the estate. | $$ |
| Legume | 4 | Regent Square | French-style bistro with a small menu that changes daily. We started with a pork and duck pate which was very good. The chicken under a skillet and flounder dish were also very good, but a little too rich for my taste. | $$$ |
| Colangelo's Bakery | 3.5 | Strip District | Small Italian bakery with standing tables inside and a few outdoor seats. The polenta and hot sausage special was really good. Wedding soup, on the other hand, was not so great. The pasta was clumped together and soup was lukewarm. Flavors were good though. | $ |
| Pangea | 3.5 | Shadyside | Fancy restaurant in Shadyside. Expensive ($25-35). Dim lighting. Chic and romantic. Mixed up the entree when serving though. Also charges extra to share entrees. | $$$ |
| Paris 66 | 3.5 | East Liberty | Decent crepes place. French onion soup was good but a little salty. Dessert crepes was really good. | $$ |
| Le Mont | 3 | Mt. Washington | Fancy restaurant on Mt. Washington. Great view of Pittsburgh skyline. Steak was good, but salmon was dry and other entrees were not spectacular. May have been because it was catered for a large event. | $$$$ |
| Picollo Forno | 3 | Lawrenceville | Italian place with brick oven pizza. The pasta was ok and seemed to be freshly made, but nothing that special. Waitress could not split check evenly four ways, resulting in discrepancy of over $6… | $$ |
| Joe Mama's | 3 | Oakland | Italian place with old-fashioned cafe decor. Sangria was very good, but didn't seem to have much alcohol. Chicken penne was also good, but very rich. Late-night half off is worth it. | $$ |
| S&D Polish Deli | 3 | Strip District | Polish market with small restaurant area in the back. The potato and cheddar perogies were good, but a little oily. | $ |
| Crepes Parisiennes | 3 | CMU/Craig St. | OK crepes place on Craig and Walnut. | $ |
| Piper's Pub | 3 | Southside | British pub with large selection of whiskey and beer. The portion sizes were large and price was pretty cheap, but the food was just ok. Shepherd's pie was a plate of gravy with minced meat and potatoes that was not particularly authentic. Onion soup was good, but nothing amazing. | $ |
| Gosia's Pierogies | 3 | Strip District | Pierogie stand in the Pittsburgh Public Market. Pierogies were fried. They were ok, but nothing special. Slightly greasy though. | $ |
| Lucca Ristorante | 2 | CMU/Craig St. | Italian place on Crain St. The tiger shrimp penne was pretty good, but rigatoni was not. The bruschetta was on large pieces of soft bread and were soggy. The desserts are very large. Tiramisu was alright but the apple tart was not good. Fairly expensive for lunch ( $15 an entree). | $$ |
| Cafe Zinho | 2 | Shadyside | Portuguese restaurant in a transformed garage. Cash only. The food was ok, but nothing great. The garnishes were the same (potatoes, turnip, broccoli) on every single entree. I did like their unique corn bread though. | $$$ |
| Tucci's | 2 | Bloomfield | Decent Italian place on Liberty. Panini's are really large for only around $7. Pasta is a little more expensive. Calamari appetizer was not that good though. | $$ |
| Girasole | 2 | Shadyside | OK Italian place. Dress business casual to sit inside. Squid ink linguine was alright, but couldn't taste the squid ink. Have had better scallops elsewhere. | $$$ |
| Hofbrauhaus | 2 | Southside | Beer was good, but the food was not that great. Pretzels were pretty ordinary and a lot of the food was really salty. | $$
|
Indian
| People's Restaurant | 4 | Penn Ave. | Decent place on Penn Ave in a sketchy neighborhood. Lamb rogan josh was good, but not spicy at all. Vegetarian dishes were much spicier. Scott gives his seal of approval. | $$ |
| Udipi | 4 | Monroeville | South Indian place in Monroeville. The thali was a nice variety, but enjoyed the dosas and channa batura much more. | $$ |
| Tamarind | 3.5 | CMU/Craig St. | Good Indian place on Craig near Centre. Service extremely slow. | $$ |
