Independent Brewing Company

It’s a cute little intimate bar. They have a good collection of beer from around the globe and also some cocktails. I particularly liked their cider and beer with raspberry in it. I forgot what the name was. The food was okay, but not particularly impressive. What stood for me was definitely the ambience, which was the perfect mix of cozy yet lively. The vibes were really good, and I really enjoyed my time. I can see myself coming back here.

Take the required 20% tip off. A required tip isn’t a tip - it’s the price. In general - has an urban upper middle class feel w upscaled bar-leaning American food. It’s nice quality. The larger vibe is cozy and close and kinda works. The servers and waitstaff were also kind, truly helpful, and accommodating. However, don’t force charge me 20% extra - and even further - only tell me when I get the bill This company has a history of morally grey stuff like this. Hidden Harbor next door - same company, same kitchen - used to give you a bill w auto 20% included, hiding that it’s added to the bill under three pieces of paper. You saw a bill w one total number, w no mention of tip. It still had an audacious line to ‘add your tip’! More! Server of course not mentioning anything. I will never forget it. You want to add a required cost? Add it to the price, be honest about it. At the end, I feel mixed, it’s a fine establishment on the surface level stuff, but at the end, I find myself avoiding places like this

Underwhelmed and disappointing. We finally got to visit and really liked the vibe. It's a cute bar and small seating area. Ambiance is fun with lots of fun things on the wall. Once we sat down, the menu was overpriced and disappointing. We got the smash burger and po boy. Burger was good but really small for $15. Po boy was big but bread was not fresh and a bit stale at the ends. Salad with po boy was just sad. Not worth $16. Drink menu is online QRCode and was just not our taste. Wine list was not good. Cocktails are way over priced. Im sure they only use the best ingredients but not for me. The reason for 2 stars.. they include 20% gratitudity. If you are in Squirrel Hill and are going to charge such high prices.. your clientele will tip. We normally over tip but having it added was disappointing and we won't be going back. This place has such potential and wish this place the best.

Passed on the wings with only 6 to an order in favor of the fries. The plate was enough for four to share! More than the two of us could finish. Sliders were great. Draft list was wide and varied but not overwhelming. Will absolutely return, not many other places for a beer or cocktail nearby (though it looks like a spot will be opening around the corner on Forbes). But that may just add an option, as Independent Brewing Company needs to be a stop if you're looking for good vibes and a drink.

It s a very cute spot i love to go when in squirrle hill. It works with friends, it works for a date, it just have amazing vibes. Cocktails and wings were the highlight!!

The drinks were good and the food was just alright. I found the seating uncomfortable and the service could have been better. I got a smash burger and fries. Honestly I’ve had better burgers of this style for half as much at my local dive bar and the flavor wasn’t great, the fries were overcooked and didn’t have enough salt for my taste. The service was a little underwhelming. They did a decent job of seating us and taking our order but we sat for quite a while with no check after telling our server we were done eating. We had to get up TWICE to ask for our check. The automatic 20% gratuity is a total deal breaker for me. I don’t recall it being posted anywhere in the restaurant or on the menu and the server didn’t say anything about it before we ordered.

Great selection of local and semi-local brews + yummy snacks! The staff is always super nice too. Gratuity is included on the bill!

The whiskey buffalo wings are delicious. The beer and cocktails here (and at hidden harbor) are the best in the city.

Sat at the bar on a Saturday night and loved this place! We used to live in Brooklyn and it felt like we were in our old neighborhood. Great service, wine + beer + cocktail list and very fresh and flavorful food. We tried their chicken dumplings (#1 on our list), calamari, friend halloumi, and shrimp tacos. Everything tasted super fresh and filled with flavor. After we ate we popped over to the bottle shop around the corner for a small tasting and grabbed some wine. I definitely recommend this place!

Four of us stopped by on a Thursday night around 9pm and were able to get a table right away. The inside isn't the biggest but we've never had issues getting a table before no matter what time we've gone. We skipped the snacks and went straight for the cocktails and beers. We really enjoyed the Cha Thai Punch and their version of mulled wine was warm and delicious.

