Hidden Harbor

An amazing ambiance with amazing drinks and amazing food. Do try the pu pu platter, gives you a great sampling of all they have to offer.

I’m so digging the Allegheny Rum Punch and I usually HATE raw salmon, but the salt-​cured salmon in the Lomi-​Lomi is excellent! The flavors have melded together and seasoning is just right!
Wait a minute, I thought that the Allegheny Rum Punch was my favorite, but now the Tropic Thunder has surpassed it! And the Lamb Curry is ridiculous! Come on, man! And the Josie’s Faraway Vacation drink is a lovely well balanced drink that is a tad on the sweet side, but not overly so.
Overall, such a lovely and intimate experience. Love, love, love!

Eight or nine of us decided to come here for some after work drinks on a Wednesday. We got there as soon as they opened so it wasn’t too packed yet.
The cocktails are a bit on the pricey side with everything costing at least ten bucks. But they’re also all pretty strong — and worth it. The Tropic Thunder was a great choice. A couple people in our group got the Volcano, a drink that’s meant to be shared. If you (or someone in your party) also gets it make sure to record it being served — it’s a fun experience.
The food’s also good. We got a couple pu pu platters, and a few orders of the meatballs and the pineapple tacos. I don’t do pork or seafood (which is fairly limiting at a place like this) but the pineapple tacos were enough to make up for what I couldn’t eat. The falafel croutons are a bit of a weird idea, but they work pretty well in the tacos.
The tiki theme is a little kitsch, a little charming and very unique for Pittsburgh. It permeates everything they do, from the décor (be sure to take a picture with the giant tiki statue in the back), to the food, and even the servingware (enjoy the glasses you get your drinks in!). It’s a nice touch and a nice little place in Squirrel Hill.

Fun Tikki drinks! Not many of those in the burgh — enjoyed both the environment and the drink quality. Overall, I prefer this bar compared to the other tikki lounges in Southside.
The atmosphere is good for couples or a few friends. It’s not too loud.
The fun part of this place is their interesting decorations and the glasses they use to serve the drinks in. Check out their menu because they draw out the type of cup they use for each drink! I like picking a drink based on the cup/​glass they serve you in!
The place also has a food menu, it’s mostly hot food. I wanted a snack like chips or something but they didn’t have it. If you are hungry though I think it would be a good place to get some late night. I was way too full from dinner to get any more food while there.
We will definitely be back another time to try different drinks and food!!!

If you are in Squirrel Hill you should visit Hidden Harbor. If you’re not in Squirrel Hill then make a point to get there and visit Hidden Harbor. An elite event brought me here, but the cocktails forced me back. This place is so awesome. On my second visit I decided to drink around the menu. I started with the Tropical Thunder, which I had already tried at the event. I think it was even better the second time around. Perfectly balanced yet complex. This was the crème de la crème of the cocktails at Hidden Harbor, but I was in for a splendid treat.
From there I went to KRAKATOA (SERVES 2). This Tiki drink reminded me of Jamaica. So refreshing and so colorful. Another masterfully designed drink. Moving forward I tried the Hidden Harbor. This drink came with a magical ice wave that really made you wish you were sitting on the beach. Again, just a wonderful pairing of different spirits.
Well with several drinks down I decided to try just one more. I went with the Leaf & Bean. Mind blown. This drink spoke to me. It said you know you want me, and I said you are so right for me! It is was so tasty I ordered two. How could I just have one? The rye whisky with the tobacco bitters mixed so perfectly in my mouth. This is a must try if you like ryes, even if you think you don’t like ryes you should still try it. It could possibly change your mind for good.
After my excursion I realized I had really spent some money. Opps wasn’t thinking much about that during my little getaway. It can add up quickly, but seriously it was worth it. Definitely will be back.

