My favorite bar of alllllllll time. Great place to hear music of every era and enjoy the quirkiness that Bar 11 has to offer (mystery beer vending machine, candy necklaces, name tags, etc.). Generally there is always a good amount of people, but never overcrowded to the point that you can't move. And you will NEVER find yourself waiting in a line to get in (unless it's Halloween, NYE, etc.). Drinks are well priced. Oh and the bartenders are the best. Super friendly, and are pretty much there to have a good time with you! read more

Ooooh this place. Ooooooooooohhh my goodness this place. So. So. So nutty and wonderful. This is where I take everyone that is visiting Pittsburgh. Definitely best on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night. Get there a little early if you like to sit. Hay barrels to sit on, toys to play with when you get a drink, PBR pounderz for CHEAP, candy, NAME TAGS, good music, cowbells, bike wheels, random things hanging from the ceiling [usually by season or holiday], bartenders lighting the bar on fire, BREATHING FIRE, banging on drums, mixing music, I could go on and on. OH and you can smoke in here so if you smoke it's the best. If you don't, well...sorry. This is the best kept semi-secret in Pittsburgh, and absolutely the most fun you'll have in the South Side. LOVE. IT. HARD. AND TIP YOUR BARTENDERS! read more

If you can't make fun of yourself than this is not the place for you. If you want to have a fun time with friends, get "cray" and meet new people def check it out. If I had to describe it, I'd say its a mix of Kesha meets an Insane Clown Posse torture chamber hidden in the depths of a west Virginia corn field... From the outside you don't even know its a bar with a big steel door and flappy meat curtains you have to walk through to get in. I think there's a $5 cover after 11 and that's usually when its starts to fill up, but once your inside though, welcome to one of the hidden gems of nostalgia and fun on the South Side. There's all sorts of people here, some dressed up, some dressed down and nobody really cares what your dressed like because they've come to dance under the black light, play with glow in the dark highlighters writing goofy stuff on your skin, friends skin or name tags that they pass out (hint hint...good and easy fun way to meet someone!) eat candy necklaces, get glow in the dark mixed drinks, drink a pounder of PBR, or play with some of the toys they give you when you order a drink like butterfly rings, or little green army men. I believe this place has one TV but don't plan on watching a game or anything because it's usually turned to the Cartoon Network Channel. The dance floor is small and can def get crowded fast...next thing you know your nut to butt with someone else at times barely able to move. There's all kinds of things hanging from the ceiling depending on any recent themed parties the place has thrown which I've heard are pretty awesome but never been to yet, and there are bubble and fog machines that go off throughout the night and sometimes the bar tender/owner spits fire across the bar. Fire hazard, most likely, but fun at the same time haha. I must say, if you've come here to use the mens bathroom, perhaps think otherwise. It looks like an atomic bomb went off in there with no stall to the toilet, and one broken urinal and a shitty faucet. It wouldnt surprise me if there was a petrified pile of poop hidden in the corner for the last 5 years, but it just adds to the ambiance of the place. I can see how people either love or hate this place..I probably wouldn't suggest this bar to anyone over 30 because its more geared toward a younger more rowdier crowd or if your looking for a fancy night out with your guy or gal. This is just a down right, we don't give an "eff" lets just have a fun night kind of place to attend. May your drink always stay cold! Yours truly, The Shaw... read more

Bar 11, Bar 11, Bar 11... where do I start? I guess I will start with walking in and getting sprayed directly in the face with silly string, the bartenders all playing drums along with the music and name tags stuck all over the bar with obscenely hilarious names and phrases. You get toys and candy necklaces when you order shots...take too many of those shots and the next thing you know you're playing a trumpet with an american flag tied around your neck during the 2012 Olympics! Its a small place off the overly beaten path of East Carson that packs a serious punch. It is black lite dive bar with good prices and really fun bartenders. I'm sure there business went up after Wiz Khalifia shot his music video here. They proudly display their chalkboard written sign above the bar letting their patrons know they are in the "home of work hard, play hard." If you're planning on going to Bar 11, be ready for glitter to be thrown all over you and to wake up with random words written in highlighter all over your body. Basically, this is the bar to go to if you want to have a balls to the wall kind of night. read more

Combine loud music, black lights, drunk young kids, trick shots, goofy toys like candy necklaces, and a bunch of young drunk kids. You're only starting to get the idea... I wouldn't call Bar 11 a good bar, but it's certainly a fun party and worth the trip at least once. read more