A venerable establishment in Pgh. Thoughtful in every way. Beers (highly recommend their own Golden Age beers), wine, food and cocktails are all fabulous. Menu changes thoughtfully with seasonal variations. Tips are included in your bill. The tunes are great and their vinyl collection is extensive. Prost!

Just there on a crowded Friday night. We eked out 2 spaces at the bar. We chose 2 Belgian ales from the bottle menu (sad, they didn't have any on draft!) - and though they didn't have them chilled, the staff went over and above getting them from storage & getting them chilled quickly. We decided to order some apps for dinner to try more things, and boy was that the right choice. We had: roasted cauliflower (the Ras el Hanout w/ feta, apple, & mint) was SO flavorful; fish tacos packed w/ zesty slaw, crema & cilantro were a fave (I don't usually like fried fish in tacos but this was light & excellent); and calamari & rock shrimp (tasty & a zing of spice, tho a bit over-cooked). The bar is popular & pretty loud, but my husband and I were still able to talk fairly easily. Ambiance is nice - dark walls, funky/80s/fun selection of music. We'll be back.

First time visiting this venue, but enjoyed a drink, dinner and great conversation with a friend last night. Plus, Rick Sebak plays music on vinyl records Wednesdays...could barely hear the music and him talking on the microphone though. I had the Mexican Street Cauliflower (a little too heavy on the spices) and Fish Tacos (highly recommend these...yummy). My friend ordered the Banh Mi...his review is as follows: pork belly was over-cooked and not much in the sandwich...lots of bread. The french fries appeared to be over-cooked in my opinion, but my friend actually enjoys them on the darker side. We sat at the bar and the service was exceptional.

Great beer and wine selections and wonderful food. The staff is hardworking and friendly. If you go on Wednesday nights, Rick Sebak is spinning vinyl records, how cool is that? The outdoor seating is very attractive. This place is a winner.

2 - You'll survive but there are better choices close by. Skip to the end to see my rating scale. This review is 100% about the service I experienced at Independent Brewing Company. And let me add that it's not actually a brewery. It's just a bar. In all fairness, I didn't have a meal there and the food looked very good. The beers we had were very good. And they have a good selection. It's a comfortable ambience and from the outside it seemed like the kind of place I would normally be happy to spend a few hours. But let's talk about the experience. It was fairly busy when we were there, so I would expect the bar staff to be busy. But after two parties came in and were attended to before ours I realized how out of place I was. Other than the main bartender, I was the only guy in there wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and a ball cap. OK, so I get it, I'm not your normal clientele, but I have a pretty good white collar job and am more than happy to fork out a good bit of money for a good meal and drinks. But when I'm not at my white collar job I guess I dress way down and look more blue collar. Apparently that doesn't cut it here. It took about 30 minutes to get a beer and I watched one of the bartenders cleaning glasses and loading the dishwasher rather than asking for my order. We finally got a couple of drinks and after a few sips we noticed one of the four outdoor tables open up outside so we wandered out and sat down to enjoy the beautiful weather. A third waitress came out about ten minutes later, was polite enough, and let us know that the bartenders thought we skipped out on our tab. OK. I can kinda see that since we didn't say something, but again, it took 30 minutes to get two beers and I didn't want to interrupt their dishwasher-loading time. We finished up our beers and I went back inside to settle up my tab. I apologized for any confusion with the lead bartender and said I'd like to settle up. He got his assistant to ring me up and when she handed me the bill, she said the tip was already included. Wait, what? We were a party of two and got one round of beers. Of course I just paid the tab and didn't think about it until I was a little way down the road, but I realized that due to my appearance they thought I was someone who would eat and run and also someone who wouldn't tip! Who includes a tip on a bill for a party of two??? So yeah, really nice place, excellent variety of drinks, and looks like very good food. But if you don't look right, you're second class there. Unlike Dobra Tea who I'm more than happy to visit again just a couple of blocks away, I won't be going back here, whether I look like rich or not. My rating scale: 1 - Just don't 2 - You'll survive, but there are better choices close by 3 - Good choice if you're in the area 4 - I'd drive 30 minutes out of my way just to come here 5 - I'd try to convince my wife to drive an hour just to come here

My nephew and his girlfriend took our group to this resturant for pre-game dinner and drinks. Our server, Antonia A., greeted us warmly. She made sure our food, which was excellent, and drinks was served promptly. IBC has a great selection of food and beer to choose from. Kudos to the staff for their professionalism. Capped this wonderful night with Pittsburgh Penguins win!

