Tender is quickly becoming my favorite go to bar and restaurant. The atmosphere cannot be beat. It is like walking into some bar of yesteryear but not in a pretentious way. This old bank converted to bar/restaurant has live music- piano player, bluegrass, they tweet what's going on. The bartenders mix up craft cocktails so delicious I cannot believe my eyes. And the food is delicious!
The fun thing about Tender is while I've been there with a friend and we had a great time, and I've also had a great experience just grabbing a meal at the bar. My bar neighbors were very friendly, and my bar tender Sarah took excellent care of me.
The drinks are fancy, delicious, and pack some serious power. For this lightweight about 2 and I'm flagged. The food is divine, pulling from different areas of Americana and dishing up some truly awesome eats. I had what may become my favorite cheeseburger there the other day and I can't say enough good things about it. I must return and have it again.
It is not a cheap place, but you are paying for the quality that is in every step of your visit, the skill that is put into your drink, and into every step of your meal. They aim to take proper care of you, and I believe it's worth it. To summarize: I dig what they are doing here in a very big way, and I think you would dig it too.
It was time for the monthly get together with our foodie friends when we selected Tender Bar & Kitchen as our venue for tasty treats. Â This old bank converted into new hot spot in Lawerceville takes you back in time (think flappers and Gatsby) while embracing you with childhood memories of food.
Thank goodness for small plates because my decisions would have been ever harder! Â We ordered a little of everything - oysters, hush puppies, deviled eggs, SCRAPPLE, and (my favorite) lobster rolls! Â Being a native New Englander, this brought me a piece of home. Â Fresh, sweet, creamy, and the crunch of the roll... I'm salivating as I write this! Â My only wish is that there were more to a serving or I could just order a larger version.
Since this is the place for high class cocktails, I selected the Blood and Sand. Â My new favorite beverage in Pittsburgh. Â Scotch and Blood Orange juice - How can you go wrong? Â When you visit this diamond, please don't order a bud light. Â Step out of your comfort zone and try something new.
To satisfy our groups' sweet tooth, we ordered one of each of the desserts. Â The moon pie was a little underwhelming. Â Fluffernutter was finger licking good, bringing me back to my childhood. Â I wouldn't call the banana split a dessert. Â It was more like a piece of art. Â It looked beautiful and delivered delicious flavors.
Tender Bar & Kitchen now has a tender spot in my heart. Â I cannot wait until the next time we venture out for cocktails.
Prohibition speakeasy ambiance? Check. Â Incredibly friendly, hip, knowledgeable, and helpful staff? Â Check? Â 1920's hair, and outfits? Â Check? Â Interesting craft cocktails, and delicious reasonably priced food? Â Check and check! Â For an added treat, check out their tenderpgh website with a very fun retro stylized vibe.
I had a great experience at Tender and I'd go back in a heart beat. Â My only criticisms are, the food menu while tasty is pretty limited with less than a dozen options at the time of my writing this. Â The portions are pretty small (think tapas bar tastes) though they are prized accordingly with most dishes between $5-$8. Â
I suspect Tender (Short for bartender) makes most of their money on the drinks, most are in the $10-$15 range, so 3 drinks will easily cost you over $40 with tip. Â That's a bit rich for my blood, but I'm the first to admit these are not your everyday libations. Â They use top shelf ingredients, and hand craft each drink fresh for you, including rare ingredients like rhubarb bitters, blood orange marmalade, and clove infused cucumbers. Â They also support local PGH businesses with ingredients like Wigle Whiskey and Heinz Simply Ketchup, which as a long time burgher I love to see.
I'd go back for the nibbles, service, and atmosphere any day, but I'd save the craft drinks for a deserving occasion. Â i.e. Taste on Tuesdays, but save the sipping for special Saturday celebrations!
Short review here; another to follow someday once I've been here more extensively. I've been in once in the last month. A friend and I stopped in after going to Industry.
The ambience and feel of the place is fantastic. Low-lit, sort of 20's/30's-ish vibe. All the fixtures seem to be very carefully chosen to great affect. Reminded me a little of the old Embury. The bartenders had the sort of facial hair one might have expected of such a joint.
We weren't ready to eat so we sat at the bar and stared at the cocktail list. Ah what temptations. Eventually, I settled on the Strip District Sequel and my buddy had the Perennial Effect. Â This is craft cocktailery (is that a word?) at its finest; putting your trust in the experts and knowing that while you the layman may not understand all the nuances, you'll be notably pleased with the end result. You can tell in the way the bartenders go about their trade.
It ain't cheap but them's the breaks. Bravo, Tender, bravo. I look forward to coming back and trying the actual food menu sometime soon.
