Ritters Diner

My girlfriend and I live within walking distance of Ritters and seem to stop by every other weekend after my late nights of Über driving. Getting there around 3:30AM the place is always bustling. I like the energy and definitely need some good American diner food after driving around the same bar crowd that’s now at Ritters. Late nights on the weekend are typically louder because of the drunk crowd but I’ve seen a stern woman playing Mom for these kids mandating that they cannot squeeze 4 into a booth seat. In my guess over half of the guests at the time had been drinking that night, harmless college aged kids and young adults for the most part.
The staff are always great to us, perhaps just relieved they don’t have to deal with more frat bros and party girls. My girlfriend and I are always treated very well, one waitress even comp’d us an extra order of mozzarella sticks lol thank you! As for the food it really is that classic warming diner food that makes you feel good before bed (or nap time!) My girlfriend always gets the reuben and it is honestly fantastic. I get the Southwest Burger and it’s just the best balance of BBQ sauce, onion rings and burger patty.
An iconic classic diner with genuine staff, I really enjoy going to Ritters time and time again. Do bring cash as this is a cash only diner. 5-​stars Ritters, see you this weekend!

Another Pittsburgh institution. Definitely a go-​to place on the weekend. Wee hours of the morning after a night at the club when you need cheese fries, pierogis or a giant omelette to get you to sleep. It’s like taking a step back in time with the table side jukeboxes in every booth, décor and staff attire. I can only imagine what the staff have had to put up with over the years. So many drunks, so little time. Lol. This greasy spoon diner is a classic; again great for late night munchies with friends as well as meal time with family.

Love places like this. It’s exactly what you’d expect and you can’t beat the greasy diner ambience. Solid breakfast (not revolutionary, but tasty) and reasonably priced! Don’t expect super peppy waitstaff or to be checked on every three seconds (which works for me, a little surliness just adds to the experience). I love you Ritters! I hope to dine with you many many more times!

Even though it is close to some hotels, this establishment seems to cater mostly to the locals, which usually means good value. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of food. The cod was especially fresh. Friendly waiting staff.

I mean come on. This is how it’s supposed to be done. This diner is everything it should be and nothing it shouldn’t. Is the food the best in the city, no. But it’s not trying to be. It’s delicious though and done just the way you expect. People know each other’s names. The atmosphere is second to none. It’s all family. Feels like home and I’ve only been to Pittsburgh 4 times in my life.

It’s ok at best! Food not so great, French fries are bitter meaning the geese is OLD. Soup not hot, waitress and cook fighting loudly. It across from my hotel but won’t be back

Ritters is an institution of a sort in the east end. For me, I like breakfast here but not much else. I love greasy diner breakfasts like Pamela’s or, for those of you who have experienced it, the Venus diner; it’s out of this world! (ha ha! I kill me)
I feel like Ritter’s is one of those love it or hate it kind of places. Love it or not, there are some things that make this place really unique… the waitresses all wear scrubs, like nursing scrubs… which I find ironic because sometimes after clogging my arteries with my three meat omelet I feel like I need medical assistance. The coffee, I swear on my life it’s that chicory crap that southerners love. It def has a… distinct…taste. The atmosphere is decidedly grubby-​chic, but in a good way. They clearly have not put a dime into the place, but it works somehow. They, like Pamela’s, only take cash, but there is a little ATM in the foyer.
Like I said, the breakfast is greasy and delicious, as it should be. Of all the other things I’ve had there, the burgers are kinda icky, like frozen semi-​meat rounds. The specials, ie stuffed cabbage, tuna casserole, meat loaf, usually need salt or some other flavor factor. You will notice a Greek theme, because the family is Greek. They have a few different Greek foods like Gyros and grape leaves and things. I’ve had the gyro and it’s not bad, but if you go and they have the lemon chicken soup on special, GET IT! I loved it. Never would have thought it, but I did.
I’ve never had a problem with the staff. Some are more talkative than others but they are all pretty nice and accommodating.
Oh, and they are pretty good on pies too!

This place is exactly what it should be: good greasy spoon diner food. Bougie foodies with high expectations stay calm! I’ve only had good food here, and I always leave stuffed and satisfied. The Greek Hobo omelette is my absolute favorite. If you get coffee, the only way to get the most bang for your two plus bucks is to get a few refills while you’re there. Other than that, it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a diner.

