OMG, the happy hour actually is happy!
As if you couldn't tell this was my first visit here. Â And what better of a time to go than happy hour on a Friday? Â Drink specials and free chips and salsa! Â The pitcher of margaritas is a great buy during this time compared to the price per glass. Â
Let me go back to the beginning. Â When we walked in we were greeted by the doorman who promptly asked for ID (thank you, I feel young again!). Â The door did state that NO ONE under the age of 21 is allowed entry. Â The lighting was dim, the room cozy with a sign pointing to the patio (watch the steps), and the aroma upon entry was amazing. Â Fresh mint everywhere! Â Made me want a mojito, but I stuck to my guns and had a margarita.
The patio area is amazing and huge. Â Self seating so you can find your own spot that you think will be the best for your dining experience (note, the patio is smoker friendly, which is rare to find a place that is friendly to their smokers). Â The thing I liked most was that after the first delivery of water, you are free to go and refill your own glass, not saying that I did, but honestly with as busy as they were, you didn't have to wait for the waiter/waitress to come by for a refill. Â As stated before, I had my pitcher of margaritas and my friend opted for a pitcher of XX Amber. Â Both at happy hour prices are a great buy and also a great thing to help pass the time. Â
We didn't just come here for the libations, but for the food as well. Â I had the potato rolled tacos and my friend opted for chile relleno. Â Both looked good but I can only tell you how mine was. Â Four rolled and fried tacos filled with potatoes, for an Irish boy like me that has a huge love for Mexican food I was in heaven. Â The tacos were topped with a generous amount of guacamole. Â I'm not talking about those tiny dollops you get from a fast food chain. Â This amount stretched across the four tacos and was a thick line of goodness. Â But that shouldn't overshadow the chipotle sauce or queso fresco that also topped the tacos. Â A serving of fresh pico was also on the plate, but off to the side so you could scoop as much or as little on top of it all. Â The most amazing/surprising thing on the plate was the fried rice. Â This is not your typical fried rice. Â Think Chinese with a twist. Â The rice had the typical corn, peas, and carrots in it. Â But I also came across small pieces of potatoes and chicken and I'm sure there were other items in there, but I was too busy mixing everything on my plate at this point. Â
The prices are a bit steep here, but don't let that deter you, it's well worth it. Â To say that I will be back here is an understatement. Â I think this may be my new favorite Mexican place in the city. Â I'm so hungry for it now that I have written this review.
The Good:
Pretty decent Taco. Some of the best I've had in Pittsburgh (not saying much? still saying something!) with numerous options and solid chips and salsa
The enclosed patio is fantastic. You feel like you're sitting in your charming hipster friend's backyeard
Decent Tequila/Mezcal selection and cocktails
The Bad:
Tacos are way over priced. You'd probably expect twice the food for the price.
The House Margarita is baaaaaaaaaaaasically just orange juice
The Ugly:
Worst Service in Pittsburgh? Worst Service in the world? Current working theory is that they actually pay the waiters to be surly and mix up orders to contribute to the overall ambience. It once took almost two hours just to place our food order. Just get two pitchers of margaritas at a time, because you may never see your waiter again.
Quite possibly the coolest hang out in the East End - and the drinks are pretty stellar (I recommend El Rey), but if you order food be prepared to dig pretty deep into those wallets for a small portion - oh, and watch out for the chips. It's tragic that some of the best guac in town is paired with these greasy monsters. If you are merrily throwing back some margaritas in the sunshine - that tequila won't settle too well on top of these - just saying.
Review Source:Overpriced and underdelivered
Decent per Pittsburgh standards which isn't saying much. The beef tacos had a distinctive off taste, they were most likely spoiled. If i would have had a weaker stomach I would have most likely gotten food poisoning. The margaritas were extremely weak, barely noticeable the c heap alcohol if it had any
The service was subpar to say the most
"Margaritas in mason jars!" We planned a happy hour here a while back and all I could declare for the week leading up to the happy hour was, "margaritas in mason jars!" Seriously, kids, I find this to be a delightful thing.
