Monterey Pub

Stopped here for lunch after a trip to the Aviary and it was delicious! Very cozy and welcoming Irish pub with great service. The burgers and fish and chips were excellent (one piece of fish missing in the picture because I was too excited about it for the phone to eat first) and we especially loved the curly fries.

Awesome little pub! Great food and very friendly staff. Food came out fast and was very good. Nothing beats the IC Light on tap. Hope to stop back some time. Let’s go Bucs

My wife and I stopped in here for dinner when in town for a Cubs/Pirates match-up. Place really has a "local establishment" feel to it. Felt really at home here. Service was great and the food was very good. I goth the Shepard's pie and my wife got a wrap. Will/Would definitely return if in town once again. If we lived in the greater Pittsburgh are this would be one of our regular stops.

Great Pub. Fantastic service. Hand crafted cocktails are delicious!. Pub fare is perfect to accompany the many locally sourced beers. Thick-cut roasted turkey on the club sammich FTW! Recommended by the kind folks at the nearby Mattress Factory Museum.

Excellent service. Staff is very attentive. Great atmosphere. The food and mixed drinks were really good & reasonably priced. It was my first time here, and I will definitely be back. This is an independent restaurant that takes pride in what they do.

Love coming here. Cozy little Irish pub tucked right in amongst the houses on the Mexican War Streets. Rotating drafts, full bar (super unique bar top too), and the most comforting comfort food in the history of the world. I literally have dreams about their mashed potatoes 🤤 Also tried their brunch today for the first time. Would absolutely recommend the biscuits & sausage gravy!!

One of the best burgers in the city! Smashed but not smashed to nothing and amazing curly fries, like a classy Arby's fry. Cool vibes and lots of other pub food that isn't just your usual English pub fare. Something about the atmosphere here makes the Guinness go down better!

Mashed potatoes 🥔 are fantastic. Coupled with bangers, stoner's pot or shepherd's pie. Yum! Love the vibe.

I absolutely love this place! Super cozy, friendly staff, and wonderful live music. Really a heart of the North Side community.

My partner and I love this spot. If you get a small table across from the bar it feels romantic with the charm of the vintage style of the venue. There are pennies inlaid into the bar! In the back it's great for groups. I recently brought some friends who had never been here and they were very impressed by the food. Some of my favorites here include the pub salad with a salmon filet. The dressings made in house are delicious. The burgers are amazing. I'm not a beer drinker, but my friends enjoyed the draft and bottle selection. I love the wines on tap too. I'd like to try a brunch here with family in the future. I love the location, the food and energy in this place.

My husband and I would give it a 3.75 but I rounded to 4. The server/host was very friendly. He kept us informed about whether we had a table opening up and also took our drink order while we were waiting. Turns out he also was our server so he was really hustling. We got the pretzel bite appetizer, 2 smash burgers and a reuben. I'm pretty picky about reubens but I thought the meat was fantastic, very tender. The burgers were fine but the top bun was fairly small. The curly fries were good but a bit on the salty side and the mac and cheese was good but we didn't realize it cost an extra $1 until we got the check. Very cool vibe/atmosphere.. it felt cozy and like a place locals come. Overall had a great experience and would be happy to come back!

Such a great cozy neighborhood pub tucked into the North Side - if you're looking for a fun atmosphere and great drinks and food, check it out! Visited on a Saturday night and snagged one of the wooden booths across from the bar. I tried the titular Monterey cocktail, which was smokey, strong, and delicious. My husband had a pint of Guinness and it was poured perfectly! Later in the evening I also tried the Paper Plane cocktail, which was equally great. For food we tried some apps, including the mozzarella sticks and onion rings, as well as burgers for entrees. They bill their burgers as smashburgers, and I'm usually skeptical of that moniker on most menus because more often than not a place's burgers are NOT true smashburgers - not the case with this spot! They were true smashburgers and they tasted great. I had mac and cheese as my side (this was obviously not the most health-conscious meal, ha) and it was very tasty, I love the cavatappi pasta shape. They offer other sides too, including coleslaw, tater tots, curly fries, roasted vegetables, and a side salad. We've visited before for just drinks and also for St. Patrick's Day festivities and it's always a great time! It's lively and friendly and feels quite authentic. Check it out if you're in the area!

