Overall: poor service, overpriced, nice atmosphere, food was blah to average. I won't go back and would not recommend to others. We attended the Fox Chapel Walnut Grill for brunch on Father's Day. The hostess took our party of 5 (4 adults, 1 child) to our booth which was near enough to the buffet area for easy access but secluded enough not to be bothered by the traffic. None of us had been to this restaurant before and we were unfamiliar with the setup, especially for the brunch buffet. I asked the hostess if we needed to wait to place drink orders and where the buffet was located. She waved in the direction of another dining area where the buffet was setup and said everything is in there and walked away. We sat for a few minutes and the waitress came to the table and asked if we wanted anything to drink. We asked what the choices were, as we didn't have menus, and she seemed confused by this question. She asked if we wanted menus and I said we're here for the brunch buffet but can you tell us the drink options. She then said they had Coke products. My husband asked for sweetened tea - they didn't have it. She ended up bringing menus and said we could order from the menu or get the buffet - we didn't know this was a choice as most restaurants serving a special brunch buffet do not also have kitchen service (except for special orders). We took a look at both the buffet and the menu and decided to go for the buffet since that's why we actually came. It's important to note that online the buffet is $17.95 for adults and $6.95 for kids and includes a made to order omelette bar; however, for Father's Day (and possibly other special occasion holidays) it's $23.95 for everybody and there is no omelette bar. Soft drinks and coffee are also extra by the way. I felt the buffet offerings were very limited compared to other brunch buffets, and the area where it's setup was very crowded and cramped. Minimal vegetarian options -fruit tray, garden salad, seafood salad, pasta salad, breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, pancakes and French toast sticks. There was also prime rib, some chicken dish, pork bacon and sausage, and a pastry/dessert section. There were no turkey or vegetarian breakfast meat substitutes. I ended up with pancakes (very dry), fruit, and potatoes. We found out after noticing the made to order omelette bar was missing (which our waitress didn't mention) that we could get omelettes made in the kitchen. They had 3 choices: Denver, Veggie and Seafood. The waitress was clearly unknowledgeable about the items being served, I asked what came in the veggie omelette and she said bell peppers, onions and cheese. I said perfect I'll take that with cheddar cheese. She told my dad the same thing but actually told him it came with cheddar cheese standard. My daughter ordered the seafood (crab, shrimp and tomatoes), hold the tomatoes add cheddar. None of our omelettes had cheddar cheese but came with mozzarella (which I personally can't stand with eggs) and the "crab" was actually imitation crab (something important for the server to note I think). Furthermore, the veggie omelettes actually came with red and green peppers (no onions) but also spinach and mushrooms. This was not the combo I'd ordered. Anyway, the server was nice but not a very good waitress in my opinion. For $140 I expect both good service and good food, if you feel the same I would not recommend the Walnut Grill brunch.
(2)
George M.
Outdoor deck is excellent for cocktails, good beer, and even Susie b's! Excellent bar food within a late night menu. One of the best hang outs in the doc chapel area!
(4)
Danielle P.
Walnut Grill is one of my favorite spots for an afterwork drink or a quick, fresh meal. Their menu is American fare with a twist, their wine list is excellent, and the atmosphere is always fun. They recently expanded the bar area to have more seating and comfy booths. The servers remember you if you're a frequent flyer and are always efficient. They have great live music some nights, too! I'll pretty much always be a regular here!
(4)
Rochelle H.
Here's the thing that peeves me a little about this restaurant chain. Why can't they open a restaurant closer to me? I know that I only have to cross one river to get to the nearest Walnut Grill, but can't they open one up the street from me? :-)! Me, my family and friends have been to this restaurant many, many times and I can't believe that I have never written a review since it's one of my favorite go-to places. I think that I have had every single appetizer on the menu, with the exception of the stuffed banana peppers or Seared Tuna Tacos(I just don't like stuffed banana peppers or seared tuna) . My favorite appetizers are the Pork Dumplings, Fried Pickles and Cheese and Fruit Plate. You can't go wrong with any of these choices and if you go during their "Happier Hour", the prices are reduced to $5 or half. What's not to like about that? My favorite go-to dish is the Wild Mushroom Chicken. Is it a cutting edge dish? No, but I still love it and I usually add one of their delicious scrumptious crabcakes to go with it. (I hate crabcakes with a lot of fillers and vegegies. Theirs has neither and "I die" for both dishes. Also not to be missed, if they have any kind of meat shank in season, just order it , eat it, pay for it and go home to recover from a meat coma. They're just that good. My daughter usually orders the Buffalo Chicken Wrap or Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich. Both are delcious and very filling with your choice of a side dish. For the desserts, you can't go wrong with the Brownie Works or Walnut Turtle Meltaway. The devil is a liar if you don't think either of these desserts are yummy!
(4)
Robert U.
I'm still working this one out. There is some good potential here, though. The food is pretty good, if a bit predictable. I like the Pittsburgh Salad, for example - traditional greens, plus grilled chicken an some crispy fries. Service has been spotty. Some servers seem to have half the restaurant. You'll get one shot at a drink. Run out and you're out of luck till the check comes! A disappointment. Sitting at the bar results in much better service. But in an area without many traditional, sit-down restaurants, this one is worth a try. See how your experience goes and post a review of your own.
(3)
Nellie P.
The food is okay but nothing special and over priced. I've been going here sporadically for years and seem to have bad service no matter how much turnover there has been. It could be rude personalities one time then forgetting the bacon on an item to giving me chicken in a salad instead of steak the next. I don't see the staff write down any orders which I think could attribute to some of the food errors but in general the drinks aren't refilled and the smiles are missing. The atmosphere is the best part, inside and outside are both very nice. I'd recommend sitting outside and keeping your expectations low if you are going to eat here.
(2)
Laura R.