Such a cool place! There are drums on the ceiling, personalized name tags, party poppers, confetti, etc. You can expect something different every time. It's extremely unique to the rest of South Side and the staff members are fun and personable. I definitely recommend that everyone tries this place out at least once. read more

Bar 11 is a party house(dive bar) located a few blocks off of Carson Street. From the outside, it really looks like a nondescript building, save for a few drunk [birthdays,bachelorettes,frat-house-runoffs] entering and the muddy sound of Lady-Gaga-Through-Concrete on the sidewalk. Entering for your first time can cause a bit of sensory overload - It's tiny, dirty, and dark, with blacklights, lasers, and red spotlights providing most of the lighting. The decor seems to be anything that could be found underneath something desirable in your least favorite thrift store - much of it hung from the ceiling. The walls and bar are plastered with "Hi My Name Is" stickers, which are usually passed out at the door. Early in the night you might be tempted to write your favorite fake name or movie character and wear it all night - later in the night a crude phallic outline will probably be a better fit. There are highlighters getting passed around - beware if you have an aversion to getting scribbled on. On the wall that holds the ATM hangs a large printed mat in the style of exposed brick, and in the corner there is a dart machine - not that there is any space to play darts, and even if there was you would hit the ATM before you stood far enough back to play. The bathrooms are dirty. Behind the bar is a cooler of beer - there is a selection, but not an interesting one. I've seen a craft or two, but it's usually just an expanded selection of macros(think Franziskaners, Bass Ale, etc). The bartenders can be hard to flag down, they're almost always making drinks, sometimes for customers, sometimes for themselves. When they aren't making drinks - or even while they are - they often perform antics. There is a drumset hanging from the ceiling, and a few electronic pads hooked up to the sound system, and a microphone. They'll get a few beats played on them every song, but Thriller got a full drum overlay. Randomly, the bar might get lit on fire, shortly followed by blowing flaming whiskey into the air. I don't particularly find this place to have the best drinks for a dirty dive bar. You're looking over $5 for most drinks, and while they are all served in pint glasses, I've usually found them to be weak. That being said, you do receive a handful of plastic trinkets or candy necklaces with each order. But let's be honest, if you're coming here, you should probably already be good on the alcohol and just have a drink to hold you over. The best part of Bar 11 is the party - the playlist is eclectic, focusing mainly on the 90s with a splash of recent hits and songs from the 80s and earlier. Most of the people not sitting at the bar are dancing wherever there is enough space - which around midnight might be at a premium. People sing along to their favorites - Weezer's Say it Ain't So was a hit, Jackson's Billie Jean had its chorus sung over the sound system, and Bowie's Rebel Rebel was the high point of the night, if only in my mind. Around midnight, today's hot techno flavor came on(In 2012, that's a remix of Avicii's Levels) - The bartender puts down his bottles in a hurry and rushes over to the lights. The bar goes black, a couple seconds later the lazers come on. Soap(Or some other cloudy substance) shoots out of a machine in the ceiling, glittering in the red and green lights. Fog machines are in full effect, a detached police light(Again, on the ceiling) starts spinning. Over the next few songs, the house lights slowly return to normal, only to have it all happen again. Bar 11 is certainly worth a stop, especially if you happen to already have parking in the South Side and a couple of drinks in you. They do take credit cards with a $10 minimum, and they do allow smoking, but I haven't found it to be overwhelming, even on my clothes when I leave - but it is definitely there, just not to say Belvedere's level, and the cover on weekends is usually about $3. read more

Bar 11 - Dive Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Bar11 is the best bar in Pittsburgh. It's always a good time and the bartenders/doormen are the best. They have a good mix of music, a good beer selection, fire blowing, confetti cannons, and more. read more

The best dive in Pittsburgh and beyond Any time friends are in from out of town (canada and the uk), they request b11. Love the long islands (price AND strength), all the guys are awesome people and bartenders, and it's fun. During the summer they have rain parties where it rains inside (yes, wear your swimsuit), solstice parties, sand inside the bar sometimes for beach parties, and also they have a party bus for rent. Anyone who doesn't like a packed and crazy bar, you should probably just avoid the Southside all together rather than giving b11 a bad review, because when it comes to the Southside and a crazy night, b11 is the best. read more

