As very avid fish fry attendees during lent, my husband and I have a hard time narrowing down our list and Good Friday, the last Friday of lent is the hardest of all because we always want to go out with a bang. We've always heard so much hype about the food here we decided it was time to finally check it out and we were so glad that we did. Don't let the wood paneled walls fool you, this is a dining experience in Pittsburgh not to be missed. I got the junior fish sandwich on a Mancini bun, 10/10 for quality, bun, crispness and flavor! We got coleslaw (good), haluski (best we had all lent) and Mac n cheese (would skip next time). The tarter and cocktail were also some of the best we've had. We both agreed it was the best fish dinner we had all lent and will likely make it a yearly tradition. You can tell by how packed it is and the number of takeout orders going out that this place is truly an institution. Be patient, service may not be fast but the food is most definitely worth the wait! read more

Emil's Lounge - Jr fish sandwich - New American Near Me - Rankin, Pennsylvania

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Great food! Gigantic reubens! Server not so good....neither was the bartender. Missed bringing food and soft drinks. Ignored after food was delivered or would have asked for the missing 3 orders of fries. Party of nine, celebrating a birthday, however, we offered to set the table with the paper placemats and silverware and passed out the waters. Had to go to the bar for straws and were told they only had 4. So??????? Tried to get the forgotten soft drink up there too. Server said, "oh" and cracked open a can and poured it in a glass and never brought it over! When asked about it, was told they were out. Only 2 other tables on the other side. Not that busy!?!? No mention of the birthday (even though we sang, had cupcakes and a birthday crown on!) Not very personable. Sad..... got tipped really well too. read more

I've only beef here once if I remember correctly I had the biggest mouthwatering fish sandwich I ever saw and ate.

Delicious, old school, neighborhood restaurant in Rankin. Comfortable, casual, friendly atmosphere. I had the 1 lb fish sandwich. Tender, juicy cod in a light breading and a French roll. Delicious. People I came with had the Reuben and stuffed cabbage. I think the corned beef was different than the kosher meat that she is used too but the sandwich was generous and good. The stuffed cabbage was tasty but a little on the mushy side. I would like to come back and try more items on the menu. Oh, and draft root beer is delicious!!! read more

Emil's Lounge - New American Near Me - Rankin, Pennsylvania

Food is good to very good, service is sometimes lacking , not enough servers. Friendly staff, they don't rush you out and allow groups to sit and talk which is nice since we go there as a retired group. read more

First time I went to Emils Bar and grille was the most majestic day of my life The service is more than friendly. There is a strong connection and respect between customer and server in this establishment. The server and owner are great people and are always fun to talk to. The aesthetics and location of the building is magnificent. It's the homey feel of a small suburb in a concrete jungle mixed with some of the most mesmerizing food you have ever had. Personal favorites: Bacon Cheeseburger; Shrimp; Chrissy Burger; Fries PS; Portions are super good for their price read more

Friday night after V-Day. Very busy but still only waited 10 minutes for a table. Great selections. We had fried shrimp, stuffed shrimp, and chicken parmigiana. All came with salads (or soup or coleslaw) and a potato or mac & cheese. Had a few beers and the total was still only $75. Huge portions we took half of the fried shrimp and chicken home with us. Service is always great - love Tara!!! Gotta go back on a Thursday sometime - when they have an Italian selection. read more

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awesome food, awesome service & the place is adorable inside !! will definitely be back ASAP!

Emil's was featured on 25 things I love about Pittsburgh last year and have been meaning to come through and check it out. One year later I finally made it and boy was I glad!! The surrounding area is a little sketch... but once you arrive at Emil's all your worries melt away. My husband and I were greeted with a friendly hello and welcoming service. The owner is so friendly and down to earth and so are the other staff. It felt like we were visiting friends. Anyway, the food. OMG the food is pure comfort!! I had the fried fish sandwich. It was seriously 1 pound! Perfectly fried and nestled in a warm soft flaky bun, actually, it's more like half a loaf of bread. The burgers are juicy and scrumptous. Soup of the day was cream of mushroom soup. Have you ever had homemade c.o.m.s.? I am not talking about the gelatinous stuff out of the can! Ya'll this soup was the bomb diggity! I've also had their wedding soup and it was super delicious!! The featured beer on tap was pumpkin beer. (I don't think it was a feature, or at least it wasn't presented that way. But for me it was their featured beer) It honestly tasted like Thanksgiving in a cup, it was great! Oh and I really like the root beer on tap too. Lastly, they have different specials throughout the week. I can't wait to come back. Next I want to try the Ruben sammies! For me, I believe Emil's Lounge is as close to southern comfort food (if not better) I can get here in Pittsburgh. I absolutely love it! read more

