I recently attended the July 22, 2023 Beer Fest at Penn Brewery located on Pittsburgh's Northside/Deutschtown community. The nostalgic brewery was a perfect venue for hosting this special event. There were many local and regional brewer participating and providing samples of their unique brews. The variety of beers paired very well with the food, the music and the casual mingling among the many attendees. It was a great way to spend a hot Saturday afternoon in the City of Pittsburgh. read more

This had to be one of the greatest breweries I have ever been to. The food was Amazing and I am not a beer drinker and had two that were out of this world!! I reside in Beer city but we don't have a brewery as wonderful as this. Out bartender DJ was full of wisdom and Charm!!! I just loved this place and they were totally Covid Compliant. Could not have felt more safe! read more

Penn Brewery - Bar - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

We went for the first time on a Thursday. It was not very crowded and we had a very attentive waitress. We had appetizers along with dinner and drinks and everything was very good. My husband has one of their 10 beer flights and you get a lot of beer! It was a great pace to catch up with friends. The food came quick and was very tasty I took half of my sandwich home with me! I had their Octoberfest beer which was so good! I would say not a lot of parking but again for a Thursday we like park right outside. Also, keep and eye out for groupons! read more

Penn Brewery - Beer flight - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Came here for an early dinner. I had the pretzels, Pierogies and fish sandwich. Their fish sandwich is just the way I like it, huge! Their pierogies should never be passed up. They're so good, I could eat a few plates! My only gripe is that our waitress' mask kept stalling off her nose. Otherwise, service was okay. She did the best she could. I would most likely head back when it's not so busy. They were out of a lot of their drinks and liquor. read more

Review #911! Call a medic!!! A cop!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxk_XrTVLDU After visiting PB months ago for our lone Yelp Elite Event to date, Kay and I knew we had to return, especially being that today was a payday Friday and that PB is minutes from where I work. . A gothic courtyard featuring caged crannies that look as if they were designed to hold dragons leads to a staircase entry into the establishment. There is another way to get inside from the street, but I prefer to go take the cobblestone detour since it's Victorian looking and therefore wickedly cool to me. My heroic, fantastical imagination allows me to conceptualize a moonlit, midnight clash with a ghoul, vampire, or some other such creature of the shadows here. The interiors are jolly and anything but creepy. People holding frothy, wet mugs of housebrewed mead amidst the brass and copper pipes and tanks from which it flows. Communal, stained, wooden benches and tables are where patrons seat themselves. I knew I wanted some pierogi, so I pretty much disregarded the rest of the menu and settled on the Pierogi Platter, a hexad of dough parcels containing potatoes and cheese with grilled onions as a sweet garnish. Our bubbly, talkative server Amanda knows what the score is. When I asked for sour cream on the side minutes after placing my order, she said, "Dude, you're covered. Who eats pierogi without sour cream anyway? That's not right." And out they came, quickly. In fact, our appetizer, salads, my chili, and our entrees came out simultaneously, almost overwhelming us. Some people might have found this to be a misstep of service, but I barely minded. I mean, before I could get impatient, a feast was abruptly placed before me! Good food fast? You bet your hiphuggers...hipster. Well, for the most part at least. Everything was comfortably comestible, and that includes my house viniagrette salad, even if the dressing was unduly syrupy but only a touch so. Our starter was a spreadably splendid wedding between Sharp Cheddar and Cream Cheese that was blessed by Penn Pilsner and overseen by average, dried-out, mall-grade pretzels. I would have rather had the spread, which tasted like a far more intelligent and gourmet kind of spray cheese, on some crackers instead. A cup of their Penn Pilsner Chili was next on deck. Freshly ground chuck, kidney beans, and black beans made for fine, hearty, tomato-based spoonfuls of sweetly fermented and profoundly satisfying stew. Hey, I may not drink beer or any other kinds of booze, but if you put it in some excellent food, I'll board the boat to Margaritaville without delay. Oh, the pierogi; they were peerless. The outer dough was caramelized, took on the flavors of the onions, and contained the most luscious mashed potatoes ever to be served at your favorite aunt's house. As someone whose blood is mostly Polish, I was proud of these paradisiac pierogi and was greatly gladdened that a chef had come up with a proper recipe for them. Kay had the Rouladen, a fragile, sultry, enlivened, and rolled-up carpet of steak, bacon, onions, and pickles that was coated with a deeply savorous, beer-borne, and cryptic "brown sauce." Dessert (they only have a Warm Apple Strudel and Chocolate Raspberry Cake on tap) we skipped due to having a surplus of treats at home, but please do not skip Penn Brewery. If a teetotaler like myself had a pleasurable dinner here, you should as well. read more

