Grit & Grace

Great atmosphere and décor! The staff were friendly and accommodating. But the food was only average. I had eaten here once a few months before but wanted to give it another shot. This time I had the Seafood Coconut Curry Noodles. The scallops and shrimp were cooked nicely, but the noodles lacked flavor. I felt indifferent about finishing the meal. It’s a couple steps above Chinese takeout, but not particularly outstanding.
The service was also only average. Our waitress was not attentive. It took a long time for our drink orders to be served. The Dim Sum server stopped by our table before we were ready, but then he never returned to serve us later. When our dishes were brought out, three of us were served at once while the 4^th person in our party waited a significant amount of time for his dish.
Overall, there are too many other great restaurants with similar atmospheres and prices to return a third time.

Pork bun was soggy and sushi rolls very mediocre, especially for $ 8 per piece. Hostess was very nice, but server was obviously not happy to be there. Too many great restaurants in this town to try this place again

This was my second time at Grit and Grace. I originally went for brunch which was very typical American style breakfast.
My second time I stopped by after seeing the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. The four of us orders a scorpion bowl to drink which was tasty but not enough to split between four people. I ordered the shaved flank steak with thick noodles. When the food was brought out they only brought the meals of the other three members of my party. This typically doesn’t bother me except my food did not arrive until almost five more minutes.
The meal itself was devoid of flavor and the broth tasted like instant ramen noodles. The overall plate did not fill me up and left me wanting more. The rest of my party enjoyed there meals but my experience was not as great.

The food is good, but for the price, you can get similar meals for much less at other local establishments. They do have some fun, over sized drinks, made for sharing that are quite boozy and delicious.

In a nutshell: there are better restaurants nearby. Nice environment and décor. Food menu looks creative but flavors aren’t quite there. If you come here, get the smoked brisket sandwich.
The idea of offering «dim sum» is a cool concept to have in a downtown restaurant but the execution wasn’t quite there. I understand it’s not quite like authentic dim sum and rather an Americanized dim sum. However, the flavors were lacking. When I went, my husband and I ordered pork meatballs (dim sum) and the beef tartare to start, he ordered the brisket sandwich and I ordered the chicken meatball ramen. Pork meatballs were pretty salty, lacking much other flavors. Beef tartare was ok, also pretty salty. For me, I like dishes with a nice balance of different flavors, but these dishes did not encompass any other flavor but salty. The ramen, noodles and all, are made in-​house, but still didn’t taste very well-​rounded. Instead, it was a very one dimensional chicken broth with thick, heavy noodles. However, the brisket sandwich was definitely the star of the show. The brisket was tender and flavorful, the sauce added sweetness, the pickled onions added tart and tangy flavors and the horseradish added spice, making it a nice balance of many flavors; just how I like it!

This review probably isn’t indicative of a ‘full’ experience here, since I stopped in on Christmas Eve and only tried a single dish. Overall the service was nothing bad, nothing great. My guest and I were seated quickly and picked a prime seat to overlook Liberty Avenue from. It was unseasonably warm, so the front store window was wide open. It definitely offers a beautiful view of Downtown.
We both had the pork belly ramen, which costs about $ 14. I felt the price was reasonable given the quality of the ingredients, as well as the portion size. (I was definitely full from the single meal.)
From what I could tell, they offer a ‘dim sum cart’ where you select whatever combo of pre-​meal bites you’d like, probably to share with other diners. It’s a fairly community-​oriented setup, with small, communal-​style tables, so I didn’t feel like I got the full experience just going with one friend.
The menu is limited but this is clearly because of the small plate emphasis and quality ingredients. Since I live in the North Hills, and am usually not willing to drive all the way to Oakland or Squirrel Hill to get decent ramen, Grit & Grace will probably be my new place to do so if I’m stopping by Downtown anyhow. Pretty satisfying all around!