We all ordered tacos of variously cooked parts of cows and pigs - chorizo, carnitas, beef birria. All reported satisfied with their meals.
Now the main draw of Round Corner Cantina is the back patio. It's very popular and for good reason. Although it can get pretty hot and I wish they had more fans running, there's just something relaxing and fun about sitting outside on a nice summer day with a margarita in a mason jar. So much so that friends from the suburbs drove in to the (big, bad) city for happy hour. I didn't think suburbanites did that in Pgh but they will for Cantina. Â That's enough of a testament to this place for me.
Excellent guacamole and chips. Â Thin sliced jalapeanos top the guacamole off and give the dip a nice zing. Â This is such a great spot inside or out...come here for a good Mexican snack, a Mexican beer or margharita and a kicked back atmosphere. Â This spot reinforces how Lawrenceville has some of the greatest spots in the city.
Review Source:I've been alive and living in Pittsburgh for too long to just be finding out about La Cantina now. But isn't that how it always is with a great spot you feel you've been missing out on?
A Saturday night where the weather is warm and the night sky clear is best spent on the Cantina's back patio. It's gushing with life. The drinks are excellent (I like when I can find a real margarita that's not some artificial "ultimate margarita" that always seems to disappoint. They have a great selection of tasty tacos too. You might think it strange to find a spot that makes you feel this close to actually being in Mexico, but you'll be having too good a time to care!
I came here on a Monday night at the recommendation of the Patio edition of the Yelp newsletter. When I walked in, I felt like I was walking into one of those old-time, dusty, quiet bars in the southwest, which isn't a bad thing. It was dark and had a dive-bar vibe, but a bit cleaner. We went straight out to the patio in the back and I was very pleased with the bright Mexican decor, lights and decorative high top tables. We took a seat, ordered an array of margaritas and beers and stayed for a few hours. The drink prices are decent for what you get, they had half price tacos, and great chips and salsa. It definitely doesn't break the bank! My favorite drink of the night was the El Rey margarita which has some chile de arbol in it, which gave it a spicy kick. I also had the La Chiquita Sarita which was a strawberry margarita on the rocks with muddled lime, but way more unique than it sounds. It was a close second to the El Rey for me. Try the Micheladas for a beer/margarita hybrid beverage. The only thing that bumped a star down for me was the service. It was a little haphazard, but still overall attentive.
Review Source:The food and drinks here are good and the back patio is great in warm weather, but the service is no better than two stars and often even lower. I've been at least four times and finally learned to order three or four rounds at a time because you can go hours without seeing your waitress. Â On a regular Saturday night, I waited 45 minutes for a drink while sitting at the bar. They have somehow hired the slowest staff in the world and then encouraged them to work even slower. If you have to wait here for your table at Piccolo Forno, do so, but bring a book to kill the wait.
Review Source:This place is just great. Love the interior & ambiance. They make some awesome drinks - my favorite being the Dark & Stormy. The salsa and guac are tasty and just right for munching on at the bar.
My suggestion for tacos would be the Pork Belly. It seems that the salsas that accompany the different tacos have been thought-through and really compliment the protein (or veggies) you choose.
I think I'm a bit biased because my wonderful boyfriend took me here on our first date. It's a great date spot. But maybe I just think so because ours went so well! Either way you should definitely check it out!
Excellent Mexican food with great atmosphere.
I've been to Round Corner on three occasions and I enjoyed it each time. The decorations are amazing, complete with macabre touches. The outdoor area (not open during the winter) feels like the set of a movie. In addition to the atmosphere, the food was great. I've had the tamales, the guac, and the potato rolled tacos. All were stellar. The dark haired bar tender is very nice and poured all of my drinks generously. I found the price to be reasonable for the quality of food I was getting.
As stated in other reviews, they have removed the tamales from the menu. This was really disappointing but forced me to try some other great dishes here. I recommend coming here for the drinks, the food, and the hip atmosphere.
