Hello Bistro stacks up to other restaurants in Eat’n Park franchise

Getting a seat at the newly opened Hello Bistro can be quite challenging — and with good…Getting a seat at the newly opened Hello Bistro can be quite challenging — and with good reason.

Located on Forbes Avenue next to the recently relocated Campus Bookstore, the new restaurant is a flurry of modern, casual dining at a reasonable price.

It’s no surprise then, that it took me three visits to muster up the patience necessary to wait for a seat during the restaurant’s lunch rush, during which visitors can expect the salad bar line to be packed shoulder-to-shoulder with hungry patrons.

Hello Bistro is owned by the Eat’n Park Hospitality Group and represents the company’s second foray into Oakland, after  more refined and slightly pricier The Porch opened in Schenley Plaza in November 2011.

Eat’n Park is something of a staple in the western Pennsylvania region. The company, which was founded in 1949, has built a reputation for great burgers and community-oriented vibes, but it now has a more urban counterpart.

According to Mark Broadhurst, director of concept development for Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, Hello Bistro has been in the works for almost three years.

“We knew we wanted to do kind of an urban spin off Eat’n Park, with some of the more popular items, like our burgers and salads, at the forefront,” Broadhurst said.

Whereas traditional Eat’n Park restaurants are larger and generally housed in a free-standing building, Hello Bistro is nestled between two shops and caters mainly to the foot traffic on Forbes Avenue. The original Eat’n Park restaurants have a family-oriented atmosphere that speaks of a more traditional restaurant. But with each expansion, the group’s new restaurants have broadened in theme to encompass different trends.

All of this is part of the main idea behind Hello Bistro. Broadhurst explained that the ultra-friendly attitude of the staff as well as the amusing way in which the menu is designed — meal descriptions include a Superburger topped with nostalgia — factor into the restaurant’s community appeal. Patrons can order The Everyman Grilled Cheese, with ingredients that make it “A Good Ol’ Sam’ich,” according to the menu.

“With traditional Eat’n Park restaurants, there’s always an element of community. We often get people who develop a personal relationship with the servers and other employees,” Broadhurst said. “With this more urban approach, we still have ways to preserve that.”

The restaurant’s menu features a few familiar items from Eat’n Park as well as a few upgraded versions of classic Eat’n Park burgers, such as the Bistro Burger.

The other Pittsburgh-based restaurant that spawned from the Eat’n Park family also strays from the traditional feel of the original restaurant — but The Porch and Hello Bistro are not carbon copies of each other. Also found right off Forbes Avenue, The Porch serves more-expensive food in a less-urban environment. Though it’s not outside of the city, it borders Schenley Plaza, and the outdoor eating area, featuring a fireplace and plentiful seating, makes it a nice place to relax and enjoy a meal.

And there are plenty of characteristics that distinguish Hello Bistro from The Porch. Most notable is Hello Bistro’s chalkboard, featuring messages from other diners.

“It’s cool to just be able to write stuff on the wall, and it’s not frowned upon or anything,” Pitt senior Timothy Bussert said.

Hello Bistro’s casual setting makes it more college-friendly for busy students with hectic academic schedules. It has a great location for South Oakland residents, and its reasonable prices and simple menu give the restaurant a light atmosphere suitable for a quick but delicious meal.

“The food here is really good. The burgers are the best on campus for sure,” Pitt junior Jimmy Muller said.

For those who have never been to the restaurant, it’s easy to find a knowledgeable food guide in one of the employees. Chances are restaurant-goers will be directed to the larger-than-life salad bar or recommended a burger that seems personally suited to their taste buds.