Pittsburgh After Work

Where to Watch a Steelers Game? – A Few Good Pittsburgh Sports Bars

So you don’t have tickets to the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Houston Texans this week and you fear that you are out of options? Well fear no more, Pittsburgh After Work has a few good sports bar suggestions.

Jerome Bettis’ Grille 36 – I know we already did a review on Grille 36 but we
figured it was important to mention again specifically for the purpose of a Steelers game. Since the last time we posted about the Bettis Grille we have sampled much more of the menu, specifically the deep fried Italian hoagie and the steak salad. Both were awesome in their own way; the deep fried Italian hoagie was crispy and deliciously fried in tempura batter while the steak salad pretended to be healthy while being covered in cheese, French fries and crumbled blue cheese.

Alright, enough about the food, let’s get down to business. Grille 36 is clearly the best sports bar on the north shore, possibly the best sports bar in all of Pittsburgh. There is a great combination of food, buckets – o – beer and a severe lack of douche bags. Now the lack of douche is a huge differentiator for Grille 36. The average age is a little older than a standard PAW blog and the atmosphere is pretty mellow except for the explosion of cheers during an interception or touchdown.

Now to the absolute best part of Grille 36, the two way mirror in the bathroom. Now I have no idea what the woman’s bathroom looks like and I wish I had some awesome story of being pulled into the women’s bathroom, but my game isn’t that strong. The two way mirror in the men’s bathroom allows you to combine two of my absolute favorite activities: people watching from a distance and taking a leak. Seriously is there a better way to check out the talent in the area than watching over the bar while relieving yourself of the gallons of Miller Lite you have been viscously pouring down your throat.

As it stands right now, the Bettis Grille is standing as the odds on favorite as the best Steelers Bar in Pittsburgh. Odds 2:1

McFaddens’s - If there is one thing McFadden’s does right it is televisions. This place has enough flat screens to make Circuit City blush. There are TV’s circling the oval bar and scattered throughout the entire buildings. No matter where you sit this place you can get a good look at the game.
Where this place falls short is service, now I could go on and on about how the waitress and female bartends are a collective average of 4 stars. Or I could write about how the food is awesome and a pretty reasonable price but unless you are sitting at the bar you better bring a CamelBak. It’s like the waiters take your order, leave, blow the homeless guy on the Liberty Bridge, and then bring you your beer 45 minutes later. This is a MAJOR issue. Now I can excuse mediocre food, or ugly bartenders, but when I order a beer I expect them to get me a beer and to be quick about it.

No other aspects of McFadden’s really distinguish it as a premier Pittsburgh Sports Bar and I really wish something would. The actual bar at McFadden’s is perfect, its HUGE, has a foot rest with comfortable stools but there is no getting over the slow service by the wait staff.

Odds of McFadden’s being Pittsburgh’s Best Sports Bar 5:1

Calico Jack’s - Ohh the long shot of the “Best Sports Bar in Pittsburgh” contest. Don’t get me wrong Calico Jack’s is great . . .if you are a freshman chick at Duquesne busting out your very first take I.D. Now I have never had the food so I can’t comment on it, but I imagine it’s very, very average. Also they have a mechanical bull, which would be awesome if this was Cancun during spring break, but it’s not, it’s Pittsburgh and it will be winter time. As much as I wish there were, I don’t envision any shirtless coeds riding the bull.
Another area where Calico Jack’s gets hurt is seating. I really don’t like standing for an entire game and this place is severely lacking in seat department. There aren’t really any tables or stools to hang out on and it definitely has more of a club feel than a sports bar.

Odds of Calico Jack’s being Pittsburgh’s Best Sports Bar 8:1

Alright, there are the options, please leave comments on what bar you think we should deem as Pittsburgh Best Sports Bar. We will definitely consider your comments in our evaluation process and check back for updates, pictures, and videos of a Steelers Game on the North Shore.