Good food, good atmosphere, polite waitresses. Not much to complain about. It's a nice little bar in the north hills, lots of TVs But be prepared to wait a while to eat if you show up on Wednesday night (50 cent wing night)
(4)
Greg D.
Ok, so Hal's has decent bar food, decent atmosphere and a decent beer selection. That's where it ends. First, the service is abysmal. We walked in at 7 P.M. on Wednesday night and stood at the front for 15 minutes before anyone came and got our name for a table. The girl walked up and said "have you been helped?", I said "no", She said What's your name and how many?", I said "Greg, 2" and she says "ok, thanks" and walks away, not to be seen again. No time frame, no nothing. Second, we went to grab a drink at the bar while we were waiting, stood at the bar for 10 minutes before anyone appeared, stood there another 10 minutes before that person found the time to take our order, and was just all around rude. Finally, after an hour wait, we got seated. After the waitress saw we already had drinks, she continued on about her business as if we were good without even asking. We saw her a total of 4 times, once when we were seated, once after we got our food to see how it was and finally to drop off and pick up the check. Management needs to do some serious training on their waitstaff. I was a server for many years and the most important rule is to never blame your bad service on being busy. There are no excuses for this level of bad. By the way, this is the 2nd bad experience I've had with the service here, so its not just a fluke. Train your servers and you have a great little place, continue to allow it and you'll rapidly lose customers.
(2)
Alex O.
Great bar tending staff and craft beer selection. Perfect place to watch a game, get top quality food and have a few beers. They have the best 6 pack shop in the North Hills, wonderful addition to their business.
(5)
Josh C.
Completely redone review. The first time we went to Hal's we found the food generic and the waitress was pretty lame. We said we'd give it another go and we did. Hal's is expanding and because of this I think they've stepped up their game. The first time we went we got the fish tacos and the spinach artichoke dip. We again got the fish tacos, but this time shared a steak salad as well. The fish tacos were much much better and I will now be craving them. Big fresh chunks of fish, fresh veggies, warm tortilla, and a spicy mayo. The waitress was better and the beer selection is still the best in the North Hills. The food could still be stepped up and a little more creative and the noise could be addressed during dinner hours, but Hal's is a good option.
(4)
James S.
We really like Hal's! We can always find a good meal for ourselves and our kids. The pulled pork is outstanding as is the beer list! There are tons of TVs if you like to watch sports but it is usually pretty loud so quiet conversation is not really possible. The staff is usually very good. We have only ever had one bad server but I have not seen her there lately so maybe someone figured out that she needed to find a new career. All in all it's a really good local place!
(4)
Dave R.
Good food, wide selection of craft beer and a full bar, they recently added a bottle shop. In the summer there are corn hole games setup outside for anyone to use. It's a great place to stop but can lead to an expensive night out if you linger for too long. Also my friends and I have coined a term "Hal's Roulette" because it seems that every time we go there our tab either has more on it than we actually drank our it is missing beer we did have. Even with that Hal's is a good time and great spot to hang out at.
(4)
Christine T.
Generally I love Hal's so I'm giving it a good review based on past experiences. My gripe today is that they have a bunch of TVs but don't have the NFL package to show all the games. I'd like to watch my team here but unfortunately can't. Besides that, they have a great beer selection and great food. The happy hour deals are fantastic and they pour a great mixed drink. It's tough to get a seat at the bar on a Friday night but probably because it's one of the few very good places in the area. I'll be back just not on a Sunday :)
(4)
Brian F.
Atmosphere is way better than the food. Great place to watch a game (does get very crowded and loud). Outdoor seating is the best in the north hills. Service is average, but the food is way to overpriced for what they serve, its bar food executed ok but they charge like its top notch.
(4)
Fred T.
Not sure why someone thought it fit 10 people, they have outdoor seating which holds probably 15-20, about 12-15 at the bar and probably another 30 around the room. Sat at the bar for Monday Night Football, some good draft choices, huge variety in the bottle list, had the fish tacos which were good and then some wings, sweet chili and black & gold, which were also good. Nice play, didn't feel rushed even when it was nearing closing time.
(4)
Shawman J.
I tend to come to Hal's often. Its off of McKnight road, one of the better bars in the North Hills-ish area in my opinion, better than the Fox and Hound at least in my opinion. Its a small place, dark in atmosphere, mostly a sports bar but also a place where you can make reservations to sit down and eat. I usually come here to start the night and watch the Pens or Pitt games before heading out for the night. Its a good place to watch a game, has lots of nice flat screen TV's. Their food menu is pretty bar generic with good wings, a hefty build your own burger, pizza, and they do have some steaks, calamari, and roast beef type stuff on their dinner menu if you want a heartier meal. I really come here though to suck down the Garlic Parmesan wings. Probably the 2nd best wing I have had in my many wing travels. I usually prefer hot wings but their hot wings just consist of Franks Red Hot Sauce which is kind of generic for me, but the Garlic Parmesan are out of this world. Trust me, you'll want to lick the drippings out of your dish after eating them. There are about 8 beers on draft, mostly the basics, but they have a wide range of bottles to choose from. Also they have a ton of liquor if that's your thing. I've had some really strong drinks made here, mostly around 5$ for a mix drink and I wasn't complaining due to how nicely made they were. I was here last Saturday with a group of about 8 people who made reservations for 7:30 and the place was still pretty packed around midnight when we all left. I've never really had bad service here at all, and especially this night when it was pretty crowded and with such a big party we were all satisfied with how fast our drinks were filled and how good the food tasted. Hal is usually the big tall guy standing at the end of the bar kinda watching over things. He's a good guy.
