Bars

Boomerang’s 3909 Forbes Ave. 412-578-8491 $ Panther Funds? No

Featuring three… Boomerang’s 3909 Forbes Ave. 412-578-8491 $ Panther Funds? No

Featuring three rooms to congregate in, this strongly collegiate bar is one of the big three: Hemingway’s, Peter’s and Boomerang’s. There is room for dancing, but it fills up quickly on the weekend. They have a wide variety of nightly drink specials, all bargains, especially Thursday nights, which are $1 Coors light pitcher nights (there’s a catch on Coors light pitcher nights: a $3 cover).

Bootleggers 403 Semple St. 412-682-3060 $ Panther Funds? No

Buried deep in South Oakland, Bootlegger’s is a dark bar fitting its name. Rougher around the edges, Bootlegger’s still offers nightly drink specials, and Wednesday karaoke. There are Wednesday wing nights, but aside from this, no food at the bar.

Chief’s Cafe 307 North Craig St. 412-683-2936 $ Panther Funds? No

If you’re looking for some tasty fare that goes beyond the typical bar fare of wings, peanuts and pretzels, Chief’s Cafe may well be the place for you. This bar has gyro specials, which are frequently chicken or lamb. Chief’s runs with a slightly older crowd, but the drink pricing doesn’t really reflect that.

It’s a good place to go if you’d like to get off the beaten path.

Fuel and Fuddle 212 Oakland Ave. 412-682-3473 $$ Panther Funds? Yes, until 11 p.m.

Featuring an impressive beer selection with frequently rotating beers on tap, Fuel and Fuddle also supplies great food to accompany your drinks.

The catch? You pay a little more for drinks. It’s a great place to start the night. But the bar isn’t the only great thing about Fuel: There is plenty of room for dining upstairs and down, with creative pizzas and classic sandwiches to order, and half price food starts every night at 11.

Gene’s Place 3616 Louisa St. $ Panther Funds? No

This bar is snugly tucked into Louisa Street, with old darkened windows and a cool exterior. It’s more of a bar for regulars, but don’t let that dissuade you. The drink selection is a little smaller than most. Just watch out for the Prairie Fires.

Garage Door 219 Atwood St. $ Panther Funds? No

There’s usually more room to spread out in the back room of Garage Door, and the blue lights make it seem a little classier. Featuring nightly $1 drafts and 24-7 specials such as $2 Bacardi drinks and $4 bud light pitchers, Garage Door is still able to handle the large amounts of students that flood in on weekends. It’s one of Oakland’s rising star bars.

Hemingway’s 3911 Forbes Ave. 412-621-4100 $$ Panther Funds? Yes

From the name, you might think this bar is packed with intellectuals on the weekend. Let’s not maintain any illusions: Pitt students are smart, but the conversation doesn’t often have anything to do with how awesome class is.

More of a restaurant than a majority of the bars in Oakland, Hemingway’s has a good variety of drinking food: wings, nachos, spinach dip, etc. There is a good variety of beer here as well, and Hem’s offers a daily $1 beer special.

Before 11 p.m., it’s a cozy sit-down restaurant, serving pasta, salads and other American style dishes such as sandwiches. Its reputation as a bumping college bar arguably eclipses the fact that it serves up tasty food, too.

Mitchell’s Tavern and Restaurant 4632 Centre Ave. 412-681-8450 $ Panther Funds? No

Another bar that attracts a slightly older crowd, Mitchell’s is an opportunity to get away from the college crowd. There are frequently bands playing at Mitchell’s, and there are karaoke nights as well.

The kitchen closes before the bar does, so go early if you want to eat.

Panther Hollow Inn/Pizza Paul 4611 Forbes Ave. 412-621-5595 $ Panther Funds? No

This hole-in-the-wall bar has a sense of nostalgia about it. The bar has a 70s feel to it, but it isn’t overpowering. It is a great place to go if you want to do more talking, as it is significantly less noisy. They also serve pizza through the Pizza Paul kitchen.

Peter’s Pub 116 Oakland Ave. 412-681-7465 $$ Panther Funds? No

Loud and often packed, Peter’s pub is a great example of a college bar. Serving sandwiches and salads, on which they have daily specials, this pub also has a worthy array of drink specials.

Buckets of beer are more prevalent in Peter’s than in other Oakland bars. Standing room might be a little awkward, but once you find a place to sit, Peter’s has a great atmosphere for just chilling out.

Pittsburgh Cafe 226 Meyran Ave. $$ Panther Funds? No

Classier than most bars in Oakland, P-cafe, as it is widely known, has good deals on drinks from 10 to midnight.

You usually have to pay a little more for drinks that aren’t specials compared to other bars in Oakland. There are frequently theme nights and other festivities at Pittsburgh Cafe

In addition, this bar has a menu of its own, including the regular sandwiches, fries and salads. They have a good outdoor patio to top it all off.

Spice Cafe 318 Atwood St. 412-682-1900 $-$$ Panther Funds? No

On the smaller side, Spice Cafe has a wide selection of beers and a bartending staff that doesn’t have to divide its attention between as many people, though it can get crowded in there on weekends.

It also has the best Long Islands in Oakland (ask for the blended ice variety).

Nestled beneath the India Garden, Spice Cafe also has a menu of wraps, salads, burritos and appetizers, with daily food and drink specials.

Uncle Jimmy’s 418 Semple St. 412-681-7480 $ Panther Funds? No

Uncle Jimmy’s is a more relaxed bar that offers places to sit without sacrificing too much in drink pricing. It’s a bar more agreeable for conversations, as it isn’t loud like most other college bars.

In a convenient location for South Oaklanders, Uncle Jimmy’s is an ideal place to meet up with friends.