Believe it or not, I had never been to this bar before, of course I haven't lived in the actual city of Pittsburgh in almost 30 years. Plus, I haven't been to an actual event at the arena since it first opened & this bar is located on 5th Ave right behind PPG Paints Arena. A bunch of us gathered here before & after a concert at the arena & what a great place. Old school Pittsburgh bar, with friendly staff & when crowded the patrons spill out onto the street. The bartender even offered me a free beer since she told me I was waiting too long (I actually wasn't) & the owner, Jim, gave us bar logo tee shirts when we came back after the show. A couple days ago a friend of mine from Chicago told me that this bar is in his top five bars in the USA and that he used to always visit here whenever he came to Pittsburgh! It's a popular gathering spot before & after hockey games & concerts. read more

Shale's Cafe - Scored a free tee shirt! - Pubs Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Great dive bar. Great ambience and relaxed clientele. Good bar and bar food. Enjoy going here before an event at PPG Arena (great location just a couple blocks away). read more

Great bar bar to stop pre or post game for any event at PPG arena ; Duquesne U; or if you're just passing by. Marie provides great service and the owner Jim is very friendly and always welcoming. Nice small business worthy of patronizing . read more

I was in Pittsburgh for the Kings/Pens game. I went to Shales both before and after the game. It was packed with Penguins fans. Everyone was super nice even though my pal and I were in Kings jerseys. You can get a $4 Molson and drink it outside the bar. As we stood outside greeting other Kings fans we talked to the owner. Apparently, they are only open when there is an event at the PPG Arena. I am really glad we stopped in. read more

He Said: When half the reviews praise this spot and use terms like "dive" and the other half give one star reviews complaining about the staff and the look of the bar we can be pretty sure we'll love it. We loved it. We were in town for the Billy Strings shows and managed 3 visits in our short time here. Each time, from night one and the end of the Pens/Caps game to pre-gaming before Saturday's show, we had a great time. Also, Brutus is the best dog ever. She Said: Brutus IS the best dog ever and Vasili is a treasure. We'll be back in Pittsburgh in the spring, and we'll absolutely be making time for Shale's. Potty Points: 3/5 - Never a wait, and the rest is just part of the charm! read more

Great hockey bar located directly across the street from PPG Paints Arena. A friend and I were in town from LA for a Kings vs Penguins game and we met a bunch of our local Penguins friends here to pregame. Even though we were wearing Kings gear, everybody in the bar was friendly. There is a ton of hockey stuff everywhere including jerseys, banners, equipment, and a beautiful mural on the side of the building celebrating everything Penguins. As game time became closer, more and more patrons kept arriving, most wearing Penguins jerseys so it's a great place to hang with your fellow Penguins fans. We started out downstairs and as more of our larger group started trickling in, we all moved upstairs which has a separate bar, music, and a TV. Great friendly service from all staff. read more

See all

I've been going to Shales for over 25 years. Shales is the quintessential dive bar by the arena. Overall it's a great bar, with friendly bartenders and street meat when the occasion presents itself. This is the best dive bar by the arena. Stop in! Great prices. read more

Great place to watch the game. Good service, friendly staff. Very busy around sports season.

What a total joke. A bar like this is just some moron who bought himself a low paying job. Truly a bar owner like this is mostly an unemployable person, who now thinks of themselves as something "great" lol what a joke. Dark, dirty, mostly emplty. I had one beer, Luke warm draft with no foam head. read more

Came here before an Iron Maiden concert. The bartender made GREAT drinks!!! It was a cozy homey atmosphere and a fun friendly crowd. I would definitely go back!!! read more

I love hitting up Shale's before and after any event at PPG Arena. Beer is cold and the burgers and hotdogs from the grille are soooo yummy! The owner is always super kind and everything there is awesome! read more

I always go there before a Penguins game. Ambiance is perfect, prices are great and most important the beer is COLD!

The best place. Such great service and atmosphere. The drinks are great by April and Marie and the service is even better. Even the owner came out to meet us! Definitely recommend to complete your stay in Pittsburgh. read more

Shale's Cafe - Pubs Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Awesome bar!! Owner Jimmy is amazing. Had a great evening after a Pens game and couldn't have found a better place to enjoy the after party. Highly recommend a visit here!! And make sure to check out the rooftop deck! read more

What a dump. The only food they have is a frozen pizza they toss in the oven. The drinks are so-so and the clientele is sketchy to say the least. If you're going to PPG arena, there are other bars that are of a higher caliber. read more

If your going to a show or a Pens game at PPG arena, I would highly recommend Shales. The drinks are cheap, the service is dive bar appropriate, and the crowd is usually determined to having a good time. On a slow weeknight there can be some sketchiness, but for the most part they keep the riff raff minimal. Oh, and the men's room is down right disgusting. So best to go wee before you get there. read more

Shale's Cafe - Coors and Bushmill... Dive Bar Top Shelf. - Pubs Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Classic Pittsburgh Bar. Reasonably priced and a great time, especially after a Pen's Win!