(4)
Matt D.
Great food. Excellent drink selection! Lots of craft beers. Plan on it being busy when you go most nights they will have a wait to be seated.
(4)
Dan Y.
Beer is good, food is great, atmosphere is excellent. I've been here twice, the drafts have changed up a few times, but are solid. The last time I was in they had Deschutes Fresh Squeezed, Sweetwater 420, Dogfish 60 minute, Stone IPA and Founders porter all on draft. Pretty awesome, but they were only $5 a pint! Which is impressive for the quality beer. They are well known for their wings, but I got the Cuban Reuben sandwich. Combining two of my favorites, and it didn't disappoint. Piled high with pork and pastrami, topped with swiss and a mustard slaw that gave it just enough sauce. The service was great, too. Whenever I would finish or get close on a beer Emily or Alex would ask if I wanted another one. Great place, fairly priced with an above average selection.
(5)
Kathryn F.
It is LOUD. We couldn't hold a conversation. I had a HUGE house salad and the lobster Mac & cheese. Big chunks of lobster ... a new level of comfort food. I would recommend perhaps dining early when the noise might be less.
(3)
Leiha K.
I had higher expectations of Hal's. Everything I had heard from my friends was all good stuff. The wait staff was horrible. Not experienced. I had to ask for water refills. I ordered steamed broccoli and the first time it came out with my entree it was swimming in butter. I kid you not, it looked like they melted a whole stick of butter in a bowl and stuck some broccoli in there. By the time I got my corrected order everyone was about done with their food. I got the fish tacos as the main dish, poor decision. Hardest fish I've ever has. I questioned if it was chicken because it was so tough and overdone. Lastly, my friend stopped me from eating my last taco because their was a crawling bug underneath it. So unappetizing, what a bummer.
(1)
Whitney E.
I was very impressed with this place, it really exceeded my expectations for a bar. The menu seems fairly simple with some different wing options. People rave about the wings so I had to try them, I opted for the garlic Parmesan wings that were in a buffalo sauce. The wings were crisp and saucy with shredded cheese covering them. I was really blown away by my cheesesteak sandwich and sweet potato fries! I shared the sandwich with my hubby and it was a perfect portion. The place itself was very clean and new feeling. They have a ton of beer and liquor options. The staff was all very friendly and attentive!
(5)
Megan C.
Always great food & drinks at great prices (especially for the North Hills). Expect a bit of noise because it is a sports bar.
(5)
Matt C.
Incredibly good food, friendly staff and fantastic management make Hals Bar and Grill my weekly go-to for beer and dinner!
(5)
Sebastian And Nicole V.
Great atmosphere- strawberry chicken salad was excellent! Sangria was very tasty! Also nice to sit outside.
(4)
Jaime J.
We've been trying to get to Hal's for quite some time, but it's usually met with a long wait. We finally made it after technical difficulties at two other restaurants forced us into Plan C! Luckily, on this trip, we had no wait. Mr. J described the interior atmosphere as "cavernous". Which is pretty spot on since it's very dark and very loud. Hal's could definitely benefit from some acoustical tiles on the ceiling to buffer some of the noise. I would have preferred to sit on the patio with the fire pits and heat lamps, but it was another rainy evening in Pittsburgh. The beer selection is vast and there is something to suit every taste from imports to craft brews. There are also about 6-8 beers on tap. Equally nice is the bottleshop next door so that you can grab a 6-pack to go. Mr. J was craving a hamburger and had a hard time finding the one and only burger on the menu (BYOB (build your own burger) - under sandwiches). I chose the ribs, but had hopes dashed when the server said they were out of ribs. (Seriously?!) I had to make a quick decision and went with the BYOB, sweet potato fries, and fried pickles. The fried pickles were good - spears served with a mild horseradish sauce. This was probably the best thing I ate. The burger was your standard frozen patty on a dry-as-a-week-old Kaiser bun. I think the bun may have been toasted, but was so pale in color, I could only speculate. The top bun was also broken in half due to the dryness. Ketchup and mustard were served on the side (annoying) and the pickles were chopped up dill pickle spears. My sweet potato fries were typical Sysco/US Foods frozen/coated fries. Perhaps their dinner entrees are more house-made, but I wasn't able to find out. Hal's is another place where the 5-star reviews threw me off my game. I wasn't as impressed as most; but for two beers, an appetizer, and burgers under $40, I can't complain too much. Additionally, I realize this may be a sports bar, but it's rather awkward when the servers are wearing yoga pants and tank tops like they've just come from the gym.
