Le Mardi Gras

Bartender needs to tighten up his false sense of righteousness. Otherwise, place is a cool hole.

I’m visiting the Shadyside (Eastside) area this week for work and decided to swing by Le Mardi Gras on my first night. As I was walking down Walnut Street, I passed by this place and after an initial glance I didn’t really think to stop in. However, thanks to some quick Unilocal research I decided to give this place a try and I am definitely glad I did so.
Right out of the gate I noticed that this place proudly bears the exuberant charm of an old school Vegas bar — between the jukebox, the cigarette machine, and the velour décor, I was instantly transported back in time. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fully functional retro gold-​plated cash register that looks it like a dropped out a time machine from the 60s. Definitely one of my favorite features adorning this establishment! I should also point out that this bar has a strong allergy to plastic — no credit accepted so be sure to grab some cash on the way over to avoid the $ 2 ATM fee per transaction. Not terrible but worth mentioning for the exceedingly budget conscious folks.
One of the reasons I chose this place was due to its reputation for very strong drinks. I completely concur with other reviewers that the drinks are as strong as I’ve ever had any establishment. Every drink was pretty much a double or even triple compared to any other typical bar. As you may have imagined, people don’t come here for the food. In fact, the only food they serve are small bags of chips and pretzels kept behind the bar. I had to leave after an hour or so to go get dinner, though I definitely came back for more nonsense after eating!
The jukebox has a wide selection of music from the 60s all the way up into the 90s — plenty of options to suit anyone’s taste really. Also, as another reviewer noted, this place seems to be popular with hipsters and men in their 60s. In any event, everybody was in good spirits and seemed to be pretty outgoing and open-​minded. Most people I spoke with seemed genuinely happy to converse, and either already knew or wanted to get to know one another. I had some interesting conversations about Pittsburgh and its history with some locally bred patrons. The bartender was absolutely phenomenal — very sociable and was obviously a big hit with all of the regulars.
I’m staying in Shadyside the rest of the week, and am planning to check out some of the other local spots. That said, it seems Le Mardi Gras is a bit of an insider’s secret — a sleeper, perhaps — where only those in the know appreciate it for what it is. I definitely recommend you stop by next time you’re in the area, at least for a drink or two. As long as you don’t mind the smoking, a couple drinks will put you well on your way for the evening whether you decide to stay or move on!

It’s late on Sunday evening and after a long hangout out and around town for Sunday Funday I stumble to the guilty pleasure of Shadyside which is «Le Mardi Gras».
The combination of dark lighting, random chandeliers, persistent lingering of smoke, a strong double drink for cold hard cash along with random trinkets from old school NOLA, personally allows me to envision what I image a 1920s opium den to look like.
I call it a guilty pleasure as it’s not a place for the mainstream crowd. Rather, it is a place where you can smoke that drunken cigarette [or pack] in peace without fear of smelling of smoke when you get home to the Mrs, as you will, by even stepping one foot into the den, will require you to air out your clothes for a week.
A guilty pleasure where you can disappear into the barstool as a shadow creature, knocking back an $ 8 long island that unapologetically reminds you of exactly how much liquor is in it.
A guilty pleasure that does not discriminate what you do at your day job and will take a stripper dollar bill as likely as a crispy new $ 20 from the ATM and doesn’t care if you queue up the old school jukebox with nothing but old time Frank Sinatra songs.
In essence, a deliciously sinful event and a local favorite for many more years to come.
Pros:
1. Smoking Bar
2. Cash Only
3. Superstrong drinks that will make you black out
4. Great bar tenders
5. Oldies but goodies juke box
Cons:
1. Smoking Bar
2. Cash Only
3. Superstrong drinks that will make you black out
See you there on a Sunday at last call.

I understand the desire to have the strongest drinks in town, but if I literally can’t choke it down, it doesn’t do me a lot of good. Make sure you order something that you could drink even if the standard ratio of alcohol to mixer was reversed!
I hate the smoke — you can smell it in your clothes and hair the next day and it’s just gross. Just a heads up in case you’re new to Pittsburgh and its insanely lax smoking laws.

Stopped in around 7 on a Friday night, wasn’t crowded at all. Bartender was super attentive from the moment we walked in. My girlfriend ordered a Manhattan and I got an Old Fashioned. Both were poured with a heavy hand, and they were 6 a piece. They were delicious. Its a pretty small place, so I could imagine it getting pretty crowded, but all the regulars had space. Also they do allow smoking inside, but it wasn’t particularly smoky when we were there. I can imagine it might get a little suffocating if it gets packed however.

