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The receptionist was ver unwelcoming even on the phone. Very rude. This is my first review, I have never been so annoyed . I wanted to ask a few things before I come for dinner, but the guy just hung up on me. Thanks. | 01
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My boyfriend and I had just casually walked by Girasole to see what their menu looked like. Before we even asked for a menu, the front of house staff quickly asked us whether or not we wanted to sit outside squished behind a baby's highchair in a corner or inside where it was very crowded. We tried to politely ask the man if we could see a menu first. After looking at the menu we decided we liked what the menu had on it, but it was just really crowded. When we returned the menu to the front of the house staff he snatched the menu away from us and said, \""Yeah I knew you guys weren't going to buy anything anyway\"". What if we were about to order something? That completely turned us away from this restaurant. We could tell we were just another group of people to get in and get out. Very rude and unacceptable. Never going back. | 01
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Food here is out of this world good. The venue is extremely charming too. Service was a disappointment. Couldn't help but get the feeling that we were annoying our waitress just by being patrons. Speed was fine, food was great, but I don't like apologizing just because I chose to eat in your restaurant. | 12
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Great food, great location, ok service. Sometimes you have to wait for a table despite your reservation. It has a great Italian atmosphere and everyone is talking loudly which makes it a great place for a date or a dinner with friends. | 12
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Girasole is one of the places in Pittsburgh I always go to when I have visitors from out of town. The quaint, semi-hidden spot right off of Walnut Street accompanied by its warm and inviting atmosphere make it an excellent people pleaser. The menu is fairly small and changes seasonally to assure fresh and delicious ingredients. The wine list is extensive and the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. The Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli is usually featured and always delicious. Another plus is that it's open for lunch as well and offers a slightly cheaper selection. Regardless, though, it is very reasonably priced for the quality of food and experience. The only downside is that the venue itself is tiny and it would definitely be difficult to accommodate a larger party. \n\nOne of my favorite things about Girasole is that the owner is also often the host! He has such a bold personality and really makes the whole atmosphere more homey and authentic feeling. To add to this mood, there is often live music in the restaurant--usually just a single violin or guitar player. My favorite experience at Girasole was one late summer night when it was beginning to cool down and I took some friends of mine from Cleveland to have dinner there. I knew they would enjoy Girasole but the wait was long so we wound up sitting outside on the patio even though it was a little cold. A man with a guitar went around the restaurant singing beautiful songs to each table and eventually made it outside. Since we were the only table outside we took our request and sang the best rendition of Al Green's \""Let's Stay Together\"" I've ever heard! \n\nGirasole is a wonderful treat amongst Pittsburgh's restaurant scene and never fails to deliver a delicious meal and a wonderful dining experience! | 12
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LOUD!\n\nWhen someone says the name Girasole's - that's the first thing that pops into my head. So loud you have to essentially shout to have a conversation with your table-mate. Small place, so everything is pretty cramped together. \n\nService is quick, genuine, and attentive. Food was slightly above average but far from memorable - just not worth putting up with the noise level over. Perhaps for takeout....\n\nHad the greens and beans w/ the Cappa Santa. | 01
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www.bigtsreviews.com | 12
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Most times, I absolutely love a little place with a lot of character... unfortunately Girasole manages to provide both but not in a good way.\n\nWhile the dinning room itself has some great traits (stone walls, coppertop tables, etc.), diners more or less are forced to eat almost on top of one another. As with most small joints, Girasole has the stereotypical quirky owner that is completely passionate about their business, unfortunately in this case, the owner slugged down 3-4 glasses of wine in what seemed to be an hour... shouting up the stairs outside at patrons and ushering them around like cattle.\n\nRelative to the food, I was super excited for a seasonal menu. Going against my biggest desires to get the risotto, I decided on the spring chicken dish (hoping for some lighter fare as well). Ravioli, chicken breast, sauteed greens and a seasoned broth. While attractive looking, the ravioli seemed like they came from a frozen bag, the chicken breast was dry and the broth was bland. While the greens were decent, there were barely enough for a few bites.\n\nMaybe everyone else sees something I don't, because this place seems to be constantly packed. | 01
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Awful service. We made reservations 4 weeks and when we showed up the host yelled at us because they were over booked and his excuse was it was God's fault because the weather took away his outdoor seating. He also didn't offer us an apology and kept on telling us where we couldn't stand. The most annoying part is that he was drinking a glass of wine the entire time while shuffling people around! Wish we could have tried the food, but there is only so much indifference one can handle. | 01
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Lovely atmosphere, friendly and attentive waitstaff, just a bit crammed--you sit very close to the neighboring tables. Great meals all around, we will be back! | 12
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After looking for an occasion to go here for a few months, we finally went for my birthday dinner. It was a Sunday evening and the restaurant was quite busy. The area is kind of small and crowded, there was a large party near us which was making a lot of noise.\n\nDespite the crowd, the food was delicious! The starter goat cheese salad was the best salad I have ever had, and may have been better than the pasta..I had the lamb meatballs with cavatelli which was yummy. The lamb was moist and flavorful. I also had a few bites of the penne pasta with marinara sauce and chicken. You could tell the sauce was fresh and made from scratch since it was so sweet. Complimentary bread was good too.\n\nWould definitely go again, maybe on a weekday when it may be less crowded and noisy. | 12
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Excellent, We went last night to celebrate my parents 40th Anniversary. Food was great! Our server Rachael did a awesome job. The restaurant had neat character,it was a bit loud but it is small, so that's expected. Wonderful all around. | 12
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Beautiful ambiance, fantastic service, delicious food, and a personal toast from the owner was a great touch! | 12
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The owner has a complete disregard for customers and the customer experience. I arrived with my parents at 6pm, just as it stated to get busy. We submitted our name thinking it would be 20-30 mins. As tables became available he would seat groups that he knew and/or had reservations. It was like we were invisible. As the wait approached 40 min I went up to him and asked how many reservations there were and if he had any idea how much longer it would be. He looked at me, mumbled a sentence with the word \""ridiculous\"" and said he didn't know. I politely told him it wasn't a big deal and said he could remove our name from the list. As we were leaving he came out the door and said we could sit outside (it was 50 degrees with a chance of rain).\n\nOnly reason I'm leaving this review is because my mom was all worked up and felt disrespected.\n\nI just can't support business owners like this. Go elsewhere. | 01
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It's been a minute since I lived in Pittsburgh, but I frequently return to attend events and visit close friends from school and work. I think Pittsburgh has absolutely wonderful food, and I truly became entranced with the culinary scene while attending Carnegie Mellon and checking out local fare. Luckily for us CMU kids, Shadyside was a hop, skip, and a jump away. Therefore, it was naturally the perfect neighborhood to dine and shop.\n\nI had the opportunity to attend two group birthday dinners at Girasole. Both times the food was authentic. The place itself is very small and intimate, so it has a very nice, cozy, if not bordering on claustrophobic feel. That is not the impetus for my review. Both times I have dined here, the customer service was intolerable. A moment that I will never forget in all my life was at my birthday dinner, when the waitress came to our table as we were about to leave, and said to our group, (my friends who had graciously paid for my dinner) \""why is the tip so low? What was wrong with my service?\"" My friends had left this woman at least a 15% tip. I will never forget this publicly humiliating moment for the rest of my life. This should serve as a reminder and a stark warning for all who work in customer service (as I have myself) that you should never, ever do something as atrocious as what this waitress did. There were so many alternatives to how she or the restaurant itself could have approached this, but I truly believe she acted in the least responsible, most alarming manner I have yet to see from anyone who holds a job. That is the prime reason why I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. | 01
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Come for the food and not the atmosphere or service. I Made reservations for 7 pm on a Friday. When we got there was a line out the door. After pushing our way to the front of the crowded entrance to inform the host we were here, we found a crowd of people standing there complaining that they haven't seen the host in 10 minutes. The host finally came to the front and I said we had reservations. He asked who else had reservations for two, which no one did except for me and my girlfriend. Without asking for my name we were seated right next to the host's podium where he had to pull out the table so we could fit to sit down. We were practically sitting on the laps of the couple next to us. The waitress who seemed to be rushed did not offer any recommendations. Aside from the poor service and chaos, the food was pretty good. I had the risotto which was a little bland but the sausage and mussels made up for it. Also, I was surprised by the limited number of seafood options. I will give girasole another chance at a less busy time but was not impressed. | 01
