Gooski’s
3117 Brereton St, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219
Gooski’s Menu
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Address :
3117 Brereton St
Pittsburgh, PA, 15219 - Phone (412) 681-1658
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : No
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Music : Live, Juke Box
Good For Dancing : Yes
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Yes
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
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Brian K.
Awesome dive bar in polish hill. Tim is an awesome nordic ice warrior prince who slays the bar. Food is above par for bar food. They have great weekly specials and it's a nice place to see a show. The atmosphere, like most dive bars, depends on how packed it is; you can go have a quite drink and smoke with a few friends at a booth, or be packed and wait a few for a drinks. Love this place.
(4)Alana D.
my man and i have decided that gooskis has the best wings EVER. that is all.
(5)Stephanie T.
Gooski's is one of my favorite bars in Pittsburgh! Why, oh why, would I enjoy such a small punk dive as Gooski's, you ask? For one, service is amazing, beer selection fantastic, shows there are great, they have the best jukebox in the city (maybe even in the state!?), and their prices are decent. Only setback - smoking's still allowed here, so I wind up having to shower immediately after every visit. (Not that I don't shower already after a sweaty night at a bar, but you know what I mean!) For a (very) amateur beer connoisseur, their fridge sends me to heaven and back. They have a full supply of pretty much all the Unibroue beers, Delirium, Lambics, and a whole slew of other imported beers I've never even heard of. More importantly though, their usual weeknight bartender is amazing! To be honest, he looks to be an intimidating character, but in reality, he's super nice, patient, mad efficient, and helpful in selecting my next brew of choice. A+ for service! Definitely check out Gooski's if you don't mind a bit of smoke and some Polish Hill punks.
(5)Scott A.
The beer selection is vast, the prices are low, and the bartender understands Polish pronunciation - as Charlie Sheen would say, this place is tri-winning! Also, Saturday's live band, while not really all that great, fit in pretty perfectly in the back room of this place. The only negative - call me high maintenance, but I'll never be a fan of smoking in bars, which means minus one star. 10 months into the Pittsburgh chapter of my life and I finally made my way over... I kind of feel like I've wasted at least 12 days of those months by not going to Gooski's on a regular basis. I look forward to returning on a non-live show night to see what this place is like with the back room offering the full array of bar room funtivities - perhaps they will make me forget the smoke and offer up a full-fledged five stars.
(4)Alan L.
all the "hype" left me wanting a little more from this place, but you can't deny it's classic dive appeal. ample space, cheap drinks and fast service is about all you can ask for in a dive. the fact is, you know what you're getting with this place, and the quasi-isolated location keeps those who aren't into the scene out of your face.
(4)Eric C.
I love this place. Started hanging out there on what would become the first date with my now wife. Introduced to the place by a fellow musician.. the place has a great vibe for all types of people. It's dark, not pretentious, they have a great (cheap) selection of beers, killer tunes on the jukebox, and the most amazing honey BBQ wings ever.
(5)Nelson T.
Gooski's is a great bar. One of my favorites and the best for what it is. A small, dark, smokey bar lit with red lights and filled with people who are chilling and doing their own thing. On weeknights it can be quiet conversations but it can get loud if someone turns on the jukebox. There's also a backroom that's well lit and has more space and 2 pool tables and pingpong. On weekends bands play back there and the place is packed! Finally, if you're a beer lover then there's a lot of microbrews for very cheap prices (ie, dfh 90 min ipa pints for $4). I highly recommend this bar. Check it out on Monday or Tuesday when it's not packed to see if you dig it.
(5)Mark G.
Can you get more of a dive bar than Gooski's? Admittedly I've only done some day drinking here on a few occasions so I can't comment on the night crowd, but it's a good place to relax and have a few beers if you're passing through Polish Hill. They have a good selection of beers on tap with some quality brews, and their prices are lower than average for most. If you enter during the day, you have to wait a few minutes for your eyes to adjust. Gooski's keeps it Dark inside. The first time I entered I wasn't sure they were open. But give it 5 minutes and you get used to it. There's also a pool table in the back room and I've even seen the room used to show some very odd movie scenes, which tells you they like to mix it up there too. Gooski's won't dress up for you, but it's the right place for good beer and some good people if you're in Polish Hill.