Holy expensive tacos Batman I will not be back. Â I ordered a total of 4 tacos and a beer grand total $25.00 dollars. Â
My hubby had two chorizo and papas tacos and I had a two tacos that had a shrimp and cheese filling the name escapes me. Â The menu boasts of house made chorizo but we could barely taste any chorizo in the tacos. There seemed to be only one shrimp cut up into 3 pieces in each of my tacos.
I watched the cook walk back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room 8 times touching everything in the dining room and sitting down with a waitress to eat chips and salsa. Â Granted the NBA Dunk Contest was on the bigscreen so it's possible that he didn't want to miss out on the action. Â I would expect more professionalism from a place that charged $8 for two tacos.
Love love love this place. Yummy chips and salsa, yummy margs at decent prices and yummy food! I also loved the décor and feel of the bar and am excited to try out the balcony in the summer time. I had the chille relleno which was really yummy but I wasn't expecting it to be deep fried. I think it would have been better just baked (that's how I had it in Mexico at least) I don't know maybe everyone else eats them deep fried. Anyway, don't get me wrong-it was good. The rest of the group had various versions of the tacos and were all pleased with them. The chips and salsa were delicious and the beer/margarita cocktails were superb!
We will be back here again when we need our marg/Mexican food fix.
Pros:
Chips and Salsa (have I said how much I like them here yet?)
Drinks
Décor
Cons:
Space is kinda small-get there early if you want a table
I can't speak to it's authenticity, but I really like this place! Great for catching a few drinks and some casual food with a friend or two at the bar. There is ample outdoor seating when the weather is nice.
All the fare is just slightly unusual compared to El Campesino or Mad Mex. I love the fresh radishes in the tacos, and for me, corn tortillas are a must have! Lots of vegetarian options too.
Bar service has been inconsistent - I swear I've had bartenders look right through me. . . . they seem to either be very good or very mediocre - not in drink preparation but just in attentiveness.
One downside - the bar is all hard surfaces, so it gets very loud! This seems a common problem with new restaurants these days. Also, since it serves as the unofficial pre-bar for Piccolo Fiorno across the street, it can get very busy.
As an ex-pat from Oklahoma, it's hard to find Mexican food that meets my standards in Pittsburgh, but I was very pleased with the barbacoa and especially the carne tacos. Their guacamole and salsa verde is also very good. The portions are small and expensive, but worth it for me. The only other tacos that beat this place is the taco cart.
Atmosphere is very comfy and the patio is really nice.
Best Mexican I've had in Pittsburgh so far. Â I've been here twice so far and everything seems very fresh and is prepared well and there are some interesting items on the menu. Â The guacamole is awesome and made fresh and the chips taste as though they are made on site as well. Â Service has always been very fast. Â Good happy hour specials. Â Their beer selection is limited but their sangria and margaritas are very nice. Â When the weather is nice their patio is a really nice area with plenty of seating. Â Inside there is a bar area and a separate area with tables with an interesting decor. Â They also have random movies with no sound playing in the background.
UPDATE: Â Unfortunately I'm going to have to update this and remove a couple of stars. I really loved this place the first two times I went but the 3rd time was really disappointing. Â They really shortened their menu quite a bit and got rid of the tamales which were my favorite :( Â Also the chips and salsa were no longer complimentary and they charged me double when I asked for a refill on the salsa when we had extra chips! And the guac was not as flavorful as I remembered it. Â The meatballs I ordered were supposed to come with some kind of queso but that was no where to be seen and my order came out 15 min after my friend's order. Â And these $8 meatballs were basically 3 meatballs on a skillet with no sides or anything with it. Â And the drink prices were really reasonable when I came before during happy hour when I had a $4 sangria, but at the almost $7 paid at their regular price when the sangria is super tiny with tons of ice and very weak (although tasty) it just wasn't worth it. Â Also their beer list seems to have decreased. Â The server was attentive despite the orders coming out very far apart so I don't think that was her fault. Â I think for those commenting on the service, it's much better in the back room where most of the tables are rather than in that area with a few tables around the bar in the front room.
