So I'm naive to the Northside. It's one of the few neighborhoods in Pittsburgh that I am relatively unfamiliar with. Other than the north shore area around the stadiums, I'm pretty clueless.
So when I stopped by James Street I was pleasantly surprised. It's an old fashioned looking bar with the original woodworking and everything. Upstairs has a bar and restaurant seating area. There is a a nostalgic feeling up there, like stepping back in time.
Downstairs is great. At first I didn't even realize there was a downstairs bar, that is until I heard music floating up and people with drinks heading down. So I followed them down and saw a bluegrass band playing on stage and enjoyed some drinks at the dark bar. It's a cool little subterranean setup. A stage with tables filled with people watching live music on one side and a bar with booths along the wall on the other.
Also, if you are a beer lover James Street has a nice selection of drafts for a reasonable prices. Craft beers were between 4 and 5 dollars.
This is the kind of place that opened my eyes to the North Side and I am going to have to check out some of the other places in the area.