I've been eagerly hunting for a good wings/BBQ spot in Pittsburgh. This place was thoroughly satisfying. The food was phenomenal, along with the service. Perfect for a casual dinner with indulgent barbecue meat and a hearty beer. The only reason I knocked a star off was because of the location (a bit off the beaten path of Shadyside) and limited selection of beers on tap, granted the few they had were good.
Ambience:
The owners definitely chose the right decor to set the unassuming barbecue mood. Plenty of high tables with no frills- just slats of rather unfinished wood. Kind of what I would hope for from an authentic barbecue spot. On the other hand, the location really seems to kill the business here. Being a bit off of Shadyside proper and given the seedy neighborhood, it seems that people are deterred from visiting, which (at least on a Wednesday evening) resulted in an oddly quiet and empty restaurant. At least we didn't have to wait for seating!
Food:
Wow. We went for happy hour which included half off for wings, which made it quite reasonably priced. I had the habanero wings and my buddy had the BBQ ones. I preferred the habanero ones- just enough kick and well seasoned. I could of used a more generous slather of the sauce but the selling point was really in the meat. The wings were grilled and smoked. The slow cooking process really locked in the juices to make the meat fall apart. And these weren't mini sized wings... We also had the brisket and, not to be repetitive, but...wow. Moist, falls apart in your mouth and flavorful. All in all, I was rather content with the food.
Drinks:
I can't comment on the cocktails but the liquor selection was reasonable. The beers on draft were limited but interesting enough. Definitely was hoping for more beers on tap given this is a barbecue joint.