Primanti Brothers Restaurant & Bar

Oh gross. I got a southwest/​mexi style salad with grilled chicken and it was terrrrrrible! Looked like a bunch of left overs thrown on w plate with some grubby chicken that was microwaved! Oh my godness — Ive had better salads at a local mcdonalds! I guess thier sandwhiches are what people love — but they defintley didn’t impress me with their salad! Why can’t healthy options be as delish or as highlighted as the bad food at resturants? Fries on a sandwhich sound good — maybe when I was hammered in college — but this place didnt do it for me. It was a run down, outdated JACK ASTORs/Applebee’s feel to it. Misc junk and doodads and whatnots on the wall — how junky and trashy! This place needs a makeover and the menu needs some adjustments! Waitresses were slow — and no one seemed overly friendly. Ill be skipping this place forever! Better salads available at Mcdonalds — and cheaper and fresher as well! Less than please & kinda pissed!

I wish I could be more positive. I wish I could leave 2.5 stars — dead in the middle of mediocreville. Two is too little and three is too much.
My husband was fixated on visiting this place. We had driven more than five hours to get to the area and were very, very hungry and tired.
Our overall experience was good. Our waitress was lovely, friendly, helpful and attentive. The overall feeling was one of welcome and ease. The food came within a reasonable time, too. So far so good.
Oh — we had good beer, too. That was a win. :-)
We really aren’t fussy eaters and we were starving, so we ate what we got.
We thought about ordering the signature sandwich, though neither of us were turned on by the idea of a sandwich topped with slaw and fries, so we passed.
We took advantage of the pizza slice special, which got us soggy, floppy, bland slices. I mean wet and limp from the tip to about two inches from the crust. At least they were cheap. Ordered wings, which, while tasty, arrived lukewarm. Where had they been languishing? How is it possible not to deliver wings hot out of the fryer? We split a garden salad which was large and fresh, but really pretty boring: Something my grandma might have made, with lots of iceberg and a little romaine lettuce and all the ingredients piled on top without tossing. Would using a little spring mix kill anyone? A gentle toss be too much to ask for? Yes, it was cheap, but I had a wonderful salad at Panera earlier in the day for a couple bucks more and it was crave-​ably good. Quality always trumps volume. It’s great if one can have both, though. The fries were the worst — overcooked, just warm, leathery, dry, and tasteless. I think they had been waiting under a hot lamp for a long time. Again, would it be too much to ask for fresh-​from-​the-​fryer fries?
Everything came served on paper plates or other containers, except the salad, which was in what appeared to be a melamine bowl. Weirdly this is the same as at our hotel. Would it cut into profit too much to have a dishwasher and reduce the environmental impact of paper production? Just musing.
Overall it was not bug-​in-​your-​meal bad: not stone-​cold, or unattractive, just below expectations in taste and execution.
I’m not a Gordon Ramsay style meanie, and didn’t want to lay it on the waitress: It’s not her fault but something is seriously under-​inspired in the kitchen.
There must be a reason why this place is so famed. We really couldn’t understand why.

My first venture to a Primanti’s outside Pittsburgh was at the Cranberry location on a Saturday around 1pm.
It was crowded but my Uncle and I got a table immediately.
The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive.
I had the hot sausage and cheese sandwich, my uncle had the keilbasa and cheese. Both were delicious.
Great food, great service, and lots of space in the restaurant. Wasn’t use to that being in the smaller locations.
Anytime I visit my Aunt and Uncle, I will make sure to return to the Cranberry location.

When in Rome…
While passing through I Unilocaled this local restaurant. I like eating the local food when I travel. On the recommendation of other reviews here I thought I would tray Primanti Bros. I ordered the bologna and cheese sandwich. The way these sandwiches come is with a generous helping of slaw and French fries right on the sandwich. The sandwich was mostly good but the slaw and fries tend to overpower the flavor of the meat. But I hesitate to be critical as this is tradition.