| Zaiaka | 3 | Plum | Lunch buffet for $9. Pretty good selection. Drive takes over 30 minutes, and there are better places that are closer. One thing that ruined the place for me was that one piece of eggplant I got was so tough it was inedible. | $ |
| Taste of India | 3 | Penn Ave. | Good Indian place on Penn Ave. Have a subsidiary at Carnegie Mellon, and the food was good and cheap. Food was a bit oily the second time I got it at CMU. | $$ |
| Kohli's | 2 | CMU/Craig St. | Indian grocery store on Craig St with lunch and dinner boxes. The lunch box comes with two curries, rice and two pieces of nan. The curries are only ok and the portions are small, but the price is cheap $5-$6. | $ |
| Coriander | 2 | Squirrel Hill | Sunday buffet. Pretty cheap. Curries were too watery and service was slow. | $ |
| Star of India | 2 | CMU/Craig St. | (CLOSED) Buffet for lunch on Craig, but the quality is only ok. | $$ |
| Desi Moorgi | 2 | Bloomfield | (CLOSED) Takout Indian place on Baum. Messed up my order and was a long wait. The food was ok, but I've had better. Really cheap though. | $ |
| Yuva India | 1 | CMU/Craig St. | Indian place on Craig St. where Star of India used to be and run by the same owners. There is no longer a lunch buffet and dishes were a lot more expensive and not very good. Pani puri was bland and missing chick peas and potatoes. Okra dish was overly slimy and missing mangoes. Hot is not spicy at all. The flavor of the curries I've had there were also off. | $$
|
Japanese
| Chaya | 4.5 | Squirrel Hill | Amazing Japanese restaurant on Murray. Kind of small and expensive but the sushi is very fresh. Can get shabu shabu dinner, but requires 2 days notice and costs $60 a person. | $$$ |
| Teppanyaki Kyoto | 4 | Highland Park | Fairly authentic Japanese restaurant. Probably the only place in Pittsburgh with okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and it was pretty good. The calamari and miso cod appetizers were really good as well. They do not have green tea though. | $$ |
| Umi | 4 | Shadyside | Good sushi on Ellsworth with dim lighting and romantic ambiance. | $$$ |
| Kiku | 4 | Station Square | Dishes were all pretty good, but fairly pricey. Liked the toro the best. Pretty empty on a Saturday night. | $$$ |
| Sushi Tomo | 3.5 | Ross Park | One of the few places in Pittsburgh with Shabu Shabu that was not too expensive, $35 for two. Wish they had spicy hot pot and more types of dipping sauces. The seafood was fresh and the sushi rolls were very good. | $$$ |
| Sushi Fuku | 3.5 | Oakland | Chipotle-style sushi/bowl place. Pick a meat, vegetables and sauce and they make the rolls/bowl in front of you. Fairly cheap for the size of roll, fast and tasted pretty good. | $ |
| Ginza | 3.5 | Liberty Ave. | Descent sushi place. The dancing eel roll, tuna lover roll and calamari appetizer were all pretty good. | $$ |
| Andy's Sushi Bar | 3.5 | Strip District | Sushi bar in Wholey's. The sushi was very fresh, but the spicy tuna roll was kind of odd with basil in it. Rolls are pretty inexpensive given their size. | $$ |
| Ramen Bar | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Average ramen place with large portion sizes. Ramen is fairly pricey ( $10) and spicy dishes were not very spicy. Service was not great, waitress never came by to refill water. Weird seating arrangement. | $$ |
| Ichiban Steak House | 3 | Robinson | Decent sushi and not too expensive, especially for lunch, Hibachi available | $$ |
| Tokyo Sushi Buffet and Grill | 3 | Ross Park | Decent sushi buffet for about $20 at dinner time. The quality of the nigiri and sashimi was surprisingly good for a buffet. The rolls, hot entrees and desserts however were not so great. They have a Mongolian grill. | $$$ |
| Sushi Too | 2 | Shadyside | OK sushi place on Walnut, but the quality is not as good as Chaya or Umi. | $$ |