A lovely Irish pub in the Mexican War Streets. Surprisingly great food, great vibes, great staff. A Guinness here has healed me.

We went here spontaneously as a night cap because we were close by in the north shore and were pleasantly surprised! Super cute pup, the food others had looked really good (especially the flatbreads and burgers), and my cocktail, an apple martini, was so delicious! Was busy on a Saturday night but we luckily got the last table and the waitresses provided great service - super nice and friendly. We will definitely be coming back intentionally.

Super cool Irish Pub in the North Side. Bar seating, booths & some tables are available to dine at. Had the pretzels, Reuben & drumsticks. The Reuben was delicious, the corn beef was cooked really well and more shredded than sliced. The drumsticks were super cool- menu item you don't see often, got the dry rub on them, cooked really well- a lot of good meat on it. The inside is definitely small but cozy and makes you feel like you're really at a pub in Ireland!

Great food, atmosphere, and beverages (love their cocktails). Try to sit by the fireplace in the winter. So cozy! Parking can be tricky.

I was in town to visit friends and go to a concert downtown, and we ended up in the Monterey Pub around 11:00 pm. This place is a hidden gem! Super cute neighborhood bar that welcomed us as if we were regulars. We grabbed a booth near the bar and had several beers off the small, but proper draft beer list. We weren't there for five minutes before a couple of guys saw our concert tee-shirts from the show and asked us all about it. Everyone in the place was super friendly, and it had such a happy buzz. Seeing all the pictures from other reviewers makes me wish we had ordered some food too. I'll definitely do that once my wife and I relocate back to the Burgh in the spring! For now, this review is just for the bar part, which was cozy, very clean, and tucked in a great little neighborhood.

Went there Sunday w/ hubs & 2 sisters. I wasn't sure what to expect from this pub. It screams (inside) - just grab a beer!!! -- but don't be fooled. The food is really quite good! I loved my swishroom garden veggie burger. It was so flavorful - definitely one of the best veggie burgers I've ever had! I couldn't believe it. Moist, cheesy, good spice. The fries were good, tho I could hardly eat all that they put in that basket. Husband & one sis got the Reuben. Neither were bowled over by their sammies but said they were good. 2nd sis got the fish and chips and loved it. The beer selection was pretty good, and they also had cider on tap. The interior is - well - pub. The service was excellent. Will *most definitely* return.

I met up with a friend after work around 7pm. I was really looking forward to getting dinner but the kitchen had problems and had to close. So we each got two drinks. I ordered two cocktails. And I could not finish the second because they were strong. I love that they were strong but it would have helped to have food. Overall I would totally come back here again to try the food and get more drinks. The waitress was very nice. And the place was very comforting. It had a front bar and the back which was more intimate.

Newly reopened under new management, we dropped in to check things out. It's still a wonderfully vintage Irish Pub tucked away in a residential neighborhood. They still have great pub favorites, such as fish and chips, Shepard's Pie, and Burgers. The beer list includes Guinness on tap, but also several local craft beers. The booths are absolutely charming, although small. It's a great place for good conversation. The coolest friends hang out here, I'm still recommending it.

Solid as hell 4stars but we love this place.We've come back multpie times since we first poked over in 2019. Since then there was a pandemic, and right after that, Monterey pub changed ownership, with the new people owning somewhere else in the city (but everyone in the neighborhood seemed to have heard this was the first restaurant). Montrey pub is an absolute gem. fantastic service and food with the new people. Solid cocktails and beer selection too and always very minimal complaints. We miss the boxtys from the old team, but the new food is amazing. My only nitpick tonight is that the chimmichuri chicken pita could have used a smidge more chimmichuri sauce.

Well the beer was good. Tried this place again after a not so great meal a few years ago. It was busy for a birthday party, but we got a booth. Two of us ordered the shepherd's pie, which is an Irish pub staple...if you can't make a good one don't call yourself an Irish pub. Theirs sucks. Mostly mashed potatoes, peas and scraps of beef in a small steel bowl, for $17. No sides included. No one asked us how we liked the food, with most of our food left in the bowl... or we would have told them. They were too busy to be bothered. This place used to be really good, but it's been years since someone has cared about the quality. Never again.