I've always liked Shales... It gets incredibly busy on game and concert nights but the bartenders always keep up. During non-event days It attracts a nice, down to earth crowd and is a comfortable place to grab a beer after work. George, the bartender, has a friendly disposition about himself and when it's not busy and everyone has been taken care of, he'll pull out his guitar and strum a few chords. The beer selection could be better but there's always one or two craft beers on tap and a few bottles in the fridge. The drinks are served strong and the shots are generous. I give it four stars for atmosphere and service. With a better beer selection it could be a five star. read more

Shale's Cafe - Blue Moon Ginger Spice - Pubs Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

See all

Divey but mostly in a good way hockey and sports bar! Drop in for a cheap beer before or after Penguins games or concerts at PPG. They also have a cool collection of local sports teams jerseys on the wall and a beautiful mural on the outside wal. Definitely look for it, beautiful graffiti! read more

The personal touch here is wonderful. Here for a Queen concert l. Beyond needs and expectations. Thank you Brock.

Quite possibly the best bar in Pittsburgh. Lindsay is awesome, pitchers of beer are cold and cheap and the atmosphere is fantastic. We visited post hockey Frozen Four a few years ago and had a blast. Make sure and compliment the bar staff, they appreciate it. read more

Yelp doesn't seem to be all that popular in Pittsburgh. That could be because folks here know their local haunts and are pretty loyal. As someone who ends up in the city for work, this makes things tricky. So, I'm going to review some spots. Shale's is a dive bar. It also happens to be right across from the Consol Energy Center, making it the perfect place to stop in for beers before/after an event of your tastes skew more towards cheap drafts and a jukebox with GNR, than say TGI McFunsters across the street. They've got a small range of local, domestic and international brews, but there should be something to satisfy everyone in your group (as long as nobody wants wine). They serve drinks in plastic cups (which should clarify what type of place this is) and allow smoking. read more

As far as Dive bars go, I like Shale's. Now I have only been in here a few times since I moved back to the 'Burgh, but I cannot complain about anything (other than the smoke). Even before a Pens game when they were quite busy, it was easy to get a drink with ease. A+++++ for the attentive bartenders too (one of which was a female and broke my experience of most female bartenders seeming to be less nice to me thing so I cannot complain there!). If you are looking for a good place to check out before a game, check out Shale's. read more

I came here before a penguins game because it was right across the street from the arena. It was super crowded outside and inside was even more packed. I stepped inside to grab a drink and the bartender didn't even make eye contact with me for at least 10 minutes. Where we were standing, we were right near the end of the bar. She came over with drinks and just looked at us and expected us to move so she could get through. After she came back she still didn't take our order. She was so rude when she finally came over and had such a bad attitude. Like I get it, you're working in a crowded bar on a Playoff night. But isn't that what you signed up for? The only good thing about this place was that it was decently priced. read more

Visited Shales many times for Pens pre game or concerts and will cotinue to.do.so. George is one of the best bartenders around. Jimmy is co owner and can manage a large crowd very well. The drinks are inexpensive and the atmosphere is fun read more

Shale's is my favorite bar in Pittsburgh. Unlike other places in the city, it is affordable. Lindsey is the bartender on Wednesdays and she is wonderful. The owner often mans the bar and is a great guy, always recognizes our faces, and quick to cheer up any guest. My boyfriend and I check Shale's before going anywhere else, every time. read more

When I walked in and saw Jim Parey I thought I was in Hollywood!!! He's the bees knees!! So handsome and sexy. Oh and the place is nice too!

Shale's cafe is the best. This is where my fiance and I always go before and after Pens games. The atmosphere is great. The bartenders are great. I also met my fiance here so the place is extra special to me! If you're going to a Pens game or event at CONSOL Energy Center go to Shale's. read more

Great downtown dive bar with great prices. The bartender was a class act and we talked for awhile about the history of the city. Prices are ridiculously low. Love it. Will be back here the next time I am in Pittsburgh. read more

Good prices, great people, my favorite place to go to pregame for Pens games when I go, staff is really nice, great little bar, has an upstairs bar as well with some rooms to hang out if you like, pretty cool little place read more

Came from out of town for the Springsteen show. I am glad I walked by Bufords Kitchen and Fridays and found this place. It was packed, Springsteen music blaring, friendly fans and great service. They were grilling burgers and king size dogs out front. Got an excellent cheeseburger, hot dog, condiments a Yuengling and soft drink for $15. Great atmosphere, down to earth place. read more

My sister and I always visit shales when we come in town for a Penguins game. It is an old-timey hockey bar with wonderful people. Lots of great conversation and camaraderie. Brock the bartender is amazing and plays all kinds of eclectic toones and has the customers guess who sings them. It's a lot of fun. Great prices for drinks too. If you're looking for a upscale place, this is not the place for you. read more

Love this place bar tenders are great. Best place to stop before and after a Pens game.

I like this place a lot. Went here after a Pens game with my bf. What a great location across from Consol. Drink prices are very reasonable for the location. read more

Went there after a Pens game. A female bar tender with glasses was so rude towards me, surrounding guests were shocked. She was drunk and/or on something and completely out of line. I'd rather spend my money on a different local dump. read more