(3)
Julia S.
Wings: the bomb. Crispy on the outside with a lot of sauce. Amazingly, not soggy given the amount of sauce. Drinks: tons of beer. But for the hard liquor drinker, their drinks are extremely well made! I got an extra dirty martini and loved it! Atmosphere: not a quiet date night spot but very upbeat. Maybe because it was a weekend? Weekdays may be different. Cleanliness: bathrooms are spotless and clean. Parking: easy! Huge lot! Service: there are only girl waitresses who are also all extremely gorgeous. Oh, and service is good too to boot! Mans paradise. Suggestion for management: perhaps some good looking male wait staff as well for the lady patrons? Just a mere suggestion...
(5)
Emmin M.
Who am I to think this place would be open at 12:30 during lunch hour on a Monday in such a low populated place as McKnight Road area in the North Hills? Silly me. Went here because of the good ratings and I was in the area that day. The family and I pulled up and sure enough, CLOSED! It opened at 4:00 PM. Probably shouldn't have assumed an eating establishment would be open for lunch so that's on me. Okay so I'm not rating the food or service because unfortunately we didn't get the chance to try it so I wanted to be clear on that but seriously, what bar/restaurant is closed during the lunch rush? So the one star rating is strictly for their silly hours.
(1)
Gregg B.
Good food and great service. Any beer you can think of, they have it. They also have 6 pack shop next door where you can mix and match. It was a little too dark inside for me during the day but most wouldn't have any issues with that. I just had a hard time reading the menu. Overall, a great place to go with friends and I plan on going back.
(4)
Angel M.
For a Tuesday night, the bar was extremely busy! The food was awesome but the service was AWEFUL!! They need more friendly staff willing to work hard and do their job right. We waited 45 minutes for our food. (Which was great.) However, the server never stopped over during our wait time or after we got our food.
(3)
Joseph L.
Had a chicken Caesar salad that was really good. Wait was long, but it didn't really matter because we had some drinks and there was a big selection. This might not need said, but kids might not love the dark and loud environment? Went to the bottle shop after which is why I have 5 stars. Great selection
(5)
Ken M.
Very nice bar! I've been here a few times. Great place to eat and watch some sports. They have a great beer selection and their food has been good too! Would give 4.5 stars if I could.
(4)
Christine F.
My BF and I stopped here for dinner on a Saturday evening. We arrived around 5:30 and were seated right away. The dining area isn't very large and within 15 minutes, there was a wait to be seated. (Warning: The entire place is very dark and it is difficult to read the menu without glasses and/or a flashlight.) The menu has a lot of great options: sandwiches, salads, entrees, pizza and a BYOB (build your own burger) option. I went with the half chicken entree and BF went with the Pierogie appetizer, Wings and a house salad. My chicken entree was delicious. The portion was large and the rub on the chicken was just spicy enough. The chicken was moist and tender. The side of broccoli was steamed perfectly. My only complaint is that the entrees do not come with a salad. It's $1 extra if you want a salad. My BF really enjoyed the house salad, since all ingredients were chopped. The wings were a nice size and the BBQ sauce was sweet, not at all spicy. The pierogie appetizer was a little disappointing. They were hard, chewy and smothered in a congealed cheese. We were hoping for some butter and onion. We would not order them again. The prices are pretty reasonable ($8-10 for sandwiches and $14-$20 for entrees). The place does get rather loud since there isn't any separation between the dining area and the bar. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and would definitely stop in again.
(4)
Cherith C.
Great beer and wine selection and a really nice, outgoing staff. Really great place to watch a game, especially if you have a crowd of folks who want to meet up. The place is big. I enjoyed the Parmesan wings and the Italian Hoagie. I'll definitely go back.
(4)
Gary R.
I always love to check out places that offer the promise of great bar food and a huge beer selection. And so when we were in the area I knew I had to stop and give Hal's a try. Reading many of the Yelp reviews I knew I'd find some things I'd like. And I did! To be honest, we went there for a late lunch on a Saturday and to have some beer. So my first priority was food. While the menu is limited it does have a few interesting items. I wasn't interested in the dinner entree portion and the sandwich options aren't overly plentiful, we were both able to choose something we liked. The build your own burger was really good and cooked to perfection. The accompanying onion rings were just ok - typical of any frozen rings you'd get in most bars. Not like James Street Gastropub which has outrageous onion rings - just saying. My wife's pulled pork was tasty and is something I'd recommend. The beer selection is huge (I estimated about 70 different kinds!) but regrettably, the draft selection is limited. I love craft beer but want to drink it on tap not out of a bottle. I can do that at home. Only one IPA on tap (not acceptable) but they did have a few Belgians available. I would love to see more support for some of the local craft brewers here. How about some Helltown or East End or even Penn Brewing? But the Stone IPA is always acceptable. Atmosphere is typical sports bar motif - about 15 flat screens around the bar all with sports on - it WAS a Saturday after all. We sat at the bar and the first thing that struck us was how DARK it was. We're talking dungeon here folks. I mean dark! Black walls, black ceiling, black bar back....Black. If you're in that familiar physical condition where the very presence of any light causes your head to resume that painful throbbing then this place is just for you. You'll love it here. But me? I wanted to read the menu. And couldn't. Had to use my iPhone light to even make out that there was writing on that menu! Service was ok - usually I sit at the bar to improve my chances of getting better service and to keep my beer refilled more easily. This wasn't the best but it wasn't anything I could fault them on. I won't go out of my way to go back here but I will consider a return visit when I'm in the area.