See all

Given the mixed reviews, I wasn't quite sure to what to expect when I came here recently. And fittingly, I'd say my experience was mixed, although overall positive. We went on a Saturday evening, and I thought the place would be hopping, but it was sort of dead. The space is beautiful though, and it was a shame that their charming courtyard beer garden was not being patronized by more people that evening. We were seated indoors in their downstairs area, which was cozy, but a bit dark and dungeon-like. The evening started off on an annoying note when it took about 15 minutes for a waiter to come by and take our drink order (though he was more attentive after that). Our waiter was hilariously blunt. Several times when we tried to order something, he shot us down with his unsolicited (though actually appreciated) opinion: Us: "We'll try the mussels to start." Waiter (with horrifying look): "No, you don't want to order those. They are really sandy." Us: "Umm, ok, thanks for the heads up. How about the peanut butter and jelly wings?" Waiter (gives knowing glance): "How do you THINK wings with peanut butter and jelly would taste? Don't get those." Later for our meal order: Friend: "I'll have the rabbit for dinner." Waiter (same horrifying look as before): "No, no good. Literally ANYTHING else would be a better choice." Though it was a bit odd, we did appreciate his candor about the food and I know he was just trying to be helpful. Also it gave us plenty to giggle about every time he left the table. Anyway, speaking of the food, waiter man's tips were fairly solid, because we were pleased with almost everything we ordered. To start, we sampled the Black BBQ wings, which were meaty, juicy, and crispy. We also tried the pierogies, which were good, though nothing noteworthy (I can think of about a dozen places off of the top of my head that serve a better pierogie). On the annoying side, they only gave 3 pierogies in the appetizer serving, which for $7 bucks seems a little stingy. Also, 3 is an odd number of anything for an appetizer, as most dining parties are 2 or 4 people (ours was 4). Thanks for creating an awkward sharing situation, Penn Brewery. Anyhow, we also tried the pretzel and bier cheese, which everyone at the table liked except for yours truly (I found the stiff mousse-y texture of the cheese to be unappetizing). For our meal, my husband and I split the chicken kasespaetzle, which appears to be Germany's answer to mac n' cheese. It was really tasty, with a rich, creamy, tangy and flavorful sauce, plenty of juicy chicken, and tender pasta dumplings. Our friends split the roasted pork, which they reported to be delicious as well. Entree portions were generous and more than enough for us to split and still feel full and happy (especially given the appetizers we had). For dessert, we shared the apple strudel, and our waiter was quite pleased. "GREAT choice, that's the best dessert we have!" he exclaimed a little too enthusiastically after we ordered it. Thanks, waiter, glad we finally could nail it on the first try. And nail it we did -- the strudel was heavenly. Flaky pastry crust and warm, soft apple filling paired with melty vanilla ice cream was the perfect way to end our meal. Very good experience overall. Or should I say, "sehr gut" experience overall. read more

