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| - Tender Bar & Kitchen is my favorite place in Pittsburgh to get a cocktail and one of my favorite places for dinner...whether it's a quick burger or a more involved meal. They have such a fantastic combination of attentive service, excellent bartending, and a diverse menu attuned to seasonality and local options.
Servers are knowledgeable about the cocktail and food menus, great at handling exceptions/food allergies, attentive without taking over your dining experience, and personable. Although the space does transition to a louder crowd as the evening progresses-it can be fairly quiet and spacious for an early dinner, even at the bar. When the younger crowd comes in and the live music options start up, it can definitely be challenging for conversation, but the liveliness is cool, too.
If I could afford it, I swear I would have a drink here every night. Probably my liver is happy that it's not going to work out like that. Their cocktails are attentive, careful, creative works of art. My favorite was the 43rd Street (now off the menu, I think).
I love their smaller-sized menu options, which are a great alternative to a giant entree. They have my second-favorite cheese/charcuterie plate in Pittsburgh (it's beautiful...seriously...) and the staples that they keep on their menu, like their super tasty burger with pub sauce and potato skins, are always great options. They also generally have a pasta, fish, steak, and pork/chicken entree...so even if the menu is small, there's enough diversity for everyone. I'm not always a fan of their pasta dishes (they had one on the menu for awhile with some amazing and unusual spring vegetables, but it had a watery/thin sauce and just didn't come together for me), but their sandwiches are always awesome.
So lucky this place is close to home.
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