Carmella’s Plates & Pints

Food and atmosphere are excellent here. They use fresh, local ingredients too which I thought was awesome. Sat at the fire place table which was nice and cozy for the gf and myself on a cold winter night. Will definitely come back.

A friend and I went here for dinner tonight.
I really loved the atmosphere. Dark and cozy. I was not impressed with the menu however. It did not feature a large selection and the choices they did have were not anything «normal». Most dishes had something I did not like… cumin, cilantro, hot peppers, roasted tomatoes walnuts.
I had the wild mushroom chicken, which was very good. It said it was served with asparagus…1 single asparagus!
The dish was scattered with some form of garnish (a rough textured clover leaf). It was similar to bark mulch in texture. My dining companion loved his pasta dish.
In my opinion the selection was small and the dishes were overpriced. I most likely won’t be back… Just my taste.

Excellent food, well prepared and nicely plated.
My Duck Confit Tacos were absolutely delicious and the Bison Burger was very good.
The portions are not huge at this price point but they are enough to leave full and the quality of the food more than makes up for it.
The atmosphere was described by Munch as a «pre-​prohibition hunting lodge». I cannot confirm
whether or not that is true (I’m not 90 years old.) However, it does have a homey lodge feel and everything has a nice classic feel.
Excellent draft list and very good classic cocktails.

why no five stars? because there are too many bros in this place.
i want a chill cool and comfy place to SLOWLY drink a whiskey.
a good whiskey. a great whiskey.
they have great japan made whiskey and it is delicious.
if it wasn’t overrun with people who didnt really appreciate what they are drinking? this place would be my new bar of bars.
well done.

I had no idea that this place even existed. I am normally very anti-​South Side because I do not like the feel of the normal South Side place. This place does not have the South Side feel at all. My sister and brother-​in-​law found this on a Friday night because they were looking to avoid the crowded college feel and they loved it. We went back for Saturday Brunch. We were not disappointed. We got a carafe of Bloody Marys and were very impressed. They do a black pepper and garlic infused vodka which worked very well. You also get a mini appetizer (shrimp, olive, pickle and cheese) as the garnish. The carafe produces 4 Bloody Marys and is a great deal. The menu is small, but there is something for everyone. We had one Vegan in the group and they made her a delicious Vegan plate (not on the menu.) We all shared most of the food and we had: the bison burger, the omelet of the day, sausage biscuits and gravy the pork hash and the breakfast/​brunch board. Everyone loved their food. The bison burger had great flavor and was very juicy. The omelet was cooked perfectly and you could just tell that the eggs were very fresh. The sausage biscuits were very light; not the heavy gravy that you get at a lot of places. You could also really taste the sage. The hash was flavorful and the sunny side eggs were cooked perfectly. The breakfast/​brunch board had a great variety. We were impressed with the sausages and the waffles. We sat in the back for brunch. The décor is very unique and there is a lot to see. The re-​use their liquor bottles as vases and candle holders. We then moved to the bar after brunch for cocktails. The bar is very unique, They use ½ barrels as the backs to the tap system. They have a very diverse collection of tequila, bourbon, scotch and whisk (e)y. My husband has the Moscow Mule and he said it was great. I also had their Old Fashion and it was perfect. This is defiantly a place that we will be back to and will recommend. There were six of us and no one had a bad time or was unhappy with anything. There is a parking lot right next door as well.

Can’t stop praising this place. It is nothing like a typical Southside restaurant. I highly recommend anybody thinking of trying a new place to eat or grab a nice cocktail. It truly should be closer to the Cultural District downtown because I would come here before every show, and for every business meeting. The attention to detail is unparalleled.