(3)
Elizabeth S.
Really great food & amazing service! Everything from tofu to filet mignon - and everything is delicious :)
(5)
Julie D.
Great find in the North Hills. The bf found it while on a recent work assignment. We decided to stop by on a Sunday afternoon. The bar area is large and the dining side is even bigger with plenty of space between the tables. Even though we were there on a very sunny day, the interior is dimly lit. We were greeted right away by our wonderful server, Melanie. BJ got the Clown shoes beer. They have a lot of appetizer and sandwich choices. I got a garden burger on a ciabatta multigrain bun. It was really good. Sandwiches are served with your choice of fries, sweet potato fries or onion rings. I got the sweet potato fries. They were so good, the bf bet me $100 bucks that they were fresh cut. Too bad for him, they are not. He got a pastrami sandwich on rye with onion rings. His sandwich was great and so were the rings. This place is really great!
(5)
Tom S.
Party of three and we tried the recommended chicken wings that were perfectly cooked the way I like'em (crispy). I tried a pumpkin type ale which was very good and cold. I tried the Apple salad which was really good. My pals tried the Chicken Tortilla soup which he thought was really good. They split the Pastrami sandwich that looked really good but just gave it an OK. Over all very pleased & would not hesitate to return if in area.
(4)
Kelly S.
My husband and my fave bar to visit ..great waiters and waitresses good service and food
(5)
Mac R.
I'm always excited when my guy suggests a new place for us to go that's completely off my radar. He suggested Hal's today for us while we were running North Hills errands & I was game especially after reading Yelp reviews raving about their great beer and bar food selections. Our bartender gave us a warm greeting & we discovered Stone was their only IPA on tap. Only a few taps here, so the great beer selection clearly comes mainly in bottles. The bar is nicely appointed & also a bit dark - black ceilings & walls - I needed the light on my phone to read the menu in the afternoon. Menu is bar food basic & not super extensive. I ordered the pulled pork with onion rings & hubby got a build your own burger (which excited him) & onion rings. And these sandwiches were really good! The burger was gigantic & I heard happy noises next to me. My pulled pork was delicious with a perfect amount of barbecue sauce. My ciabatta roll was good but a bit too much bread, so after eating 1/4 of it as a sandwich, I forked the remainder. Onion rings were good, not amazing. Service impressed when we said we'd split 1 last beer & our bartender drew 2 glasses she filled 3/4 full! Pleasant surprise on the bill that the Stone IPAs were $5 when it's pretty pricey by the case to buy. My rating was hovering in the 3.5 range, but the generous 1/2 glasses & tasty sandwiches earned Hal's a 4!
(4)
Kevin M.
Hal's is a great place to go in the north hills on any given night. I recommend Wednesday's for wing night but it can get really crowded of course so be prepared to wait for a seat. Wings are fantastic and worth the wait. They are always fresh and never the frozen kind. Thursday is another great night because next door they have a bottle shop with beer tastings of various craft breweries.....some you know of and others that are new or never heard. Plus on that same night is $3 drafts in the bottle shop too. Dan the bottle shop manager is very attentive and will recommend beers for you if unsure of what to get. During the summer they have an outdoor seating area too. Hal's overall is a great place to go for food and friends.
(5)
Brandon F.
This is a great place to drink beer, watch sports, and eat wings. It is one of the nicest bars in the North Hills.
(5)
Joe C.
Food was good. The sliders are delicious and the sauce on them is great. Large beer assortment. Good service. They have a big parking lot, but during happy hour it can be difficult to get a parking spot. Definately worth a visit!
(4)
Natalie C.
Beer, Good. Wings, Good. What more do you need? They have a nice ambiance - currently nicely decorated for the holidays. They have a lot of TVs so it's great for game day. crowd and a huge beer selection. Only had appetizers but they were good. Wait staff was great. Definitely recommend it!
(4)
Matt S.
Great bottle selection and bottle shop next door. Vegetarian options too, which isn't common at sports bars. Lots of TVs with pretty good sight lines. There's also a very large TV at center of bar which is great for the game. I've had their crispy seitan and garden burger, both of which I recommend. The only thing I don't like is that it's too dark inside. This is okay for watching the game but it's hard to see other people and it makes the window light way too bright at the front. The wait staff are very nice and attentive.
Everyone before me has basically nailed it. As an out-of-towner on a business trip in the North Hills, I wanted to stop in a nice local bar, grab an appetizer and a drink. Hal's was perfect. Great menu and great bar food, at an affordable price. Definitely a sports bar atmosphere, lots of TV's with different games on. The beer selection was outstanding as well. A+!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner, Late Night Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Traci L.
