Top Three Bars in the South Side
There has been a lot of bad news about the South Side lately, so I would like to be a little more positive. Since there are a lot of bars on Carson, I would like to know your top 3 favorite bar hops. I will start you off with mine.
1.) Dee’s Cafe – This was where I had my first beer (I didn’t drink till I was 22), it was an ice cold PBR (only $1). I still like going to this place because it’s big and comfortable. It can get a little smoky at times, but I get over it.
2.) Fat Head’s – If I feel like eating great food and spending a little money on some good beer, this is the place I go. Yes there beer is pricey, but their food is cheap for what you get. So it’s a good place to start off your night.
3.) Pipers Pub – I have only been here a few times, but every time I go its amazing. If you’re walking past this place and you see a folk band playing, stop in. Trust me, it will be the best time you have all night.
So that is my top 3 bars on the South Side. Leave a comment sharing your own; make sure you let us know why you like them too.
South Side, Pittsburgh, Dees Cafe, Fat Heads, Pipers Pub, PBR, Pabst, cheap food, Bar hopping
July 25th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
EEEE! This is fun!
My list is in no order:
1. Iguana Grill - A great bar with amazing food. Wide selection of mexican beers and tequilas. Never gets too crowded on weekends, so I find it’s a great place to escape the crowd! Plus the photohunt machine has full male frontal nudity. I’m not sure what gets better than that.
2. Dee’s Cafe - This is my go-to weekend bar. Never too crowded, great crowd, always see friendly faces from around town. A lot of locals go there. *Usually* good music on the jukebox. Pool tables! Darts! You can get the cheap beer, like Mosley said, or you can get good beer, like Hoegaarden or Sierra Nevada, for a reasonable price.
3. Lava Lounge - This is my week night bar, you can usually find me there Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays is 85 cent taco night. I get the vegetarian tacos and they are wonderful. Thursdays is band night, costs $4 to get in, but they usually have really good indie bands. Never too crowded during weekdays. I don’t go too much during the weekend, because there’s a cover, but Fridays are 80’s night and Saturday’s are nonsmoking nights.
A special mention to the White Eagle, for best drink ever. It’s called Rocket Fuel, it costs $20 for a pitcher, and it tastes like kool-aid and knocks you on your ass!
July 25th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
Just picking three is hard, but I’ll try. I know if I did this list a year ago, it would be completely different. Here are my new favorites as of this summer:
1. Smokin’ Joes- I’ll admit I used to dislike this bar..until I discovered the upstairs! There’s room to breathe, people are always playing excellent music, the bartender is super fast and the drinks are extremely cheap on the weekends. I’ve heard the food is even better, so I plan on going during the day in the near future.
2. Jimmy D’s (upstairs)- Ah the place I go when I want dollar drinks and want to dance. Which is actually pretty often, since I don’t go to bars to talk! If I wanted to delve into the mysteries of life I’d go to a coffee shop. This is the kind of place where you can make fun of everyone dancing and then end up on the dance floor yourself after one too many dollar drinks. Which I might add, the bartenders are very quick to deliver.
3. 1311- One of my new favorite bars. If I go out with one of my friends who doesn’t dance or who wants to talk, we go here. The drinks are reasonable, it doesn’t get too crowded since they control that at the door and sometimes they have their outdoor patio open which is an added bonus. I actually started going into this place, because I heard Billie Jean playing from the door. Any place that plays that song is a great place to be in my opinion.
Either way I prefer the bars in the South Side that have interesting people to talk to, that have a lot going on and which are usually crowded. It’s more of an adventure and less of a borefest!
A year ago my choices would have been the Lava Lounge, Caseys and Youngs. Although I haven’t given up on Youngs yet. Oh and the White Eagle on 11th..I have to get a membership one day.
And ditto on the Rocket fuel. One of the bars from where I grew up has it and when I go back I get it there and it’s a good time!
My review on Dee’s is coming very soon and I don’t think either of you will like it! haha
July 26th, 2007 at 9:01 am
I’ve actually never been to any of those bars, Emily. I’ll have to check them out, they sound fun! I’ve only heard really great things about Smokin’ Joes.
I really like these lists, too! Keep’em coming!
July 26th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
1 and 2) Pipers Pub. Great beer, great food, never too crowded.
3) Young’s/Folino’s. Not to sound elitist, but this place was cooler before everyone else realized how cool it was. Before the restaurant opened it was usually pretty laid back. You could always get a booth and the beers were cheap.
Honorable mention: St James Place Tavern. I was only there once. Not a bad little dive bar.
I really don’t like going to the South Side though. I’d prefer to just walk a couple blocks to one of my neighborhood dive bars. Now if only someone would clone Gooski’s jukebox and get it in one of those dive bars…
July 26th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Mosley and I went to Young’s during those days too. I don’t know why we didn’t run into you or Bodnar more often. Maybe it’s a good thing! haha