I've been coming here since I was a little kid, and I still come back even though I've moved states. The food is always so comforting and delicious! And great prices too. It feels like I am in a family members kitchen. Don't skip the Greek food, Apollo Cafe's hummus is the best I've ever had! read more

Upon going up the steps, we were hit with the amazing aromas of Mediterranean and American cuisine. The prices are great and the entire room and ambiance are beautifully designed with busy corporate workers in mind. The staff were great despite the place being absolutely packed. Definitely a great place to grab a quick bite when in downtown Pittsburgh. read more

Apollo Cafe - Tuna Platter Lunch - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Food was okay, it wasn't bad or just a dire need to come back. The cashier clearly works there often and came off rude. It was clearly my first time and I was not okay with the interchange/interactions. I will give a reasonable doubt that it was the morning and they were "busy" for a small establishment or maybe I'm just use to southern hospitality. Food was fresh and reasonably priced. Ask for extra jam if you like it on your toast. CASH ONLY! They prob could catch up with the times but I respect that. If there were signs indicating that they weren't that obvious. read more

See all

If you are looking for quick service, homemade, short on cost but long on flavor breakfast or lunch, check out this "dahn tahn" cafe, but make sure you stop at the ATM first (cash only) ....there's one right around the corner on grant street @ PNC bank. When I work in town this is my go-to lunch spot. I'm a fan of the cup of soup (chicken pot pie), 1/2 sandwich (turkey with provolone, tomato, lettuce, mayo) and I always add on the rice pudding. The rice pudding is cold but has the perfect balance of sweetness and cinnamon! This currently costs $12 (for the whole meal - I don't opt for a drink). There is an up charge for adding cheese - but I can't have my turkey sandwich without it. The ladies working the counter are always friendly and helpful, and there is some seating both on the level with the counter where you order and up above. I've tried many soups and haven't been disappointed. There is a rotation of regulars about the same time each day, and things slow down a bit at 1. It closes at 3. Love this little Pittsburgh establishment and will continue to frequent for my weekday lunches. read more

Quick inexpensive lunch on the weekday in downtown Pittsburgh. It was within walking distance from our hotel at the Omni and make sure you have cash on hand to pay. They have your typical comfort breakfast foods with big affordable portions. I got the veggie omelet and I loved the slight burn of the omelet. read more

Apollo Cafe - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I like this diner. The lady working the register was really nice and helpful. The food is also very affordable and tasty. It's worth the trip downtown. read more

Apollo Cafe - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

I didn't have high hopes for this spot but was pleasantly surprised! The Rueben was really good. It was pretty standard with nothing really special about it but it was tasty. The prices were good for downtown. The ladies working there seemed to know everyone by name. I will surely be going back to try more. It being cash only is makes it difficult for those of us who don't have cash and don't want to pay an ATM fee. read more

Stayed at the Even hotel and some guests suggested that we go to the Apollo for breakfast. We got here just before 11am so that was their changeover time between breakfast and lunch. I ordered the Ham and Cheese omelette and it was very good. I ordered Swiss and they used American (this the loss of one star). My wife ordered the Greek omelette and loved it. Great little place to get breakfast or lunch. They only take cash though so be prepared. They do have an ATM but you will incur atm charges. read more

Apollo Cafe - As you enter the establishment. - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Unclean. Watched the lady handle the trash and then make a sandwich without gloves on. Wrong order. Left me standing at register while she took out the trash at noon. read more

Cathy's very sweet, with a sarcastic smile just waiting. Great food and diner atmosphere. Don't get the Rueben. Chincy on the meat. Breakfasts are great though. read more

Apollo Cafe - Rueben, forgot the rest of the meat - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I went in because it's close to my new job and I had been there before and remembered that the food was decent. I went in to get soup and sandwich and it was ok. However, I went in for breakfast and I got the eggs over-medium and when I got back to the office, I realized that they were over-hard...hard hard. So I am wondering if they know what over-medium means. Their potatoes were good though but you really cant mess that up. I guess I was just disappointed about the eggs. OH and their fruit salad has bananas in it and EVERYONE KNOWS you don't put bananas in fruit salad. But it was decent, I'd try it again read more