This place sucks. No decent food, no service, and the ambience is horrible. Get a new manager. She's old and needs to be kicked out.. kick her out and save yourself.

Tucked away on the residential Monterey Street in the Allegheny-West/Mexican War Streets area on the Northside is the Monterey Pub. With an impressive selection of Irish whisky, Smithwicks on tap and shepherds pie on the menu, it's as Irish as can be. Seating choices include cozy little wood booths, a beautifully worn and warm bar, and a few tables in an intimate area in the back. Oh, but the food...we went there originally for the salmon and mash-a sweet glazed generous piece of salmon served in a bowl pan over the most delicious mashed potatoes and roasted seasonal vegetables. Then we tried the shepherds pie-also served fresh and hot out of the oven in a bowl pan. The stuff food dreams are made of... The service is fast and friendly, both at the bar and at a table, with excellent recommendations. Visit the Aviary, Children's Museum or Randyland and make the Monterey Pub your lunch or dinner stop- or just make a special trip. It's worth it!

Loved the ambiance!! Wouldn't expect a pub in a local neighborhood like that but this was a delight and the service was even better

Thought I was in the wrong neighborhood, and saw the flag above the restaurant. Went into a crowded pub at 800pm, got seated, received great service and great food. It had a high energy, and was a happy place to be. The Shepherd's Pie was the best!!

This place has gone through a few changes over the years. This was one of my favorite places for Irish food pre-pandemic. They didn't survive Covid, but now have new owners that revived this hidden gem. I always enjoy the food, it never blows me away but there are some stables I definitely recommend. Have the deviled eggs! They are addictive and a must have! Also their cocktails are always solid and rotate for the season. Their 'chips' are also addictive. When I can get curly fries as an adult I'm always happy. Come for the hole in the wall vibes, good service, cold beer and a kitchen that is actually open on Mondays!

Last minute audible to walk here this past Friday night. We were staying real close and it looked very inviting. The place was full, but the GM was super nice and put us in the queue for a table for four. Grabbed a couple pints at the bar and we were seated in roughly 20 minutes. Tables are small and no real intimacy, but I love the pub atmosphere and this place is perfect. It was Friday night and they were completely out of cheese, so no pretzels, mac and cheese, etc. They were also sold out of wings, so be sure to have backups in mind. From the dishes ordered, we loved the Shepherd's Pie, Fish and Chips and the Mashed Potatoes and Mozzarella Sticks. I made the mistake of ordering the Veggie Flatbread. The crust itself was great, but the vegetables were listed as roasted and they were barely cooked. Sliced carrots and cauliflower mostly. Just nothing exciting and my bad for making the choice. Prices were reasonable. We had a couple items on our bill that weren't ours, but they were quickly corrected. Awesome staff all around and would love to return and pick something different for my meal.

The Monterey Pub is an absolute gem. Irish Pubs just have the coziest vibes and this one is the absolute coziest of them all. From the dark moody walls to the woodwork and the little booths with mirrors and tables with a map of Ireland on them, to the Gaelic fonts on the wall and the brass accents, this place is adorable. The food does NOT disappoint either. Fantastic pretzels with cheese, amazing cheesy mozzarella sticks, and insanely delicious smash burgers and curly fries. The perfect pub menu if you ask me. Love this place & can't wait til my next trip here!

What a lovely neighborhood pub (which is literally just in the middle of a residential block) and it does make you feel like you have traveled just beyond the confines of Pittsburgh. I had the shepherd's pie and it was delicious and just the perfect amount of food. If I am in the area in the future, I would return here in an instant. The service was really prompt and efficient. The food and drinks came fast.

The new owners post-pandemic have done an excellent job keeping most of the OG pub's charm, like the original wooden booths and dimly lit space. The new menu is also excellent, featuring Irish fare, delicious smash burgers, flatbreads and a variety of tasty apps. They are sometimes out of items in the kitchen which happens. But everything I've ordered has been great. They make a mean cocktail which can add up quickly but they are talented mixologists. It's not as cheap as it once was, but where is? Overall, a wonderful cozy neighborhood pub worth visiting time and time again.

