Bars on the North Side of Pittsburgh

McFadden's

• Located between Heinz Field and PNC Park, McFadden's is a favorite after-game party bar on Pittsburgh's North Shore. While the theme harkens to that of a classic Irish pub, the cavernous space and loud music create a different atmosphere altogether. It's not unusual for Steelers and Pirates players to wander in after games on weekends. On Blarney Stone Saturdays, bartenders might jump up on the bar to play a short set on the bagpipes.

  McFadden's
  211 North Shore Drive
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-322-3470
  www.mcfaddenspitt.com

Finnigan's Wake

• A much more authentic Irish pub than McFadden's, Finnigan's Wake offers Smithwick's draughts and Shepherd's pie for Irish purists. Finnigan's is also the preferred landing spot for Irish folk band the Wolftones when they come through Pittsburgh on tour. While the bar is sometimes loud and boisterous on weekend nights, it offers a more casual atmosphere before baseball games at PNC Park just a half block away.

  Finnigan's Wake
  20 E. General Robinson Street
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-325-2601
  www.finniganspittsburgh.com

Calico Jack's

• Calico Jack's Cantina, located between the stadiums by the Del Monte Building, offers buffet spreads before football games as an alternative to parking lot tailgates. On weekends Calico's brings in DJs to spin dance tunes for the mostly younger and single crowd. The menu has a wide variety of burritos and fajitas and cajun fare, such as jambalaya and etouffee.

  Calico Jack's
  353 North Shore Drive
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-322-7380
  www.calicojackspitt.com

SoHo

• More upscale than its North Shore neighbors, SoHo offers 14 different types of martinis and a wide selection of domestic and imported wine. The menu offers more gourmet fare, like baked boursin and five-spice calamari, alongside more traditional bar fare like chicken wings and nachos. SoHo is located at the corner of Federal and General Robinson Streets in the shadow of PNC Park.

  SoHo
  203 Federal Street
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-321-7646
  www.sohopittsburgh.com

Clark Bar & Grill

• Just under the highway overpasses a few blocks north of PNC Park is the building that once housed the D.L. Clark Company, former makers of Zagnut and the aptly named Clark bars. Now inhabiting the first floor of that building, the Clark Bar & Grill offers less chocolate and more deep-fried bar fare. Like in most other sports bars in Pittsburgh, the walls of the Clark Bar & Grill are lined with a slew of rare sports memorabilia. While it is a bit further from the stadiums than most North Shore bars, the Clark Bar offers some of the cheapest drinks and bites in the neighborhood.

  Clark Bar & Grill
  503 Martindale Street
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-231-5720
  www.thepipagroup.com/clarkbar

North Shore Saloon

• Dispensing with any attempts at an individualized theme, the owners of the North Shore Saloon know exactly why they located across the street from PNC Park and a short walk from Heinz Field. It is the most obvious sports bar in a neighborhood full of them. The North Shore Saloon offers 20 hi-def TVs and a scale-size football field to dine on. The menu is rife with sports allusions and hearty sandwiches like the BBBLT--yes, that's with triple the bacon.

  North Shore Saloon
  208 Federal Street
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-323-8459
  www.northshoresaloon.com

Mullen's Bar and Grill

• Mullen's is part of a chain of Chicago area bars that opened its first location outside Illinois just across the way from PNC Park. Outside of the occasional singles nights and beer pong tournaments, Mullen's is a tamer, more casual hangout than many of its boisterous North Shore neighbors. Most of the menu and draft items are standard, but Mullen's prides itself on its homemade applesauce. You can try some with one of their few Pittsburgh-centric dishes--pierogis served in buffalo sauce.

  Mullen's Bar and Grill
  200 Federal Street
  Pittsburgh, PA 15212
  412-231-1112
  www.mullensbarandgrill.com