See all

Gosh, you must be sick, sick, sick of hearing about this everlasting road trip from Huntington Beach, CA to Philadelphia, PA. Well, if not, thank you for still reading! It took 5 days to get from Surf City to Steel City. We arrived at the Inn at the Mexican War Streets, a gothic mansion purchased in the early 80s by the existing owners for $100k, who, later got it appraised to have $100k worth of blood marble in around the fireplace alone. Nonetheless, it's an incredibly luxurious bed and breakfast for a fantastic price and an opportunity to be part of Pittsburgh's rich history. The mister and I urban hiked to Penn Brewery, and while I don't have much to say about their beers besides being reminiscent of Budweiser, I do have to say their pretzels were delicious. Chewy and soft inside, the outside provided a pleasantly lye ridden crust. The Original Penn Beer Cheese - basically sharp cheddar blended with cream cheese and Penn pilsner - has become a memorable favorite cheese with the husband. I thought it had a nice bite, but nothing too crazy special. For $4.95 for two large pretzels and a good dose to beer cheese, Penn Brewery gets thumbs up for their knot, not for their beer. read more

Penn Brewery - Pretzel Throw Down! - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Do you know what I'm guilty of? It's being out of town and thinking that things are really close and they aren't. At all. I've now made this same mistake in every town and city I've been to and Pittsburgh was no different. We stayed at the William Omni hotel and decided to walk to The Penn Brewery. Google Maps says 1.5 miles so really it didn't seem that bad of a walk -- except there's no real good way to get there. We ended up walking through some park where there was a 5k going on. My husband was smoking and half drunk, while these lovely racers were cheering each other on. Embarrassing or what? Even despite the really extreme walk in super uncomfortable shoes, I loved Penn Brewery. Maybe I loved it more because I had to walk so far to get there. Although I like to try new foods, I don't think I've ever had German food, so this was my first dabble in that. I went with the stuffed banana peppers for an entree and the potato pancakes to start. Both were equally delicious and left me wanting to try more of this new culinary treat. However, the stuffed peppers were huge and I really had no room left in my stomach for anything else. Service was phenomenal until we asked for bus directions. Then no one had any clue and told us to use our phones to get back. Ordinarily that's what we do but both of them happened to be dead. So you know what that means. Another 1.5 mile walk back. So was it worth the 3 mile walk? Abso-lutely and I'd do it all over again if it meant eating some more of those stuffed peppers. read more

Penn Brewery - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

I go to their Oktoberfest every year, I would not miss it. I love the live music, the great food, dancing, and of course the fabulous beer. But it's nice to go back occasionally when things are less hectic and crowded, and what I get is really good German food and some of the best beers made in Pittsburgh. There's an Old World taste to the beer made here and it's authentic and satisfying. The Penn Brewery is a real gem! read more

Bartender wasn't very friendly. The beer was cold, and delicious! Had some poutine to go along with it. All in all, was a great place with great beer, and food! read more

At a party at the Brewery and the downstairs bartender wouldn't let me order fries and pretzels for my 3 year old child because we are upstairs. Absolutely ridiculous, not a kid friendly place, won't be coming back. I'll note that the event staff upstairs was nice and was not the issue. They brought the food that was ordered for the party right away when the issue occurred and apologized for this issue. read more

I am a huge fan of the Penn Brewery and if you don't know me I am a bit of a booze hound. I love beer! All types, all colors, all ABV's. So I ran in here today for lunch but I am not allowed to imbibe during work hours. Woe is me....the world is not fair! My point is if you enjoy a beer, just about any type...this is the place to start. I have been here 10+ times and this was my only non-drinking visit. I enjoyed the Braumeister Steak Sandwich with fries. The food, service and atmosphere were great. Try to find the time to visit this place. Well worth the stop. read more

Penn Brewery - Braumeister Steak sandwich - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Fun fun place! Great views. Love the building it's in. It's a little loud in the restaurant, but once you've had a few beers it's fine. We had wurst on a pretzel bun with mustard and sauerkraut which I thought was excellent. I never had speatzle before so I'm not sure what's authentic. These were drenched in dry bread crumbs which I didn't find all too appealing. It's worth going just for the atmosphere itself. Will definitely come back when in town. read more

