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| - I feel bad about doing this, but that is what Yelp is all about; Real, up-to-date reviews. I've visited the James Street twice since my first review and have been underwhelmed each time. Tonight was not a great experience. It was "meh" at best.
Either I didn't see the full menu on my first visit, or they've changed it up. While all seemed fine on the surface, I wasn't thrilled about receiving a tiny meatloaf that cost $16 on top of a whole plate of what amounted to garbage potatoes and corn sauce accompanied by two tiny corn fritters. The meatloaf was tasty, but that price is ridiculous for what you get! Meatloaf is not expensive and it's easy to make. If you're going to charge $16 for it, it had better be 1. in a posh establishment with a menu not consisting mainly of sandwiches and bar food, 2. a larger portion that I can take home for another meal (which is what I was expecting), or 3. the most amazing meatloaf I've ever put in my mouth. In this case the corn fritters were my favorite part of the meal. This would've been a 3-star review except that...
My friend ordered the buttermilk chicken. It was a tasty breast (I tried it). But, the same problem persisted... teeny tiny portions. You cannot charge $17 for a tiny chicken breast and grits! Everyone knows how much a chicken breast costs, and grits are the cheapest food on the planet. Also, as we were driving home, we realized that the corn bread had been left off the plate.
Look, here's the general problem: The James Street is in a slowly gentrifying area. It's pretty run down, but getting better. That attracts hipster-types. Which is cool. But, your clientele is still a Pittsburgh clientele. In my last review, I compared the James Street to something you'd find in Philadelphia or NYC. And, that's true as far as the vibe, the hipsters, and live music goes. But, we're not in those places. Everything costs more in Philly and New York. Food costs more in the markets than it does in Pittsburgh, and people also generally take home bigger paychecks and thus can spend more on food. It offends my Pittsburgh sensibilities that a restaurant like this charges these kinds of prices for, let's face it, typical bar food. Tasty, but your bottom line is inexpensive. It feels like a major rip off.
When you switch over to 100% local and sustainable food and alert us all that we're eating organic, then you can up the price and I'll be happy to pay for healthier food. Same goes when this establishment ceases to be in part a loud sports bar and converts into a romantic restaurant that serves elevated fare. If the price is upped b/c of the live music, maybe you should considering having a separate menu for the speakeasy (since I have yet to hear live music). But, until then, I'll head over to any other area restaurant that serves meatloaf and or fried chicken for at least $3 less for a larger portion, and be happier with my purchase.
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