Gene's Place

Take notes, there will be a history quiz at the end of the review.  Gene's used to be Denny's. Gene was the manager of Denny's and Thirsty's (now Logan's) in the 1990s. He bought Denny's in 2005 and changed the name to Gene's. Before it was Denny's it was another bar. Before that it was a bakery with a speakeasy in the basement. You never know what kind of history the bartender might have to share with you!

Regardless of its name, we've always found Gene's to be a surprisingly laid back bar in the middle of Oakland. It's small, so that probably keeps a lot of the college partiers out. There is no room for a dance party here. There's room for sitting with a few friends and drinking. There's room for darts. That's about it.

It is cheap. That’s the number one thing going for it. The bartender was really friendly,the clientele were chill and varied in age and the bathrooms were surprisingly clean. Basically, this is the kind of little smoky dive bar to which we gravitate. We haven't hung out in Oakland for years, but we're finding that there are still a few OK joints scattered around. This is definitely one of them.

Address:	3616 Louisa St, 15213	Games:	Darts
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Casual
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	None
Kitchen:	None	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	Some	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	2am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Dirt Cheap	# taps:	15
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Daily
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	$7.50
ATM:	Yes	Cash Only	No
TVs:	2	Size:	Hole in the Wall

Mad Mex Oakland

The Big Burrito chain has some of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh:  Kaya, Casbah, Umi, Soba and their flagship, Mad Mex. Most of them are restaurants and we will not be reviewing them anytime soon, but we felt like Mad Mex Oakland was more a bar than restaurant. So, in we went.

How you noticed young college kids are these days!?  I mean, they were drinking so they must have been 21, but we certainly never looked so young. We were surrounded by college-aged kids, and listening to some of their conversations was pretty amusing. Us shaking our heads at them for being so young and naive, them wondering what those old people were doing in their bar...good times.

Mad Med has a dark interior with a décor that gives a nod to its Mexican roots, but with an artsier flavor. The bar is curvy but comfortable. The space is small and cramped. The staff is hip yet attentive. 

We could not get the price for the Riley at Mad Mex because it is Big Burrito policy to not sell doubles. So, if you are reading this Riley, which we are sure you are not, stay away from Mad Mex. It will only anger you.

The food is better than average at Mad Mex. We each strayed from our normal fare to try new things. “A” got chicken chimichangas, and J got a taco salad. They were both good eating. They have an impressive tequila selection including a bottle which sells for $46 a shot, if that is your thing. If it is, call us.

It was fun to hit up Mad Mex Oakland on a random Monday night. It is a really cool space and we have always liked it there. Unless you are a college aged kid with nothing but time on your hands, avoid it at all costs on the weekends. It’s a zoo. Especially once the late night food specials are on. 

Address:	370 Atwood St, 15213 http://www.madmex.com/	Games:	None
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	College Burritos
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	None
Kitchen:	Come Hungry	Cleanliness:	Nice
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	N/A
Hours:	11am-2am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Richie Rich	# taps:	14
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Happy Hour and Late Night
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	N/A
ATM:	No	Cash Only	No
TVs:	3	Size:	Normal

Bootleggers

Bootleggers got all nice and stuff. It was always a bit better than its Semple Street counterpart, Uncle Jimmy's, but now it is a really slick place.

They remodeled about a year and a half ago, according to the bartender, and it is a big improvement. The whole Semple Street side of the bar has been opened up with big windows and big glass doors.  They have a back room with two new pool tables and other bar entertainment. We don't have super clear memories of what it was like the last time either of us was there, but it was smoky, dirty and dark for sure. Now it is very bright, open, clean and inviting. It could easily be a Shadyside bar.


It was still a little smoky and is still probably populated mostly by college jocks on any given weekend, but it is in Oakland. The drinks are pretty cheap and really, there aren't many options in the neighborhood. A ringing endorsement!

Address:	403 Semple St, 15213	Games:	Pool, Darts, Magic Touch, Poker
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	College Sports Bar
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	None
Kitchen:	None	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	Some	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	2pm-2am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Average	# taps:	12
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Not really
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	8.50
ATM:	Yes	Cash Only	No
TVs:	6	Size:	Normal

The Beer Market

The Beer Market's gimmick is that they have a lot of beer, but no kitchen. So, you bring your own stuff to nosh on or order in some delivery and choose from their 500+ beers. It's not a bad idea.