Penn Brewery - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Food is okay. I have had a few different things off the menu and nothing really impressed me. The wings are good and so is the Greek salad. The 2 star review is due to their service. EVERYTIME I order and that is no exaggeration everytime something is wrong with my order. Also the food takes forever to come out. I work in the Northside so I think the only reason I continue to come back is due to convenience of location and co workers. We have an hour lunch and we call a half and hour before coming over just to make sure our food comes out a half hour after we get there. there have been times we have sat, ordered and had to get our food Togo because it took almost an hour to come out. Staff is overall friendly but could be more attentive. read more

-=Penn is mightier than the Sword=- Penn Marzen. Flavourful Amber. Smooth. Private Brewery Tour. Good to be Out-of Towner. Appreciate Friendly staff and educational Tour. This Brewpub serves European cuisines. Like the old-school outer-and-interior setting. Lunch Sausage Platter. Normal cuisine. Friend. Ate. Steakburger w/Spatzle. 3.5'd I heard Good News from this Friend. read more

See all

I've been wanting to try Penn Brewery since I moved to Pittsburgh. I've heard good things about both the food and the service. I finally made it there last weekend and was pleased with my visit. I initially tried to visit last weekend, but it was so packed there was over an hour wait for a table, so we decided to return in the future but with reservations. I was glad I had made them because even fairly early they were crowded. They have happy hour specials from 5-7 which include half price appetizers and beer and drink specials. Because of the specials, we tried the Buffalo chicken pierogies, potato pancakes and the beer cheese. All were fantastic! Being from Buffalo, I was especially excited to try the Buffalo Chicken pierogies since I've never had anything like them before. My only complaint is that they were slightly dry, but the flavor was fantastic. Entrees were the weinerschnitzel and sausage platter. Both were very tasty, however my schnitzel was a bit dry (remedied by eating it with bites of the cabbage). I was going to order it with the sauce, but the server advised it is bitter and almost no one likes it. I'm glad he gave me the tip, but if no one likes it, you would think they would change the recipe to improve that aspect. Oh well. Service was good. Almost too good in that all of our food came out very quickly. We had other places to be that evening, so in the scheme of things, it wasn't a bad thing, but to some degree, we almost felt rushed. Beer was amazing. Had the nut roll ale and the Christmas blend. I wish I would have bought some to take home with me. There will be a return visit. read more

Great outdoor seating, and you can bring your dog! Food was good! The beers were tasty! Overall I enjoyed this brewery! Parking is plentiful! read more

Penn Brewery is a historical place as they are housed in the historic Eberhardt and Ober Brewery building. The abundance of historical value in the building and brewery is incredible from were there brewing is done to the caves that houses the casks of beer. Food If you are looking for AUTHENTIC german cuisine this is not the place, but the food is good. I've had the jagerschitzel and kaissespatzel and have to say they are not bad at all. They have flavor but the jagersnitzel is a tad dry. Beer This is where the brewery shines, from their seasonal beers (you have to go to the tapping the cask parties), to their normal weissens and stouts. All around the beers have great taste and aromas. No two are alike either. In the off-season (November to January) they always experiment with new flavors for the next year. Atmosphere Great family atmosphere, but it does get a tad loud during the night or during Oktoberfest, but the service is good and the people there genuinely seem like they like it there. Overall, Food is mediocre, but the Beer is awesome. read more

After many visits to Penn Brewery, I have to say I'm usually more a fan of their food than their beer. Their seasonals are often my favorites, like the Oktoberfest. I've also recently discovered their Summer Berry Weiss and enjoyed it so much that I finally purchased a Penn Brewery growler. They make some pretty tasty German fare here that never disappoints. My go-to has often been the amazing sausage platter. On my most recent trip I did a 180 and went for the Beer Garden Burger and could not have been happier with the selection. I'm far from being a vegetarian, but this burger was something I would definitely eat again. They also host some awesome events such as their own Oktoberfest, a Brewfest featuring other local/regional offerings and most recently the Northside Sandwich Sampler. Thursdays during the summer they have the Beer Garden open for cheap drinks and food. I've been here when it's jam-packed busy and I've been here when I thought they were closed because there were only two other patrons. Not much of a bar area, but tables both upstairs and down. Regardless of the time of day or number of other customers, the service, food and beer have always been good. Drink local. read more

