A Hidden Gem Worth Leaving the Turnpike For! After making…read morethe drive between Northern Virginia and Ohio for more than 20 years, we couldn't believe we had never discovered Out of the Fire Café before. Anyone who regularly travels the Pennsylvania Turnpike knows how hard it is to find a truly memorable place to eat. This one is absolutely worth the short detour. The atmosphere is charming, the view is beautiful, and the food exceeded every expectation. We had to try their famous mushroom soup, and even though I'm not normally a mushroom fan, it was hands-down one of the best cups of soup I've ever had. The smoked salmon salad was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. My husband ordered the Filet Mignon Sandwich special, and every bite was packed with incredible flavor. Our server was warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. She made us feel right at home and added to what was already a wonderful dining experience. We finished with the Bananas Foster. While it wasn't the tableside flaming presentation you'd find at a fine-dining restaurant, the flavor was outstanding and the perfect ending to a fantastic meal. We'll definitely be making Out of the Fire Café a tradition on our future trips. If you're traveling the Pennsylvania Turnpike, do yourself a favor and make the stop--you won't regret it!

We were in town for just one night and this was the place everyone recommended. We had a large…read moreparty and everyone, ages 77 to 11 found something they enjoyed. The mushroom soup was a big hit, as was the burger. Salads were fresh and portions were all generous. The only reason for reducing a star is service--our server was incredibly slow and nonchalant. We were there for a good 2 hours and all the folks around us finished way before us. Would go back if I'm in the area.

My daughter treated me to lunch In a private dining treehouse for my birthday this year. What a…read morelovely way to spend an afternoon! Upon entering we saw a "Happy Birthday" sign and were greeted by two lovely servers. A first bite was served while we waited for our cocktails . It was a chunk of very sweet watermelon on a wooden coaster. Next came some delicious bread with a leek butter. My daughter added the 4 shot cocktails to our experience and they were fun! Jell-O shots elevated quite a bit. Our appetizer was chef's choice which was burrata with grilled eggplant, peaches, greens and baguette. All so good! We enjoyed some extra cocktails from the menu, a blackberry mojito and a white Negroni with the appetizer. Then the entrees came along. I got the wild mushroom ravioli and she got the Faroe Islands salmon. This was the only part of the meal you had a choice in and you have to advise them ahead of time what you would like to eat as the main course. The final course was a creme brûlée serves in a 4 ounce mason jar. All in all, excellent quality of food and service with reasonable portions. We did not leave hungry. The screened in dining pod itself was very comfortable. It was a pleasant summer day so we did not need the fan or the heater which was available. They are nestled in the woods and sunshine peeks through the trees for a most serene dining experience. I commented that even if it were raining, you would be comfortable due to the design of the pods. There is a wide overhang so the rain wouldn't bother you coming in through the screens. If you are looking for a unique way to celebrate or just want to feel one with nature, this is an excellent option to consider. I highly recommend trying one out!

My friend made a reservation for the 5 branch dining experience in the dining room. She received an…read moreemail the week before asking is for our main dish choice and if we wanted to add any kind of celebration dessert. I chose the grilled ahi tuna with herb polenta, pineapple relish and veggies. Day of parking was a breeze. There is so much of it. Staff was incredibly helpful navigating where we needed to be. Our servers were so great at explaining all the dishes to us. A welcome plate is provided with some bites the chef wants you to try. For the first course I chose the shrimp skewer, biggest shrimp I've ordered out. The spring salad was delicious, I loved the vinaigrette. Next was the papparella pasta was sooooo good. Only complaint is wish I had more. My main that I chose earlier that week the ahi tuna was incredible. Such a big piece and much more food than I was expecting. For dessert the creme brûlée and some truffles. I loved looking around at the art work and design of the home. It is such a cool place. Looking out into the woods was like a fairy tale. Will absolutely have to be back to experience sitting in a pod.