After embury closed, the chance of getting a nice cocktail in the burgh was slim to none! Â SO glad this placed opened up. Â The Pre prohibition style drinks are so yummy. Â I lean on the stronger side of drinks and can't stand very sweet ones, and Tender does exactly that. Â
If you don't know what you want, they'll recommend something awesome on the menu, or create something original. Â It's a no standing policy bar, so it never gets too crowded in there. Â The staff is super friendly. Â Don't get intimated by their solemn stares. Â Â Â
My favorites are still Old Amsterdam and Widow's Kiss. Â Food is tasty and light. Â It's more tapas style. Â Hush puppies are always a crowd favorite. Â What goes better than fried goodness and delicious drinks? Â Hands down, the BEST cocktail joint in Pittsburgh so far.
I love love love loved this place! From the moment you step inside the old school feel is great! Start with ambiance A+++ reminded me of the early 1900's and loved the fashion style of the bartenders ! Onto the drinks. Up until this point bar-tending didn't require talent! I have never seen drinks made to perfection like I did here, and not your normal style of drinks! Everything was fresh! And they make their own cola..
FOOD: ordered and tried a majority of
Different foods here, all small plates and portions deviled eggs were amazing along with the Mac and cheese oysters and yaka soup! The presentation alone made me just wanna take the food home and display it, not eat it...
Tender makes cocktails extremely well, has a fantastic selection of modern and classic cocktails to choose from, and a solid liquor collection (e.g., PVW 23). My favorite cocktails are the Corpse Reviver #2 (gin and absinthe) and the Vieux Carre (rye whisky and cognac). They have excellent lighter stuff as well. It takes a while to prepare these cocktails. On busy nights, it can take more than 30 minutes. The food consists mostly of smaller plates of appetizers with a gourmet twist on low-brow local specialties.
Of the bars in Pittsburgh, Tender has one of the best atmospheres. The interior is impeccably decorated with a 1920's bank theme. You sit on comfy sofas or around the bar at white leather chairs, and the lighting and sound level are comfortable. Cozy, but you can still have a conversation. Definitely good for a night out with friends or a romantic date.
Timely that the opening of this establishment coincides with the release of Gatsby. Â Why? Â This place is fancy and has that old-school look to it. Â From the very obvious regal maroon walls to the more subtle additions including a type-writer posted on a ledge behind one of the booths, this place is fancy. Â They should have kicked me out for walking in here with hospital scrubs on...
Luckily they were kind enough to let me be and allow me to stimulate the local economy. Â Four of us were able to enjoy an early dinner one weeknight evening. Â We shared numerous plates including the mac n' cheese, hush puppies, vegetarian chili, among others. Â The menu is unique in that food offerings are stratified across geographical regions-a very different and creative way of doing things. Â All dishes were tasty and hit the spot. Â
What perhaps makes Tender even more unique are the cocktails. Â Very unique selection, carefully crafted, perfectly executed...can't really think of any other places around here that compete. Â Don't get me wrong, I enjoy dining in Pittsburgh, but this establishment has more of a NYC/DC/NYC/Chicago/LA feel to it. Â It's super fancy, high-end...blown away.
Pittsburgh needs more places like this. Â It's a great addition to the neighborhood. Â Don't come here expecting a cheap meal. Â Don't come here expecting to get super full off your meal. Â Don't come here for leftovers. Â If you want a good bang for your buck, take your game to a dive bar. Â Expect to spend about $30-40/person for a satisfying meal with a drink. Â It's worth it.
After looking at the menu and reading some of the reviews I was very excited to try Tender. Â The concept is perfect for me, American tapas with plenty of comfort food.
It appeared to me that there were two main dining areas, the front and the back. Â I sat in the back, and didn't love the feel of it. Â The space felt cramped, also, there was a group in the back that was uncomfortably loud. Â This didn't help my dining experience. Â
The cocktails were fantastic, but it took forever to get them. Â I understand that they are hand crafted, and that takes time. Â However, we got our cocktails only slightly before our food came, and I was tempted to order my second one immediately after receiving the first. Â I opted for a glass of wine instead of another cocktail in the end as I didn't want to wait. Â
For me at least, the food didn't quite deliver the flavor I was looking for. Â Nothing was bad, but nothing jumped out at me. Â I tasted the hush puppies, mac and cheese, meatloaf, and scrapple. Â Each of them were fine, but none of them were great, and there didn't seem to be enough creativity (or really any) in the dishes.
Love the concept, but in the end they just didn't deliver what I was hoping for.