Was there recently for a bridal shower and was not impressed by the service. Granted I know serving a large party can be difficult, plus one of the servers said she was very new (maybe don't put a new server in a large party?). We kept trying to order drinks, cocktails, coffee, water - it didn't matter - you had to ask at least twice if you really wanted it and even then it would take over 20 minutes to get things. We had a pre-selected menu to choose from and everything from it was fine - the walnut salad was the best thing on the menu, really good. The buffalo chicken wrap was okay. But it all would have been lovely if the service would have been better/faster, especially since it was just a lot of drinks and there were only a few choices for food!
(2)
David C.
Always a favorite place food is good staff is great and you can always have Fun. Although they reprinted the menu (it looks like a photo album for a cocktail table) there really aren't that many changes although much to the chagrin of Elyssa they dropped the Tuna Melt. They should add buffalo burgers back on the menu to pick up the overflow from nearby Burgatory, not too many people are willing to wait 2 hours for a burger. It amazes me how they offer $3 draft specials during happy hour you can tell the beer here is alway fresh unlike beer nutz which seems to never clean their taps. To add bar revenue they should offer the full mixologist specials year round and create a menu just for them. I consider this my local place to frequent at least 2-3 times per week!
(4)
chris m.
Remember how the manager the second time said he'd give me a call back about "whether there is anything he could do for me" after the whole stir? (insert sarcastic exclamation here): I never heard back! Well, at least they are consistent...
(1)
Kate K.
I've spent many an afternoon/evening at the Walnut Grove in Waterworks - mostly for happy hour, but sometimes for dinner as well. The happy hour is pretty decent. Although the prices have gone up since I last visited. About a year ago, the ahi tuna was included on the half priced apps for happy hour menu. For $5 you could get a nice sized piece of tuna - but it seems they caught on to the fact that they probably weren't making much money. The service is usually OK - nothing special, but not awful either. The one issue I have is that I just don't love their menu. Some overpriced salads, a couple of pizzas - 2 are pretty much identical except for the addition of fries (it is Pittsburgh people, fries come on everything!). A small sandwich selection and some seemingly overpriced entrees. I'll give them 3 stars for happy hour, but maybe 2 for the menu and pricing. But it's a convenient location and an alternative to heading downtown or to Lawrenceville when I'm in town and staying at Bakery Square.
(3)
Serena T.
News flash - this restaurant was previously down the road and moved to this location a few years ago, so it's now in the Waterworks plaza area. I didn't realize this and went to the old location on 1141 Freeport Rd - and saw a Mexican restaurant. Not being familiar with the area, I'll admit I was slightly panicked as I had a baby shower to get to at this venue. Luckily, I was able to call a friend and he told me that they moved and it was down the road close to Chili's. It was a great venue to have an intimate gathering such as a baby shower. It was co-ed baby shower so it was very relaxed and they were serving alcohol - awesome. I decided not to partake in the alcohol consumption but enjoyed the spread of food they had. The quesadillas were tasty and so was the hummus. The spinach-artichoke dip seemed popular but I didn't try it. The place is real classy and seemed to be popular for dinner on a Sunday evening. Although we were in a private room - I took a peek at the restaurant side and saw that it was bumpin. Overall the space/decor was great and the food was decent. Although, I'm not sure that I'd make the trip all the way out here just to go to this place.
(3)
Michelle S.
My boyfriend and I have decided to finally take this restaurant off our list since our last 2 visits have been less than positive. Most recently, we made reservations for New Year's Eve for 3 people for 7PM. We arrived about 10 minutes early and still had to wait till about 7:15 before we were seated. During our wait, we sat at an open table near the bar where we proceeded to order a couple drinks. However, the beers listed on the chalkboard menu on the wall weren't up to date. So the server had to keep running back and forth to the bar to verify the available drafts. We finally got to our table and ordered. Although our food showed up in a timely manner, the "fresh" veggies were mush and the food was accompanied by gnats. They were flying all over the place, landing on the table, on the wall, my boyfriend spent half the time swatting them away...but it was tough to gain the attention of our server as she was immersed in what must have been a very interesting conversation with a customer nearby. The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is because the manager reduced our bill. They couldn't move us due to the fact that all the tables had scheduled reservations. Finally, when we had our food boxed up since we didn't want to eat with the gnats, they boxed up and gave us some of the wrong food....it was just comical at that point. Our visit prior to New Year's Eve happened on a late afternoon on a weekend. We seated ourselves at a booth near the bar. It took almost 15 minutes for anyone to even acknowledge us! Even though there were servers in the area and walking past us multiple times, there was not acknowledgment. When our server finally appeared, she reeked of cigarette smoke...to the point that it was just offensive! We ordered our food and I had the Ahi Tuna, which I wouldn't recommend ordering again because it didn't seem fresh at all. It tasted frozen actually.
(2)
Gordon G.
This is a step up from a big chain place and it is fresh and good. I had the smoked salmon salad and it is always good. Good drink specials as well. I haven't had a bad meal yet and always wonder if I will because the place is pretty big. Usually big places don't pull it off very well, but this place is well run. Give it a try.
(4)
T S.
I hosted my wife's 40th... I mean, 29th, birthday party here and the service and food was fantastic. It was also a surprise party, on a Saturday evening, so the restaurant was packed. The manager and staff did a phenomenal job hiding my party of ~50 people in the back room, and helping "pull the wool" over my wife's eyes upon arrival. We had a buffet of apps and smaller plates that were kept plentifully stocked by the attentive waiter/waitress. And the drinks were delivered even more quickly. Went so smoothly... it was as if we had the entire restaurant to ourselves.
(5)
Elise N.
Ended up here because we were not waiting 45 minutes for a table at Burgatory. Glad we decided to give it a try. The food was pretty good and our waitress was great. She even bought us dessert! Would definitely go back.
(4)
Rob S.
Strawberrry Balsamico Salad is very good. Want something healthy and tasty...This is a great choice as well as the Carmelized Walnut Salad...Nice menu, great lemonade and a variety of healthy and tasty choice. Yes yes yes the burgers are good too
(4)
Sara C.
