Open Bottle Bistro

The best thing about this place was the service. Our server really was excellent. Friendly and knowledgeable and seemed happy to be there. We also had the manager or owner (I didn’t actually catch his name) drop by to thank us for coming, which was nice.
The thing was that he had all the time in the world to be grateful that we were there — cause we were the only ones there. Granted, it was mid-​week around 6, but the place was practically empty. A few others showed up as we were finishing, but I did leave wondering how they stay in business.
The food is fine, but just fine. Certainly not the draw of the place. I actually found it rather uninspired overall. I ordered the filet medallions. For $ 32, they were just standard fare, nothing really special about them at all. And the mashed potatoes that came on half of our dishes were grainy and really not very good at all.
This is another one that falls into the «I’d eat here again, but wouldn’t suggest it or go out of my way» category.

We had 5 – 6 different plates, and all of them absolutely awful! One of them was mussels and when we asked for some extra broth, since there was none, we got something that is not even close to the one that was on the plate at first. Beef tartare was probably the worst I ever had. Gazpacho tasted and looked more like salsa, rather than soup. Got tapas as well, and it had HALF a shrimp (lol). That half was absolutely unbeatable!
Maybe the chef had a bad day, I don’t know, but I am not spending my money over there again.

I paid a visit with CM last night during happy hour (6:30 pm) for some drinks and light appetizers. Since we enjoyed Toast! nearby, and Open Bottle seemed similar in ambiance and offerings, we decided to check out the other wine bar in Shadyside.
As soon as we entered, we were promptly greeted, seated, and provided with menus by our waitress. When she returned to take our drink orders, I asked about happy hour specials, and she informed us that the house red and white wines, as well as Moscow mules, could be had for $ 5 apiece. I had the house white, which was similar to a Chardonnay, and CM had the house red, which was similar to a Malbec. We both found our respective wines rather nondescript in flavor. Before happy hour ended, I also ordered a Moscow mule. Having never had this drink before, it defied my expectations, and was quite light and refreshing, with just enough ginger flavor, and was not too bitter, but also not too sweet. It was pretty stiff, too, since I felt a little tipsy after drinking the latter half a bit too quickly, esp. in combination with the wine. ;-)
In addition to our drinks, CM and I ordered the artichoke flatbread ($ 12). Rather than being oblong with a doughy and substantial crust, it was round and sliced a pizza, with a thin, cracker-​like crust. We enjoyed the toppings, which were quite flavorful, but agreed that the gorgonzola was too strong, to the point that it overpowered some of the more delicate flavors. Despite this shortcoming, it made for a nice snack to munch on while sipping our adult beverages, providing just enough substance to absorb the booze.
As others have mentioned, the ambiance is quite cozy and intimate, and is the perfect setting for a date or quiet night out. We enjoyed the music, but thought the décor could be improved by the replacement of the photos with some interesting artwork, as I’ve seen at other wine bars. Service from our waitress was on point – there when we needed it, but never intrusive. The owner was also very friendly, and made a point of asking us how everything was and of making conversation with me when I mentioned one of his favorite restaurants, and when I checked out the back patio, which would be great for al fresco dining when the weather’s pleasant.
Overall, although we didn’t dislike experience at Open Bottle, there was nothing that made us want to return anytime soon. Our check came to around $ 30, which was okay, but not a great vakue. One thing that bears mentioning, for what it’s worth, is that the rest of the customers were on the older (middle aged-​elderly) side, which isn’t what I would have expected, based on my experience with other wine bars. I’m not sure if this is due to our visit being on a Tues., or whether this is typical, but we didn’t mind it. 3.5 stars.

Cool atmosphere with great drinks, food and service. Our waitress was super (Taylor, I think, forgive me if I got that wrong). Four instead of five because of the prices, but we had a really great experience. Sorry Jim H, but I’ve got to ask, how are you still single? Lol.

My friend suggested that we meet up at Open Bottle Bistro for dinner. For both of us, it was our first time dining at the restaurant, although I had previously dined in the space when it was under different ownership and had a Spanish/​tapas theme.
We had a reservation on a Monday evening. With the exception of a couple guys at the bar (one whom I think was the owner), it was just us and some random guy playing an accordion, which I thought was pretty odd.
The menu is the perfect size with several appetizers and entrees, but I found the prices to be extremely expensive (especially after seeing the portion size and the quality of the food). My friend and I each ordered drinks, shared a cheese platter, and each ordered the chicken entrée. There are other reviews that suggest the price of the food is too expensive, which I couldn’t agree with more. Granted, I do think Monday’s can be slower in the restaurant world, but only one other table walked in during our 90 minute meal. This to me suggests management isn’t doing something right and should seriously evaluate what’s going on.
On a positive note and in line with other reviewers, the service was really great.
Location — 4 Stars
Service — 4 Stars
Food — 2.5 Stars
Price — 2 Stars

Great atmosphere. Highly recommend getting a seat on the outdoor patio. The service was top notch, the food and drinks were excellent. The Cuban sandwich and a monaco together are awesome

I’ve only been here for lunch but the service, atmosphere and food are all fantastic!

Great wines, wonderful food, and cozy ambiance. I have just been once to Open Bottle, but I can’t wait to go back. The staff is welcoming and the service is very good. You may remember the building from when it was La Casa, but I think this restaurant works better in this new format and with a new owner. I had the Roasted Amish Chicken Basquaise, which was prepared beautifully. The wine list is one of the most intriguing in Pittsburgh.