Stopped in on Friday night, after enjoying «The Nutcracker». I had never been before & had been meaning to check it out. We were in luck– we arrived after 9pm and made it for their late night happy hour, which is Mon-​Fri 9 – 11.
My mom ordered the Singapore sling– which was a featured cocktail during the happy hour. She loved it. I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir, which was very tasty.
We decided to order a few small items to munch on. We went with their seasoned chicken wings that were drizzled with honey & a side of white bbq sauce, and their chicken thigh slider with kimchi and spicy aioli. As we were waiting with for our food, one of their employees walked by with a tray of small dishes. He showed us their featured items– the cauliflower general tso’s caught my eye & we had to order it. Each of the items I ordered were $ 5– not bad for a snazzy place like this.
Speaking of snazzy– this place is pretty cute. We didn’t make it upstairs, but enjoyed the ambiance of the bar/​dining area.
The food was awesome. The wings were DELISH– crispy, very meaty & the honey/​white bbq combo was incredible. I would definitely return for some of these again. The chicken thigh steamed bun was very tasty. The steamed bun was almost too sticky, but everything else about it was absolutely wonderful. The cauliflower general tso’s was delicious. It was a very small portion but delicious none the less.
The bartenders were very friendly & attentive to my mom & I. We asked them a few «bartender questions» & they were really helpful & nice. My mom & I enjoyed watching them do their magic behind the bar– they were creating such beautiful and unique drinks.
Overall, I had an awesome time & am looking forward to returning!

What a delicious meal! I’m a sucker for a restaurant that offers small plates and suggests you share. It’s a great way to truly experience the food in one visit.
We started with two items (general tso cauliflower and chips and dip) off the American dim sum menu. The cauliflower was absolutely delicious. The chicken skin chips and chicken liver dip were unique but not something I would want to order again. The pork belly looked divine and is already on my list of must try’s for next time.
We shared the chicken meatball ramen, fingerling potatoes, and short rib cheddar biscuit. The short rib was by far my favorite part of our meal. Next time I’ll get an order just for myself. The fingerling potatoes were cooked perfectly and the queso fresco and salsa really added to the dish.
Our dessert, chocolate mousse with curry ice cream, praline macaroon, and coconut was the perfect ending to an excellent meal.
The location is small, so call ahead for reservations.

Was in Pittsburgh for a conference and was brought here by a local. By far one of my top 3 places to eat this year.
The place is small so a reservation is recommended for dinner.
Everything we tried on their dim sum menu was spot on. My favorite was the brussel sprouts in buffalo sauce and blue cheese. Holy moly! We liked it so much we ordered another round. The pork belly was also amazing. Definitely try these items.
Highly recommended it!

This is a good place for a business meeting, happy hour or a first date. If you’re starving and looking for comfort food, this is not the place for you. Most of the dishes are appetizer like portion. Their dimsums are not what you’d expect a dimsum would be like.
The food is good however, you may want to manage your expectations. I was still feigning for some food and went to Proper Brick and Oven after.

The dim sum really rocked my world. Pimiento cheese spread on fried chicken skin? Yes please. Pork belly bites? Obviously.
The pork ramen entrée is enormous — I think it took me 30 minutes to eat it. We also sampled the short ribs with bearnaise at the end, though at this point I was barely fitting into my stretch pants.
G&G is an excellent value for the price. My only complaint, if you could even call it that, is that the wine list was somewhat limited for food that is on the level of fine® dining, but that’s not really a real complaint.