Updating this because it’s been a while since I visited & guess what?! Ritter’s is still just as good (*surprise surprise… note the sarcasm). Our group of 4 was seated right away on a cold Saturday morning around 11:30 am. I ordered pancakes, egg whites and bacon. I was given a huge portion of three fluffy pancakes, a large portion of eggs & three pieces of bacon. The bacon was actually a little disappointing– it tasted as if they bought the cheapest kind, or maybe it was just a bad batch? Everything else was delicious. I saved one of the pancakes for breakfast the next day & it was just as good. The egg whites were perfect and were super filling. My boyfriend loved his french toast, home fries and sausage. The home fries were delicious. I love that you can listen to music on the jukeboxes while you enjoy a delicious breakfast!

Oh, Ritters. I had heard of you for a long time, but simply never made the trek out your way — until yesterday! I had a chance to dine here with a number of other Unilocalers, and I think we all absolutely loved eating here.
Firstly, I’m in love with their menu — a lengthy list of America’s classics and favorites with a few extra non-​traditional additions just for good measure. Choosing what to eat at this diner was my biggest challenge of the past week. I eventually settled on the Greek Hobo omelet, which is a delicious mix of gyro ingredients that comes complete with a side of Tzatziki sauce to go with the ensemble. Add in the amazingly fresh hash browns and heavily buttered toast, and I was served up quite the feast. And I devoured it like the happy glutton I was!
Not only did the food leave me happy, but keep in mind that my group was a group of over 10 people — all of our food was at our table within 15 minutes of ordering. And based on the comments of «that’s delicious» that I heard all around, that speed is all the more impressive due to the quality of the food that was produced.
I will definitely make the trek out to Ritters again in the future — especially now that I know that they have their own parking lot, as parking is the biggest reason I don’t venture to this part of town very frequently. I need to try a few more things that caught my eye on their awesome menu. (But next time I’m definitely remembering cash, as they’re cash only, and I admittedly don’t want to pay an ATM fee to get cash in their main room every time I eat here.)

Ritters is my favorite diner. If I get time in the morning, I love to stop for corn beef hash. They also have a great gyro and sausage and cheese omelette. Lots of local gossip to be heard. Jukeboxes on the tables are nostalgic, remind me of «Happy Days». Open all hours leads to sightings of interesting characters. MAC machine inside is convenient and necessary as they don’t take credit cards.

Ritter’s is a typical old-​fashioned diner. It’s cash only with an ATM inside. There’s a parking lot which is convenient. Overall, my experience eating here has been inconsistent. Sometimes the food is good; sometimes I could barely eat it. Sometimes the servers are attentive and very friendly; sometimes they have a terrible attitude. I’ve had delicious meals, such as the breakfast items, sandwich melts, and honey-​dipped fried chicken. And while breakfast is usually solid, lunch and dinner varies.
For example, my most recent trip here (a few days ago) was dismal. My friend ordered pierogis like he always does because they are usually very very good, but this time we sent it back for some butter because it was bone dry. When it was brought back, there was a small hair in it. I ordered a grilled chicken salad; it’s hard to screw up a salad but Ritter’s managed to do so. Yes, the portion was huge, but I found yet another hair in it and there was a pool of water at the bottom of the bowl.
My tip is to order breakfast foods because they don’t mess that up and it’s good. Going in during the day seems to bring about better service and food.
Even though eating here is a hit or miss, I have a feeling I’ll be back to try my luck. It’s one of the few places open late after the bars close, so…

The best diner in the Burg! The ladies working there make you feel like family and the food is pretty damn good as well. Spaghetti and meat balls were delicious and quite a big serving. I’ve had breakfast there many times as well and always fabulous! I highly recommend it for an awesome home cooked meal!

Very good breakfasts at a reasonable price. I visited my first time because it’s a Pittsburgh landmark, but I keep going back because of the great food. The wait staff is always friendly, and I rarely have to wait long for a table. You won’t find savory gourmet food here, but you will experience an honestly good traditional diner experience at a good price.
I like that they have free parking available and generous hours. Always a reliably solid choice.

Not bad steak, eggs & homefries (real good). Rye toast. Water tastes like rust but had Oj/​grapefruit mix. Typical diner.

— Above average food
— Below average prices
— Spacious and uncrowded
— Free wifi
— Cash only

I love this place, especially for a hearty breakfast. I have several dietary restrictions, and they are always very accommodating. The food is delicious, and the price is unbeatable.