Last weekend our travels took us to the West side of PA, a little known town by the name of Pittsburgh. While visiting friends and family, the minute we walked into the door before our bags even hit the floor, our hosts said 5 words. "Let's go to a brewery." The dude abides. So despite just getting out of a car we were in for 7+ hours, it was right back into one, as we headed to Penn Brewery. On the north side of town, Penn Brewery is the Burgh's oldest and largest brew house, and we were happy to pay a visit. As you see from our photos, its attempts to model itself after European Beer gardens is a welcome sight. Apparently this part of town was heavy on the German settlers, so they had their influences correct. But how was the beer? Here are a few we sampled with some notes. 1. Penn Pilsner - this is their flagship. They pride themselves on it. A German style brewery prides itself on a Bohemian style beer. Interesting. They claim it's smooth & mellow. I was not alone at our table when I say it was neither. It was bitter, it was in your face hops, it was heavy. Light to the eyes, heavy to the gut. Not a fan. This was a NO. 2. Penn Dark - This one would be more my style. Dark, heavy, Munich style Dunkel. It had what a dark should have. Roasty malt scents and flavors, a bit of bitter countered with a bit of sweet, still a little heavy on the hops, but a big improvement over the Pilsner. This was a YES. 3. Penn Weizen - We are all familiar with this style, the nice Bavarian wheat. Several award winner according to them, including a Men's Journal top 25 beers in America. Bold statement. But it stood up to the test. This is one of my favorite styles, I could tell easily if you screwed it up. Penn gets a YESon this one. 4. St. Nikolaus Bock - Very malty, extremely dark and heavy, warming gut, sweetness to the taste and the nose, this was the one. If we had had this one around Christmas time it may have been a winner. Or very close 2nd. This was a good one, my fave of the day, and would definitely get again. YES. Unfortunately the road weariness played a huge part in how few beers we sampled this night. But what started out negatively with the Pilsner, ended very strong with the Nikolaus. Penn Brewery is more than OK in our books. Wrap Up; Had some TVs ready to watch the Pens game, decent different beers, and nice menu of apps. Good alternative to a sports bar for sure. read more

See all

Finally went here for a friends birthday and found myself intrigued by the menu. As a plant based advocate I appreciated that they had so many vegan and vegetarian options while also having many of the Pittsburgh staples that are popular in the region. As for the quality of the food I found it to be a very "hit or miss" kind of place. While I loved the BBQ jackfruit sandwiches I wasn't as much a fan of the portabella mushroom "vegan cheese steak" sandwhiches. Although I loved the garlic shrimp appetizer I didn't think the fried okra and fried green tomatoes were on that same Caliber. Since they have such a huge menu I would recommend they cut it in half and only focus on the menu items they are good at executing. Nonetheless, I appreciated the generous portions and the excellent customer service! read more

This microbrewery had an amazing concept. The building used to be the former Eberhardt and Ober Brewery (founded in 1848). You walk in and you can see so much history. We walked in by mistake to the alley and it looked like a Spanish bodega. The ambiance was so relaxed. Food is amazing....German inspired comfort food and German style beers. We had two beers. Of the two, one that stood out was the Penn Weizen. It's a wheat beer with yeast that produces a unique flavor of banana and cloves with a dry and tart edge, some spiciness, and notes of apples....a little hoppy bitterness, and a moderate level of alcohol. It was amazing. The Penn IPA was right there with hop-forward flavor notes. Overall, I would come back here whenever I'm in Pittsburgh. read more