This was my first time at Open Bottle and the experience was amazing. I was greeted at the front door by a gentleman who ended up being my server. He shook my hand and introduced himself. Shortly afterwards, the owner also came over and introduced himself.
The staff and service was wonderful. My server took great care in describing the wines they had to offer. The food was excellent and the price was reasonable. Would definitely recommend.

This place has an awesome atmosphere and delicious food. The owner/​Dave is very personable and makes sure you are 100% satisfied. Also, I like that he changes the menu nightly and has several specials. I had the lollipop lamb chops and they were the best! The wine list/​offering is great and Dave the owner is really knowledgeable if you have any questions before purchasing a full bottle of wine.

The most expensive meal on the dinner menu is $ 20 but we were encouraged to try the ‘special’ filet. No mention of price by our waitress. Then the bill arrived with the bad news: $ 36 for the filet. Really took the wind out of our sails on an otherwise great night. Buyer beware!

1.)Overpriced «special» entrees and appetizers.
2.)Cramped seating on patio.
3.)Wait staff was friendly.
4.)Good wine selection and prices

I’m always excited to try out new places. And always a little hesitant. Who knows what will happen? That’s the thrill, right? And when the owner greets you with a warm hand shake at the door, it makes a good first impression.
But I’m sad to say I wasn’t very impressed with the food. Everything on the menu sounded tantalizing. So me and my dining companion decided to split the Lamb sliders and mussels.
I started off with the red pepper soup, which was bland. I tried my friends french onion soup, which was much better. I think the layer of melty cheese on top helped mightily.
The mussels were incredibly lemony. It didn’t have the right ratio of lemon to white wine to olive oil in my opinion. I love lemon, but it was a bit much. We also asked if bread came with it. The waiter smiled and said «oh yeah!» emphatically. When I imagine bread with my mussels, I imagine a thick piece of crusty Italian or something similar. But our «bread» was literally the thin slices of bread given to us at the start of the meal. Nothing else came out with the mussels. Total bummer.
I LOVE lamb, and while the actual lamb tasted fresh, and was cooked medium rare, just how I like it, it was also bland. Just didn’t have the seasoning there. And call me crazy, but the lettuce looked wilted. You know when you have a bag in the refrigerator for too long and the corners get dark? I spotted a couple of those. I stopped eating the side salad after I noticed that.
I was also excited about the wine list. I didn’t see my usual Malbec, so I tried a Spanish wine (suggested by the waiter) and then a Chianti. Both were lighter in flavor than I’m used to. Weren’t necessarily bad. Just wouldn’t be something I would have picked… since I asked the waiter for suggestions. Maybe that was my bad?
Service was extremely friendly, I really can’t say enough good things about it. I think that’s why I feel so bad not giving it a better rating. It’s such a cozy place inside. I really hope they work on the menu more to match the stellar service.

A cute setting with a wait staff that’s trying very hard. We got most dishes on the menu across our group of 5 and all of them were incredibly bland — including the sangria and the house wine. Worst part: we paid $ 45 a person for all of it! Such a ripoff! I feel bad because they’re trying hard but I don’t think they’ll last…

This used to be the Spanish restaurant La Casa but the new owner (s) have completely redesigned the place. It feels a lot fancier and a great date place. I haven’t eaten here but I stopped by for the amazing happy hour (5 – 7 $ 5 cocktails!) Our party had mojitos and whiskey sour and they were all dangerously good. The bartender definitely knew his stuff so much so that he should have a title higher than bartender — I’m sure there is one but I can’t think of any. If you’re in the mood for some hand crafted cocktails this is the place to go! On a side note for the vegan, they did have a few vegan items on their menu.

This place just opened yesterday and I was excited to try it. Overall I had a great experience, especially for a restaurant that just opened where they may have some kinks to work out.
There was a nice happy hour special of $ 5 Moscow mules, Mojitos or Dark’n’Stormys. They made homemade ginger infusions with the drinks which was a nice touch. Would have been nice to have a wine happy hour special though too since this place seems to portray itself as a wine bar/​bistro. I also had a glass of Sangria afterward which was very good. They seemed to have a decent wine selection by the glass or bottle as well and they offered tastes before deciding.
Our server was very friendly and attentive and the owner of the restaurant also stopped by and introduced himself and asked us how we were doing a couple of times. They also had a fun sense of humor. I had no issues with the service other than the timing of the dishes coming out with my group could have been a bit more organized.
The décor was very nice and cozy, and the music and ambience were overall very nice. It looks like they have an outdoor patio area they are working on setting up which will be really nice. However, some of the artwork was a little weird and cheap looking. It looked like someone had taken their personal photography and printed them out on poster boards and hung them up on the wall. They were not framed and some had messed up damaged corners or edges. Some of the art was not so great with things like a closeup of a guy smoking and of a lady in a bra in a vineyard with a closeup of a lot of skin hanging out. It just didn’t seem that artistic or attractive. But some of the art was nicer.
They brought out bread while we waited for our food. The bread was homemade and it came with a tasty saffron aioli. But unfortunately the bread seemed a little overbaked and lacking in something, as it was extremely hard (I only had a butter knife and had a seriously hard time breaking into it) and didn’t really taste like much, but the saffron aioli made it better. I ordered the trio of kebobs and the grouper ceviche and both were delicious. The portions were a little small for the price but the quality and presentation were excellent. The menu has quite an interesting selection of items from Mediterranean, to Middle Eastern, to South American. It would be nice to see a few more entrees but I guess it’s more of a tapas place. I definitely enjoyed everything and would go back here again.