As real as Mexican gets in Pittsburgh. Smaller menu but everything was delicious and nicely priced. I had the chili rellanos and it was very authentic and unique at the same time. Big, egg-battered, mildly spicy(either Anaheim or Poblano) pepper with some queso fresco refried beans and tortilla chip. The lady had the chicken tacos and they were very good too IMO.
4 of 5
Our friends suggested this cool cantina after our initial Irish choice in the Strip was found to be full of raucous religious folk doing a fundraiser.
Thank goodness for that, as this place was infinitely cooler and more interesting than the other, and the food was very authentic Mexican and a great deal.
After a slog through the main bar (dark and cool and hip without being grotesque) we made it to the back room with the ginormous t.v. We ordered chips, guacamole, salsa and seitan tacos. The seitan was braised and cut to mimic carne asada, and was almost totally spot-on, minus the greasy mouth feel that pork leaves you with.
Our friend had the pork belly tacos, which he polished off in minutes, before we could even get a good look. He's a sous chef in fine dining so he knows good food, and he proclaimed his tacos to be outstanding.
The salsa was spicy enough to make itself known but not too hot as to damage your mouth. The guacamole was PERFECT, like mamasita would make, on the chunky side with real avocado and onions and spices.
I don't drink much so I ordered the Shan Diego, a mix of lemonade and IPA. It was refreshing and light, and perfect with the food. Unfortunately my sis ordered sangria and didn't care for it, so she took my drink and I ended up with her cherry Kool-Aid sangria, which was a bit of travesty and probably shouldn't be called that.
The service was excellent, friendly and constant, and we felt super welcome. Love the vibe of the entire place, it's right on.
Decent tacos at a good price ($7-8 for two, enough for a meal if you get some chips and dip too). Â The last couple of times I've been here, the guacamole has been a disappointment -- there is an unusual flavor to it that I cannot pinpoint but is off-putting...
The drinks and drink selection are not terrible, but not great either. Â Their margarita is not bad, but it is non-standard -- it has a healthy dose of orange juice mixed in. Â They do mention this on the menu, though. Â Overall, I think Verde's margaritas are better. Â They usually have a few excellent beers on tap or available in bottle, but not many. Â As an IPA lover, I can usually find one awesome here (usually it's Green Flash West Coast IPA). Â Their specialty cocktail menu is a bit hit or miss... their mojitos are decent, and I like the unique taste of the Red Pepper Red Pepper (though it can be inconsistent--depends on who is bartending).
There is a nice selection of upscale tequilas, which is nice if you're really into tequila and have the moolah to blow $20-40 on a shot. Â Also, the back patio is expansive and gorgeous when the weather is nice out. Â It's a great place for big groups and parties.
What can I possible say about Round Corner Cantina that hasn't been said already? Guess we will see!
I love tacos, so obviously a place that serves nothing but tacos, and tacos done right, is very appealing to me. The outside of the building is really cute, quintessential Lawrenceville, and it literally has a rounded corner. Thanks, Captain Obvious! From the outside of this brick building, you'd never guess they had quite the substantial outdoor courtyard that they do, but on a warm day it's an ideal place to sit and enjoy one of those margaritas. The La Cantina margarita is outstanding, there doesn't seem to be a reason to order anything else (although there are many spirit options!), Â and there's just something comforting about drinking tequila from a mason jar. Maybe it's me.
The guacamole is really fantastic and fresh, and you get a huge portion of it for $5. The chips are a bit on the greasy side, but it's obvious they are made fresh daily, and usually by this point I'm down half a margarita at least and don't care quite as much. The chunky pico de gallo is really quite good as well.
