Best Bars For Groups In Pittsburgh
While small dive bars and intimate lounges offer some great happy hour specials and unique settings, they just won't cut it when your night on the town includes a large party. Whether your drinking pack is just 10 of your closest friends or 100, these Pittsburgh bars are ideal for large groups. From huge open-air patios and plenty of bar seating to one-of-a-kind entertainment and happy hour specials, your brew crew will love the room and booze at these five bars that happily accommodate even the largest parties.
Finnigan's Wake
20 E. General Robinson St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 325-2601
www.finniganspittsburgh.com
Finnigan's Wake is your go-to watering hole for post-sporting event drinks or after-work happy hour specials with your pals. As Pittsburgh's largest Irish pub, Finnigan's Wake promises enough drinking space between its expansive catering room, Bru Lounge, main dining area and The Quiet Man Pub to accommodate anywhere from 50 to 500 of your closest friends. Two bars and an outdoor seating area ensure that you won't have to wait long to grab a table or one of the nightly happy hour specials, including 35-cent wings on Mondays and Tuesdays and $2.75 Coors Light draughts and bottles on Fridays and Sundays. Finnigan's Wake is located within walking distance of PNC Park, so stop in after an afternoon Pirates game.
Church Brew Works
3525 Liberty Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 688-8200
www.churchbrew.com
Transform one of the city's most breathtaking and sizable churches into a pub complete with restored church features, including lengthy pews and exceptional dining space, and you've got one of Pittsburgh's best bars for large groups. Formerly St. John the Baptist Church, Church Brew Works quickly earned a well-deserved reputation for the most impressive atmosphere and quality of its beers. There's plenty of space to host your event, too, with a magnificent banquet area that accommodates your group regardless of size. Church Brew Works is located in Pittsburgh's downtown area.
Charlie Murdoch's
1005 E. Carson St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 431-7464
www.charliemurdochs.com
If entertainment is what you're looking for, you can't pass up Pittsburgh's best dueling piano bar, Charlie Murdoch's, located in the city's South Side neighborhood. There's not a bad seat in the house at this renovated rock and roll church that features live shows with dueling pianos, comedy and awesome band performances. At Charlie Murdoch's, it's all about the fans, so grab your gang and shout out your requests with the bar's "TuneMinder" system that lets you interact directly with the band. If you've got a party of more than 20 people, consider reserving the VIP balcony or hosting a private party night by calling (412) 431-SING or by submitting a reservation request on the bar's website. Charlie Murdoch's is a favorite for birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette celebrations and other big bashes.
Carson Street Deli & Craft Beer Bar
1507 E. Carson St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 381-5335
www.carsonstreetdeliandcraftbeer.com
If you and your friends are bored with your usual bar and lounge hangouts, pull up a barstool at South Side's Carson Street Deli & Craft Beer Bar and experience a new brew of beer. Expand your palate with beer samplings every Wednesday, which often features food from the deli, for a fun and informative night on the town. Try any of the bar's 30 craft beers, including Dogfish Head and Pilsner Urquell, along with its famous deli sandwiches like Balboa, Carson Street Rueben and Montezuma's Revenge. Carson Street Deli & Craft Beer Bar is particularly accommodating to large parties thanks to plenty of room in a loft overhang area, a recently expanded bar and a large back patio deck.
Eclipse Lounge
3705 Butler St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 251-0097
www.eclipseloungepgh.com
While a spacious bar area is not the highlight of this Lawrenceville watering hole, the generous outdoor patio space certainly makes up for the lack of a roomy lounge. The steamy summer evenings are the perfect time to gather your group to sip on Eclipse's daily 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. happy hour specials, which include $5 specialty cocktails on Tuesdays and half-priced glasses of wine and $1.50 off draft selection on Fridays. Order up a Lip Service made with hints of pineapple juice, coconut and mango rum or ask the bartenders to create your own specialty concoction; they welcome the challenge. Stop by on Saturday evenings for some true summertime island flavor when DJ Dan Dabber plays the hottest classic and contemporary reggae, dancehall and soca music.
Jessica Wasik lives in Pittsburgh where works as a full-time figure skating coach sharing her passion with todays generation of young skaters. A graduate of Robert Morris University with a degree in English Studies, Jessica is also a contributing writer for Allegheny West Magazine. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