5 stars for this "dive bar." I recently visited Pittsburgh for a fun weekend with friends - we visited lots of bars and this was by far my absolute favorite!! Music was awesome! Great throw back jams with a mix of modern tunes. Dance scene on point and the bar tenders were prompt to serve patrons. Bar 11 is for sure on my list of favorite bars. read more

in theory this place sounds like a miss. oh, so they have toys? and its really loud and sweaty? ok, no thanks i'm not 17 anymore. but - then you experience it, and somehow it all makes sense. the atmosphere of this place really makes you want to have fun.. because once you get inside you really have no other choice. places like this you can't force - but when the stars align and your friends stumble over around midnight, theres an 99% chance you'll have fun. read more

I grew up right outside of Pittsburgh and couldn't wait to explore the bar scene once I was of age. After much exploring, Bar 11 is my favorite bar on the South Side. From its novelty candy necklaces to their classic blue gin and tonics (I think that's what they are, anyway), this place is nothing short of a blast. The carefree vibe simply makes all patrons happy to be there. I didn't think that bars could be so fun after college, but this place exceeded my expectations. read more

My new favorite bar in Pittsburgh. Who knew highlighters and booze can be so much fun? The drinks are simple and strong, bartenders are nice and breathe fire, the crowd is a very diverse mix including a guy in a hot dog costume and a bouncer wearing a santa claus outfit. read more

This bar is a beautiful mess. Absolutely hilarious and a must-hit spot on any bar crawl. I would recommend making this your last stop - it's always better at that point when you have no idea what you're doing anymore. read more

This bar is off of the beaten path of d-bags that normally frequent the Carson Street drag in the Southside. The bartenders and owner are legit. Very friendly, funny and accommodating. There is a lot to do here. You can make up weird names for your friends with the black light sensitive name tags, play a random instrument with the bartenders, dance in some soap bubbles that fall from the sky, spin the wheel of fortune, play with the cracker jack toys that get thrown in your drink, or eat a piece of your neighbor's candy necklace. The drinks are well priced and the music is always my taste (80's and 90's and generally good to dance to). The bar is on the divey side but I feel that this is appropriate for the quirky off-beat atmosphere. If you are in the Southside, you definitely need to check this place out. read more

I've heard the hype, and bar 11 deserves it! I went here Friday night for the first time with the fiance and a group of friends. It was so fun! No need to dress up, and after coming from a Pirates game, I was thankful for that! There were nametags, highlighters, blacklights, mannequin legs hanging from the ceiling, police lights, sand on the floor... overall a funky, fun atmosphere. The bartenders lit the bar on fire and literally spat fire! The music was throwback and wonderful. The drinks were strong and reasonably priced. Downfall: 3$ cover at the door. Definitely the best dive bar in south side! Sorry Jack's! read more

Hidden gem off of Carson street! You could easily pass this bar without knowing as it is located in the middle of a Southside street of mostly homes. It reminds me of going to a college house party. It is small inside and usually crowded late on Friday and Saturday nights. I recommend going early to grab a drink. The owner and workers are so friendly and want everyone to have a good time. They decorate the bar with themes, have super fun themed nights (winter/summer solstice parties), give out candy necklaces and put cheap plastic toys in your drinks! Nice selection of mixed drinks and bottled beer. I also highly recommend the New Years Eve party with prepaid tickets of open bar for $60. read more

If your going to give someone a broken glass to drink out of. And they ask you for another drink, you should make a fresh drink. Not just pour it into another glass. Wtf!? This is just bad and evil and also a health department violation. Were you trying to rip my tonsils out ? Or tear my esophagus? Will not be coming back. Get it together . read more

I've been to a few thousand bars on Earth, this mismatched pseudo-punk palace is my absolute favorite!! With the lights on it's a little scary, with them off you'll f-cking love it!!!!! read more

This is one of the weirdest places I've ever been. It's sort of like drinking in a shed full of random stuff- plants hanging from the ceiling, lights strewn about, toys that come with drinks. I felt a bit claustrophobic because there was just *too much* going on with the decor. I did enjoy the music and pricing, but it definitely isn't my first choice to visit. read more

This is a fun place and one of the only ones I go to in the southside being over 24 years old. Great way to end an evening!