Came here on a Friday night. It was during a Pens play off game so you could actually find a seat. Â Beautiful venue. Â Friendly hostess and bartender. No standing policy is strict. Â So if you don't see a seat at the bar or lounge area or have a reservation, you'll have to come back another time. But this makes it nice for a place to actually have a conversation with someone. Â You don't have to yell to talk to the person next to you. Â
I ordered the Cold Snap. Â If you like ginger snaps....this is wonderful. Â Loved it. Â Ordered the Tom & Rose second round and it was tasty. Â Enjoyed the rosemary flavor. Â My friend ordered a Mint Julep seeing as its Kentucky Derby time. Â If nothing tickles your fancy on the menu, you can just ask the bartender to make you something special and surprise you....just give him/her your base alcohol that you enjoy and whether you like sweet, sour, herby, or spicy and they will come up with a magical drink. Â The drinks are expensive, but worth it. Â
My friend and I shared the meatloaf and hushpuppies. Â The hushpuppies were good, but you definitely needed a dipping sauce since it is dry by nature. Â Unfortunately, I hate ketchup (yes, I know I'm weird) and that was what it came with. Â But one of the servers was happy to get me some aioli to accompany the pups. Â The meatloaf was very good, as well as the little potato pillows that came with it. Â We asked the size of the meatloaf and got 2 different answers. Â The first answer was the most accurate; it was SMALL. Â Splitting the meat loaf was like 3 bites each. Â And for $12, you expect a little more. Â I understand the concept of small plates, but for that size, it should be around $8 or $9. Â So the only reason that I'm giving this place 4 stars instead of 5 is the price of the food to the portion size ratio. Â Six bites of meatloaf and some potatoes pillows does not add up to $12 even though it was good. Â We were told that the meat they used in the meatloaf was antelope. Â This could be the reason for the higher price.....but it tasted like beef just the same. Â So the total bill for the night for two people....for 6 drinks and 3 small plates came to over $100. I will come back here, but I'm going to have to make it more of a special occasion thing in order to not hurt the pocket book too badly.
Wow - what an incredible (and much-needed) addition to Lawrenceville! Tender successfully does what Industry Public House may have tried to do before they decided to cater to the general masses and become just another rowdy bar with slightly above-average artisanal cocktails. Tender manages to maintain a classier and more sophisticated feel while still welcoming everyone and offering a great menu of dining options and of course, fabulous cocktails.
Before I talk about the food, I just want to note that the venue is fantastic. It's a perfect spot for dinner or drinks or both. They did a great job remodeling the Arsenal Bank Building to cater to the needs of the restaurant while maintaining touches of the building's history - be sure to stop and see the checks on the wall facing Butler. The ambience is true to the era - I absolutely love the piano in the lounge and the occasional live music. There are 2 more dining rooms in addition to the lounge, each with a slightly different feel but the same level of service. The wait staff is incredibly friendly and willing to offer suggestions, which are much needed since it is tough to choose from such great options.
Initially, I didn't feel like the menu did justice to the food itself. Maybe I am just used to restaurants trying to talk up every item on their menu, so at first I thought the menu understated the complexity of the ingredients and the flavor. However, after thoroughly enjoying the first few items, I learned to appreciate the simplicity of the descriptions and just trust the chef. We tried the Shrimp and Grits, Lobster Rolls, Mac and Cheese, Deviled Eggs, Yaka Mein, Meatloaf, Oysters, Poke, and the Moon Pies for dessert. It was all exquisite, but the Yaka Mein and Meatloaf were my favorites.
As for the drinks, I'd start by letting telling the expert bartenders what you like and letting them suggest something for you. The cocktail list makes it hard to decide, and they are good at matching your preferences and mood with the perfect drink.
I can't wait to attend one of the special events or to take one of the mixology classes here. I will update the review once I do!
I loved this place. Â Ambiance was fantastic. Â I just got back from a trip to NYC, and this restaurant could easily fit into a Manhattan neighborhood. Â Had a very 1920's vibe; I felt like I was taking a step back in time. Â I loved the way the wait staff dressed; women wore black dresses, and the men wore vests and newsboy caps. Â So happy to not see a woman wearing a white shirt and black tie. Â
I thought the food was fantastic. Â I'm a huge fan of small plates. Â We shared the hush puppies (awesome), lobster rolls (awesome; and I can't believe someone below wrote about the bread to lobster ratio, and how it needs improved...give me a break), the mac & cheese (great), the deviled eggs (good, but my least favorite of the 5), and the poke (first time I've had this, and I like it a lot). Â I also had an almond phosphate soda, which I highly recommend. Â 5 small plates seemed like the perfect sharing amount to split amongst 2 people.
I will definitely be back, and I highly recommend giving this place a try!!