I really enjoyed my time at Hidden Harbor. The atmosphere and décor were really great. The drink menu was full of specialty tiki-​style drinks it was hard to pick which one I wanted to try. I ended up with the Ishmael and was impressed. It was fruity and flavorful without being overly sweet and sugary. Our server told us that is their goal… to serve this style of drink without all of the added sugar and fake juices. The Ishmael is: VIRGIN ISLANDS RUM, CLOVE-​INFUSED JAMAICAN RUM, LEMON, FIG, GUAVA, ALMOND EXTRACT, MINT. The clove is very strong. It isn’t too much, but it is definitely what you taste the most. I had a friend that tried the Green Jacket. It is like a Mojito without the club soda. It has cryo-​muddled mint which was interesting, but to be honest they’d be better off with regular muddled mint. The cryo-​muddled mint was mashed up into such tiny bits that it was hard to drink it without getting green mint bits all through your teeth. Don’t order this one on a date or make sure you ask for a straw!

Wanting to find something new I turned to Unilocal this past Saturday night. And it let me to Hidden Harbor. Some of my favorite things in life include: pineapples, banana leaves, mermaids, fun cocktails and funny bartenders… and this place has them ALL. Seriously ladies, where did you get those aprons?!
Initially we planned on dining here as well, the hostess only had a small bench for us to sit at. We took it. We waited for a while but no one came to check on us… I’m guessing they might have been busy tending to an 8 top next to us… so we ate elsewhere and came back for some drinks. It was still very busy but we found a free space in the front with a little ledge bar.
The server said it would take a while for us to get a Fassionola Fizz so we ordered a Greenjacket and the Tokyo Drift (the one in a fun fish cup that’s also on fire! woo)… I was expecting to be blown away by the Greenjacket. but all I did was continue to check my teeth for green bits! Ha! It was good, but not great. We asked for our tab but our server already put in the order for the Fassionola Fizz, which was nice of him… it was delish!!!
Someone standing near us had the Leaf & Bean and it smelled heavenly. I will definitely check that out next time. Seriously loved all the gorgeous flowers in the drinks!
This is definitely a great place to go when you’re looking for something new and fun to do, celebrating an event, entertaining out of town guests… Not really a place to do some serious drinking though as it can get expensive really quickly.

We came here on a Saturday night around 8.30pm and the place was quite packed. We wanted to have a table for 3 and the receptionist told us it would be probably an hour until we would get seated. We were willing to wait at the bar and start with a cocktail. Surprisingly we got seated after only 30 min.
The place has a quite laid back, hipster vibe to it, which I really liked. The music was not too loud, so it was easy to have conversations without screaming at each other. The staff was super friendly, knowledgeable and fun.
Throughout the night we ordered pretty much every cocktail they have on the menu and none of them was a let down. From the presentation to taste to size, it was perfect! I very much enjoyed the Kokomo and the Fizz. All the flavor combinations were wonderful. Nothing too sweet and no flavor was overpowering.
Food wise we had the seared tuna, the pork sliders and the meatballs. I wasn’t the biggest fan of their tuna, as it just tasted like cumin, and the rest of the dish such as the falafel croutins and the sauce did not really add anything to the dish, but I did enjoy the pork sliders and meatballs.
The music was a bit hit and miss, didn’t really feel like you’re actually at a tiki bar, they played music from the 80s to hip hop to pop, and everything in between.
All in all, I’ll definitely recommend this place for an after work wind-​down with friends. The drinks and staff are amazing!

The drinks were perfect. I have always been a fan of tiki bars, not sure why but a well done tropical drink is hard to find, even in the tropics. Nailed the one and i can say, I’ll be back for more. Kudos. Truly well done!

MY GAWD!(Jim Ross WWE Announcer Voice)
Me and my girlfriend arrived around 7:30 to a packed house. A private party of 20 turned into a party of 50. For as crowded as they were they were very accommodating. We grabbed 2 seats at the bar. We ordered 2 drinks off the Tuesday drink menu (If you drink 10 you win a «special prize).
The food menu is small (about 8 items) We ordered the Lomi Lomi, Chicken and Bacon Meatballs, and the Ahi Tuna (We were able to put them in taco shells). The Ahi Tuna tacos were by far the best fish tacos I’ve ever had.
Our bartender (Max) was incredibly helpful with choosing drinks off the large menu. At one point a drink was bumped, and tipped over on top of our Lomi Lomi. Without hesitation Max took the Lomi Lomi off of our bill.
This is a great place to grab a drink after work. The atmosphere is fun, and a great escape when Pittsburgh gets too dreary.
Highly Recommended!