This was the 2^nd time we went here and were not disappointed. We came for a Saturday brunch (served till 3) I had the bison burger special which was flavorful and presented beautifully on a slate. My partner had the shrimp po boy which was delicious although different than any we’ve ever had since it was blackened and not with the traditional mayo sauce. Beer selection was excellent — at least 20 taps of great craft beer (I had a free will coffee oatmeal).
The place is very well appointed with careful attention to every detail. The cloth napkins are large and tied with a burlap tie. Cooper top tables in the bar are beautiful and the bar area has a great selection of scotch, whiskey and bourbons.
Will definitely be back again to try dinner.

This bar is such a diamond in the rough!!! A shining example of exactly how you slowly develop into an establishment everyone needs to frequent. Their beer selection is wide and varied, their spirits are top notch and their menu is absolutely mouth watering. Our server Jaime was incredible, her service and recommendations were perfect. I hope that others will come to experience this place and their greatness, and not just the drunken degenerates that roam east Carson like zombies

Cozy spot with a great draft lineup. Disappointed with the Bison burger. It was served on a piece of slate… why? Burger was really tasty, but I have no idea why you would not at least offer lettuce and tomato. It needed some cool crunch to cut through the rich meat and savory cheese. Would have made this burger so much better. Burger was served with exactly three duck fat fried potato wedges. These were rich enough that I didn’t really need more, but it seemed skimpy for a $ 14 entrée. Rustic bread with pesto and goat cheese appetizer was obviously so stale that even baking it couldn’t save it from crumbling. That was a real fail. Ok in a pinch, but probably wouldn’t go back for the food. Beer, yes.

I have a lot of friends who like this place, and I have no idea why.
First of all, the food isn’t very good. I came last week after hearing they had a new chef, and the steak was tiny for $ 20-​something, plus absolutely doused in salt. The cauliflower and quinoa is also a mess, just not tasty at all. My date got a bolognese that wasn’t great either, though he thought it was ok.
Second of all, the bartender talked primarily to my date, and I found that to be pretty rude. I wear an engagement ring and I think it was pretty clear we were together — why she found it necessary to ask him if he had been there before, if he liked the food, and if he needed more to drink but not me any of those questions is beyond me. It’s like sales 101, no matter what you’re dealing: talk to the woman or you’re toast!
Third, it’s loud and crowded on Fridays and Saturdays — expensive enough for a date place but no ambiance for a date on those nights.
***I downgraded this to one star from two stars after someone who I assume is affiliated in some way with the restaurant sent me a nasty Unilocal message for my review that I just noticed. If it happens again I will get my friends who strongly dislike it here to write their own one-​star reviews also.

The bar is stunning, with big barrels brimming with taps, so many good things ready to be poured. I wouldn’t ordinarily come to this area of town, but on a quiet Sunday late afternoon, it was the perfect place to be.
We were only to stay for one drink, but somehow we stayed for 2, and my sister bought a 6-​pack of special brews for her friend to take home.
She was enjoying the various seasonal pumpkin brews and ciders, while my focus was on bourbon. Luckily the helpful, patient and kick-​ass bartender Paige told me she makes a good old-​fashioned, and boy, did she!
Don Draper would have sucked that puppy right down, lulled by the singer songwriter named Mike DeLuca, doing a slew of bar favorites, while many in the crowd sang along. He even let someone sing with him, which was beyond gracious and totally unnecessary.
It was a good crowd, a mix of Steeler fans and Sunday revelers, soaking in the gorgeous ambiance of this not-​too-​swanky spot.

Came in at 4 on a Sunday. Place was pretty empty. Waited 7 minutes, the bartender didn’t say hi, I’ll be with you, make eye contact, NOTHING! We got up and left. What a waste of time!!! Forget this place.

Let’s be honest, any bar that has rotating wines on tap (yes, ON TAP) is an okay bar with me.
Came in on a Monday evening, unfortunately they weren’t serving food, which was half the reason we ended up at Carmella’s. The good news is that the bar completely made up for it. They have their own infused vodka, and the bartender was more than willing to make up a drink around what kind of vodka I wanted. I hear their thing is the moscow mule, but never got a chance to try it.
The ambiance is pretty cool, very laid back and relaxing. Definitely a place to go in Southside if you don’t want to end up at Mario’s.

