Alcohol

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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Lucky Sign Spirits Brings a Large Portfolio to a Small Space

In 2023, Lucky Sign Spirits moved to Gibsonia, PA. We visited their former Millvale location which we are told is now closed.

Lucky Sign Spirits opened in the heart of Millvale in 2020 and quickly grew its portfolio to include an array of conventional and non-conventional spirits alike.

While the distillery's space can only be described as small, and they presently are only open for quick tastings, bottle sales, and cocktails to go, this one packs a punch and has a bright future ahead of it!

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Pittsburgh Magazine Wine & Spirits Festival Offers Up a Delicious Duo

We always want a good party in Pittsburgh, and when it comes to a food and beverage celebration, Pittsburgh Magazine always does it right.

In the past, we have attended events like their Best of the Burgh Party, as well as their Best Restaurants Party, which, in our opinion, is one of the greatest celebrations you can attend every year if you love our local Pittsburgh restaurants. 

In 2022, Pittsburgh Magazine returned with a new spring party, aptly named the Wine & Spirits Festival, to go along with their other libations-themed celebrations (separate wine and whiskey festivals typically taking place in the fall).

We were guests of Pittsburgh Magazine for this party at Rivers Casino in its inaugural year and wanted to share a bit more of what this one was like in this one!

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Margaux Review – A Cafe, Restaurant, and Bar in East Liberty

East Liberty's recent growth always has made us wonder what will open in the neighborhood next. One thing East Liberty felt like it was lacking was a large, approachable coffee shop where you could both hang out for hours to work or stop by for a quick drink in a unique ambiance.

When Margaux opened, we knew it would be just that- this spacious cafe, bar, and restaurant space satisfies the need for a space to hang out as much as it is to drink and dine.

While we will need several visits to truly work our way through the menu here, on the first visit we visited for a light brunch and coffee.

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