I know I’ve been here a few times and yet I have no memory of the experience. That says it all.

Slightly pricier than other bars in the area but you get what you pay for. Any time I get a mixed drink it’s 98% alcohol and 2% mixer. I don’t think I’ve ever had more than 2 drinks here because that’s really all you need. Great music selection in an old school juke box. The only downside for us nonsmokers is that it is a poorly ventilated smoking bar, so on nights with lots of smokers it feels like you’re choking after a while. Overall a great place!

Finally came back after 2+ years away. Brose was there, Richie had a strong drink waiting, McGovern was manning his spot by the juicer… so, nothing had changed. It was a joy to be back, talking to Brose and listening to good blues on the jukebox. I can’t say enough about how great the Mardi Gras is.

I had such a weird experience here. A few friends from my office and I went out last Friday night in Shadyside and hit up a number of bars along the way. At the recommendation of one of them, we stopped by Mardi Gras before turning in for the night.
It was so un-​Shadyside that I practically forgot where I was. And I don’t necessarily mean that as a good or bad thing, but just as an observation. It was very dark inside and it definitely had the dive feel, which tends to be my favorite type of place. I also appreciated the jukebox which added a unique touch.
Something about this bar was just off, though. I don’t know how to describe it. Maybe it was just a weird crowd (everyone seemed very antisocial) or the odd «grandma’s house and cigarette smoke» smell. The drinks we ordered were okay – they WERE very strong though, so that’s a plus.
I just can’t do more than three stars. I have a feeling I’ll be back here in the future though (my friend loves it), so maybe it’ll be worthy of a second review at that point.

Pros:
This bar has a true dive feel to it, from the long narrow room to the juke box in the corner it’s certainly a different crowd than most of the other Shadyside watering
seems like a slightly older crowd, and people do get there to scout out the booths pretty regularly. (Yes there are booths, and if you get one, it’s a totally awesome way to spend a few hours catching up with friends over drinks – beats standing in a corner any day)
Cons:
On the weekends it gets crowded… and smokey. Smoke doesn’t generally bother me, but after 5 minutes of being in Mardi Gras on a Friday night, I’m guaranteed to smell like smoke until I shower.

Super super strong drinks. Very smoky and small, but definitely worth coming to.

This place wasn’t as lively as I expected. With a name like Le Mardi Gras, I was expecting an upbeat and friendly crowd. The ambiance was more like an after hours jazz club except they were playing American favorites instead of jazzy tunes.
I think I had an atypical experience. I would return under the condition that there was a special event occurring.

If someone has not heard of Le Mardi Gras, I just assume they aren’t well versed in Pittsburgh drinking culture. This is one of the best bars in the city. Their drinks are remarkably strong, easily on par with Lefty’s in the Strip. As a matter of fact, I really don’t recommend having more than four or five Mardi Gras cocktails. They will kick your ass.
This is one of the only bars in the city where I will walk in and just tell the bartender to make whatever whiskey drink he feels like making. I realize this might not sound like a big deal, but I have serious trust issues when it comes to bars. There are only about twenty six bars worldwide where I will even consider ordering a Manhattan or a Martini.
One of the best kept Le Mardi Gras secrets is that on Sunday they offer free food to their patrons. Even though we visited on a Thursday, the owner, Rich, was kind enough to put some food out for us. These little touches are what make Mardi Gras more than just a bar.
Here are some of my favorite Le Mardi Gras features: smoking, table top pacman, excellent juke box, fantastic bartenders, intimate seating, dark ominous ambiance and lively patrons. According to Le Mardi Gras’ website they’ve also hosted a variety of celebrities including Rocky Marciano, Harvey Kietel, Sammy Koufax, Sam McDowell, Billy Conn, Alice Cooper, George Clooney, Russell Crowe and Ted Danson.

Quite a cool spot and pretty underrated, at least in my social circle. These drinks are slightly more expensive than some may be used to (I got a simple whiskey and coke, which set me back around $ 7) but as others said, they are definitely strong. The ambiance is very relaxed, with a lounge feel if you sit in the booths. It is smoky, but I went on a Friday night around 9pm and it wasn’t so bad. It certainly didn’t leave me reeking of smoke like other spots in the city. Also, compared to the crowds in other places that night, the atmosphere was downright sedate, so if you’re looking to relax, this would be a better option.
The only thing is that they only deal in cash. There’s an ATM there, but you’re better off bringing money so you don’t have to deal with the surcharge.

