Pittsburgh Bottleshop Cafe

Kolsch

Pennsylvania

1.55/5  rDev -57.3%
vibe: 1 | quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 3 | $$

Stopped by on the way to Pens game Saturday afternoon. First time at this place and not very crowded for a late Saturday afternoon.

Atmosphere: Large open U-shaped bar that probably seats around 30. Hightop tables surround bar with approximately half dozen or so cold doors for beer take out on right of bar.

Service: Non-existent. So my wife and I pull up a seat at the bar. There was one other person at the bar, so with 3 bartenders (all nice looking women), you would think we could get a beer? Bartender comes over and asks what will we have. I ask to see Beer menu so she hands beer menu to us and walks away. We look over menu and decide what we want. Selection of beer is not bad and I liked that they order the beer by style.

After five minutes, she does not return. After 10 minutes, I guy sits down next to me. Same bartender immediately serves him a Miller Lite and again, ignores us. It turns out the guy is her father. 15 minutes later, another bartender has come on shift (again nice looking girl). All four bartenders are socializing in corner while completely ignoring customers. After 15 minutes of being completely ignored, we walk out and never to return. I could understand if they were busy but there were only 2 other customers at the bar at the time.

Overall: this place really is just a Hooters in disguise with some decent beer but that is probably doing a dis-service to Hooters because you would get better service there. Beer nerds would be wise to avoid this place as there are much better options. Sharp Edge Brasserie is about 10 miles down the road. Based on previous reviews, this seems to be the norm here so really not sure how you are supposed to get a beer unless you’re a father of one of the Hooters girls.

10-23-2011 14:35:12 | More by Kolsch

kuche

Pennsylvania

2.53/5  rDev -30.3%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 1 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3 | $

The owners should be able to improve this place easily, but it has not happened. They seem to hire pretty women, not people who wait on customers or know anything about beer or their beer drinking customers.
The tap selection is usually decent, but I am not so impressed with their overall bottle selection. It loos OK, but I rarely find things that make me happy. I can get a better selection from Giant eagle now, oddly enough.
Im always hoping for a big change, but it hasn't happened yet with the Bottleshop.

08-10-2011 12:19:01 | More by kuche

dudasaj

California

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$

First time visit, not from the area. Passing thru and thought I would check out the bottle shop selection. Disappointed with the 12 door selection. All 11.2 or 12 oz bottles for 6-pack matching at $18 per 6-pack, $15 6-packs for domestics, Belgian bottles push it over $18. Very few 22oz or 750ml specialities and probably overpriced. Only 3-4 doors of actual craft beers.

Most of the location in dedicated to tables and bar seating. Very attractive waitresses, not sure about their beer knowledge. Was happy to see Green Flash West Coast, lagunitas IPA, Stone IPA, and Boulder Hazed & Infused.

My 1st beer was an excellent GF West Coast. 2nd was the Lagunitas IPA that was not correct, tasted like a blend of Chimay and a light pale ale. After 10 minutes of waiting she replaced it with a Blue Point Hoptical Illusion. She didn't inform a manager to insure it was the correct beer.
Like many other previous reviews, the service was slow at first, and parking at this location was challenging. The bar counter seats approximately 30 but there were only 20 people there and she didn't even mix and pour everyone else's drinks.

Now I'm just ranting. Guess I'm just accustomed to great service with better selection after living in San Diego.

12-22-2010 18:55:21 | More by dudasaj

motherofalldogs

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -11%
vibe: 2 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5 | $$

I drive by this establishment daily, and I wish it could be my "neighborhood bar"...but it can't in its current iteration.

Each time I've been there, I've been largely ignored (along with whoever I'm with) by the wait staff. I arrive prepared to eat, drink, and spend money. I wait many minutes (minimum: 15 maximum: 25) for the server to acknowledge the humans who are seated at the table, so we can order some beers and grub. By the time I'm asked, "What can I get for you?", I'm usually so annoyed that I order a single beer and something small to munch.

Unfortunately, getting a second beer is just as difficult. Most times I end up NOT ordering another beer, because I really would have preferred ordering that beer 20 or 30 minutes ago. Once I wanted another beer, but was simply handed the check, as if it was up to the server whether I was finished with just my single beer and pub fries.

I've heard that if you're a dude with money or a dude with looks, you'll get good service here. Unfortunately, I'm a chick who likes interesting beer, which apparently doesn't get me good service.

I truly wish I could recommend this place, because the beer is terrific (selection and price), and the food is good. However, the service is horrific.

10-24-2010 20:45:50 | More by motherofalldogs

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +5.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5 | $$

This place has taken a few forms since its inception. The latest construction has opened up the floor plan nicely. Large "U" shaped bar in the middle of the establishment. Booths line one side and high top tables line the other. Coolers line the entire right wall.

