Visiting Pittsburgh end of Feb

[Capt Spleen]

Kaya was one of the top 25 restaurants in 2011, just up the street from Primanti Bro's......

http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/June-2011/25-Best-Restaurants-in-Pittsburgh-2011/index.php?cparticle=3&siarticle=2#artanc

The strip district is also a great place to spend an afternoon walking, window shopping, People watching, eating seafood at Wholly's on Penn ave

On the Monongahela river across from downtown (dauntaun - Pittsburgh-ese pronunciation) is the Grand Concourse at the Smithfield Street Bridge in Station Square. River room gets you a city view from across the river, but the main area is more sumptuous.

http://www.muer.com/grand-concourse/index.asp

And the Gandy Dancer lounge is attached (great seafood).
After a meal here go across the way to the Station Square shops to walk off the meal, then across the street to ride the Monongahela incline up the mountain, and take in the city view from atop Mt. Washington.

http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/things_to_do/p/mon_incline.htm

By the way the above link has many other links and is a great reference pertaining to all things Pittsburgh.

And on the city's Southside is the Hofbrau house. Great beer here too, my favorite is their Hefe.

Traditional German Bier Hall with live entertainment nightly. Lunchtime entertainment provided for tour groups.

The Bräustüberl, a quiet dining room with Old World German ambiance. Seating up to 120.
Large festive Bier Garden with a great view of the river and the Pittsburgh skyline.

Unique group menus featuring German and American favorites. Lunches from $8.49 and dinners from $16.99 per person.

http://www.hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com/

[Capt Spleen]

TOP 10 PITTSBURGH MUST SEES

http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/attractions/tp/must_see.htm

[amy]

Thank you all!    I will surely do my best to get out and experience a bit of Pittsburgh while I visit.    And I'll have laptop with me so I'll check in for details.   Gotta love the Rennie Connections!

[kcdcchef]

Jerome Bettis food on the north shore is terrible. Only reason to go there is if you are a Steeler fan. Been three times ( I live downtown Pitts, right across river ) every time food is mediocore at very best. Get off North Shore and head into downtown Pittsburgh, mile away. You can walk across Federal Street across the Clemente Bridge and be in downtown. DO IT, food is MUCH BETTER. I have no idea why any Pittsburgher would reccomend Bettis's, unless they never come downtown.  If you don't believe me, read the yelp reviews. Not flattering. http://www.yelp.com/biz/jerome-bettis-grille-36-pittsburgh#query:Jerome%20Bettis%20Grill

Go to Market Square. 14 new restaurants in a year. They redid it, and it is marvelous.

Wingharts Burgers and Whiskey Bar - recently voted best burger in Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Magazine. Killer burger, $9 burger mind you, but its hand ground strip loin and sirloin, excellent toppings like Garlic Aoili, arugula, sauteed onions and shroomage, great stuff. Bun is brioche, so buttery and soft. Then hand cut fries, fresh soups ad chil, awesome, AWESOME stuff.

NOLA - French creole cuisine, as in NewolrleansLouisiana. Great stuff. Spent over a million dollars just redoing the space, and it's splendied. Battered alligator bites are great, best vegan French Onion soup in the world, the bread pudding is so soft it floats down your throat, and the scallops mac daddy ( scallops and mac and cheese ) is to die for. Prepare for a loud spot, as there are always 100+ hanging out. But a really fun time. Great music, Live music, exceptional food.

Las Velas - Pittsburghs authentic Mexican. Great home made Mexican food, guy brought his mother's recipes from south Mexico and trained chefs to replicate. They serve a plethora of flaming items. The mole is awesome, margaritas HUGE, atmosphere amazing, and it gives you a rooftop view of Market Square.

Taste of Dahntahn- ( Pittsburghs pronounciation of Downtown ) awesome, AWESOME. Wow. Don't know how else to describe it. The 165 year old building was just about to fall over, literally, covered with over a century of grime. It was black, thats how dirty it was. ( was an old National City bank branch too, ha! ) And this group came in and made it into a rat pack era type place, you feel like Sammy Davis Jr or Sinatra are going to come in. Stage in back of dining room where there's entertainment on weekends. Food is a simple menu but executed and then some. Menu is a LED menu, like a kindle. It is so neat. Best atmosphere anywhere. Last time I had this baked chicken and risotto with baby broccoli, simple dish, but melted inmy mouth. ANd the bread has this cheesey airy texture, so good.

Rink at PPG Place - It's an open air outdoor ice skating rink in the middle of downtown Pittsburgh. Will be open for another 4 weeks, til' March 11 or 18. Go skating there, its wonderful. 95' diamond shaped rink. Music playing, and in the heart of the PPG office complex, so you are skating in the midst of these 4 mirrored art deco skyscrapers, wonderful time.

http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org/calendar/monthly/2012/3
I attached the link for the Cultural Trust, wonderful shows going on the whole time you're in. Right across the river from your hotel, you'll be in downtown, and there are world class theaters everywhere right there once across the river. So many shows to see and avail yourself of. I highly recccomend taking in a show while there if you can.