I spent a long day tooling around the Laurel Highlands and wanted to get back to Pittsburgh before…read moredark. However, since I was touring a few Frank Lloyd Wright houses, I had not eaten since my early morning continental breakfast at the Comfort Inn in Connellsville. Mindlessly following the Google Maps directions, I arrived in a town called Indian Head and didn't have any expectations about what I'd find in this family-friendly roadside diner. Without hesitation, I ordered the $13.99 Grilled Chicken Salad. I was quite impressed with what arrived. There were huge pieces of grilled chicken breast, tender and moist, with cucumber, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, onions, beets, shredded cheddar, and a pickled egg with ranch dressing on the side (Photo 9). Sounds basic, I know, but it was hearty, fresh, and genuinely satisfying. Midway through my salad, a plate of fries arrived (Photo 10). I wasn't expecting it, but the server apologized for the delay. I only noticed later that the fries were mentioned in the menu. I certainly didn't mind because they were hot, tasty, and not at all greasy. Even though I was getting full and kinda anxious to get going, I was rather hypnotized by the refrigerator of freshly made pies. I just couldn't help myself and ordered a $4.29 slice of Banana Meringue Pie (Photo 8). I don't think I've had homemade pie that good since gorging at Valois back in my olden grad school days in the South Side of Chicago. What a nice surprise to have such a delicious square meal in a place called Indian Head. FOOD - 5 stars..tasty, reasonably priced diner fare exceeded my expectations AMBIANCE - 4 stars...clean and spacious diner SERVICE - 5 stars...friendly server made a big difference TOTAL - 5 stars...if I'm ever in western Pennsylvania, I'd be back RELATED - Exploring the Pittsburgh area? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/VI8tHDpfoC

Stopped in on a Monday. The wait staff was warm and welcoming. Food service (take out) was fast…read more I wanted to try to keep up my healthy eating streak and most other(few open) places were run of the mill fast food. Shops seem to Cater to Tourist, open on Wednesday and Closer to the weekend. This spot Was open and I was able to get a yummy salad, but I also had to Try that yummy tiramisu berry cake!

Wait staff was attentive to our needs and double checked everything to accommodate our food…read moreallergies. There was a large event happening on site, but the staff kept everything moving along. Love the view.

Used to be a much better buffet but now kinda sad but still the best deal at the place…read more Service can be amazing but also can be really slow which is always surprising at a buffet where most people don't order off the regular menu. Since the buffet went down hill I did order the shrimp pasta and soooo glad I did!! Definitely the best food I have had there including at Helens.

Fun atmosphere, cool vibe, outdoor seating was still cool even though it was crazy hot outside. You…read morewill wait, even on a weekday, but it's worth it.

The food was amazing as was our bartender Karina. We had the lettuce wraps which were quite frankly…read morethe best I ever had! Burger sliders were great as well as the crab dip. Huge lumps!

HillBilly's is a place that we have passed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I have always wanted to…read morestop. A friend and I golfed in Somerset and in returning back to the Pittsburgh area were looking for something to eat. I suggested HillBilly's as I stated previously, has been something I wanted to try. It has a fun vibe with ceramic characters and animals throughout. The entrance included a gift shop with fun Hillbilly merch, the bottom floor that was more of a standard dining area, the second floor includes a bar and a decent stage area, as well as a decent deck/outside patio area. When we visited karaoke was going on. We ordered drinks and as for food, my friend ordered the pot roast, which he really liked. I got the meatloaf sandwich, which I liked as well. It was meatloaf smothered with pimento between two slices of Texas toast Service was fine. They were busy and it was loud, but we were well taken care of.

This place is pretty much a tourist trap. Food is nothing…read moremore than mediocre. What gets you is if you ask for a side of ranch it's going to cost you $1.50 per item. All sandwiches are served with only chips if you want fries or something else it's a minimum of $2 upgrade. I get chips with some sandwiches but it's every item on the menu, unless you order a meal. Long story short if you stop just beware of all the additional charges.

This is a perfect lopsided bar! Good draft list, great appetizers. Fantastic kids menu. A perfect…read moremid-day break while enjoying the snow!

Foggy Goggle is probably my favorite apres ski bar name I've been to, and the atmosphere lives up…read moreto that! The music is great, the ambiance is like a log cabin, and the draft beer is delicious. It's exactly what you'd want in an apres ski spot. The only negative is that it's (for good reason) quite popular & they don't have enough seating for the crowds. Positives: ambiance, beer, good music, walk-ins Negatives: limited seating, too crowded Must order: draft beer (shock top!)

As we entered the Kitchen on Main. We could immediately tell this was a going to be a special…read moreevening for dinner. We were seated at a booth near the open kitchen. Cool that we can be entertained watching food being prepared. Our server, Essense, took our drink orders and gave us a couple minutes to peruse the menu. Salads with homemade ranch dressing arrived soon. Our server was terrific at keeping our dinner at a relaxed pace. Soon our entrees arrived. One blackened Mahi-Mahi and one beef short rib. Nice portions for both dinners. We didn't save room for desserts but, we ordered a couple coffee drinks for our ride home. The golden latte and toasted almond chai latte were a great finish during our drive home.

