Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

One word association:  Industrial.  Pittsburgh gets a bad wrap.  But there are some great restaurants, bars, and clubs in this seemingly industrial town.

Cab. Walk. Drive.

530 William Penn Place

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

*  Built in 1916, this beautiful, opulent, luxury hotel, is more reminiscent of Downton Abbey than downtown Pittsburgh.  The hotel boasts a distinguished guest list that includes actors, dignitaries, and even President Barrack Obama.  This is not the hotel you would expect to find in the “Rust Belt” but definitely makes its existence even more special.  The hotel Speak Easy is a quiet, dark (and unbelievably cold) bar in the basement that has great drinks and a great staff to keep you entertained.

60 21st Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

http://www.pamelasdiner.com/

*  For breakfast, Pamela’s is a must.  The restaurant has several locations around town and was made famous when Barrack Obama ate at the restaurant during his campaign.  As the story goes, he loved their crepe-style pancakes so much that he flew the owners to the White House to cook on his first day as President.

1611 East Carson Street,

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

*  Popular and often crowded restaurant/bar will not disappoint.  The wait with no reservation on a Saturday night can be as long as 1.5 hours–which sounds more like the New York location of this franchise as opposed to Pittsburgh.

1611 Carson Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15203

http://www.dieselclublounge.com/pittsburgh/

*  There are more than enough bars,clubs, and late night hang outs to fit into any type of social lifestyle.  Diesel seems to cater to out of town guests.  The people watching in Diesel is an event in and of itself–but take a few shots and a hearty sense of humor to get the most out of it.