Food was good and plentiful but the smiles or friendlier were not. Ok place but not the friendliest. Overall food was good that is why I went. I may or may not go back. read more

Man I don't know what they do with eggs but it's nothing short of of perfection. I had an omelette with cheese and tomatoes, side of potatoes and bacon and it was so good! Breakfast for lunch is always a wonderful way to go. I work for the city and this spot is in close proximity to my office. Taking local places for granted is something I need to stop doing. Before today I hadn't been here in probably ten years. Totally would love to go back daily but you know... read more

Best breakfast I have had in a long time, Owner very personable and wrote down places to see. read more

Cash only (feels like there is some scheme going on there), they have an ATM on site that also charges a fee... Food....I mean if you need calories - it will do. The only upside - classical music (Bach) playing on a loop, which was quite surprising for the joint. read more

Apollo Cafe is one of the best breakfast spots in downtown Pittsburgh. Apollo opens early for those early workers to have a hot meal before starting the morning shift. I love the Mediterranean/Greek feel to the atmosphere of the cafe. The food is very good and at an affordable price for eat in or take out. I have always enjoyed the friendly staff that greets you in the morning to start your day with a smile. I have tried all the Omelets and highly recommend. The food is fresh, hot and delicious. I have been to Apollo mostly for breakfast, but have had the homemade Quiche once or twice for lunch. They offer a daily Quiche that changes from day to day, but I have never been disappointed with the choice. Highly recommend for breakfast or lunch. They are only open for breakfast or lunch hours. They are only open on week days. read more

Apollo Cafe - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Update: It actually took me a while to make it back to Apollo, but have now come 2 weeks in a row. Same good sandwich and soup as before. Great for a quick lunch. Today I went with the Ruben and a small cup of the Seafood Bisque. Chips and a couple pickle chips hit the spot on a cold January day. I think I am going to be making this place a Friday tradition, as the food is good and the variety of menu options is better than the monotony of Jimmy Johns and Breuggers. read more

Apollo Cafe - Ruben with Seafood Bisque and chips - American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

This place was an absolute life saver when I was in Pittsburgh. I booked a hotel in the middle of downtown thinking I could easily find food (holy hell is there a homeless problem there) I hadn't counted on Covid. Every place I ran across was closed, but the Apollo. For three straight days the staff fed my body with delicious food and my spirit with positive energy and smiles. The breakfast sandwiches were delicious and gloriously unhealthy (you can get healthy versions) the homemade soups were wonderful and rewarmed well. If I ever make it back to town, this will be my first stop for breakfast read more

Support a local business! Steak salad was amazing! Steak grilled to perfection, fresh veggies, and olive oil healthy dressing was incredible. Big portions too. Very cute cafe downtown. read more

Apollo cafe is a go to for me during the week. Two Greek sisters just doing classic hot and cold lunches with a Greek twist. Each day they have a variety of soups with a featured soup almost daily. I personally love to go on Thursday for their lemon chicken which is delicious. You can't beat their soup and sandwich combo which comes to like $6.37 or so, or switch it up and get soup and salad. Anyway it goes you get a nice meal for a decent price. They have a nice menu and the food is fresh. If your downtown and looking for something quick and delicious this place has something for everyone. read more

Hard working, family-owned little gem. Food quality matched their passion for serving incredible food. One of the best Western omelets! Give this place a try... S&J from DC read more

Cafeteria style. Quality food but no coffee refill. Cash only. It's basically a place stuck in time which is fine. Probably family run. A decent find in downtown Pittsburgh. read more

Friendly service despite COVID-19 restricting. 2 adults enjoyed a large breakfast and coffee for under $20. Bacon was cooked to perfection. Yummy grilled redskin potatoes. Old fashioned pancakes with powdered sugar. REAL BUTTER! no margarine here. Strong coffee. Simple, delicious and a great value. Bring cash but ATM is across the street. read more

See all

The staff is very friendly. However, they only deal in cash and have an ATM in the store for those who do not carry any cash, which frankly is a bit off putting. I ordered a chicken breast sandwich from here. The sandwich was very bare bones and tasted mediocre at best. It was a bit bland, with only a sprinkle of seasoning on top.The potato chips on the side were extremely soggy, basically inedible. I picked up my order within 10 minutes of placing. read more