(4)Nick C.
It's hard to not be biased when you've grown up with this bar as a part of your life: this was my parent's watering hole and the bar i chose to turn 21 at. Pure nostalgia. But i've got to say, whenever i visit my hometown from New York, this place takes the cake for the best example of a good-ole American dive bar. Even better than nyc bars! And here's a good secret: They have the BEST juke box in the city. Lastly, the neighborhood is so cool...for such a hidden bar, they sure do get a lot of customers!! If you've ever watched the film, The Deer Hunter, this is Welch's. Not literally but the closest thing to it...Look it up!
(5)Bernard S.
Terrible bar. Don't go here. The jukebox has a bunch of music that isn't on the radio. The bands that play here aren't even popular enough to play the regatta or a rib cook off. I would never dream of pooping in the bathroom.
(5)Miles P.
Probably my favorite Pgh bar, started going here 10 years ago and it was an instant attraction. I leave reality outside the door, it's a total escape. Great beer selection, never ate food other than potato chips, fireplace working in the back room in the winter, pool tables, great juke box selection, it's your fantasy rock n roll basement. Downside - they need a smoke eater, when I leave there, get home and strip down and hang my clothes outside, go straight to the shower, the smoke is out of control.
(4)Mary V.
I went here alone when I first moved to Pittsburgh. Maybe it would've been a better experience had I not been alone, but I go out alone a lot, and I've never felt as awkward as I did when I walked into Gooski's. Everyone turned to look at me as I came in the door, and their eyes followed me until I took a seat in a booth by myself (do I have something on my face?). I grabbed a beer, sat and drank it and decided to leave rather than stay. It didn't feel very friendly to me.. but maybe I'll give it a second chance, based on some of these other reviews.
(2)Colin W.
This dive bar on Polish Hill is known for its cheap beer and live music. It's also, in my opinion, known for rude patrons, extremely loud noise levels, and rooms so crowded you can't walk, even when no band is playing. Other reviewers definitely seem to find this incredible crowding appealing, but I guess I prefer to have room to sit, stand, and move around. I'll not be visiting Gooski's again.
(1)Donald P.
The best dive bar in Pittsburgh. This is the kind of place you would expect to find in NYC, not next to an old Polish church. No pretensions and no attitude. Just a great, reasonably priced selection of beers, micro and imported. Great specials on Wed/Thur with $1.50 imports and micros (forget which on which night). Great juke box, friendly bartenders, pool and table tennis. Also has live music including such great acts as the Slavic Soul Party and Balkan Beat Box .
(5)Sarah S.
Gooskis YAY!!! Love you Marcus and Timmy!
(5)Evan M.
I really enjoy this place. It's always a good time, with a great juke box and surprisingly skilled bartenders for what most would consider a dive bar. If you like bloody marys, I'd recommend them. This is an excellent place to meet up with people to chat, and it's usually pretty low key. I think all neighborhood bar owners should have to visit here to see what they should be doing. The crowd is usually so varied that people watching is excellent and it's never so loud that you need to shout. It can get incredibly smoky towards the end of the night, almost uncomfortably so, but it suits the atmosphere.
(4)Jenney C.
Gooski's is my favorite dive bar in Pittsburgh though I tend not to go there when it's snowy or icy since it requires negotiating very steep hills. They do have a surprisingly good beer selection and the bartenders are nice. If you ask, they will give you candy if they have it. They do have perogies that are decent, but pretty expensive for perogies. You can get a pizza delivered there if the kitchen is closed. It is pretty smokey, which is typical for Pittsburgh despite their attempts to pass no smoking laws. Fridays is a good night if you want to see live music(there is a cover). Sometimes the music is good and sometimes it's a strange hair metal band, which is also pretty awesome in it's own way.
(5)Erica G.
There is no better bar.
(5)Anna J.
Suitable for anyone who enjoys avoiding sunlight. Red light bulbs, black walls, cheap drinks, great posters, jukebox and possibly Viking or Norse bartender. If I lived in Pittsburgh I would be a regular. This place is great and also is the only place I've ever seen the INSIDE of a toilet tagged. Perfect for drinking whiskey and beer.
(4)Jessica M.