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funky little cafeteria atop a very popular pittsburgh breakfast spot. it's BYOB - always nice - and the food is abundant and tasty. very casual, small menu, good, attentive service. plus they have a little shop with peruvian gifts, including an incas vs. spanish chess game, fluffy mini-llamas, and bright woven goods. | 12
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I really love this joint. It is small and casual. The menu changes regularly, and there is always a vegetarian option. I'm surprised it isn't more crowded because I can't really thing of a negative thing to say about the place. The salad is yummy, and I'm not even a salad person. I think my favorite dish here thus far has been the Peruvian corn. The atmosphere is cozy with a little shop in the front. | 12
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Lovely, refreshing food, though the menu gets a bit old. Perfect, unique salad dressing. Must try it! | 12
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While I'm not going to crave this food, it was pretty good. It tasted like home-made Peruvian food, not that I've ever had Peruvian food, or been in the home of a Peruvian. But it is what I imagine I would have eaten if I grew up in Lima.\n\nI think it's a very reasonable alternative on the Walnut Street strip, especially if you don't want to shell out the $$$ for Panagea or Girasole. | 12
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Had the chicken here. Was somehow unevenly cooked and bland. So bland. Friend had a vegetarian special, which was better, but still unimpressive. Realize it was only 12$ for dinner, and yet somehow still entirely not worth it. | 01
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Unimpressed. Food is okay, and service is good, but it's just not that great.\n\nThe food alone would be 4 stars if they were charging a bit less (Yes - I think value matters. Almost anyone can serve you an above-average meal if price isn't an issue.) The empanada was pretty good, but $3.50 for a tiny little beef empanada is ridiculous. They're street food, for chrissake. (The pickled onion condiment with them is really good, though.) I had the tortilla de papa, which was pretty good, and my partner had a chicken dish (name escapes me) that was pretty good as well, and the salads were good. \n\nBack to the pricing thing: they do have Inca Kola, which I love, but they charge $2.50 for a can. I only got one because my partner had never had one, but $2.50? Really? I know the profit's in the drinks for restaurants, but a 12-pack of it cost the same as a 12 of Coke the last time I saw it in a grocery store.\n\nService was good. Very friendly. 4 stars.\n\nDecor leaves much to be desired. This is usually an area that doesn't bug me too much with restaurants, but this place looks ratty - worn carpet, cheap tile, faded pictures of someone's trip to Peru, furniture that looks like it belongs in a chain motel breakfast room. The knickknacks for sale are nice, but they're not in a separate area, so it feels like you're eating in the middle of a gift shop. Again, not awful if you're charging $5-7 or so per plate, but not when you've crossed the $10 threshold. 1 star.\n\nI'm split between 2 and 3 stars, but I'm skewing low on this place. | 01
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I would recommend this place for a quick lunch. I ordered the non-vegetarian special of the day, cilantro chicken with rice, french bread, and salad. The chicken was a bit on the dry side, but it still had great flavor. My meal was $11 (pre-tax and tip) which I thought was fair considering that the salad was extremely fresh and there was a decent amount of meat. | 12
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Something told me to be adventuresome when my first choice for lunch was closed for the day. I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled upon here. I saw Pamela's and thought oh well, if I can have breakfast for dinner, why not try breakfast for lunch. When I walked in I saw the sign for the upstairs eatery and it piqued my interest. \n\nI can honestly say I have no clue as to what Peruvian food is and even though I partook in this delicious place I still have no concept into the food except that it tastes amazing. We were seated almost immediately with menus in hand. For lunch this place was not busy in the least. Too bad for everyone else, because this is a great place to have lunch. I skimmed the menu but the specials board is what really caught my attention. I cannot remember the name of what I ate, but who cares, because it tasted so good that almost right after I finished my plate, short of licking it clean, I wanted more of the special! The special was chicken atop cheese curd and then topped itself with pesto. What an ideal combination of flavors. The special also came with rice I believe and the house salad. The salad was mixed greens with a combination of olives, walnuts and carrots. The dressing was the house dressing and not too heavy or tangy.\n\nOur server seemed a little inexperienced, but I won't hold that against her. I am going to assume that she didn't know much about Peruvian food either. Even though she really couldn't answer a lot of our questions about the food, she was swift and made sure we were taken care of. \n\nThey also have shelves of Peruvian items that you can purchase if you are so inclined to do so. I did not while I was here, but it does give you something interesting to look at and start a conversation about during your meal. | 12
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I came here with a friend last Feb., and chose to visit it based on the positive reviews and the uniqueness of Peruvian food (I don't know of anywhere else in Pittsburgh that serves it). Unfortunately, what I experienced was mediocre food and some of the worst service I've ever experienced.\n\nMy dining companion and I were seated promptly. After 10 min., the waitress came over and asked about drinks. After another 10 min., she brought our drinks and asked what we wanted to order. I ordered the special, which was listed on the chalkboard (don't recall what it was exactly). The waitress took our orders and went back to put them in.\n\nFifteen minutes later, the waitress returned, but not with our food. Instead, she apologetically informed me that the special was not available because they were out of one of the necessary ingredients. Um, why didn't she mention this immediately after she'd put the order in? I chose a different entree (this time one of the regular ones), and the waitress went back to put that order in.\n\nIt took at least another 15 min. for the food to come out (we'd been there for 50 min., for those of you keeping track), and when it finally did, I was quite underwhelmed. I don't recall what I ordered, but I know it had chicken and I recall the chicken being dry and bland--clearly, not what I was hoping for in a Peruvian restaurant! This shouldn't have surprised me, since I noticed the waitress preparing it in the microwave. Pro tip to restaurateurs: If you need to use a microwave in your food prep, it's best to hide it in the back. Having been to Ecuador, where the food is similar to Peruvian fare, the food here certainly didn't seem very genuine.\n\nUnsurprisingly, the check took at least 10 min. to show up once we'd finished. By this time, I was through with this place. Yeah, it has interesting decor, but that didn't make up for the abysmal service I received here. Also, none of the people working there seemed to be Peruvian, which is never a good sign in an ethnic eatery. Based on my experience, I won't be returning anytime soon. | 01
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If you can't find this place, it's because it's above Pamela's. I liked all the crafts in here. It was cute, lots of different things, colorful clothes, toy llamas, etc. But, I really came here for the Peruvian food.\n\nIf you are looking for Papas a la Huancaina or ceviche, it isn't here. It's salads, sandwiches, empanadas, and a few other entrees like arroz tapado. \n\nThis is a good place for a healthy lunch but I would not come here for dinner. After looking at the menu and nothing jumped at me, I got the empanada platter. It was...ok. Not that amazing. I got the beef, the chicken & cilantro and the spinach empanadas. The cilantro wasn't even that prevalent in the chicken empanada. My spinach empanada was comparable to a less flaky spanakopita. The beef empanada need more flavor! Sigh. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to like this place.\n\nI will say, the coffee was good and the server was very pleasant. This is a nice place to get some cool gifts. | 01
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I've had a lot of things both dry cleaned and altered at this place (several hundred dollars worth). He is consistently late and there were a couple of instances where I had to take stuff back to be re-done. I've only gone because it is convenient to my location and reasonably priced. I will never go back though. The straw that broke the camels back for me was the most recent time when I had him alter two suits. We agreed on two weeks to complete the work. I came back in three and he hadn't even started. He told me the earliest he could do it was another week and then was late again. Seriously? How hard is this? I am now going to start a search for a more reliable place. | 01
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They always take weeks to get things done & overcharged. I was ok with that when they did a good job. But then they stopped doing a good job. Not worth the hassle anymore & do a poor job. | 01
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I've been there twice to have dress clothes tailored. The first was for a full suit and a pair of pants. The owner said to return the following Saturday, which I did, and he did not have them ready. Not only that, but he acted like it was my fault I showed back up on time. \n\nSecond time same deal, two pairs of pants, not done on time and when they were done they were not tailored correctly. I'll be going out of my way to a different tailor from now on. \n\nIn addition, the prices are on the very high side without the service or results. | 01
