It’s that time of year yinzers…..HOLIDAY BAR TIME!!! This holiday season, Pittsburgh is filled with holly jolly bars from the suburbs to downtown! We are here to round up some of the best spots of the season for you and your crew to grab some festive drinks and join in the holiday spirit!
Cousin Eddie’s Christmas Vacation Bar at Barcadia
Get ready to party Griswold style! Barcadia in Market Square has transformed into Cousin Eddie’s Christmas Vacation Bar for the season. This is the perfect spot for a wild night out with your crew. Cousin Eddie’s has pinball machines, a photo booth light, Christmas decor, and a DJ! Depending on the night, you could hear anything from remixed holiday tunes to EDM bangers. Drinks are fun, festive, and go down easy. Some of our favorites are Don’t Hog The Nog (rumchata, rum, eggnog, and cinnamon) and Cousin Eddie’s Cocktail (Tito’s vodka, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, and club soda). Typical well drinks and shots are also available here.
Market Exchange Speakeasy
Barcadia’s fancy neighbor is the Market Exchange Speakeasy. Adjacent to Barcadia and above Market Exchange, this quaint spot has cozy couches, elegant holiday decor, and classic cocktails. This is your spot if you’re into craft cocktails. The seasonal menu includes a Maple Old Fashioned and Cranberry Thyme Gin and Tonic. Drinks here are made with the little details and garnishes that take speakeasy cocktails to the next level. The Maple Old Fashioned even comes smoked with wood chips that the mixologist fires up right in front of you! Small plates and bites are available to order while sipping on something strong. This year, each time one of the new specialty cocktails is ordered, a portion of the proceeds will go to UPMC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, and the Ryan Shazier Fund.
Miracle On 6th
Everyone’s favorite holiday pop-up is back this year, Miracle On 6th! This downtown bar does it big with its holiday concept. The home of the Santa Claus mug and other festive cups, Miracle is the perfect stop for your squad any night of the week! Open from 4 pm to midnight, you can enjoy a casual mulled wine or get a little crazy with one of their holiday shots. One drink that is as cute as it is delicious is the SanTaRex which is made with Blanco tequila, mezcal, melon liqueur, almond orgeat, lime, and tiki bitters in a t-rex mug with a Santa hat! Another adorable cocktail is the Holiday Spiked Chai. This one is made with brandy, Jamaican overproof rum, coffee liqueur, amaretto, chai, almond milk, egg white, tiki bitters, and nutmeg. The Holiday Spiked Chai comes in a Fa La La Christmas barrel cup. All of these fun drink cups are available for purchase too, so don’t swipe them from the bar, just buy one to take home with you! Plus at the end of each season Miracle Bar donates to several local organizations like Amy’s Army and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. This year, Miracle has moved to a bigger location at 137 6th Street and now has a large private party space that is available for booking from 4-7 pm or 8-11 pm each day. If you’re interested, send an inquiry to miraclepgh@gmail.com. Otherwise, stop on by no reservations needed!
Christmas On Carson at Local Bar + Kitchen
Celebrate the holidays in Southside at Local Bar + Kitchen’s pop-up bar, Christmas On Carson! This bar has 4 signature cocktails and 3 festive beers ready for holiday sipping. Our choice is the Christmas Special Mule made with Smirnoff, amaretto, ginger beer, and cranberry juice, what a great twist on a classic mule! Awesome decorations like a Buddy the Elf cardboard cutout and Clark Griswold cutout can be found next to a photo area for holiday pics for the gram. Local still has its typical $5 pitcher Thursday special as well as its full food menus for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Bob’s Garage
This bar isn’t a pop-up or a limited-time bar. It is a YEAR-ROUND Christmas celebration at Bob’s Garage in Blawnox! Every inch of this bar is COVERED in holiday fun. Wallpaper, ornaments, garland, lights, and other decor fills this bar — even the outside of the building! Bob’s is festive yet still gives a dive bar feel with its classic menu of pub snacks and burgers! Each burger is even named after a car model, keeping in the true roadside fashion of this stop. This is a great spot for kicking back a couple of beers with your crew and enjoying some classic tunes. You might just find yourself stumbling upon some holiday karaoke as well…
The Tipsy Elf at Hough’s Taproom
As the name suggests, at this Christmas bar you will certainly be a tipsy elf! This holiday pop-up experience can be found in the Greenfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh within Hough’s Taproom and is a ticketed bar. This means you’ll need to purchase tickets ahead of time for the experience. For $13 you’ll gain access to this bar, get a welcome drink, and have time to enjoy photo opportunities, festive games, and get to hang out with everyone’s favorite tipsy elves! Additional cocktails, mocktails, and shots are available for purchase like their Gingerbread Martini and A Peanuts Christmas Special shot. Family-friendly sessions are available as well.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.