Bloomfield Bridge Tavern

Pyszne!!! Incredible food. Got the red platter so you get a lil bit of all that Polish goodness plus a cute little flag on top. The kluski was my favorite. Takes a little bit to get your food buts it’s worth the wait. Staff is awesome. Owner came over and talked to us while we waited. Treat yourself to a sipper of the Polish blackberry brandy afterwards. You won’t be sorry.

Bloomfield Bridge Tavern is a dive bar with some the best pierogies I’ve ever had. We had a friend’s band playing there and figured we would go early to eat some pierogies, since everyone was raving about them.
Upon entering the smell of butter and onion was so good, I headed straight for the nearest worker to see, how can I go about getting the deliciousness in my body. There is a minimum order of three so I got three and so did my boyfriend. They were delicious! My favorite were the potato, my boyfriend’s was the sauerkraut.
The place could definitely use some updates. They have a mirror ceiling, black tape on the bar, basic cheap and dirty bar stools. I didn’t use the bathroom but when I asked if it was clean, someone said, well not really.
Thankfully this bar is non smoking, but our clothes and hair smelled like onions so bad when we got home we immediately had take a shower.

SUper awesome dive bar in Bloomfield. Owner is cool, specials are unique, and food is so fitting for Bloomfield –old school and delicious. Definitely recommend as a late night bite. I think on Thursdays they have some like mystery beer special.

This is a dive bar… and I mean that in a good way. Dive doesn’t mean dirty it means relaxed. And what a great place to relax and have absolutely Pgh’s best polish food! Bartender/​owner Steve makes sure everyone feels welcome and serves amazing homemade Polish favorites that is one of my favorite places to have fun and eat some simply awesome dishes.

I visited Bloomfield Bridge Tavern on Fri. evening around 6:15 with a friend from out of town and her dad. I had been wanting to visit BBT for a long time, and her visit provided the perfect opportunity for me to try it while exposing my visitors to a very Pittsburgh-​esque environment. After battling the crazy traffic on Liberty due to the bridge closure, missing the entrance, and battling it yet again, we parked and made our way inside.
As others have mentioned, the interior is definitely divey, but not smoke-​laden, unlike many other dive bars in PGH. We were carded literally as soon as we walked in the door. We originally thought we’d sit out on the porch, but decided against it, given that the porch is a smoking area. At the time of our visit, it was pretty empty, with only a handful of locals seated at the bar, and a few people on the porch. The environment was pretty quiet, given the sparse crowd and lack of music, allowing us to converse freely.
After perusing the menu, my friend and her dad each ordered a big hop ($ 5 each), and I ordered the Arsenal Cider on tap (Fighting Elleck; $ 6.50). For food, I ordered 6 pierogies (2 potato/​cheddar, 2 farmer’s cheese, and two sauerkraut), which were on special for half off at the time of our visit ($ 0.75 apiece) with sour cream ($ 0.75, as I found out later), as well as an order of potato pancakes and applesauce ($ 5.95). My friend and her dad each ordered the red polish platter, which comes with kielbasa, a potato and cheddar pierogie, golabki, haluski, and kluski ($ 10.95 per platter). All of the food was delicious and extremely filling, and the drinks helped to wash it all down.
Upon eating all of my pierogies, I noticed that, despite my request for 2 pierogies of each flavor, 3 sauerkraut and only 1 farmer’s cheese had been included in my order. I mentioned this to the woman who bussed our dishes (different from our waitress), and asked if I could have another farmer’s cheese pierogie, since that was my favorite flavor. She said she’d get one for me, and a farmer’s cheese pierogie was brought out to correct the mistake at no charge.
Overall, all of us greatly enjoyed our visit to BBT. I’d highly recommend it if you’re in the mood for good Polish food, or are just looking for a genuinely Pittsburgh-​esque eating experience. If possible, try to come on Fri. or Sat. between 5−7pm to take advantage of the half off pierogie deal! 4.5 stars.

Still love the food here, but gotta admit the service is often subpar. I took a few out-​of-​town friends for the Pittsburgh pierogi experience and ordered a white Polish platter to share. Told the waiter that we were interested in one of each of the three pierogi they offer with the platter (potato and cheese, sauerkraut, and cottage cheese), since three come with the meal.
Instead she brought out the platter and three additional pierogi, and rudely explained that only potato and cheese pierogi come with the platter, even though I’ve ordered the platter with different pierogi before. I took the extra pierogi that came from the kitchen and understood the misunderstanding before she got sassy, so the rudeness wasn’t really necessary.
A simple clarification or an apology would’ve been nice. I probably won’t come back because she embarrassed me in front of several people I rarely see when it wasn’t even necessary.
A lot of restaurants in Pittsburgh offer pierogi anyway.
PS Never in my life did I think I’d say pierogi so much in a few short paragraphs. Lol.