I've been to Walnut Grove several times for every meal (not so much since Burgatory opened across the parking lot, but that's another story). Each time I've gone, I've had a pretty decent experience, but nothing too amazing. The food is ok, but depending on who you have waiting on you, the service can be a little spotty (which I suppose is true for any restaurant). The decor of the restaurant is tastefully done, but to be honest, I preferred the old location further down. It felt more comfortable and intimate. The one nice thing this location has to offer is very nice outdoor seating. There's nothing better than having a couple of beers and making a meal of $5 appetizers on a beautiful evening. It's just a shame there's nothing really to look at except the parking lot. I'd say that if you're looking to go, go during happy hour for the drink and appetizer specials or for the Sunday brunch buffet. It's not worth it so go for the regular menu because I don't think the prices are in line with the quality of the food.
(3)
William E.
While I am the farthest thing from a fan of her sister-restaurant (Ip Modern Kitchen) Walnut Grill is great. This fun little place has a great menu, with some really great deals. Monday and Tuesdays feature cheap burgers, there are drink specials daily, and the staff is always friendly. We have begun to frequent Walnut Grill, and have yet to be disappointed. Oh! Make sure you ask for bread if they don't bring it out to begin with. It is made right there, comes out warm, and always has some interesting things to spread on. The buffalo chicken wrap is good too. My only complaint here is that the Guinness is served in a tulip shaped glass, but is a significantly lower volume than a real Guinness glass (12 ounces here, vs 16 with an American Pint Glass, or 20 with a European glass). We love this place, and recommend that people try it out!
(4)
Jacob S.
Met some friends here for dinner Sunday night. Service was friendly but extremely slow. Waited 40 minutes for our meals which were followed by the appetizer which came with the jalapeños we had asked to be omitted. I expected the appetizer would be comped since it didn't arrive until after our meals, but it wasn't. Our meals were good and the server was very friendly, but overall the experience was lacking.
(3)
Abby Z.
We stopped by for a late lunch last Sunday. Very disappointed! We asked for a booth and then was told there were none available- meanwhile all the booths were open but one. Service was incredibly slow. Will not be returning!
(1)
Peter H.
Sunday all you can eat buffet, Prime rib was excellent, omelets made to order was superb! Brunch for 5 = $100 whether you're hungry or not because on Sunday afternoon there's nothing under $16 I loved the food. Bathrooms a little too dirty for classy ambiance.
(4)
T C.
Ambiance is refined, with the dining area comfortably separated from the bar with big-screen TVs. There's also nice outdoor seating on the patio. Service was quick and attentive. The bread was warm and delicious with a choice of 3 spreads. I didn't care for the chocolate chip butter, but the whipped butter and hummus were good. The calamari appetizer was half fried calamari (a little chewy but tasty) and half fried hot peppers. Of all the many places where I've ordered fried calamari, this was the skimpiest amount of calamari I've gotten. It should have been, at most, 4 hot peppers and the rest calamari. My daughter is vegetarian and she had very limited options. Not even a pasta dish without meat or seafood! I'm sure we could have ordered an entree and had them hold the meat, but we'd be paying the same amount, while the restaurant saves money on the meat or seafood. She ended up with a salad, which she enjoyed. One of our friends had the same salad and she said it was okay. The rest of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals: seafood pesto pasta, fish tacos, lobster mac & cheese, and vegetable flatbread. All in all, the food was very good and we had a nice, pleasant meal. But we probably won't be back until they put more vegetarian options on the menu.
(4)
Ebony E.
Went to eat dinner with my family. I ordered a salad. As I mixed the greens, there was a long strand of hair in my salad--disgusting. However, the waiter took my salad away--and said "sorry." We ate and finished our dinner. I asked to speak to a manager. I told the manager "Scott" that it as very unusual for a manager to never come to the table and apologize. I thought it would be customary for a manager to approach the table and share that he/she spoke to the kitchen, and maybe say this "is unusual" and maybe offer a free appetizer. Nope, "Scott" replied I thought "Brittany" (the 12 year old waitress) handled it. I am very disappointed-even Wendy's would have handled this better. Customer service is everything-all consumers should be treated as such.
(1)
Aaron M.
Half decent food but overpriced.. Have been here a couple of times but my favorite memory is when my friend who was in the middle of a 4 day blackout binge started to hit on a 50 year old woman and told her I want to fuck you!! That was enough to get us kicked out.. I guess they don't appreciate a good straight forward flirting lol mind you we were 25 lol
(2)
j h.
Tried this out for a lunch on Saturday. Wasn't too busy which was nice. I ordered the lettuce wrap appetizer and my friend ordered the walnut chicken salad sandwich. Both were very good! Lettuce wraps were build your own which is nice. I would def recommend this to others and will come back if I'm in the area again.
One word...Amazing, the lobster Mac and Cheese, was outstanding. It was my first time, and their will be a second.
(5)
Patti G.
Had my mother's 80th Birthday Party on a very snowy day in February. We reserved part of the party room. They were packed, but we never had to ask for anything! The service was pristine (as always)! The food was excellent! We brought our own cake and they requested to keep it cold in their fridge until we were ready, which worked out very well! Our waiters kept our beverages filled and were pleasant! Everyone, including the manger said "Happy Birthday" to my mom on the way out and asked if we were happy with the service....my answer to him was "Exceptional"! My mom was so happy and surprised, the staff made it that much better! We will be back!
(5)
Celeta S.
I really enjoyed my dinner. The service was great and so was the food. They had chocolate cherry butter and it was delicious. My salad was different but very tasty. It had poached pears in it i would certainly order that again. I had lamb chops and they were devine! Loved the $4 Long Island iced tea special too.
(5)
Ashley J.
I have been coming to walnut grill for years and I am never disappointed! My husband even proposed to me at the Mt. Lebanon restaurant with a custom made dessert. I love tasting the different hummus and butter varieties with the fresh bread at the start of the meal. Some of my favorites on the menu are the sweet chili chicken boneless wings, the beet salad, the Parmesan crusted chicken, and the barbecue chicken flatbread! I recommend this restaurant to families and couples and friends dining out!