There are two vegetarian options on the taco menu, the tacos de seitan and the tacos de rajas con papas. The latter have poblano peppers, cooked potatoes, corn, the fantastic chihuahua cheese, cilantro, and RADISHES. I can't stress how much I enjoy radishes on my tacos. I had no idea I was missing this from my life/taco repertoire until I visited Round Corner Cantina. The seitan tacos also have radishes(!), a refreshing avocado salsa, stewed onions, and the seitan is prepared in this spicy-ish sauce that I could put on my cereal. I've never had seitan prepared so expertly. Even if you aren't a vegetarian, you owe it to yourself to try these tasty little numbers.
The service has always been decent, kind of slow, but not terrible. Also, if you had never been here before, you'd walk in and just think this place was a small bar. You have to walk past the bar and around a corner to find the dining room and patio, it looks like you are heading to the bathroom, it isn't obvious. The plate size that the tacos come on I also find to be a bit curious, as it is barely big enough for the two tacos that come with your order, which makes things a bit messy. But maybe that's just me. None of these things could ever stop me from craving that seitan taco. With radishes!
First of all, I love any place where I can drink sangria outside. That, combined with the fact that their outdoor space is super cute and their sangria is great, makes me pretty excited about this place. Coming at prime time on a Saturday night, I also expected that I would have to wait for a table, but we were able to sit right down. I have eaten here several times and have never been disappointed. I normally get the tacos, so last night I branched out a bit with the Tamales and the Tijuana Street Dog. Both were great! I also got to try the Chile Relleno, which I will probably order next time.
If the service had been a little better, I would have considered giving a 5-star rating. The service was fine - everyone was very friendly, but it was very slow, taking almost 15 minutes after ordering to get chips and salsa. This could have been a fluke, of course, so I will reconsider after coming back again.
Yay, finally - rooftop (sort of) seating and good food!
I have been to Round Corner twice now and I love it. The first thing that won me over was the authenticity of their tacos. No lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, ground beef, or other Americanized fillings here. Radishes, housemade salsas, cilantro, and all of the other ingredients you'd actually find in authentic Mexican-style tacos. And boy, are they good!
I have tried the tacos de carne (hanger steak) and the tacos de puerco (pork belly). They were both great, but the puerco was definitely the better of the two. The apple salsa and the poblano made it just spot-on delicious! I've also tried the chips with salsa and their guacamole. I would recommend the guac over the salsa. The salsa wasn't bad, but it was sort of average. The guac was nice and creamy with bits of cilantro (I love cilantro).
On to the alcohol: the selection is small and Mexican, which is fine with me because I love my Tecate and Dos Equis Amber (small and Mexican - NO PUN INTENDED hehe).
One of the things I love about this place is the price is right. Two tacos, a 24-ounce Tecate, and chips & guacamole would run you about $18 - not bad at all.
I have eaten at Round Corner Cantina a number of times and I have never been let down. Â The menu is simple... which I like. Â However, there is enough variety to keep it interesting with options for everyone. Â
The staff is super friendly and always remembers me when I go there. Â As an out of towner... this is a huge plus. Â The service at the bar is a little slow but they put together some really great drinks so I understand. Â They also have some great Mexican beers on tap and serve them in Mason jars. Â Bonus.
If I was to recommend one thing it would be the seasonal pickled veggies. Â You get a Mason jar full of pickled vegetables (and sometimes some fruit) for about 4 bucks and it is always full of flavor, fun to eat, and a total crowd pleaser.
The patio is also pretty rad and has been packed with people every time I go.
I am giving four stars because I have a great experience every time I go to Round Corner and I recommend it to anyone.
Checked out the Cantina on a reco, and can't wait to go back!
Went for dinner on a Saturday with friends and the folks. Â We were lucky to get a seat on the outside patio - which was a completely different experience than sitting inside.
Ambiance: Â I personally loved eating outside on the patio in the great weather and surrounded by alot of energy from the mostly younger crowd. Â Everyone was minding their own business and having a great time. Â The decor was light and hinted just enough at it's mexican roots. Â Given the drink and tapas style of the place, the patio was well suited. Â The only possible area for improvement could be in the lighting - at times we had to use our phones to read the menu.