I had a few drinks here with friends. Afterwards I asked for a cup of water since I was driving home. The manager told me that he could not spare some tap water and that I had to buy a bottle of water. Any place that does not condone sobriety is a poor environment.

Good Polish food. The duck-​blood soup tasted like my babcia (her family emigrated from Poland) used to make decades ago.
Being half-​Polish; I’m tough on restaurants selling Polish cuisine. This food is spot on.

A polish dive bar? With $ 2 drafts and $ 1.25 pierogis? You literally cannot ask for more in life. I am part polish, grew up eating my grandma’s polish cooking, and I can safely say that the pierogi here contend with grandma’s. Amazing place.

I’m convinced I was an old, polish woman in my previous life. I LOVE haluski, pierogis and all forms of carbs paired with cabbage and butter. We heard through the yinz-​vine that this place was a must try. Prepare to be carded upon entry if going in the afternoon.
Right when we walked in the man behind the bar, who I assume was the owner, welcomed us and said that we had come to the place where we would get the 2^nd best polish food in the city. We asked where the number one spot was, and he replied «The kitchen of a polish friend or family member.» The inside is small with a bar, a heated smoking deck and a little dining area. The menu has your typical bar food selections and then… the polish food. There are platter or a la carte options. We started with an order of potato pancakes. My husband ordered the Red Platter (stuffed cabbage, kaluski, grilled kielbasa, haluski and one pierogi) and I decided on an order of potatoe and onion pierogies (minimum 3, 1.25 each) and haluski. The platters can be customized.
The kielbasa, pierogies and stuffed cabbage are lights out! The kaluski and haluski left a little to be desired. Not bad, but nothing spectacular. My only complaints: soda (Coca cola) was flat, dining room was cold, wish the haluski had a little more flavor. The selling points: friendly service and delicious pierogis. I’d absolutely go again.

Very comfy dive-​y kind of bar, tucked in by the bridge (as advertised). The owner claimed that his food «is the second-​best Polish food you’ll ever eat.» Of course, the best Polish is what your mom, aunt or grandmother makes! (What a charmer.)
We popped in for dinner early, and got a good look at the menu. All the Polish food! We ordered potato pancakes (which were more like actual pancakes, very dense), the duck soup, and the red platter.
The duck soup. Our server did pause, and said, «You want me to tell you what is in the soup before you order it, or else you’ll hate me.» Well, there is sauerkraut, duck, duck blood, and noodles. Very deep, sour flavor — absolutely something we’d eat, but we were glad for the heads-​up that this was not a mild-​tasting soup.
The red platter had kielbasa (nice snap and spice), golabki (decent), pierogi, haluski and kluski. We ordered this one to split and were glad — so much food!
We felt very welcome, and we’ll get back here when we’re in the Burgh next.

I really wanted to love this Pittsburgh institution. After all, we used to live in Bloomfield, my sister in law is Polish, and I have a healthy love and respect for the pierogi. Not to mention haluski and kielbasa. And beer. And halupki.
So…we stopped at Bloomfield Bridge Tavern last Tuesday night after I taught an evening class. The place was dead silent, which was a bit odd. Honestly, I’m a beer person. I like places that have a nice selection on tap. And BBT was a definite disappointment in that regard. The food was okay, but honestly? I’d rather get my fill of Polish deliciousness from S&D in the Strip. I guess I just expected more.
The one thing that deserves 4 stars was the service. Our waitress was attentive and brought my water and our beers promptly. It may be worth revisiting on weekend night to give this local institution another shot.

I’m 100% Polish and grew up with homemade Polish food from my grandparents, so I was excited to learn that there was such a highly praised polish restaurant in Pittsburgh.
My husband and I visited at around 8:00 on a Saturday night. We almost weren’t able to come in because I didn’t have my wallet or any ID with me and apparently they have a policy that no one under 21 and/​or without ID is admitted into the bar. When I asked about take out, the bartender and waitress told us we could come in as long as I didn’t drink (which I wasn’t planning on doing anyway). So if you visit in the evening or on a weekend, make sure you have ID!
It is a total dive bar atmosphere inside, but in this case, it adds to the charm and experience. The menu is chock full of the typical bar food but then also has a nice selection of Polish options. I started my order with the czarnina. I grew up eating it and it isn’t easy to find so I was excited to try it. A few minutes later, the waitress came back and asked me if I knew what it was and I said yes, duck’s blood soup. Apparently they ask because there are many people who don’t know what the soup actually is. It was good, but I don’t know why it had such as high price tag at $ 8.95 and only $ 1 less than my main meal. I liked the soup, but it lacked the prunes that I am used to from the soup my grandparents and the Polish restaurant in Buffalo usually make it with. It was still full of flavor, though.
My husband and I both opted for the red platter which had sausage, kluski, haluski, pierogi and stuffed cabbage. They also have a la carte options for all of the Polish items. Everything we tasted was extremely flavorful, although they did overcook the sausage a bit. I’m used to boiling my sausage and they grilled it, so it had quite a bit of char.
The one down side is that there is one cook, so on a busy night, you will wait quite a while for your food. Never fear, though, it is worth the wait. And if you are an impatient person, there are TVs to watch, dart boards and some interesting people watching.
We’ll be back. But next time I’ll make sure I bring my ID.