Previous posters have done a lot to explain why this place rocks. HOWEVER, in spite of its crucialness, I found myself going there less and less often, and I say this knowing that it sounds totally weak, because I couldn't deal with the smoke. (I know I am not the only one.) Sure, it's a dive bar, but we all know that it was pretty next-level here. But this has all changed with the implementation of a new ventilation system that actually led to my going home on Friday night wondering whether they had banned smoking there, because I hadn't noticed any smoke. They did not ban smoking. All Hail Gooski's!
(5)Kevin A.
Hipster central, but they've got a good beer selection, nice ambiance, and that perfect dive bar noise level in the front room - with a band in the back, it's loud, but not so loud that you can't have a conversation - just right.
(4)Jamie L.
I recently moved to NYC and have found nothing that compares to the greatness that is Gooski's. Dark and smokey, with cheap drinks, an awesome jukebox, and a ever-revolving cast of interesting characters, Gooski's is the best dive in the 'burgh. Try the kielbasa 'n' kraut sandwich and "red shots" made exclusively by Tim the bartender (just don't ask what's in them).
(5)Cotton C.
The greatest bar of all time
(5)clare m.
oh gooski's. your music is loud. your beer is cheap. your pool tables are bountiful. and your bathrooms are disgusting. you are everything i could possibly want in a dive bar. when i return to my homeland at x-mas time, i will be paying you a visit, my love.
(4)bettina e.
By far the best bar in Pittsburgh. Quite possibly the best bar ever? Incredibly strong cheap drinks, great friends, great music, and the best pool tournaments ever. I pretty much don't even remember the first time I ever went to Gooski's. I don't even know what bars I went to before I started coming here.....hmmmm. The first great thing about this place is location. It was about 5 minutes' drive from my old apartment. I think I got lost going to this place probably the first 10 times I went. It's located in the heart of Polish Hill, but I really don't think any Polish people ever went there. I'm pretty sure this place served food because I think I was even friends with some of the "cooks" there, but I honestly don't remember ever eating anything there besides the free pretzel rods. I don't think they even have lime or lemon wedges to garnish cocktails. Probably the best about this bar was its locals. I don't remember anybody's name except this dude named Bob. He is always in the back room playing pool with a tall can of Busch in his hand. I think he's retired, but I'm not exactly sure from what occupation? But he always had super funny things to say and he always had these skinny little joints he'd smoke with us at the bus stop a couple of doors down. Nice guy. Somehow I even have a Gooski's t-shirt, which I still proudly wear from time to time in sunny San Diego. Everyone is always like "WTF does your shirt mean?" and I don't even bother to explain because they'll never understand the greatness of Gooski's unless they attend in person to experience the unbelievably smoky ambience and all the hand-written decor in the bathrooms.
(5)Kat S.
Oh Gooski's. How I love you. I am married to the Park House, but I would cheat on it with you more often if only you weren't in Polish Hill. I love your rank smoky dive-bar stench, your incredibly strong mixed drinks at garage-sale prices, your penchant for punk rock... You might be the best dive bar in the history of the universe.
(5)Kathleen T.
i have such a fine time here whenever visiting good ol' pittsburgh. the best/funniest was back in '02, when visiting friend todd, and meeting his roomate. said roomate got so sozzled he actually pooped himself, then passed out. when he awoke, covered in crap, he simply wanted to know why anybody would put all that poop all over him... yeah. good times.
(4)Ted W.
yeah, it's that good. don't trust me. go. I wish I lived inside this place. maybe they'll hire me as a part time bar back and pay me in cheap delicious beer and crackling spicy wings. god if only didn't have rent and a hugely materialistic bent..
(5)JP F.
Without question, my favorite Pittsburgh dive bar. Good jukebox, decent beer selection, and the cheapest prices on good beer I've yet found in Pittsburgh. Plus, it has a canonical dive-bar atmosphere that warms my cockles. I haven't tried the food, though it has been repeatedly recommended to me. My only complaint is the relative inaccessibility of Polish Hill.
(4)Steve M.
No frills, no crap, good 'ol honest bar. I love the ping pong and pool table. Bartender with the beard and baseball cap is cool. Great beer selection, good prices. Nice people hang out here. Good fries. Amazing juke box.
