Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room

Always a pleasure to eat, here! Every time I visit my daughter at U Pitt we must go to Proper. The pizzas are positively divine always cooked to order with fresh ingredients…can’t beat the wood fire brick oven experience. The pasta funghi was exquisite (add roasted garlic, bacon, and a twist of lemon) as was the Lemon cream cake for dessert. My only wish was for a glass of ice cold milk to enjoy with the cake…🙄 The waitstaff is gregarious and very helpful. Ask for the hot honey for your pizza…you won’t regret it. Terrific dining experience…

Stopped in for an early dinner, wanted to beat the Friday crowd! The pizza was delicious!! I highly recommend the Bianca, best white pizza I’ve ever had! The crust was light and crispy, topped with a generous amount of cheese! The pesto pasta was also very good! I do not recommend the Caesar Salad at all, it was very plain, dressing was tasteless. Sad to say, because I love a good Caesar with my pizza! Jada was our server, she was so pleasant and attentive! We absolutely loved her!! The overall atmosphere was what you expect and want downtown! 4.5 ⭐️

Excelent spot with excellent food served by fantastic people. I wanted somewhere nice but that wasn't going to cost a bazillion dollars for dinner. I wanted something a little lighter and I wanted vegetables. This fit the bill well. They Had a spectacular house salad with goat cheese, pears, and candied walnuts. The dressing is very light and tastes great. The pesto pizza is amazing. Just the right saltiness mixed with sweet. The calamari you can tell was crafted correctly, not frozen and tastes like perfection. I'll be back

We sat at the pizza station and watched the magic happen. Tom Petty in the background and ice cold Zombie Dust IPA. We had a white pizza with sweet Italian sausage on half and hot honey on the side. The crust was soft and crunchy. Great draft selection and dessert menu. Staff was friendly and attentive. Would highly recommend

I've been eagerly awaiting to give Proper Brick Oven a try. The food and drink were very good. The pizza was near perfect. And the house sangria was delicious! The service was poor though. Just uninterested and inattentive. And the atmosphere was not what I expected. I was hoping for the atmosphere to have a refined yet casual, semi-upscale vibe suitable for the theater crowd and the esteemed Cultural District. However, the atmosphere was outdated, in desperate need of an update and had the vibe of an overpriced tourist trap. The entry way and restrooms (that are located directly next to the entrance) were dirty and unkept. I probably won't return here.

The food was excellent and the service was great considering how busy they were. The space is super tight and I can see why they don’t take reservations but I was able to squeeze into the bar seating. The food came out fairly fast and was cooked perfectly. The bartender recommended a great dish and a side for me to carb load easily. I would recommend if you’re in town and want some delicious food, just prepare for a wait.

My absolute favorite pizza place in all of Pittsburgh. Honestly, I’ve had pizza in Naples Italy and this pizza is just as delicious. Also the staff there is so welcoming and friendly. Tiffany was our waitress and she was just lovely. She needs a raise. Can’t wait to come back soon!

**Delicious Food, Disappointing Service** We stopped by Proper for an early dinner and were blown away by the food — truly exceptional. The sourdough pizza dough was next-level: pillowy, flavorful, and perfectly crisped. It’s the kind of crust that lingers in your memory. I also really enjoyed the BLT salad, which was fresh and well-balanced. Unfortunately, the service didn’t live up to the quality of the kitchen. The restaurant was packed due to a nearby theater event, which we understood, but the layout didn’t help. The narrow aisle between bar stools and wall tables made it difficult to move through the space, and we were seated at a two-top near the kitchen, where I was repeatedly bumped by staff rushing past. Adding to the discomfort, I caught occasional whiffs of cigarette smoke — likely from the back door where staff were taking breaks — which took away from the otherwise inviting atmosphere. The most frustrating part was the lack of attention from our server. After the initial rush died down and the restaurant cleared out, we didn’t see her again until she dropped off the check. We were ready to pay immediately, but ended up waiting another 15 minutes before the sweet hostess noticed us and kindly stepped in to run our card. Proper’s food is truly worth returning for — I just hope the service can catch up.