I went to Grit & Grace for the Unilocal after hours Snack Attack. Man! What a great time. Right when I walked it I got a seat and started talking to the fellow Unilocalers that were there.
We had a snack menu of dim sum and two drink options. I of course was able to sample everything on the menu and I was really impressed. The only other time I was here we just ordered drinks. I will say that since this little snack attack I plan on coming back and trying their entrees. I was impressed by the presentation of the food and the drinks. The little extras that they threw in really made the event.
Drinks:
I started with the mulled wine sling: red wine, vermuth, hum, cinnamon, topped with arsenal cider. The toppings to this drink were an orange peel and some dried roses. It was so pretty you almost didn’t want to drink it. I of course did and loved it. I wanted a tub of it. The wine sling was subtle but satisfying. I really liked the extras and knew it was a drink that was mixed really well. It didn’t taste too winey or had the after taste of alcohol. It was a really good drink.
The second drink was the piña colada: old port rum, nero infinito sambuca, coconut, pineapple. This was a little strong for me. I liked the more subtle taste of the wine sling. The presentation was beautiful. It had a little anise star on top and was just a beautiful drink. But the sambuca was too much for me to handle. I liked it, but not enough to order it again. If someone likes strong drinks then this one is for you!
American Dim Sum:
The idea of «small bites» always makes me raise an eyebrow. Like is it an appetizer? Is it just a taste? How much food am I getting? Is it ok to order like 7? Small bites puzzle me for sure. It was nice to come here and see the presentation of the small bites and that will then help me gauge how many to suggest ordering.
Empanadas: sweet potato, chorizo, herb ceme fraiche. These were served with some pepper slices on top. They were baked to perfection. The stuffing inside was just blended do well. Crispy dough and the flavor of the stuffing was impeccable. Just really, really well done. I loved the taste. I only got to tasted a piece of the empanada but that tasted was enough to make me want to go back and try more.
Crispy fried wings: Honey, togarashi, ginger mayo. These wings were sooooo crispy. They were amazing. The skin was just so crispy. When talking to the owner about the wings he told us he recently changed the recipe and they are now more «Korean style». What I know is that the wings tasted amazing. I was not that impressed by the ginger mayo, but I am not the biggest fan of mayo sauces.
Pork Belly Bites: Orange, chili, garlic, ginger. These were the winning dish of the night. The waitress said that they were the best sellers! They were just so good. The glaze on them was wonderful. They were just so tasty. I ate more of these than anything that was brought before me. The bites weren’t small either. They were well portioned to fit in your mouth but not to just be a small taste. It was wonderful.
Kimchi: carrot, diakon, nappa cabbage. SPICY. SPICY. SPICY. I really liked the kimchi. It was savory and spicy. It had a lovely kick to it. I wish that there was something that I could have eaten it with. I know that kimchi is more of a side but it seemed a bit out of place to just have a bowl of it with nothing that went with it. I am really happy that I tried it and kept on going back for more, but as a warning it is spicy!
Cauliflower: general tso, sesame. This was a game changer! OMG. Cauliflower that was fried and had a general tso sauce on it. OMG. Soooooooo amazing. The breading was crispy and the sauce flavorful. It didn’t even taste like cauliflower (probably because it was fried). I will say that some of the pieces of were really tiny. The cauliflower that was used wasn’t a whole chuck but some little pieces. So some of the pieces were more breading than they were cauliflower. I would say that this was a really good dish, but I would say I would be disappointed if it came out with the smaller pieces.
Pimento cheese: chicken skin. I only saw one of these plates come out and I got to try it. It was good. I mean pimento cheese isn’t my number one go to, but it was ok. I would say get the pork belly instead!
The night was wonderful, the food delicious, and the drinks flowing. I would say that it was a little cramped so if you are looking for a larger party this is probably not the place for you to be able to all sit together and talk. But for a nice drink with one or two friends or a romantic late night bite, Grit & Grace is the place for you! Stop in! You won’t regret it.

Came here with a Unilocal event during their newly rolled out «late night happy hour» which runs from 9 – 11 pm on weekdays. It features $ 5 drinks!
I’d never been here, although it has been on my «restaurant wishlist» for a while. I had the mulled wine — beautifully presented, not too alcohol-​y! And my favorite re dim sum: the chorizo sweet potato empanada!!! OMG and the chutney on top — was minty and sooo good. I strongly recommend it. The pork belly was also very delicious. It’s super flavorful so a few bites can satiate your palate.
The restaurant itself is deceivingly small — especially because the outdoor sign is very big. The décor is beautiful. I could see my house being decorated like that. Will definitely come again, especially to check out the HH (I’m trying to get this acronym going … happy hour, duh).

Lacking the wow. First of all, We were seated in the back by the open kitchen door to have full visual and audio access of the hectic coming and goings of the wait staff, mound of dishes and wash rags. Not the best start for a place that is supposed to have ambiance.
Dim Sum was a fusion of kitchen pantry staples and an attempt of Dim Sum. The taste left me wanting to go home and brush my teeth and leaving the establishment was necessary.
I will give a fist bump for the ginger beer.

Came here specifically for the pork belly bites, and they definitely did not disappoint! Pork belly is by far the best thing here. Everything else is mediocre.
The dim sum menu has all of 3 items on it, and cannot even be called dim sum… nothing like real dim sum. The ramen is nothing close to authentic ramen, just a simple noodle soup. Best thing about the ramen was the super tender pork belly and soft boiled egg.
Steamed chicken bun was ok. Bun was soft, but the flavor was overpowered by the kimchi.
WARNING: DO NOT drink the water. Tap water is one thing… this water is straight sewer water!

