Gene’s Place

This place is fantastic. They have the cheapest beer in town by far. $ 2.50 pitchers on Sunday cheap. They practically give it away. The owner is really cool and the clientele is nice as well. I recommend genes to anybody who wants to drink in Oakland and avoid the idiocy of a typical college bar scene.

No. Never again. I love dive bars, and the area I grew up in has no shortage of ‘em. But what the hell is this place? A trailer sized old dude flea trap, at best.
I didn’t attend Pitt so I’m not used to the pathetic Oakland bar scene. A friend of +1’s (who is a Pitt alum) was in town after coming home from the goddamn Peace Corps, and this is where he wanted to go drink multiple pitchers of beer. Whatever floats your boat, Mother Theresa. Coming in here, the door kid looked at my ID for literally two minutes. Like, just stared at it. Why. He even asked +1 (who is 25) for another form of ID, and was not a good dude about it. This little husky child needs to relax.
It was so crowded we couldn’t get to the back table to meet up with everyone. I expected tons of bro college dudes, but it was really mostly older groups of guys, into their 30s and 40s. They were also super into not letting me past them. That was fun. Everything is so crowded and no one wants to know they’re in the way.
I sent +1 to get me a whiskey ginger and was given a rocks glass of flat, watered, low shelf (like, FLOOR), alcohol. Unlike any other time we’ve gone out ever, I didn’t have another.
I would typically say okay, you’re looking for a dive bar with pitchers, grimy dudes, and smoking privileges, fine. But you can find that elsewhere. It’s Pittsburgh! Maybe at decent dives you can’t be such a garbage person. That might be it. Hopefully the patrons here will never find out.

I love Genes. it’s one of the few really good dive bars left in the city. The drinks are very reasonable, the music selection is awesome, and (especially on weeknights) the atmosphere is just right. It does get a little smoky when crowded and weekends are usually just bustling with college kids, so if you’re not willing to put up with the huge crowds, visit during the week.

The atmosphere here is certainly different from the rest if the college bars in Oakland. There are more students just hanging out and having a few beers rather than partying and trying to get very drunk. Smoking is permitted inside which is another nice perk. I also like the selection of local craft beers by breweries such as Penn Brewing Co. The reason for rating Gene’s three stars instead if four is that each beer I’ve had here had here has been flat or uncharacteristically bland. Either they are serving old beers or need to fix their tap system. There is also the possibility that Gene’s beer is fine and that I’m just a snob.

Visitors, anyone giving this place 5 stars should have their Unilocal account suspended. Seriously 5 stars? Gene sounds awesome, he wasn’t there when we were there, but his place is a dump. Atmosphere, meh. Smokey, ok I knew it would be smokey. Beer selection, meh. Bartender going to the bathroom then not washing his hands… heading down hill. Clientele, scary. Prices, cheap but everything in the area is pretty cheap. If you are looking for decent beer selection, good prices, darts or pool, walk the 2 blocks to Garage Door «something» bar… it was much much much better… I dare say GOOD. God I’m glad I didn’t go to Pitt! Ok I like to present an even review, I have to say the juke box was very good here, whoever was picking the music, maybe dirty bartender boy, played some good stuff, but not worth a stop for that.

Gene’s was my favorite local bar when I lived in Oakland. Mainly because I was broke and the drinks were cheap. Is it still dollar Iron City drafts all day every day? Good crowd full of regulars, not just strictly Pitt students. I’d call it the Cheers of South Oakland.

Wow. Remember college? (no matter where you went) Remember late nights in a smoky room with friends with whom you never thought you’d lose touch? I had a place… cheap drinks, layers of nicotine lining the walls, an old bartender running the place by himself and a smell that takes me back in a heartbeat…
Gene’s is Oakland’s classic college dive bar. You won’t feel threatened here (like some dive bars) but you get the feeling that half the clientele is smoking because «we get it… and the rest of the world doesn’t». There are also plenty of people who don’t think they are better than you.
Be prepared to shower and wash your clothes immediately upon returning home from this place– it is smoky. But the cheap drinks and atmosphere make it throwback for the best of us. Good beer selection and a unique interior setting make for a cool vibe.
The bartender/​owner (Gene) is a faux-​crotchety old guy who doesn’t put up with crap. He also runs a nice little business and I’ve been told he is/​was a professor at Pitt (I don’t have a citation… this is here-​say). It’s a hole-​in-​the-​wall, but it’s the right kind. I’ve mostly outgrown the blue-​cloud-​interior and camel-​light part of my life, but if i ever need a quick reminder of my matriculating days, talking to good friends over cheap beer, each of us in our turn solving a global issue the outside world has been bungling for ages… well, I’ll head to Gene’s.

For casual bar with a non college atmosphere, come to Gene’s. Great prices, decent selection and friendly service. A downside for me was smoking is allowed, but that may be all around Pittsburgh, so I’m not quite sure. Gene’s is unpretentious and small but bring your friends, relax, have a tall beer or mixed drink and just have fun. There’s a dart board for those of you that need more to do. A random plus for us was the juke box. News of Whitney Houston’s death only brought us to all sing loudly with the juke box.
Dive-​y, great prices and a great bartender. How do you go wrong?

Great dive bar if you’re looking for an Oakland joint that’s usually not super packed. Enough draft and bottle choices. electronic dart board, fake leather bar chairs that stick to you when you try and get up. I especially like that you can order a 22 oz. «Gene’s Brew» (it’s IC) for about $ 1.25. Stop in, order a Gene’s brew, take in all that is Gene’s place.