(4)Courtney L.
I LOVE THIS BAR! I wish that I could put it in my pocket, and take it back to Los Angeles with me. Gooski's has hands down the best jukebox that I have ever had the pleasure of bullying. Side note: jukebox bullying is when you put in a crap ton of money in to guarantee listening to your own tunes while drinking. This can annoy other bar patrons, but you can be assured that you will be listening to good music. Back the review, I bullied with Talking Heads, ELO, Pixies, Beck, MGMT, Bo Diddly, Ray Charles, The Clash, and much much more. Maybe no one else wanted to hear Road to Nowhere, but I had a fantastic time. On top of the eclectic jukebox, the drinks are incredibly cheap!! Jameson and Gingers for 4 bucks? SOLD! I hear the beer selection is great as well, which I am not surprised in a city like Pittsburgh. I will be making many repeat appearances in the next couple of months. I love you Gooski's!!
(5)Devin W.
Take an awesome dive bar with cheap drinks, dim lighting, incredible jukebox, great staff, and good location and you've got Gooski's. The best of the best. Everyone loves this bar. People from out of the city want to go there because they've heard about it. They have a great menu, the food is awesome, and did I mention the jukebox is sublime? Oh, and on sundays... bloody mary specials. Who could ask for more?
(5)Ashley H.
We roadtripped to Gooski's to see our friend's band a few month ago. We had never been to Pittsburgh before and I'm still dreaming about the wings. They were awesome.
(5)Carey M.
Gooski's is the best bar in Pittsburgh for several reasons: 1. Best jukebox in Pittsburgh. 2. Cheap drinks, with a wide selection of beers and liquor. 3. Awesome staff - people who are friendly, love their job and do it well. 4. The crowd is usually a mix of fun, nice, and interesting people. 5. 75 cent pool table, free ping-pong. 6. Great wings (the cajun wings are fantastic). 7. They have HDTVs for sports, 8. A backroom that doubles as venue for shows.
(5)Seth M.
3 shrugs, 2 blinks and an "i dont know" we went based on yelp reviews. i thought this place was going to blow me away. this might be the coolest bar in pittsburgh. im not sure. ive only been to a few.
(3)Jennifer D.
I love Gooski's. I love it so hard. Sadly, it's been about three years since I've paid a visit -- unwisely moved out of the state -- but as soon as this blizzard clears up and I can get on a bus, I plan to remedy that. Best jukebox in town, great beers for cheap, awesome bartenders, and a giant Oriental carpet that has "F*** YOU" chalked onto it back by the pool tables; what more could you want? They used to have the best wings I've ever eaten anywhere, and that particularly includes at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo (those sucked). But I see below that someone said they've stopped serving food so they can still allow smoking. Can this be true? I might cry, or at the least have a moment of silence for the Old Bay wings. Many are the nights when a Straub and a basket of those wings served as dinner after a too-long shift at work followed by a too-long bus ride and walk up the hill. At least the last time I was there, it was cash only, but they have a convenient ATM located near the bar. The bathroom graffiti is legendary.
(5)Jess S.
This bar is basically one of the most exciting and fulfilling establishments available in the Steeler Nation. I know people who have spent most of their adult lives in this bar. I know people with tattoos based on the logo of this bar. I know people that won't go anywhere but Gooskis, who mean "Gooskis" when they say "the bar." I know of relationships and marriages that have started and ended at this bar. I have seen hearts sing, and get broken in this filthy, smoky bar. I hesitate to even tell you how great it is because I don't want to mess it up. Great bands & shows, with sweaty crowded dancing friends and strangers, excellent jukebox, amazing drinks, quality beer at ice cold temperatures poured out of clean(ish) taps, delicious bar food, prices frozen in 1981, and a diverse and interesting cast of characters seated at the bar & working behind it. Watch out, though. One time a trashed drunk dude grabbed my ass, and when I confronted him, his girlfriend got mad at me and tried to fight me. This is the sort of bar where neighbors bring over christmas lights to decorate for the holidays. There's a bunch of dirty punks hanging around here, a crowd of meatheads, some normal working people, some of Pittsburgh's elite intelligentsia, and so on. Generally you don't find a lot of students (or "short-timers") at this bar. This is for those who bleed black & gold, with roots in the allegheny AND the mon, or at least people who can adopt a reasonable yinzer accent & attitude (without irony?). PLUS THERE IS SOME M-FING PINBALL OK? This is more than a bar, really. It's not fair to call it that. It's a legend and an institution.