One of my go-to lunch spots in Pittsburgh. Cash only. Best Greek salad around. Large scoop of feta. Comes with the Greek vinaigrette, but I also get the homemade blue cheese dressing instead. It's amazing and not overpowering. Seriously try it if you're a blue cheese lover. They also have great homemade soups. My preferences are the wedding soup, tomato basil and lemon chicken. The soups could be a meal in themselves, especially the tomato basil and lemon chicken because they're thicker and heartier. I'd like to take a moment to discuss the chicken salad. It's the best chicken salad around. It does have nuts and lots of garlic. I wish I knew the recipe; it's that good. I always get it on fresh white Italian bread. You can get a half of sandwich and soup for around $7 and you'll be completely full and satisfied. I encourage everyone to support this small business. read more

Stopping in around noon on Monday, this place was buzzing! The staff was very friendly and they had a variety of options on the menu. We settled on cups of broccoli cheddar soup and a half turkey sandwich (there is a 1/2 cold sandwich / soup combo deal). The food was fine for a cafe - I would return, but what I had wasn't much different than other cafe's in town. There is extra seating upstairs so even though it was busy, there were seating options. After we had checked out and begun eating we realized the food was either expensive or we were accidentally charged extra. Not concerned enough to ask, but the bill for 2 cups of soup, a half sandwich and two drinks came to $15. (again, might have just been a mistake). I'll stop in again for soup and to see the friendly faces behind the counter! read more

Why don't you accept debit cards?? Used cash last month, food was decent. Nothing special. Went recently and was about to check out. Tried to use my debit card and was told "cash only". Is this 1980?? Almost everyone uses debit cards now. I can't imagine the business that's being turned away. Never again! read more

Apollo Cafe is still a solid, unpretentious place to get a decent lunch. I met up here with a friend of mine this past week. I opted for my usual soup & half a sandwich combo. Now my ham sandwich was good, but that Greek lemon with rice soup was o-so heavenly. Their menu is right--their soups are almost meals unto themselves! I don' remember what Lisa had for her lunch, but we did share an order of carrot cake for dessert. Yum! read more

As far as food goes, this place is almost always great, as far as customer service goes - they could be a bit friendlier. I've been three times in the last two weeks because I've enjoyed the lunches I've picked up, but the ladies working are almost always unpleasant, snippy and rude. I understand it can get crowded, but even when I put on a smile and niceness - they are tough as nails. So - I like the food - but the last two times I've left I keep wondering why I go back only to be treated like something unpleasant they've found on the floor. read more

This little CASH ONLY lunch spot beside Macy's makes some great, great stuff. They have a daily quiche and about 4 different soups, usually half of these are vegetarian along with a pretty large menu of sandwiches and salads. I don't think I've ever had a meal here I didn't absolutely love. I usually have either a small spinach salad (with their dill dressing, yum!) and a bowl of soup or a side of hummus w/pita and soup. So here's the few reasons I can't give the place 5 stars... 1. It's a very small, cramped cafe. The tables are tiny, very close together and when the line goes out the door you may have people in line hovering over you while you eat, depending on where you park yourself. 2. The ladies who work there are NO-NONSENSE. Figure out what you want before you get to the front of the line or you will be glared at. They want to get you your grub and keep the line moving so there is no time for smiling or humoring someone indecisive. 3. The place gets filled with grill smoke when they are going full-bore at lunchtime. Maybe it's time for a new exhaust fan... Bottom Line: Excellent homemade food & a great selection of it. But have your mind made up and your cash ready!!! read more

I think this is a fantastic small place for lunch. The food is basic but good and homemade. The price is right for an appropriate size for lunch. I got the homemade basil and tomato soup and a half sandwich for $5. It was the perfect size without feeling completely full. The salad is also pretty good. There's so many fast food joints in downtown Pittsburgh...Apollo Cafe is quite refreshing for a lunch option. I will keep coming back here. read more

It's neither here nor there. Bottom line - it's sustenance for your body. I had the chicken noodle soup and it was "A-OK", not great, not even that good, but it did the job - made me full. It was inexpensive which was a positive. I think a bowl of soup costs $3.10. The one thing I will mention is that it definitely seemed homemade in that there was shredded chicken instead of cubed chicken pieces that are sponge-like and marginally taste like chicken. There were also carrots, spinach, and onions - and of course noodles. So while I was not overly impressed or dramatically disappointed, I did feel like it's a healthier option than some of these other lunch joints dahntahn. read more

