Church Brew Works
Pittsburgh, PA 15201-1324
Phone: (412) 688-8200
- Cross Street:
- 36th Street
- Best of Citysearch:
- Outdoor Bar 2007, Outdoor Bar 2006
- Hours:
- Daily 10:30am-10pm
Editorial Review for Church Brew Works – by Sam Edelmann
The Scene
Nowadays, Catholics attending this renovated church won't find any confessionals; those were removed to make room for a kitchen in the early 1990s. But inside this impressive example of northern Italian-style architecture, folks of all faiths still glory in the stained-glass windows, vaulted ceilings and beautiful woodwork. The pews are now booth seating or have been reconstructed into the long bar.
The Draw
At the site of the former altar stands large, gleaming stainless-steel brewing vats. Beer is definitely the libation of choice, as four or five fresh-brewed ambers and ales are available at any given time. Other non-alcoholic drinks are also made in-house: namely, ginger ale and root beer. Furthermore, there's homemade ice cream using malt from the beer. Most fancy food items are hit-or-miss, but the pizzas are consistently exceptional.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkMake a toast to history: The Pious Monk Dunkel lager was first created in Munich more than 150 years ago.
Where to SitThe rectory's former courtyard has been refashioned as an outdoor patio christened the Hop Garden.
User Reviews for Church Brew Works
10/05/2007 Posted by rcheid60
Hadn't been to the Church Brew in many years...but after sampling "the sampler", I remembered why I never went back! The beer was not to our liking at all. It all tasted very smoky. We had friends in from out of town and visited a couple of micro breweries while they were here. Penn Brewery was excellent, as was the Rock Bottom. None of us liked any of the beer we tried here and there were varied pallets in the group. We (there were only 4 of us) were there on a Monday afternoon, so service was not an issue. Had a couple of appetizers that were nothing to write home about either. Despite the fact that none of us liked the beer, 2 of us still bought a souvenir glass to add to our collections. The waitress brought them out wrapped in paper bags, which we didn't bother to open. Imagine our surprise when we got home to find that the glasses had been used! How TACKY!
Pros: very cool that it used to be a church
Cons: parking is not that great
08/05/2007 Posted by mahitable
Went there on a Friday evening with a large party, fortunately we had reservations so we were seated promptly. It was crowded and noisy, but one must expect noise with the acoustics of an old church. The atmosphere is cheerful and the stained glass windows are beautiful. A little back lighting would be wonderful so that the stained glass could be enjoyed after dark. The food was excellent. Well prepared and more than ample portions. More than one doggie bag was taken home in our group. Prices were not out of line with most places who serve good food. Pricier than the local diner, but much less than the tourist spots on Mt. Washington. As good as the food and atmosphere were, the service was equivalently awful. The waiter must have assumed that because it was a party of more than 8, he was assured an 18% gratuity. He did not even distribute the entire menu to some of the group. He gave everyone the main menu, but only a few received the specialty menu. He brought our drink order but never did come back to check for refills. He brought refills only if called over to the table and was specifically asked for a refill. Nor do I recall him asking if we needed anything or if everything was to our satisfaction, which is standard in the majority of eating establishments. And I for one was never asked if I wanted any dessert. Fortunately, a complaint to the management got his tip adjusted. I would eat there again, but I'd check the wait staff first.
Pros: Good food, ok to take kids
Cons: Horrible service
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