This place left a great impression, the service was friendly and efficient, the food was fresh and enjoyable, the atmosphere was cozy and inviting, I would love to come back again.

Meals are fresh and arrive quickly. The staff are attentive without hovering. The setting is relaxed and organized. It is easy to settle in and enjoy the food. The service moves at a comfortable pace. It leaves a nice overall impression.

This place hit the spot on every level. We needed some carbs yet healthy and the aroma of the brick oven made me want pizza soooo bad!!! So we were lucky enough to sit at the bar after a pirates game. It was $5 off pizzas and $5 drafts. Since I over did it the night before I opted for an ice cold Pepsi. My friend and I decided to split the proper house salad and a Bianca pizza. But of course I asked for a side of ranch bc what's pizza with out the ranch to dip it in? Both were spot on!! Perfectly dressed for the salad and perfected cooked for the pizza with garlic garlic and more garlic oozing from the cheese. Perfection! The bartender was fantastic! He enjoyed our stories of the adventures through town from the night before and was quite entertaining. All in all this place was fantastic. If you want a great brick oven pizza - this is your spot!!!

I'm astonished that I have never reviewed Proper on Yelp. It might be my favorite pizza in the city, and I eat a whole lot of pizza. There are several specialty, wood-fired pizzas on the menu and you can pretty comfortably split one between two people, especially if you're getting any appetizers or salads. They are famous for their bacon candy; I'm a vegetarian and can recommend the fried brussels sprouts. But I usually bypass an appetizer and go for a Proper house salad, which is unique with its combination of Bibb lettuce, red pears, candied walnuts, goat cheese and white balsamic. You can get a whole to split or a half if you're dining solo. Then order a pizza, which is going to run you anywhere between $21 and $25. It's pricey but they are really good, and the absolute best in my opinion is the Bianca which may be better than any white pizza in Pittsburgh. It's the perfect balance of flavors and garlicky goodness and brings some heat with ample red pepper flakes on top. There is a full bar, and in the likely event that the relatively small dining area is packed (no reservations accepted), you can try for a seat here. They will serve the full menu with fast service and I always order whatever seasonal sangria is being offered at the time. I like that they are always rotating and feel fresh to the time of year. This restaurant also has good awareness that they are next door to the Benedum Center and will do their best to get you to your show, if applicable, on time.

Four of us decided to grab an early dinner en route to a Pirates baseball game. 4PM Friday and with no reservation. The first thing to hit your senses coming in the door is the comfortable smell of wood smoke from the wood-fired brick oven. It gives a sense of warmth and nostalgia. We were greeted and seated immediately. The place has the vibe of a vintage bar/restaurant with a large bar on one wall extending two thirds into the room and a long bench for seating at twos and fours along the other. Crowded but well laid out. While you are close to the next table, you aren't sitting on top of each other. The drink menu features several wines and mixed drinks as well as a rotating selection of nearly 30 beers on tap. My spouse had a local blueberry ale, and I grabbed an orange sour; both were served correctly and tasted good. The table ordered two appetizers, Proper's famous Candied bBacon and a Pepperoni Roll. The bacon was a serving of eight half-strips of thick cut pork belly with a brown sugar glaze and cracked black pepper. My sister said it should be considered dessert! It was wonderfully chewy and the pepper adds a little "bite" to the finish. The Pepperoni Roll was very similar to a Stromboli or calzone. Fresh focaccia stuffed with mozzarella and pepperoni and served with a side of marinara. All seemed very fresh and house-made. For entrees we chose two salads and two pizzas. My spouse and I ordered the House Salad which consisted of bib lettuce, candied walnuts, red pears and goat cheese with a white balsamic vinaigrette. The balsamic and the walnuts were a great sour and sweet combination while the pear added some additional crunch. The simplicity of the dish made it refreshing after the heavy appetizers. My sister and her spouse chose the BLT salad with spinach, red onions, bacon and roasted Roma tomatoes. The salad had a great splash of color and again tasted very fresh. The two pizzas were larger than the advertised 11". They were both very rustic-looking and heaped with the toppings. Crust on both was crisp enough to keep everything from making the whole pie soggy. We ordered the Mediterranean while my sister had the Pesto. The Med had baby artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, oven roasted Roma tomatoes, feta cheese and red onions. It was topped with fresh arugula. While my wife doesn't much like olives, the way in which they are heated on this pizza softens them, making them a salty counterpoint to the sweet Roma tomatoes. The arugula provides a nice textural element and a little peppery finish. The Pesto also had over-roasted Roma tomatoes, a basil pesto sauce, mozzarella balls (melted and gooey) and parmigiano-reggiano, caramelized red onions, roasted garlic oil and small cubes of smoked pork belly. I tried a slice and found it to be sweeter than the Med, but no less enjoyable. The pork belly and tomatoes gave it a smoky taste while the pesto and garlic gave it earthy tones. We all enjoyed the meal and were quite full heading out to walk the bridge. Service was on point throughout. Our server knew the menu, knew how to handle multiple tables at once, and knew how to professionally navigate the space. A great local dining experience.