I had heard the hype about Tender and had been looking forward to my reservation for over a week. Â As I counted down the days, I reviewed the cocktail and dinner menu online. Â I was partially hoping that they had updated the menu since their opening since it seemed somewhat eclectic and not cohesive. Â I was slightly disappointed upon my arrival that the menu hadn't been updated and that we were being seated in the room downstairs (otherwise known as the basement). Â Despite my misgivings, the decor was creative and reflected the owner's vision of a speakeasy-style bar/restaurant that incorporated the history of the building (including the vault) into the design. Â As an aside, the space was probably my favorite part of the experience. Â We ordered a few rounds of drinks (which were slightly odd but intriguing) and a bottle of wine. Â The wine selection was not complete in terms of variety nor was it priced appropriately (as I found was generally the case at Tender). Â I'm more than willing to pay for a good bottle of wine, but our server couldn't answer any of my questions about the choices. Â The first round of plates, we ordered the deviled eggs, lobster rolls and city chicken. Â The lobster rolls and deviled eggs were tasty and simply prepared but the city chicken (which is really pork) was dry and tasted like fried panko. It reminded me of something that I could've gotten at a bar or fast food restaurant. Â My boyfriend, our friend and I were quite hungry when we arrived (which is something that I would not suggest) so we were disappointed when our server was less than attentive and seemed to disappear after we ordered our first round of drinks and food. Â To be fair, other tables around us seemed to be getting great service from someone who was able to expound upon drink and menu options with ease. Â Our waters were not being refilled and, at one point, we had to call another waitress over to place an order for more food. Â After trying the mac and cheese, more deviled eggs (I think that we had three orders), turducken and beef on weck, nothing stood out to me other than the lobster roll and deviled eggs. Â I wanted to love Tender, but the food (selection and preparation) and service left much to be desired. Â
After dropping way to much money on a dinner that left all three of us only partially satiated, we went upstairs hoping to explore the space while having another drink or two at the bar. Â We were greeted by the maitre d and told (very nicely and apologetically) that we couldn't have a drink at the bar unless we could find three seats together. Â Really?? I mean, what is going on?! Â The bar is huge and is easily the best part of the whole space. Â This was a laughable moment for the three of us since we should've paid our check and ran instead of trying to spend more money. Â We nicely said to the maitre d that we would go across the street to Industry Public House. Â I so wanted to love Tender, its design and to support new local restorations in the Burgh but I guess that Tender and I were just not meant to be. I *may* go back to Tender and try to get a seat at the bar but, until the menu is refined, I don't think that I'll be going back for food.
Went here to celebrate a friend's b'day. Â If I remember correctly this was their official opening day after a week or so of a soft launch. Â I opted for a glass of red wine but after looking at the group's interesting and tasty cocktails, I would recommend opting for a cocktail rather than a glass of wine or beer. Â
We shared several plates including the hush puppies, red potato salad, fluffernutter, lobster rolls, mac & cheese, poke and the beignets. Â
Everything tasted great but I thought the lobster rolls and the poke stood out as they were fresh and seasoned well...I also love seafood, especially seafood done right. Â I'm not a huge potato salad fan to begin with and don't usually get very excited about mac & cheese unless it's done exceptionally well and has some extra fixins which I didn't feel like this had. Â I think the fluffernutter should be along side with the other desserts but it sits with the other small plates. Â I thought the flufernutter was a better dessert option than the beignets, although the fluffernutter could have used more peanut butter and was marshmallow - the bread, tasty as it was, overwhelmed the dish. Â
I did contemplate giving it 4 stars but I thought that it was too pricey for what you get. Â Although we got seven plates to share between 5 people, they were very tiny and came with a hefty price tag. Â All in all, I think it's a great place for a drink and a couple appetizers before heading out for a dinner at a more reasonably priced establishment.
I hit this place during its soft open on my way out of Pittsburgh, and I feel bad that I'm not going to be able to give them a second chance!
The service was very slow (especially cocktails), but friendly! I'm not factoring the slowness into my rating, since it was pre-grand opening and all. The ambiance is gorgeously Art Deco inspired.
As a bar, this is a perfect addition to Lawrenceville and really ups the game for drinks in the neighborhood. The cocktails are insanely good, and I would expect no less coming from the same people as Verde. I especially love the extensive list of "refreshing" options, since I like my drinks not-too-strong but not-too-sweet. They're pricey, sure, but easily some of the best-crafted libations in the city.
The food was somewhat disheartening. They say everything is "sharing sized," but they're just avoiding the words "tapas" or "small plates" because of the negative connotation. Sharing sized means a heap of meat at Union Pig & Chicken or a mountain of pasta at Buca di Beppo, not a miniature sandwich.
For plates that are meant to be shared, the menu is not well thought out. We came with a group of six and had to order multiples of dishes because they were impossible to "share." For example, Yaka Mein--mini bowl of noodle soup (not very shareable to begin with) topped with one rib (do we each nibble on one end?) and half a quail egg--this is way too difficult to share between even just two people. Beef on Weck--hockey-puck-sized sandwich--just because it's cut in half doesn't make it "shareable." The concept needs to be fleshed out a little bit better.
As far as taste, the Yaka Mein was the only thing I really loved, and I wish it wasn't topped by a dried out rib. The meatloaf was good (but tiniest in size). The flavors of the Beef on Weck were there, and the roll was perfection, but the meat was again, too dry. The mac & cheese was creamy, but one-note. Skip the deviled eggs (you've had better at a work luncheon) and the oysters (couldn't taste the mignonette at all?).