Emil's Lounge - 1919 Root beer on tap - New American Near Me - Rankin, Pennsylvania

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I had a hankering for some fried fish tonight and the fish fry at Maximilian Kolbe was going to close before I got home on the bus, and I suggested to my wife and 12 year-old daughter that we try Emil's lounge as WQED's Rick Seback loved the place as did Andrew Zimmern when he visited for the Bizarre Foods America episode featuring Pittsburgh. The place is in Rankin - a rough around the edges town in the Mon Valley between Swissvale and Braddock. Don't be put off at first - the outside doesn't have much decoration to speak of and looks like the sort of place that you might think twice about it. A TGI Fridays it isn't... And thank god for that. The place is well-kept but a little dated - no fripperies here. But we're not here for the Decor - we're here for some dinner. The menu is basic with reasonable prices. The meats and seafood are high quality and everything is made to order. Their stuffed cabbage is regarded as the best in Pittsburgh. I love stuffed cabbage but I just made a batch a couple of weeks ago and I'm cabbaged out. Their Ruebens are also killer (our waitress raved about them). My wife and I both settled on fish sandwiches. These are true Pittsburgh fish Sammiches - fresh fried fish in crispy breading, crammed between enormous pillows of soft, yet chewy and crispy Mancini's Italian bread. No adornments - just a boatload of hot crispy fish. Emil's uses thick cod fillets piled high rather than a thin fillet that needs to be broken up to fit in the bun. Truly a great sandwich. My daughter had the BLT - looked good and on good bread and they weren't skimpy with the bacon. The service was very pleasant and friendly and the crowd was a great group of folks. We all had fun with 4 other tables when my wife pulled up a Trivial Pursuit game on her iPhone and pretty much everyone joined in and had a good laugh. Overall, if you consider yourself a true Pittsburgher - you must visit this place. It's one of the few places (Big Jim's in the Run is another) where the spirit of Pittsburgh is alive and hungry. Please go. read more

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Seen this restaurant on 25 best places in Pittsburgh with Rick Seback ack. Went there with my girlfriend she grew up with the owner. She's very nice all employees are super nice service was excellent i had the fish sandwich my girlfriend had the Ruben more than you could possibly eat very reasonable prices. Going back to try the burgers i heard there enormous and very tasty. read more

Emil's Lounge - Me and rick seabeck - New American Near Me - Rankin, Pennsylvania

I know that everyone says that their local sandwich shop has the "best fish sandwich", but Emils has to rank very high on the list of BFS. Not only huge portions but great taste. Highly recommend! read more

Super clean, super friendly place. We had the stuffed cabbage which was just like mom used to make. We also had chicken soup and a Reuben as big as my head. Everything was delicious. We will be coming back here before we go back home for the Cod on Friday read more

My mom and I could have shared a Reuben sandwich. It was huge. It was delicious and affordable but its certainly a two part meal or perfect to share. The bar could use updated but its not in disrepair just a bit old school. The restaurant is close to the Rankin Police so they frequently come through. Parking is plentiful and seating is too. They have a full service bar so you can have a drink with lunch or dinner. They close at 7 so ordering take out is probably in my near future. The staff is friendly and made us feel welcomed. I have to force myself to try other menu items because that sandwich was a winner for me. read more

Emil's Lounge - Reuben, fries and onion rings - New American Near Me - Rankin, Pennsylvania

Not my favorite neighborhood bar restaurant; it's my favorite restaurant period, and the perfect example of comfort food. Situated in Rankin beside the police station, don't be put off by the outside appearance. The inside is smallish but comfortable and the rest rooms are clean. A review of the fish sandwich brought me in the first time. It's as good as Nieds on Butler St. but 30-40% larger, crisp outer crust and flaky inside. Be careful during Lent, there can be lines. My other go to meals include the Chicken Parm (Thurs. only), Chopped Sirloin Steak, Stuffed Cabbage, Rueben Sandwich, and the burgers; all are tops. I haven't tried the other sandwiches but they sure look great. The soups stand out as well. Portions can be on the large side and for me meals are priced on the low end. The staff is very friendly and efficient; Tara usually is my server, and with Krissy, the second generation owner, they make the whole experience even better. read more

Long story short...chicken parm Thursday, fish on Fridays. Chrissy club any other day. Huge grilled chicken or steak salads. And a burger you can eat for lunch and save half for dinner. Great comfort food on the menu as well. I come here during my lunch break and need a nap when I get back to work cause the portions are so big. Very hospitable staff and relaxing atmosphere. You should see this place during lent. Line is out the door. If you live in West Mifflin, Duquesne, Whitaker, Munhall, Homestead and haven't eaten here you're missing out. Rankin, Braddock, Swissvale you already know. read more