Bad experience. App order lost, over an hour to get any food. Then a 20% grat and nothing comp'ed. Food was tasty but kitchen service a huge bummer

Went with my friend for Wednesday happy hour. Great selection of beers for $2 off! The inside space is cozy without being cramped and has a great vibe--cool PGH posters and decor. Friendly and quick service. The veggie dumplings are sooo good

Love the food and service. Ambiance is a bit on the louder side and it's definitely popping in terms of people so it took a while to get our orders in and food after it was ordered. It wasn't a problem since we came with friends and we mostly caught up while waiting. I can see the wait being a problem if we were here as a couple. That said food was amazing! Wings were great especially with like an unique avocado sauce. The calamari was fresh, the perfect softness with a smidge of texture to them with like a great coating and even better sauce. Overall would highly recommend those starters. Fish tacos were good. Nothing to rave home about but think I may not had fun experience without the sauce. Overall great place. Would come back again. Location is right at the corner of a busy street. Beer menu pretty good but their mixed drinks are even better. They have a sister/another seated area right next door so there's usually a good amount of room

Only happy thoughts after recent visit to IBC. Nice selection of cocktails, beers and wines. Shareable plates were inventive and tasty. We shared plates of arancini and tacos - I would definitely repeat these choices. Cocktails are a little pricey but well done. My only complaint is that the capacity is small, so you might not get in when things are busy. It's a perfect end after a good movie at the Manor.

Great drinks and great atmosphere. Good looking crowd. Elias was an amazing bar tender and makes amazingly great cocktails. Arancini

The IBC has become a great neighborhood watering hole. They have great beer and creative mixed drinks including a delicious Spanish G&T. The food menu is not huge (5 or 6 choices of appetizers and a similar number of mains) but everything we've had there had been delicious. Last night had the arancini, fish tacos and smash burger. Finished it off with a brownie sundae served with Dave and Andy's vanilla ice cream and home made peanut brittle. One of the best desserts I've had in a while!

TONS of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options. The food was, admittedly, served in very small portions for the price points, and some of the dishes tasted very odd (we are all tofu lovers, but the satay was a strange combination of very burnt and raw, soft tofu). The fries, however, were delicious and came in a HUGE portion (they could easily function as an appetizer for 4). The servers were kind and the atmosphere was cool, but casual. We will be back to order fries for the table and enjoy great beer with friends!

Terrible service, mediocre food, and would not serve alcohol due to some party members being under 21 We asked what a cocktail charge was and our server gave us an amazing amount of attitude for not knowing that it was $5 for a coke.

I was a little disappointed on the beers that were available. I thought at first this place was a brewery and or to offer local beers. It was beers from everywhere else besides Pittsburgh, PA. The service was excellent, the food and beer that I had from Germany was good. You have to sit outside. No inside seating. They do have heat lamps for several tables. When it gets colder outside and snowing that will no longer be an option.

Wonderful service, solid drink and delicious food options. I visited Independent Brewing on a Saturday evening and we were able to snag bar seats for dinner. I had the skirt steak which was super tasty. Love the vibe of this place, the record spinning and fun pictures lining the walls.

Pretentious place. The person at the front was so rude. We walked in on a Tuesday night. No greeting. Just said we are out of capacity. No space. We asked, if we order a beer, anyplace to stand. No. Bye. Really disappointing.

Thoughtfully curated draught beer selection, great cocktails and a kitchen that is consistently excellent. The staff is always gracious and friendly. Very highly recommended.