I was riding my bike around south side and decided to stop into Carmella’s. The first thing you notice when walking in is the attention that was paid to the interior. Wood is everywhere and you kind of feel like you’re in a camping lodge. It’s really quite cozy.
The place was empty and I was alone and in a hurry so I sat at the bar, hoping to get the steak tartare I saw on their menu. It turned out to be brunch so I was a little bummed that I wasn’t going to get the tartare but brunch on a Saturday is hard to come by so I was also excited. I ordered the baked eggs. It took some time for my order to come and I feared that the eggs were sitting. I was right. They were rock hard and the tomato sauce was pretty pretty generic. There was a little spinach and beet salad on the side that was a little bit on a saving grace but not enough. I usually don’t sent things back and was pretty tight on time. However, I should have said something in this case. I ascribe my disappointing meal to a slow shift and a lazy waitress. That’s not to say she was a bad waitress. I was once there and the slowest shifts are the hardest to care about good service sometimes. I didn’t like the eggs but the salad gave me the confidence to say that I would give Carmella’s another shot. Side note, the music sucked. It didn’t go with the ambiance of the restaurant at all and should definitely be changed in my opinion.

This is such an awesome addition to the Southside!
Ambiance is great — cool and relaxing. Service is just what I like, educated about the menu, around when you need them and not too overbearing.
Drinks are creative and delicious. I love their Moscow Mule.
Dinner is awesome! I’ve been to both Meat & Potatoes and Butcher & Rye, which have a similar vibe, and this is just as good if not better. The meat and cheese platter is stacked with great options and I seriously still dream about the scallop and risotto dish.
Only reason I docked them a star was I tried brunch recently. Their brunch menu is new, but could use some work. I got baked eggs and they were BAKED and not in a good way, just way overcooked. Friend got the Biscuits and Gravy which was huge, but nothing amazing. I just think their are better brunch spots in Pittsburgh. Mimosa and Bloody Mary’s were good though!
Overall, skip brunch until they get the menu worked out. Definitely go for dinner and drinks.
Still dreaming of the scallops…

Great drink selection. Decent food selection. Rustic ambiance with really busy wallpaper and animal heads sticking out from every wall.
Hung out here for about two and a half hours over a drink and dinner. Crab cakes portion size looks disappointing for $ 19, but were surprisingly filling and very good. Drink of choice for the night was an Old Fashioned– can’t truly comment on how it was because I’m definitely not an avid whiskey drinker and had no idea if it was good or not. It tasted like I was taking a shot with every sip? Don’t know if that helps.
The backroom was totally dead by 10 on a Friday, but the front was full of people. Would come back again for drinks (probably would skip the food) with a DD so I could fully enjoy their drink selection.

My husband and I stopped in for brunch on a Sunday. It is SO different from the old Inn Termission Lounge that use to be at this location! Beautiful job with the renovations! The décor and atmosphere is a huge improvement. The bathroom especially was a nice treat, just gorgeous. My husband got a chilli mash that he very much enjoyed, while I got the BLT with vinegar fries. The bacon was a bit on the greasy side, but overall our food was just what we needed. I’ve only given Carmella’s three stars for 2 reasons. 1. It’s hard to judge a place before experiencing dinner service. In my mind the dinner experience can make or break an establishment. And 2. Even though I think the décor is a vast improvement, the mounted animal heads, the old-​timey aprons worn by the waitsstaff, the toadstool of ketchup (see pic), all come off a bit try-​hard.
But I will be back for dinner, definitely interested in trying this place out again and hopefully giving it more stars.

