Remedy

There are two stories to tell about Remedy. There are the objective facts about Remedy as a bar and then there is our emotional life with Remedy. Let’s start with the facts because they are easier.

Remedy opened about 8 years ago. It used to be Ray's Marlin Grill. It was a pretty well kept secret for a time, as it is kind of off the beaten path, and it became something of an epicenter of hipster culture in Pittsburgh. It has a long bar, with two person high-tops across a narrow walkway. There is rotating art of varying degrees of quality, with some permanent pieces scattered around. There is a dining room past the bar, which can be good if you have a group of 12+ and want to all hang out and talk together. It’s got the acoustics of a gym locker room though. The bar area can be cramped and is really only good for 3-4 person groups. Past the back dining room, there is a small back patio with four tables. It is ideal if you can get a big group and take over the whole porch. It makes for a fun night.

The second floor of Remedy is a totally different scene: it is like a tiny secret hipster dance club. There is a separate bar upstairs and a unisex bathroom. There is also a room with a pool table that is set off from the dance floor with an old fashioned barber chair that is fun to sit in. There are scheduled "nights" on the second floor, but you can also rent it out for special occasions, like say you wanted to use it for your own personal New Year’s Eve bash.

Now, on to us. There was a time, not too long ago, a golden age we'll call it. We spent a lot of time in this bar. A lot. All was good in the world and during this golden age, Remedy was like Cheers for us. We knew everyone there and everyone knew us. The menu still had the Blue Melt and the Riley was born. Fights on the lawn, dance parties upstairs, and access to the mysterious 3rd floor. What a time it was. But nothing lasts forever. The bartenders we knew so well are all gone and we just haven’t been there as much. As we returned for the first time in a while, we didn't feel like the regulars we once were.

Still, we love this bar. Fair warning, it is smoky and can be really crowded on the weekends. The food is actually really good, even though we miss the Blue Melt. The staff is generally really friendly and the dance nights are always fun even if you don’t like the music. And even though the sign by the bar that reads "Don't Stand Here!" refers to us now-a-days, we still are happy to have called this place home.

Address:	5121 Butler St, 15201	Games:	Pool, Magic Touch, Poker, Darts/Cornhole Video Game
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	mix of neighborhood and dirty hipster
Parking:	Easy	Patio/Outdoor:	Yes
Kitchen:	Come Hungry	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	1970s Pittsburgh	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	4pm-2am, Sun 12:30pm-2am	Cig Machine:	Yes
Drink Prices:	Cheap	# taps:	16
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	None, actually
Live music:	DJs upstairs	Riley Factor:	$7.00
ATM:	Yes	Cash Only	No
TVs:	2	Size:	Normal