Everything is clean and new. Lots of flat panel TVs around so you always have a view of what is playing. Good place to catch a game.

Service is good, but a little slow when the place is busy.

Great selection...they have rotating local and craft brews on draft and in the coolers. You can mix and match a six pack for one low price.

Good food...I haven't eaten here often, but when I have, it was good...not wonderful, but good.

Great place to stop by for a sixer. Can get really crowded on Friday and Saturday nights...but that is a good thing right?!

11-30-2009 14:23:42 | More by mgbickel

sonicdescent

Pennsylvania

3.29/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | $$

Atmosphere- I'm torn here because the place looks really nice, but that's the end of the positives. This is setup to be constantly packed, even though they are currently doing construction. Music was way too loud and this bar seems to be trying to have it both ways. It reminds me more of a trendy hangout with craft beer as a bonus rather than the other way around.

Quality was about average, the beer that I had showed the tap lines to be clean and well kept, although it was a little on the warm side for the style.

Selection is above average, but in the near company of the Sharp Edge Brassiere, McGrogans, and Fatheads all within a short radius, there really isn't a reason to go here for something you can't find elsewhere. Probably the least varied selection in the area that still qualifies as a selection at all.

05-19-2009 00:18:34 | More by sonicdescent

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +8.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3 | $$

The setup of the place is a little weird. Seems like it used to be more of a fast food joint once upon a time and they moved in and did what they could. Gets pretty smokey at times. The quality is pretty good but nothing fantastic. The service is fine. The bartenders are pretty friendly and will chat with you. The selection is above average although not stellar. Lots of decent micros and couple imports but its mostly bottles. The taps are more of your run of the mill choices. The food is okay, not fantastic but the price is affordable. All in all not the best but I'll probably go back again.

09-28-2008 19:05:08 | More by Cylinsier

ecardwell1

Pennsylvania

3.41/5  rDev -6.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $

Was very unhappy with setup of bar/restaurant. There is no order to the place. To get a table I was told by a bartender to "move quick before someone else gets it". There is no waiting list or hostess. There is no clear division between the bar/restaurant. On a good note, the draft selection was very good. Nothing special on draft to put it into the higher tier of beer bars. Bottles wise, the selection was varied and copious. I personally will not go back. There are many more establishments in and around Pittsburgh that are pleasing in atmosphere, setup, food, and Beer.

03-31-2008 00:22:43 | More by ecardwell1

JamesS

Indiana

3.35/5  rDev -7.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 4 | $$

Stopped by yesterday on my way into Pitt. The place was fairly busy, but at the time they only had one server/bartender. She did her best, but it did hurt the service a bit. Even after another girl came on to the floor, they were still behind and I had to wait a bit longer than usual for anything I needed. Still, when she did make it by, she was attentive and friendly.

The food was good, I had an order of nachos (excellent) and some carribean jerk chicken wings (also excellent).

They have a nice selection of beers on tap, around a dozen or so I think, along with a very nice selection of bottles you can pick from. The singles selection is not the best for the Pittsburgh area, but it's still very nice.

The atmosphere was good, the servers nice to look at, and you could try several different beers each time you go in. It's a nice place.

02-17-2008 14:35:44 | More by JamesS

PittBeerGirl

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4 | $$

This is located in the newer strip mall directly behind a free standing Damon's along the main drag of Bridgeville just after the road that goes to Chartiers Valley High School and Traitor Jack's flea market.

The inside is small and has the atmosphere of a typical sports bar with several big-screen TVs throughout. There is a small open room with a few tables to the left.

The food menu has a variety of offerings that you would find at most Pittsburgh sports bars with foods that are great to snack on as well as sandwiches and the like. I found this food to be satisfying while drinking.

Our server was friendly-but didn't know a thing about any of the beer they offered. Luckily the place is small enough for you to see what they have on your own.

The bar is located to your right when you walk in and runs most of the way to the back. They have somewhere from 10-15 taps that range from plain BMC to BMC crafts, to imports that everyone knows like new castle, stella, guiness, and hoegaarden. SA and SN also. They also carry one East End tap. Not much different than your average bar (except for the East End). Their bottle selection is in the back of the store and they do have a decent bottle selection. Most of the craft beers that can be obtained in the area can be found here. They have decent pricing (for a Pitt. bar) also. Most 12 oz. bottles are from $3-5 for dine-in.

Overall I found this bar to be an excellent mix of BMC and craft selections. It would be a perfect place to take a friend that you are just introducing to craft beers. It's also one of the most affordable places to sit down and enjoy a bottle of craft beer in the area.

01-12-2008 06:15:10 | More by PittBeerGirl