(4)Andrew E.
(4)Misty P.
(4)Vince T.
(5)Mike R.
(1)James G.
Good food, good atmosphere, polite waitresses. Not much to complain about. It's a nice little bar in the north hills, lots of TVs But be prepared to wait a while to eat if you show up on Wednesday night (50 cent wing night)
(4)Greg D.
Ok, so Hal's has decent bar food, decent atmosphere and a decent beer selection. That's where it ends. First, the service is abysmal. We walked in at 7 P.M. on Wednesday night and stood at the front for 15 minutes before anyone came and got our name for a table. The girl walked up and said "have you been helped?", I said "no", She said What's your name and how many?", I said "Greg, 2" and she says "ok, thanks" and walks away, not to be seen again. No time frame, no nothing. Second, we went to grab a drink at the bar while we were waiting, stood at the bar for 10 minutes before anyone appeared, stood there another 10 minutes before that person found the time to take our order, and was just all around rude. Finally, after an hour wait, we got seated. After the waitress saw we already had drinks, she continued on about her business as if we were good without even asking. We saw her a total of 4 times, once when we were seated, once after we got our food to see how it was and finally to drop off and pick up the check. Management needs to do some serious training on their waitstaff. I was a server for many years and the most important rule is to never blame your bad service on being busy. There are no excuses for this level of bad. By the way, this is the 2nd bad experience I've had with the service here, so its not just a fluke. Train your servers and you have a great little place, continue to allow it and you'll rapidly lose customers.
(2)Alex O.
Great bar tending staff and craft beer selection. Perfect place to watch a game, get top quality food and have a few beers. They have the best 6 pack shop in the North Hills, wonderful addition to their business.
(5)Josh C.
Completely redone review. The first time we went to Hal's we found the food generic and the waitress was pretty lame. We said we'd give it another go and we did. Hal's is expanding and because of this I think they've stepped up their game. The first time we went we got the fish tacos and the spinach artichoke dip. We again got the fish tacos, but this time shared a steak salad as well. The fish tacos were much much better and I will now be craving them. Big fresh chunks of fish, fresh veggies, warm tortilla, and a spicy mayo. The waitress was better and the beer selection is still the best in the North Hills. The food could still be stepped up and a little more creative and the noise could be addressed during dinner hours, but Hal's is a good option.
(4)James S.
We really like Hal's! We can always find a good meal for ourselves and our kids. The pulled pork is outstanding as is the beer list! There are tons of TVs if you like to watch sports but it is usually pretty loud so quiet conversation is not really possible. The staff is usually very good. We have only ever had one bad server but I have not seen her there lately so maybe someone figured out that she needed to find a new career. All in all it's a really good local place!
(4)Dave R.
Good food, wide selection of craft beer and a full bar, they recently added a bottle shop. In the summer there are corn hole games setup outside for anyone to use. It's a great place to stop but can lead to an expensive night out if you linger for too long. Also my friends and I have coined a term "Hal's Roulette" because it seems that every time we go there our tab either has more on it than we actually drank our it is missing beer we did have. Even with that Hal's is a good time and great spot to hang out at.
(4)Christine T.
Generally I love Hal's so I'm giving it a good review based on past experiences. My gripe today is that they have a bunch of TVs but don't have the NFL package to show all the games. I'd like to watch my team here but unfortunately can't. Besides that, they have a great beer selection and great food. The happy hour deals are fantastic and they pour a great mixed drink. It's tough to get a seat at the bar on a Friday night but probably because it's one of the few very good places in the area. I'll be back just not on a Sunday :)
(4)Brian F.
Atmosphere is way better than the food. Great place to watch a game (does get very crowded and loud). Outdoor seating is the best in the north hills. Service is average, but the food is way to overpriced for what they serve, its bar food executed ok but they charge like its top notch.
(4)Fred T.
Not sure why someone thought it fit 10 people, they have outdoor seating which holds probably 15-20, about 12-15 at the bar and probably another 30 around the room. Sat at the bar for Monday Night Football, some good draft choices, huge variety in the bottle list, had the fish tacos which were good and then some wings, sweet chili and black & gold, which were also good. Nice play, didn't feel rushed even when it was nearing closing time.
(4)Shawman J.