Maybe you just need a vacation. Maybe you need a vacation, from your vacation. Maybe you just need a cocktail with some pretty flowers and an umbrella. Maybe you just need some good vibes.
Any and all of the above can be found here.
Now don’t get it twisted. This is not just a bar with sweet tropical drinks. These are cocktails, crafted with artful knowledge and care. Regardless of what you normally drink, you will still find a delightful bevvy to suit your tastes here.
I ordered the Hidden Habor, which is quite the visual dazzler with a wave-​like ice formation. It was not only beautiful to look at, but also very tasty. (And not too sweet!) I also took a sip of Josie’s Faraway Vacation (Rum, lime, curacao, basil, chili, ginger, mint and coconut.)
I have no idea who Josie is, but I want to vacation with her. While that might sound like there’s a lot going on there in the flavor department, everything blends well together and the stronger ingredients are subtle.
While it was a little out of the way from where I was staying downtown, it was well worth the 10 – 15 minute travel adventure.
Can’t wait to do it again!

Aloha! After a long day at work, (up at 5 AM out at 3PM) I looked forward to going to get a snack and drink.
I was greeted at the door by the hostess and promptly lei’ed. Kitchy but a nice touch. I was also given a welcome drink even before my coat was off! Hooray! The room where we were seated was beautiful. The furniture was handmade and just was awesome. There were even carved gods around the room. It really made you feel like you were far away and not stuck in snowy Pittsburgh.
Drinks:
Allegheny Rum Punch: Maggie’s Farm rum, Wiggle Landlocked honey spirit, Boyd & Blair Stonewall Rum, lemon, demerara, black tea, mint, peach bitters.
This was my favorite drink of the night. I love tea and this was just sweet enough for me. It was refreshing but not overpowering. I like the simpleness of the recipe and how it was presented. The fact that it used all three rums made in Pittsburgh made it even better! Hooray for hometown rum.
Fassinola Fizz: Gin, lemon, fassinola (tropical fruit cordial), cream, egg white, seltzer, orange flower water.
This drink was aesthetically pleasing for sure. It is a light pink with a fluffy creamy top that just makes you want to dive right in. It was also topped with a beautiful flower. I didn’t want to try it at all because I just wanted to look at it. I will say that I enjoyed the fluffy creamy top more than the drink. I thought it was good but it was a little bitter for my taste. But then again, I am a sweeter drinker so this could be just my weird taste buds.
Tropic Thunder: House 5-​rum blend, lime, grapefruit, macadamia orgeat, cinnamon, grenadine, falerum (lime, ginger & clove cordial), curacao, absinthe, bitters.
This drink came with a twisty straw, a shark stirrer, and a umbrella. ****The shark is really sharp so do not put it in your pocket**** I loved the look of this drink. It came with fun things to make you want to order more of them. The extras put this drink number 3 on my list of favorite drinks of the night. It was fun to look at and a good drink.
Josie’s Faraway Vacation: Arrack (Indonesian rum), Jamaican rum, lime, curacao, basil, chili, ginger, mint, coconut milk, coconut cream.
Number 2 on my list of favorite drinks of the night. It was a beautiful creamy white drink topped with a beautiful purple flower. I loved this coconut drink. I will even say that for how much coconut was in this drink it was not overpowering. I loved it! It was frozen so I did get a brain freeze. But it did not stop me from drinking it down!
Snacks:
Lomi-​Lomi: House salt-​cured salmon, tomato, red onion, cumin, jalapeño, citrus, wonton chips.
This was lovely. The taste that we were given was really something. The wonton was amazing. It was crunchy and was dusted with something that had a kick to it. The easiest way to describe the lomi-​lomi is pico with pieces of salmon mixed with it. It was good.
Veggie Crostini: Shishito peppers, grilled onion, falafel croutons, harissa aioli, pineapple bun.
Ok, I do not know what a pineapple bun is, but you could taste pineapple in the crostini. The falafel croutons were awesome. They were just the right amount of crunch to top off the softness of the peppers and onions. The harissa aioli was surprising and also very good. You could taste how it mixed just right with the veggies.
Lamb Curry: Braised local leg of lamb, tomato, coconut, cream.
YUUUUMMMM. This was a perfect curry. The lamb was cooked perfectly. Not stringy or tough just broke apart in your mouth. The curry was mixed and had an amazing tasted to it. Not overly spicy but still had a kick. It was the crowning snack of the night.
It was a fun place and I can see myself going there again.