(5)Damon V.
good: it's cheap, loud, every now and then a good band will play, good drink selection. bad: the parking and the crowd. it's fun to watch the young kids marvel in this new bar they've just discovered and is totally the coolest place, like, ever. funny stuff.
(2)Ben S.
As you approach Gooski's for the first time, surrounded by nothing else commercial at all, you're probably thinking "wow, this place is nestled DEEP in the neighborhood." As you walk in, the good time vibe greets you, as does an utterly solid beer selection, including plenty of interesting picks from good cans to upscale bottles. It can be a little hard to see the selections available on the mirror menu, so take your time deciding - just approach the bar with your order after you've chosen. Saw a live show in the back here recently and dug the acoustics both in the back room and flowing into the pass-through to the bar. The jukebox selections were dyn-o-mite, too. Be prepared for indoor smoking, which almost feels like a throwback now. The crowd can be hit or miss, but more likely to be an agreeable mix, and if you're able to get a seat, they're comfortable. Really, if you make your way to Brereton, you're going to be rewarded with a good time and an enjoyable drink. PS - if you drove over, just remember to disengage the parking brake at the end of the night before moseying home.
(5)Marci L.
Went there with a friend. The bar is pretty cool and the drinks were cheap, but nothing special that stands out about this place.
(4)Rysa G.
This place has a lot of character, from the bar itself, the patrons and not to mention the decorative graffiti on the bathroom walls. Awesome for shows, pool, or just to hang out and drink beers. Defiantly one of my favorite spots in Pittsburgh, this place is a gem. Prices are extremely reasonable for drinks and shots. One thing to be aware of- this place is cash only and smoking is allowed! This doesn't bother me but could defiantly bother some people. Overall, this place is awesome for a hang out and you won't break the bank doing so either.
(5)Aaron F.
Perfect dive bar. Cheap drinks. Cheap food. Great variety in both. Good live music. Friendly bartender. Smoking is allowed so it's like it's 1998 with the ash tray smell leaving the place. Go swirly for what it is you really couldn't ask for more.
(5)Athena K.
Best wings in town!!!! Great bands there on the weekend (sound could be better though, needs to upgrade sound system as technical difficulties are often). The Pixies and other cool music on the jukebox. Decently priced drinks and the very attentive bartender Tim Q. (The female bartender is not good though, April). At any rate, very cozy, and it's like walking into your own den. Another improvement could be the lighting. Some people like sitting in the super dark, I do not. Parking can be rough, but ride your bike or somethin'.
(4)Marni K.
One of my all-time favorite dive bars. These are the types of places that make me so happy I moved back to Pittsburgh. Great beer and spirit selection (including decent scotches!) for cheap with awesome specials. And the food goes far beyond decent bar food...it holds its own ignoring the drinks. I've been thinking about those mozzarella sticks for the past few weeks since I went to Gooski's last. Also, the bartender is awesome and resembles a Viking God. Win. Win. Win.
(5)Olivia C.
Rarely does a dive bar deserves such high honors but I wish I could give more. First off, as 2 Asian gals, we stuck out like two crazy swollen thumbs. It was a Tuesday night and there were live bands performing. There's a cover charge BUT when the doorman asked if we were here to see the bands and we honestly said it was out first time, he simply smiled and said "go ahead". We found seats at the bar and was greeted by a bartender with the longest goatee I have ever seen. Having ventured into Brooklyn, New York plenty of times...I have seen a LOT of goatees. We made friends friends quickly with the fellow patrons who weren't shy to point out the house rules which were basically along the lines of "have your order ready, money ready, don't make us kill you". I won't lie; it was a bit intimidating but after a couple of beers, we were good. It was a lively crowd and was PACKED. Bathrooms were immaculate and jukebox/pool table/ ping pong table/ live bands were on point. I can't say it was my type of music but it worked. Parking was a bit scary bc it was was on steep hills (hence polish hills) BUT wow, the pierogis were FCUKING amazing (yes, I will try to use profanity bc they were that amazing)! I almost didn't want to write a review bc not only does the bar rules included something along the lines of "if you needed yelp to come here, you don't belong here" but this place is an amazing diamond in the jewelry store- it stands out the brightest amongst all diamonds. Will def have to come back. P.s. Shoutout to Tim for being the best bartender in Pittsburgh- I can see why he was voted #1.
