Shale's Cafe

This bar looks completely sketchy and scary from the outside. There's no light on the sign and it looks dirty and dingy. We had to do a double take to determine whether it was even open.

Once inside, though, we realized it's our favorite kind of dive bar. It was a non-hockey night so there were just a few people in the bar. A couple of regulars were down the way and we sat next to a new Pittsburgh transplant from Russia who had also never been in the bar. The bartender was super friendly and engaging and made all of us feel at home. We had a nice chat about Pittsburgh, New York, and the history of the bar. Most importantly, she had a heavy hand on her pour. We contemplated getting another drink there and just hanging out because we were having such a nice time, but alas the next bar called.

She also totally caught us taking a picture of the exterior. It’s always hard to come up with an excuse as to why we do the things we do when pressed. We have a few stock answers, but sometimes we get caught off guard. At any rate, we had to be extra sly about reviewing the place and as a result we're missing a little info and a lot of pictures. You'll have to just take our word.

It doesn't have a great selection. It's a little worn down and smoky. But it was our favorite bar of the night. The next time we go to a Pens game we are looking forward to seeing what it’s like in full swing. 

Address:	1208 Fifth Ave, 15219	Games:	Pinball, Golden Tee, Poker
Façade:	Scary	Scene:	Hockey Dive
Parking:	Easy (on non-game nights)	Patio/Outdoor:	No
Kitchen:	None	Cleanliness:	Normal
Smoking:	Some (non-smoking bar upstairs)	Jukebox:	Internet Crap
Hours:	-2am	Cig Machine:	Yes
Drink Prices:	Average	# taps:	6
Bathrooms:	Sit	Specials:	Game Specials
Live music:	Never	Riley Factor:	Don't Know
ATM:	Yes	Cash Only	Yes
TVs:	3	Size:	Normal