Squirrel Hill Cafe

Phenomenal. The alcohol – reasonably priced – and the food – even cheaper – which is amazing. Great hole in the wall. I cannot stress enough, even if you don’t drink, then go buy some food because it tastes amazing and the prices are easily the cheapest you will EVER find in Pittsburgh. The spinach artichoke dip is homemade, which is the first time in my life I have ever seen a restaurant not just buy industrial dip. Ask for toasted bread with the spinach artichoke dip for a real treat! Recommendations: 1) cheese burger; 2) spicy hot cheese balls :); and 3) spinach artichoke dip. Beware though – I think the kitchen closes at 10 or 11 so place your orders early! The also have a super wide selection of bottled beers to choose from in addition what they have on tap. If you dread the smell of smoke, do not go here. It is a very smokey place at night. During the day, they have the vents on so there is no smoke smell. Also, do not go here if you expect to leave quickly. The service is really slow because the bar does not have enough waitresses. But who cares if you are out with friends casually.

Best damn late-​night food in the burgh. Except for maybe this one Ethiopian place in the South side. But that’s beside the point.
Definitely divey, and there is no non-​smoking area. The food is immaculate. Sausage dip is pretty bomb, but the deep fried pepperoni rolls are the true treasure at this spot. I’m a fan of the Squirrel cage sandwich (turkey, ham, maybe some other meat but I can’t be sure). Mmm. Cheap, too.
It’s the kind of spot that you can get drunk in, eat, and then continue to drink. Hell yeah.

Super good eats for cheap. The place is kind of a dump but that only adds to the charm. I lived in Pittsburgh for 10 years and frequented this establishment probably a bit too much. I miss the place terribly.

In a neighborhood as historic as Squirrel Hill, ‘The Cage’ (as locals know it) has existed as a similarly stalwart institution.
Famous for its large portions of food, wide selection of beers, and inexpensive prices, it’s been the neighborhood’s signature haunt for decades.
In a critical light, the food is simple pub affair, and the quality does not hold a distinct edge to other bars’ offerings of the same items. But that’s not really the point of The Cage. It’s more about the function it serves. The meeting of the locals. The neighborhood funnel. Squirrel Hill is known for its varied population, and this establishment has always been a focal point for its gathering.
I’ll drink to that.

What can I say about The Cage that others haven’t already said, based on my lone visit last night at 6? I don’t know, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll sum up my visit with a pro-​con list.
Pros:
1. Cheap, decent food. My BLT ($ 4.25) was delightful, with crispy, juicy bacon and crisp, fresh lettuce – only the hothouse tomatoes disappointed. Get the fries – they’re hand-​cut and delicious! I tried some from a companion, and regretted not upgrading to a platter to get them.
2. I can’t comment on the drinks myself, since I’m not drinking at present, but everyone says they’re good – and they’re cheap, too. I got a club soda ($ 1.25).
3. Interesting people watching opportunities. I wasn’t able to take advantage of them due to concentrating on group discussion with my table mates, but the bits and pieces that I saw and overheard were amusing.
Cons:
1. Smoky. If you’re sensitive to cigarette smoke, don’t come here! When I first entered, I thought I might be okay with it, but then the table next to ours started smoking. I could smell smoke on myself for the rest of the night until I changed and showered.
2. Slow service. Our waitress wasn’t the swiftest or the most friendly, and it took 20 min. to get my BLT. Getting change took way too long, too.
3. $ 10 credit card minimum. I suspected this would be the case, so I hit the ATM next door before coming. Plan accordingly.
Quite honestly, though I enjoyed the food and company, I doubt I’ll be back here soon due to the smoke. Increasing my risk for lung cancer and reeking of eau de cigarette isn’t my idea of a fun, relaxing night out. If you don’t mind that and the slow service, though, then by all means, stop by for some inexpensive, delicious food and drinks and take advantage of the interesting people watching opportunities.

Don’t’ know what it is about this place but I’ve been a fan of it for a long time. The burgers are really good, the beer selection is great and the guy behind the bar, Bill, is one of the best in the business. Maybe it’s the nostalgic charm that keeps me coming back. There’s even a book written about the bar called Cage Days by Lee Skirboll. My copy just came in this weekend…

My girlfriend and I just popped in for drinks but the bar has a great atmosphere, plenty of seating, a great location, friendly staff and great prices on drinks. They make their mixed drinks strong, which we love. The food looked good too but we didn’t have order any. We got everything we were looking for and will definitely be back.