Menu: Â I was a bit thrown off that 75% of the menu was drinks and the actual food options were quite limited. Â This turned out to be just fine by us. Â The drinks selections were plentiful with enough Margarita and Tequila options to have you hitting the floor on multiple visits ;). Â The food consisted primarily of tacos and nachos. Â The Salsa & Guacamole were excellent and quite fresh. Â All of our taco orders (4 different types) were very tasty and (along with the chips), were able to fill us up.
Pricing: $4/taco might seem steep for some folks, but they're packed in with ingredients and will definitely fill you up. Â A pitcher for margarita was only $20, which is also a fantastic deal!
Would I go back? You betcha! Â Maybe i'll sit inside next time and catch the El Luchador wrestling movies put on the big screen!
I've been here twice- once inside for dinner, and once outside for drinks/snacks.
The outside experience was much better, but I'll start with the inside.
Inside was too loud, distracting and dark- I couldn't even seem my food! There was an old movie playing on the wall, and it kept distracting me from my conversation. Also I don't like having to sit at a tall bar table when I'm having dinner.
Outside, last weekend, was good. Drinks came quickly as did food and the service was very attentive. I do feel like the place is pretty overpriced- everything could be dropped a dollar or two and I would probably bump it up another star. Nothing I had (red wine sangria and steak tacos) stood out as wonderful or memorable.
The bar seems to get really crowded, but I really don't think I would enjoy myself there for just drinks, and neither would my wallet.
If you're looking for a bloody mary that meets any typical bloody mary standard, do. not. come. here. "Watery Mary" might be a better description, as their take on a bloody has no heat, no flavor, and tastes like watery tomato juice. I think there was a garnish? I was so shocked at how un-mary like my bloody mary was that after writing this review, I think I'll have to block the experience from my mind.
Onto the menu - it's changed quite a bit since I frequented it in 2010. The menu changes unfortunately have not been for the better. Their once eclectic selection which featured dishes like a cheesy au-gratin served in a cast-iron skillet, is now a page of run-of-the-mill mexican fare. While the selection is not the worst, it's not as good as it used to be and their tacos definitely don't come close to the top of my list.
The tacos:
Two soft shell corn tortillas that are soggy and fall apart easily. I had the seitan tacos, which I'd recommend as a decent veg option.
On the plus side, their guacamole is top-notch and they have a bomb patio. I highly recommend their chips, guac, and margaritas or sangria if you're looking to kick it with friends. Â If the patio is full, the indoor bar and restaurant area ooze old-timey vibes -- so no matter where you're sitting, you'll definitely fall in love with the space -- sans their watery marys.
I cannot be as generous as some people as really, nothing here has left me impressed. Â
First and foremost, we walked in and wanted to sit in the bar area, but after five plus minutes of sitting at one of the few two tops in the bar, and us not even being acknowledged, we chose to just take seats at the bar. Â When they were not busy, things still were quite slow moving. Â
The food is not good in my opinion. Â I will definitely go to Smoke or Yo Rita. Â Not really a fan of the corn tortillas (I should have asked if they had flour so that is partially my fault). Â My palate does not enjoy this place the way that others do. Â
I will give them a thumbs up on the Pimms Cup but that is hardly enough to make me want to come back here any time soon.
I hate writing a critical review of Round Corner because I love the vibe of the place, and the drinks are actually really good. Plus, the owner is a nice guy. Unfortunately, the food just doesn't do it for me, and that's the most important aspect.
Of all of the things that I've tried in the handful of times that I've eaten there, I'd say the tamales are the best thing on the menu. They're truly delicious, and the sole thing that I think about when Round Corner is mentioned. The pico and chips are also good. The pico has a real freshness about it, but that's hardly a unique thing to pull off.
The part that keeps my review of Round Corner from being a totally positive one is the tacos. The first area where the tacos fail - quite literally - is the corn tortillas. I'm impartial on their use of corn over flour tortillas, but the fact that the they use TWO tortillas for each taco and they STILL fall apart almost immediately when you try to pick up your taco is ridiculous. The flavors in the tacos are fairly pedestrian and almost monotonous, but I can't stand being required to use a fork to eat a taco. On the plus side, they're fairly affordable (2 tacos for about $7), but if taco stand/truck-quality tacos are what you're craving you can still enjoy tastier tacos for less from one of those options.