If you’re from PA (which most visiting this location are) it’s obvious what to expect food wise here. This location is no different than the others in this sprawling chain. And, while Primanti Brothers continues to grow and become more than a local chain the quality hasn’t been compromised. Instead, the same sandwiches that made this place famous on the food network continue to pace growth.
What I like about this location is it stays open late even when most of the other area restaurants have been closed for hours. And, while most of the people here after 10pm are drinking in the bar the kitchen remains open late for those looking for a bite, like me.
I still haven’t embraced their pizzas but continue to chow down on the sandwiches (sorry, I’m never trying the sardine and cheese though!). There’s an endless amount of meats available and definitely something for everyone although I’m partial to the turkey, corned beef, pastrami, sweet sausage and the cheese. If you’re going to get the fries as a side sometimes it’s a good idea to ask for them to be cooked well done. Most of the time, otherwise, they tend to be too mushy to eat.

Went there last night. Haven’t been there in a while. The food was amazing and portions were huge. Didn’t realize how big the party frys were until they brought them out on a pizza tray. Service was friendly and very helpful. I would recommend to others.

I was staying at a local hotel, and ordered food to go over the phone. The order was correct and very tasty. The only reason I am giving four stars is because the employee taking my order could’ve been a little more friendly. Other than that, it was great.

Unique to Pittsburgh. Always a stop for us on way back to Buffalo. Sandwiches are there specialty. Causal and comfortable. Mid priced. Well worth it.

Waiter was nice. We are from Ohio and a friend recommended this place to my boyfriend and I. I will admit it was nice have a gentleman good change. He was very knowledgable of the menu and had great recommendations. The service was good. Waited a bit to be sat but not a big deal since my boyfriend and I need the facilities after the long drive. Good prices for what you get. I didn’t enjoy the coleslaw much but again I don’t care for any coleslaw. Would stop again for a quick bite.

I’ll start by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with this restaurant. Nice people, fast service, nice atmosphere.
This is my second visit to this restaurant. The first visit I got one of their famous ‘coleslaw’ sandwiches. I call it that because the coleslaw overwhelms anything else between the two pieces of bread. Do yourself a favor, and scrape it off before trying to eat the sandwich so you can actually taste the meat. This time I got a grilled chicken sandwich. Although the chicken was nice and moist, where they overwhelm the first sandwich with coleslaw, this one there was barely any lettuce.
And I just don’t understand their French fries. Half cooked, soggy, with a strange spice.
They always seem busy, and the locals recommend the place, but it’s just not for me.

Fantastic food and top-​notch service, much like all of the suburban Primanti Bros. establishments. My favorite is the corned beef and cheese, the wife loves the honey-​buffalo wings, and the lil’ one loves the kid’s cheeseburger!
We were seated immediately upon entry. The waitress today was super friendly and the food runner was incredibly quick for the holiday lunch rush.

Had to stop here while in Pittsburgh. Had the corned beef sandwich and the Pitts burger with an extra egg. Prices were very affordable, beers were a little high relative to the food but not bad.
Burger only comes well done. Nothing special. Bread was fresh.
Overall it was good, overhyped in my opinion but I would go back.

What a nice lunch experience! I have been to this location before, but not in several years. Initially when I sat down and asked our waiter, «Why is the tuna sandwich not on the menu» and he said, «Oh they actually discontinued that», I thought my Primanti’s experience was forever ruined. Glad I was wrong. Since I am a vegetarian that only eats fish occassionally, I was forced to order the Giant Fish Sandwich. Happy accident indeed. It was perfect! In the true Primanti’s style it was an extremely generous portion with their authentic italian bread and the best and tangiest coleslaw ever. The fries were cooked just as I remembered them, slightly crisp on the outside but soft on the inside.
We were able to sit outside on their patio which had plenty of seating and was comfortable, even though all the tables are pub height. Also, no longer is Primanti’s from my youth just sandwiches; they have a full menu… pizza, wings, apps, etc. It also lists that during the week they have great happy hour specials on both food and drink.
The best part of the experience was our waiter. I thought his name was Paul but on the receipt it said Brandon. He was just a real gentleman and so polite and friendly. Kudos to him. He also said they are expanding south and a new location will be opening in Maryland. Hopefully they keep coming and end up in NC too!
A sandwich, salad, slice of pizza and two wines and of course a generous tip and the bill was still under $ 30 for two. Excellent.