Great food, great service. Only thing I don’t like is that the majority of the jukeboxes don’t work!

Went back today. Got the Diner Burger (4.95 w/​fries), and a Coke (didn’t have pepsi). When I went to the register, the price was 9.42 — a 1.42 more than I had! I told the lady that I would return with the change, but still. There’s no way that the price should have been that high! Unless the soda was $ 3, that’s ridiculous! I’m assuming that they put a tip on the bill. They shouldn’t force things like that.
The food is good and all, but the money issue left a bad taste in my mouth.

Horrible excuse of a slop house. DONT EAT HERE! Food recooked and disgusting. There are many other choices on the Pittsburgh area. Do NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE AND EAT HERE.

Titters is the best diner in Pittsburgh. Their home fries and basically of their late breakfast menu items are great. Because of this, I’ve never tried any of the rest of the menu. Bring quarters if you feel like setting your iPhone down for a minute to listen to an old school, «flip menu» jukebox. Just don’t play any Survivor if there is a couple breaking up in the booth next to you.

I stopped into Ritter’s for breakfast this past Sat. morning at 11am. Despite living two blocks away and having driven by many times, I’d never dropped in until now. Given that I needed an inexpensive and convenient place to meet someone who also lives nearby, I figured it was as good of an opportunity as any to try it out, so I suggested it and we met for Sat. breakfast.
Fortunately, my friend arrived 15 min. before I did and was able to secure a table, since Ritter’s gets quite crowded on Sat. mornings. Also fortunately, the interior is quite large, which is necessary given its popularity at peak hours. Once I was seated, our server promptly took our orders, which was appreciated. However, it took almost half an hour for the kitchen to get them out, which seemed long, given the amount of time that my friend had already waited, and that I’ve received prompter order fulfillment at other diners, such as the Dor Stop.
Once it finally emerged, the food itself was pretty standard quality diner food – nothing to write home about. Given that it was Halloween morning, I ordered the pumpkin pancake special ($ 5.99) with a side of bacon ($ 2.50). I could definitely detect pumpkin in the pancake batter, which was nice, but I’ve been spoiled by the Dor Stop’s pumpkin pancakes (which are available year round, BTW), and these didn’t hold a candle to them. The bacon was also disappointingly chewy, to the point that I didn’t even finish part of my last strip. My friend ordered the chicken sandwich, which seemed of similar mediocre quality, though I didn’t try it.
Overall, Ritter’s met my standards for diner food, but didn’t exceed them, and failed to meet them in some respects (chewy bacon – argh!). One thing Ritter’s has going for it is that the prices are quite reasonable; however, come prepared as only cash is accepted. I realize that a lot of their business comes from inebriated customers late at night, so if that describes your situation, it probably hits the spot. If you’re willing to travel and are looking for a good weekend morning breakfast, though, I recommend the Dor Stop in Dormont or Central Diner and Grill in Robinson, both of which illustrate that diner food can be better than mediocre – in fact, it can be great!

Just writing this now because it’s funny but at the time it wasn’t. Went to Ritter’s many times because I am from Bloomfield. Once years ago while at breakfast with my sister, I went to put sugar in my coffee and out of the sugar shaker plopped a GIANT dried booger onto the spoon. HA!!! Ewwwww!

I have only really been here late night so keep that in mind
Ritters is located within walking distance of the bars in Shadyside and Bloomfield and unfortunately it’s the only place open at 3am. As such I have been here more times than I would ever want to…
If I were blackout drunk cooking on a George foreman grill I could make better food…
If you like your eggs served in a puddle of miscellaneous kitchen liquid, or bite into a chicken parm sandwich and have the breading slip off of the entire piece of chicken this is your place!!!
Though I could list the horror stories I have experienced I will concentrate on one that summarizes this diner…
Friend orders a milkshake… Only gets the glass and not the residual leftover in the mixing metal cup… He drinks it rather quickly and wonders if the leftover will ever come… So he waits and waits keeps looking at the counter where the leftover bit is just sitting there…
45 minutes later waitress finally walks over to it, drops a little bit of icecream in it mixes it… Puts it into a glass and serves it to someone else.
We called it the circle of milkshake life… in that every milkshake is half old half new.
People keep coming back perhaps because they like the little nickel jukeboxes or because nothing else is open, I have even heard it being called a Pittsburgh culinary institution… I’m sure the brothers primanti, Pamela, and the delucas are rolling over in their graves… If they are Infact dead.
What’s sad that though I am downright disgusted with this place at times, I know that I will return one drunken night … Fml

