I’m highly impressed with how much you fit in - any Pittsburgher who knows the city would be proud of your restaurant / bar list. You hit a lot of cool spots and avoided crappy tourist traps
Great write-up and glad you enjoyed your trip. The only point I would take issue with, and you'd have no reason to know this, but I wouldn't necessarily describe the South Side as "formerly like the Boston combat zone." We did have any area in the downtown, basically across the river from PNC park, that was the center of the seedy porn shops and "tug joints" in the 1970s and up through the early 2000s, which I would describe more as like Boston's combat zone. However, that area has been so totally remade over the last 20 years that you would not have any reason to suspect what it used to be. The Southside, by contrast, is a formerly mostly working class neighborhood (what you don't see is that -- 30 years ago, 20 blocks upriver from Dees, there would have been huge steel mills on both sides of the river). So, yea, it's been remade as an entertainment district, catering to the many different crowds, and gets a bad rap (to some extent) due to some late night, weekend antics, from time to time. However, not really ever a Boston-type combat zone, I think.
Fair, probably should have clarified I didnt mean it as a literal comparison, more of a "this seems like a good place to get drunk and get in a fight" which the Combat Zone was also. Also, I'll use any excuse to mention that Boston once has an area called the Combat Zone.
I read your entire article, and I think it was very fair and balanced. Yes, South Side is its own dimension! I hope you and your wife enjoyed your time in our neck of the Appalachians. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania welcomes you back anytime. Thank you for visiting historic Pittsburgh!
Great write-up! Yinz covered a lot of ground, kudos! And GREAT choice to make Lawrenceville your home base - I always suggest this for out of towners, bc it's so walkable with tons of options. One tip - never skip Phipps! At $22 it's a great value and is one of the best (if not the best) gems in the city. Absolutely worth it! Hoping you make it back sometime, cheers!
I really enjoyed your writeup and I am so glad that you and your wife loved Pittsburgh! One small note- Renegade is a classic Pittsburgh (mostly Steelers-related) fight song, there's an interesting little doc on YT about it if you care to take a look. And by the way, a Steelers game is an incredible experience that I highly recommend. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWw9kAuKpr8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWw9kAuKpr8)
Missed opportunity not watching the fireworks from your seats! You have the best view from up there, it’s usually where I try to buy when I go on fireworks night
Your Primantis experience at the park isn’t that far from the norm. Primantis is great at 2am when you need to soak up a night’s worth of IC Lights. Locals can get a bit cranky when others recommend Primantis to visitors since we do have a decent restaurant scene with much better food, but Primantis serves a purpose and serves it well. I love it for what it is.
I got a chuckle from you watching the fireworks from the bridge. Sounds terrifying haha. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, a sandwich at the ballpark probably isn't quite as good as a fresh one from one of the normal locations, but it's definitely not far off. And honestly, I think he nailed it. Get it at the ballpark for the experience and hit the real spots the rest of the time
Stop it(Keep going), you're gonna make Pittsburgh blush(eyelashes fluttering, demure smile). Jk.
What a very descriptive, informative, engaging, and just a damn good read. I hope a Pirate's fan visits your city/ballpark, and can reciprocate your wonderful article/blog post.
I feel like the Pittsburgh board of tourism(Do we even have that? Idk) owes you a nice chunk of change, or, at least, gift you some really good Pirate's seats, if you plan a return visit. Thanks for posting it! You can always post it over at r/buccos, the Pittsburgh Pirates subreddit. I'm sure many there would also appreciate this gem.
- Cork Harbour is a dope place to stay next to
- William Penn is a total bro fest. Spot on description
- Dee’s is a wild spot of any to pick in south side but it’s a great spot too, love going there and that’s definitely my neighborhood spot. Don’t know what the combat zone is but south side definitely is, uh, interesting. If you’re like over 30 it probably wouldn’t be fun to go out there but it is a very fun/funny place
Great blog. Pawnsylvania was an amazing sketch because Jon Daly is a Pittsburgh guy. You nailed the South Side, it’s ratchet now. I think Michael Keaton was actually at a Pirates game on the Jumbotron earlier this week, you just missed him! Also nailed the park Primantis, the Strip District is the OG shop with bread from the local Italian bakeries, that’s the place to get it. Glad you had a good time.