You'll easily spend $40 a person here, and you might still be hungry afterward (the men at our table were). Which is fine if the food is amazingly tasty...but it's not. It's just average, and at these portion sizes, isn't worth it. I wish I would have spent all my money on drinks instead!
Hope Tender can pull itself up...I'm a fan of Verde, so I have faith in them!
Once news leaked that one more new restaurant had opened on Butler Street in Lawrenceville, I kept trying to find excuses to go, so before yet another concert earlier this week (Hatebreed with special guests at Mr. Smalls. Do I go to too many?), I had a conclusive reason to visit.
But wait! A once-over of Tender's website hinted at hipster conceit. Comely women in Roaring 20's attire were seen, some in suggestive poses.
Unsure I'd be welcome, I cautiously walked over to Tender, slowly opened the door, and stepped inside, lightly...and saw a fellow around my age dressed in jeans, sneakers, and a plaid shirt. While one server had lines running scandalously up the back of her stockings (David Lee Roth would approve), and the rest were dressed formally, none of them were garbed in ironic, campy period attire. Heck, another patron had a wrinkled Izod shirt on. Assuming I was acceptable, I began to relax.
A young blonde lass clad in black greeted me, seated me, and introduced me to my server, the thoroughly cool and gallant Cass (yes, that's his name!). Since I had browsed the menu before hand, my mind was essentially made up on what to order: Red Potato Salad, Lobster Rolls, and Fluffernutter for dessert.
Tender's name is a clever play on words, invoking the space's financial past (the term 'legal tender' should come to mind) as well as its present as a place to indulge in an elegant cocktail. Formerly the Arsenal Bank (With whom I once applied for a job as a computer operator. Betcha didn't know I worked in IT once), affects from the building's former life are in view, including a hoary leviathan of a safe deposit box that can be seen in the right-hand corner.
In the far-left corner are couches and an impressively large mirror a la a penthouse living room from yesteryear. Directly in front of where I sat was the bar ('Tender.' Do ya get it now?) which immediately captures a patron's attention, declaring itself the center of the establishment with its gliding ladder and tall assortment of elegantly presented spirits on shelves of glass that gleamed in the late afternoon sun.
The word "tender" could also apply to my appetizer and main course, my meal taking me to New York, Maine, and ending in Massachusetts, the bill of fare didactically celebrating The 50 States by highlighting numerous regional dishes,including some that may seem uncultured and commonplace until Tender presents the diner with their unique spin on them.
For the potato salad, Tender flips the picnic-and-cookout stereotype, offering a minimalist version (vision?) that features as its dressing a simple olive oil-based vinaigrette. Nearly invisible shaved shallots (?), spoon cabbage (?), and smoked sea salt (?), garnished the uniformly sliced and consummately boiled potatoes. I smeared each supple, glossy disc of tuber through the oil, picking up the brackish, the peppery, and the gentle allium with each forkful, savoring them one by one for I knew they were finite.
A triune of Lobster Rolls came next on house-baked (Tender claims to make everything from scratch) Brioche. Tossed in mayonnaise (scratch also?), I detected that langostinos were also mixed in.
"You have a good palate," Cass said.
Amused and not at all minding langostinos, I relished these mounds of sweet, fluffy lusciousness and appreciated their slight brevity which forced me eat them slowly, dreading the final morsel, and longing for more after it was consumed.
Tender's servings are ideally sized in that they are not uncomfortably belt-busting nor are they stingy; you are forced to eat each item slowly to take in its flavors, and afterwards you are not left hungry nor are you so stuffed you wish you hadn't eaten so much.
Returning to the Lobster Rolls, I found that the meat was plentiful and that the threesome of Brioche buns served as a delectable platform for the creamy seafood.
Also Brioche-anchored was the Fluffernutter.
"Fluffernutter's a great dessert, but it's also been served as a lunchbox sandwich," Cass informed me.
"I know. It's always come off as a dessert to me. I've made them myself, toasting the whole damn thing in a skillet," I mentioned.
"Is everything on it made from scratch?" I asked before ordering, having trouble deciding on the Fluffernutter or the Moon Pies or Beignets.
"Oh yes, you'll like it."
Cass told me that he wished he could have photographed me when I first locked eyes on the Fluffernutter, my expression said to resemble that of a child on Christmas morn. Admiring its presentation, I knew my assessment was correct. Utilizing a fork, I treated the sandwich like a cake. A tart, starchy, banana jam acted as a frosting, coarse peanut butter and liquified marshmallow mortaring the cuts together, the versatile bread forming a moist body.
Pleased with my spot of dinner, I wished Tender and its gracious staff a bright future and made the hike o'er to Millvale for an evening of worship...
