Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on December 2, 2019.
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We love finding out about new bars in Pittsburgh, and when our friends at Take Back Roads informed us of a whiskey bar almost hiding in plain sight in Greenfield, we were in for a drink (or three).
Since J Gough's Tavern has one of the most beautiful walls of whiskey we've ever seen, three was sadly just not cutting it.
150+ Whiskeys at J Gough's Tavern
When you walk up to J Gough's Tavern, you'll think it is likely just another neighborhood pub. But the second you walk in, you'll quickly realize you're in a place that is special.
Why? Well, the bar's 150+ bottle collection of whiskeys, bourbons, and scotch greets you right after you pass through the doorway!
This was truly one of those instances where we knew we were in the right place.
But how do you order when you have a selection this vast to choose from? Well, to be quite honest I had a terrible time picking a bourbon, but after speaking to the owners and bartenders they really took care of us with their recommendations.
During the course of the evening we decided to switch things up and move on to a Sazerac to see how well they could make one. After ordering, the bartender asked the right question of “which rye?” which stopped me in my tracks as there are very few bars in Pittsburgh that allow for such a selection.
After a brief discussion of flavor profiles, the Sazerac was delivered with the promise of having a bit of a spicy bite and was a solid spirit-forward Sazerac that I was looking for.
The evening ended with a sampling of Japanese whiskeys, to which the bartenders helped us dive down into the flavor profiles to get us to the point of ordering one with sweet overtones- perfect for dessert.
A Modest Food Menu at J Gough's Tavern
One of the things that surprised us the most at J Gough's Tavern is that they also have a pretty modest food menu (or as they call it, a vittles menu).
The menu itself is fairly conventional with sandwiches, meat and cheese platters, and flat breads, but were surprisingly well prepared such that we'd almost certainly order them again.
The meat platter is one of the most robust platters we've seen in the region, with large hunks of cheese, maple cured ham, sausage and more- enough to feed two comfortably for sure.
The flatbread was a bit more conventional style topped with ample cheese, mushrooms, and basil- a nice break between rounds of whiskey, but perhaps not the best pairing for the whiskeys we had on hand (although I am certain the bartenders could've made a recommendation for that, too!).
Overall, J Gough's Tavern is a pretty unassuming spot in Greenfield that will be a delight to whiskey lovers. Between the wide variety of whiskeys, knowledgeable staff, and fairly decent prices we can see this being a place we visit before any potential bottle purchase for our home bar.
If you're whiskey fans like us, it will be for you as well.
J Gough's Tavern is located at 4213 Murray Avenue in Greenfield.
Looking for other curated bars in Pittsburgh? Check out Hidden Harbor, Eighth & Hays, or Lorelei!
