Best Bars To Celebrate Mardi Gras In Pittsburgh
With the winter holiday season and New Year's Day over, there's still one upcoming celebration that many people look forward to: Mardi Gras. French for "Fat Tuesday," Mardi Gras is a traditional Christian celebration that takes place just prior to the fasting time of Lent. To celebrate, many Christians indulge in rich foods, strong drinks and voyeurism before buckling down for the religious observation of fasting or sacrificing luxuries and temptations. While Pittsburgh is not a culturally French city, you can still join in on the Fat Tuesday festivities at these five bars.
Penn Brewery
800 Vinial St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 237-9400
www.pennbrew.com
Penn Brewery is quite possibly the most well-known microbrewery in the Pittsburgh area, with its large selection of appetizers, soups, sandwiches and, of course, beer choices, making it an ideal spot for your Mardi Gras antics. Dine on special Cajun and Creole specials like gumbo, jambalaya and oysters on the half shell while enjoying live entertainment.
Le Mardi Gras
731 Copeland St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 683-0912
www.lemardigras.com
If you think Fat Tuesday is all about celebrating so hard that you need to take a personal day on Wednesday, Le Mardi Gras has got you covered. While this bar bears no resemblance to the French Quarter or anything bayou for that matter, the name makes this smoky, eclectic dive bar worthy of your Fat Tuesday outing. Locals praise this Shadyside gem for its unbelievably stiff drinks, including 20 tap beers, five varieties of squeezed drinks and 12 featured cocktails. Grab a bite to eat before wetting your whistle at Le Mardi Gras as the bar does not serve food. Be sure to bring plenty of cash because the place is cash-only.
Related: Top 5 Taprooms In Pittsburgh
Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh
2705 S Water St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 224-2328
www.hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com
What? You thought Mardi Gras was just a French thing? Think again. The Germans also host a pre-Lent celebration and they go big. Hofbrauhaus, Pittsburgh's own unique German Hofbrauhaus, will be hosting its usual German twist on the Fat Tuesday bash, replete with German "fashing' special occasion doughnuts. Naturally, there will also be plenty of beer — more than 15 types, in fact. For a different spin on Mardi Gras this year, look no farther.
Diesel
1601 E Carson St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 431-8800
www.dieselpgh.com
If you crave more of a club experience with your Fat Tuesday drinks, Diesel wants to welcome you to its Mardi Gras festivities. Plus, if you're in the mood for a party with just your friends, customers praise the club's private VIP rooms.
Local Bar + Kitchen
1515 E Carson St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 431-1125
www.localpgh.com
Because Fat Tuesday drinkers tend to arrive earlier, the kitchen serves up some fantastic like beer-battered crawfish, kielbasa gumbo and fried bologna p-boy that can be paired with the bar's iconic Yinzerita or a selection of locally brewed beers. Local Bar + Kitchen marked past Mardi Gras events as the place "where the bayou meets the 'burgh," which is exactly what you can expect at this South Side joint.
Jessica Wasik lives in Pittsburgh where works as a full-time figure skating coach sharing her passion with todays generation of young skaters. A graduate of Robert Morris University with a degree in English Studies, Jessica is also a contributing writer for Allegheny West Magazine. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