This place is over flowing with character and has very affordable, tasty food and beer. One of the best bars in Squirrel hill. Try the fish sandwich. Can’t beat for $ 5.

The Cage is the most vibrant bar in Squirrel Hill, with the possible new exception of the Independent Brewing Co., but the two don’t really overlap in purpose or atmosphere. It’s a smoking dive with patient and friendly staff and a wild mix of customers. You might wait a while for service at busy points – it’s not a heavily staffed place and the drinks and food are cheap.
Billy the bartender is a staple of the establishment and is well known for his jolly attitude, willingness to light up your smoke, and friendly and generous patronage of local businesses. The old guard of serving staff have always been on top of things even while the bar was busy, and the new staff seems to be merging quite well into the mix. Kudos.
The Cage has always seemed like a sort of social equalizer to me. The patrons all talk to one another and congregate loosely, and it’s a good place for casual conversations among friends or whoever is around. Even if you’re not a regular, you’ll likely see someone you know every time you stop by.
Non-​smokers who can’t stand smoke – don’t bother. Otherwise, it’s a really damn cool place. Give it a shot.

Good food. A burger with pepper jack cheese is a craving I get monthly. I used to be here every night when I lived within stumblng distance. The bartenders are all friendly, unless you are a dick. Sunday at 6pm is my favorite time to hop on a stool, order some wings well done, hot. And cram filthy $ 5’s into the Jukebox.

Psst… Over here: despite being a bar, not a café, and technically not even a restaurant, this packed little dive bar has one of the best, and almost certainly cheapest burgers in town.
The drinks are cheap and the atmosphere is jovial. The bartenders are real Pittsburgh characters. That said, I’d never have come in here, except it’s a smoker’s paradise, and while I don’t smoke, I have friends who do. Walking into the Squirrel Cage (as it really goes by) is like walking into an ashtray. Seriously, if you know anyone with asthma, don’t bring them here.
The first time I came, I was starving. A friend told me that I had to try the burger. Based on the price, I think $ 3 for the burger and another $ 2 for fries, I ordered two cheeseburgers. My friend and everyone around me looked at me like I was crazy. When the burgers came out, I could see why. For the price, or even triple as much, these are some big burgers, and additionally, they’re delicious.
Apparently, they can’t make more than a certain percentage off food without being categorized as a restaurant, at which point they could no longer allow people to smoke, so the burgers, and all other food are essentially loss-​leaders.
Despite people’s incredulous stares, I polished off both burgers.
If you’re a smoker, or a non-​smoker who is prepared to remove all of your clothing and put them in a sealed bag immediately after leaving, or just burn them, then this a burger you don’t want to miss.

This is such a difficult review to write. The cage has really decent cheap food and an excellent selection of reasonably priced beers. Unfortunately they frequently seem understaffed and it absolutely reeks of cigarette smoke. Every time I go in I have to immediately wash whatever I was wearing and take a shower. Even then I can always smell the smoke the next day. If you’re a smoker this is a great spot. If you’re not, keep in mind that there is a visible cloud of cigarette smoke when you walk in.

Cheap, smokey, no-​nonsense dive bar. You don’t go there for the service, you go there for the cheap booze and great bar food. Definitely not for everyone, but if you want a smokey dive, this place is perfect.

Ahh, the Squirrel Cage. This hole in the wall in Squirrel Hill is perfect for a cheap, smoky dinner, or an evening of a few pitchers with friends.
From what I understand, this spot is legendary. It’s an old school dingy dive with a dark interior. If you’re looking for a low-​key place to get a drink and a burger and come out smelling like an ashtray, this is it. Yes, you can still smoke here, and every time I have went, there’s been a plethora of active smokers. You are gonna stink, but it’s worth it.
The menu boasts a surprisingly decent draft list. Last time I grabbed a Victory Hop Devil and thought there was a mistake on the tab – it was such a deal. The burgers and sandwiches all fall around $ 5. «How do they do this,“you ask? I don’t ask, because the burgers are some kind of straight up delicious witchcraft.
The whole experience is just a steal across the board. After paying the check, I left like I’d gotten away with something, it’s that cheap. But, there is a trade off when it comes to visiting the Squirrel Cage – it’s laughably slow. There was one poor overworked server in the entire bar, and the kitchen was backed up to the point that it took a little under an hour for hamburgers. There was some confusion on beers as well. I was served a drink meant for another table.
So with that grain of salt, I implore you to be patient and have a good long visit to the Squirrel Hill Café.