(5)
Ricardo S.
Decided to take my wife (and children) to Walnut Grill (WG) for Mother's Day dinner aanndd as usual, I was not let down. We have eaten at this WG on numerous occasions and have always had good service and a good meal. Now whilst there were one (or THREE) speed bumps, our overall experience was pleasurable. Being the gentleman that I am, let me start with my children. They ordered burgers off of the kiddos menu (that were priced at $5.95)and we'll they got what we paid for. While they were okay the patties were about the size of a flattened out golf ball. They were dwarfed by the size of the bun AND outside of that their meals were fine. My twin T-Rex's devoured them like nobody's business. Now this is were the fun begins. My wife ordered some $19.00 chicken dish (forgive me ladies for not remembering the name) with a baked sweet potato. Well when it arrived the chicken was okay, HOWEVER the baked sweet potato was very cold. So our server (Jason J.) who I want to add was a freakin phenom took it back and brought my wife one that was as hot as Chernobyl in August. Weelll by the time that came back to the table the chicken was so cold it needed a coat. Our waitstaff scooped it up (like the pirates in the World Series trying to hit the cut off man) took it in the back and had the kitchen do their magic. When it returned it appeared to be on life support waiting to have the plug pulled. When my (patient AND good spirited) wife tasted it, it left much to be desired. Again Jason rode in and without a single excuse took the moment from ZERO to HERO!! And did not stop until my wife was sated. And I appreciated that because she was the reason we were there. Did I say Jason J. was a phenom already? Now as for me (the also ran) my meal was great. I had the $18.00 wild mushroom chicken w/the baked sweet potato, a side of cream spinach and water and quite frankly I could not have been happier. By the way did I say that our waiter was a phenom? Everything was hot, moist, succulent, etcetera. I enjoyed it, AND the company of the wife that tolerates me, and the kidZ that love me. To some this up (before it turns into war & peace) we had a great time in a clean establishment with great waitstaff. Oh and lest I forget my kidZ loved the tv in the louvre over the urinals. I had to almost pry them out. In summation I vote with my money and my feet and WG rest assured they will BOTH be back in the near future.
(3)
Alisha P.
There were 12 of us there last night for my birthday. The food was good, the drinks yummy and the service fantastic. Dom, our server was attentive and on point. Walnut Grove also offers a fabulous Happy Hour, the prices are unrivaled in the Fox Chapel area!!
(5)
Quay M.
Yummy. I really liked this particular location of Walnut Grill. I visited for the first time a few weeks ago and really enjoyed myself. I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. My boyfriend and I dropped by prior to a networking charity event that we were attending. Neither one of us was particularly hungry so we just ordered apps. I ordered the Sweet Chili Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which was a rather large dish for an app. It could easily be split between two people. It was so super deliciously yummy. Or yummily delicious, whichever you prefer. :D There was an ample amount of chicken lightly covered in a really great sweet chili sauce along with walnuts, onions, and other things that I forget. You had to put the wrap together yourself, which sort of annoyed me, but they were so good! Another plus: they randomly had Pumpking! Thank God we got it there that visit because by that weekend it was all gone. I would chose this location over the others that I have visited because the food was really steps above. Service at all locations has been tremendously pleasant, very good.
(4)
Julie C.
I went to walnut grille for lunch this past Sunday. I know they were busy due to the brunch crowd, but it should not take the server 20 minutes to take your food order. I ordered the lemon caper fish and it was a disgusting pile of mush drowned in butter. I have never seen fresh fish get that mushy before so it had to have been breaded frozen fish. I got a sweet potato as well that was completely black from being burnt and my snow peas were in a pool of butter. For 17.00 I expected a lot more. Our server did not even acknowledge my remark that my meal was gross. I will never patronize this establishment again.
(2)
Tegan K.
This place used to be really fantastic and had a delicious cheese platter that was a great alternative to the typical greasy bar food. They've since ditched the cheese platter and added on variations of pizza and cheese fries. I miss Walnut GROVE, which had a touch more class to it.
(2)
Poppy D.
Great happy hour deals for drinks and appetizers, but overpriced entrees that keep us from having a full meal here. Outdoor patio is right in the Waterworks Mall, but on a nice day feels like you're not in a parking lot. Could use some attention to detail, like sweeping before the happy hour rush, but generally a good atmosphere for what I describe as an upscale (for Pittsburgh) chain-restaurant-like setting.
(3)
Diane F.
I will review this establishment only once because I will never go back there. My husband and I and another couple stopped to have something to eat after a movie. Because the dining room was soon closing, we were seated in the bar area at a booth. We waited at least 10 minutes for someone to come and speak to us at which time we told the server we needed two more place settings of flatware. When our food came, the waitress placed it on the table and rushed off so fast, we didn't have time to remind her that we still needed two place settings. We had to sit there letting the food get cold until we could flag down another waiter. Never during our time there did she offer us drink refills. Finally one of our party left the table and asked the manager if we could have more drinks. Several times while we were eating both the waitress and the manager spent time at the table adjacent to ours chatting with the younger people there. It never occurred to them to turn around and ask, "Do you need anything?" I will never go back there. Horrible experience. Oh, and we had to ask for our check too. Smallest tip I ever gave anyone.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
China P.
