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| - Food: Verde offers slightly higher end Mexican food with most of the expected staples of the Mexican or Mex-American cuisine. This isn't a place where you simply choose a burrito, taco, enchilada, fajita, etc. with the usual toppings. Instead of 5 different takes on each of those previously mentioned items, Verde has less than 10 total entrees to choose from, but each are well thought out and original. Tacos, enchiladas, stuffed peppers, and more are filled with creative, local ingredients not found at your typical Mexican eatery. We had the Ensalada Verde, which was far from the usual house salad and included beets, chayote, and a great cactus cilantro vinaigrette that was one of the best dressings I've had in a while. The guacamole tastes fresh (although they don't make it in front of you) and has some spice. The enchiladas had a legit smoky taste and tasty ingredients like roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, and caramelized onions. For dessert we tried the Tres Leches, which was okay, and the house made Mango sorbet, which was excellent and super refreshing on a hot summer night. Verde has a gluten-free menu, many items either are or can be made vegetarian, and several items can be made vegan. Chips and salsa are on the house, and the house green salsa (salsa verde) is a nice change from the typical red salsa at most Mexican restaurants. Everything we ordered was at least average, and in most cases was tasty and different.
Price: Verde is a little pricier than the typical Mexican restaurant, but the unique and high quality ingredients somewhat justify the cost. Entrees range from $12-22, and the portions are large enough to fill you. After some complimentary chips, an appetizer or two, and an entree, you won't have room for anything but tequila.
Drinks: Although Verde seems more of a restaurant with a bar than a bar with a restaurant, their drink selection is pretty impressive. The quantity and quality of tequila is flat-out intimidating. They have many beers and some special cocktails to choose from, but we stuck to margaritas. The El Jardin margarita, which contained strawberries and local rhubarb, was good, but the Blackberry Basil margarita was phenomenal. Served in a martini glass, these are high class margaritas that are poured stiff but go down easy. We also tried the house margarita, on the rocks, which was very well made. The drinks aren't cheap, but they are effective.
Atmosphere: Verde offers a full-service bar with seating for dinner, a relatively large dining room, and plenty of outdoor seating. We went on a Monday night and it was busy, so its probably a good idea to make a reservation on the weekend or be prepared to wait (and drink). The atmosphere is trendy but comfortable with big screen TVs at the bar and warming lamps outside. Tables can accommodate 2 or very large parties.
Service: We sat at the bar while waiting for our table. Our bartender was very friendly, asked us if it was our first time at Verde and gave us a rundown of what to expect. He went into some detail about the cocktails and tequila choices, and it seemed like he could have talked a lot more if we had asked. He made awesome drinks and was very quick and attentive. The waitstaff at our table was also good. They seemed a little understaffed as our waiter had quite a few tables to take care of, but he held his own. The service wasn't anything to remember, which can be taken either way. We weren't amazed, but we weren't at all bothered.
(+): awesome margaritas, absurd tequila list, more upscale take on Mexican cuisine, good place for a date or to get started before heading to the bar
(-): could potentially be a little expensive
Would I go back again? I can't imagine finding a better tequila selection or margarita in Pittsburgh, so yes. The food is well worth a try while you're at it.
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