Sharp Edge Bistro On Penn

Sludgeman

District of Columbia

4.4/5  rDev +2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Visited mulitple times, but last on 1/9/13.

ATMOSPHERE
Nice open bar. Lots of taps. Seating for food. Not too dark. An inviting feel.

BEER
37 beers on tap based on the menu. Many more bottles - not all listed on the menu. Good selection of Belgians, American and other beers from around the globe. I had a Duck Rabbit Milk Stout and the Victory Hop Devil. The Belgian selection could be a little broader, with a few more saisons, farmhouses, sours.

SERVICE
Great! Near the end of the evening so it was not too busy, but I had just the right amount of attention from the bartender. Bartender knew about the beers. Its always nice to have that knowledge behind the bar.

FOOD
Have had a number of dishes here. I've been happy with all.

01-11-2013 17:44:34 | More by Sludgeman

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

This is my favorite Sharp Edge. I like how clean it is, though not sterile. It's very spacious and feels very European. Lots of stuff to try here, just like the other Sharp Edge locations. I think what sets this location apart from the others is the setup and the decor. It's nice. I mean, it's really nice. If I worked in the immediate area, I'd be in here all of the time after work. Service is what I find as typical for Sharp Edge and most spots around Pittsburgh. You'll be told something that isn't entirely accurate and have to resist the temptation to nerd out and inform them that "such-and-such a brewery doesn't make a dubbel."

01-03-2013 16:42:26 | More by RblWthACoz

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

Stopped in during the lunch hour, didn't eat just enjoyed a few pints on the way to visit my sister out in Swissvale. Had a few beers that I had never seen on draft namingly Palm, the most boring and expensive Belgian I've ever had, steer clear of the Palm. Cuvee de Trolls while light slightly hoppy and super enjoyable. I didn't get the caged beer store between the front entrance and the restaurant/bar. Long bar lines the entire right side of the establishment except for a small lounge area with couches in the front of the house. A new brighter version of the Sharp Edge, less taps than I'm accustomed seeing in the original or the Creekhouse. I'm sure this is doing well in this location, but the drafts are really pricey. Come at happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30 M-F to make this more affordable. I'm sure the food is solid, but I tend to play it safe with the wide array of burgers ostrich, kobe beef, buffalo depending on what you're in the mood for. I now they focus on the Belgians but this place seemed to really lack in the micro department at least draft wise. There were still a solid number of bottled options, just being a craft beergeek give me more options. I loved the Full Pint TriPA, probably the best I've had from them. Did I mention bottle chillers galore, I saw at least three of these things that can chill your bottle to perfect temp in a few minutes.

05-20-2011 16:07:18 | More by WVbeergeek

letsgopens

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$$

Not a bad downtown walk from Point Park University on Wood St to Penn Ave sits another of Sharpe Edge's locations in the greater Pgh area. The SE Bistro on Penn is an unassuming but attractive looking, upscale pub-style establishment. As you walk in you'll see a great deal of dark wood, natural light and plenty of seating. The long, charming, dark-wood bar sits the whole way along the right side of the front house displaying approximately 30 taps I'd guess. Behind the bar and near the entrance there are a number of bottles displayed on the walls. Attractive and classy yet unpretentious. Seems to be a low key and somewhat older lunch crowd consisting of local business folk.

Relaxing and low-key. Low music volume and respectful patrons make for a quite, relaxing lunch. I sat at the bar where a very friendly and professional young lady knew exactly how to pour the perfect challis of their Belgian IPA. Another gentleman behind the bar was more than knowledgeable about the beer, brewery that made it and specifications. It's immediately evident that the staff likes what they do and are very well trained/knowledge about their brew.

The majority of their drafts are quality Belgians and accompanied by a huge bottle list. The food menu is eclectic and includes some dishes for the indulgent as well as the health conscious mindset. Generally upscale pub food. I enjoyed a very nice salad with and excellent vinaigrette, poached pear and bleu cheese. I'm definitely eager to find out what the dinner and weekend crowds are like and try some more of the menu items.

My only issue is that it is definitely on the pricey side, which is to be expected judging from the location and number of expensive Belgian imports. Certainly an enjoyable experience and I will definitely be back considering its relatively close proximity to PPU.