I'm not really sure where to start with this review…read more While visiting, some lovely locals recommended to try the Kitchen on Main as a good lunch or dinner spot. On the outside, you're greeted with plenty of outdoor patio seating in front of the restaurant and live music from an artist playing tunes. Inside is a spacious bar, lounge and woodsy interior with another room with tables and larger party seating. Since we had a little one with us, we thought more fitting to sit outside, watch the horses and carriages pass and enjoy the fresh air. We were told by the hosts that the seating in the front, though unoccupied, wasn't available, but the tables on the side (which I thought were for storage as they weren't set, cleaned or too presentable looking) were. Although a bit confused by that note, we decided to sit outside. It seemed that there was only one server working the outside area as we saw her hastily going back and forth. We were sat at 5:35pm or so. After about 10 minutes, she took our drink orders and 10 minutes later we then ordered our food. We got the drink we ordered then patiently awaited our food. A little after 6:05p, it started to sprinkle with rain outside. If you know PA, the rain can come down hard and heavy, quick. We asked our server if they had other seating available who went to check. As we were sitting on the side of the building - in an uncovered area - we went inside around 6:15p to ask if there was other seating available. Surely a rain soaked toddler and water ruined food isn't the best look for a restaurant serving its guests.. Both the younger lady hosts and a man (not sure his relation to this restaurant), John, seemed a bit perplexed by our request. He then proceeded to advise that the umbrella-covered seating in the front of the restaurant wasn't available, pulls his phone out to check the weather, notes that it doesn't say it's raining, but instead says "yeah, I don't know what that is, maybe it's a neighbor spraying a hose nearby" (while another employee says "I see the rain on the window in front of us") and doesn't really provide any solution for us to sit so we go back outside. Very confused by that interaction, when we saw our server next, we told her that we would be leaving and we'll pay the check for the one drink we ordered. Another girl came out and apologized, saying she wasn't sure why they wouldn't let us sit inside or anywhere else and proceeded to take us to a table inside. Our now hangry and somewhat sprinkled on toddler got her food, noodles with butter, at 6:20p and we got our dishes at 6:30p. The food looked decent though I can't comment on its flavor and taste of our meals as I had no appetite then. I don't know who would want to enjoy a meal there after that interaction. No apology or conversation from a manager was ever had, no items removed from the bill or a complimentary item provided to make up for the poor experience. We didn't eat much as we were quite off put but paid the bill in full. I still have no idea who the "John" guy is and what purpose he may serve there aside from the blatant disregard of guest's concerns and a poor example set in front of the younger employees. Our server and some of the other runner girls were kind, so I don't think customer service and general decency as a human is lacking from this town but this experience and this specific restaurant left that unfortunate impression. If he or they didn't want us there, I surely would have appreciated the honesty so we could spend our money and celebrate Father's Day weekend elsewhere. I don't plan on coming back and only Yelp members don't visit either. If I could tell you to avoid this restaurant at all costs, I would.

Terrible experience at Timbers last night. Reviews are accurate! We ordered burgers and pork pot…read morestickers. I ordered my burger well done and it came out in less than 5 minutes. Even the waitress seemed surprised by how quickly it arrived. I cut into the burger and it was bright red. Complete opposite of well done. I showed the waitress and she took it back. The next burger did not take long to arrive and was well done. It was also burnt with bacon on it (I had requested no bacon). My husband described his burger just as gross and could only eat half (mac n cheese burger). The pot stickers were okay. The sauce was basically soy sauce with crushed red pepper in it. Our waitress was nice and attentive. She did remove the charge for my burger. I definitely will not be back.

My favorite upscale place. They're amazing, the food is amazing, love it. It's the best place to go…read moreif you're wanting a classy night out.

Sanaview Farms Winery and Cafe continues to be one of those places we genuinely love coming back…read moreto, and this Valentine's visit was another reminder why. I was traveling back from Florida hoping to pull off a surprise evening with my partner and friends, and Janet, Nathan, and their team of great employees went above and beyond to help make it happen. Their kindness and willingness to lean into the moment made what could have been just a nice dinner turn into a really memorable night. The setting is beautiful, relaxed, and welcoming in that effortless way that makes you want to linger a bit longer. The wood fired pizza and other delicious offerings are consistently excellent, and the wines and cocktails are always right on point. If you tend toward drier wines, which can sometimes be a rare find in western Pennsylvania, Nathan is absolutely delivering here. What keeps us coming back though is the people. Janet, Nathan, and the team have created something special, and you feel that from the minute you walk in. Already looking forward to the next visit.

Pizza was very very good, wine was just alright. I am kind…read moreof a wine snob and I couldn't find one wine I liked after having a tasting and ordering a flight. However, the chocolate cherry espresso martini stole the show. I am now going to start adding cherry vodka to my espresso martinis at home!! Pizza was excellent. Dough is so soft and chewy and the toppings were very fresh.