Another Pittsburgh institution for those in the know. You go to Emil's for the fish sandwich and the Rueben. The ambience is a bonus. This space has what the hip kids would call "authenticity." Which is to say, there's history and integrity in the food and in the atmosphere. It's the difference between trying too hard and working hard for what you wanted. Some people might even call it soul. It's a bit off the beaten path, and not in the best neighborhood, but you go anyway for the same reason you go to church: to sustain the soul. read more

I think the people who give this more than two stars have never eaten in an actual restaurant. OK, its got that old fashioned neighborhood bar vibe (you know, ratty ceiling tiles, old beat up decor, etc). Service was painfully slow, and they were not busy. Just two tables and the usual local alcoholics at the bar. Took forever to just get water, beer. Thursday is Italian day so what better day to try a meatball hoagie? As I said to my wife, these are not the WORST meatballs I ever had, but close. Dry, no flavor, canned sauce. At least the bread was ok. Wife had salad with chicken, with ranch dressing. Did it come with the dressing? Nope. Had to get up and go ask for it. On the plus side, the chicken was actually tasty. The rest of the salad, was just iceberg lettuce with a few things thrown on. Ok. If you live here, and are a regular, you probably know what to order that is good. I did not have that kind of luck. Ok if you are around and need lunch, but I would not drive far to get here. read more

I retired from the Edgar Thomson Works in Braddock. I lived in Uniontown so I traveled tp work. Ate there a bunch of times after work. Since I retired I have not been there. I have to say the Ruben is the best sandwich hands down I have ever had. Thinking about just coming back for one very soon. Also miss the Triangle bars subs too. Glad to see you are still open. read more

Stuffed Cabbage w/ lots of subtly flavored meat & a large side of homemade mashed potatoes, so satisfyingly good! 5 stars! If I could eat it once a week, I would be happy. We should have ordered some to take home. If it was closer to CMU, the students would be there everyday for the stuffed cabbage. Waitstaff: 5 stars- super warm & friendly, real family and neighborhood feel. Italian food is only on Thursdays! Meatball hoagie: 2 big meatballs, in big hoagie bread, good sauce, only $5.99! Same for the Sausage Hoagie. Fish Sandwich- super big & crispy. The table next to us had the Reuben sandwich on big slices of rye bread. Only the cup of soup was tiny, maybe it was included, not sure? We visited bc we saw this place on Andrew Zimmern's travel channel show. It's a little out of the way, but we used google maps. Can of Soda was only $1.00. The bathrooms are sparkling new. The interior & exterior of the restaurant doesn't reflect the good experience we had (normally I wouldn't go in, but hubby is adventurous & loves to support local businesses). We went after the lunch rush. read more

This was a pleasant surprise. The restaurant we wanted to try in the area doesn't open for lunch and I found Emil's on Yelp. The portion sizes were huge, the prices were good, and the service was wonderful. I'd definitely go back. read more

I have no rating for this place. We have previously had take out & it was good. This last time we had a take out order, it was incorrect (the order was taken by the owner). We went back to have the order corrected & it was still wrong. I asked, why the orders aren't checked before they are sent out (especially for the 2nd time), and I was advised, by the owner, that would be 'micro managing.' Question...how is ensuring that your customers are happy, and return to your establishment, 'micro managing?' I am flabbergasted, that the owner of an establishment would give such an answer. Unprofessional & she apparently does not care about repeat business. Will definitely not recommend!! read more

We finally got here on the third try. Everything we heard about the fish was true, fantastic and thick with perfect batter. Fries, onion rings and cole slaw are the perfect companions and the bun is soft and fresh. The catfish is very good also very good, give the cajun a try. read more

This place should have a lot more reviews - but I'm glad it doesn't, they don't need to get any busier. Its been there ages, and looks it. If you're all about ambiance, don't bother. If you pretend you're in a movie set in Pittsburgh 30 years ago it works pretty well. The service is sometimes hit or miss. Most of girls are good, one is very slow, one is amazing. They are all friendly and usually a few different people will check in to make sure that you're happy. Everything is made fresh so be prepared that nothing comes flying out of that kitchen - busy times it can take a good while to get food. The food is AWESOME! Worth any little complaints I might think up before it gets there. Once its on the table, I forget them all. -Fish Sandwiich -Salmon (huge and delicious) -Flounder -Shrimp a few ways ("Norfolk" style is oily for my taste, and I never had it growing up in Norfolk.) -Hawkins St Special -Prime Rib (sized for two, watch it) The prices are low, the portions are large, and just about everything on the menu is delicious. I'm not one to pick a place because they give you a lot of food, but if you like a good value and don't want to compromise on taste, this place is a gem. read more