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I brought two pairs of pants and two (cheap) blazers there to be altered. He was very nice. However, he failed to mention to me that the cost of these 4 things- one of which only needed alternation tape- would come to $96!!!!!! When I came to pick up my items I was extremely embarrassed because I had to tell him I could not afford it. He then told me he could \""help me out \"" and make it $80. I tried explaining to him that the two blazers were only $25 each to begin with. Overall, this was an extremely humiliating experience and it all could have been solved if he were more professional and would have told me that simple alterations would cost so much. I will definitely be searching for a new tailor in the future. Way too expensive if you ask me. | 01
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I went there to get my dress hemmed last Wednesday and he said the next Thursday and when I went it to get it the day it was supposed to be done, he hadn't even started and he told me he was working on it right now which was a bold face lie. And when I went back to get it, he charged me for 30 for a simple dress hemming. It is such a rip off. I won't ever go back there. | 01
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I've had many suits, pants, and sport coats altered here. Rocky is a very nice guy who gets things done on time and does great work!\n\nIt would be a little more convenient if the establishment wasn't cash only, but in my experience the best places are. | 12
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I went to Molnar's for a state inspection and an oil change. I dropped off the car that day. Later, a mechanic called me to tell my my check engine light was on. He said it'll cost $99 to do a diagnostic to pull the codes to find out what's wrong (FYI, the actual code reader cost $20 online). I gave the Ok. He found two problems and it would have cost another $400 to fix it. I asked him to just fix one of the two problems since I couldn't afford both. He seemed a bit annoyed that I wasn't doing both repairs and kept repeating to me that it won't get rid of the engine light. \n\nThree weeks later, on a Thursday, I came back to get the rest of the problems fix. The same mechanic said the parts needed to be ordered from the dealership and it will be here Monday at the latest. He said he'll call me when the parts come in.\n\nOn the following Tuesday, I decided to call him since I haven't heard anything from him. He told me he didn't put the order through because he forgot. He told me he had a rough weekend. Told me that he'll order it right away, and reminded me that it takes a few days like he \""told me before.\"" This time around, he did call me and let me know the parts were in. He also gave me an estimate that was $100 higher than the previous estimate. He asked me to bring in my car on a day he's working. I said that I needed the car by 5pm as I needed the car for work. He said it was no problem and that I'll be the first car he'll work on when he comes in. He said he'll put me down for an appointment.\n\nOn the day we agreed, I went to drop off my car. No one was there yet except for the owner(i think). I told him I got an appointment to drop off my car for the mechanic to work on. He looked through his book and didn't see my name and let out an annoyed sigh. He took my info and I gave him my keys. I told him I needed the car ASAP. He replied, \""Yeah, everyone does.\"" At which point, I pointed out that the mechanic said he'll do it ASAP for me. He just ignored me.\n\nLater that day, I got the call from the mechanic, telling me he ran into a problem. Stripped bolts were preventing him from removing the part. Told me he'll have to break surrounding parts to remove it and those surrounding parts will need to be replace because of it. He said it was too big of a job for him and I should take it to a dealership. He then added that the dealership ....sent him the wrong parts anyways....\n\nI ended up getting the repair done at the dealership and got my state inspection. Guess what? There were no stripped bolts. No surrounding parts needed to be broken. I think I was lied to because he ordered the wrong parts and didn't want to be bothered with getting it right.\n\nIn my opinion, Molnar's mechanic and owner are very unorganized. Their communication skills need serious work, with the customers and between themselves. I will admit, I had no issues with the oil change and the first repair they did. But the hassle and the amount of time I spent trying to get repairs done through them wasn't worth the time. I hate giving a business one-star, but they deserve it. | 01
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I've visited Molnar Service Center many times. My first visit was to have my VIN number verified for car registration, and Molnar's took care of me very quickly! I was in and out in under five minutes. \n\nMy second visit was to get my car inspected. I dropped my car off in the morning and it was finished that afternoon. I wasn't going to be able to arrive by the time the shop closed, so they made arrangements so I could pick up my car after hours.\n\nMy third visit was this week. I had a hissing noise that turned out to be a vacuum leak in the pump for my power breaks. The pump had to be replaced and the part needed to be ordered. It was estimated that my car would be finished by Friday afternoon. But they finished it by Thursday afternoon!\n\nI feel like I always get great service at Molnar's. They always explain the problem, and have always finished on schedule or ahead of schedule for me. My car will always go to Molnar's for service. | 12
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This business closed July 31st 2014!! | 01
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I recently took my engagement ring into The Collection for resizing and I had a very nice experience there. The ring belonged to my fiance's great grandmother and has a delicate setting and band. My ring finger is a good deal smaller than the ring's past owner, however, and the ring needed to be sized down from a 7 to a 3 and 3/4. I was a bit worried that such a large reduction would alter the shape and/or design of the ring. However it all worked out beautifully. Karen and everyone else in the shop were all very kind and provided lots of information. The job took less than two hours and the price was very reasonable. I am hoping to return there to have our wedding rings made. | 12
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They work quickly, but speed isn't worth it if the final product is damaged. | 01
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i think this is the right place.. near the shopping center? kind of a hole in the wall? i was a little put off by how dirty the place seemed, but the pizza was DELICIOUS. nice and crispy, just like i like it. not stingy on the toppings while not overwhelming the pizza either. | 12
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Thank you to Bonnie T. who mentioned that Village Pizza had moved to 815 S. Aiken Ave. I will leave my review there! BTW that move also came with a name change - they are now S. Aiken Bar and Grille.\n\nI was so sad when I walked by the old Village Pizza and they were closed. When I read that they had moved - I walked to the address and was even more confused that it did not say 'Village Pizza'. | 12
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I'm taking the previous poster's advice and contacting the BBB.\n\nAfter nearly 5 hellish years with Mozart, this week I received a notice from them stating that they weren't renewing my lease.\n\nWhen I called the only incident they pointed to as an explanation was because I warned my neighbors of the peeping Tom that was masturbating outside of our windows on the fire escape. There are numerous young college aged females that live in the building and Mozart refused to install motion lighting of any kind. After the 3rd incident I contacted an attorney, warned every tenant with a notice and threatened to contact the media if they didn't do anything about it. They still refuse to install motion detected lighting, there are just very dim fluorescent lights out there now instead.\n\nMozart then began updating my apartment on the guise that they were bettering it for me, when in actuality they were doing it so they could show it to others. They put in new floors and a new cabinet -- I even had to stay in a hotel (at my own expense) because of the dust, dirt and lack of a floor in my bathroom! I posted a picture showing my bathroom one day when I needed to \""go.\""\n\nToday, I posted an art mosaic that I was sure to point out when they were showing my apartment. The mosaic, posted inside my apartment, provides ample warning that this apartment came with \""strings attached\"" -- a sexual deviant.\n\nI posted a photo of the art mosaic on my facebook page too, for you to see as well:\nhttp://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=42421164&l=67fe64e8eb&id=14209556\n\nIt says:\n\n\n\nFUTURE TENANT (S): \n\nTHIS APARTMENT COMES WITH A PEEPING TOM.\n\nI m not allowed to renew my lease because I warned all of the other tenants in the building after the 3rd incident of him masturbating outside my window. (staring through blinds) \nMozart still refuses to install motion lighting\n\nRead all of the nightmares about Mozart Management (aka NALCO) at ApartmentRatings.com\n\n\nRead more: http://www.apartmentratings.com/rate/PA-Pittsburgh-Mozart-Management-1020286.html#ixzz0bwwaLXMg | 01
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If I could, I would give this poor excuse for a managment company \""0\"" stars. I've barely in my place for 2 weeks and have had all sorts of problems. Let's see the second day I moved in, the bathroom ceiling started to leak and then ultimately fell. I was told that upon the initial complaint of the leak, that this was \""normal\"" and that it was a result from the upstairs neighbors not fully closing their shower curtain.\n\nI'm not sure if this maintenance guy thought he was talking to a total moron, but somehow I doubt that a few sprinkles coming out from a bathtub in the above unit b/c the shower curtain didn't close all the way would cause a rain-like down pour in my bathroom. I promptly contacted the management company during normal business hours and they came in and put a temporary board up until they could fix the problem.\n\nI stressed to them to please resolve the leak as replacing the ceiling wouldn't fix the real problem. They said that they would look into it and replaced the ceiling but still needed to do a paint job and some plastering to seal the edges. I waited a week to see if they would do the \""final\"" touches to the bathroom. They didn't so I had to call them to see if they were ever coming back to paint the wall that was ruined by the water damage. They told me that they would try to get around to it but they have lots of units they have to work on...ummm so when did it become ok to do a half-assed job and leave a tenant with no time frame on when it would be completely done. \n\nI figured I would follow-up with them regarding the final touches to the bathroom when low and behold the ceiling near the front door fell without warning, and from my perspective no reason at all. If someone had been standing there, this would have caused serious injury. This happened on a Saturday so I called and someone came to put temporary board up. \n\nI planned on contacting them during normal business hours (M-F 9-5) to make sure that someone would be fixing the ceiling when I noticed the the bathroom ceiling (that they had just replaced) is starting to get discolored b/c of the leak. So it's just a matter of time before the bathroom ceiling falls again since they failed to correct the source of the problem which is the leak that I had explicitly mentioned. \n\nSo if you want to move in to a place that is falling apart you should definitely move into their apartments. I just can't imagine having to deal with this a year . I already know that I will NOT renew my lease or EVER rent from this management company again. \n\nAlso fyi - don't bother calilng the emergency number b/c they'll either tell you there's nothing wrong or not show up at all. This happened twice to me so far within a two week time frame. | 01