It’s two doors down from the Chinese place on the corner. At first I walked right past it as it was daytime and the neon sign was not lit.

Say what?! A tiki bar in Squirrel Hill? While they don’t have many traditional tiki drinks (Jet Pilot, Suffering Bastard, Zombie, etc) they have some GREAT interpretations like the Greenjacket which looks like a kale smoothie but is a radically awesome moijto. Big props for having a great tiki cocktail — three dots and a dash — and doing it so authentically.
Go, people! Support an amazing new bar like this. Pittsburgh needs them!

Disclaimer: I am not a fancy liquor drink drinker. I am a straight beer drinker.
I hit up Hidden harbor on a Tuesday for the soft opening. The menu was limited (can be seen in other posts. We came for drinks, so I knew had to get an umbrella drink. Heck we are in a tiki bar. (they do have some really nice local beers). When in Rome… I went with the Tropic Thunder. It had a lot of accessories, like a really sweet shark stirrer, a cinnamon stick, and some fresh mint and a flower. Pretty tasty, but I am not going to break down the liquors and cordials because, frankly, I just don’t know. It tasted good, and that is all I got. The ambiance is neat. It doesn’t feel like a street in Squirrel Hill, but it takes you to somewhere warmer and more tropical which was needed on our wind chilly day. I will go back, probably order a fancy drink and let Hidden Harbor whisk me away to somewhere warmer.

Drinks: 3.5
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Came here in a group of 6, was seated at a booth table, which was a slightly too-​tight squeeze. Would not be good for larger groups.
The Greenjacket (white rum, lime, mint) was fair, very minty and tasty, but not super wowing. Ms Beffrey asked the bartender to surprise her with a zero-​proof — and the bartender delivered with a delicious fassionola/​passion fruit/​cinnamon concoction. Did not try any food this time.
Ambiance was an interesting overall hipster vibe due to the combination of industrial (exposed rafters, exposed raw brick walls) and tiki (palm tree prints and giant tiki totem). The music was slightly loud, but helped to cover the roar of conversation (pet peeve of Ms Beffrey is hearing everyone else’s convos).
Good potential, and seems like solid bartenders, as the ability to whip up a surprise zero-​proof that’s delicious is surprisingly rare. Eager to see how this place continues to develop.

I stopped by Hidden Harbor last night with a good friend. Having heard that there was a brand new tiki bar in Squirrel Hill (of all places!), I suggested we check it out. My friend was game, and the weather was appropriately frigid, so we took the bus over so we could get a proper buzz on from island-​themed drinks.
Upon arrival, we were enthusiastically greeted by the host, and were informed that no tables were available, but that we could hang out at the drink rail in the corner while awaiting one. We decided to do that, so we hung out there while imbibing our first round of drinks: a fassionola fizz for me ($ 12) and an Ishmael for my friend ($ 11). As the name might suggest, the fizz is a gin-​based drink with fassionola (tropical fruit cordial), seltzer, and cream, and made for a light and refreshing start to the evening. The Ishmael is a darker drink based on two types of rum that also includes fig, guava, and almond extract, and seemed quite stiff from the sip I tried. Upon obtaining the drinks, after having been at the drink rail approx. 20 min, a table opened up and we were able to sit down.
Upon being seated, we decided to try the tuna tacos ($ 10). For me, these were the letdown of the night, given that one order consisted of three tiny tacos, and I found them rather flavorless. The seared tuna tasted like what I imagine cat food must taste like (bland and chewy) and the harissa aioli didn’t add any kick – the only redeeming aspect was the falafel croutons. After having consumed them and finished off our first round of drinks, we opted for a second round. This time, I ordered the tropic thunder and my friend ordered the Josie’s faraway vacation ($ 12 each). In contrast to my first drink, the tropic thunder was a rum-​based drink with various flavors, including bitters, absinthe, grapefruit, cinnamon, and lime. To my surprise, the Josie’s ended up being my favorite drink of the evening. Also a rum-​based drink, it contains coconut milk and cream, as well as basil and a hint of chili, and is served frozen, such that it tastes kind of like a mix between an alcoholic slushee and milkshake. Had I ordered that drink, I can guarantee that it would have gone down *waaay* too smoothly and easily – so perhaps it’s a good thing I didn’t…
The ambiance was warm and had fun tiki-​themed accents, including the wooden mask carvings that can be viewed in photos. Service was pretty good, despite it being super crowded. Given that they’re currently in their soft opening phase, it’s unclear whether the final menu will have the same items and whether the selection will be expanded. I would hope that it ultimately includes some more substantial food offerings similar to its sister IBC next door – though the tuna tacos and the offerings there lead me to wonder whether they’d be similar in quality. One additional thing worth noting is the poko-​lulu drink, a bowl drink intended for sharing between 4 people, which seems quite popular based on my observation (disclaimer: you’ll definitely need a ride home if you order it!). If you’re in the mood for something surprising and different, or just want to escape the depressing PGH winter weather, definitely be sure to check out this fun new addition to the Squirrel Hill community!