If you're looking for a place to meet up with a friend or two where each of you finds at least three custom cocktails that "speak" to you on the menu, then this is the joint for you! Between us we drank two penicillins, an aviator, and a gin martini. The friendly staff explained that the bar is for drinkers and the tables are for eaters, so we decided to try the (short) menu while we talked. Two of us opted for the large and filling chicken and pimento cheese on a biscuit sandwich, which was excellent, while the other ate her pimento cheese with potato chips. It's not a deep menu, but it all looks delicious and appropriately priced. I would definitely come back.

I haven't tried the food but I enjoyed my experience here and would definitely come back. * Drinks: They have cocktails and mixed drinks but I wanted to come here specifically for their beer. They have a list of bottled beers that you can share with friends (or drink by yourself). We all wanted a sour beer so we ordered the Rhinegeist "Tangerine Beams" 500 mL bottle. I definitely had better sours but it wasn't bad. The place overall was very cute and the pictures on Yelp do no justice to this place. * Cost vs. Worth: Our 500 mL bottle was $25 which is good for two people. I saw some priced at $20 which were 750 mL bottles. Overall, I just love the idea of sharing beer for some reason. Will I come here again? - I don't go to Squirrel Hill too often but I see myself coming back specifically for this place!

Very hipster bar with thoughtful drink menu, music, and decor. Bigger than it looks and you can generally find a seat, even on busy nights. Also, there are tables on the sidewalk for drinking in nice weather. Of course, with the fancy beer selection and vinyl playlist, you get some high prices. Still, the atmosphere is perfect for getting together with friends - not too loud and something for everyone.

A hidden gem! I came here yesterday for a Galentine's meal with my friends and was pleasantly surprised to find that the food was DELICIOUS. It's important to note that the restaurant is sectioned into two parts: a standing bar, which you walk into at first, and a sit down table area. When my friend first walked in to snag a table, she thought had walked into the wrong place since she was the youngest one there at the bar. However she was soon escorted to the seating area. This area had walls covered in what seemed like vintage framed posters- with a twist. The table itself was nicely decorated with flowers and intimate candle lighting. We decided to order the steak $26, sweet potato ravioli $19, and fried chicken bucket $30 (recommended for two but we shared for three). We also got their pork meatballs $6 and Brussels sprouts $9. I have to say the meatballs were tender- fantastic- and the Brussels sprouts sweet but crispy. I'm not the biggest fan of Brussels sprouts but these were worth it. The ravioli tasted like a savory dessert and the chicken was very crispy. It had been dusted with seasoning and served with a side of mashed potatoes and coleslaw. The waitress was kind and came to check up on us/refill our water many times. We didn't order any drinks, but the meal itself was satisfying enough. I will say that the food is pricy. A $$$ kind of place. Also, the drink menu is definitely longer than the main menu. But overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere, decor, and food of this restaurant. I would come back again!

Great draft list, featuring a rotating list of local (Pittsburgh) craft beers, as well as some national and international craft beers. You can often find specialty beers here from smaller breweries that are often not available besides directly from the brewery. Was less impressed by the food. While the chicken sandwich was impressive in size, it was too plain in flavor, and the biscuit pretty much fell apart while I was trying to eat it. Would recommend something else if ordering food there.

Absolutely enjoyed this space. Very laid back and casual with some great music playing. A lot of old vinyl on the shelf. Staff as friendly and service was good. It was burger night but had a burger earlier in the day so had a very good Scallops with blood orange, salsify & aleppo. Very tasty with a nice contrast of tastes.

A great place for beer, mixed drinks and surprising food. I love IBC. The drinks are varied and delicious. The food is adventurous and tasty. And the staff is just wonderful - really friendly and knowledgeable. We recently decided to do progressive dinner and drinks through Squirrel Hill - with one stop being IBC. I struggled choosing between beer and a mixed drink, but landed on my standby: an Old Fashioned. It was a perfectly balanced, tasty cocktail. But my wife won the drink choice. She went with the Indian-Spiced Dark & Stormy. This was out-of-this-world delicious. The masala-infused rum was subtle, yet oh so good. We ended up splitting the Pork Meatballs and the Sunchoke Cream Soup. The Meatballs were nicely sized and perfect for sharing. I would have liked a little more of the tomatillo sauce, but they were delicious nonetheless. The Sunchoke Cream Soup was the real star though. This soup looked and tasted great! The creamy, satisfying soup paired perfectly with soft mushrooms and crispy croutons. If you like high-quality drinks and unique, tasty plates - give IBC a try.