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I lived in The Pennsylvanian for one year. It was so intolerable that I moved a month early and just ate the cost.\n\nThe pluses: from a distance, the apartments are decent. and the maintenance staff is always around.\n\nThe minus: the maintenance staff is always around. As in, they took daily lunch and gab fests directly outside of the my living room window in the courtyard. I'm not trying to be an elitist, but I would have liked to have been able to use the table right outside of my apartment in peace. \n\nAdditionally, they do random pest control, which is an excuse to snoop in your apartment. Once, they found \""a used pot soaking in soapy water and a teapot on the stove\"" (verbatim from the letter they sent me), which was considered \""unhygienic.\"" This was a search they did without any warning to me and while I was at class. I'm obsessively clean and generally didn't even leave any dishes soaking ever and I keep my CLEAN teapot on the stove since I make tea often. It was insulting, and to make it worse, they insisted that they had to come back once a week for the next three weeks to check on my sink's cleanliness. Whoever had \""inspected\"" my apartment had rummaged in all of my drawers. I then had a real estate lawyer friend remind Mozart of my rights, and they didn't bother me again until I moved out early--they were upset I was leaving the apartment \""abandoned,\"" even though I had paid the rent through the end of the lease.\n\nFurthermore, they absolutely refused to tell me when they would be spraying for these so-called pests, which I believe is why they started doing the \""inspections\""--to spite me. Their staff is horribly rude that way. After they posted a sign about spraying for pests, I went into their office with a note from my physician explaining I have very serious asthma and needed to know what they were spraying and when so I could go somewhere else for a couple days. They said I was hindering their pest control, and then started the weekly inspections of my apartment. This was after they randomly showed up unannounced and re-finished my bathtub while I was in class, and just left a note saying I couldn't shower for 2 days on the door. The smell was so strong that I would have had to leave for that long anyhow. Hence, why I asked about the pest spraying.\n\nThe dry wall from the ceiling fell suddenly in large chunks all over my bedroom once, and it took 2 days to fix and they left dry wall dust all over my room (this was after I had cleaned up from the first dry wall).\n\nIncidentally, the first person they showed my apartment to took it, and the realtor thanked me profusely for having a such a nice set-up that it made it so much easier to rent than the \""messy\"" units...I'm guessing places with TWO dirty pots in the sink. | 01
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I still get nightmares from just seeing Mozart management signs on\nBuildings anywhere in Pittsburgh. | 01
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I have lived at Mozart for 3 years now. Like anywhere else, there are pros and cons. Pro's first. I like to live a very quiet life. I work from home and I value my privacy. Mozart has always been good, and now has improved on that. When Maintenance comes I get warning, if there's a hazard or problem it gets fixed fast and usually at my choice of day and time, and the OUTSIDE is gorgeous. The guys who work and garden.... they do a meticulous, and fantastic job. So often people who do \"" Small jobs\"" are forgotten so they don't work hard. But house keeping, gardening, and the fix it guys are always respectful, friendly, and are highly knowledgeable. \n\nCons: Rent.... goes up every year to almost a ridiculous amount. I live in a studio and without utilities besides water and heat) it's over 600. However: I get this is a business and anything money related Mozart is a stickler on. Still: if they did some rent control... they could keep some really good clients. Sometimes I think that gets forgotten. I'll have to leave next year, and who knows, I might rent another place w these guys. But for now, I'm going to make the best of my time. | 12
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Terrible! \n\nI'm pretty sure I am the apartment above Serena R's review. The time frame matches up well. \n\nI moved in around August 2010 to a first floor apartment (with a lower level Apartment below me) Within the first weeks of my arrival, maintenance people were at my door nearly every time I tried to shower. \n\nI'm a young girl, living alone, with guys unceremoniously entering MY HOME every time my shower leaks! Originally, they tried to convince me I wasn't closing my shower curtain... but then a started collecting crocks full over debris and water from behind the shower plumbing access door. THEY tried to convince me that cups full were purely pipe condensation. It took 6 months for them to resolve this situation. At one point, they even asked me NOT to use the shower. \n\nA year later, the ceiling in my bedroom began to leak. The wall began to crack and before long a grotesque, pink mold covered the backside of the layers of tan paint that fell from my walls and ceiling. I was spending most of time out of town with a family illness when I noticed this happening. When I stopped by the office to pay my rent, I talked to 3 people about what was happening... nothing was corrected UNTIL they started showing my apartment to potential tenants. \n\nI used my apartment as essentially a storage unit until my lease expired. | 01
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Mozart Mgmt was the first landlord I have ever had. I rented a studio apartment, it was great for a 20 y/o part time student- however, not even 6 hours after moving in, I noticed a huge roach infestation crawling out of the ceiling. I have never in my life seen anything like it. I called the emergency line, and the guy assured me that they would have someone come over. No one ever came. I called 2-3 more times before giving up and going back to my mum's house. The following day I s/w the property manager who was very kind and helpful- agreed to reimburse me for 3 days worth of rent while they treated my apartment, and the entire building. They continued to f/u on my apartment until the end of my lease. The good thing about Mozart is that they care about the upkeep of their properties. The annoying thing- actually a HUGE problem for me was, the constant visits/interruptions in my apartment. I understand a few maintenance visits every now and then, but these people would come to my apartment sometimes 7 times a week for one thing or another. Also, b/c there was a roach problem, they would regularly inspect my apartment for \""cleanliness\"". Ummm...newsflash, I didn't bring roaches to your property! Those things were clearly left by a previous tenant, but I'm the one being monitored for cleanliness? Another thing, Mozart staff are very friendly WHILE you're a tenant, when you decide not to renew your lease- yes, they make you decide in Feb if you're going to renew in August- they send you an almost threatening letter telling when/how to vacant. They also have prospective tenants viewing your apartments 7 days a week...morning...Sunday? They don't c are. Most times they will give you notice- but still, for a student that doesn't have classes and wants to sleep in at 9am, it can be a real hassle have to get up and leave your apartment. | 01
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Pros: Good location (Melwood, Dakota building), utilities included, they sweep the hallways.\n\nCons: Management was extremely rude and condescending when I had a problem that needed fixing. You have to take care of the A/C units, maintenance doesn't do that unless it is irreparably broken. My shower leaked, but they told me just to turn the knobs tighter ... sure dude. Still leaks. My toilet would run unless I jiggled the handle. When I moved in, I had to mop the floor 7 times to get clean water, the stovetop was caked with food, and oil was everywhere. Of course I cleaned as much to my ability, and then I got a notice saying that I wasn't keeping up with my lease b/c of some girl before me's mess. Sorry, but when the stovetop is brown from her burning shit, and I clean it to something passable, I shouldn't be penalized for this.\n\nAlso, the water was shut off multiple times unannounced, and when I mentioned it and asked if they could just send out a notice, maybe detailing future outages, or even just an email saying how long it would be, I got a snarky reply saying that \""emergencies happen, and blame the City of Pittsburgh because we won't be sending out any emails.\""\n\nNOT worth your money. Find a better management who doesn't take your money and piss on you. I never write reviews, but was so irate that I had to post this. Just treat me with respect, that's all I ask. | 01
