Alcohol

Sippin’ Santa Brings a Christmas Tiki Pop-up Experience

Christmas popup bars are a dime a dozen these days, and we almost always treat new concepts with a bit of suspicion.

But when we heard the international charity pop-up, Miracle Bar, was launching a second concept, we were interested. When we heard that it would be called Sippin' Santa and was going to be tiki themed, we were in.

Naturally, we went to this one as quickly as we could after it open for the season. With tiki classics, unique house creations with tropical themes, and profits going to charity, this certainly makes for a different kind of pop-up bar that we hope will return in future seasons!

Note: This review is from a visit to Sippin' Santa in a previous iteration. Cocktails and designs may change in future popups.

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Space Bar Review – Exploring the Cosmos with a Cocktail

Pittsburgh really is becoming a space city, and the molecular mixology cocktail bar, Space Bar, will help everyone explore the universe- with tasty libation in hand.

Located right in the heart of Market Square (aptly referred to as the holodeck when onboard), the cocktail lounge is the resident bar of the SS Oasis ship which travels distant worlds and services locals of the various systems visited with tasty cocktails- some familiar, some simply other-worldly.

We were fortunate enough to visit this one during its soft open in fall 2023, and share some early thoughts of what you can expect in this one!

Disclaimer: We are friends with the owners of Space Bar, provided consulting during start-up, and attended a preview event at opening. We have also purchased the cocktails discussed below outside of these instances. As always, all opinions are our own.

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10 Christmas Bars in Pittsburgh to Visit During the Holidays

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, and Christmas in Pittsburgh is truly a sight to behold.

But as the holiday season is as much about spreading goodwill, taking in the decorations, and the like, Pittsburgh also has another avenue for enjoying the holiday- via its libations scenes!

In fact, there are several Christmas bars in Pittsburgh to enjoy during the holiday season, ensuring that you'll have some holiday cheer from Light Up Night (or in the case of a few of the pop-ups, Black Friday) to New Years. Check them out below!

Please Note: We are featuring all of the holiday popups we are aware of in this guide, whether we have personally visited or not. As such, experiences may vary. When available, click the link to read our full review of the bars we have visited!

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Poetry Lounge – Delicious Cocktails at a Neighborhood Bar

If you've been enjoying Pittsburgh's cocktail scene, odds are good you've had a creation from Sean Enright. From local bars and restaurants, he's been found creating stellar menus at quite a few of our favorite places over the years.

But in late 2023, Sean opened his latest project, Poetry Lounge in Millvale.

This one combines a welcoming neighborhood bar with the added splash of craft cocktails featuring a mix of house creations, classics, and shots- all with reasonable price points. Just the kind of neighborhood bar we like!

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Unspeakable Brings Speakeasy Vibes with Asian Twists

Unspeakable closed between April and June 2024, but is now open once again. We do not know if the menu has changed since our visit prior to the brief closure, however.

We always love it when several brands collaborate for something greater than the sum of the parts. Unspeakable does just that with Vietnamese influences from Ineffable Ca Phe and select spirits from Noire Distillery next door, all with a speakeasy vibe.

A cocktail bar with Asian elements, local spirits, and well-executed drinks? We're in for this combo!

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Liberty Pole Spirits Review – A Pennsylvania Whiskey Revival

Western Pennsylvania has always been a hot spot for whiskey. Since the country's early days, the region has been producing (and aging) whiskey using local grains to end up with a spirit unlike those found elsewhere.

Liberty Pole Spirits embraces this history by doing the same for their business with the added benefit of modern technology.

The ingredients are all local, many recipes are unique to historical Western Pennsylvania distilling, and the tasting room is a throwback to the history of the Whiskey Rebellion- one of the region's most infamous events surrounding alcohol which took place shortly after independence from the British.

This all comes together to make one unique family-run business that should be on everyone's radar.

Note: In 2023, Liberty Pole Spirits expanded to a new location in Washington, PA, with a larger tasting room, a proper rickhouse, and a stunning production space.

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City Winery Brings Live Music, Comedy, and Wine to the Strip

Note: In January 2025, City Winery added a mandatory $25 food and beverage spend for all show attendees. Please keep this in mind when visiting.

City Winery has been taking the entertainment world by storm with its unique combination of being one part winery, one part entertainment complex.

While City Winery has been operating in several major cities in the USA for many years now, their first Pittsburgh location opened right in the heart of the Strip District in the Terminal building complex in 2023.

Wine, live entertainment, and late-night hours in the Strip? We're in for that!

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Commerce Bar Review – A Proper Speakeasy in East Liberty

From the moment you arrive at Commerce Bar in East Liberty, you know you'll be getting the full speakeasy experience. 

That is because to even access this one you need to make your way to a back alley behind a popular stretch of restaurants and seek out the door to the bar. We could tell you which door, but where is the fun in that? (The end of this article will have a hint.)

Once you enter, the fun of this bar begins.

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6 Things to Do After Midnight in Pittsburgh

We're just going to be upfront here- Pittsburgh isn't known for being a late-night city.

Part of this is cultural- the demand for late-night entertainment simply is not great (yet). Another part is due to local laws- late-night serving is often heavily restricted. Furthermore, many of our popular business districts are also nestled within residential neighborhoods where noise ordinances cause businesses to close earlier than they'd otherwise like. And yet another part is simply that those who do want a nighttime vibe almost always head to South Side.

That being said, the late-night scene in Pittsburgh is changing for the better, so in this one we thought we'd share a few great activities you may want to check out after the clock strikes midnight!

Notes: While we always recommend reconfirming hours before visiting any place shared on our site, this is especially important for late-night spots. Hours can and do change faster than even we can keep up with. One spot may be open with food service til 5 am one week, then suddenly change to 2 am, 11 pm, or 8 pm the next (the original Primanti Brothers in the Strip District is a great example- it was once 24/7 but as of publication now closes at variable hours, often before midngiht). Finally, as always, if your late-night outing involves alcohol, please be responsible and Uber or have a designated driver.

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Goodlander Cocktail Brewery Serves Up Draft Cocktails in Larimer

Pittsburgh has breweries. It also has cocktail bars. But did you hear that Pittsburgh is now home to a cocktail brewery?

Goodlander Cocktail Brewery in Larimer combines the best elements of both of these styles of bars for a unique concept that puts cocktails on draft while also being available in growlers to go!

Naturally, it sounded right up our alley.

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