| Sakura | 2 | Squirrel Hill | Udon soup with shrimp was not good. The shrimp was not tempura'd. Edamame and other “hot pot” Chinese dishes were better. Not traditional hot pot, but dish with more sauce on the bottom. Definitely not “very spicy.” | $$ |
| Hokkaido | 2 | Homestead | Buffet place close to Waterfront. Had a large variety of dishes but the quality was not that good. Had a Mongolian BBQ. | $$ |
| Yokoso | 1 | Waterfront | Hibachi restaurant. The steak was overcooked and in general the food was not that great, especially for the price. | $$$
|
Korean
| Golden Pig | 5 | Cecil | Authentic homemade Korean cuisine. Place is really small and very crowded. Expect to wait for dinner to be prepared as everything is freshly made. | $$ |
| Oishii Bento | 4 | Oakland | Decent Korean/Japanese place in Oakland. They have the bulgolgi, galbi, and bibimbop for pretty reasonable price (~$7) | $ |
| Korean Garden | 3.5 | Oakland | Very good Korean food opened by Koreans in Oakland. | $$ |
| Green Pepper | 3.5 | Squirrel Hill | Nice Korean restaurant with more of a cafe feel. The mandu soup was good. Bibimbap was also very good. Fairly expensive though, especially for lunch. | $$ |
| Asian Picnic | 3.5 | Monroeville | Korean BBQ buffet where you can cook your own meat. Much better selection than Sushi Kim. The price was also ridiculously cheap. $8 for lunch and $15 for dinner. Also a selection of Americanized Chinese food and Mongolian BBQ. | $ |
| Tokyo Japanese Steak House | 3 | Liberty Ave. | Japanese restaurant with Korean food. Order two BBQ items to cook meat on hot plate yourself. Good selection of side dishes. Hibachi available. | $$ |
| Ginza | 3 | Oakland | (CLOSED) Good Korean food, but waitress is not Korean. In Oakland. | $$ |
| Sam Bok | 3 | Strip District | Sidewalk cart outside grocery store. Chicken skewers were tasty. Mung bean cake was ok. Grocery store does not have much. | $ |
| Dasonii | 2 | Robinson | Korean restaurant in Robinson strip mall. Service was extremely slow and horrible. Kimchi was not good. Bibimbap was ok, but meat was sliced too thick to actually mix well. Much better at Green Pepper. Rice cakes were off as well. Not worth the drive. | $$ |
| Sushi Kim | 2 | Strip District | All-you-can-eat BBQ buffet on Friday and Saturday nights, $20. Had both seafood (cuttlefish, mussels, shrimp) and various meats. Bulgolgi was good, but the un-marinated meats were not so great. Didn't really like the kimchi. | $$$
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Latin American/Mexican
| Las Palmas | 5 | Oakland | Mexican grocery store with a taco stand on Atwood. Most authentic taco in Pittsburgh. Large portion sizes and very cheap ($2 per taco). Salsa and topping cart to add whatever you want on your tacos. The lengua tacos were much better than Reyna. The chorizo and beef tacos were really good as well. | $ |
| Kaya | 4.5 | Strip District | Good Caribbean restaurant with outdoor seating. Tofu appetizer was a little chewy. Avocado tempura melted in mouth and was excellent. Fish tacos were almost as good as ones in LA. | $$ |
| Gaucho | 4.5 | Strip District | Argentinian parrilla. Specializes in meat, mostly steak. One of the best steak burgers I've had in a long time. Cooked perfectly, juicy and flavorful. The condiments were great as well. There's no AC so it gets pretty hot inside, especially with the grill. | $$ |
| Chicken Latino | 4 | Strip District | Excellent Peruvian rotisserie chicken for pretty cheap. The fried plantains were delicious as well. Make sure to request the spicy habanero salsa. | $ |
| Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen | 4 | Regent Square | Nice Latin-American restaurant with excellent vegetarian options. Tried the quinoa, legume cakes and corn pastry, which were all very good. | $$ |
| Seviche | 4 | Downtown | Trendy place with outdoor seating. Unique sriracha and ginger french fries. Avocado and corn seviche with salmon was also good. | $$ |