This place is a must try on the pittsburgh cocktail scene!
Also makes the best mock tails for those DDs out there!
We were so excited to see what would open next to the already popular IBC. This place does not disappoint for a hopping cocktail place!
Walking in this place has great tiki ambiance, a nice amount of space between bench seating the bar and individual tables. We came with a group and loved sitting in their big booths.
We tried the tropic thunder– excellent drink which delivered with a ton of tropical and fruity yumminess.
I was DD and had the BEST MOCKTAIL EVER. I asked the waitress to have the bartender make whatever he wanted and she came back with a beautiful passion fruit creation that was dolled up with hibiscus flowers and a real cinnamon stick. Best part– it was only $ 4 and easily one of the most delicious perfectly sweet cocktails (mock or not) I’ve had in the last year!
Music was also very catchy and fun vibe.
service was attentive and excellent.
I must return and will! Can’t wait to show my friends this place and try their food.

Finally, a true Tiki bar in Pittsburgh. I made it my mission in life to visit all of the Tiki bars in the States and I can confidently say that this may just be right up there with Lost Lake in Chicago, Porco in Cleveland, a little bit of Frankie’s Tiki from Vegas and a bit of Tolteca from New Orleans.
I have one negative-​it is too bright sitting at the bar! Dim those lights!
Now onto the good stuff-​the staff is super friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. The drinks take time to prepare (which they should!) and are prepared with great ingredients.
The Ishmael and Hidden Harbor drinks were spectacular. I loved the ice sphere in the Hidden Harbor drink and the color was beautiful! Almost too pretty to drink. The Ishmael had several complex flavors such as clove infused rum, fig and almond extract.
Take a walk around the bar and seating areas-​there are lots of great Tiki items to check out.
Can’t wait to go back and try more!

Looking to slip away to a quiet little tropical isle where colors of the sunset and cool, cool rum drinks surround? You won’t have to board ship or plane to escape the mundane anymore, because there’s a hidden harbor of tropical delights awaiting. In Squirrel Hill. What?!
This lovely little spot is called Hidden Harbor, a place sure to make all your tiki and tropical dreams come true with well crafted tiki and tropical cocktails and themed small bites that whisk you away to an island vacation, if only in your mind.
A collection of top tiki bartenders (tikitenders?) create cocktails using the best of the best liquors and fresh ingredients. Wes, Max, and Greta (and sometimes Adam) shake up drinks like the Tropic Thunder, Fashionola Fizz, and the signature Hidden Harbor, to name just a few. Then there are the tiki drinks for 2 or 4… fun to share with friends for sure!
The kitchen was kind enough to adapt the pulled pork sliders for my gluten free needs by turning them into mini tacos on corn tortillas instead of the standard bun. Yum. You’re gonna love these! My dining companion really enjoyed the sweet and smoky Chicken and Bacon Meatballs. Also on the menu are veggie tacos, ahi tuna tacos… and a selection of other tasty small bites.
Despite the name, Hidden Harbor isn’t hard to find at all, it’s right next door to The Independent Brewing Company on Shady Avenue. (In fact, both establishments share the same ownership.) Make a point of searching out this «Hidden» gem of a «Harbor» the next time you find yourself in need of a quick mental vacation AND a damned good drink. Ahhhhhhhhhhh…