319 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E.
Carded: at the door
Cover: none
Dress: professional attire required
Specials: overpriced upscale drinks during happy hour

I am currently looking for an apartment somewhere other than Foggy Bottom. Requirements for location include walking distance to the Metro, within three blocks of a good bakery/bagel place and has a neighborhood bar. Captiol Hill is one of my housing options, so I decided to familiarize myself with the area. I started with the bars.

I was invited to a private party at Top of the Hill Saturday. The bar occupies the top floor in a building with two other bars – Politiki and the Penn. Ave. Pour House. Having already been to Politiki and the Penn. Ave. Pour House, I was expecting an enjoyable night at Top of the Hill. I was disappointed. While the dcor is like a tasteful “Trading Spaces” family room design, the stuffy dress code and overpriced drinks are discouraging. Top of the Hill certainly caters to an older clientele.

But if you want a chill place to hang out with friends after work or watch sports on the weekend, pull up a chair at the Pour House. It has all the standards of a neighborhood bar – good beer on tap, cheap food, knick-knacks on the wall and friendly bartenders, but with a twist. The beer, food and even the walls relate to the city of Pittsburgh. Iron City is on tap , and there are regular specials for Rolling Rock. The menu features pierogis and Primanti-style sandwiches. And yellow Kennywood signs share wall space with phonetically spelled “Pittsburghese” translations.

People who are not from Southwest Pennsylvania probably don’t know that many Pittsburghers have distinct accents. After growing up in Pittsburgh, it wasn’t until I came to college that I realized I talk kind of strangely. Like others from west of the Appalachians, I say “pop,” not “soda,” and I don’t like it when people are nebby. This is Pittsburghese, and the various sayings are fun to read at the bar, especially after a few Arns. Yunz got my word on it.