Fries were very good. Drinks were ok. We got our bill and the waitress said "tip is included". We didn't get a breakdown so we asked for one. It turns out that 20% is automatically added to your bill with no way to edit other than add more. Sure you can explicitly ask to reduce the tip and I'm sure they would but it's a slimey practice. I bet they get a ton of over-tipping from people who don't understand that they already tipped (a full 20%) and this is why they do this. It's like saying "our service is automatically great so we added tip in and if you want to reduce it you have to explicitly ask us." Will never go here again.

This has become a semi-regular stop when we're in town, which is often during holidays. They have a consistently nice tap list, and I recently discovered the food is pretty good as well, though we only had snacks. The focus in on beer, but they have some wine and a thoughtful cocktail menu. Since I don't live in the area, I try to pick a local brew while I'm there, but on our most recent visit over Thanksgiving weekend I got a great German hefeweizen. Sometimes you just want a classic! As for the food, they have a regular menu and a limited bar menu. On our last visit we tried the completely decadent broccoli and cheese dip, which I surely could have eaten with a spoon but I stuck with the chips provided. We also tried the meatballs, which were on the chalkboard bar menu. Those were really good as well. The Independent definitely a nice spot for meeting up with friends. I've had nothing but good service there. I also appreciate seeing art by Alternate Histories adorning the walls and in the bathrooms (which are individual/all-gender, btw).

When I called to make reservations at Hidden Harbor, they asked if I was calling for HH or Independent Brewing Company because they have the same phone line. I had no idea these two were side by side. My friend and I decided to go to both. We didn't make reservations for IBC though and didn't have any trouble getting a table. We arrived around 9 and noticed the bar was pretty full. It's not the biggest place so I wouldn't come here if you have a large party of 10 or more. The interior is rather intimate with dim lighting and gives off colonial/tavern vibes. We ordered a cheese board and a side of fries to accompany our sour beers. We ordered the Alvinne (Wild West, Primitivo, Wild Ale with Zinfandel Grapes, 6.0%). It was on the darker side which I typically do not gravitate towards, but it was perfectly tart and yet smooth. They offer happy hour $2 off until 6 pm. The cheese board was good. Was it the best? No. But I was a big fan of the cheese of the day which was gouda and fontinella. Those are two of my favorite cheeses. You get three slices of each. It also comes with pickled eggs (not so pickled), pickled red onions, pickled cucumbers, cranberries, and 4 slices of pita. The pickled red onions and cucumbers were very good! I was hoping there would have been more pita on the board. 4 slices just isn't enough to share between 2 people. Thankfully, my friend isn't into pita bread so I scooped them up. The fries were very tasty and I was a big fan of the curried ketchup. I have never had curried ketchup before and I guess this is something that is very popular in Germany. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. I love that they have a variety of local breweries beer on tap and I will definitely be back soon!

KEEP LOOKING, because if you are looking for a cool place, with great local beer, excellent service and fun music that you get to select from a vast vinyl collection YOU WON'T FIND IT HERE at IBC. Poor selection of beers The rudest staff I have encountered in years, maybe ever A wall of music that I tried to spend a few minutes looking through only to be yelled at by the staff who told me I was not allowed to stand and peruse the collection. Even when we were sitting outside every time one of us got up from our seat the staff ran over and told us to immediately sit down. Repeatedly we were told they are not a bar, but a restaurant and that you are not allowed to stand in a restaurant. Well they are not a brewing company, and they are not a bar, by their own admission, and NO, they are not a restaurant. We are told by them that their strict observance of the rules is because of Covid; yet when asked if I was vaccinated all I had to do was say Yes, no checking of vaccine card. What they are is a place I used to go to for fun and now they are somewhere I will never visit again. NO CHANCE. I suggest you do the same. Our group of 20, many repeat customers, have all vowed to stay away going forward. Two days later I was talking with separate groups of friends; many of them related similar stories of rude behavior by an unhinged staff that appears to be taking marching orders from an owner who has some issues in dealing with the public. For all of you who enjoy this place, I hope you are not doing so just because they are the only game in town. There are other options where the staff is happy to see customers come in and enjoy themselves. Save yourself the misery, don't go here or next door, same owners and we faced the same nasty reception. Actually, I think I will stay away from the other establishments they own around town as well. Oh yes, if you are looking for a quiet place to go next Thanksgiving eve, IBC will likely be nice and empty because the largest group they had that frequented there for years will be laughing it up somewhere else.