It was packed the night we were there. In fact, that was one of the biggest problems with the place. It was crowded and they did not seem to have the staff to accommodate the clientele. We found one empty table by the stage and were soon to learn why it was left empty. There were waitresses doing table service, but they never made it over to our table or the one next to us.

Let's get back to the stage for a second. If you would ever like to hear two people desperately try to sell 80s and 90s cover songs played on an acoustic guitar to a completely uninterested audience, this is your place! Would your beer taste better to the sounds of a Journey song? You're in luck. In fact, you are welcome to the table next to the stage, it seems like it's usually open.

Honestly, even though the beer selection is quite impressive and so big that it comes in a three-ring binder, it doesn't seem worth it. Presumably things aren't as hectic on nights that the Pirates aren't playing. For our purposes, though, a much smaller beer selection would suffice.

Address:	110 Federal St, 15212 http://the-beer-market.com/	Games:	None that we could see through the crowd
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Fancy Sports/Fancy Beer
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	None
Kitchen:	None	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	Cover band
Hours:	Mon-Thur 3pm-12am Fri 3pm-1am Sat 12pm-2am Sun 12pm-12am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Average-Richie Rich	# taps:	40
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Not that we noticed
Live music:	Sometimes	Riley Factor:	N/A
ATM:	No	Cash Only	No
TVs:	>10	Size:	Friggin' Huge

BZ's Bar and Grill

“What does the ‘BZ’ stand for?” A asked. “Some rich guy's initials,” the bartender replied. Fair enough, makes total sense.

Beyond that, this was a surprisingly nice place. It still seemed to rely primarily on baseball traffic, but not entirely. There were actually people drinking and hanging out there.

They've got a vast selection of good beers, 26 on tap. That's shocking for a sports bar. They're clearly going for a slightly more upscale crowd than Mullen's or North Shore Saloon. It's shiny and clean in the bar and, wow, the bathrooms were so nice and smelled so good. Normally that wouldn't warrant so much praise, but after North Shore Saloon...

The bartender was really friendly and seemed to know his beers. They've got sidewalk seating and a garage door front to the bar. Burgh Man seemed to be getting a ticket from the cops out front and A got some coupons to Cheerleaders which he shared with the group, but those are the only exciting things that happened to us there. In a different neighborhood we probably wouldn't have been that impressed. On the North Shore, though, this ranked high on the list.

Address:	140 Federal St, 15212 http://bzbarandgrill.com/	Games:	None
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Fancy Sports
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	Sidewalk
Kitchen:	Bar Food	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	11am-2am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Average-Richie Rich	# taps:	26
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Daily and Happy Hour
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	$10.00
ATM:	Yes	Cash Only	No
TVs:	12	Size:	Friggin' Huge

Mullen's Bar and Grill

We thought we didn't really like this place, but you know you what? We did. If we had to get a drink before the ballgame, Mullen’s is probably where we would go. This place is what it is: a sports bar next to a ball park. No frills or pretension, but it’s clean and well-staffed. This is a bar where you go to get drunk before the game so you don't have to spend $8 on a beer in the park.

Mullen's is huge. It has a very long bar with multiple seating levels, and even a second story with another bar for when it gets really packed. The staff was friendly and attentive, and we felt relaxed and comfortable there, except for in the bathroom. Bathroom attendants always make us uncomfortable. The bar serves shots in plastic shot glasses, but they are unlike any we have seen. Not like a dixie cup, it feels like a real shot glass. It just happens to be plastic. If you’re going to give us a plastic cup, this is the one.

The baseball game started going downhill here, we fell behind. Everyone in the bar was attentive to the game and there was a sense of comradery and support for our team. There was a band setting up, which we almost wanted to stay and watch just because of how awesome they looked with their long hair, Flying V, and smoke machine. We listened to them sound check and we are pretty sure we missed out on one of the premier 70's & 80's rock cover bands Pittsburgh has to offer. But alas, there are always more bars that need judging.