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DuxP1KCdP_tc&s=6c6bba418eac611f024e55a57e95fa8209aae071aa80ea99ff4635a73d19c3c4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
Great evening last night at Tender Bar + Kitchen. Â The food was terrific - loved the shrimp and grits. Â Enjoyed a couple of great drinks and learned a bit about mixology along the way. Â My deepest thanks to Jeff, Marie, and Craig for making the evening fun and memorable. Â See you at the corner soon, Linda!
Review Source:Tender... I tenderly write you this...
I love love love the interior. The walls, the curtains, the furniture... beautiful! You can absolutely tell that Jeff, the owner, puts a lot of thought into how he wants his restaurants to look (also the owner of Verde). It's just gorgeous and I would love to have my house look like this!
Beyond that, the focus is meant to be on the craft cocktail. I think it's really cool how they highlight the different bartenders with their names and signatures next to the drinks they've concocted. Making them like artists crafting a beautiful piece of work. Which, essentially they are, with delicious tasting cocktails! I ordered the Penny-Farthing both times I stopped in. The first time it was made by the Sarah herself (the creator) and it was like heaven. With Gozio amaretto, Zaya rum, lemon, orange, egg white and sparkling wine. It even came in one of those cute little cocktail glasses. The second time I got it Sarah wasn't working and I have to say, it wasn't the same. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad by any means, just wasn't the same consistency. I also had a punch from the classic cocktail list (which is in super small print in the corner of the menu) and it was stellar! I think they're definitely on the right track...
The food. We ordered 6 plates:
Lobster Roll - #1 stand out. Fresh and that bun... oh lord. Freshly baked in house. Buttered to perfection!
Fluffernutter - Good. But I like the idea so much I want more! The peanut butter is made in house! I wished there was more fluff and more nutter. And I was confused why it wasn't in the dessert section? Is that just me?
Mac n' Cheese - very distinct taste. There was one specific cheese that was mixed in that made it that way that's escaping me, but I liked it. Plus, it was extra smooth and creamy, just the way I like it!
Poke - very good, very fresh.
Hush Puppies - a tad too salty for me.
Potato Salad - slices of red potatoes. I did like the dill vinaigrette but I'd opt for a second portion of the Lobster Roll...
The thing you have to keep in mind is that the plates are über small and pricey. We split all of this between 4 of us and we were all still pretty hungry after. I think I'd come here for either pre-dinner apps or after dinner dessert/snacks. I wouldn't come here just for dinner. My wish/hope/dream is that they offer bigger plates. I think what they have going on is fantastic and interesting. Plus, I love the atmosphere so much that I'd love to sit down and enjoy a nice filling meal here.
I will most definitely be working my way through the cocktails! And dreaming of making my house look like the inside of this joint...
My review is a bit sorted since I believe that I went about my first experience entirely wrong. I did not get the memo that the only food they serve are "small plates" and I don't think they do a great job at making that known on their menu, so you depend on listening to the server. Anyways, the only reason this was a problem was because we had our reservations on their grand opening night at 6:30, which was exactly when I wanted to eat dinner. This is personal opinion, but I hate small plate restaurants. You pay a lot of money (particularly here) for less food, and I'm not into sharing.
The food: I was there with a larger party and the only food I ordered was a bowl of chips. It was a small bowl and $5. I ordered this before knowing it was all small plates, but from the critiques of the others, I didn't miss much. The chips were OK, just plain, regular chips. Not worth $5. The mac & cheese (maybe a cup and a half) was $10 and had a funny taste. Some others in the party enjoyed what they got, and in the future I'll branch out.
The drinks: Mine were good. I ordered the Cold Snap (super gingery) and the Penny Farthing. Some of my friends disliked their drinks, but I think this is natural when you're trying a place known for interesting mixes. The only issue is that the drinks are pricey, so you might not really be able to order several types and try a bunch. They definitely knew what they were doing with drinks .. but I was hoping, since that seems to be the purpose of Tender.
Overall: I wouldn't come back for food, only drinks. I spent over $30 for 2 drinks and a bowl of chips, and then headed over to Industry for a burger, fries, half an appetizer, and a beer for $26, which seemed a little more worth it. I probably would have had a different experience at 8 or 9 pm, after having dinner. I'm not in a hurry to go back and I feel the prices did not quite match with the area.
I want to give this place 3 1/2. Â I feel bad giving it the first 3 star review. Â I'm torn, honestly. Â
The ambiance: cute, cozy. Â I love it.
The location: Lawrenceville. Â I love it.
The service: great, wonderful, attentive - my glass of water was always full and as soon as my cider was gone she asked if I'd like more. Â
The food quality: also wonderful. Â We had:
Lobster rolls: Perhaps the bread:lobster ratio was a bit too high, or maybe it was that the bread wasn't toasted and too fluffy. I was expecting a bruschetta-type of appetizer, but still good nonetheless
Macaroni and cheese: I love comfort food. Â Mac n' cheese gets 2 thumbs up.