Will I go back? Sure. My complaints aren't deal breakers, by any means, but Round Corner is hardly my first choice when I'm in a taco/mexican food kind of mood.
I keep forgetting that Lawrenceville is the new hipster hangout so I was somewhat unprepared for my Round Corner Cantina experience. Â I met a friend around 9pm on a Thursday night thinking we would have no problem with crowds. Â Big mistake. Â After squeezing my car into the last open parking spot within a 5 block radius, we made our way inside. Â The place was packed. Â I was hoping to lounge outside, enjoy a few drinks and the lovely weather, catch up on current events....it was not to be. Â Instead we settled for one of the last tables inside.
The service, while not the quickest, wasn't a complete disappointment considering how busy the place was. Â The chips and salsa were some of the best I've ever had - which they should be for the price. Â We also ordered tacos - my friend got the mahi mahi tacos, I the hanger steak tacos. Â $7.50 for just two tacos seemed a little steep, but they were darn good. Â The beer and cocktail menu has lots of options. Â One of our biggest likes was the music - lots of great songs I hadn't heard in awhile.
I don't know that I was necessarily impressed with my whole Round Corner Cantina adventure, but I will probably be back. Â Just not when I'm in a hurry.
I've been to Round Corner twice, both times sitting in the fenced in patio in the back. Â Once was a year ago and once was on a recent Saturday evening around 6:00pm. Â The indoor seating is limited, but the outdoor seating area is one of the best in the Burgh. Â
In 2009, the Round Corner Cantina was converted from the 28-year old Round Corner Hotel. Â I never had the chance to visit the Round Corner Hotel, but from what I've heard it was a 28-year old dive bar that mainly catered to Lawrenceville locals. Â Converting it to a Mexican bar was obviously a big change. Â Although the Round Corner Cantina serves food, the focus is clearly on the drinks. Â There's a variety of margaritas, beers, micheladas, and Mexican spirits. Â Over the last year or so, the food offerings have decreased. Â The only food options currently are chips and tacos. Â The tacos have some creative ingredients like pork belly and house-made chorizo. Â They're delicious. Â On a sunny day, having a margarita and some tasty gourmet tacos at the Round Corner is a solid Yelp 4-star experience.
Unfortunately, I have to take away 2 stars for 2 major problems that I have with the Round Corner Cantina. Â The first is that they allow smoking out on their patio. Â If it's crowded and there's a lot of people smoking, the secondhand smoke is pretty bad. Â What is this, 2000? Â There's almost nothing I can stand worse than breathing in other people's cigarette smoke when I'm out in public. Â I know the patio is outside, but it's also an enclosed space within the restaurant. Â I'm not sure that's legal. Â Either way, it's disgusting and really detracts from the nice experience of sitting outside.
My second criticism is how awfully slow the service is. Â We were seated about 25 minutes before a server approached us. Â Although there seemed to be a bunch of servers around, it was almost impossible for us to flag anyone down to get more drinks. Â Finally, once our sever returned, she only took drink orders from the very end of our 8-person table and ran away before the rest of the table got to order. Â Knowing the opportunity to order drinks was a few and far between occurrence, some of our group got up and ordered drinks from the outdoor bar (and returned before our drinks came from our server).
This kind of thing really shouldn't be happening at a restaurant  that's been open for 3 years.  Don't they want us to spend money at their establishment?  During our most recent visit, the Round Corner Cantina certainly lost out on some income because we couldn't find a server to take our orders.
Round Corner Cantina is a cool and hip place. Definitely another one of those places in Pittsburgh that makes me feel like I'm in the East Village or Williamsburg or somewhere else in downtown Manhattan or in Brooklyn. The outdoor patio (I'd call it a beer garden) is fantastic and for me is the big drawcard for this place.
