Latest Restaurant & Product Reviews

When I came to Grille 36, I came to do what most people do at a sports bar: watch a game, have a beer, and maybe have a bite to eat.  This led me to ask, “Why should I come here instead of somewhere in my neighborhood?”  The main reason is location—this is a sports fan’s paradise!  Flanked by the river, the skyline, and two major league stadiums, this is as close to spectator paradise as you can get without a ticket.

View of Jerome Bettis Grille 36

Grille 36 boasts a striking profile with its direct view of the entire downtown skyline, including the point and Mt. Washington.  A multitude of expansive bay windows surrounding the restaurant gives almost every table an equally scenic view of the river and skyline.

The north shore of Pittsburgh has long been the city’s premiere destination for both sports fans and entertainment seekers.  With two stadiums, the Carnegie Museum of Science, and a brand new casino, it is no surprise that numerous restaurants and bars have opened around these venues to support the needs of the area’s patrons.  After stepping into Jerome Bettis’ Grille 36, it was immediately apparent why it has become one of the area’s most popular.

The inside of Grille 36 is comparable to some of the nicer metropolitan sports bars that I’ve visited.  The focal point of Grille 36 is an immense, oval shaped bar surrounded by pub style tables.  This area is flanked on both sides by separate dining sections.  As in every sports bar, there are flat screen TVs mounted around the bar so that patrons can enjoy numerous games at the same time.

A second reason to come to Grille 36 is the way the creators have managed to strategically place large displays in almost every part of the bar without creating eye sores.  This within itself is a huge victory for the establishment.  With overwhelming sports memorabilia and product paraphernalia, I don’t know many women who honestly enjoy hanging out in sports bars, Grille 36 passes the test.

My food experience at Grille 36 was limited since I wasn’t particularly hungry.   I basically sampled what my friends ordered—nachos, wings, and spinach dip.  All basic pub style food, everything I tried was good.  The beer list is not overwhelmingly large, yet it better than what is offered at a restaurant chain.  Grille 36 is what its creators intended it to be:  a great sports bar with a tremendous view that will persuade even non-sports enthusiasts to give it a try.

Jerome Bettis Grille 36 is located at 375 N. Shore Dr, Pittsburgh PA 15222

Living in the city I don’t make it out to the suburban Pittsburgh restaurants as often as I’d like. However on the advice of a very good friend of mine who lives in the North Hills I decided to take a trip to the Franklin Inn.

The Franklin Inn is located on Rochester Road in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. More specifically, its located is in a quiet residential suburb tucked away from the crowded suburban sprawl one is forced to deal with on McKnight Road.

The restaurant is not a large one, yet not small to the point of having to dine uncomfortably close to other patrons. In addition to the main dining room there is an adequate size bar where you can enjoy the entire menu and/or simply enjoy drinks.

The staff seemed friendly and the atmosphere is nice and laid back. As my friend pointed out a couple dozen times, the Franklin Inn’s cinematic claim to fame is a scene from the Kevin Smith film “Dogma” which was shot in the restaurant. Although this is an interesting fact, I was more interested in trying the Mexican food I had heard so much about.

We started with some basic cheese nachos: This is my litmus test for a Mexican restaurant; if the nachos don’t have real cheese on them and lots of it, I rarely return. The Nachos came, and to my delight, they were served with large amounts of real melted cheese. Afterwards I ordered the seafood enchiladas. I have never excelled in giving lengthy descriptions of good food; so I can simply say they were some of the best enchiladas of any kind that I’ve tasted in the Pittsburgh area.

With all the food I had ingested I had no room for dessert, however I was able to wash everything down with one of their house margaritas which was equally as good as the meal.

In conclusion, the food was by far some of the best Mexican I’ve had in this area, which has never been known for its diverse selection of Mexican restaurants. The prices were more than fair for the quality of food being served there. Therefore, regardless of whether you are a fan of Mexican food or not, the next time you are looking for a new place to dine, I suggest you try the Franklin Inn. If you experience there was like mine, I can promise you will not be disappointed.

If you are a fan of different types of beer especially ones that are not widely available, this place is for you. The Sharp Edge serves beers you’ve been looking for, beers you can’t find other places and beers you’ve never even heard of!

Nestled in the heart of the friendship area between East Liberty and Shadyside the Sharp Edge draws a very eclectic crowd. This usually consists of a mix of graduate students, young professionals & artists that reside in this up & coming neighborhood. The atmosphere is one that is lively enough to encompass any weekend night yet not to the point of denying friends interactions at normal volume.

The Sharp Edge features a menu that is almost as diverse as their beer selection. This includes everything from standard bar food to entrees that would be expected to find at any of Pittsburgh’s upscale restaurants. My personal favorite is their “works” pizza which uses a thin crust and is topped with just about anything you could want on a pizza.

Now there is no doubt that the Sharp Edge takes pride in their food, however with a beer selection that boasts 53 different beers on tap and an astounding 276 beers in the bottle, it’s hard not to take notice. This selection is updated and altered constantly insuring that even the most loyal of patrons will have something completely new to try nightly. Drafts from Norway and bottle beer from Sri Lanka, chances are if it’s being brewed somewhere in the world, it’s made an appearance at The Sharp Edge.

Overall when it comes to their draft choices, The Sharp Edge subscribes to a very simple yet important theory. That is that certain beers demand differently shaped glasses to deliver the proper experience. This can be compared to wine service at upscale restaurants. Conveniently, many of these specialty glasses are available to be purchased, which is something my wife insisted we take advantage of.

In closing The Sharp Edge is on my short lists of places I can go regularly for a good night out. Without making this blog obscenely long, I cannot list all the reasons why I believe this to be true. If you’re a fan of any of what I’ve written about, I suggest you give The Sharp Edge Beer Emporium a try for yourself.

The Sharp Edge Beer Emporium is located on 302 South Clair Street in the friendship neighborhood of Pittsburgh. They also have locations in Crafton, Sewickley & Canonsburg.