| Reyna Food's | 4 | Strip District | Sidewalk cart outside store with the most authentic tacos in Pittsburgh. They have tongue tacos. | $ |
| Verde | 3.5 | Bloomfield | Upscale Mexican restaurant. The tacos and guacamole were pretty good and flavorful, but portion sizes were small for the price. Outdoor patio seating is a plus. | $$ |
| SMOKE BBQ Taqueria | 3.5 | Homestead | Decent taco place near the Waterfront. The pork and brisket tacos were good, but wish they had more vegetables and other condiments to balance it out better. They use quality meat (Wagyu and Berkshire pork), but $4-6 a taco is a bit expensive. | $ |
| La Feria | 3.5 | Shadyside | Good Peruvian place on Walnut above Pamela's. Specials change daily. | $$ |
| Round Corner Cantina | 3.5 | Lawrenceville | Tacos al pastor was very good. Other tacos were ok and seemed pretty authentic. Half-off tacos during happy hour 5-7pm. The salsa and margarita were not the best. | $ |
| Mad Mex | 3.5 | Oakland | The burritors were pretty good, but not really authentic. Chipotle burritos are better. | $$ |
| The Black Bean | 3 | Oakland | Cuban restaurant in a sketchy area of Oakland. The Cuban sandwich was good. The black bean gumbo was flavorful, but a little too salty to have by itself. Would probably have it over rice. Hard to find parking nearby. | $ |
| Royal Caribbean | 3 | East Liberty | Descent Caribbean restaurant on Highland next to Abay. Fried plantains were good, but they did not have many of the drinks on the menu. | $$ |
| Kahila's Taste | 3 | Strip District | The jerk chicken sandwich was fairly good. Would have been better if the jerk chicken was freshly prepared hot instead of cold from a fridge. | $ |
| Los Cabos | 3 | Lawrenceville | SoCal style Mexican food. The California burrito with potatoes and carne asada was ok, but had way too much tortilla. Pricey compared to Chipotle and not as good. | $ |
| Aji Picante | 2.5 | Squirrel Hill | Peruvian restaurant on Murray. The chupe was ok, but not worth the price. BYOB with no corkage fee. Sangria mix if you bring red wine. | $$$ |
| La Palapa | 2.5 | Strip District | Mexican food stand in Pittsburgh Public Market. The chiles rellano didn't have the crispy battered crust and was a bit soggy and lukewarm. | $ |
| Chica Loca Taco | 2.5 | Shadyside | Had the carnitas and fish tacos. Both were pretty bland and soggy. The service was also very slow with very few customers. | $ |
| Cuzamil | 2 | Squirrel Hill | Food was salty and too greasy. Not very authentic. | $$ |
| Gran Agave | 1 | Homestead | Wasn't a big fan of the soft tacos with ground beef. Greasy and flavorless. | $
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Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
| Casbah | 4.5 | Shadyside | Excellent although fairly expensive. ($25-30). Definitely try the beef short rib ravioli. | $$$ |
| Pastitsio | 4 | Lawrenceville | Small Greek deli on Butler. The gyro was moist and one of the better ones I have had. | $ |
| Daphne Cafe | 4 | Shadyside | Nice Turkish cafe. Gyro wrap was moist and very good. Nice atmosphere and outside patio when the weather is nice. | $ |
| Mediterranean Grill | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Really good Mediterranean place on Forbes Ave in basement of office building. Look for 2nd floor neon sign. Warm pita bread was nice. I liked the moussaka and the lamb shish kabob. Baba ganoush had the consistency of hummus. A little expensive but a lot of food. | $$ |
| Aladdins | 4 | Squirrel Hill | Very good Mediterranean place on Forbes but slightly expensive. | $$ |
| Salim's Middle Eastern Food | 3.5 | Oakland | Very good Middle Eastern place on Centre and doubles as a small grocery store. Baba ganoush and baklava were excellent. Pita bread was fluffier than other places. Gyro and falafel were also good. | $ |
| Gypsy Cafe | 3.5 | Southside | Hungarian style restaurant in a shady alley in Southside. The goulash was good, but was a bit expensive. Service was also extremely slow. | $$ |