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I can only comment on the lease application process, but my experience was very negative. They started out easy to work with, but that was short-lived. Scheduling apartment viewing was simple, and the people who showed me the units were relatively friendly. The issue came when I actually went to sign a lease.\n\nI was told on the phone and in person by the person showing me apartments that I would not need a cosigner, but as soon as I showed up for my lease application appointment, they told me I would need a cosigner. I scrambled to contact my mom, who was willing to cosign, but they said they needed BOTH parents to co-sign, and they wanted me to sign an agreement saying I would forfeit the $1000 deposit I had to pay upfront if I did not return all of my cosigners' documents within 7 days. This was an issue because 1 of my parents was out of town for the week. \n\nI tried compromising with them and seeing if they could change the agreement to give me an extra few days to get the cosigner paperwork in, or to see if I could just have my mother (who was more than financially stable) be the sole cosigner. They were unwilling to compromise at all, and I left after about a half hour of unproductive back-and-forth discussion. \n\nI could have gone back a week later, when both parents were in town, as the unit was still available, but I figured any place that difficult to work with when I was trying to give them money would be even more frustrating once I was contacting them for things like maintenance requests. I wouldn't say \""never ever rent from them\"", but I would definitely be aware of how rude / difficult they can be. | 01
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I lived in Mozart's Highmont apartment for the past two years. \n\nThe rent is too damn high. It was $730 including utilities when I moved in. If you sign a lease now it's $830. It has hardwood floors... In between the gaping crevices in the floor and splinters galore. The kitchen appliances are 3/4 size so your oven will not accept 11\""X13\"" baking pans and the eyes of your stove are too close to cook more than two items at a time.\n\nThis past winter was very snowy, and Mozart waits until the 23rd hour after snowfall to shovel and salt the walkways, so be prepared to have several near-death experiences getting down the two flights of steep stairs (with short, flimsy, definitely not to code railing). \n\nThey sometimes creep in for inspections, then give you a 'B' without telling you what they didn't like. Aside from inspections, maintenance is really quick for all those pesky problems with the plumbing. The bathtub and sink drip constantly which would be concerning if utilities weren't included. The air conditioning is weak, the heat is hellish and there is very little temperature control since your windows are painted shut. \n\nThe laundry room is coin operated, it costs $1.75 to wash and to 'dry'. Your clothes will still be soaking wet from the dryer (yes even on high with a clean lint trap). Also be wary of the washers, sometimes people leave them nasty so do a sniff test and a visual inspection before you put your clothes in. The hallways smell like hot garbage, always. They will only be vacuumed shortly after move in in August and right before people start coming to view the apartments in February.\n\nAlso, since the utilities are included, your name isn't on them which means:\n1. When you move on, the utility companies want to say you have no history with them because your name is not on the account.\n2. When Duquesne Light plays with power grid and knocks out your electricity for two days during a 95+ degree heat wave causing misery and spoiling all of your groceries so you are forced to go to the food pantry for months afterward, you can't do anything or be repaid for your losses because of #1. \n\nOne last thing, there is a parking lot, but it costs $75 a month to park back there or you can park on a side street for free and walk 3 blocks with your arms full of groceries. And they will tow you! I was towed within 2 hours after parking back there at (10pm). So park tail-in if you need to use the lot quickly because the tow truck will have to switch equipment to ruin your day.\n\nTL:DR Value for apartment is not great considering all of the other b.s. | 01
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One of the worst mgmt companies i have ever dealt with. The policies in their building are obviously very outdated but they refuse to make themselves better to serve their clients. As long as they can wipe their hands clean, they are ok with it. One aspect that they are great at is dishing off responsibility and making zero effort to give the tenants a better experience. Mgmt does not think how to resolve the issue, instead they will cite a policy to justify why they cannot help you. | 01
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Mozart Management - Georgian on Ellsworth - AWFUL BUILDING\n\nI have maintained video proof of all my miserable experiences living in my unit on the first floor for almost three months so far, and have provided proof of a couple of them here:\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8llYlRPz2Qm7ovPQWSlyA\n\nThis is the NOISIEST place I've ever lived, and I read ALL bad reviews posted about them previously, and what every single person before me wrote is completely and 100% accurate. \n\nMozart Management rented me and apartment on the ground floor directly across from the Maintenance Room/Office. I had no disclosure of this whatsoever when I signed my lease. There is no sign on the door, no evidence that this is where I would be renting a unit, or I'd have never signed a lease for this. \n\nYou will hear every single floor board in this building, whether it's above or beneath you. The maintenance crew is helpful, they are NOISY and completely awful to live by. Due to my location in the building, I hear them all day long, every single day, clearly from my unit because there is a lack of insulation. \n\nThey are often heckling and telling personal stories down the hall to one another, and I almost feel like I know more about their personal lives than I do of my own. I don't even understand how they have the time for this. The phone in the office rings all day long (also sounds like it's coming from my apartment, that's how loud it is) and I also get to hear every conversation made through walkie-talkies. Every single day I hear the same man coughing and blowing his nose in the office as if he were sitting on my sofa doing it. It's absolutely disgusting, and you get no peace whatsoever.\n\nAlso, my apartment unit sounds like a construction unit on any given day. On the other side of the hallways, something else I was never informed of, is some sort of tool room. I often hear saws, drills, vaccuums, you name it. All day long.\n\nMozart has made an effort to calm the crew down for inappropriate content, but it's still not enough for my unfortunate apartment location. My family and I did our research about this matter and it really is up to a rental company to first and foremost to provide a tenant with a peaceful and safe environment. I never feel at peace here, and as a single female living solo, I am feeling less and less safe as I've become aware of having to share such close quarters with older men every single day that I do not know. We asked kindly to be released from this lease, but Mozart feels they should be compensated from ME, even though they were creeps about disclosing the truth about this apartment. Now, I am stuck due to the heavy fees it would cost. \n\n\nI REALLY wanted to like Mozart despite all of the bad reviews. I'm truly not out to get anyone with writing a negative review. But what the other renters have said IS true; Mozart's SOLE concern is about money, not the comfort or satisfaction of their customers. They are untrustworthy, know they are untrustworthy, and are completely comfortable with being unethical.\n\nFor the amount of rent paid here (I pay $860 a month for a 1-bed), I've learned you can find a similar, possibly even lower deal, right around the same area in a much more peaceful building. | 01
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I have lived in the Pennsylvania building for over 3 months now and I felt a need to counter act all these negative reviews I keep seeing on here.\n\nFirstly when I called maintenance to fix anything I would always get a prompt response usually within 24 hours. I remember my mailbox lock needed changed and 2 hours later a maintenance man came up to check and order a new one. \n\nPeople say Mozart has came into their apartment unannounced but that hasn't happened to us yet and Pennsylvania doesn't have a law requiring management companies to notice tenants when they will be coming over. So if you want a company to respect that you'll have to leave the state. \n\nAll the maintenance, management, and grounds keepers have been very polite and knowledgeable to my roommate and I.\n\nBe sure to read all of the lease before signing. They have all the information in their leases. | 12
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Okay I wrote my previous review when I was mad at them for breaking into my apartment. I want to provide a more complete and responsible review now, so people know what to expect for living at Mozart.\n\n1. READ THE LEASE. I have to put this in capitals because I didn't. It's very long, so I didn't bother. I thought, how bad could it be? I've lived in various apartments during college and everything was peaceful. You just have to look at how much you have to pay each month and what the deadline is, and some other stuff like lost keys and maintenance. Mozart's lease lists out at least a dozen things that they can fine you with, and the prices are ridiculous. On the top of my mind, there are full month's rent for refusing uninformed inspection, full month's rent for not returning keys on time, $500 for any animal, 3 month's rent for moving out before the original date of leave, if you \""move out\"" because you died your relatives are required to pay that 3 months rent... And there's a policy that states that by signing this contract you waive your legal rights according to (some law that I forgot). I don't have time to bring this to court but I don't think it's legal to make such a contract.\n\n2. They provide almost zero service. We once called them for clogging in the sink and bathtub, and maintenance showed up for the first time over a week later. And it took about a month to actually get it fixed. I think there was a 3 day period where we weren't allowed to shower to fix the problem. And there was also this time when maintenance showed up in the morning when I was in the shower. They told my roommate that they'll come back next week if I can't get out of the shower immediately. Also I think there was this time last winter when the heating broke down and we wrote them an email, and they said \""we don't take responsibility in alarming you of things like this. I would advice you to shut the windows firmly and use blankets to block where wind might blow in.\"" What? My neighbor moved out after 2 months of living in mozart because of things like this. Mozart gave no shit about his quality of life living there or anything they could do to make stuff less of a problem. He had to pay a fine equivalent to 3 months rent ($3000+), but he moved out with no hesitation.