(5)Jesse D.
I could begin by raving about the viking warrior of a bartender who mans the helm, sending your drink of choice your way with a sincere and quietly engaging, "Here you go, brother" and who, when not cashing out each drink order in turn, always makes up the check at night's end fairly and utterly lacking in calculated mathematics. It is what it is, after all and there's never a need to debate figures after a few cold ones. But the beauty of this place, in short, is it's complete lack of snark and irony. There is no ironic winking at or poking at one's preferences -- all that seems to matter is that a person HAS preferences. It is a genuine place in all of the best ways: the decor, food, beers, staff, music, etc. One of many examples of this that I can think of is from this past winter, during the playoffs. It was not a meaningful game, with the Steelers being out of contention, but there was nevertheless a fairly attentive football crowd for the late game/matchup. Anyway... once the game ended around 11ish, the amazingly well-curated jukebox came on (filled with favorite A-sides and endlessly surprising deeper cuts), perfect wings and pirogies kept flowing from the kitchen, and the aforementioned viking warrior of a bartender switched it over the Turner Classic Movies (TCM). I've no idea what was on; I think it was just a series of old-timey commercials or a lesser known movie from the 40's, but the same football-watching crowd just seemed to watch the black and white characters without comment, puzzlement, or as if the change marked some sort of shift in the evening. It just was and people noticed and we liked it. It was a good night.
(5)Miguelonius X.
This place was recommended on my visit to Pittsburgh. Not disappointed. Dark, divey, great beer selection and the type of relaxed, grungy hipsters who don't try too hard or act like assholes. Wings were served in a basket of fucking oil and were greasy as fuck all but I wasn't expecting haute cuisine in a dive. Great place to chill, chain smoke and try and get laid.
(5)Faith A.
It has been a looooonnnnngggg time since I have been to Gooski's. I am talking 1996/1997 back in my earlier years of college. Not much has changed :) I still love the place. Since moving to the Polish Hill area, my husband and I have been meaning to get to Gooski's and we finally made it there this past Sunday. We were out watching some football and were looking to go out for a bit closer to home, and the choice of a place could not be better. When we got there, it was not busy and we took a few seats at the end of the bar. We were greeted promptly by Tim. We ordered some nicely poured drinks and got chatting with him. Very nice guy. They got busier while we were there and he always remained attentive. Whether we were getting food or drinks, he was awesome. Quite the pleasure after my horrifying experience at the Primanti's in Mt Lebanon earlier in the day. Some great things about Gooski's... the wings! You can get a bucket of 50 and split the flavors even (most places would not allow this in my experience). They were amazing. Plump and yummy wings. I got the Honey BBQ and they were some of the best that I have ever had. Ever. They also bread their own provolone sticks... they were huge and scrumptious as well! I am also in love with their french fries. They have a huge selection of craft beers, and a pretty well stocked bar (they have the Macallan 12 and 18... pretty impressive) and their drinks are priced great! I love Gooski's.... this is now one of my favorite places to go in the new 'hood. Good service, cheap prices and yummy food... you cannot go wrong here.
(5)Chas M.
One of my favorite bars in the country! Kick ass jukebox and Tim slings drinks with the best of em.. Food is good and the bands ive seen play have all been pretty sweet! They also have a great beer selection and carry Great Lakes from Cleveland (hell yeah)! I wish there were more bars like this...
(5)Patrick P.
Exploring Pittsburgh and found this neighborhood bar. It had just opened on a Saturday Afternoon so there was not much going on. The bartender was prepping the bar so he was not as friendly but I was able to make some notes for my friends in other areas. This bar reminded me of a Mt Adams (Cincy) / Short North (Columbus). The place had great Craft Beers (what place in Pittsburgh does not). They had a chalkboard with all the beer listings and food listings. I will go back one evening and hope to provide more of a review on the night life and food. I am sure this place rocks.