Food here is off the charts - first thing that hits you when you walk in is the wonderful smoky aroma from the brick oven. Unfortunately, I didn't have pizza this time, but got pasta with steak. The pesto sauce had plenty of herby, nutty, garlicky goodness too it, and the pasta was cooked just right. The flat-iron steak was rich and juicy. All around excellent meal, servers were laid back and friendly, and hope I can get back here soon.

Proper is a great choice for quality pizza in Downtown Pittsburgh. I ordered their Buffalo Chicken Pizza for the sunday special for $18. It was both appetizing and filling. You can tell the dough is made properly with quality ingredients. They have a nice selection of drafts as well as cocktails and wine. I appreciate the service at the bar too. I would recommend Proper for a proper pizza!

Our server did a great job checking in on us throughout the meal. Drinks were always full, and he even offered dessert once we finished eating. He mentioned it was only his second day on the floor, but you'd never know, he was friendly and attentive the whole time. The food was delicious too!

Pretty good pizzas, the dough is fairly chewy and it's not as thin as say a New York pizza. They can do half of each pizza if you are finding it difficult to pick between two! Service was very prompt and friendly. The interior is quite dark. Prices are around $22-30 per pizza, which I thought was a little too much given the size of the portions. I think they also charged a credit card fee without explicitly disclosing it to me.

Food: 4.5/5 Service: 4.5/5 General vibes: 4/5 I came on the recommendation of my manager - who had stopped by when he was in Pittsburgh and said this was the "best pizza" he's EVER had! Given the high praise, a friend and I came in for dinner. It took a short while to get seated because the servers were busy and it was a packed night, but we took it as a sign that it'd be delicious! We both opted for pizza ($20-$25/ea). I went for the sausage & pepperoni. Flavor wise it was great! It had sufficient toppings, and the crust was not overly dry. But the center was a bit on the wetter side (not sure if the cheese, or if just needed a minute or two more in the oven). We quite enjoyed our meal but the party next to us kept staring at us, which made us a little uncomfortable. Hence: 4/5 on the vibes. The tables are quite close to one another so if you don't want to hear others talking or watch others eating, this might not be the place for you!

Stopped by while visiting Pittsburgh downtown and such a good pizza spot. Summer (at the bar) recommended the Pesto pizza + chicken and it was a great suggestion! Not stingy with the pesto and toppings too. Barely managed to finish the whole 11" pie by myself. Even the crust was tasty and light yet sufficiently crunchy - not gonna tear up your mouth like other crusts. Hope I can come back to try the Calabrian and Carnivore pizzas. Pretty easy to find a spot on a weekday evening and friendly/helpful service.

Good little place... Food was great. Candied bacon app was great, slightly pricey for only getting maybe 8-10 pieces. One of the most expense items on the menu was just ok. Not great, brisket Mac n cheese is more like Mac n cheese soup with a few pieces of brisket. The main reason for the five starts is their pizza! We had the buffalo chicken and the carnivore. Both were great!!