While attending a show, right there on 6th, there are a number of cheap and awesome dining options. Salonikas Greek, simple gyros, Greek specialties, wings, hoagies, good stuff. India Palace- traditional Indian cuisine. Great stuff. And the best pizza in downtown Pittshurgh, Giovanni's. Great pie.

Shopping - downtown Pittsburgh has exceptional shopping available, more than most cities our size. A Saks ( closing, but open til' May ) Macy's, Burlington, Brooks Brothers, and many other small retailers along with Fifth/Wood corridor.

And lastly, the Pittsburgh Strip. If you wanna find out what Pittsburgh is, go to the Strip. Wow, WOW, WOW. Such local flavor. You have a Mexican restaurant that cooks tacos streetside along with fruit smoothies, a Korean barbecue where they cook chicken on a stick in the street with bean pancakes, you have cookies for sale, pastries, Greek food, Spanish markets, at least half a dozen Mexican/Latin American Markets, can't even count how many Asian markets, fresh fish markets, and inside the main fish market, Wholey's, they have battered fish, sushi, great stuff. Also Pittsburgh Public Market, Pittsburgh's answer for Pike Place in Seattle. Great coffee in the strip, Pittsburgh Popcorn is to die for, popcorn flavored in a million ways, Reese's is the best. Chocolate, peanut butter, and popcorn mixed together, need I say more? Mullaney's Harp and Fiddle in the Strip is as authentic Irish as you'll find in the States, has Irish dancing, Irish music, trivia nite, all sorts of fun stuff. And you'll be in close to Saint Paddy's.

Enjoy the Burgh! If you need someone to do dinner with to avoid boredom, I'm sure the wife would allow us to join you!
Good luck!!!!

[Lady Gryphon]

what he said!

[kcdcchef]

did you agree with me on the Bettis part, or have you been?

[Lady Gryphon]

I've never been to Bettis, but I agree on everything else.  I love Pittsburgh.  Living in the South, I miss being able to drive into the Burgh ANY weekend and find somethng awesome going on. 

Since I haven't been there in something like 5 years, I was more or less Yielding to your information, because you are much more knowledgeable about what is NOW in the Burgh than I am. And if and when I ever get back that way.  I'm going to re-read this thread and take Lord Dragon up there for a weekend.

Thanks for the new info.

[kcdcchef]

I've never been to Bettis, but I agree on everything else.  I love Pittsburgh.  Living in the South, I miss being able to drive into the Burgh ANY weekend and find somethng awesome going on. 

Since I haven't been there in something like 5 years, I was more or less Yielding to your information, because you are much more knowledgeable about what is NOW in the Burgh than I am. And if and when I ever get back that way.  I'm going to re-read this thread and take Lord Dragon up there for a weekend.

Thanks for the new info.

what part of the South? I lived in DC for over 10 years, it was wonderful. Too darned hot in the summer, but so beautiful. Love Virginia, going skiing there this week.

[arbcoind]

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://northshore.tiltedkilt.com/&sa=U&ei=spVDT7joOI_NtgeDwpzfBQ&ved=0CBEQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNFvGNGLSRJVnTT6yR8JM9mbMMtaUA

Amy, I know you are probably in overload over all the suggestions, but I have another.  I haven't been to The Tilted Kilt, but it looks like a fun place.  It's in the same building as The Bettis Grille 36.

Gina

[amy]

I have come to the undoubted conclusion that you folks like your town and you love to get your grub on!  (as they say down here in Alabama).     Seems I can't go wrong no matter where I end up.  I do hope some of the other students don't want to sleep with me for that week!    Thank you sooo much for all this valuable information.  I don't know why I was ever worried about visiting Pittsburgh in February!   hahaha..

Oh yes.. I see me at the Tilted Kilt!  Sounds a bit dangerous for a "checker" like me!

[arbcoind]

Amy, we love da 'burgh!  I think you will find the people of this city and surrounding area to be very friendly and helpful.  So once you arrive, please don't be afraid to question a local about an interest of yours.  They most likely will be proud enough to help a visitor.

Gina

[Countess Westmorland]

Oh, It's too bad you won't be here on the 3rd.  Terry Griffith, the Irish Troubadour, is playing at Mullaney's Harp and Fiddle in the Strip District.  There will be People from the Pittsburgh Ren Faire and the Great Lakes Medieval Faire who always come out to play when he performs there.

[amy]

Oh poo!   GLMF was my home faire before I moved South.    What fun!

[kcdcchef]

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://northshore.tiltedkilt.com/&sa=U&ei=spVDT7joOI_NtgeDwpzfBQ&ved=0CBEQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNFvGNGLSRJVnTT6yR8JM9mbMMtaUA

Amy, I know you are probably in overload over all the suggestions, but I have another.  I haven't been to The Tilted Kilt, but it looks like a fun place.  It's in the same building as The Bettis Grille 36.

Gina

http://www.yelp.com/biz/tilted-kilt-pittsburgh

yelp reviews of tilted kilt are far worse than bettis's. are you people trying to make amy go get the worst food in north america or something??!!

[Merlin the Elder]

It's been my experience that because bad news travels the fastest, some places may not get a fair shake on sites like Yelp, and a half-dozen reviews is hardly a good sampling, unless it just opened a day or so ago.  What did you dislike about the food when you ate there, kcdcchef?