(3)Rachel C.
Can I admit something? I'm really not a dive bar person. I know, I know....it doesn't make sense! I'm cheap, I love cheap drinks, and this is the mecca of cheap drink places. I like to mix and mingle at bars, I like to drop it like it's hot. If I dropped it like it's hot here I may get slapped. I know this place is like thee dive bar spot in the Burgh, but I was just...meh. I think the fact that smoking is still allowed makes a huge difference for me. I go home smelling like an ash tray and yearning for a dance party. The only draw for me is the wide selection of beers and the DIRT CHEAP prices! I just lean over the counter and stare at the huge beer refrigerator, scan my eyes over the bottles until the holy beer spirit hits me and I go....THAT ONE! It's almost like my own personal beer tasting. Will I go back? Probably. Will I like it? With enough drinks...YES!
(3)Darren W.
Twelve hours ago, I was kidnapped by friends and swept away to an Eastern European Netherworld for a night of metallic mischief. An underground playland awash in red, purple, and violet light like a German brothel, Gooski's is a Hessian, punk-rock barrelhouse where bands such as Liquified Guts, Radium Girls, No Reason To Live, and edhochuli entertain small cults of devotees. Located in Polish Hill, a land of Old World charms, a subversive Unholy Saturday mass was taking place. A bartender who resembled a time-tossed Viking passed pierogi and Old Bay wings to other patrons who in turn passed them off to me as if we were on a Satanic version of "The Waltons" during a family dinner scene. When I handed a twenty dollar bill to the massive Nordic server, some sour cream accidentally smeared onto the cash, only for Hagar The Affable to laugh heartily at my foible. A fire-haired fairy princess with the face of a model and the tattooed body of a L.A. vampire walked up to me and smiled, revealing a chipped front tooth as she eagerly recounted the story behind her dental mishap. As Liquified Guts tore into their set, an obese, jolly concertgoer took turns putting his fellow headbangers onto his shoulders, gleefully catching and dizzying them in the "airplane spin," a pro wrestling maneuver from yesteryear. A bearded young man handed me a PBR after he saw that I had on an Amon Amarth t-shirt. "I been comin' here since I was a kid," he told me. A veteran rockdog with long, alabaster locks and a hippy's headband told me tales of glory after I pointed out the Hawkwind patch on his denim-n-leather vest. I did not know any of these folks, yet I felt as if they had known me since high school. Cigarette smoke didn't faze me. People's shoulders bumped into mine as I passed back and forth through the thin corridor that leads to the stage, the gentle, jovial collisions acting as catalysts for conversations with absolute strangers. Graffiti decorates the walls along with an iconic picture of Johnny Cash flipping off the world. Exquisite, plump, buttery packets of dough, cheese, and potato and dead-on crispy, succulent chicken limbs were savored. Necks were sprained. Backs were slapped. Ears hummed like tuning forks. Far from and far more than the typical sanitized concert experience, it was a few hours of worship and camaraderie for the freaks and night creatures, Gooski's being their Great Refuge in the slopes of the East End. The joyfully subterranean realm that is Gooski's will not be appealing to everyone, but then again, if it was, it would no longer be subterranean. P.S. If I had a complaint, it would be due to the narrow hallway, which made it difficult for the musicians to shuttle their equipment through. A backdoor near the stage would be great for that sort of thing if possible.
(4)Caleb M.
Gooski's is the shit. Just read the rest of the reviews. It's just the type of place you wanna be if you like bars with a little bit of edge. Go to Gooski's, sling some drinks, listen to tunes, smoke if you wanna, make memories.
(5)Aisha M.
Fucking awesome wings.. Thy sell anchor steam beer so that makes me super happy ... Great bar ... Great beer .. Great food ...
(5)Kathleen D.