A friend and I went out for drinks this past Friday and decided to check out Independent Brewing Company since it was right next door to Hidden Harbor. It's a cute little place with a intimate feel. They have a bar area with a few tables for seating as well. They have a large selection of beer so anyone is bound to find something they like. I saw that they had a lot of beers from some of our local breweries such as Grist House, Dancing Gnome, and Arsenal Cider. I thought this was really cool. Got to support your fellow breweries, right?! I wasn't real familiar with the beers they had on tap and our waiter was very helpful asking what we liked and offering suggestions. He ended up getting us a few samples before we made our decision. We each ended up getting on of the beers he recommended to us and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a little pricey for a beer but I was celebrating so I didn't mind. I came here saying I wasn't going to order food but little did I know they were going to have some German food. I lived in Germany growing up so the minute I saw fries with mayo and curry ketchup I was thrilled. It is so hard to find curry ketchup anymore and I've been missing it all these years. It was delicious and everything I remembered it being. In addition to the fries we also decided to split a cheese board. Overall, it was a pretty well rounded cheese board. It had some pickled veggies, cheese, pita, dried fruit, and a spread. My only real complaint was that the pickled egg just tasted like a regular hard boiled egg. It didn't have much pickled flavor to it. For $10 though, it was well worth it in my opinion. I've paid double that for about the same thing other place so the price point was definitely right

OUR FAVE!! This place and its sister restaurant next door are the only place we have felt safe getting drinks and dinner during the pandemic. Their staff is super pro, very knowledgeable, and just the right amount of attentive. The cocktails are A++ and the food just gets better and better. Tofu bahn mi and the smash burger are highly recommended. They even have a tiny bottle shop inside where you can get great ciders and wines. I've heard some guests don't appreciate their highly sensible COVID protocols -- but WE DO. If you are anti-vax or just like to throw tantrums about your right to ignore science and put everyone else at risk, may I suggest staying home and yelling at your TV instead.

Drinks Only. First of all, I enjoy the rustic atmosphere and the friendly bartenders. Not everyday I get to enjoy a bar like this in the dc/md/va area. So great job IBC for being creative! AND being creative is definitely shown with their mixologist. The drink menu is displayed on their blackboard. It's uniquely designed based on what they have stocked. What's interesting is that even if something may not be on the board, the bartenders ask you a few questions to match your taste. During my time there, they've been on point. My favorite that I have tried besides the beer is the Roman Holiday. Seems to be a popular and interesting choice. Recommend it as a dessert drink. It's refreshing and mildly sweet. If you don't prefer that, then go for the Blood of the French Revolution (for those into history, Pittsburgh is filled with history). The cocktail kind of taste like chocolate covered cherries. I honestly can't wait to return. Visitors should give this nice little bar a try.

Went here for a date, and I was in vinyl heaven with the ample display of vinyl covers. Important thing to note is that they don't actually brew beer, but 90% of their beer selection is local. Had the pierogis, which were good. They have plenty of vegetarian options for someone like me. It's a nice bit of space in Squirrel Hill.

This place has my favorite cocktail that I have had thus far in my adult drinking life. It is called a Gold Rush and it is to die for. Independent is typically known for its local brews and growlers. To my knowledge they only carry brews from western Pennsylvania. However, they also have legitimate cocktails. They are pretty pricey but that is because they do not skimp on the spirits at all. You will feel it even with a single drink. This place also has pretty fantastic food. Typically their best meals are the specials of the night. Once I had a brisket that just melted in your mouth and had a great side of smashed potatoes. We have had really good lamb burgers here. They also are famous for their Brussels sprouts and mac n cheese. The location is extremely small though so either make a reservation or come with a small group. I've only ever successfully walked in and gotten a table once. Every other time I have ate at the bar.

