Alcohol

Park House Review – Historic Bar Returns to the North Side

Park House in Pittsburgh's North Side is a historic bar in the city as it is often thought to have received one of the first licenses to serve alcohol after Prohibition ended.

For many years, Park House was a favorite neighborhood bar of many thanks to having food, regular live music, and more. But, sadly, like many businesses, this one closed in 2020 and only reopened in late 2025 after a several-year hiatus.

Naturally, we were thrilled that this staple bar has returned, and have visited a few times since reopening.

Park House is back and better than ever!

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10 Spots Great to Enjoy Dry January in Pittsburgh in 2026

Oh dry January, you are always fun.

This annual celebration has become something of a global phenomenon, as many of us look to use the somewhat slow month as a chance to detox and get a break from indulgences (especially after the holidays).

Whatever your reason for participating in dry January is your own. But if you are looking to enjoy the flavors of your favorite beverages without alcohol, a number of restaurants, bars, breweries, and distilleries are starting to offer great options for dry January in Pittsburgh!

In this one, we thought we'd share some of the spots with the finest assortment of products. While this one is not comprehensive, we wanted to include places that have larger menus, share a variety of products, and more to give you a great cross-section of alcohol-free beverages in the city to consider if you are abstaining.

Please note: This article focuses on offerings for Dry January specifically and may not necessarily be accurate year-round. While many of the bars, restaurants, and breweries featured have great non-alcoholic products at all times, some increase their offerings for January. Likewise, cocktails, beers on draft, and other beverages are always liable to change. Please reconfirm directly with any business prior to visiting. Finally, some drink photos in this article may be alcoholic and are for illustration only.

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Union Brothers Brewing Review – Brews and Food

We've been fans of Union Brothers Brewing since they first opened in Harmony. Since then, they've gained quite the popularity, expanded into a new location down the road, all while offering the same great food and beer since day one.

We recently revisited this one for a night out, with beer and food all around, and had quite the great time. So if you're north of the city looking for food, beer, or perhaps both, this one is a great stop!

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Bitter End Review – Speakeasy Vibes in Etna

We love a good speakeasy, and when we heard about Bitter End in Etna serving classic cocktails in a speakeasy ambiance (complete with green light above the front door), we made our way over as quickly as we could.

Although we had some concerns over the balance of our drinks, we always welcome more cocktail programs in the Pittsburgh region.

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The Monks’ Bar Review – The Smallest Bar in PA Packs a Punch

In many cases, we often overlook that Pittsburgh hotels often have on-site cocktail bars. Some of these may be your conventional hotel bar, while others may be a bit more.

At The Priory Hotel in the North Side, you get what is perhaps the most interesting hotel bar experience in the city, for one unique reason- it is said to be the smallest bar in the state of Pennsylvania.

Yes, The Monks' Bar is tiny, and according to The Priory's website, it seats just 14 customers. So cozy up with your fellow patrons, get to know your bartender, and grab a drink from this limited, albeit expertly curated, bar menu!

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Nine Two Five Review – Cocktails and More by Dancing Gnome

Ever since Dancing Gnome opened their massive new brewery in Sharpsburg, we always wondered what would happen to their original, more intimate location along Main Street.

In late 2025, Dancing Gnome announced that the original bar would be opened, renamed Nine Two Five (sometimes written Nine T(w)o Five- perhaps the most appropriate street-address-turned-bar-name you could ask for), and would be a welcoming, all-around bar with beer, cocktails, wine, food, and more.

Naturally, we visited this one on the first soft open, and while we would fully argue this one is a cocktail bar first that also has great local brews and PA wines, this one really has something for everyone- including a new food menu from Blue Sparrow!

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10 Oktoberfests in Pittsburgh to Celebrate Fall with a Beer

We have a soft spot for all things Oktoberfest, and after getting to enjoy the celebration in Munich for its wild party, we love checking out all of the Pittsburgh Oktoberfest celebrations that take place throughout September (and spill into October).

As there are no shortage of events taking place in breweries and other public places, we thought we would share a few of the top Oktoberfest events you may want to consider. Prost!

Note: This article features a mix of Oktoberfest celebrations that have been announced in 2025 as well as celebrations that took place last year that we hope are returning this year. These will be noted in each section.

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The Distillery Complex Offers Libations With Skyline Views

The Distillery Complex by Big Spring Spirits was many years in the making. 

We have been following along with their restoration efforts of the Joseph S. Finch rickhouse building in South Side with great interest, as it is our personal opinion that Pittsburgh could use way more bars and restaurants with city (and river) views.

When we found out that the space was finally going to be open for visitors in July 2025 (thanks to a tip-off at the Allegheny County Wine & Spirits Festival the week prior), we knew we had to get in right away. So we watched for an official announcement on social media, found details on their relatively quiet soft open, and made our way over to this great new spot just a few minutes later.

This one was worth the wait!

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Hey Babe Offers a Mix of Cocktails and Food in East Liberty

Ever since Whitfield closed at The Ace Hotel (now the Maverick Hotel), we've been looking forward to a new spot that would be a worthy successor.

In 2025, Hey Babe opened and had a menu that made us think this could be the place, and we went in as quickly as we could to check it out.

On the surface, Hey Babe feels like a proper hotel lounge, with a robust menu of craft cocktails, wine, and beer. This alone would put the bar in the running for one of the best hotel bars in the city. But throw on their robust food menu as well, and this is the kind of place you can go for drinks, food, or a little bit of everything and not feel out of place- for guests of the hotels and locals alike.

To put it bluntly, Hey Babe has just about everything we look for in a good cocktail bar.

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The Storyville Lounge Offers a Speakeasy and Distillery

We've been awaiting the public opening of The Storyville Lounge in Allentown for many years.

This gorgeous speakeasy space was built several years ago and used for private events (with open houses during the bi-annual Allentown Night Market– when we would historically visit). But it was only recently that they expanded to maintain regular hours.

So in early 2025, we made our way back to Allentown to check out The Storyville Lounge, Conjure Bar, and more. For those who like housemade spirits, delicious takes on classics, and a stunning speakeasy ambiance, this one is for you!

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