This place is the tops. I heartily agree, if you are visiting Steel Town (as we were), and especially if you live somewhere lacking in old world ethnic influence (as we do), just get here. You will love it. Such a warm and welcoming atmosphere! We felt like it was our place within moments of arrival. I never did catch the owner’s name but he was such a great character, a totally perfect barkeep for a totally Polish neighborhood joint with totally excellent comfort food!
It’s a small place but you can feel free to drag the available tables and chairs to suit your group. We ate at the bar which was just fine. This is a small place, and it’s a one man kitchen so don’t be looking for fast food here! Ours came out pretty quick anyway. The Polish platter (red) was the obvious choice and I ate every bite. Oh heavenly pierogi, delectable and hearty stuffed cabbage roll, warm and wonderful noodles, and… the kielbasa. The five-​star kielbasa.
I have to mention that my husband, who is 100% Polish and has many, many decades of experience to draw upon, stated for the record that BBT’s kielbasa was the BEST kielbasa he had EVER eaten. And that’s saying a lot.
They’ve a nice smoking deck, toasty warm and comfy. Kickin’ Polish beers available, as well as wondrous blackberry brandy designed for sipping, not slamming. By the benevolent hand of fate I was the 1,000,000^th customer and our host provided a round of that cheering spirit in celebration.
I hated to leave. But vow to return.

If you live in Pittsburgh, then this is a must visit site!
If you like Polish food, then this is a must visit site.
If you are just visiting Pittsburgh, then this is a must visit site.
The Polish food is fantastic! The Owner is is the most hospitable guy out there.
Come in, order a meal and enjoy true ethnic Pittsburgh hospitality!
You will be made to feel at home and welcomed. I had met a guy while traveling on an airplane who sang the praises of the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. He peaked my interest and one visit and I was sold.
This is a wonderful restaurant with more character then you could imagine.

Gave it a try based on the reviews. Unfortunately the food was very disappointing. The food was not close to authentic Polish food. The Kielbasa in particular was very bad and the potato pancakes dreadful. I will say I am of Eastern European descent and have traveled throughout the region so my standard is probably very different than most.
…and to top it off you had to pay extra for a soft drink refill. I just find that irritating.

Bloomfield Bridge has excellent Polish food. Everything Polish there is amazing. The Polish Platters are typically what I get. I like variety.
The beer selection is good. I highly recommend Thursday nights if you want to experiment since they have a nice bottle selection.
I typically go for dinner.
As a warning, the place is very dive bar looking. You would just assume they only have a deep fry in the back and questionable bar staples. Best Polish good in the city.

The bar scene in Pittsburgh both confuses and fascinates me. The South Side seems to have evolved into the frat house of the city and if you’re over 30, you don’t belong there. My favorite spot in Lawrenceville, Round Corner Cantina, has been overtaken by a random crowd of hipsters, aging yuppies, and college kids venturing out of South Side and gets too packed for me to enjoy my time there. So over the past couple of years, we’ve had to adjust where we grab a few drinks on the weekends.
BBT has always been there. It’s also been a popular spot for shows, drum and bass night, and dollar beer night. We’ve always overlooked her like the wallflower stading in the corner at the school dance. Well, once we had been moved out of our usual haunts like Cantina and Kelly’s, it was time to give BBT a chance.
We’ve been to BBT 3 – 4 times in the past 6 weeks or so and have been happy with both the food and the service. We had heard all about the amazing Polish food and had to try the pierogies and halushki (cabbage noodles). I love their homemade pierogies as they are really stuffed full of filling and are finished off with a quick sear on the griddle, butter, and fried onions. The halushki was a leap of faith for me. Growing up on the stuff, there’s only one way I like it — my way — cabbage and noodles. Period. I’ve had it with onions, bacon bits, or partially cooked cabbage. Fail. Fail. Fail. BBT gets it spot on with noodles and cabbage sauteed until it’s nice and sweet.
My last visit I orderd a Bridge Burger and it would have been really good had it not been overcooked. We waited longer than usual for our food that night, so I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for having an off night.
It’s a dive bar. It’s dark and showing age, but we like it that way. It’s never too crowded and we can always get a table. Plus I’m really impressed that they actually stick to the «no smoking» rule! I’ve been to so many bars in Pittsburgh that serve food and still allow smoking. Isn’t that against the law?