I tried the margarita pizza with pepperoni and the carbonara pasta. The pizza had a crispy bottom, flavorful sauce, and plenty of toppings. The pasta had blackened chicken in it that was cooked perfectly, and the sauce was delicious. Will definitely be coming back soon.

Proper Pizza has some fantastic pizza and the wings weren't bad either. I tried the Calabrian Pizza which had a little kick and the sauce is great too.

Food was excellent and so was the service! The chicken caprese sandwich was so yummy. We wanted to try the pizza but didn't have a chance.

This is a definite gem!! The food is amazing, waitress and bartender Mark are fun!! Very attentive!! Bridgett is amazing, food was a mouth full of flavors!! I'm posting pics!! Tons of fun beers as well!!!

The service was fantastic and the pizza was very good. We sat at the brick and watched the cooks make the pizza and bake in the wood fired oven.

We went for dinner last Saturday night. I felt like a slice and Erica found this place walking distance from the hotel. nice! It's a long place once you're inside. We decided on seats at the bar. I order an IC light and she has water then lemonade. Pizza smell in the place makes you hungry. We decided on a half pepperoni half cheese pizza. Wood fired pizzas are not that big. Place has a decent amount of people for Saturday night. Our pizza arrives it is piping hot. I order another IC Light and the bartender refills the lemonade. The pizza is excellent. The crust is crusty (lol), sauce has a bit of zip to it and cheese is very tasty. Perfect dinner with friends or family. Good location for a date as well. Next time I'm in Pittsburgh it's a lock I'll be visiting.

Italian lovers be introduced to a delicious spot right in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. My recommendation is getting there earlier in the evening as it is smaller and can tend to get busier on the weekends, naturally! We were quoted 45 minutes to an hour and only waited for about 20 minutes before our party of 4 was seated! The food and atmosphere were most definitely worth the wait. The food was flavorful and I left satisfied ready to come back for more on the next trip. Our server was very friendly as well, additionally the owner came to check on us twice while we were waiting and could be seen throughout the restaurant during our time there!

One of the best and most authentic places for locally made pizza. The flavoring and seasonings used, is amazing. The crust for the pizza is cooked perfectly. The ambiance is fresh and cozy. I usually recommend this place for friends or family coming in from out of town and always get positive results. Service has always been phenomenal there.

The food was really good, but be aware if there is a game or musicals that night, It WILL delay your wait. The patrons also tend to stay a looong time too. After 40 minutes, we were seated at the bar right in front of the fiery oven, so I was sweating the whole time. We started with salads, bacon candy, and carnivore pizza. They do serve the food pretty quickly considering how busy they were.

I suggest arriving before 4pm to beat the crowds. Ordered the Blanca and also the Carnavore pizzas. I love meat on my pizza most of the time, but gosh, the Blanca -- winner! We ordered the appetizer chicken wings with garlic parmeansan. I have always eaten garlic parm as a dry rub. They use a garlic sauce, another winner!!!! Their ice tea is very good too. Wish I had room for dessert. The server got busy but she still was attentive and on point with our order and needed napkins. It got busy and she still got our check to us in a timely fashion.

We have never been here before and we saw a sign on the door that said smoking was allowed on the bar side by no kids so we went out and walked over to the other side that said please enter through the other door? It was confusing. When we went in, we could only find a couple people playing video games until a little girl having a birthday party asked us if we needed help and then asked someone by the bar to help us. He asked what we wanted and we said food and he said uh hold on (I saw they were setting up for a hand on the bar side) and then he came back and said I'm sorry but we can't do it. We were literally the only people there wanting food around 6 something on a Saturday evening so I was quite upset but it ended up being their loss because we ended up with a fantastic dinner around the corner at Mac's Brick Oven.

I've never had such a good Sangria or wood fired Pizza honestly. Service and atmosphere were fine, but really the reason to go is their food!!!! The pizza was luscious although definitely on the pricy side, I would definitely recommend if you are downtown!

Popular place with an hour wait on a Tuesday. Staff was awesome while we waited talking to us and helping us to get drinks while we waited. Everybody hustled to clear tables to get fills waiting in. We waited and were glad we did! Pizza was great, we tried two different kinds. Full of flavor but not overstated. Dough was good blend of flavor and proper (pun intended) firmness. The sauce and cheese were authentic Italian. Finished our meal and local beers with salted caramel gelato- fantastic!! The place was nice, old school Italian family style with close tables. Will be back next time in Pittsburgh!

