The Pittsburgh nightlife is always a fun and exciting time, but there are ways to change it up from the usual South Side and North Shore spots. A BYOB restaurant or event allows you to have the best of both worlds — great food and drinks along with an exciting night out. Whether you are searching for an adventure on a booze cruise around Pittsburgh or a relaxing evening at a brewery, the ‘Burgh has it all. Check out the top 9 places you need to check out with your friends or for your next date night with a significant other.
7 BYOB Spots in Pittsburgh Perfect for Your Next Night Out
1. A Pittsburgh Booze Cruise
A booze cruise around Pittsburgh is an entirely new way to experience Steel City. Grab up to 15 of your favorite people, bring your favorite drinks, a few delicious appetizers, and prepare for an entire night of fun. On the booze cruise, you’ll be riding on a pedal boat, which means you get to work out while you’re hanging out. Bring a few drinking games and dance to the music while you and your friends ride around the three rivers. After you’re done, you can continue the night out to the bars that are in the city.
2. Duncan Street Sandwich Shop
The Duncan Street Sandwich Shop is located in Millvale and offers a seasonal array of gourmet sandwiches, sides, and salads. The shop is primarily take-out, but the location has patio seating perfect for the summer weather, and it is BYOB. The Duncan Street Sandwich Shop hosts monthly dinners that start with an opening cocktail and lead to an incredible five-course dining experience. These monthly dinners last anywhere from 3-4 hours and are perfect for a small party. There is nothing better than a restaurant that knows how to pull off a delicious take-out and BYOB meal and can also perfect a five-course dining experience.
3. Onion Maiden
Onion Maiden is a one-of-a-kind restaurant. It is a punk rock-fueled, heavily metal-spawned eatery that specializes in plant-based Asian and American comfort foods. They are a cash-only joint, and they do not serve alcohol. If you would like to bring in your alcohol, they will collect $1 per person. Not only is the Onion Maiden plant-based with an incredibly cool name, but they’ve also partnered with Worm Return to compost any of their food waste. Their menu includes hilarious dishes like Straight to Hell, Balls to the Wall, Darth Taters, and more.
4. Noodlehead
If you are in need of an excellent quality Thai dish, Noodlehead is the place to check out. Their menu features noodle dishes inspired by the streets of Thailand and allows you to BYOB for just 75 cents a person to cover the recycling fee. Along with their noodles and even more noodles, they also offer Thai fried rice, crispy veggie spring rolls, and various soups. With almost ten different noodle dishes on the menu, there is something for everyone. They even have a Noodle Hotline for all your noodle-type emergencies.
5. 412 Brewery
Since the 412 Brewery is all about the alcohol, this one is technically BYOF (Bring Your Own Food.) The brewery handcrafts micro-brews formulated for the best taste, smoothness, and quality every time. The team recently opened their new taproom on the North Side, which is in addition to their brewery in Mckees Rocks. The taproom is pet-friendly and has undergone construction that turned the parking lot into a beautiful outdoor seating area. Nicky’s Thai Kitchen (which is also BYOB) is right across the street, so grab a bite to eat there while you are stopping by the taproom.
6. La Tavola Italiana
Making the trip up to Mount Washington to eat unique Italian foods and taking in the beautiful scenery is well worth it when you are visiting La Tavola Italiana. La Tavola Italiana is a BYOB restaurant that offers fantastic and authentic Italian dishes. The menu varies from antipasti and pizzas to decadent desserts. There is also a perfect restaurant section for small events like rehearsal dinners, birthdays, fundraisers, and confirmations — which is known as Carmela’s Kitchen. On top of that, La Tavola Italiana hosts cooking classes with Carmela, the person behind Carmela’s Kitchen. It’s an intimate dining experience where students join Carmela in cooking a four-course meal. Bring your booze and learn to cook or sit down and enjoy an authentic Italian meal.
7. Cafe De Jour
Cafe De Jour is a charming bistro that is nestled in Pittsburgh’s South Side area. The cafe offers a unique European-inspired menu and embraces the colors and flavors of the seasons. Some may first think of the exciting and loud outdoor dining experiences with a BYOB policy, but Cafe De Jour is entirely different. It is an intimate dining experience brightened by the light of candles. There is hometown-inspired artwork in their quaint and inviting dining room that is used for the colder months. In the warmer months, the cafe has additional seating in their brick courtyard filled with rolling ivy and a pond.
8. Arcade Comedy Theater
The Arcade Comedy Theater is a comedy club that continually strives to build an inclusive environment for audiences and performers alike. The Comedy Theater provides various shows every weekend of the year, including improv, standup, sketch comedy, and more. The venue only allows those above the age of 21, and there is a $5 corkage fee for those who bring their own alcohol. They do not allow hard liquor, but you can bring in an entire cooler of your favorite beer.
9. Mix Candle Co.
Few things are better than mixing your own candle while sipping on a seltzer. At Mix Candle Co., you can create your very own fragrance and bring in your favorite alcoholic beverages. It will roughly take about 30 minutes to mix your candle and 90 minutes for your candle to harden. Those 90 minutes is the perfect time to check out a local bar or restaurant while you wait to continue the fun.
Whether you are ready to hop on a booze cruise in Pittsburgh or have an elegant night at Cafe De Jour, the Pittsburgh BYOB scene has something for every crowd. Pittsburgh Pedal Boats is the ultimate way for you and your friends to enjoy a night together while seeing the city in an entirely different way. Pack your six-pack of seltzer, put together a good-looking charcuterie board, and contact us to book your booze cruise.