Overall: poor service, overpriced, nice atmosphere, food was blah to average. I won't go back and would not recommend to others. We attended the Fox Chapel Walnut Grill for brunch on Father's Day. The hostess took our party of 5 (4 adults, 1 child) to our booth which was near enough to the buffet area for easy access but secluded enough not to be bothered by the traffic. None of us had been to this restaurant before and we were unfamiliar with the setup, especially for the brunch buffet. I asked the hostess if we needed to wait to place drink orders and where the buffet was located. She waved in the direction of another dining area where the buffet was setup and said everything is in there and walked away. We sat for a few minutes and the waitress came to the table and asked if we wanted anything to drink. We asked what the choices were, as we didn't have menus, and she seemed confused by this question. She asked if we wanted menus and I said we're here for the brunch buffet but can you tell us the drink options. She then said they had Coke products. My husband asked for sweetened tea - they didn't have it. She ended up bringing menus and said we could order from the menu or get the buffet - we didn't know this was a choice as most restaurants serving a special brunch buffet do not also have kitchen service (except for special orders). We took a look at both the buffet and the menu and decided to go for the buffet since that's why we actually came. It's important to note that online the buffet is $17.95 for adults and $6.95 for kids and includes a made to order omelette bar; however, for Father's Day (and possibly other special occasion holidays) it's $23.95 for everybody and there is no omelette bar. Soft drinks and coffee are also extra by the way. I felt the buffet offerings were very limited compared to other brunch buffets, and the area where it's setup was very crowded and cramped. Minimal vegetarian options -fruit tray, garden salad, seafood salad, pasta salad, breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, pancakes and French toast sticks. There was also prime rib, some chicken dish, pork bacon and sausage, and a pastry/dessert section. There were no turkey or vegetarian breakfast meat substitutes. I ended up with pancakes (very dry), fruit, and potatoes. We found out after noticing the made to order omelette bar was missing (which our waitress didn't mention) that we could get omelettes made in the kitchen. They had 3 choices: Denver, Veggie and Seafood. The waitress was clearly unknowledgeable about the items being served, I asked what came in the veggie omelette and she said bell peppers, onions and cheese. I said perfect I'll take that with cheddar cheese. She told my dad the same thing but actually told him it came with cheddar cheese standard. My daughter ordered the seafood (crab, shrimp and tomatoes), hold the tomatoes add cheddar. None of our omelettes had cheddar cheese but came with mozzarella (which I personally can't stand with eggs) and the "crab" was actually imitation crab (something important for the server to note I think). Furthermore, the veggie omelettes actually came with red and green peppers (no onions) but also spinach and mushrooms. This was not the combo I'd ordered. Anyway, the server was nice but not a very good waitress in my opinion. For $140 I expect both good service and good food, if you feel the same I would not recommend the Walnut Grill brunch.
(2)George M.
Outdoor deck is excellent for cocktails, good beer, and even Susie b's! Excellent bar food within a late night menu. One of the best hang outs in the doc chapel area!
(4)Danielle P.
Walnut Grill is one of my favorite spots for an afterwork drink or a quick, fresh meal. Their menu is American fare with a twist, their wine list is excellent, and the atmosphere is always fun. They recently expanded the bar area to have more seating and comfy booths. The servers remember you if you're a frequent flyer and are always efficient. They have great live music some nights, too! I'll pretty much always be a regular here!
(4)Rochelle H.
Here's the thing that peeves me a little about this restaurant chain. Why can't they open a restaurant closer to me? I know that I only have to cross one river to get to the nearest Walnut Grill, but can't they open one up the street from me? :-)! Me, my family and friends have been to this restaurant many, many times and I can't believe that I have never written a review since it's one of my favorite go-to places. I think that I have had every single appetizer on the menu, with the exception of the stuffed banana peppers or Seared Tuna Tacos(I just don't like stuffed banana peppers or seared tuna) . My favorite appetizers are the Pork Dumplings, Fried Pickles and Cheese and Fruit Plate. You can't go wrong with any of these choices and if you go during their "Happier Hour", the prices are reduced to $5 or half. What's not to like about that? My favorite go-to dish is the Wild Mushroom Chicken. Is it a cutting edge dish? No, but I still love it and I usually add one of their delicious scrumptious crabcakes to go with it. (I hate crabcakes with a lot of fillers and vegegies. Theirs has neither and "I die" for both dishes. Also not to be missed, if they have any kind of meat shank in season, just order it , eat it, pay for it and go home to recover from a meat coma. They're just that good. My daughter usually orders the Buffalo Chicken Wrap or Shaved Prime Rib Sandwich. Both are delcious and very filling with your choice of a side dish. For the desserts, you can't go wrong with the Brownie Works or Walnut Turtle Meltaway. The devil is a liar if you don't think either of these desserts are yummy!
(4)Robert U.
I'm still working this one out. There is some good potential here, though. The food is pretty good, if a bit predictable. I like the Pittsburgh Salad, for example - traditional greens, plus grilled chicken an some crispy fries. Service has been spotty. Some servers seem to have half the restaurant. You'll get one shot at a drink. Run out and you're out of luck till the check comes! A disappointment. Sitting at the bar results in much better service. But in an area without many traditional, sit-down restaurants, this one is worth a try. See how your experience goes and post a review of your own.
(3)Nellie P.
The food is okay but nothing special and over priced. I've been going here sporadically for years and seem to have bad service no matter how much turnover there has been. It could be rude personalities one time then forgetting the bacon on an item to giving me chicken in a salad instead of steak the next. I don't see the staff write down any orders which I think could attribute to some of the food errors but in general the drinks aren't refilled and the smiles are missing. The atmosphere is the best part, inside and outside are both very nice. I'd recommend sitting outside and keeping your expectations low if you are going to eat here.
(2)Laura R.
Was there recently for a bridal shower and was not impressed by the service. Granted I know serving a large party can be difficult, plus one of the servers said she was very new (maybe don't put a new server in a large party?). We kept trying to order drinks, cocktails, coffee, water - it didn't matter - you had to ask at least twice if you really wanted it and even then it would take over 20 minutes to get things. We had a pre-selected menu to choose from and everything from it was fine - the walnut salad was the best thing on the menu, really good. The buffalo chicken wrap was okay. But it all would have been lovely if the service would have been better/faster, especially since it was just a lot of drinks and there were only a few choices for food!
(2)David C.