Totally amazing food!!! Killer Ruebens!!!! Great bartenders and wait staff!!! I'm dying to go back!!!!

safe being it's across from the police station. Clean bathrooms! Great fish sandwich; but AWESOME Reuben! No way you can find better. read more

Emil's Lounge - Best Reuben ever! - New American Near Me - Rankin, Pennsylvania

This is my fourth time but my first review. It never disappoints! Always home cooking, old school like grandma's house. Don't expect ambiance, but if you're hungry and want nice wait staff, (usually family) squeaky clean, great value and generous portions-way more than I can ever finish, Emil's is your place. Tonight I had a cup of the chicken dumpling soup that was sooooo good! Very obviously home made. I had a side of onion rings that were perfectly cooked, which doesn't sound fancy, but I still couldn't finish. My husband had the chicken parm. Thursday is Italian night. It came with a huge salad, very fresh, an entire loaf of Italian bread, and a generous portion of nicely crisped and tender chicken breasts. Added to that, a side helping of ziti. My husband enjoyed it very much, the chicken was perfectly cooked. I'm a sauce snob, Italian, allergic to with an aversion to green peppers. To me, there was just a hint of green pepper in the sauce so I probably would avoid anything with red sauce at Emil's but that's just my quirk. I've had the stuffed cabbages there, the fried fish, Ruebens, burgers - all wonderful! Emil was and his family is of Serbian decent. Food is love. We love Emils! read more

Just had an amazing dinner at Emils. They accommodated our very large group with a moments notice and the food was fast and fresh and service was friendly ( as usual) thank you so much! See you again soon xo read more

My new favorite place to eat and its only 10 minutes from my house. Portions, huge. Service, great. Food , delicious.

Love my hometown favorites. Cannot beat their fish sandwiches (although I do miss the buns as opposed to the sliced bread...stop that). Always will support Emil's Other favorites include Reuben, Hawkins Avenue sandwich, Chrissy Club. read more

Emil's is open for takeout at this time. Their menu is still excellent, their portions gigantic, and their prices reasonable. If you call ahead your food will be hot and ready when you hit the door. By all means, go and support this long-time icon in Rankin. It's the best! read more

Food was really tasty I love hot and fresh.I must admit it was I moved out of the are but in my passing I will love to stop and have a bite to eat. Portion sizes are good read more

Order over the phone, was told on the phone 20 mins for there famous Ruben and got there on time and waited another 30 mins

I love everything about this place. The food is delicious (yes yes, the fish sandwiches, OK, I agree -- but DID YOU TRY THE MEATBALLS?? holy tamoley), I adore the staff, and I love that there are no windows -- it's its own little hermetically sealed 1950s world of delicious, real food and good people. Lots of places try to create this kind of ambiance, but it can't be manufactured. It takes decades of good food and good vibes. Also, the food is really good. :) read more

Believe the hype. Best fish sandwich in Pittsburgh and it's not even debatable. I had the pleasure of speaking with Emil's grandson who is a bright and industrious young man. I hope this place stays open forever. read more

Best Reuben sandwich ever!!!!! I've tried many times to find something comparable but nothing comes close. Great food and friendly atmosphere. Definitely a favorite!!! read more

From reading the other reviews, I see this place was on some top 25 places in Pittsburgh list a few years ago. I haven't seen it myself, but have known of this place for a while before my first visit in 2013. It wasn't until my almost 80yo buddy, Mr. Italo Donatucci (world's coolest old Italian dude) brought me one of the best fish sandwiches I ever had that I became hooked! I've had at least 10 since then, but only during the Lent season. I gave my 5 rating based on the fish sandwich alone. Try it without a bun also! Either way you get 3 nice size pieces of fish equal to a pound. You can have your choice of sides, but I always get the small mac n cheese for my side. The staff is always really friendly and service is prompt. It's in a rough neighborhood, but the Rankin police station is right across the street. Almost every visit there I have seen police officers inside mingling with the locals or picking up lunch orders. Soon I plan to make a visit that's not a Friday during Lent to try other menu items. read more

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My mother and I each had the Delmonico style steak with shrimp and my wife ordered the fish. We all had the battered french fries. All of the food was delicious and the service was great. The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. read more

Another divey place we have been going to for years. My dad's favorite, as he knows the original owners. Certain items on the menu are named after the kids. Huge portions, might have a bit of a wait some nights. Huge burgers, fish sandwiches, salads. Decent service. read more

Great food & service every visit. They do so many things right there especially taking care of the customers. I have always received a hello, a follow up on my food, a thank you and then a good bye. Some many restaurants get away from these simple steps of service. I'm glad Emil's has not. read more