See all

Penn Brewery has been a staple in Pittsburgh for a long time (1986 to be exact). While lots of other breweries have been popping up in Pittsburgh Penn has always stood its ground and continued to keep its character. Penn is in the Deutschtown district of Pittsburgh (North Side) and started its journey doing what I feel they still do the best and thats brewing authentic German style beers. In the past few years Penn has expanded their brewing abilities to add IPA's and seasonal beers to their list. The atmosphere at Penn Brewery is great. They are located in an old nineteenth century brick building with an awesome biergarten located within it's walls. They offer both upstairs and downstairs seating with views of the brewing process. Penn also offers one of the best Pittsburgh style restaurants in the city. The restaurant offers many authentic German old world dishes like schnitzel, Wurst, strudel etc. They also offer an extensive menu of Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads (with fries of course), and vegetarian offerings. Overall Penn Brewery is a major part of the city of Pittsburgh and has what you are looking for in a great brewery. As far as i'm concerned Penn Brewery keeps the old Pittsburgh feel we all love alive and well while continuing to serve great beers and food. A must stop while exploring the city or hanging out with friends and family. read more

I'm giving Penn Brewery a solid four stars. Stopped in for dinner and a beer and I wasn't disappointed. We started off with the cheese and brews. We decided to go with the five cheese and five beer sampler. The cheese is really good! Everyone had an opinion on which beer was the best ( I said the penn weizen) so I'll let you decide which is the best choice. I had the bier cheese and macaroni for the main entree. It was delicious. I added the sausage to it and I'm glad I did because it was good. My wife had the rabbit and she liked it, but said she would probably try something different next time. The beer was cold and the food was good. The service was quick and friendly. The inside setup is kind of odd but I guess it works. The stairs were roped off and you had to use the elevator to go downstairs to use the bathroom. Not a big deal, just odd because it's usually the other way around. Anyways, I had a good experience here and will be back again. Most certainly recommend. read more

Penn Brewery - Penn Brewery - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A little disappointed for Father's Day. Thought we would be enjoying some potato pancakes and brats only to find a "special" Father's Day menu without any German specialties. They offered soft shell crab, brisket , ribs and chicken. When we really wanted cakes and reubens. Need to check next time. Maybe Max's Allegheny Tavern? read more

Nice atmosphere and good beer! I got the Arsenal Cider! It was a little on the sweeter side with hints of cinnamon. I love how you can see the beer production area through the window by the bar. read more

Penn Brewery - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Food is hardy and portion sizes are great. Plus add in a good selection of German food and beer brewed next door and you'd think you'd be in heaven but both times I've been there now it always feels like service is lacking. No suggestions, and dispute both times being rather slow, (this past time I was one of two guests) check backs were few and far between. I actually ended up going else where for dinner despite having soup and apps. read more

We were visiting from out of town with friends and we looked forward to coming to Penn Brewery for dinner on a Saturday night. The food menu looked great, decent yelp reviews, what could go wrong? We took a $10 Lyft only to find out that they were not taking names for seating but we could stay and wait for a table to open up. Let me explain why that's an awful idea: - People enjoying their evening at a table are constantly being stared at, making them uncomfortable - People waiting for a table are forced to hover over other patrons - There was a crowd of about 15-20 people all waiting for tables, consolidated near the bar the blocking the waitresses path to the kitchen - There's no guarantee you'll get a table or how quickly - No organization to the chaos I understand the thought process, it's a lot on a hostess on a busy night to manage a crowd like that. But with the alternative making all patrons feel uncomfortable, that's a quick way to lose business. read more

I came here for the Oktoberfest festivities, so I'm not sure if my experience is representative of what can usually be expected at Penn Brewery. Regardless, I had a great time. There was traditional German music, beer (being served in cups and half gallon containers), and food. There was a very wide age range, but everyone was respectful of each other (even with all of the alcohol that was being consumed). My favorite part of Penn Brewery was the outdoor rooftop patio overlooking the downtown skyline. The ambiance on the reminded me of some of the rooftop bars in New York City. read more