01-05-2011 19:31:40 | More by letsgopens

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Had to come for a visit on our last trip to Pittsburgh, easy walking distance from the hotel.
Very nice atmosphere, open, friendly, clean. We migrated towards the bar finding a large table for the group. Our wait staff was happy to make suggestions off of the neat and organized beer menu. Large selection of draft and bottled beer, with a good range of styles, flavors and prices. Enough german lagers and pilsners for the 'not so adventerous type'. I had to try the house Belgian IPA and Brown Shugga (first time I had seen this on tap). No food this time but menu looked decent enough.
A nice discovery.

12-31-2010 02:24:19 | More by BigBry

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.31/5  rDev +0.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$$

Transcribed from notes taken F, 23 July 2010.

Dahntahn Pixburgh, 'n' 'at! Well, now, ain't we upscale and hoity-toity these days? Right dahntahn in the heart of the Theatre District, you won't see the likes of the the gang I used to sit with just inside the door of the original Emporium.

Here, the door is a double-doored glass archway opening onto a long, wide vestibule, followed by another pair of glass doors that open onto the m.d.s in the centerline. The long, inverted question mark-shaped faux-marble topped bar began in the extended window over looking Penn Avenue and Garrison Place. The back bar had a mix of shelves for liquor and glassware interspersed with a few bottle coolers down below, a bunch of variegated glassware in the middle, and shelf after shelf of bottles on display above, along with a couple of HD flat-screen TVs.

Just aft of the bar was the main bank of the inventory, housed in a three-door, six-shelf cooler. I used to drool over bottles, but these days, it's all about CANs and draft for me, so the bottle array had less of an impact than it once might have. As with the other locations, the taps sat atop the bar and the Belgian taps never fail to impress.

A short wall bisected the space with high tables and chairs along said wall on the bar side. The kitchen was all of the way aft, also in the centerline. On the extreme right-facing side of the space, visible from outside and in the vestibule, was a glassed-in blonde wood cabinet filled with bottles of beer. Booth restaurant seating was in an elevated strip in the centerline. They had couches in the window on the bar side. Standard restaurant tables and chairs filled the right side of the space with the lavs along the right wall. A sweeping staircase in the center, all of the way aft, led to a private party room that was still in development during my visit.

Atmosphere: It was an upscale brightly-lit place for beer.

Beer: I had some of former Pittsburgher Aran Madden's Furthermore Knot Stock on-tap. It goes great with Leinie's Summer Shandy to make a lemon-pepper beer.

12-12-2010 13:31:41 | More by woodychandler

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

4.36/5  rDev +1.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Stopped in before heading to dinner elsewhere.

As soon as you walk in, on the left is a 'cellar' of beer. The place is not extremely bright, but it is not overly dim either. Good 'mood' lighting. The place is an open space, with the bar, with ample seating on the right hand side.

There are over 30 beers on tap and ranging from Pittsburgh beers to Belgian Beer. They also have a very nicely stocked bottle selection. It would be difficult not to find a beer here to drink as it encompasses numerous countries and tons of different styles.

I enjoyed the set-up of the place. All the glassware is behind the bar in clear view.

The service was spot on, an attentive, friendly and knowledgable bartender.

We did not stick around for food.

If you are in downtown Pittsburgh, the craft beer spots are extremely rare, this is a must stop.

11-05-2010 10:47:28 | More by IronCitySteve

terrapinfan88

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -8.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 5 | $$$

The place was a bit dark. The food was great. The selection was impressive. But our waitress was hard to find at times. I found it odd that the glass wear was so affordable and a bomber of terrapin was twenty dollars when its less than half that in VA and five or more dollars less at D's. I know beer in PA is a little more expensive but the sharp edge was a bit more than a place like D's Six pack. but overall I had a very good meal with very good beer. the selection was very good though didn't get to sit at the bar because I was with family but I look forward to doing that this year.

09-09-2010 12:01:21 | More by terrapinfan88

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4 | $$

Very nice atmosphere, you walk in and there is seating on the left and a big bar on the right, about 20 seats with 5 trees of taps at the bar. We sat at the bar, our waiter was attenative but didn't make any suggestions, however, he was good overall. The beer list is very nice, lots of Belgium Beers and a lot of stuff you do not see around the area in bottles. Beers are broken down into countries for you. They even have some vintage beers which blew me away. The food was very good and the portion size was decent. The happy our specials are very good, half off belguim drafts and a dollar off everything else and some appetizers. The regular prices are a bit pricey on some of the beers, but for what you are walking into i would say its what you would expect.

09-08-2010 16:22:28 | More by goblue3509