Always a favorite place food is good staff is great and you can always have Fun. Although they reprinted the menu (it looks like a photo album for a cocktail table) there really aren't that many changes although much to the chagrin of Elyssa they dropped the Tuna Melt. They should add buffalo burgers back on the menu to pick up the overflow from nearby Burgatory, not too many people are willing to wait 2 hours for a burger. It amazes me how they offer $3 draft specials during happy hour you can tell the beer here is alway fresh unlike beer nutz which seems to never clean their taps. To add bar revenue they should offer the full mixologist specials year round and create a menu just for them. I consider this my local place to frequent at least 2-3 times per week!
(4)chris m.
Remember how the manager the second time said he'd give me a call back about "whether there is anything he could do for me" after the whole stir? (insert sarcastic exclamation here): I never heard back! Well, at least they are consistent...
(1)Kate K.
I've spent many an afternoon/evening at the Walnut Grove in Waterworks - mostly for happy hour, but sometimes for dinner as well. The happy hour is pretty decent. Although the prices have gone up since I last visited. About a year ago, the ahi tuna was included on the half priced apps for happy hour menu. For $5 you could get a nice sized piece of tuna - but it seems they caught on to the fact that they probably weren't making much money. The service is usually OK - nothing special, but not awful either. The one issue I have is that I just don't love their menu. Some overpriced salads, a couple of pizzas - 2 are pretty much identical except for the addition of fries (it is Pittsburgh people, fries come on everything!). A small sandwich selection and some seemingly overpriced entrees. I'll give them 3 stars for happy hour, but maybe 2 for the menu and pricing. But it's a convenient location and an alternative to heading downtown or to Lawrenceville when I'm in town and staying at Bakery Square.
(3)Serena T.
News flash - this restaurant was previously down the road and moved to this location a few years ago, so it's now in the Waterworks plaza area. I didn't realize this and went to the old location on 1141 Freeport Rd - and saw a Mexican restaurant. Not being familiar with the area, I'll admit I was slightly panicked as I had a baby shower to get to at this venue. Luckily, I was able to call a friend and he told me that they moved and it was down the road close to Chili's. It was a great venue to have an intimate gathering such as a baby shower. It was co-ed baby shower so it was very relaxed and they were serving alcohol - awesome. I decided not to partake in the alcohol consumption but enjoyed the spread of food they had. The quesadillas were tasty and so was the hummus. The spinach-artichoke dip seemed popular but I didn't try it. The place is real classy and seemed to be popular for dinner on a Sunday evening. Although we were in a private room - I took a peek at the restaurant side and saw that it was bumpin. Overall the space/decor was great and the food was decent. Although, I'm not sure that I'd make the trip all the way out here just to go to this place.
(3)Michelle S.
My boyfriend and I have decided to finally take this restaurant off our list since our last 2 visits have been less than positive. Most recently, we made reservations for New Year's Eve for 3 people for 7PM. We arrived about 10 minutes early and still had to wait till about 7:15 before we were seated. During our wait, we sat at an open table near the bar where we proceeded to order a couple drinks. However, the beers listed on the chalkboard menu on the wall weren't up to date. So the server had to keep running back and forth to the bar to verify the available drafts. We finally got to our table and ordered. Although our food showed up in a timely manner, the "fresh" veggies were mush and the food was accompanied by gnats. They were flying all over the place, landing on the table, on the wall, my boyfriend spent half the time swatting them away...but it was tough to gain the attention of our server as she was immersed in what must have been a very interesting conversation with a customer nearby. The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is because the manager reduced our bill. They couldn't move us due to the fact that all the tables had scheduled reservations. Finally, when we had our food boxed up since we didn't want to eat with the gnats, they boxed up and gave us some of the wrong food....it was just comical at that point. Our visit prior to New Year's Eve happened on a late afternoon on a weekend. We seated ourselves at a booth near the bar. It took almost 15 minutes for anyone to even acknowledge us! Even though there were servers in the area and walking past us multiple times, there was not acknowledgment. When our server finally appeared, she reeked of cigarette smoke...to the point that it was just offensive! We ordered our food and I had the Ahi Tuna, which I wouldn't recommend ordering again because it didn't seem fresh at all. It tasted frozen actually.
(2)Gordon G.
This is a step up from a big chain place and it is fresh and good. I had the smoked salmon salad and it is always good. Good drink specials as well. I haven't had a bad meal yet and always wonder if I will because the place is pretty big. Usually big places don't pull it off very well, but this place is well run. Give it a try.
(4)T S.
I hosted my wife's 40th... I mean, 29th, birthday party here and the service and food was fantastic. It was also a surprise party, on a Saturday evening, so the restaurant was packed. The manager and staff did a phenomenal job hiding my party of ~50 people in the back room, and helping "pull the wool" over my wife's eyes upon arrival. We had a buffet of apps and smaller plates that were kept plentifully stocked by the attentive waiter/waitress. And the drinks were delivered even more quickly. Went so smoothly... it was as if we had the entire restaurant to ourselves.
(5)Elise N.
Ended up here because we were not waiting 45 minutes for a table at Burgatory. Glad we decided to give it a try. The food was pretty good and our waitress was great. She even bought us dessert! Would definitely go back.
(4)Rob S.
Strawberrry Balsamico Salad is very good. Want something healthy and tasty...This is a great choice as well as the Carmelized Walnut Salad...Nice menu, great lemonade and a variety of healthy and tasty choice. Yes yes yes the burgers are good too
(4)Sara C.
I've been to Walnut Grove several times for every meal (not so much since Burgatory opened across the parking lot, but that's another story). Each time I've gone, I've had a pretty decent experience, but nothing too amazing. The food is ok, but depending on who you have waiting on you, the service can be a little spotty (which I suppose is true for any restaurant). The decor of the restaurant is tastefully done, but to be honest, I preferred the old location further down. It felt more comfortable and intimate. The one nice thing this location has to offer is very nice outdoor seating. There's nothing better than having a couple of beers and making a meal of $5 appetizers on a beautiful evening. It's just a shame there's nothing really to look at except the parking lot. I'd say that if you're looking to go, go during happy hour for the drink and appetizer specials or for the Sunday brunch buffet. It's not worth it so go for the regular menu because I don't think the prices are in line with the quality of the food.