I'm not exactly sure how Americans can distinguish between American restaurants. Like how do you tell the different between greases used? Anyway, despite the name Apollo, it has nothing to do with Greek food here. Sure, they serve a Gyro sandwich and salad, but then again, who doesn't these days? I could damn near go to Starbucks for one. So, I had a steak burger with cheese. I guess the new fashionable trend is to call items by fancy names because what they were serving was, well, hamburger. There is in fact a difference between hamburger and steak! It tasted fine, but then again it is really hard to f-up a hamburger (this is one of the reasons why I ordered it too). It came with chips that had the appearance of lay's ruffles. The total price with tax was $5.08, not a bad deal. So, looking at my dining companions meals, about all I saw was fried grease. A Reuben, and a chicken melt. The foreigner seemed pretty excited about his greasy sandwich. Maybe it's just me. *this place is cash only* Food Quality/Taste = 2 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars Price = 3 Stars Service = N/A Experience with Staff = 2 Stars Decor = 3 Stars read more

Nice breakfast and lunch spot. Only reason I took off one star was because it opens at 7...then same time I start work. The good is good, priced right and the staff is friendly. Saw a dish I want to go back and try so tomorrow I just may do that. Today I had a greek salad with grilled chicken. The chicken was seasoned just right. The salad was fresh and service was super fast. Great for take out. read more

The Apollo Cafe is an adorable little cafe underneath my office downtown. Service is always quick (sometimes a little too fast...hurried). They offer soups, sandwiches, salads, delicious sides, and even breakfast. I have had their sandwiches and sides. They have the best coleslaw I've ever had (asian chicken slaw with almonds). They only accept cash, which can be annoying, but I just have to remember to carry cash when I go. Pricing seems fair. You get a ton of food for the price of one side. You can even order a half cold cut sandwich (excluding the Apollo Club). The sides do not skimp on the good ingredients. For instance, they have a cucumber, parsley, and tomato salad with some kind of dressing (maybe Greek?), and feta. There is always PLENTY of feta cheese, which I find can be a problem at other places (usually not enough). It is clear that their food is homemade. I love that. It really is the perfect place to go when I am in need of a midday snack! read more

I came downstairs to the Apollo only because I'm on a gluten-free diet and I couldn't eat anything in the breakfast my employer was serving; the Apollo was downstairs and was literally the closest restaurant to my office. But I had a delightful surprise. I ordered small coffee and a bacon and feta omelet. The omelet was very nice, with the cheese melted and good bacon. The potatoes that came with it were excellent, brown and crisp, much better than typical diner potatoes. The coffee was fine. Total bill was $6.10. I would definitely return, even if I had to go a couple of blocks out of my way. read more

Best place to get a Greek salad in town! Really fast service and giant portions for a fair price. Their homemade vinaigrette is outstanding! I go here for lunch all the time. read more

This is an excellent, low-priced, fast lunch spot in an area lacking them. Don't misunderstand: this place is no-frills. Cafeteria-style counter service with a chalkboard menu, they do your average salads, sandwiches, and basic desserts. The service is not particularly friendly, and the food is basic and not fancy. However, it's awfully nice to have a quick little place to grab a bite, alone or with a friend, for well under $10 (especially one that's not a chain!). Another plus of this is its convenient location - for those meeting a friend downtown, it's nearly central (just by Macy's) and can be walked to in about 5 minutes from any location in downtown. Hardly a world-changer, but a nice little place I'll go back to again and again over the months. CASH ONLY!!! read more

First things first, this place is cash only!!!! They do have an ATM inside, but not everyone wants to get charged the service fee. They offer a few soups daily, hot and cold sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts. I had the Ruben which came with chips and pickles on the side. This place didn't blow my mind but it was quick and the staff was friendly. If you're a germaphobe, don't watch them make your sandwiches with ungloved hands. read more

Great breakfast alternative to brueggers or Starbucks. Inexpensive, no line, cash only it's pretty much an uncrowded diner.