Matt hitting our GOUD fam with a review. "5/5 on everything I'm about to list. I started with the Nick of Thyme, which was strong in all the right places and tasty when the time came. I loved this cocktail honestly, some uniqueness but the nice quick buzz gin offers. We had the Pesto pizza and the Funghi pasta, and everything was amazing and delicious. Top notch pizza crust in a wood fired oven, with so much richness and flavor of the pine nuts in the pesto and flavor from the cured bacon. The Funghi pasta sure was fun as hell, so creamy and cheesy with perfectly cooked pasta and tender mushrooms. Also featuring one of the longest noodles I've ever seen. I wish we could have had two plates of the Funghi, I feel like we'd have eaten it. Everything #GOUDapproved NICK OF THYME SEVEN GOVERNORS GIN (PA) / THYME-INFUSED COINTREAU / BENEDICTINE / LEMON / AGAVE $15 PESTO oven-roasted roma tomatoes / caramelized onion / basil pesto / wood-smoked pork belly bacon / fresh mozzarella / roasted garlic oil / Parmigiano-Reggiano $24 FUNGHI wood-roasted cremini mushrooms / white wine / garlic / thyme / herbed fresh ricotta / fresh pappardelle $25

We were Cleveland for a baseball trip and came across this place. The four us sat on back side of the bar. Great place, the pizza was some of the best I've had and we talked about the stuffed peppers days later. The bar tender (sorry I don't recall her name) was awesome and really friendly, I will be going back. The vibe was really, old school bar type.

The service was outstanding! Our bartender made tasty beverages and ambiance was moody and warm. We shared the ceased salad and a pizza which were delicious but the real star of the show was the lemon cake..... I dream about it!!! Don't skip dessert!

Grabbed a quick lunch here on our walk back to our hotel from the Warhol Museum. Service was good and the unisex single stall bathroom was clean. Had the Carnivore Pizza: sweet & hot Italian sausage / wood-smoked pork belly bacon / pepperoni / San Marzano tomato sauce / fresh mozzarella (sans the hot Italian sausage and pepperoni) and an ice-cold Stella draft. Aces.

Pittsburgh was poppin' on Saturday night. I don't like negative leaning reviews as they could be one off events. 1) Staff was great super helpful, great Pittsburgh Mule cocktail, and really attentive during ordering. 2) House Salad was overdressed to the point that of almost being sour. If properly dressed it's on point with Bibb lettuce, toasted pecans, goat cheese and accoutrements. 3) Margarita pizza they say has a sour dough crust (should be thinner with bubbles). My personal opinion it is a little too thick and doughy. Brick oven crust should be strong enough to fold in half without flopping at the point. Might have been too much sauce that weighed it down. This place was popular so if locals love it it is probably worth a shot but 2/4/24 I gotta go 3/5.

This place was such a great find! It's located downtown, in the midst of lots of great landmarks to see. I got a red wine and the prosciutto arugula pizza, it was delicious!! The service was amazing and fast, our waiter was very nice and friendly. We had the best time and were able to walk everywhere else we needed to go after. The restaurant is 2 stories, dimly light, and chatty inside. We would definitely recommend for authentic wood fired pizza in Pittsburgh!

Came here on a recent weekend trip down to Pittsburgh, and took our college daughter and her roommate out for some pizza pies. Was busy on a Saturday night, but the wait was about 20 minutes and we were seated in the bustling bar area. A really wide selection of tap beers here and plenty of gourmet pies to choose from. The table shared a plate of Brussels sprouts and then we split two pizzas...a mushroom pie as well as a margherita pie. Both pizzas came out piping hot with a slightly chewy crust and fresh toppings. Everyone enjoyed the different flavor combos and I'm sure we'd return here again if looking for a more upscale pizza experience.

The atmosphere & service were good & the pizza was pretty good! I would've loved a build your own pizza option but it was all good and I would definitely try it again.