YUM! I've been to Penn Brewery a couple times and have to say, I really, really enjoy eating at this place and I am so glad it's part of Pittsburgh! Well done German food + authentic German beers: what's not to like? The first time I stopped in was for lunch and I fell in love immediately. The place wasn't hopping but that was fine by me - my dining companion and I had plenty of room to stretch out in their tavern/hall-like dining area as we peered into the brewery and tried remembering which flags on the walls and in the rafters represented which countries. For our meal, we ordered their ginger beer - an excellent brew! - and a specialty veal sandwich (which I wish they'd add to the menu full-time!), amazing pierogies and an absolutely delicious green salad. Seriously, you know you're doing something right when I get super happy about a salad - what's not to like about being able to eat well without giving up taste? This one had smoked pork belly, dried cranberries, mozzarella, and almonds dressed with garlic oil vinegar. Talk about yummy! My second visit was during dinner hours with a group of friends, and I honestly think I'll be sticking to lunch only visits. The place was much more packed in the evening and once you added in loud music, it was impossible to talk to anyone at my table aside from the person right next to me. Not cool - if I'm out with friends, I want to be able to talk to them. Still, the food was as awesome as ever - we split the fried pickles (quite unusual in this city, I think, but not bad) and I continued my streak of ordering "healthier" options here by getting the portobello stack. Given it's price I wouldn't have minded a bit more food on my plate - but it was still VERY good. Well cooked (but not overdone) mushrooms plus tomatoes plus creamy goat cheese and dressing - what a simple but delectable combination. Seeing as I'd eaten beer and pizza at work that day, a dinner of just vegetables sounded perfect, and it's good to know that Penn Brewery's menu isn't entirely comprised of heavy German food, a common sin of restaurants that offer it. I definitely plan on stopping in to sample more of their sandwiches, appetizers and burgers the next time I want to go out for lunch - just thinking about trying their Deutschtaun Burger and their flatbreads makes my mouth water! read more

See all

We rented out the lower level of Penn Brewery for a private birthday celebration on Saturday night. Everyone (so I'm told) had a good time. We had about 30 guests. We had a hot food buffet and a cash bar. At first, we were concerned that we were only assigned 2 staff members to take care of us. That concern was quickly abolished. "Bill and Diedre" were wonderful. They were definitely professionals & handled us with ease. We had about 10 children that were not familiar with the German cuisine we selected. Not a problem. We were opted with children's menus, which the kitchen staff quickly accommodated. The buffet was quite tasty, many options, everyone enjoyed it. The room was spacious & clean (good proximity to the restrooms) ! Loved the big screen TV and the subtle background music. My ONLY complaint is that we were not permitted to take home any buffet food - which we paid for. There was no shortage of food, for sure. We were told it wasn't a restaurant policy, but a Health Department policy. That didn't make any sense to me since it was our food we "purchased". Oh well. Anyway, we would definitely use this venue again in the future. And looking forward to Oktoberfest this Fall ! read more

Yummy Sunday evening choice!! My friend and I were looking for somewhere to go..and we were getting hangry! We came in, we're seated promptly, and ordered. They didn't have the pumpkin roll ale I wanted but the server assured me I'd like the nut roll which I did. Out pretzel app was great.. 4 soft pretzel sticks w 3 dipping choices. Lots of salt but just tapped some of it off. Then I had the Rachel which is a lighter version of a Rueben... it was done perfectly on breadworks marble. I had the warm German potato salad.. yummy with a spicy bacon sauce. We also got a side of spaetzle which was perfect. We will definitely come back here. read more

Penn Brewery - Delicious "Rachel" - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

this is a great sammie and beer spot located on the Northside of this beautiful city! what a view you see look across the street This evening we really were starvin marvins we were craving big Sammies we were seated a two person high top big windows look in upon the brewery they also have big picnic table style seating for large groups or folks who like to be friendly big tvs a bar and its a great spot we started off with pretzels they came with three dips mustard, cheese and cheese blend that was like a cold butter consistency but really yummy I asked for a reuben with no corned beef...yup thats my veggie sammie this place place did a good job with the marbled rye from breadworks (another fine Pittsburgh place to go get BREAD of all sorts) fries were ok spatzle side was ok a bit greasy but very tasty nice selection of beers I tasted nut roll ale is was nice I wanted to try their strudel but was so full maybe next time our waitress was right on and very friendly 50 bucks was reasonable I will return read more