This is a good place to stop if you’re into dives. The atmosphere can be a little weird. By weird, I mean of the 7 times I’ve been there I was one of the few female patrons. Also, unless you’re getting a cheap pitcher the drinks can be pricier than other bars in the area.
One of my visits to Gene’s Place was during the holiday time and they served a buffet of food. I couldn’t tell you what was on the buffet other than kielbasa and sauerkraut (which thoroughly distracted me from other foods) but the idea of a communal dinner with strangers was oddly pleasant.

Best nights: Wed, Thurs, Friday?! This is an outrage! How is Tuesday $ 2.50 pitcher night not the best?
Things I love in a bar: tiny, dive-​y, cheap beer in large quantities, smoking inside, great bartenders. Oh wait, that’s the perfect description of Gene’s.
Don’t try to talk to Gene outside of the bar. Even if he knows your name and your favorite drink he’ll pretend he doesn’t know you during daylight. That just adds to this place’s level of perfection.

Holy crap. Great atmosphere and even better beer prices. Just miss good neighborhood bars. It is what it is and doesn’t claim more. Bartender/​owner very nice and accommodating. Nice stop on a roadtrip!

I never understood the allure of Gene’s. The drinks are slightly more expensive than the other Oakland dives, you can’t play darts without fear of maiming others since it’s so small, and the doorman is the world’s biggest jerk… There was a period of time when my roommates and I went here every week, and he always questioned my valid ID. I’m talking, I had to show my PA ID, my Pitt ID, my UPMC photo ID, and a credit card every consecutive week to get in the door. Every time. I know that I look young for my age, but it was ridiculous. I get that that’s his job, but he was rude about it… And, c’mon, dude, I have to show four forms of ID every week when you know us by name? Not worth the effort.
If you’re a hipster, you’ll probably love the neighborhood bar feel and yinzer appeal of Gene’s.

By far the best dive bar around. I’ve been coming here regularly for 4 years and this place feels like a second home. The bouncers and bartenders are great and really make me feel welcome. It’s the only bar I feel comfortable going to alone. You should definitely come to this bar.

Dive into this dive
Or a pitcher of beer for
Like 3 dollars, son.
(b)

This Oakland bar feels a lot like bar I might find in my hometown, minus the meth-​addicts and Confederate Flag wavers. Gene’s Place is a small corner bar located at the intersection of Louisa Street and York Way in the middle of South Oakland. Small probably isn’t the right adjective to describe this bar; it is more like tiny. Gene’s Place is carved from a house which was most likely someone’s residence at some point much like many bars you find in rural America.
Inside Gene’s place doesn’t try to dazzle you with flashy décor or a fabulous selection of beers. Most of the beers offered here are Iron City products. I was able to speak to the owner and manager named Gene (undoubtedly where his bar got its namesake), and he informed me that almost all his patrons drink Iron City products then jokingly said that his bar was the reason why Iron City was still in business. He then convinced me to get a draft of Iron City Lite (22oz draft is reasonably priced at $ 2.75), and though it wasn’t one of the best beers I’ve tasted it’s nice to see a local bar supporting Pittsburgh’s local breweries.
The prices at Gene’s Place are pretty cheap, even for Oakland standards. Most all 22oz drafts are 2.75 and well-​drinks are $ 2.50. Even the more expensive liquors are cheap. Johnny Walker Black Label scotch, Jameson, JD, and Patron are all priced under $ 5.
What I really liked about Gene’s Place was the awesome selection on the Jukebox. It had a little bit of everything with hundreds of albums to choose from. They even had multiple albums from my favorite music artist Warren Zevon.
Gene’s Place seemed to me to draw a cult-​like following. There was a mix of local old-​timers and younger college students. All of the patron’s seemed to know each other and the bartender called most of them by name. In many cases bars that draw cult-​followings are cold to outsiders. Not Gene’s, though it was my first time there, everyone, including the owner, was extremely friendly.
My only problem with this bar was the location of the dart board. First of all, I think Gene’s is way too small to have a dart board located in a spot that wouldn’t be in the way. It is in the middle of the bar so anyone having to use the restrooms has to dodge flying projectiles in order to piss.

Great bar. Really good prices (best in Oakland?). They have darts for cheap which is sweet. It is very smoking friendly.

If you’re looking for a dive bar… this place has all the right characteristics. Really cheap beer (I’m talking $ 2.50 pitchers here), smoking allowed, a bartender who owns the place, and the ability to chill out and just talk. It’s not my choice if I’m looking to party, but it’s a great place to sit down and talk with someone with plenty of background music. There are also darts. I love it.
BOTTOM LINE: A really divey dive. If you like that, you’ll love it.

I was thinking, «It’s hard to believe Gene’s isn’t on Unilocal». Then I thought better and realized it really isn’t. Gene’s Place is a bar in on a side street in Oakland and is the size of your average college dorm. It’s easy to miss, but once you’ve been there, it’s hard to forget.
Gene himself is the main bartender and he lives upstairs… and he has for some time. He moved in as a student at Pitt and got the place and a part time job at the bar downstairs. At that time it was owned by a pro read more «fessor at the same school. After working there for a bagillion years Gene finally bought the place, put a bit of a polish on it and the party continues.
I used to live across the street and often frequented Gene’s during the very late hours so while the above story is pretty much true, it could be a little fuzzy as well. Irrespective, Gene’s is a fantastic place to drink, meet new friends and hear the best non-​internet Jukebox in Oakland.