Very impressed with this spot along E.Carson. It is far and away a better vibe throughout in comparison with the majority of other spots nearby. I was in on a Saturday around noon and had a great BLT from their concise but varied brunch menu. Their selection of beers on tap is strong, and they apparently are specifically known for their fresh fruit infusion in their round house of cocktails.
The service was on point, and I would definitely return for some leisurely afternoon cocktails or dig into and try some of the lunch offerings.

Carmella’s deserves a 5 star in every category: Food, Drinks, Ambience & Service! I went to dinner there last night with 5 friends. We each ordered a different drink, appetizer and meal. Not a single complaint!
Here are the deets:
Drinks: Carmella’s offers liquor infusions! They change every few months, depending on what Carm & her staff invent. Last night, we tried the pineapple vodka and cherry vodka. Both over ice and very flavorful. We also ordered the Moscow mule and an Old Fashioned. The Moscow mule was delicious, components were well balanced and appropriately served in a copper mug. The Old Fashioned had a solid kick but strong orange pull that gave it a nice finish. We also ordered a bottle of their Terredora Dipaolo Anglinico 2012 red wine. Bold vanilla and cherry flavors. It pairs well with any and all meat dishes.
Food: Appetizers– Steak Tar Tar, Hummus, Duck confit tacos
Entrees– Gnocchi, Arugula & Beet salad, Pork Chop with Grits, Shrimp Linguine, NY Strip with flavor fries (large cut wedges)
The portion sizes were generous for all the dishes.
Steak Tar Tar– excellent taste and presentation! served with fries which was a nice change
Hummus served with carrots and celery by request. Heavy paprika but delicious!
Duck confit tacos– fantastic! Add the lime juice! All together, the lime and kimchi created a unique flavor.
The Gnocchi with meat sauce was non standard in presentation however, it remained true to the traditional dish and the beef flavor held very well in the sauce.
Arugula Salad with Beets was crisp and fresh, I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Pork Chop portion was large and grits had a strong butter cream base. Great pair!
NY Strip– also great portion size and prepared well. Simple presentation with the flavor fries.
Shrimp linguine– I’m always a fan when shrimp dishes include ample amounts of large shrimp and this dish did not disappoint!
Dessert– we opted for chocolate stout and coffee with Baileys and Jameson!
Ambience– stained glass windows, antique pieces throughout the restaurant and a fireplace with seating for 8 in the middle of the room. Dark lighting & high ceilings with exposed brick.
Service: Waitress was knowledgable & attentive. Made great suggestions and helped our guests with food allergies order the right dishes.
Make reservations for a Saturday night and go often! SS was in desperate need of a place like this!

I am so happy that an establishment like this exists in Pittsburgh! The ambiance is very cozy but sophisticated and feels like a place you can have a nice conversation or enjoy a fun — but not raucous — time with a group of friends. Definitely a very welcome departure from the usual Carson Street experience.
Their bar program is pretty awesome. They have a bunch of whiskeys and wines on tap, which is something I’ve so far seen mostly in bigger cities, and a very decent selection of craft beers as well. The cocktails are *excellent* — strong, balanced, not too sweet. I enjoyed a tasty manhattan and boulevardier and would not hesitate to try any of their other cocktails on a future visit.
I was perhaps most excited for the new chef’s food, having eaten and LOVED the food at Uchi in Austin. We tried the deviled eggs, the lamb meatball, the sausage on a stick, and the deconstructed carrot cake. All were tasty, but the deviled eggs and the sausage were absolutely stand-​out dishes. The sausage came on what looked like a real tree branch glazed so that it could support the food. I probably could have done without the carrot cake, maybe the deconstruction was a little too much for my tastes.
We sat at the bar initially and the service was excellent there. When asked for recommendations, the bartender was very honest about which dishes were his favorite. Based on the broad sampling we ended up having, he was spot on. After our group grew and we moved to a table, the service became a little more erratic (though still totally pleasant — just not super organized).
Overall, this is a fantastic place and I only wish it were in Lawrenceville so I could roll down Butler Street to get there!