\n\n3. They are extremely rude. I remember explaining something to them in email for an expensive fine that I didn't think was my fault. And they replied in a middle school bully tone which basically said \""we don't care what your circumstances were. you owe us a grand. shut up and pay asap\"". So I replied in demand for an explanation for their attitude, and my next couple of emails were responded by three different person, each saying the previous went out on vacation. Lol yeah. And I can't remember the circumstance, it was either moving or parking or cleaning, but I swear I've been called an idiot to the face by one of their people. They might seem polite when they're trying to sell you the place, but they'll show their true disrespectful nature when any conflict arise. If you can deal with that, welcome to mozart. Later a friend told me that it's probably because that the fine is $1000+ that they're so determined to milk that money out of you without listening to any explanation you might rightfully have and going as far as to insult you to sound firm.\n\n4. Oh, by the way, I don't think they really know their place. They were showing the place to some potential tenants, and they were pointing at stuff that we brought in and said it comes with the apartment. I had to tell the ppl seeing the place that it wasn't true, that the microwave, wardrobe, mirrors were actually all ours. I'm really surprised the guy showing the place didn't call me an idiot in the face right there lol. Anyway, I'm saying this, if they look nice at your first encounter (especially if that's before you sign the lease and everything), don't believe it. They'll never be as nice after you sign, unless you get a perfect room with no problems and you never talk to any of their staff.\n\n5. The price might look okay, but it really isn't. I think my rent was a bit over 1000 for 2 people, but utilities are not included, parking is not included, and they have the highest laundry fee I've ever seen. Plus, they fine you a grand for the most trivial things. So think about how much you actually have to pay to live in such a bad place.\n\nAnyway, I'm very happy that I moved out. If you are thinking about living there, DON'T. It's gonna be a nightmare. | 01
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Mozart Management is great! They have been extrememly professional and considerate the whole time I have rented. I have been renting for years and they are the best property management company I've had. Stacey, the property manager, has been very responsive any email I send her and goes out of her way to make tenants' lives easier. I couldn't ask for anything more out of a property management company. | 12
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Absolutely horrible. My sink has been overflowing onto my countertops and ruining my belongings multiple times. Management did not even apologize for my inconvenience. | 01
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When damaging your liver it's best to use only the freshest and best quality ingredients and if you want to do some serious damage then you should definitely check out Mardi Gras. \n\nThey freshly squeeze the oranges and grapefruits in front of you for your Screwdrivers and Greyhounds so you don't have to worry about nasty impurities from the fruit juice ruining your cocktail. Why make your liver work harder than it already has to. | 12
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Strong drinks, dark and smoky, cozy booths, great juke box. This is a bar, this is your neighborhood bar. If you need to meet someone for a drink and just talk it out - this is the place. A good friend of mine always points out the ugly carpet. Yep, the carpet here is ugly, but at least it is new. And the place is dark so you never really see the carpet anyways. | 12
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So Mardi Gras was usually a must stop whenever I went out on a Friday or Saturday night in Shadyside during college. This bar is more of an older crowd but they do serve drinks the way I usually make mine. If you order a jack and coke, you'll be lucky if you can even taste the coke. They pretty much give you a glass of jack and a splash of coke. We used to get very very drunk here. The place is really small so you're lucky to see an open table, grab it. \n\nThe bartenders are older and they don't take credit card so bring cash. The drinks are also a little more expensive for Pittsburgh. However, this is the only place in the area that has Delirium Tremens on tap.\n\nThey don't serve food here either so plan on getting messed up if you don't eat anything before you go. The bar is very dark but a lot of my friends love this place and whenever alumni came back, we would definitely go here and make them pay for our drinks. All in all, a very good place to pregame or just to hang out and socialize. | 12
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Good luck getting out\nWith your soul and belongings.\nBring your own flashlight.\n\n\n(b) | 01
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Some serious old school 80's glamour waits up the long flight of stairs to Marti Gras. There's something magical about this dive--even the smoke doesn't seem to bother me...Actually, it's probably the strong drinks that are responsible for that...Which may be made with magic. Who can say? But I'm a sucker for any sort of sweet vodka cocktail in a martini glass, and the drinks here will knock a girl off her heels. Luckily, there's always an attentive bartender waiting to mix one more cocktail.\n\nBut this ain't no college dive. You won't find too many kids in here, which I appreciate. It's dark up those stairs and the jukebox jazz is often questionable, but the booths are cozy and the drinks are tall and the beer selection is more than decent. I'll take it.\n\nP.S. - It was cash only last time I checked. | 12
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This is one of my favorite bars in Pittsburgh! The drinks will punch you in the face, if that weird looking guy next to you won't. It's a great escape from the bro-scene that is most of Walnut St. and they have booths which themselves would be enough to make me love this place. I've had many sloppy nights here and made many stranger friends. Order a greyhound and watch the bartender squeeze fresh juice into your drink and kick it with strangers at the bar. | 12
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Do you want to be shitface drunk off of one drink and you only have $10? go to Mardis Gras.\n\nTheir drinks are military grade weapons, that is how strong they are. This bar is unlike every other bar in shadyside. it's dark and it has cool round booths.\n\nthe bartender should be a national treasure, he is awesome.\n\nbring cash, you can't use your card there.\n\nOh--you will smell like smoke when you leave, this place is full of smoke. It's likely the least sexy bar in all of pgh but its one of my favorites. | 12
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Wondered into this place looking for some mixed drinks. The bartender told us they were known for they fruity drinks, but not margaritas. He could mix any juice with vodka. We left. | 01
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If someone has not heard of Le Mardi Gras, I just assume they aren't well versed in Pittsburgh drinking culture. This is one of the best bars in the city. Their drinks are remarkably strong, easily on par with Lefty's in the Strip. As a matter of fact, I really don't recommend having more than four or five Mardi Gras cocktails. They will kick your ass.\n\nThis is one of the only bars in the city where I will walk in and just tell the bartender to make whatever whiskey drink he feels like making. I realize this might not sound like a big deal, but I have serious trust issues when it comes to bars. There are only about twenty six bars worldwide where I will even consider ordering a Manhattan or a Martini. \n\nOne of the best kept Le Mardi Gras secrets is that on Sunday they offer free food to their patrons. Even though we visited on a Thursday, the owner, Rich, was kind enough to put some food out for us. These little touches are what make Mardi Gras more than just a bar.\n\nHere are some of my favorite Le Mardi Gras features: smoking, table top pacman, excellent juke box, fantastic bartenders, intimate seating, dark ominous ambiance and lively patrons. According to Le Mardi Gras' website they've also hosted a variety of celebrities including Rocky Marciano, Harvey Kietel, Sammy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Billy Conn, Alice Cooper, George Clooney, Russell Crowe and Ted Danson. | 12
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Super super strong drinks. Very smoky and small, but definitely worth coming to. | 12
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In general, I am not a fan of Shadyside bars. Le Mardi Gras may be in Shadyside, but it is something else entirely.\n\nMardi Gras is a true dive bar, and not just compared to what's around it--this would be divey in any neighborhood. Drinks are cash only, there's a perpetual haze of smoke, and you'd better be an expert at navigating dim lighting if you hope to not trip over anyone. None are especially bad things. And in fact, the pros of Mardi Gras far outweigh these things. Great big booths, friendly bartenders, free wifi, and strong drinks.\n\nSpeaking of drinks: are you into fresh-squeezed juices? Do you like strong drinks? I mean really strong. Play it safe. Try a Greyhound, but make sure you have a designated driver. The bartenders almost take pride in the strength.\n\nAll in all, it's an authentic dive in a neighborhood that sorely needs one. Grab your cash, and bottoms up! | 12
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We were visiting Pittsburgh and decided to try out Pamela's for breakfast due to all the great reviews. Either their aren't many good breakfast joints or people have a very different taste there. We found the food to be greasy and not particularly good. I like the idea of thinner crepe style pancakes, but these just don't taste good. On top of it all, the coffee was horrible. \n\nTry DeLuca for a diner experience or Crepe Parisiennes for a good crepe and coffee instead. | 01
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Pamela's is an East End institution. Let's face it: if you've grown up, went to school or currently live in the area, you've probably spent a Sunday devoring forkfuls of Pamela's unique and delicious brand of pancake. They are thin, crepe-like a little on the greasy side (in a good way). Quick service make up for the long lines. Weekend specials are a must have. My favorite is the chocolate chip banana pancakes. There is no place like Pamela's, anywhere. | 12