(3)William E.
While I am the farthest thing from a fan of her sister-restaurant (Ip Modern Kitchen) Walnut Grill is great. This fun little place has a great menu, with some really great deals. Monday and Tuesdays feature cheap burgers, there are drink specials daily, and the staff is always friendly. We have begun to frequent Walnut Grill, and have yet to be disappointed. Oh! Make sure you ask for bread if they don't bring it out to begin with. It is made right there, comes out warm, and always has some interesting things to spread on. The buffalo chicken wrap is good too. My only complaint here is that the Guinness is served in a tulip shaped glass, but is a significantly lower volume than a real Guinness glass (12 ounces here, vs 16 with an American Pint Glass, or 20 with a European glass). We love this place, and recommend that people try it out!
(4)Jacob S.
Met some friends here for dinner Sunday night. Service was friendly but extremely slow. Waited 40 minutes for our meals which were followed by the appetizer which came with the jalapeños we had asked to be omitted. I expected the appetizer would be comped since it didn't arrive until after our meals, but it wasn't. Our meals were good and the server was very friendly, but overall the experience was lacking.
(3)Abby Z.
We stopped by for a late lunch last Sunday. Very disappointed! We asked for a booth and then was told there were none available- meanwhile all the booths were open but one. Service was incredibly slow. Will not be returning!
(1)Peter H.
Sunday all you can eat buffet, Prime rib was excellent, omelets made to order was superb! Brunch for 5 = $100 whether you're hungry or not because on Sunday afternoon there's nothing under $16 I loved the food. Bathrooms a little too dirty for classy ambiance.
(4)T C.
Ambiance is refined, with the dining area comfortably separated from the bar with big-screen TVs. There's also nice outdoor seating on the patio. Service was quick and attentive. The bread was warm and delicious with a choice of 3 spreads. I didn't care for the chocolate chip butter, but the whipped butter and hummus were good. The calamari appetizer was half fried calamari (a little chewy but tasty) and half fried hot peppers. Of all the many places where I've ordered fried calamari, this was the skimpiest amount of calamari I've gotten. It should have been, at most, 4 hot peppers and the rest calamari. My daughter is vegetarian and she had very limited options. Not even a pasta dish without meat or seafood! I'm sure we could have ordered an entree and had them hold the meat, but we'd be paying the same amount, while the restaurant saves money on the meat or seafood. She ended up with a salad, which she enjoyed. One of our friends had the same salad and she said it was okay. The rest of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals: seafood pesto pasta, fish tacos, lobster mac & cheese, and vegetable flatbread. All in all, the food was very good and we had a nice, pleasant meal. But we probably won't be back until they put more vegetarian options on the menu.
(4)Ebony E.
Went to eat dinner with my family. I ordered a salad. As I mixed the greens, there was a long strand of hair in my salad--disgusting. However, the waiter took my salad away--and said "sorry." We ate and finished our dinner. I asked to speak to a manager. I told the manager "Scott" that it as very unusual for a manager to never come to the table and apologize. I thought it would be customary for a manager to approach the table and share that he/she spoke to the kitchen, and maybe say this "is unusual" and maybe offer a free appetizer. Nope, "Scott" replied I thought "Brittany" (the 12 year old waitress) handled it. I am very disappointed-even Wendy's would have handled this better. Customer service is everything-all consumers should be treated as such.
(1)Aaron M.
Half decent food but overpriced.. Have been here a couple of times but my favorite memory is when my friend who was in the middle of a 4 day blackout binge started to hit on a 50 year old woman and told her I want to fuck you!! That was enough to get us kicked out.. I guess they don't appreciate a good straight forward flirting lol mind you we were 25 lol
(2)j h.
Tried this out for a lunch on Saturday. Wasn't too busy which was nice. I ordered the lettuce wrap appetizer and my friend ordered the walnut chicken salad sandwich. Both were very good! Lettuce wraps were build your own which is nice. I would def recommend this to others and will come back if I'm in the area again.
(4)J P.
We came for dinner on a rainy and dark Halloween evening. (No, this is not the start of a horror story!) Given the choice of the patio (which was actually a room inside with large windows) or the dining room, we opted for the quieter dining room. With 90% of the room empty, we were seated at the booth right next to the kitchen entrance. No big deal and of course we could have asked to be seated somewhere else had it mattered. She got a vodka mojito which she loved as it was really minty and she's not much of a drinker. The Jamesons I ordered was a generous pour. We decided on Artichoke and Spinach dip for an appetizer, which came with some tasty sesame seed crackers as well as tortilla chips. The dip was packed with artichokes and we liked it. And it was probably enough for 4 people. The entrée was potato-crusted cod for her and a filet for me. Both came with veggies. I thought the filet was delicious although a little undercooked for medium. And she gave her cod a thumbs-up. The salad I got was fresh and sized just right. I tried crème brulee for dessert and the crust was a little overdone - had a burnt undertone to it. But still I ate it all. We both enjoyed the coffee after the meal, very robust. Service was a little slow IMO given the small number of patrons at the time but cheerful and polite. But I should mention that sometimes I've been known to think the service is slow when it's just a restaurant's way of not trying to rush people. Two drinks, two entrees, an appetizer and dessert with coffee came to just under $100 before tip. Would probably go here next time we're in the area as I'm done with the long waits at that burger joint in the same shopping center.
(4)Kea H.
One word...Amazing, the lobster Mac and Cheese, was outstanding. It was my first time, and their will be a second.
(5)Patti G.
Had my mother's 80th Birthday Party on a very snowy day in February. We reserved part of the party room. They were packed, but we never had to ask for anything! The service was pristine (as always)! The food was excellent! We brought our own cake and they requested to keep it cold in their fridge until we were ready, which worked out very well! Our waiters kept our beverages filled and were pleasant! Everyone, including the manger said "Happy Birthday" to my mom on the way out and asked if we were happy with the service....my answer to him was "Exceptional"! My mom was so happy and surprised, the staff made it that much better! We will be back!