What a cool little pub! It's very tiny, so it might not be great for large groups. My husband and I stopped in a few days before St. Patrick's day to avoid the St. Pat's crowd, and I'm happy we did. I had the fish and chips, and he had the Shepard's Pie. Both were very good, and the service was spot on as well. Tricky part is that all parking is on street, and since it's located in the Mexican War Streets, that can always be tricky. Luckily, we snagged a spot right out front!

This place needs a facelift, it's gotten pretty shabby and is not as clean as it could be. Food is mediocre. No prices on entire specialty drink menu and price given to us by the waiter when we asked was almost $3.00 less than we were charged. Then they add an extra 4% if you pay by credit card! Manager/bartender/waiter had an attitude when those issues were brought to his attention. Lots of good restaurants nearby, try those.

Based solely on cocktails, atmosphere, & conversation with the team members, this place gets my 5 stars. Hope to be back soon to try food as well. A few Saturdays back we drove around & finally decided to head to Monterey Pub in the Mexican War Streets because we hadn't been since it changed ownership a few months back. If you haven't been, I highly recommend stopping by. This adorable little pub is tucked inside of an old home & they have the history written out on the wall. It's so cozy & they have beautiful "new" thrifted glassware for the drinks. Speaking of drinks, they have a new cocktail menu & the options are creative & delicious. I started with the "Palo Alto" with Tequila, Italian Brandy, Lime & Orange...loved it! As we sat at the bar we met Sophia, one of the new owners! She was very nice & chatted with us about going in with her friends on this place. She's an industry pro & is doing a great job. She introduced us to our bartender Mad Dog (hope I'm getting that right) & so for the next cocktail we went with "The Arch" which she'd created. It's Gin, Lemon, Grenadine, Tiki Bitters, & Rosemary & was also delicious.

This was a first time walk in the door and get something to eat and drink. The three Santa Claus 's that exited as we entered were the sign that we were in for a good time. Our waiter said it was his third day on the job and in spite of this we had simply outstanding service all evening from him. The food was excellent and the Guinness with Jamison shooters were what was needed after walking around West Allegheny all day. The Ambiance made us feel if we had had a little bit of Dublin dropped into the North Side for the meal . Will return again in the near future after such a wonderful first experience.

We were expecting more basic bar food but we're pleasantly surprised by the delicious food. I got the chicken pita, a great nonstandard option. Very tasty. Staff was also great

Food was great, staff was friendly, beer selection amazing. Great neighborhood pub! I highly recommend if you are local or traveling to the area.

OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH The grand reopening of an old friend!!! What a warm and fuzzy feeling, like rich cocoa around a winter fire. Boy has this pub been missed. With a hot shot staff of new servers, a delicious new menu and old time favs, what more could you want? The appetizers were fire!! We actually started dipping Jalapeño Scallon hush puppies into the beer cheese because we couldn't get enough. The bartenders were on point, even with a packed house...... flawless service. The burgers were perfect.....texture, flavor, presentation. What a home run, I couldn't have asked for a greater re-emerging Irish Pub. Thank you to Everyone.... Cheers Boca, this ones for you!

Cozy neighborhood pub. The servers and bartenders are always friendly and attentive. Food is always consistent and good.

What a great place! Clean environment, friendly service, great selections. We loved the atmosphere of the perfect neighborhood pub! The food we had was great - especially the salads (nice mix of greens including arugula). Keep up the good work! We will be back!

Can't say enough good things about this place! I hadn't been to Monterey Pub since I worked nearby years ago; read about the new ownership, and finally came with a friend. Great diversity on the menu- there's something for everyone. The appetizer (Celestial Eggs) and main dishes (Shepard's Pie and a 'Shroomburger) we ordered were delicious/beautifully prepared. The side salad w. the burger was unbelievably fresh and the lemon vinaigrette dressing is very flavorful. Service was fantastic, and we really enjoyed the neighborhood pub atmosphere. If you're anywhere near the Mexican War Streets (and even if you aren't!), have dinner here soon!!