| Conflict Kitchen | 3.5 | East Liberty | Serves food from countries in conflict with the US. Outdoor stand, takeout only. (Iran) Kubideh was moist and had a unique flavor. | $ |
| Labad's | 3.5 | Strip District | Small grocery store with outdoor stand. Gyro wrap was pretty good and not too expensive. | $ |
| Sababa Middle Eastern Grill | 3 | Squirrel Hill | (CLOSED) Food was decent. Wraps are very large. Service is extremely slow. No hot sauce. | $$ |
| Salem's Market and Grill | 3 | Strip District | Nice Mediterranean place in a deserted area of the Strip District. Parking next to restaurant. Cafeteria style with assortment of grilled kabobs, shwarmas, and curries. | $ |
| Leena's Food | 3 | Oakland | Decent Middle Eastern/Mediterranean place on Oakland Ave. Hole in the wall, kind of ghetto. Gyro was very moist and baklava was good. | $ |
| Taza 21 | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Shawarma wrap was ok by a little dry. Very little seating area. | $ |
| Ali Baba | 3 | CMU/Craig St. | OK Mediterranean place on Craig. Usually go for the spinach & lentil soup and the many dips such as hummus and baba ganoush. | $$ |
| Pita Pit | 1 | Downtown | Subway-style pita place where you choose a main item and then add vegetables and sauces. The portion sizes are large, but the food was not good. The falafel was bad and left a bitter aftertaste. | $
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Other Asian
| Sun Penang | 3.5 | Squirrel Hill | Very good Malaysian restaurant. Had dim sum off the menu which was good. Owners spoke Mandarin. | $$ |
| Apsara Cafe | 3.5 | Southside | Thai/Cambodian place. Good variety of Cambodian dishes. The Moarn Chha Kroeung was good but could have used more lemongrass. Some of the other dishes were a bit too sweet and not spicy at all. | $$ |
| Burma-Tokyo | 3 | Oakland | Probably the only Burmese restaurant in Pittsburgh, with interesting food. Menu had food from all over Southeast Asia. In Oakland on Atwood. | $$ |
| Sweet Basil La Filipiniana | 2 | Squirrel Hill | (CLOSED) Probably the only Filipino restaurant in Pittsburgh. Filipino dishes were salty and the jackfruit and lentils were not good. I liked the pumpkin curry. | $$ |
| Cambod-Ican Kitchen | 1 | Southside | Cambodian/American restaurant. Waiter was overbearing, trying to coerce us into ordering certain items. Didn't really like the chicken lo mein, curry or the beef wontons. The chicken kabobs were good though. | $$
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Pan Asian
| Soba | 4.5 | Shadyside | Best pork chop I've ever had, cooked perfectly with nice apple cider glaze. Also liked the duck confit wraps. | $$$ |
| Spice Island Tea House | 4 | Oakland | Good Asian restaurant in Oakland. | $$ |
| Aseoma | 3.5 | Squirrel Hill | Latin/Asian fusion restaurant. The Korean style tacos and taro fries were both pretty good. | $ |
| Tamari | 3 | Lawrenceville | Good Latin/Asian fusion restaurant, but portions are extremely small for the price. The sushi was decent and sea bass was nice. Go during happy hour 5-7pm (not Saturday) for $1 ceviche and robata skewers. | $$$ |
| Plum | 2 | East Liberty | OK contemporary style restaurant. Squid was very salty. Service extremely slow. All waiters are non-Asian. | $$ |
| Lulu's | 1 | CMU/Craig St. | Possibly the worst Asian restaurant I have ever been in. Bubble tea had hard tapioca and food was very Americanized. Parents got stomach ache. | $
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Thai
| Smiling Banana Leaf | 5 | Highland Park | Excellent and reasonably priced Thai food in Highland park. | $ |
| Thai Gourmet | 4.5 | Liberty Ave. | Very good Thai food on Liberty. Very cheap for lunch ~$6-7 with large portions and includes soup and egg roll. Nam Prik. | $$ |