Not a fan. Spent $ 185 between us — left sober and hungry and sadly neglected
A friend and I were very excited to try this restaurant after work. The place was dead, yet we were seated in the farthest booth away and our waitress barely stopped by. Happy hour specials are only available at the bar — which we were not told ahead of time, we definitely would have just grabbed seats in the bar area. And it’s a different concept of restaurant, but no employees would explain what was happening, so it was frustrating.
Admittedly, the food was great — but we shared a medium plate, a large plate and an appetizer that we snatched off of the traveling app tray (weird) — and we were still starving afterwards. My cocktail was delicious though, but it took half an hour to even come. And getting new bevs was nearly impossible. I’m glad we checked it out, but I was incredibly disappointed and I would not return.

Stopped by on a slow Tuesday evening at Grit and Grace.
We had the small plate of Short ribs over cream cheese biscuits. It was one of the recommend items by the bartender and is was not the fall apart short ribs my girl makes. I was expecting much more. The small plate was good just not «WOW, so I gave the 3 star rating.
So I finish my red wine then left. I figured if I had one of the best items I could only go down hill from there.

I had extremely high expectations for Grit & Grace — not just because we had a horrible #PRW dinner two days before but because the recommendation had originally come from PGH Taco Truck’s main man, James. And, let me say that I was not disappointed. We had the 3-​course #PRW menu, as well as a dessert, including:
–Dim Sum: pork belly bites (orange, chili, garlic, ginger); confit chicken wings w/​herbed buttermilk
–Small Plates: steam bun — mortadella /​bread & butter pickles /​coriander mustard; charred endive — dill pesto /​cured pork jowl /​caraway gastrique /​herb bread crumbs
–Large Plates: smoked brisket, kohlrabi, thousand island sabayon, pickled red onions, horseradish cream, baguette; roasted pork ramen, mushrooms, carrot, 5 minute egg, tonkatsu broth
–Dessert: chocolate mousse with caramel and a macaroon crumble
I could give you the play-​by-​play of each dish but I don’t have to: Suffice to say, we finished every last bite and had to restrain ourselves from licking our fingers. I even dipped my brisket in the ramen broth.
There’s a certain X factor for good food — when it’s done just right, when you don’t need any salt or pepper, when you wish you could stop and start the meal all over again, when you start thinking about your next visit before you’re even done eating. Grit & Grace is a unique keystone in the Pittsburgh food scene.
I have to also say that my husband was please to find one of his favorite IPAs (Grapefruit Sculpin | Ballast Point Brewing Company); and, I enjoyed a beautiful viognier — something I seldom find on a Pittsburgh wine list.
Overall, I will absolutely go pack for a smörgåsbord of dim sum and small plates!

I’m ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ on brunch here… so I only gave it three stars. I had the crispy pork belly that they offer pre lunch. I like the idea of the ‘dessert’ like tray filled with small portions that you can choose for $ 5. You can see what it is, know the price, and eat immediately! The pork belly is sweet and crispy, cut into small pieces, and topped with a delicious creamy sauce.
I ordered the pork ramen with rice noodles as my main dish and I wasn’t happy. I think that I don’t like ramen. I want to like it! There isn’t much I dont like honestly. The pork belly was sitting in the broth too long and it took from the flavor and softened the meat too much. The rice noodles were undercooked. I don’t think you can do a rice noodle al dente, it just won’t work! The noodles wouldn’t twist. They kept breaking.
Talking to friends, I only hear good experiences! Don’t –not– try this place! The friend with me had an eggplant sandwich and she loved it. Check out my pics!

This was a bit of a disappointment I would have to say. For the dim sum, I had the kimchi. The server informed us that it was not as spicy as regular kimchi, but I would say that it was not spicy at all. I did not feel like there was a lot of flavor.
I also had the beet salad for my meal, and it was much better. I’m not sure that there were that many beets in it, but it was good all the same. There was avocado purée beneath the salad, but I expected it to be pieces of avocado, but that is my only complaint about that.