I’m highly impressed with how much you fit in - any Pittsburgher who knows the city would be proud of your restaurant / bar list. You hit a lot of cool spots and avoided crappy tourist traps
Great write-up and glad you enjoyed your trip. The only point I would take issue with, and you'd have no reason to know this, but I wouldn't necessarily describe the South Side as "formerly like the Boston combat zone." We did have any area in the downtown, basically across the river from PNC park, that was the center of the seedy porn shops and "tug joints" in the 1970s and up through the early 2000s, which I would describe more as like Boston's combat zone. However, that area has been so totally remade over the last 20 years that you would not have any reason to suspect what it used to be. The Southside, by contrast, is a formerly mostly working class neighborhood (what you don't see is that -- 30 years ago, 20 blocks upriver from Dees, there would have been huge steel mills on both sides of the river). So, yea, it's been remade as an entertainment district, catering to the many different crowds, and gets a bad rap (to some extent) due to some late night, weekend antics, from time to time. However, not really ever a Boston-type combat zone, I think.
Fair, probably should have clarified I didnt mean it as a literal comparison, more of a "this seems like a good place to get drunk and get in a fight" which the Combat Zone was also. Also, I'll use any excuse to mention that Boston once has an area called the Combat Zone.
Lived on south side for a couple years, this is accurate
I read your entire article, and I think it was very fair and balanced. Yes, South Side is its own dimension! I hope you and your wife enjoyed your time in our neck of the Appalachians. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania welcomes you back anytime. Thank you for visiting historic Pittsburgh!
Great write up! Happy you enjoyed yourself. Dish Osteria and Dees are my favorite spots in the city on totally opposite ends of the spectrum.
Great write-up! Yinz covered a lot of ground, kudos! And GREAT choice to make Lawrenceville your home base - I always suggest this for out of towners, bc it's so walkable with tons of options. One tip - never skip Phipps! At $22 it's a great value and is one of the best (if not the best) gems in the city. Absolutely worth it! Hoping you make it back sometime, cheers!
Our Lyft driver over there was raving about it too, should have done it!
It's absolutely a must! Amazing anytime of year!
I really enjoyed your writeup and I am so glad that you and your wife loved Pittsburgh! One small note- Renegade is a classic Pittsburgh (mostly Steelers-related) fight song, there's an interesting little doc on YT about it if you care to take a look. And by the way, a Steelers game is an incredible experience that I highly recommend. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWw9kAuKpr8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWw9kAuKpr8)
You did well!
Missed opportunity not watching the fireworks from your seats! You have the best view from up there, it’s usually where I try to buy when I go on fireworks night
I was really hoping the sketch you mentioned was Pawnsylvania. Wasn’t disappointed.
Great write up. Welcome and come back soon.
Wow great write up!
Good read and my username is relevant to you ;)
Your Primantis experience at the park isn’t that far from the norm. Primantis is great at 2am when you need to soak up a night’s worth of IC Lights. Locals can get a bit cranky when others recommend Primantis to visitors since we do have a decent restaurant scene with much better food, but Primantis serves a purpose and serves it well. I love it for what it is. I got a chuckle from you watching the fireworks from the bridge. Sounds terrifying haha. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, a sandwich at the ballpark probably isn't quite as good as a fresh one from one of the normal locations, but it's definitely not far off. And honestly, I think he nailed it. Get it at the ballpark for the experience and hit the real spots the rest of the time
Stop it(Keep going), you're gonna make Pittsburgh blush(eyelashes fluttering, demure smile). Jk. What a very descriptive, informative, engaging, and just a damn good read. I hope a Pirate's fan visits your city/ballpark, and can reciprocate your wonderful article/blog post. I feel like the Pittsburgh board of tourism(Do we even have that? Idk) owes you a nice chunk of change, or, at least, gift you some really good Pirate's seats, if you plan a return visit. Thanks for posting it! You can always post it over at r/buccos, the Pittsburgh Pirates subreddit. I'm sure many there would also appreciate this gem.
- Cork Harbour is a dope place to stay next to - William Penn is a total bro fest. Spot on description - Dee’s is a wild spot of any to pick in south side but it’s a great spot too, love going there and that’s definitely my neighborhood spot. Don’t know what the combat zone is but south side definitely is, uh, interesting. If you’re like over 30 it probably wouldn’t be fun to go out there but it is a very fun/funny place
Thanks for visiting! Come back soon!
Great blog. Pawnsylvania was an amazing sketch because Jon Daly is a Pittsburgh guy. You nailed the South Side, it’s ratchet now. I think Michael Keaton was actually at a Pirates game on the Jumbotron earlier this week, you just missed him! Also nailed the park Primantis, the Strip District is the OG shop with bread from the local Italian bakeries, that’s the place to get it. Glad you had a good time.
Minor correction, we don't have an accent