Ahhh... Yes... Like the other gentleman, I will date myself... I too rem when Rob took over. I had the fun night of guest bartending with one of gf. :) Back then, there was a HUGE group of regulars. I could walk-in on any given night, even without $$ and a drink would be waiting for me as I made my rounds to say hello. Always a lot of fun. Timmy from Road Rules used to bartend there before he was on RR. And we used to bring the bands that played at Metropol (dating myself) back to Bar 11 for drinks, after the shows. From my memory, Rancid & Mighty Mighty Bosstones both drank there. read more

Super fun and random bar. Bartenders are very friendly and usually give out fun things with drinks like candy necklaces, highlighters, party poppers, etc. Pretty slow before 11pm, but it picks up after that with a good crowd. read more

Came here on 'Highlighter' night... great times, stiff drinks.

This is perhaps my favorite dive bar in any of the cities I'm familiar with. Located just off the main drag of South Side, it's not as crowded as some of the other bars on Carson. IT IS SO BIZARRE but in the best way you can possibly imagine. There are tons of bike wheels, aluminum foil and other seasonal objects all over the walls and ceiling, name tags that are always fun to play with after a couple of drinks, and an amazing staff with tons of bar tricks (breathing fire with Bacardi 151, etc.). Drinks are cheap, music is pretty good. I will say to get there early as seating is limited and this place fills up eventually. One of the most unique bars I've ever been to. read more

Love this place! The music is perfect! Just fun dancing music. This bar is randomly perfect with their candy necklaces, aluminum foil, reindeer ears, confetti and fire breathing. I would definitely come back. One of the bartenders obviously hated his life but other than that the other two were very friendly and outgoing and very involved with there customers. Good times. read more

Bar 11 - Randomly perfect - Dive Bars Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fun bar, off the beaten path. Small, but trendy dive bar (if there is such a thing). Very good value and selection. My place to go when I'm back 'home' in Pittsburgh. read more

Love the black lights, Flaming Dr. Pepper, mystery beer machine, toys, candy necklaces and 90s throwback tunes!!

My favorite bar ! I barely go out but when i do 9 time out of 10 u can find me here ! Always entertaining. Took many people here that said they dont like dive bars. Welp now they like this one ! Its a great place to hang out with friends and have fun. Bartenders are always great. read more

Bar 11 never fails to entertain. Visor Dave is amazing and colossus is entertaining. Yes these are the workers names. Make sure to ask for the candy necklaces and a name tag. They won't disappoint. read more

Discovered this place with my friends at 1 am one night.. Been back every night we've gone out since. Absolute blast

This is deff a dive bar. They apparently do different theme nights throughout the year. They played good music and the beer was reasonably priced. It was a nice place, but dead the night/time we were in there. read more

The owner or an employee of this bar owns two large dogs that are often at the bar. Twice this week I was walking my dog on leash and these dogs came rushing out of the bar charging at my dog. Luckily my dog is ok or I would have called the police & taken legal action. This is irresponsible pet ownership and reflects poorly on this business for being bad neighbors to the community. I will be calling the police the next time this happens. read more

Hipster heaven, complete with PBR and candy necklaces. The bartender makes weak drinks and jokes alike. The random playlist from Gaga to Pantera to bands-I-don't-know lets the average bar-hopper know that Bar 11 is both more eclectic and cooler than you. I've given this place many tries and it always disappoints. The Summer Solstice party is a mecca for the unwashed masses in skinny jeans, so I'll pass on by once again. read more

Am I allowed to give zero stars?? This place is the rudest and we are in Pittsburgh. Asked the bartender what the best special mixed shot they had was and he looked at another bartender, looked back and said "uhhhhh I dunno" then walked away. Appalled to say the least, way to appeal to new customers read more

Hidden gem in pittsburgh. If you like a dive bar, this is the place. If you like toys, this is the place. I ordered a drink and they gave me a handful of party poppers...enough said. read more

No offense but anybody who calls this place hipster heaven simply doesn't know what they are talking about. This place is a down to earth dive where you can get your chill on and have an amazing time. They have the best small parties in the burgh. If you get a chance you must check out thier soltice parties.. There is not other crazier, freakier party in town on the soltice. You will never forget the experience... just fair warning where your bathing suit on the Summer soltice party cause you are going to get wet!!!!! read more

Good for just going out for a fun night on the Southside. Usually go here a little later in the night around midnight or so. Do some shots, dance, draw ridiculous glow-in-the-dark things, stagger out around 1:30 am and get a slice of pizza. I always have a fun time. read more