When I was a kid growing up in Squirrel Hill, the Cage was a place of mystery for us. Who knew what went on behind those dark windows? It was probably a den of iniquity where things too terrible to talk about went on. You weren’t allowed to go in and use the BATHROOM. WHY WEREN’T YOU ALLOWED TO WALK IN OFF THE STREET AND USE THE BATHROOM??? IT MUST BE A TERRIBLE PLACE.
When I went to art high school (this was before they started carding), all the coolest teachers used to drink there, and sometimes we’d come in to talk to them on Friday nights and pretend we were cool and old enough to be sitting in the old wooden booths smoking cigarettes. And then suddenly, we *were* old enough to be in the booths smoking and drinking enormous pitchers of Yuengling (or double old-​fashioneds for those of us who still had pretensions towards being literary) and stumble out at the end of the night heading for Eat n’ Park and smelling like the inside of a cigarette (though my allergies have gotten a lot worse of late and I’m actually starting to wish you couldn’t smoke in here – I am getting old!) This is a good bar to come to on a pre-​Christmas December night to hang out with friends you haven’t seen in ages, and know that tons of people you know will be drifting in and out as the night goes on. This is a good bar to come to when you don’t really know where you want to go on a Friday but you know you want to just relax. This is a good bar for women to not get grossly hit on in. This is a good bar to people-​watch in – it’s always a crowd of middle-​aged drunks, university intellectuals, and other fun neighborhood types hanging around in here. It’s not the cleanest bar in the world, nor the friendliest (though the bartender with the ZZ Top beard whose name I can’t remember is pretty damn great), but it’s just a straightforward place where what you see is what you get.
It’s not for everyone. It’s definitely for me.
(Also, I hear their burgers are good, but I’ve never eaten here, lol)

I wanted to enjoy this neighborhood landmark, but it disappointed on all points:
Small pours
Slow service
Food that never arrived
Indoor Smoking
This place makes me want to order in and drink at home.

Such a cute and intimate place to just grab some food/​drinks and chillax. Prices are extremely reasonable and service is efficient. Great for group hangouts!
I’m not much of a drinker so I don’t really know about their drink specials, but I am a devoted consumer of food so I’ll just get straight to the point! Sandwiches here are amazing and really satisfy that burning hunger. I highly recommend their burgers and load it with mushrooms for an additional quarter. When you get a burger… you get a REAL burger. I don’t mean those fake factory patties… I’m talking about a thick chunk of juicy beef sandwiched between soft fluffy buns. Their spinach artichoke dip is quite tasty as well. The one thing I don’t really like here is their fries… way way way too greasy to the point where it doesn’t even taste like potatoes anymore.

Pretty chill, I feel like it’s understaffed because there seemed to be only one waitress waiting on the whole café. This made the whole get in, get out process a lot longer.
The fries were really greasy (I don’t know what I was expecting) and I wasn’t a fan of putting the vinegar fry combo either. I went for the classic Heinz ketchup instead.
We felt especially ravenous and got a artichoke and spinach dip as well which was filled with huge pieces of artichoke hearts (mmm) — definitely something I’ll get again.
I got the Extra large fish and loved every bite! I’m easy to please when it comes to fried fish. It came with a side of potato chips, the kind you get from the bag. My friends were not impressed and did not touch theirs, but I cleaned my plate and theirs.

It is a special place for me :) Cheap, good, fast. Pick two? No, you’ve got it all here. Super chill crowd. Squirrel Hill is just a super chill neighborhood and diverse, too. I’d say the NYC of PGH. LOL.

I think I figured out why this place is called The Cage. There’s no concrete evidence that what I observed here is true. You walk in and you see a mix of people that would represent different classifications of people you’d see throughout Pittsburgh. Each booth and table is a different subset of the population. Every booth and table is an exhibit or cage at a zoo, there for you to observe how each group interacts with one another.
Err, what am I saying? Maybe I just enjoyed myself so much here that I started spacing out. I mean you do get to see a wide mix of the human race interacting in here, but who cares, they are all there for one thing, to have a good time.
Whether you are sitting at the bar or pick a booth along the wall, the staff are there to make sure you have a libation nearby. Always able to make a suggestion if you want to try something new.
The music touch has a nice mix of music to fulfill anyone’s need to hear tunes. But who needs tunes when you can just sit there and chat the whole night?
I’m still skeptical about going up to the loft area. It looks so small from down below.
Such a nice intimate place to go and grab a beer with friends. It’s a great place to sit and blow off some steam. Beer selection is pretty good. They have their fair share of seasonal blends, as well as