My memories of time spent drinking at Gooski's are glowing red. That'd be due to the string of red Christmas lights that line the wall of liquor behind the bar, turning your drinking neighbors' faces that festive-slash-nightmarish hue. Like Hot Stuff the Little Devil. Gooski's is my favorite bar in Pittsburgh, and one of my favorite bars anywhere, anywhere. Anywhere. This neighborhood bar on Polish Hill is divey and comfortable; dark and smoky and punkish all over. The bartenders were cool- friendly nuff and yet you could tell that they take no malarkey. Drinks are strong and well-priced, plus there are a good range of beers available from Polish to good crafts and all kinds in between, including some nostalgic, "Hey my old man used to drink St. Pauli Girl," varieties... and Lowenbrau. Pop's favorites. By the way, about the smoking thing, the sweet freedom of smoking inside, I actually don't even smoke anymore, and I wasn't even an inside smoker when I did, but for some reason I find it important for people who want to smoke to have a place. Roam free! Everyone's mentioned the jukebox, and I will too. I geek for such things as great jukeboxes. Gooski's collection of albums is completely excellent, fun, and basically perfect. I'll admit seeing The Pogues up in there is an appreciation-adder. I'd say that it's remarkable. I was able to remark. Very good. Oh, I didn't even mention that they seem to have really good/dangerous daily drink specials. I forget exactly what the deally was, but on a Tuesday night there was some kinda boozy bargain that made us look at each other right in the eye and vow sternly, "No. NO." Or we'd stay all night... That's a testament to legitimacy of this bar, as well as to our own particular brand of 'ism.
(4)Brian K.
Best dive bar in Pittsburgh, interesting crowd, tons of beer choices, large menu and the fries were good. Then again, most everything tastes good when there's 32 Oz of Arrogant Bastard Ale in your belly. Great prices!
(4)Michael M.
This place is great but I hear that they sacrifice you to Rob Halford if you're a yuppie/bro. Better not chance it!
(5)Eric G.
Want to go to a dive bar in Pittsburgh? Gooski's is the place for you! This quickly became my go-to place after the first time I visited. I was going to a live show in Polish Hill with a cover, and Gooski's was the closest place with an ATM. I walked into the bar, and it was so dark I couldn't even find the ATM! And when I finally got there I couldn't find where to slip my card in. Ironically, I love the feel of this place. It's a dark neighborhood dive bar, cheap drinks with cool bartenders, cool Polish Hill residents with no hangups about superficiality. The bar is also equipped with a good juke box, ping pong and pool tables, and a stage in the back for pretty good live music. It's pretty smokey inside, so beware if that's not your thing. The food is actually pretty good too. Overall, I love this place and am usually there about once a week.
(5)Casey D.
Best wings I've ever had!! And awesome beer selection.
(4)Christopher H.
It's the spot. Regulars and newcomers blend. Cheap drinks, rich laughs and a whole lot in between. They've got cheap pool and free ping pong, plus, they're sporting an XMen pinball machine. I've got more stories starting with gooskis than I care to count. Awesome place and it's all thanks to the staff. All hail Timmy.
(5)Ran L.
Gooski's is the ultimate Pittsburgh dive experience with a few bonuses. Like other dive bars, it features cheap drinks, a smoke-friendly atmosphere, an eclectic crowd, and a complete lack of pretentiousness. What makes it better than most other dive bars: 1) Ping pong table in the back. Although it might be hard to secure on weekends, it's usually open on weeknights. There are simply not many things in the world better than drinking great beer while playing ping pong. 2) Nice craft beer selection. You won't be limited to ordering PBRs and Miller Lites here, despite the divey-ness of this bar. Also you will find your favorite craft beers, if not on tap then at least in bottle, at rock bottom bar prices. 3) Decent food. It's been a long time since I've eaten here, and my tastes have evolved since then, but I do remember enjoying some tasty pierogies here. Also, I have heard many nice things from others about the food -- consider it above average (at least) for dive bar fare. 4) Sweet live music on weekends. 5) An amazing jukebox. 6) Character. I guess most dive bars have this, but Gooski's just has that certain Je ne sais quoi about its character that makes it different from all the others. Just come. You'll understand.
(5)Anne C.
While the place is smoke filled I enjoy the atmosphere. It's not pretentious and I don't feel like I have to be remotely concerned with what I look like here. Mostly because it's also rather dark. It has a nice section in the back to play pool and just to relax however, it's not the most appealing bar that I have seen or would like to frequent. It is however, nice enough. Cheap drinks and cheap atmosphere
(3)