Address:	200 Federal St, 15212 http://mullensbarandgrill.com/pittsburgh/	Games:	None on main floor, maybe upstairs
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Sports
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	Sidewalk
Kitchen:	Bar Food	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	11am-2am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Average-Richie Rich	# taps:	12
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Daily
Live music:	Sometimes	Riley Factor:	$11.00
ATM:	No	Cash Only	No
TVs:	14	Size:	Friggin' Huge

North Shore Saloon

This is by far the crappiest of the North Shore bars to which we've been. Not to be confused with the crappiest North Side bar, which Peanutz wins hand-down. It's a block up from PNC Park and, like most of the bars in that area, it does the bulk of its business in the hours leading up to Pirates games. At first sight, it seems like a nice enough sports bar. It is not.

When we walked in and sat at the bar we were told that the actual bartender was not there, he had gone across the street. The guy from the kitchen was pretty unsure of himself, but got our beers and whiskey. That's when things started to go downhill.

The whiskey was served in a tiny plastic cup, which we hate. Even worse, it wasn't even a plastic shot glass. It was one of the wide mouth cups that you use to serve dressing or ketchup. Even worse than that, that shit was NOT Jameson. A literally threw it away because it was so nasty. Let that sink in: A.Threw. Whiskey. Away.  Also, we learned that Iron City beer still tastes like Iron City beer. In case you were wondering.

Already not impressed, J went downstairs to use the bathroom. That was an even bigger mistake than coming in to this place. It smelled like a skunk with diarrhea died in there. One toilet was hopelessly clogged and the other hadn't been cleaned in ages. It was bad.

The only good thing about that place was the Pirates hitting back-to-back-to-back homeruns! There was much high-fiving and cheering. That tied the game up 3 – 3 and there was hope that we might get to raise the Jolly Roger yet.


The North Shore Saloon better thank their lucky stars that the Pirates are doing so well. We can't imagine that anyone would stop in there otherwise. 

Address:	208 Federal St, 15212 http://www.northshoresaloon.com/	Games:	Hole-in-One
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Sports
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	No
Kitchen:	Bar Food	Cleanliness:	Nasty
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	-1:30am	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Average	# taps:	6
Bathrooms:	Hold It	Specials:	Daily
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	$9.00
ATM:	No	Cash Only	No
TVs:	8	Size:	Friggin' Huge

SoHo

Let's go Bucs! We decided to hit up the bars around PNC Park during a game to see what they were like while the Buccos were playing. First of all, they are all super packed right before the game. We settled on SoHo just because we could get some seats and order some food.

SoHo is the bar for richer older people to go to before the game. They don't want to cavort with the lesser folks in their lesser bars, so they go to SoHo. It is nice there, fancy and stuff. We ordered food, settled in, and started watching the game. (We had a special guest appearance by one of our editors. Going with tradition, we will call her C.)

The menu is good; A had a French Dip, J had French Onion Soup, and C had a turkey club, all very passable. The space is very large with a rectangular bar in the middle of the room. The service was prompt and friendly, and A got Jameson 18 for free by accident! For only discovering Jameson 18 year about two weeks ago, it sure has come up a lot recently. 

J had a disappointing interaction with one of the bartenders, though. Looking at a tap of Penn Oktoberfest, J asked “Is that the Penn Oktoberfest?” She thought this was a rhetorical question. The bartender replied, “No, it is just regular Penn.” J wasn’t sure what that meant and said, “Penn Pilsner? Penn Gold?” and got the same reply, “Just regular Penn.” So, they are not the most knowledgeable bunch.

This place is nice, but pricey. It keeps the riff-raff out. You do have to be around these guys (see picture). So, pick your poison really. We doubt we will ever go back there and we wouldn't tell you to go out of your way to go there.

When we left, the Bucs were losing 3-0.

Address:	203 Federal St, 15212 http://www.sohopittsburgh.com/	Games:	None
Façade:	Not Scary	Scene:	Fancy Sports
Parking:	Wear Walking Shoes	Patio/Outdoor:	No
Kitchen:	Bar Food	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	None	Jukebox:	None
Hours:	Mon-Thurs -1am Fri-Sat -2am Sun -11pm	Cig Machine:	No
Drink Prices:	Richie Rich	# taps:	15
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Daily
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	$11.50
ATM:	No	Cash Only	No
TVs:	7	Size:	Normal