Pittsburgh definitely needs more bars like Harvard & Highland. Sometimes you want to put down the gin and tonic (while delicious) and pick up something with a creative mix of new and interesting flavors. With the expertise of a REAL bartender (few and far between in the steel city) you can do that here.
The ambiance is nice-- a large, open space with huge windows (excellent for people watching too) and a variety of seating options. I went with a large group and we were able to easily adjust the seating... and the huge red lounge chairs were a definite plus! The best part about walking into this bar is that to get there you enter through Union Pig & Chicken and therefore get to smell all of the delicious smoking meat as you pass through. Way to make my mouth water before I even set eyes on a cocktail list!
I will be honest, I am no cocktail connoisseur. At one point while enjoying my first drink and browsing the menu thinking about my second, I actually had to get out my phone and google some of the ingredients just to know what type of liquor was in them! This place does assume that you know something (or at least more than me, which is not hard) about your spirits. But have no fear- the bartender is super friendly and will answer all your questions-- and I am assuming it doesn't really matter what is in the cocktails anyways because everything was delicious.
I started with one of the drinks from the menu (sort of). A spiced apple cider with option to add liquor = one of my favorite fall drinks. I asked the bartender what she normally recommends to add other than rum (not a huge fan). She said they normally do add rum, but instead she could use a butternut squash-infused bourbon. YUM. For my second drink, I decided to inquire about one of the specials on the board... I honestly do not remember what all was in it but I know it included some kind of brandy and another liquor mixed with earl grey tea and garnished with a sprig of rosemary. I wish i paid more attention to what was in it because it was AMAZING. It was a little bit tart and tangy and not too sweet and extremely refreshing.
Will definitely be coming back to try out some more... seems like a great place to hide out during the cold winter months!