I was visiting a church in the area and decided to try this diner. It had mixed reviews so my curiosity got the best of me.
The menu is lengthy. I am a huge breakfast food fan so I decided to order breakfast. I usually go the eggs and bacon route, but flipped the script when I saw the Coco Loco pancakes. They are pancakes with chocolate chips and coconut. I also ordered a side of bacon. My son got bacon & eggs that came with toast and home fries.
When my pancakes came they looked like your typical pancakes with a light sprinkling of coconut and chocolate chips. There was also a drizzle of chocolate syrup. I was a tad disappointed. I ate the top pancake and it was incredibly delicious. I thought «it’s too bad this is not in each pancake. Still hungry I started eating the two remaining pancakes. Oh. My. Word. There wasn’t any coconut in them but they were packed with chocolate chips. I’m talking packed! They were some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had. The side of bacon was a little salty which was needed to break up all of the sweetness of the pancakes. My son eats «dippy» eggs (runny sunny side up). I’m not a fan but he enjoyed them. Living in the Burgh we are used to getting Italian bread as toast but this was true blue white sandwich bread. He cleaned his plate so that should tell you that he liked it a lot.
The diner is exactly that-​a true diner. It has never been updated. The menu has probably been the same for more than 25 years. But if your parking lots (they have 2) are filled that means you are doing something right. The cars were everything from old beaters to Porches. That says a lot as well.
We will definitely be back to try other menu items!

This was one of the less tasty places we went for food when I visited Pittsburgh with my family (my brother goes to Pitt). Whatever was in my omelette tasted super weird; the food was generally underwhelming, and you don’t go to a diner for service or atmosphere. Well, I guess you do to an extent, but you don’t want your eggs tasting funny. Who knew it was possible to mess up eggs? Anywho, our waitress was real nice and all but I wouldn’t necessarily come back here.

Ritters is where I go for diner food when I don’t want to wait at Pamela’s or it’s an off-​hour time. Standard diner fare but with a Greek twist.
I very much like the stuffed grape leaves and the spinach and feta omelette. I haven’t sampled much else on the menu because I’m vegetarian and the dinner options are limited in that regard.
On a different note, I find the diner atmosphere to be a little depressing. The interior could use some cleaning and sprucing up. Additionally, several times I’ve been there the table has smelled strongly of cleaning product, which is not very appetizing.
I would really like to give it 3.5 stars, but that’s not an option.

Where do you go if you’ve got a major hankering for a good omelet but it’s 3am? Where do you go if you have no idea of what you want but need to have a bunch of yummy options? Some would say E&P but wrong answer. You need a no frills diner that’s going to give you what you want and give it to you real good! The answer… Ritter’s!
The service and food is consistently good and there’s just about something for everyone. I’ve sampled a bunch of different items like breakfast foods, chili to fried green tomatoes, hot turkey sammy and the steak & cheese sammy, just to name a few. No complaints.
I like the fact that they have the little jukeboxes at the table with a variety of older music to pick from. I just played Gypsy the other night and no one was disturbed by me bobbing my head and attempting to sing along with my girl Stevie.
Lastly, if you’re looking for ambience… this ain’t the place. If you’re looking for a meal that will satisfy at a really good price point with some friendly service by folks who will chat it up with you if you engage them… then this is your place!
Oh yeah, bring cash, nothing else is accepted.

Something about this place… I don’t know what it is. The food is really only 3-​star at times, and yet if you come in here starved, it can taste as good as 4 stars or hell even 5. Maybe 5 if your stoned, actually. ;)
It might be because my dad used to take me here after church when I was a kid, so I feel really nostalgic about the place. Ironically, I am pretty sure I hated it as a kid. I love their buckwheat pancakes now though. Truly a PA tradition for me. And my BF enjoyed their French toast.
Sat at the bar to be served right away. Scrubs-​clad waitstaff was friendly and prompt.
They only take cash *gasp* but luckily for me (a.) there’s an ATM in the front of the place, and (b.) my credit union will refund my ATM fees every month. So yeah, not a big deal.
Parking was kinda tight but they do have an overflow lot, kinda behind the place a bit.
Legit comfort food at a greasy spoon diner that’s been around for ages. Gotta love it.