(5)Celeta S.
I really enjoyed my dinner. The service was great and so was the food. They had chocolate cherry butter and it was delicious. My salad was different but very tasty. It had poached pears in it i would certainly order that again. I had lamb chops and they were devine! Loved the $4 Long Island iced tea special too.
(5)Ashley J.
I have been coming to walnut grill for years and I am never disappointed! My husband even proposed to me at the Mt. Lebanon restaurant with a custom made dessert. I love tasting the different hummus and butter varieties with the fresh bread at the start of the meal. Some of my favorites on the menu are the sweet chili chicken boneless wings, the beet salad, the Parmesan crusted chicken, and the barbecue chicken flatbread! I recommend this restaurant to families and couples and friends dining out!
(5)Ricardo S.
Decided to take my wife (and children) to Walnut Grill (WG) for Mother's Day dinner aanndd as usual, I was not let down. We have eaten at this WG on numerous occasions and have always had good service and a good meal. Now whilst there were one (or THREE) speed bumps, our overall experience was pleasurable. Being the gentleman that I am, let me start with my children. They ordered burgers off of the kiddos menu (that were priced at $5.95)and we'll they got what we paid for. While they were okay the patties were about the size of a flattened out golf ball. They were dwarfed by the size of the bun AND outside of that their meals were fine. My twin T-Rex's devoured them like nobody's business. Now this is were the fun begins. My wife ordered some $19.00 chicken dish (forgive me ladies for not remembering the name) with a baked sweet potato. Well when it arrived the chicken was okay, HOWEVER the baked sweet potato was very cold. So our server (Jason J.) who I want to add was a freakin phenom took it back and brought my wife one that was as hot as Chernobyl in August. Weelll by the time that came back to the table the chicken was so cold it needed a coat. Our waitstaff scooped it up (like the pirates in the World Series trying to hit the cut off man) took it in the back and had the kitchen do their magic. When it returned it appeared to be on life support waiting to have the plug pulled. When my (patient AND good spirited) wife tasted it, it left much to be desired. Again Jason rode in and without a single excuse took the moment from ZERO to HERO!! And did not stop until my wife was sated. And I appreciated that because she was the reason we were there. Did I say Jason J. was a phenom already? Now as for me (the also ran) my meal was great. I had the $18.00 wild mushroom chicken w/the baked sweet potato, a side of cream spinach and water and quite frankly I could not have been happier. By the way did I say that our waiter was a phenom? Everything was hot, moist, succulent, etcetera. I enjoyed it, AND the company of the wife that tolerates me, and the kidZ that love me. To some this up (before it turns into war & peace) we had a great time in a clean establishment with great waitstaff. Oh and lest I forget my kidZ loved the tv in the louvre over the urinals. I had to almost pry them out. In summation I vote with my money and my feet and WG rest assured they will BOTH be back in the near future.
(3)Alisha P.
There were 12 of us there last night for my birthday. The food was good, the drinks yummy and the service fantastic. Dom, our server was attentive and on point. Walnut Grove also offers a fabulous Happy Hour, the prices are unrivaled in the Fox Chapel area!!
(5)Quay M.
Yummy. I really liked this particular location of Walnut Grill. I visited for the first time a few weeks ago and really enjoyed myself. I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. My boyfriend and I dropped by prior to a networking charity event that we were attending. Neither one of us was particularly hungry so we just ordered apps. I ordered the Sweet Chili Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which was a rather large dish for an app. It could easily be split between two people. It was so super deliciously yummy. Or yummily delicious, whichever you prefer. :D There was an ample amount of chicken lightly covered in a really great sweet chili sauce along with walnuts, onions, and other things that I forget. You had to put the wrap together yourself, which sort of annoyed me, but they were so good! Another plus: they randomly had Pumpking! Thank God we got it there that visit because by that weekend it was all gone. I would chose this location over the others that I have visited because the food was really steps above. Service at all locations has been tremendously pleasant, very good.
(4)Julie C.
I went to walnut grille for lunch this past Sunday. I know they were busy due to the brunch crowd, but it should not take the server 20 minutes to take your food order. I ordered the lemon caper fish and it was a disgusting pile of mush drowned in butter. I have never seen fresh fish get that mushy before so it had to have been breaded frozen fish. I got a sweet potato as well that was completely black from being burnt and my snow peas were in a pool of butter. For 17.00 I expected a lot more. Our server did not even acknowledge my remark that my meal was gross. I will never patronize this establishment again.
(2)Tegan K.
This place used to be really fantastic and had a delicious cheese platter that was a great alternative to the typical greasy bar food. They've since ditched the cheese platter and added on variations of pizza and cheese fries. I miss Walnut GROVE, which had a touch more class to it.
(2)Poppy D.
Great happy hour deals for drinks and appetizers, but overpriced entrees that keep us from having a full meal here. Outdoor patio is right in the Waterworks Mall, but on a nice day feels like you're not in a parking lot. Could use some attention to detail, like sweeping before the happy hour rush, but generally a good atmosphere for what I describe as an upscale (for Pittsburgh) chain-restaurant-like setting.
(3)Diane F.
I will review this establishment only once because I will never go back there. My husband and I and another couple stopped to have something to eat after a movie. Because the dining room was soon closing, we were seated in the bar area at a booth. We waited at least 10 minutes for someone to come and speak to us at which time we told the server we needed two more place settings of flatware. When our food came, the waitress placed it on the table and rushed off so fast, we didn't have time to remind her that we still needed two place settings. We had to sit there letting the food get cold until we could flag down another waiter. Never during our time there did she offer us drink refills. Finally one of our party left the table and asked the manager if we could have more drinks. Several times while we were eating both the waitress and the manager spent time at the table adjacent to ours chatting with the younger people there. It never occurred to them to turn around and ask, "Do you need anything?" I will never go back there. Horrible experience. Oh, and we had to ask for our check too. Smallest tip I ever gave anyone.
(1)