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Yes, the line runs out the door but you better believe it is worth the wait. We had a table of three and we waited no longer than 10 minutes. The chocolate chip banana pancakes are heavenly!! Everything comes out quick, fast and in a hurry which is imperative when you get into this place and your mouth starts drooling over your neighbors' meals. The coffee is just so-so but honestly who cares in this case. Enjoy!! | 12
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Best breakfasts in the Pittsburgh area. Just make sure to bring cash - they don't take credit. | 12
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Been to the one in Sq. Hill were there is often a line in the morning on nice weekend days. I've only been there when there was no line and I despise myself each time I finish my food thinking \""I could have gone home and put extra scoop of lard on my eggs and it would have cost less than 1/4 of what I payed at Pamela's\"". | 01
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Wow I couldn't even eat all my bacon cheese omelette, home fries, and rye toast, and it still kept me full from 11, when I had brunch, to 9PM! Usually I hate homefries, but these were great! I think I can only go here like once a year though, to prevent my heart from exploding. | 12
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The breakfast special here should be enough for most people. The pancakes are great. The service is generally very good too. The only bummer is the lines for this location (and all Pamela's locations in fact) are super long around brunch/lunch times. | 12
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delicate and fluffy jussssssst the way i like 'em! \n\nwait wasnt tooo bad (5-10 min maybe). its short if its just 2 ppl.\n\ni had the choc chip cookie pancake - melts in your mouth son!\n\ndef put me into a nice cozy nap mood tho. peep it out at least once. | 12
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New life goal: eat at every Pamela's in Pittsburgh.\n\nJustifiably famous for their hotcakes, Pamela's is probably one of the best diners ever. Even when Obama visited the 'Burgh last year he stopped in. By the cashier, there's a picture of him flashing a giant smile, flanked by whom I'm assuming are the owners. (He went to the one on the Strip -- I asked.)\n\nThis particular location is in the Walnut Street shopping district, and it's not terribly large. It's not as funky as the Oakland area Pamela's, but the food is just as good. Upstairs is an unrelated Peruvian shop/cafe, which doesn't seem to serve food on Sundays.\n\nAt about 11:30 AM Sunday morning, on Valentine's Day no less, the wait here was only half an hour. Not bad! The crowd seemed to have doubled by the time my party and I left. Originally we had wanted to go to the Oakland one but it was a total mob scene and tried this location instead.\n\nThe Food: \nFattening, delicious, huge and cheap: every diner should aspire to this! They don't serve lunch specials on Sundays, which is fine because all we wanted were the hotcakes! We all got breakfast specials ($6.75 for 2 eggs any style, 2 hotcakes and ham or sausage or bacon) and were allowed to substitute home fries or toast for the meat options. For $2 extra you could substitute a specialty hotcake. \n\nHUGE HUGE HUGE PORTIONS. Two separate gigantic dinner plates were needed for 1) eggs and home fries and 2) hotcakes which took up the entire plate. I made the mistake of spreading butter on top of my regular hotcakes, which I didn't realize were already approximately 50% butter in the first place. They're thinner and crispier than your average pancake and a little too salty but still good. The speciality hotcakes are more crepe-like in that they're stuffed with the filling of your choice and whipped cream and then rolled up. Whoa.\n\nCoffee's kind of weak. The servers are the sweetest people you'll ever meet. Cash only. | 12
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After waiting in line for about twenty minutes our group was seated. The place was completely packed. It looked like someone's basement or garage with tables in it. Various photos adorned the walls. I tried the world famous hot cakes. They were delicious, except I only ate 1/4 of them since there was a very long hair wrapped around the hot cake. Pamela's turned out to be a waste of money for me and I left hungry.\n\nThere's nothing THAT great about Pamela's. It's like breakfast at most any other diner. | 01
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Pamela's is an abomination of a breakfast place that represents the worst of everything. However, to make up for the food being awful, you will have to wait on line for 20 minutes and then dine in cramped and uncomfortable seating.\n\nIt is, for some reason, unfathomably popular. The best thing on the menu is their crepe-like pancakes, which are nicely crisped on the edges. They are nicely crisped on the edges because they are cooked in a disgusting margarine-like substance that always leaves me, personally, feeling a bit ill. The coffee is forgettable, the eggs are passable, the bacon is inevitably chewy -- which right there should cause someone to be marched out to the firing squad -- and their lyonnaise potatoes are insultingly limp (and, like the pancakes, soaked in margarine).\n\nIf you are dragged here by your friends, find new friends. If you can't do that, then try to get one of the pancakes that come with some sort of whipped or sour cream. Not because they're better, mind you, but because at least the cream will help balance the fat that comes from a machine with fat that, at some point in its history, came from a cow.\n\nBetter alternatives to Pamela's in Pittsburgh: on the 'nice' end, Coca Caf\u00e9 or even Square Caf\u00e9, on the 'greasy spoon' end either DeLuca's or JoJo's.\n\nFrankly, I think I'd rather eat the completely boring and institutional breakfasts at Eat and Park than go to Pamela's again. At least they have heard of this thing called \""butter.\"" | 01
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Another help wanted sign and closed Memorial day. Ahhh | 01
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The past weekend, I was visiting my bff's in Pittsburgh. We decided to do Sunday brunch, and I asked bff 1 where she wanted to go - she said she'd heard Pamela's in Shadyside was amazing, and had been dying to go there. BFF 2 said she had heard all about it and she too had been dying to go, and so it was decided. \n\nwith hype like that, i was hoping it would live up to expectations. when we arrived, we put our names on the list and waited for about 10-15 minutes. Pamela's is pretty small, there are maybe 20 tables - some for only 2, some for 4-tops, but the turn over time seems pretty fast. we settled in and looked over the menu. the prices are pretty amazing - you can easily do brunch here for under $10/person. i ordered the strawberry \""hotcakes\"" which are not actually crepes, despite what reviews here say... but they are a bit thinner than regular pancakes (crepes would be much thinner than this) and rolled up like crepes. mine were stuffed with sliced strawberry, brown sugar, and usually sour cream (i asked for mine w/o the sour cream - this place is enough of a greasy spoon). others at the table had the strawberry and blueberry hotcakes. we also ordered the hash browns for the table to share. \n\nthe hotcakes are most certainly fried - the edges are greasy and crisp. delicious to eat! i think i may have made a mistake ordering no sour cream, b/c the hotcake stuffed with strawberries and dry piles of brown sugar was at times too sweet for me. next time, i'd ask for very light sour cream or possibly no sour cream and no brown sugar. the hash browns were amazingly delicious, so buttery and melt in your mouth good. these were gobbled up by the 3 of us! the hotcakes were large, and too much for me to finish! \n\nservice was ok - pamela's is a pretty simple place in that aspect, you see your server when you order and to drop off the check. aside from that, they stand back and let you marvel at the good food. i would definitely return to pamela's on my next trip to the 'burgh. | 12
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Don't be deceived by the nondescript \""PAMELA'S RESTAURANT\"" sign in the sketchy font out front. The interior of this place is cozily modern, and the food is fantastic:\n\n- Home fries: cooked to a mealy perfection, then smashed before frying in order to maximize their crisp-able surface area. They must put some kind of cheese in them to get it that lovely golden brown color and perfectly crunchy texture. \n- Hotcakes: kind of like a thick crepe, but better. Each bite is different - sometimes sweet, sometimes a little saltier, fruitier, other times crunchier. Delicious every single time. \n- Omelettes: Their egg white omelettes do a great job posing as normal eggs. The fillings are fresh and flavorful without overpowering the flavor of the egg. \n- Toast: Yes, even their toast is excellent. Crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. And their toast comes pre-buttered - taking care of that pesky cold-butter-on-hard-toast problem.\n\nIt's greasy spoon brunch fare at its very best. My parents ate here two days in a row, which says a lot because they're Asians from Asia and typically don't like greasy American-style brunch foods. I'm an Asian from America and typically don't like to agree with my parents, but I'll make an exception for Pamela's. This place is amazing. | 12
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Great place to go on a Saturday or Sunday morning after drinking way too much. The hotcakes are unbelievable but I am a really big fan of their home fries. I also really like their corned beef hash. I'll usually get some sort of omelette and pair it with a hotcake (usually chocolate but blueberry is pretty good too). I'll then make sure there is plenty of home fries and get a side of the corned beef hash. This usually puts me in a food coma but makes me feel fantastic especially after waking up a little hungover or still drunk from the night before.\n\nOh. you have to pay with cash. And this location is also pretty packed so there is usually a line up outside. But it's so worth it. | 12