Let me start by saying I love negronis. This place serves a great one: reasonably priced with an orange twist and a gigantic cube. Yum. Beyond that, they have a pretty solid cocktail list, mostly classics with some sort of twist (ex "Spanish style gin and tonic"). While I tend to drift to mixed drinks, this place does specialize in beer, if that's your preference, and they also serve arsenal cider! Food: I like the snack/appetizer options, especially after they recently redid the menu. I personally would not come to dinner here - I think their entrees are a little on the pricey side, but I haven't tried them, so maybe they're great Service: All the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, but I wish they had a few more people working as service can be a little slow. It doesn't bother me too much since I usually come here to hang out for awhile, but if you're in a hurry, it might be a problem. Atmosphere: the crowd varies, but mostly professionals in the 30s or so. It can get pretty crowded on the weekends, but it's usually not to hard to find a table or a spot by the bar. During the week it is the perfect balance of not too crowded and not to empty. I quite like that the don't play sports games here, definitely a different vibe than typical pittsburgh bars Overall: Great bar for low-key drinks during the week or weekend, especially considering limited options in squirrel hill!

We stopped here this past Saturday before heading to their sister restaurant/bar next door. Independent Brewery's niche is only carrying and supporting locally (Pennsylvania) beers. I came here last year for a yelp event and thought it seemed a whole lot better at the event. The venue is small, and the layout is too tight, not to mention the place was definitely above capacity as there was nowhere to sit and many people were just standing behind occupied tables and barstools. It wasn't comfortable, and we only stayed for one drink. I know the same people that own Hidden Harbor also own Independent, but in my opinion they have a much greater concept/product at Hidden Harbor. The locally supported craft bar isn't anything new, a lot of places are doing this. Maybe not exclusively, but there are still plenty of establishments that you can order several local craft beers. That being said, they certainly weren't hurting for business so it's just my personal preference. I think I will just be sticking with Hidden Harbor on all reoccurring visits.

The food lived up to all of the hype. I had the duck confit and it was just perfect. My wife had the rigatoni and it was amazing! Then for our 2 and 3 year old kids, they had wings (which were some of the best ever), perogies, and grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. All of which were hits for the kids. We had a table of 8, including 4 young children. They were very accommodating to the children and the service was excellent. It's really difficult eating out with young children, but they made every effort to make it a great time for us. I want to point out that Yelp has this business listed as not good for children, but i found quite the contrary. I called in advance to verify and they very much welcome children. Which I am very thankful for!

I love the cocktail selection (I'm not a beer drinker), the ambiance and the food is excellent. I have now been there a few times and the ONLY reason I'm giving this place 3 stars is because the servers here could be much more personable. Each time I am hoping it's a different experience from the waitstaff. They practically ignore you and barely smile. It's a real shame because if it weren't for that, I'd prob go here more regularly and give it a much higher rating.