Walking in, I immediately knew this was a place for me.
The décor is reminiscent of the 60’s-70’s, as is the jukebox, and a lot of the clientele.
Thus, its awesome!
This is not your Mario’s crowd, so if you are looking for some trollop to grind up on to your shoddily performed «Gangam Style» perhaps you should walk across the street.
The drinks, as mentioned are strong as could be. A Bombay and tonic set me back 7 dollars. It was worth every penny. Two of those and I was feeling pretty darn good.
If you like motown/​blues/​oldies and some good old rock and roll, get more singles than you would take to Blush because I had a field day with that jukebox.
The smoke isnt that bad, and in my opinion, adds to the ambiance. Hell, you can even smoke cigars here. Total throwback, and I love it.

When I first walked in I wanted to immediately walk out due to the cigarette smoke, but I’m glad I stayed.
One of my friends that I was with knew the bartender there and helped us with different recommendations. Drinks are defiantly on the strong side which is ok with me. We grabbed a booth off to the side and enjoyed the rest of the night. I loved the dark 60’s music atmosphere there, felt like I was in the movie «Goodfellas»! Probably one of the better «dive» bars in Pittsburgh.

Do you want to be shitface drunk off of one drink and you only have $ 10? go to Mardis Gras.
Their drinks are military grade weapons, that is how strong they are. This bar is unlike every other bar in shadyside. it’s dark and it has cool round booths.
the bartender should be a national treasure, he is awesome.
bring cash, you can’t use your card there.
Oh – you will smell like smoke when you leave, this place is full of smoke. It’s likely the least sexy bar in all of pgh but its one of my favorites.

Mardi Gras is a far cry from most other bars in Shadyside, and in the best possible way. Dark, smoky, smaller than most establishments, frequented by older patrons and a jukebox with fantastic music from the 60s onward are just a few traits that make Mardi Gras a fantastic barroom.
Add to that exceptionally strong, but delicious, drinks, and bartenders that like to keep their clients pleased, and you’ve got a combination that’s hard to find anywhere else in Pittsburgh. Mardi Gras also has a perfect nostalgic feeling to it. The wall across from the bar is lined with several large booths that easily accommodate a group of five or six and invite conversation over your stiff drinks.
The bar is cash only, which may seem like a little deterrent, but after you’ve had a couple mixed drinks you’ll probably thank yourself for not being able to charge away too many more. Not to mention the awesome cash register that looks like it’s about 90 years old.
By far, Mardi Gras is my preferred bar in Shadyside, and you can’t go wrong if you’re in the mood for a strong drink.

Some serious old school 80’s glamour waits up the long flight of stairs to Marti Gras. There’s something magical about this dive – even the smoke doesn’t seem to bother me… Actually, it’s probably the strong drinks that are responsible for that… Which may be made with magic. Who can say? But I’m a sucker for any sort of sweet vodka cocktail in a martini glass, and the drinks here will knock a girl off her heels. Luckily, there’s always an attentive bartender waiting to mix one more cocktail.
But this ain’t no college dive. You won’t find too many kids in here, which I appreciate. It’s dark up those stairs and the jukebox jazz is often questionable, but the booths are cozy and the drinks are tall and the beer selection is more than decent. I’ll take it.
P. S. — It was cash only last time I checked.

So Mardi Gras was usually a must stop whenever I went out on a Friday or Saturday night in Shadyside during college. This bar is more of an older crowd but they do serve drinks the way I usually make mine. If you order a jack and coke, you’ll be lucky if you can even taste the coke. They pretty much give you a glass of jack and a splash of coke. We used to get very very drunk here. The place is really small so you’re lucky to see an open table, grab it.
The bartenders are older and they don’t take credit card so bring cash. The drinks are also a little more expensive for Pittsburgh. However, this is the only place in the area that has Delirium Tremens on tap.
They don’t serve food here either so plan on getting messed up if you don’t eat anything before you go. The bar is very dark but a lot of my friends love this place and whenever alumni came back, we would definitely go here and make them pay for our drinks. All in all, a very good place to pregame or just to hang out and socialize.