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I really wanted to like this place because of all the positive reviews. I love breakfast, and I am a sucker for corned beef hash (I order it pretty much when it's on a menu). Sadly, I walked away from my meal with a \""meh\"" feeling.\n\nFirst off, I kept hearing about these pancakes I gotta try. Well, I figured what better way to experience them than to order a short stack, right? They were super buttery... Too much so. I loved the thin fluffy texture, and the crispy edges were a unique touch, but those flap jacks were oozing butter (despite not using the included butter \""pat\"" that comes with them)... It's all I could taste. Too bad. People generally recommended the stuffed pancakes... Perhaps this well teach me not to listen to the suggestions for the banana chocolate chip pancakes (next time).\n\nMy real disappointment was that the corned beef hash was probably just a few points above the stuff you can buy at the store. If it weren't for the large pieces of crispy potatoes, or the sauteed onion... I would have sworn it came from a can. Plus it was super salty and the meat over-ground... Kinda looked like pet food. What happened to using chunks of real corned-beef and making the dish look like a hash?\n\nI'm a transplant to pitt and I'm still figuring the place out. Nevertheless, I'm still looking forward to trying some the other recommended food items... But... If you want really good authentic corned beef hash: Tasty Diner in Silver Spring, MD. Can't beat it. | 01
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I live a few blocks from Pamela's and each time that I walk by on the weekends there seems to be quite a few people waiting (and others have raved) so had been wanting to try it for a while. After waiting 30-45 minutes on a Saturday morning for brunch, I wasn't that impressed. It is cheap, the service is fast and they serve ample buttery portions of diner food. If you're not hungover, I hope you have a good reason for going. You might as well just eat some grease and rub it all over your face. | 01
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Delicious as always. What more can really be said? I always get the crepe pancakes with brown sugar and sour cream. I remember when you could only get them with strawberries, but blueberries are now an excellent alternative.\n\nTheir coffee is as spectacularly terrible as ever. It's been bad for as long as I can remember, like they're intentionally not serving good coffee. It's the only thing from keeping Pamela's from being a 5-star breakfast place. Regardless, Pamela's is still a Pittsburgh classic and always a great breakfast destination. | 12
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Everything I wanted to say has already been covered in previous reviews, so I'll just leave it at this:\n\nOH MY GOD GET THE HOTCAKES\n\nSeriously, get them. | 12
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Pamela's is certainly a Pittsburgh institution, and for good reason! Of the several locations in the city, the Shadyside spot is my favorite, probably because it was the first Pamela's I ever ate at. I love breakfast food, but I'm never big on breakfast-only places because they tend to be too small and crowded, and hardly worth the wait. But Pamela's food is as close to perfection as you'll ever get, so the long line and cramped space isn't even a factor. Personally, I love their hotcakes, omelets, and hash browns, but everything on the menu is mouth-watering and inexpensive! | 12
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How Pamela's became a Pittsburgh institution is completely beyond me. The food is average at best (think a step or two above Denny's or Waffle House). Pancakes were soggy and bland and the veggie omelete was chocked full of processed, cheese-like goo and assorted goodness straight out of a can. | 01
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Disgustingly amazing breakfast as usual. Order what you want and accept you are done for the day! | 12
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Decent breakfast and great service. I found the much touted corned beef hash to be too salty but everything else we ordered was great. Overall, I recommend this restaurant for breakfast | 12
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We had a terrible breakfast here not long ago. Like many couples in the city, we love to go out every other week or so for a weekend breakfast. This day, it wasn't busy, and the speed of service was good. The French toast was an abomination. The toast had about a quarter inch of egg white formed around the edges, from poorly mixed batter. Plus the bread was poor quality. The bacon...crunchy fleks of the thinnest, most meager bacon these eyes have seen. The crepe pancakes were ok, but nothing to write home about. Years ago I worked for a grumpy penny pincher who had been swindled into buying a 3 year supply of prepackaged coffee, which just sat in our storeroom for years until we brewed it, and cursed it. Van roots, it was. Pamela's, in all the years I Have visited, has consistently challenged van rooy for the worst coffee crown. On top of all the bad food, last week Pamela's earned that crown. We'll be enjoying breakfast elsewhere in the future. | 01
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Yo! Fucking brown sugar and blueberries in my hotcakes? Legit! | 12
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Definitely a must for any guest. I only sampled the strawberry stuffed crepes, which sound rather ordinary. Rest assured, they were anything but. The crepes are the same as their pancakes, which are light, lacy and crisp around the edges. Perfection by themselves....they come with several fillings and toppings but I decided to go with my wait person's recommendation. The strawberries were sliced paper thin, fresh, not at all syrupy, and there were two, huge, filled crepes on my plate-enough for two people. I asked for the sour cream on the side, and there was a dollop of freshly whipped cream (not instant, I know these things) in the middle of both crepes. Dusted over the top was a thin coat of granulated sugar (it may have been turbinado) and just a hint of course sea salt. The texture and taste was amazing! The menu was interesting with omelets, egg dishes, french toast, and the usual breakfast fare. All that I saw going by looked good, but my recommendation would be, if you go only once, skip all that and go right for a pancake/crepe creation. You will NOT be disappointed. Also, the order came out 1 minute after the wait person brought my coffee; like magic. This place is a jewel in the middle of Walnut Street! | 12
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HOT CAKES. That's really all I have to say. I was wondering what the fuss was about, and when I took my first bite, it all made sense. As for the rest of the breakfast items, they're okay. I ordered corned beef hash, and it seemed like the kind of corned beef that came from a can. I could be wrong, but it just didn't have much flavor. The only annoying thing about this place is the wait. Get there early or be prepared to wait, outside, for a long while. | 12
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I was here at the Pamela's in Shadyside a few weeks ago - dining companion and I were looking for a nice brunch-y place to visit. Naturally, with all the high ratings we saw on Yelp! for Pamela's, we gave it a shot.\n\nI have to ask: What is all the fuss about this place?\n\nMy companion and I were a little dismayed to see it was a cash-only place, but luckily in Shadyside there is a PNC just up the street. The restaurant was fairly busy with lots of customers chatting at their tables. It wasn't an uninviting atmosphere, more laid-back, but also a little indifferent, if that makes any sense. Our waitress wasn't unfriendly, but didn't really go out of her way to talk much with us.\n\nAfter perusing the menu for a bit, the fella ordered a Greek salad with chicken while I went for the crepe-hotcake dish. Food came out pretty fast, but that was sadly the best part about it.\n\nMy companion's tiny salad was served in a large silver bowl, like the chef had mixed it up and decided better of putting it on an actual plate. The Greek dressing was saturated with lemon flavor, way too tart and sour, and the chicken was pretty paltry for the price.\n\nMy crepe-hotcake thingies were okay, but very oily and griddle-tasting. Way too rich to finish.\n\nOverall, we found ourselves very underwhelmed with Pamela's. Our search for a good brunch place continues. | 01
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Not deserving of the rave reviews. Breakfast is cheap, and definitely very poor quality. Grease is the common theme in food, and though it might taste OK a first, your digestive tract may say otherwise later. \n\nThe space was cramped, we sat almost elbow to elbow with other guests, with my back a foot from a brick wall. The waitresses were extremely fast, except for coffee refills. Almost felt rushed because the bill came so quick; probably had something to do with the busy line in the waiting room. And why, in this day and age, are you cash-only, Pamela? | 01
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Ok! The best hash I have ever had. Their potatoes are \""bananas!\"" | 12
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I have always enjoyed going here for breakfast/brunch. In my younger years, I would go for the hotcakes. So thin, large, and crispy on the edges. Yummmyyy.\n\nI will write an update to this review...after I go to it again hopefully next month...But if it is as good as I remember, you won't be sorry going here. | 12
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The food here is over the top excessively greasy. So greasy that it made me sick to my stomach before I was done eating my meal. My husband and I split the chocolate chip pancakes and a ham and cheese omelette with potatoes and toast on the side. Not only was everything in a pool of grease, but it seemed to be margarine...not even real butter. I will never eat here again. I am gagging even thinking about this meal let aloe eating it again. | 01
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Not the place for local, organic, grass-fed, gourmet riff-raff. Pamela's is known for stick-to-your-ribs diner food and they do it very well. Definitely my go-to for weekend brunch or hangover recovery in Pittsburgh. The Oakland location you'll find is often full of Pitt or Carnegie Mellon students, whereas the Squirrel Hill and Shadyside locations usually have a more yuppie-type clientele.\n\nPamela's hotcakes are a masterpiece. Never mind that they use pounds and pounds of butter for these hotcakes, you'll be hard-pressed to find pancakes/crepes as delicious as these. What's great is that they can be eaten alone in a savory manner, or piled with fruit and whipped cream and more butter for a sweeter breakfast experience. The lyonnaise potatoes are also something to marvel at. You can ask them to griddle the potatoes a little longer for a crispier taste, which I definitely recommend. \n\nThe omelets are all pretty standard fare here, but they do them consistently well every time I've been. Best thing is that most combinations or menu items will only run you at about $8-10, with tip and tax about $13. Pretty awesome. Only downside is that it's cash only, but since there are a couple ATM's and a PNC nearby, it can be overlooked. \n\nOverall, come here for some of the best breakfast comfort food that Pittsburgh has to offer. | 12
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