Penn Brewery - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

This review is purely based on a trip to the brewery and the beer. No food was had. We sat outside and wanted to order a flight but were told we would have to go inside for that. Okay...then I'll just have beer XYZ please. Sorry, we don't serve that beer outside. Alrighty then, I guess our plan to sit outside on a nice day isn't happening. So we end up inside sitting at a long table and ordered the flight. It was brought out with no explanation. Most places explain the beers or at least tell you which are which. We had to flag down the waitress to ask her and she stumbled through a little unsure of herself. I think she was wrong on a few of them. Regardless all but the seasonal beer on the flight was flavorless and tasted watered down. The 3 of us in the party all agreed that this was the most disappointing stop on our brewery tour that day. There are much, much better choices around Pittsburgh for my tastes. That coupled with lackluster service and silly rules for sitting outside pretty much assures that I won't be returning to try the food. 2 stars because the brewery itself looks nice and they do have a nice outdoor area. Apparently we just couldn't use it. read more

Penn Brewery - German Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I cannot express my love for this place in words. The atmosphere is awesome. Being seated outside or inside is always a treat. The place holds history and looks so eclectic. The food is even better. Everything is German themed and they have things on their menu you'd never find elsewhere. Their burgers are out of this world! As is anything else i've tried there. This place is a Pittsburgh staple and definitely a must try for those visiting the city. I'll miss it when I move! Thank you Penn Brewery! read more

I haven't been to Penn Brewery in so long. But I like that I can get the beer just about anywhere. The brewery itself is laid out and decorated with flair and I especially like the outside patio seating within an urban setting. Food on the menu is good as well. I know you're on the edge of your seats wondering what my favorite pour is and I'll tell ya: Chocolate Meltdown!! read more

This is, easily, one of the best brewpubs in the country. You can probably find better beer elsewhere, and you can certainly find more selection and more interesting beers elsewhere (even in Pittsburgh), but the collection of good food, great beer, great atmosphere and a really venerable history. Sit out on the patio, drink a pilsner and eat some sausage. I don't know that there's a better way to spend an evening in Pittsburgh. read more

I ate here for dinner this past Thursday night with a dining companion. The decor of the restaurant makes it look like a beer hall from Germany with long benches and tables. You are also able to see a fermentation tank which is nice since you are at a brewery. For dinner my dining companion and I started off by sharing the Buffalo Chicken Pierogi appetizer. I was excited about them and they did not disappoint with every part being very good, especially the chicken filling. For my entree I ordered a beef roll that came with braised red cabbage and German potato salad. The potato salad ended up being the best part of the meal for me with the beef roll being average and the red cabbage disappointing. The reason for this being that it had a very strong tasting spice that I could not completely identify (caraway maybe?) which I have never had in red cabbage before. So in the end the pierogi appetizer stole the show for myself. The bottom line for me is that I would probably head back here again. There were plenty of items on the menu that I would like to try and the appetizer was good enough that they still intrigue me. read more

Stop 2 on our Pittsburgh Bike Tour: We had a great bike ride from the strip up to Penn Brewery on the north side. The view from the venue is GREAT! I got awesome pictures of the old Hienz factory and steam stacks from the stoop. The outside of the brew house also set my expectations high; the historic site is complimented by a cute patio/bar area with twinkle lights and cafe-style umbrella tables. Unfortunately, our inside experience was less then impressive. Despite the small crowd, the bartender was inattentive and distracted. We had to request water three times and place our flight order twice. Out of our six pours, my favorites were Tangerine Swirl, Cheater Juice and the Penn Weizen. read more

See all

I am a very big fan of the atmosphere, the history that this place has, and the beer, however I am not a big fan of the food. Everything came out very greasy, my fiance ordered the steak salad medium well done but this most recent time, it came out chewy and well under cooked, it was sent back and remade....came out just as chewy. Other than that, the food is usually very good especially their German entrees and sandwiches. Side Note: If you have every been here before and seen the 3 person bar....yeah that is not a nice horseshoe bar with ample seating. read more