I tend to come to Hal's often. Its off of McKnight road, one of the better bars in the North Hills-ish area in my opinion, better than the Fox and Hound at least in my opinion. Its a small place, dark in atmosphere, mostly a sports bar but also a place where you can make reservations to sit down and eat. I usually come here to start the night and watch the Pens or Pitt games before heading out for the night. Its a good place to watch a game, has lots of nice flat screen TV's. Their food menu is pretty bar generic with good wings, a hefty build your own burger, pizza, and they do have some steaks, calamari, and roast beef type stuff on their dinner menu if you want a heartier meal. I really come here though to suck down the Garlic Parmesan wings. Probably the 2nd best wing I have had in my many wing travels. I usually prefer hot wings but their hot wings just consist of Franks Red Hot Sauce which is kind of generic for me, but the Garlic Parmesan are out of this world. Trust me, you'll want to lick the drippings out of your dish after eating them. There are about 8 beers on draft, mostly the basics, but they have a wide range of bottles to choose from. Also they have a ton of liquor if that's your thing. I've had some really strong drinks made here, mostly around 5$ for a mix drink and I wasn't complaining due to how nicely made they were. I was here last Saturday with a group of about 8 people who made reservations for 7:30 and the place was still pretty packed around midnight when we all left. I've never really had bad service here at all, and especially this night when it was pretty crowded and with such a big party we were all satisfied with how fast our drinks were filled and how good the food tasted. Hal is usually the big tall guy standing at the end of the bar kinda watching over things. He's a good guy.
(4)Matt D.
Great food. Excellent drink selection! Lots of craft beers. Plan on it being busy when you go most nights they will have a wait to be seated.
(4)Dan Y.
Beer is good, food is great, atmosphere is excellent. I've been here twice, the drafts have changed up a few times, but are solid. The last time I was in they had Deschutes Fresh Squeezed, Sweetwater 420, Dogfish 60 minute, Stone IPA and Founders porter all on draft. Pretty awesome, but they were only $5 a pint! Which is impressive for the quality beer. They are well known for their wings, but I got the Cuban Reuben sandwich. Combining two of my favorites, and it didn't disappoint. Piled high with pork and pastrami, topped with swiss and a mustard slaw that gave it just enough sauce. The service was great, too. Whenever I would finish or get close on a beer Emily or Alex would ask if I wanted another one. Great place, fairly priced with an above average selection.
(5)Kathryn F.
It is LOUD. We couldn't hold a conversation. I had a HUGE house salad and the lobster Mac & cheese. Big chunks of lobster ... a new level of comfort food. I would recommend perhaps dining early when the noise might be less.
(3)Leiha K.
I had higher expectations of Hal's. Everything I had heard from my friends was all good stuff. The wait staff was horrible. Not experienced. I had to ask for water refills. I ordered steamed broccoli and the first time it came out with my entree it was swimming in butter. I kid you not, it looked like they melted a whole stick of butter in a bowl and stuck some broccoli in there. By the time I got my corrected order everyone was about done with their food. I got the fish tacos as the main dish, poor decision. Hardest fish I've ever has. I questioned if it was chicken because it was so tough and overdone. Lastly, my friend stopped me from eating my last taco because their was a crawling bug underneath it. So unappetizing, what a bummer.
(1)Whitney E.
I was very impressed with this place, it really exceeded my expectations for a bar. The menu seems fairly simple with some different wing options. People rave about the wings so I had to try them, I opted for the garlic Parmesan wings that were in a buffalo sauce. The wings were crisp and saucy with shredded cheese covering them. I was really blown away by my cheesesteak sandwich and sweet potato fries! I shared the sandwich with my hubby and it was a perfect portion. The place itself was very clean and new feeling. They have a ton of beer and liquor options. The staff was all very friendly and attentive!
(5)Megan C.
Always great food & drinks at great prices (especially for the North Hills). Expect a bit of noise because it is a sports bar.
(5)Matt C.
Incredibly good food, friendly staff and fantastic management make Hals Bar and Grill my weekly go-to for beer and dinner!
(5)Sebastian And Nicole V.
Great atmosphere- strawberry chicken salad was excellent! Sangria was very tasty! Also nice to sit outside.
(4)Jaime J.
We've been trying to get to Hal's for quite some time, but it's usually met with a long wait. We finally made it after technical difficulties at two other restaurants forced us into Plan C! Luckily, on this trip, we had no wait. Mr. J described the interior atmosphere as "cavernous". Which is pretty spot on since it's very dark and very loud. Hal's could definitely benefit from some acoustical tiles on the ceiling to buffer some of the noise. I would have preferred to sit on the patio with the fire pits and heat lamps, but it was another rainy evening in Pittsburgh. The beer selection is vast and there is something to suit every taste from imports to craft brews. There are also about 6-8 beers on tap. Equally nice is the bottleshop next door so that you can grab a 6-pack to go. Mr. J was craving a hamburger and had a hard time finding the one and only burger on the menu (BYOB (build your own burger) - under sandwiches). I chose the ribs, but had hopes dashed when the server said they were out of ribs. (Seriously?!) I had to make a quick decision and went with the BYOB, sweet potato fries, and fried pickles. The fried pickles were good - spears served with a mild horseradish sauce. This was probably the best thing I ate. The burger was your standard frozen patty on a dry-as-a-week-old Kaiser bun. I think the bun may have been toasted, but was so pale in color, I could only speculate. The top bun was also broken in half due to the dryness. Ketchup and mustard were served on the side (annoying) and the pickles were chopped up dill pickle spears. My sweet potato fries were typical Sysco/US Foods frozen/coated fries. Perhaps their dinner entrees are more house-made, but I wasn't able to find out. Hal's is another place where the 5-star reviews threw me off my game. I wasn't as impressed as most; but for two beers, an appetizer, and burgers under $40, I can't complain too much. Additionally, I realize this may be a sports bar, but it's rather awkward when the servers are wearing yoga pants and tank tops like they've just come from the gym.