| Noodlehead | 4 | Shadyside | Thai noodle place where Kanok used to be. Really liked the Chiang Mai curry noodles. Could use more vegetables though. The “crazy hot” was spicy, but a few more Thai chilis would have made it better. | $ |
| Thai Cuisine | 4 | Liberty Ave. | Very good Thai food on Liberty. Lychee curry. | $$ |
| Thai Cottage | 4 | Regent Square | Thai place where Green Mango used to be. The food is much better and spicier. | $$ |
| Kanok | 4 | Shadyside | (CLOSED) Affordable Thai place with very good food. The pad thai was very good, but the spiciest level is not very spicy at all. You can get Thai chilis on the side. | $$ |
| Little Bangkok in the Strip | 3.5 | Strip District | Thai place in the Strip. The panang curry was good. The tom yum soup was a bit too salty for my taste though. | $$ |
| Bangkok Balcony | 3.5 | Squirrel Hill | Good Thai food, but slightly expensive on Murray. | $$ |
| Pusadee's Garden | 3.5 | Lawrenceville | OK Thai restaurant in a sketchy neighborhood. Nice outdoor patio when weather is nice, but a little noisy. The dishes were a bit too salty. | $$ |
| Typhoon | 3 | Shadyside | (CLOSED) Thai/American place on Highland. Fairly fancy restaurant and kind of expensive. The kao soi was good, but a little too saucy. Sea urchin was interesting. | $$$ |
| Curry on Murray | 2.5 | Squirrel Hill | Average Thai on Murray. On the expensive side and the service was extremely slow. | $$ |
| Thai Place | 2.5 | Shadyside | OK Thai place on Walnut, but portions were kind of small and expensive. | $$ |
| Green Mango | 2 | Regent Square | (CLOSED) Lemongrass curry was ok, but basil tofu was very bland. Chili sauce they provided had a weird taste and was not spicy. Pricey and better restaurants around. | $$
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Vietnamese
| Lucy's | 5 | Strip District | Vietnamese street vendor in the Strip District next to Bar Marco. Best banh mi in Pittsburgh! Choice of pork or chicken. Price is $6. She is there from about 8am to 2pm everyday from May to October. | $ |
| Pho Van | 4 | Strip District | Pho was very good, although I wasn't really a big fan of the meatballs. Beef was served completely rare which I liked. The limes and basil could have been fresher. | $ |
| Miss Saigon 88 Cafe | 3.5 | CMU/Craig St. | Pho was pretty good. Would have been better if meat was served rare. A bit pricier than Pho Van, but half off everyday, two hours before closing. | $$ |
| Vietnam's Pho | 3.5 | Strip District | Good pho in Pittsburgh. Large portions with beef served rare the way I like it. Served with all typical condiments. | $ |
| Pho Minh | 3 | Penn Ave. | Pho was fairly good but meat was served well done. Condiments were missing jalapeños. Iced coffee was very sweet. Portion size was kind of small. | $ |
| Tan Lac Vien | 3 | Squirrel Hill | Pho was ok, but lacked depth of flavor. Wish they had served the beef rare on top. Lemongrass tofu could have had more lemongrass flavor. Color changing LED lights were distracting. | $$ |
| Dragonfly Asian Diner | 3 | Strip District | (CLOSED) Probably the only place in Pittsburgh with Vietnamese sandwiches. Outdoor stand when the weather is nice. BBQ pork sandwich good. Haven't had pho yet. | $ |
| Saigon 88 | 2 | Mt. Lebanon | Pho was not very good. Broth was a bit bland and there was something off about it. Meat was sliced too thick and was overcooked, making it very chewy. Expensive compared to other pho places. Menu had everything, from Vietnamese and Thai to Chinese, Japanese and Indian. | $$ |
| Tram's Kitchen | 2 | Penn Ave. | Pho had thicker noodles and there was something off with the broth. Located on Penn Ave. | $ |
| Me Lyng | 2 | Waterfront | Vietnamese/Chinese restaurant near the Waterfront. The pho was not good, noodles were thick, onions were raw and had chunks of beef instead of thinly sliced rib eye. The type of meat used was questionable. Other dishes friends ordered were slightly better, but not impressed. | $
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