The food we tried was very tasty (we enjoyed some tacos and a quesadilla). Some other reviewers have been less positive about the food but I can honestly say that the tacos were some of the tastiest I've eaten outside of Mexico.
The drinks are another story altogether. Perhaps we were unlucky, but the two margaritas we each ordered were just not hitting the mark--they apparently used good tequila but things were a bit "rough" to me. Definitely way better than a sugary "margarita" you'd get at a cheesy American Tex-Mex place, but not perfect. In future I'm going to stick to beer. Which is fine, because knocking back some cold beers and tasty tacos in the festively lit outdoor patio on a warm evening is exactly what this place is for.
(Final note: yes this place seems to attract the growing group of Pittsburgh hipsters, or "Pittsters" as I prefer to call them. I'm not saying that's bad, just giving you a heads up in case you think that is worth knowing.)
Round corner cantina is tough to rate. Â If you're coming to have a beer and some chips and salsa at the bar it's totally decent. Â Not great, but not bad at all. Â The waiters service and lines at the bar tends to be fairly slow, and you go inside, the food and drinks are fine, but to my tongue, nothing particularly special. Â
The real reason to go is the outdoor Patio. Â If you're going to get margaritas and cold Mexican beers on a hot summer night in their outdoor courtyard, it's PERFECT. Â Not too loud, it's easy to have conversations with friends and it's a very pleasant atmosphere with plenty of seating. So if you come for drinks with friends in their patio to get the most out of your round corner experience.
Went to the Cantina last night for the first time and there were highs and lows.
The good: Â Arrived at 5pm and found a table on the patio to partake in our happy hour(s). Â The patio is pretty nice, relaxed, first come first served, seat yourself.
The drinks were good (mojitos! margaritas!), and the guacamole and chips were great.
The "meh, 2 stars, i've experienced better": Â Our server was an absentee. Â I don't know what the deal was -- if it was her, the bar, being understaffed....but it took over 30 minutes for her to bring me a refill on my drink. Â Almost every time. We finally had to flag down another server to ask her to bring us our checks. Â
The food was ok, but the pork tacos were pretty dry.
Finally, the crowd is kind of....ugh, I don't know. Â We had people come up to us asking if we were done with our table yet. Â Get a life....we'll move when we move. Â It was kind of like Lord of the Flies.
This is one of my favorite spots to get drinks in Pittsburgh; the unique concoctions are always mixed perfectly. Â Though they're a bit pricy for Pittsburgh, you can't go wrong with any of the mixed drinks in regards to taste and strength! Â If you're going for dinner (or just get hungry while you're drinking there) the salsa is delicious, and the tacos are great and have some trendy twists. Â Also, the grilled green onions are a great appetizer! Â The atmosphere is dark and cozy; easily lovable with crazy wallpaper and a hipster-charming back patio.
_________
**I feel inclined to add an update (as of November 2012). Â I have been a regular customer here for awhile, and while I still love their drinks and atmosphere, the food quality has gone down significantly. On more than one occasion in the past few months, I've gotten sick from the food. I went for brunch in October and was grossly disappointed - my table tried both of the specials, which were honestly inedible. The rolled chicken tacos were not described accurately, and when they came out they were deep friend rolled tacos and the quality of the chicken was very poor - it was the parts of the chicken you would typically not eat.
I'm sure I'll continue to go to Cantina for drinks, but am sad to say that I will not be eating there anymore.
The 5 best restaurants in the 2015 Denver Restaurant Week
3,611 Views | Category: Denver
The complete list of 2015 Denver Restaurant Week businesses
1,972 Views | Category: Denver
The tourists' guide to Portillos: 5 must have dishes
3,318 Views | Category: Chicago
Pho = Pronounced "fuh" not "foe" for pho-king sake
2,915 Views | Category: Denver
Indulgery selected to exhibit at Collision Conference
2,987 Views | Category: Press Releases
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
Add Your Business