"Thanks for trying everything on out menu," our waiter said as we closed our tab. We weren't sure if he was being serious or sarcastic, as we did try quite a few items. This was after he asked if we wanted anything else as if we weren't going to order food after we received our drinks. Dude had no idea. Independent Brewing Company has been on my short list of places to try for a long time. The pictures of their menu items posted on social media always make my mouth water. But the space is limited and they are only open for dinner, so getting there has been tricky. I used an out-of-town friend as an excuse to finally give it a try since she often asks me when we're going because she also sees their food pictures on Facebook. It's a small space, maybe 15 tables total. So getting there early is key. We arrived just before opening and there was a line of people waiting for the doors to be unlocked. I took that to be our first good sign. While drooling over all the menu items and ordering a beer from the selection of crafts on draft, my friend and I decided on several things. First, we started with two appetizers : the carrot pierogies made with carrots and ground pork and the fried brussel sprouts served with macadamia nuts and a honey and lime sauce. I don't know that I've ever had a pierogie I didn't like and these were very flavorful. And while I do have a love/hate relationship with brussel sprouts I did devour half the order (I think that honey and lime sauce was they key). We each ordered our own entree (my friend ordered the scallops, I ordered the hanger steak) and we shared a third entree (sweet potato ravioli). The ravioli was good and came with these amazing little pecorino crisps. I could have eaten a whole plate of just those. My steak came with smashed sweet potatoes, crispy onions and a herb butter. When I see hanger steak on a menu, I will usually order it. Here at IBC, this was not a mistake. After dinner I ordered a cocktail (rock and rye) and we decided to share a dessert. The sticky whiskey toffee cake stood out from the choices so we went with it. This proved another good idea. The only thing that really took away from this being a 5 star experience was our waiter. It seemed like we were bothering him by being there and ordering food. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the small dining area, but we ended up talking to an older couple next to us and had a lovely conversation. I sometimes think these smaller restaurants hope for that as a way of making their establishment feel more welcoming. The food was as good as expected even with our high expectations and I will both return and recommend IBC.

I had a very nice time at the Independent! Staff was nice as was the atmosphere. The seats outside were packed on such nice night but there was space inside and at the bar. The drinks list was a good length; a variety of choices without being overwhelming. I ordered the aviation; a drink I was happy to see on the list as it is one of my favorite cocktails and sometimes bartenders don't know how to make it or have all of the ingredients. It was good but a bit heavy on the lemon. I also ordered the baby eggplant which was very nice! Definitely an appetizer not a main even though they group all of the savory food options together. The food and drink was a bit pricey (especially some of the beer options) but expected from such a local and "hipster" establishment.

Let's start off with the good, the bar had a lot of great beer options and friendly bartenders The bad: the servers are extremely rude and unpleasant, they ignored the table for a long time and make no effort whatsoever. I literally had to go up to the bar and order things because the servers was always MIA and rude when he came back The place over all seems nice and pretty lively. This review is only regarding the drinks and the way the servers are, nothing related to the food.

We came here on a Friday evening (we made a reservation ahead of time) to celebrate a friend's birthday. While Independent Brewing Company can get crowded very easily, it was still a nice place to get together. It did seem a bit loud and I had to shout to my friends, but it didn't completely distract from our get together. I ordered an heirloom tomato salad, and my friends also ordered various items. Our waitress was helpful even when we could have easily frustrated her as we switched orders in the middle of ordering. I don't drink but my friends do and they tried a few of the specialty drinks and were all pleased. The menu changes, so I would be interested in giving Independent Brewing Company another shot.

Amazing local beer selection... But ughhhhh that Lamb Burger though. So good. Seriously. I love lamb and I love lamb burgers even more and it's phenomenal. You'd probably be surprised to hear the menu has a Mediterranean influence. But it doesn't stop there. They also offer a deliciously creamy mac n' cheese, of course, made with cheese and beer. But back to the beers. They have a great selection of all different local beers from around PA. I am currently obsessed with the Pink Boots Gose, but that kicked fast (probably because it was so good). I've also had some great Grist House brews. But seriously, there's so many local breweries, this is a great option to try a good amount of them in once place! Another surprising fact, they also make a fantastic cocktail. They have great bartenders cooking up new cocktails, as well as the classics. So really, you can come here for the lamb burger with your cocktail and beer loving friends!

The stout was smooth but not creamy, with good coffee flavor. Do try if you like stouts Crowded and popular hangout ..

Four Seasons Session Pale Ale is the beer I enjoy when here. I like this brewery a lot. We're lucky to have so many good ones in Pittsburgh and these guys are at the top of my list. A fun space to make your local. Prices are comparable. I've yet to try the food but it always looks and smells good.

What a great neighborhood hang out--classy but welcoming, friendly but intimate. We ordered the fries and pickled trout to accompany our ciders and beers, and we were fans of everything. They have such sweet servers, nice decor, inviting-looking outdoor tables for warmer weather, and big windows to watch the world go by when it's cold. And I absolutely love the art!

The food is great and only keeps getting better. Always friendly staff and a great selection of drinks