I have been a 'diner' fan as long as I've been alive and craved a good plate of home cooked food, whether in the middle of the night after clubbing (in my youth) or for a good lunch (in my current elder state). Pittsburgh used to be awash with good diners. The Gazebo in Shadyside, Ritters, and a handful of others were damned good food, reasonably priced, and 24 hours. Most of them are gone, or like Ritters, just not as good as they used to be.
I would classify Casey's as a glorified diner, leaning a bit toward 'family restaurant' without the big chain homogenized 'off the Sysco truck' conveyor belt 'Denny's' fare.
Casey's is a pretty darned pleasant little neighborhood place to stuff your face with some decent food. Featuring (according to the menu) "Mum-mum Tolerico's authentic Italian and specialty recipes, including homemade sauce, dough and meatballs made fresh daily".
Oakmont is not a regular destination for me, unless I'm hitting the Miller Antique mall, or checking our a car cruise, but when I'm there and the idea of food starts rumbling in my stomach, Casey's is the FIRST place I'm going to hit.
I've had several of their sandwiches. From the Reuben, which is a standard Pittsburgh Reuben. Ok, but nothing to rave about in front of a New Yorker, to the Fish Sandwich, which is a very good and flavorful fish sandwich with a tasty and slightly zingy batter. AND - they serve it on a bun intended to fit a piece of fish. That always wins points in my book.
Friends have had burgers which looked very good, and I've seen many other plates whizzing past that looked very good. The fries are real potatoes with remnants of skins, and not poly fries pressed out of a corporate playdough machine. The coleslaw is different but very good. I'm definitely cool with different when it is done well and tastes good.
The menu is quite varied, with a short list of appetizers, to pizza and stromboli. Daily specials are posted on the white board as you enter the spot, the a nice list of dinner offerings as well.
And apparently to our waitress' chagrin, they serve Coke products. I always ask 'Are you Coke or Pepsi people?' and when I asked, she kind of frowned and grunted 'Coke'. Which of course made ME smile, since Diet Coke is the only soda I drink.
The atmosphere is comfortable, friendly neighborhood gathering spot for food. No over the top atmospheric kitsch, nor is it a dive. It's clean, the staff is friendly. On our last visit the waitress was a hoot, and that just adds to the comfort. Talk to me like a person. Joke with me. Be real. That wins me. Uppity attitudes, and flat out automaton personalities will send me away. This gal was great.
I wouldn't call it a 'destination' dining experience, but you can bet that if I'm in that area, it's the only place I'm going to go for food.
And overall, the immediate neighborhood is a very pleasant reminder of what a 'Main Street' of small town America could and should be. A handful of very small specialty shops, cobblestones, and nice folk.
However, I would not recommend dessert. Not because their desserts are bad. I wouldn't actually know - because just across the railroad tracks is the Oakmont Bakery. Take a short walk to jiggle a little extra space in your belly, and cross over the street to dessert heaven.
What's Cookin' at Casey's? Enough to stuff!