Latest Restaurant & Product Reviews

Nakama Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar has been a South Side hotspot since opening in 2003.  On any given night you will find Nakama packed full of people enjoying drinks and appetizers or sitting at one of the many hibachi tables watching the chefs create their dishes in real time.

View of the Entrance to Nakama from East Carson

When Nakama first opened, I ate their quiet frequently.  However, as its popularity grew exponentially, it became increasing difficult to get seating, so I reluctantly found myself eating elsewhere.   Needless to say I’ve missed the Nakama experience and with a friend visiting from Manhattan I figured it was time to return.

If first impressions are important, Nakama delivers immediately. The restaurant occupies the entire corner of South 17^th and East Carson Street.  The facade is almost completely comprised of glass floor to ceiling windows affording patrons the opportunity to soak up the atmosphere of Pittsburgh’s South Side.

Nakama’s layout is both stylish and tasteful.  Two bars flank your entrance while numerous hibachi tables encompass the back.  As to be expected, the restaurant was quite busy, full of patrons enjoying the food and atmosphere that has earned Nakama a reputation of style and sophistication.

Despite the crowd, we were able to find seats at the sushi bar providing us with an excellent view of the sushi preparation.  I started with the basics: sashimi and nigiri, convention wisdom being: without good fish the potential creativity and precision of the chefs will have little impact on the final result.  This fish was indeed very fresh, leading us to sample the many rolls that are exclusive to Nakama.

Nakama’s signature rolls have helped elevate Nakama above the average chain hibachi restaurant.  We began with the Rainbow Maki roll which is a mixture of tuna, salmon, snapper & yellow tail and continued with the Spider Roll, Nakama Maki & my personal favorite: the Hawaiian Style Roll.

Nakama’s signature rolls are good enough to win over even the most skeptical sushi enthusiast.  My friend, who frequents many of the Manhattan sushi spots, remarked how much she enjoyed the Red Dragon Maki roll.  As the evening progressed we enjoyed more sushi, Japanese beer and sampled the different types of sake.

Upon reflection, I was reminded of why I frequented Nakama so often when it initially opened.   Nakama is one of Pittsburgh’s few successful answers to the quandary of where to go for both dinner and drinks.  Pittsburgh has many nice restaurants as well as appealing bars but only a select few that provide both.

If you have not been in a while, or maybe not at all, I suggest that you “Eat at Nakama”. I can assure you will not be disappointed.

Nakama is located at 1611 East Carson Street in Pittsburgh, PA 15203.

A while ago a friend suggested I leave the east end to sample some of the great pizza the suburbs had to offer.  Although this seemed like blasphemy at the time, I agreed to give her the benefit of a doubt.

A few blocks away from Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon you will find Bado’s in a small plaza on Beverly Road.  This plaza is home to a few businesses including another restaurant, ice cream shop and café of some sort.  The location is pleasant because it is completely surrounded by quiet residential streets.

Bado’s is a quaint establishment consisting of a large oak bar area and separate dining room.  The beer selection is larger than I expected featuring some great English drought that is not served in many other similarly themed establishments in Pittsburgh.

Although Bado’s has a wide variety of items on their menu, I was most interested in two things: tasting their Pizza and chicken wings.  It is my belief that the strength of a “pizza Grill” is in their staples, which I believe to be pizza and chicken wings.  (You might disagree with this assessment, however you are not writing this blog.J)

I went with the thin crust pizza and the classic red hot buffalo wings.  At first inspection the wings looked good, much like the kind I grew up eating in Upstate, NY.  Bado’s makes good wings, holding just the right amount of heat to them without being so spicy that one has to struggle through the fire.

At first glance the pizza looked equally as appetizing.  The bare necessities of pizza were taken care of.  It wasn’t burnt, the toppings looked fresh, and there was plenty of cheese.  Bado’s Pizza is good, but what really separated it from other pies I’ve had was the crust.  This is some of the better crust I have tasted in the city of Pittsburgh. Bado’s crust is thin without being overly dry and crusty while possessing a doughy consistency that is not expected from a thin crust pizza.

I don’t claim to be an experienced food critic, but I know good pizza when I taste it and the crust makes Bado’s pizza shine.  The bottom line is that if you are looking for a nice change of pace from your favorite neighborhood pizzeria, Bado’s is an excellent choice.  They offer enough menu choices to accommodate a wide range of tastes while still providing top notch pizza and wings.

Bado’s is located at 307 Beverly Road in Mt. Lebanon.