(3)Julia S.
Wings: the bomb. Crispy on the outside with a lot of sauce. Amazingly, not soggy given the amount of sauce. Drinks: tons of beer. But for the hard liquor drinker, their drinks are extremely well made! I got an extra dirty martini and loved it! Atmosphere: not a quiet date night spot but very upbeat. Maybe because it was a weekend? Weekdays may be different. Cleanliness: bathrooms are spotless and clean. Parking: easy! Huge lot! Service: there are only girl waitresses who are also all extremely gorgeous. Oh, and service is good too to boot! Mans paradise. Suggestion for management: perhaps some good looking male wait staff as well for the lady patrons? Just a mere suggestion...
(5)Emmin M.
Who am I to think this place would be open at 12:30 during lunch hour on a Monday in such a low populated place as McKnight Road area in the North Hills? Silly me. Went here because of the good ratings and I was in the area that day. The family and I pulled up and sure enough, CLOSED! It opened at 4:00 PM. Probably shouldn't have assumed an eating establishment would be open for lunch so that's on me. Okay so I'm not rating the food or service because unfortunately we didn't get the chance to try it so I wanted to be clear on that but seriously, what bar/restaurant is closed during the lunch rush? So the one star rating is strictly for their silly hours.
(1)Gregg B.
Good food and great service. Any beer you can think of, they have it. They also have 6 pack shop next door where you can mix and match. It was a little too dark inside for me during the day but most wouldn't have any issues with that. I just had a hard time reading the menu. Overall, a great place to go with friends and I plan on going back.
(4)Angel M.
For a Tuesday night, the bar was extremely busy! The food was awesome but the service was AWEFUL!! They need more friendly staff willing to work hard and do their job right. We waited 45 minutes for our food. (Which was great.) However, the server never stopped over during our wait time or after we got our food.
(3)Joseph L.
Had a chicken Caesar salad that was really good. Wait was long, but it didn't really matter because we had some drinks and there was a big selection. This might not need said, but kids might not love the dark and loud environment? Went to the bottle shop after which is why I have 5 stars. Great selection
(5)Ken M.
Very nice bar! I've been here a few times. Great place to eat and watch some sports. They have a great beer selection and their food has been good too! Would give 4.5 stars if I could.
(4)Christine F.
My BF and I stopped here for dinner on a Saturday evening. We arrived around 5:30 and were seated right away. The dining area isn't very large and within 15 minutes, there was a wait to be seated. (Warning: The entire place is very dark and it is difficult to read the menu without glasses and/or a flashlight.) The menu has a lot of great options: sandwiches, salads, entrees, pizza and a BYOB (build your own burger) option. I went with the half chicken entree and BF went with the Pierogie appetizer, Wings and a house salad. My chicken entree was delicious. The portion was large and the rub on the chicken was just spicy enough. The chicken was moist and tender. The side of broccoli was steamed perfectly. My only complaint is that the entrees do not come with a salad. It's $1 extra if you want a salad. My BF really enjoyed the house salad, since all ingredients were chopped. The wings were a nice size and the BBQ sauce was sweet, not at all spicy. The pierogie appetizer was a little disappointing. They were hard, chewy and smothered in a congealed cheese. We were hoping for some butter and onion. We would not order them again. The prices are pretty reasonable ($8-10 for sandwiches and $14-$20 for entrees). The place does get rather loud since there isn't any separation between the dining area and the bar. Overall, we enjoyed our dinner and would definitely stop in again.
(4)Cherith C.
Great beer and wine selection and a really nice, outgoing staff. Really great place to watch a game, especially if you have a crowd of folks who want to meet up. The place is big. I enjoyed the Parmesan wings and the Italian Hoagie. I'll definitely go back.
(4)Gary R.
I always love to check out places that offer the promise of great bar food and a huge beer selection. And so when we were in the area I knew I had to stop and give Hal's a try. Reading many of the Yelp reviews I knew I'd find some things I'd like. And I did! To be honest, we went there for a late lunch on a Saturday and to have some beer. So my first priority was food. While the menu is limited it does have a few interesting items. I wasn't interested in the dinner entree portion and the sandwich options aren't overly plentiful, we were both able to choose something we liked. The build your own burger was really good and cooked to perfection. The accompanying onion rings were just ok - typical of any frozen rings you'd get in most bars. Not like James Street Gastropub which has outrageous onion rings - just saying. My wife's pulled pork was tasty and is something I'd recommend. The beer selection is huge (I estimated about 70 different kinds!) but regrettably, the draft selection is limited. I love craft beer but want to drink it on tap not out of a bottle. I can do that at home. Only one IPA on tap (not acceptable) but they did have a few Belgians available. I would love to see more support for some of the local craft brewers here. How about some Helltown or East End or even Penn Brewing? But the Stone IPA is always acceptable. Atmosphere is typical sports bar motif - about 15 flat screens around the bar all with sports on - it WAS a Saturday after all. We sat at the bar and the first thing that struck us was how DARK it was. We're talking dungeon here folks. I mean dark! Black walls, black ceiling, black bar back....Black. If you're in that familiar physical condition where the very presence of any light causes your head to resume that painful throbbing then this place is just for you. You'll love it here. But me? I wanted to read the menu. And couldn't. Had to use my iPhone light to even make out that there was writing on that menu! Service was ok - usually I sit at the bar to improve my chances of getting better service and to keep my beer refilled more easily. This wasn't the best but it wasn't anything I could fault them on. I won't go out of my way to go back here but I will consider a return visit when I'm in the area.