Beef on Weck: Really good, but the roll was really hard to chew. Â
Fluffernutter: we just had to. Â Fancy restaurant. Â Marshmallow banana sandwich?...and it was probably my favorite dish. It was almost dessert like.
Hush Puppies - meh, kinda dry.
Turducken - the corn bread stuffing was great, and the sauce was drizzled over definitely contained cranberries. Â I loved it.
For dessert we got the beignets and the moon pie. Â This was the only point I was dissappointed in the food quality. Â I've been to NOLA, twice. Â I've had the beignets. Â These were NOT beignets, and on top of that, they tasted like burnt chocolate. Â Ugh. Â The moon pie, while good, elicited the following question from one of the members of our table: "Were these just taken out of the hoho's box?" They also had some weird (green!) mint liquid drizzled on top.
Ok, so the food quality was great, for the most part. Â But the price for the food...and the amount of food you get was not. We spent over $120 for 4 people and were still hungry. Â I wish there was more on each plate. Â Especially the turducken (2 pieces?) and the Beef on Weck. Â They should specify that each dish really serves only 2 people. Â We were told this was tapas-style, and most tapas dishes at other restaurants serve at least 3.
I wanted to love this place so bad! Â It's owned by the same people who opened Verde, which I love and will go back to again and again and again. Â But I can't say that I'll go back to Tender. Â Either lower the prices or increase the amount of food on the plate.
Great addition to l-ville, but lacking for the time being. The cocktails are great and the bartenders are extremely friendly. The drinks however, take a long time, even with 3 bartenders. They stumble over each other from time to time, looking unorganized. I love the bar, but having to see a hostess to sit at the bar is weird. A bar is a bar. It is for people to network and mingle. Whether sitting or standing, a bar is where the energy is in the restaurant. The four dishes we ordered were good, but not great. The portions are too small. I don't know why people try to do tapas in Pittsburgh. Pittsburghers eat! They will still order multiple portions... So feed us. Mac & Cheese was cold and the hush puppies were like dense pieces of chalk. The pork was really good. I recommend this dish. The vegetarian chili was also very tasty. I am excited to go back, but education for the staff, better food presentation and a less aggressive hostess needs to improve before I do. Welcome to L-ville.
Review Source:Came here with a group of five and we nearly tried everything on the cocktail and food menus. Great selection of cocktails and a smart staff who could make anything you'd like with their full bar. Awesome space too.
All the food was good, but there were standouts, here's some to get and some to skip:
Get: Hush Puppies, Deviled Egg, Turducken, Shrimp and Grits, City Chicken, Banana Split
Skip: oysters (as a Bostonian, I may be biased, but these were served lukewarm, strange to me), Scrapple ($10 for scrapple?), Mac and Cheese (a bit plain), Moon Pies (a bit off from what you'd expect)
So far I have only had cocktails here, but they are excellent. Â The specialty menu is very carefully designed, and every drink I've tried on it so far is exceptionally balanced. Â Don't overlook a drink just because you don't like one of the ingredients -- when in doubt, they taste better than what seems like the sum of their parts. Â My favorites from the specialty cocktail list are the Pecora Investigation (great if you love scotch, intensity, and smokiness) and the Once Upon a Honeymoon (and I don't even like apple brandy typically), but I'm sure they are excellent at all the classic cocktails too. Â They make an absolutely delicious Boulevardier, and I look forward to trying their Manhattans and Sazeracs.
The upstairs bar/lounge is absolutely beautiful and the bartenders/servers are dressed totally in theme. Â The men wear vests, suspenders, and hats, and the women are dressed like flappers or in other elegant 20s fashion. Â There is 20s style jazz, and the live music on their hard opening night was a wonderful bonus! Â It sounds kitschy, but it really works... you feel transformed to a different place.
The downstairs is less impressive, and it kind of smelled like a kennel when we sat there on opening night. Â It felt more like a small, regal room of a french palace than the downstairs of a speakeasy-type joint.
The service I received both times was top-notch. Â The bartenders (I had Frederick) and servers alike obviously all know the cocktails VERY well and are great with giving recommendations based on what you like and what you're in the mood for.
Definitely looking forward to revisiting this joint for small plates. Â Beignet time!!!
There's nothing better than when the reality of a brand new spot not only lives up to it's pre-opening hype, but surpasses it. So it was with Tender.
Part of the "Tender" name comes from the establishment's emphasis on BAR. Six high profile, named bartenders have created spot-on cocktails that not only shine, they exceed all expectations. Each bartender (startender?) has created his or her own spin on classic cocktails or else has upped the ante by coming up with entirely new creations. What's in store for you in the cocktail department upon your first visit?
