Social

Located in Bakery Square, right under the hallowed Google Pittsburgh office, Social is a bright and modern bar with a lot of potential. We like to think that some Googlers with extra cash lying around were like, “We really need a bar where we can drink right after work,” and then started this place on a whim. It is heavily branded with Social the pint glass, Social the t-shirt, Social the beer coozie, Social the coaster, and my favorite, Social the flamethrower (the kids love it).

Social opened on July 15th and we were there on July 16^th. Needless to say, there were some opening week energy/jitters going on with the staff and the customers. We tormented our poor bartender with complex questions like, “What does this drink special mean?” and “How much would a double Jack and Coke cost?” Both questions required much work and effort on her part and it was only her first day. We have faith that they will learn all of their drinks in time, and that her job will get much easier.

The staff and management were present and friendly, and we are pretty sure we saw ownership grabbing glasses and running around pressing the flesh. It is always a good sign to have the ownership involved at the ground level.

There is a large rectangular bar in the middle of the space, firmly establishing this as a bar, not a restaurant. Our biggest complaint about this bar would actually have to be the physical bar-top itself. They chose a faux distressed oxidized rusty gold looking thing, which just seems really cheap and tacky compared to the rest of the space. There are a couple of booths, and high-tops and tables in the back. There is even a good deal of outside seating. It is a good sized space and was full, but not packed when we were there.

The drink menu has some delicious looking drinks with the prerequisite $10 cocktails, and the food menu is impressive, bordering on interesting. We both ate there and agreed that the food was well above your average bar food, and A's mushroom pizza was especially delicious. They have a limited liquor selection, but they have everything you should want, as long as you are not J's hubby (shout out to Snacky B!)

This place is definitely worth a look. We are not sure what kind of atmosphere it will have after the dust has settled, but it has a lot of potential. It also seems like the best place to be if you’re trying to pick up a Google employee, and that’s not a bad idea.

Address:	6425 Penn Ave, 15206 http://www.bakerysocial.com/	Games:	Darts
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Google
Parking:	Easy	Patio/Outdoor:	Yes
Kitchen:	Bar Food	Cleanliness:	Nice
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	Sun-Th 11am-12am, Fri-Sat11am-2am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Average	# taps:	16
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Happy Hour
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	$7.60 but we're pretty sure she was wrong about that
ATM:	No	Cash Only	No
TVs:	8	Size:	Normal