I really want to like this place. It has the neighborhood pub feel that I was looking for and everyone was friendly. The wine is decent enough and the food menu looked good. Well, what they had of it anyway. Before we ordered, we were told they were out of a number of things. Annoying, but ok. We ordered, and then the server came back to tell us they also no longer offered the salad we ordered. This was problematic because the person who ordered it had dietary restrictions and very limited options already. She hurriedly selected a different salad, ordered sans croutons. It came out with croutons and she had to send it back. The rest of our meals were delivered a few minutes later. The fish sandwich was good - not the huge fish filet you typically see this time of year, but it was tasty. The shepherds pie was ok - it was served barely warm and by the time we got to it, it was downright cold. The service was a mix. We started off strong except for the croutons. A few rounds of drinks and our meals later, we were deep in conversation. She asked if we wanted another round and we declined. She then immediately asked if we were ready for the checks. Normally, I'd appreciate that sort of efficiency, but it was presented in a rushed sort of "if you don't want another, you have to go" sort of way. It just felt abrupt for some reason. In actuality, we still had drinks on the table and weren't really sure if we wanted another round - we just didn't want it right then. We were flustered and took the checks, paid, and then got into another conversation that ended up taking a while. A lot of time (like two hours a lot) went by and finally she came over and asked if we wanted some water. I think we'd all have had another round if she'd circled back earlier. Partly our fault for paying out, but it was a really long time that we sat there with no service. All in all, I'd try it again, but maybe sit at the bar. We did sit there a while, but the hard benches weren't really my jam - though I do appreciate that all the chairs had backs.

WARNING - Restaurant charges credit card surcharge fees without telling you beforehand. Stay with me... It took a very long time to figure out the baffling way in which Monterey Pub's payment system calculates an incorrect bill. Put simply, there is no reality where the customer can pay the advertised menu price. Every menu item comes with a secret built-in 3.8% surcharge. Every customer's bill will list items with inflated pricing. The only difference is that, after the inflated subtotal and sales tax are calculated, the customer who pays with cash can then receive a 3.8% deduction on the inflated total. (In theory, customers who pay cash would be paying too much in sales tax, but more on that later.) Neither the surcharge nor the discount is mentioned anywhere in the restaurant or on the website. Wouldn't it be great to know about surcharges (or discounts!) before placing your order? To add surcharges, merchants must post a notice at the entry of the store letting customers know that they add a surcharge to all credit transactions. They must also post a notice at the point of sale (the register). Nowhere on any menu, cash register, or public sign does Monterey Pub management inform the customer of this fee. The first time we learned about this bizarre pricing scheme was upon getting the bill. The 7% sales tax was also incorrectly calculated and was actually too little, but we were choosing our battles! Appropriate customer service usually includes the manager saying words like "Sorry" and "My apologies" when customers ask directly about a pricing difference that was not mentioned previously. This obviously didn't happen, with the following brief interaction happening instead: Manager: This is the service fee that's added on. Me: Don't you agree that this should be printed somewhere? Manager: Yeah. Me: Well, what could be done about this? Manager: I'm not going to do it now because I'm working. (Assuming "it" is to print another menu?) We left feeling confused, insulted, and taken advantage of. We contacted our credit card company who recommended that filing a dispute of the entire bill amount would be necessary because the charged amounts were "not as advertised." We were thrilled to get our money back and be rid of Monterey Pub. If any reader or manager thinks that we are just being cheap because we didn't want to pay a few extra dollars for using a credit card, remember that THEY didn't want to pay the extra few dollars either. We have actively gone to restaurants who pass on credit card surcharges to customers, but we always know of this practice in advance. We will never return to a restaurant with such a shady pricing scheme, such an inaccurate point of sale system, and such shockingly poor customer service after being told of a billing issue. In the end, Monterey Pub MUST notify customers of surcharges before adding them to the bill.