Do NOT miss the Nathan Luchansky-created Once Upon A Honeymoon with ginger-infused apple brandy and blood orange marmalade. Despite what you may think, it is not too sweet at all. It is just right.
Sean Rosenkrans created a delightful pastis-kissed, non-blue curacao creation called  Death in the Allegheny. Served over crushed ice, one of our group declared it tasted like a "Good n Plenty snowcone." Yaya's Snowcones on the Northside never served a flavor that GOOD!
Craig Mrusek (Dr. Bamboo), who specializes in Tiki drinks, came up with a cocktail named Nilsson. There was some discussion around the bar about it being inspired by Harry Nilsson of the "Put the Lime in the Coconut" fame. This was another crushed ice delight that hit all the right coconut, lime and rum island notes without being overly sweet. As Nilsson sang, it was no problem to "drink it all up."
The last cocktail sampled this particular evening was Marie Perriello's Hemingway's Mistress. Made with smoky mezcal, Luxardo marachino liqueur, grapefruit juice and lime, it was simple...but so much more than the sum of all it's parts. It's easy to see why Hemingway might have had a fling with this tart little number!
The kitchen draws on some regional cuisines of the U.S. to feature on the food side of the menu. Look for specialties from the South, Northeast, West (of here), Pennsylvania, and (okay, not a region) Classic Americana. If there's shrimp n grits on the menu, that will always be my order. Bonus, it was gluten-free.
The plating of two round grits cakes and two head-on shrimp was a vision in simplicity. Keep in mind, these are small plates, not full size entrees so servings are small and shareable. Well, if you want to share and not keep all that deliciousness to yourself alone.
The hubby ordered Beef on Weck and got 2 small slider-sized portions of perfectly cooked beef slices on those beautifully seasoned buns. And no, he didn't share either. We did share a plate of crispy potato chips with aioli to dip the chips. The aioli was the only negative of the evening...we couldn't remember what the menu had said it was and certainly couldn't identify the flavor except to say it was bland and weird. Skip the aioli, but get the chips!
Oh...that other "Tender" meaning? Legal tender. Tender Bar & Kitchen is housed in a former bank so the double entendre of "tender" works on both the "bar" and "legal" levels. Â If it sounds like I focused on the cocktails, you are correct. While the food was very, very good, it's the cocktails that will keep me bouncing back. Like a rubber check? (Sorry, couldn't resist a last cheesy bank reference.)
Came here last night for their soft opening. Â The review is for the cocktails only, not the food. I absolutely adore their 1920's decor and staff outfits. Although we did have to wait almost 2 hours for two cocktails, I understand that mistakes are to be made during a soft opening and that they are still ironing out the kinks. The drink menu is fantastic. I ordered a pain killer and an old bond street fizz. The cocktail list reminds me of several places in New Orleans that I frequent. I really wish I could have ordered food, but I think it may have taken an even longer time to receive than the cocktails just due to the overwhelming response from those dining last night. The shrimp and grits and meatloaf both sound delicious. The owner, Jeff, was present and came around to several tables. You can tell he really wants to make Tender a success! So, I will be back to Tender but not for awhile. I want to give them time to work things out and expect an even better experience when I return.
Review Source:We went to Tender on one of their pre-launch nights. This is a great place and I think, once fully up and running (with full menu), this will be the next hot spot in Pittsburgh. We tried some cocktails, which were inventive and delicious. The food we sampled was also great--designed for sharing, we devoured mini lobster rolls, among other things. The menu was bar food. I'm looking forward to seeing how this evolves once they are post-launch.
This is a great addition to the higher end bar/restaurant scene in Pittsburgh. Service was also friendly and informative. My go to place remains Bar Marco because they have demonstrated their ability to stay at the top of their game (and improve) over the year or so they have graces Pittsburgh with their presence. I'm sure that Tender will be one of those great places too. Exciting that there are now at least two fantastic places where you can get amazing cocktails and great food in a sophisticated and cool environment without TV screens playing sports.
I am LOVING this place. Had no idea it was doing a soft opening (they officially open on 4/5), and wandered in. The decor is stunning, and has a great 1920s vibe. Super high ceilings, great looking bar. It's located in an old bank (hence the fun name), which helps to maintain an austere and civilized ambiance. I particularly enjoyed the fact that the acoustics were manageable, since most of the new places in Pittsburgh seem to be extremely loud.
The staff are very friendly (still have a few kinks to work out in terms of timing, but that's OK), and the drinks are all phenomenal. I haven't had the food yet, but spoke with some other patrons who did have a meal, and they said that the food was very good. All of the food is based on regional specialties from around the States. And, all of the food is made from scratch in house. If the food is as carefully attended to as the drinks, then I think we have a real winner!
Can't wait to come back, and am so excited to see this new addition to the Pittsburgh food scene!
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