Amazing! Everything Amazing! We ordered the Brussels for an appetizer, they were done to perfection! We had a Pizza for lunch done to perfection! The crust was well done with a crunch ! Mushrooms were Fresh not out of a can that has been sitting in a warehouse since 2020, asked if they had Mikes hot honey, and replied that they make their OWN! I asked the bar tender Dan if they make Fresh Orange Crushes and he said he can! They were also spot ON! For the First Day in Pittsburgh and our First Lunch I was blown away! What a Hidden Gem!!!!

Cool ambience. Food was just right. Came on a late Sunday night and they were very customer friendly.

Not a fan. Food was ok, not horrible but not good. Great atmosphere inside, very old cozy feel. Service was ok.

Pizza uncooked server says that's the way it is . Can't even pick it up everything falls off. Pretty sad . Beware when it's busy stone gets cold and it burns top .

Food, customer service, and ambiance. Ask for Tiff! Tiff was absolutely amazing; welcoming, professional, and charismatic. I highly recommend you try Proper Brick Oven & Taproom. You will NOT be disappointed.

The service was great here! Our waiter checked in with us and was super flexible when we changed our pizza from pesto to the black and gold. He also brought us a flight of IPAs so my dad could pick the one he liked best. The food was amazing. The funghi pasta was my favorite with the creamy white sauce. The black and gold was yummy and the crust was thin which I enjoyed. The lighting was dim giving the restaurant great ambiance.

My favorite restaurant especially for pizza! Staff always friendly, and worth the wait if there is one. Can't go wrong on the menu, but definitely give the Bianca a try

Great pizza, mediocre service at the bar. Not much else to add. Ambiance want bad. Lots and lots of beer choices.

Stopped in quick for pizza. Omg SO good might've been one of the top 5 pizza crusts I've had. Got the carnivore and the pesto. I was sad when it was over. Highly recommend! I can only imagine what the rest of the food tastes like.

Was visiting Pittsburgh for a graduation and was looking for a place with good eats to grab a quick bite with a toddler.. boy, it was difficult to find parking in this area! Especially on a busy weekend! I ended up just ordering at the front desk for take out. Can't say it's the cheapest pizza I've ever ordered but the pizzas were both flavorful and pretty delicious combination of flavors! We got the pesto and the carnivore and loved them both! The pesto Pomodoro pasta was good as well, though not cooked perfectly al dente like I like. However, to be fair, it was a take out order and we didn't eat anything fresh like a dine-in. The place was busy and it took a bit to get our food, but we were happy with what we got.

Incredible bar drinks (black pepper Paloma is 10/10), good pizza and delicious steak dinner. Fun atmosphere and lighting to top it off and I'd come back here every time I could!

My friends and I shared 3 different popular types today: Pesto, carnivore and margherita. Personally my favorite is pesto with basil, cheese, tomato and bacon. It's really suitable for a party meal so that you can have the opportunity to try different flavors of pizza without being stuffed by only one. Their pizza is flawless, but they need to consider improving the environment for people waiting to be seated at the entrance where is usually busy lest they make a nuisance of the ingress and egress or on the other way around.

Oh how we miss the pepperoni pognotta. The pepperoni roll was good but didn't compare. The house salad is delicious. The service is outstanding here. It's a little loud but a great atmosphere and very comfortable.

We enjoyed our night at Proper with great service and an intamate ambience. My husband and I went for the pesto pizza, funghi pappardelle and bacon candy. The pizza was perfected cooked with the right about of crispy to soft ratio for the crust. We also loved the pasta with the exception that it was a bit on the dryer side. The noodle texture was perfectly al dente. The famous bacon candy was unfortunately just ok- nothing special. For the price you pay for this popular item I hoped it would have been better. Go for the mains and pizza, skip the bacon!

From the outside it looked small. It's packed but they fit large parties very well. The portions are big and lots of options. Large variety of beers on tap. The servers were all very nice. Food came out fast and they all worked well together to get food and drinks.

Great place, service, drinks and food is fabulous! We especially loved the Forrest pizza