We are not locals so picked this off of Yelp. Very good choice! Little neighborhood pub, but we stopped in on a Saturday afternoon so we're able to sit right away. Server was friendly and helpful, food came out piping hot. Wife got the swiss/mushroom smash burger which I sampled and both of us considered it extremely good. I got the Sheppard pie and it was delicious. Highly recommend

Fantastic food, with a super friendly and busy wait staff. We stopped in on Saturday for lunch and it was packed, but we had the best Shepard's pie m, and the Dino nuggets and curly fries were a huge hit with my son. Great atmosphere and will definitely be back!

The owner of an Inn in the neighborhood recommended Monterey Pub for dinner on the day we arrived in Pittsburgh. It was outstanding. Portions were perfect, food was excellent (hubby had Shepherd's Pie and I had the glazed salmon), drinks hit the spot and atmosphere was quaint and fun. Bartender took our drink order and server was attentive but not "too much." We loved how they knew the people coming in, such a neighborhood establishment. So glad we took the walk up the block.

So I was beyond excited for Monterey to reopen as it was a neighborhood favorite of ours before the pandemic. We stopped in on a Wednesday night before a concert at Stage AE. They are under new ownership. The menu has lost most of the quirk Irish fare that made this place unique. No more stoner's pie. No more meatloaf. Our entire group was a bit disheartened by the changes that had been made. It still has the same ambience and feels similar, but I feel that the new ownership has lost a good bit of the charm that made this place special. As a side note, and I cannot 100% attribute this to the establishment - but I had to leave the concert early due to an exceedingly upset stomach. I ate the fish sandwich and was the only one in our group to get the fish sandwich. We will probably be back at some point and maybe things will get better as the new ownership gets their feet under them, but the first time back was a disappointment. I will update this review if we go back and it feels better.

Food, service, & atmosphere were all wonderful in this quaint little spot. So glad we stumbled upon it on my last trip to the Burgh.

Great neighborhood bar and eatery. Great service in a cool atmosphere. Great menu and bar options

Monterey Pub is a great find in the Mexican War Streets. I'd recommend this place to someone looking for an Irish Pub and quality food. I appreciate that our server checked in on us regularly and made sure everything was top notch. We'll be back to try the pretzels and beer cheese!

A classic neighborhood pub with the flair of the Irish. Having been to Ireland I'd say they do an ok job of trying to portray Irish Pub Life. Absolutely a bar for locals where everyone literally knows your name. North Side was my stomping grounds for a long time and even though I'm not a regular I'm still treated as one when I do come through. The Devonshire Boxty is tasty and I also love Will Smith's Stoner Pie (my fave actually). They have daily specials and decent pricing for beers. Of course Guinness is my draft of choice.

The service was wonderful, the food was authentic, Irish, and it's just an amazing place to go and have a super fun time! Truly recommend trying this place!

I was there a couple weeks ago while visiting family in Pittsburgh. We got there soon after they opened and our group of six were able to sit in a cool booth in the back corner. The place Is cozy enough that no matter where you sit you can still enjoy the atmosphere of this neighborhood family owned pub. Our server (Maddie) was friendly and fun. She brought our first round of drinks quickly and made some great recommendations for appetizers and meals. Absolutely everything we had there (drinks, food, and service) was stellar. It's a place I will want to visit every time I'm in Pittsburgh!!! We need this in Oregon too. Sorry, no pictures to share. I was enjoying my time so much that my phone never came out of my jacket pocket. I do strongly recommend the grilled veggies for a side .. the fries looked good to but my veggies were off the charts amazing.

Great atmosphere and attention to detail by the staff! Good good food and mixed drinks! Loved it!

Excellent fish and chips! Not greasy just perfect! The service was good and the Guinness was fresh tasting!

Great food, great drinks, great staff! They have wifi and very chill vibe to go in with friends or alone. Definitely would recommend their Reuben with fries and cider on tap!

I love a cozy neighborhood spot but this place was expensive and not worth it? My cocktail was $13 which was fine but it was nothing spectacular, mostly ice. My boyfriend and I split the mozzarella sticks for an app. Again, fine but nothing to write home about. He got a wrap which he thought was okay and I got the broccoli and cheese soup. My soup came out cold. Like straight up cold to the touch. I ask for it to be reheated which they happily did but it came back barely any warmer. I think id come back for a drink but not order any food.