«You’re too young to have worked at St. Francis,» Steve Frankowski, the owner of Bloomfield Bridge Tavern said to me as he sat down with us during our Polish dinner one frostibiter of a night not long ago.
Apparently, in another life, I worked with a number of the gregarious and sly-​humored Mr. Frankowski’s relatives during my 7 ½ years as a hospital employee in various functions.
Considering its proximity to what is now the new Children’s Hospital, it’s a little mystifying how my recent visit was my very first one and that I had only tried their food once before that.
Being of a family partly descended from Poland, I’m well-​acquainted with cuisine from that nation, namely pierogi, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage (golabki), and the soup that prompted us to get takeout from BBT a decade and a half ago: Czarnina.
Pronounced «Cha-​neena», my father had been obsessed with it since his mother passed away and could no longer prepare it for him. I recall trying it but cannot recall if I enjoyed it. On this evening, Kay and I decided to gamble, sharing a bowl of the arcane, foreboding, boiling elixir…
Made from duck’s blood (don’t run!) and chicken stock, the blackened brew resembles a French Onion soup, but upon first sip, its obscenely tangy flavors will electrify your palate. Frankowski told us that Asian-​American visitors will often tell him that they pay upwards of $ 20 for bowls of a similar Asian soup in other cities. At BBT, it only costs 9 bucks. Lush noodles bobbed their heads from the murky pool like ivory sea serpents, carrying the occasional ragged morsel of savory, fatty duck on their backs.
Our second opener was a helping of Mac ‘N Cheese bites so volcanic, they took quite a spell to cool sufficiently for our tender mouths, but when they did, we were treated to crispy nuggets of gooey, lardy bar food bliss.
For just one measly 10 spot, each of us was presented with a Polish Platter. Mine was «Red», meaning it came with a heap of delicacies that included kielbasa, pierogi, golabki, kluski, and haluski. The plates barely held all of the food. I had to eat with caution initially for fear of losing anything to the floor below.
The highlight was a charred kielbasa as sweet and juicy as a ripened orange, but the doughy pierogi, the hearty golabki, and the filling kluski (a dish of noodles and cottage cheese) and haluski (cabbage and noodles) acted as a crack backing band for the lead singer as a wooden bear looked on in the shadowy environs.
A touch of seasoning might have ramped the flavors up a notch, and the décor and furniture are somewhat worn, but with fare this lovingly prepared, one doesn’t notice what is essentially a dive, albeit a popular one that often features live music.
«Y’know, we used to have ‘em. We had one in particular. It was a big brownie, but damn it if the cook wasn’t eating the profits! We were always out of it, and when I’d ask the cook why, his mouth would be stuffed, and he’d have crumbs all over him. I had to fire him!» Frankowski whimsically stated with a glint in his eye and his tongue in his cheek when I asked about desserts.
Just as he was about to bid us adieu, two 20 something women wandered in, ran up to Frankowski, and hugged him as fiercely as they would an all-​too-​seldom-​seen uncle. «I haven’t seen you since I was in college! I came back to town to say hi. I miss this place! I miss you,» one of them said. «Oh, my girls,» Frankowski responded. «How are you both doing?» From there, an almost teary reunion commenced.
Bloomfield Bridge Tavern occupies a special shelf in the minds of young Pittsburghers, be they long-​time townies, transplants, or those who are merely passing through. I myself am going to try to pass through more often, particularly when the place is livelier, more populated, and not so dimly lit. Perhaps BBT could use a sprucing up too. Wait. On second thought, why change what already works? If those two pretty young things didn’t mind, why should you or I?

First off, the BBT is a great place to see a gig. The stage is small which leads to a very intimate experience. I’ve seen a band invite the crowd up on stage for a song which is as close as the audience can get. In between sets, you can go outside on the netted patio for a smoke or some air.
Beer-​wise, they have about eight drafts on tap featuring a couple of regional staples and a few craft options.
The food menu is what makes the BBT a great night spot. They have a polish section featuring every Eastern European’s favorite junk food: pierogies and kielbasa.