According to my son, who suggested we go here, this is the way to eat a sandwich in the Pittsburgh area. The sandwiches are a scant amount of meat and cheese with a fist full of French fries between two very thick slices of white bread. My husband and son each ordered one, I had the 9 inch pizza. We were not impressed. The fries were lifeless and the meat was minimal. My pizza was literally tasteless. I ate the toppings and left the crust.
Perhaps if we had better service (we had to wave her down to get refills) and the filthy tables surrounding us had been bussed our experience may have been better.

Most everything was fine, except the bread was not fresh, which was disappointing. Aside from taking our order, delivering the food and the the bill, our server was nowhere to be found. He was friendly but not available when we needed him.
Try the lamb gyro with slaw.

This place was recommended by a co worker who used to live here knowing that I would be in the area. From what I understand this small local chain is a Pittsburgh area institution. For lunch I had the black angus steak sandwich last week which the waitress recommended. It was the most expensive of their famous sandwiches but still under $ 10 from what I remember. Value wise it’s a very good deal.
First of all there is no denying it that the sandwiches are large. They really are big enough to share especially if both diners are not big eaters. The sandwiches consist of a lot of food between the buns and the buns are quite large. If you are trying to avoid bread, don’t come here!
I thought the sandwich was good and filling. It was the kind of sandwich that I enjoyed but would not eat frequently. For one reason it must have a ton of calories but also I just thought it was a little too much. The taste was good but only a 3. The fries were good and I rated them at a (3.5).
For Unilocal purposes I give the overall experience as a 3. I am glad I had the sandwich and would order it again however since I don’t live here and would only return maybe once a year for business next time I would try another restaurant.

A local favorite, they never disappoint for good food at reasonable prices.
My only recommendation is that they need long tables to better accommodate large groups. The tiny tables pushed together leaves no room to eat, move or do anything.
Miss the balloon folks during family night.

I read all over google that Primanti brothers sandwiches is a Pittsburgh must. I was impressed with the amount of food/​price, however I did not really like the taste of the sandwich.
The coleslaw was too vinegary… It overpowered the other ingredients. I like the concept of stuffing a sandwich with many random ingredients as possible… But the sandwich was missing some kind of sauce to gel the ingredients together — the sandwich was very dry. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing? But I was not impressed.

We went here for lunch today with a couple of coworkers. Primantis is a decent place for groups and they have a really great and unique sandwich selection! I typically get the capicola, and for those not familiar with the Primantis all sandwiches come with cole slaw and fries on them. Sandwiches are very filling and not too bad for the price. They also have really good pizza by the slice if you want something extra.
Primantis is a decent entertaining place for a casual meal. They have a decent bar as well and typically have specials for Pirate/​Steeler/​Penguin games. Definitely a great place to go if you are visiting Pittsburgh.

I really wanted to love Primanti’s bc when you’re an out of towner or a transplant, it seems the first food thing you think of when you hear of Pittsburgh is the Primanti sandwich, and I do love their sandwich, but it’s not something I would crave all the time.
My fave sandwich here is the capicola and cheese with egg. Sometimes, I get the coleslaw on the side bc then it can be too much. I think certain sandwiches are better than others on their menu, but the capicola will never fail you. Add a little of that red devil hot sauce and you will not put that sandwich down.
I also like that they have a fish sandwich. My father in law said it was good. It looked like a huge portion too. I have yet to try it. Their onion rings are also good and they have a good deal for happy hour.
Couple disappinting things: the women’s bathroom is not always tidy; we had to wait a few times here even when it isn’t packed or when it is earlier in the day. I just don’t know where the servers go; for a sports bar, I was expecting the wings to be good, but it is not. I don’t even recommend getting it here. Stick to the sandwich and you’ll have a good eating experience.