(3)Elizabeth S.
Really great food & amazing service! Everything from tofu to filet mignon - and everything is delicious :)
(5)Julie D.
Great find in the North Hills. The bf found it while on a recent work assignment. We decided to stop by on a Sunday afternoon. The bar area is large and the dining side is even bigger with plenty of space between the tables. Even though we were there on a very sunny day, the interior is dimly lit. We were greeted right away by our wonderful server, Melanie. BJ got the Clown shoes beer. They have a lot of appetizer and sandwich choices. I got a garden burger on a ciabatta multigrain bun. It was really good. Sandwiches are served with your choice of fries, sweet potato fries or onion rings. I got the sweet potato fries. They were so good, the bf bet me $100 bucks that they were fresh cut. Too bad for him, they are not. He got a pastrami sandwich on rye with onion rings. His sandwich was great and so were the rings. This place is really great!
(5)Tom S.
Party of three and we tried the recommended chicken wings that were perfectly cooked the way I like'em (crispy). I tried a pumpkin type ale which was very good and cold. I tried the Apple salad which was really good. My pals tried the Chicken Tortilla soup which he thought was really good. They split the Pastrami sandwich that looked really good but just gave it an OK. Over all very pleased & would not hesitate to return if in area.
(4)Kelly S.
My husband and my fave bar to visit ..great waiters and waitresses good service and food
(5)Mac R.
I'm always excited when my guy suggests a new place for us to go that's completely off my radar. He suggested Hal's today for us while we were running North Hills errands & I was game especially after reading Yelp reviews raving about their great beer and bar food selections. Our bartender gave us a warm greeting & we discovered Stone was their only IPA on tap. Only a few taps here, so the great beer selection clearly comes mainly in bottles. The bar is nicely appointed & also a bit dark - black ceilings & walls - I needed the light on my phone to read the menu in the afternoon. Menu is bar food basic & not super extensive. I ordered the pulled pork with onion rings & hubby got a build your own burger (which excited him) & onion rings. And these sandwiches were really good! The burger was gigantic & I heard happy noises next to me. My pulled pork was delicious with a perfect amount of barbecue sauce. My ciabatta roll was good but a bit too much bread, so after eating 1/4 of it as a sandwich, I forked the remainder. Onion rings were good, not amazing. Service impressed when we said we'd split 1 last beer & our bartender drew 2 glasses she filled 3/4 full! Pleasant surprise on the bill that the Stone IPAs were $5 when it's pretty pricey by the case to buy. My rating was hovering in the 3.5 range, but the generous 1/2 glasses & tasty sandwiches earned Hal's a 4!
(4)Kevin M.
Hal's is a great place to go in the north hills on any given night. I recommend Wednesday's for wing night but it can get really crowded of course so be prepared to wait for a seat. Wings are fantastic and worth the wait. They are always fresh and never the frozen kind. Thursday is another great night because next door they have a bottle shop with beer tastings of various craft breweries.....some you know of and others that are new or never heard. Plus on that same night is $3 drafts in the bottle shop too. Dan the bottle shop manager is very attentive and will recommend beers for you if unsure of what to get. During the summer they have an outdoor seating area too. Hal's overall is a great place to go for food and friends.
(5)Brandon F.
This is a great place to drink beer, watch sports, and eat wings. It is one of the nicest bars in the North Hills.
(5)Joe C.
Food was good. The sliders are delicious and the sauce on them is great. Large beer assortment. Good service. They have a big parking lot, but during happy hour it can be difficult to get a parking spot. Definately worth a visit!
(4)Natalie C.
Beer, Good. Wings, Good. What more do you need? They have a nice ambiance - currently nicely decorated for the holidays. They have a lot of TVs so it's great for game day. crowd and a huge beer selection. Only had appetizers but they were good. Wait staff was great. Definitely recommend it!
(4)Matt S.
Great bottle selection and bottle shop next door. Vegetarian options too, which isn't common at sports bars. Lots of TVs with pretty good sight lines. There's also a very large TV at center of bar which is great for the game. I've had their crispy seitan and garden burger, both of which I recommend. The only thing I don't like is that it's too dark inside. This is okay for watching the game but it's hard to see other people and it makes the window light way too bright at the front. The wait staff are very nice and attentive.
(4)Laura C.
Food is decent for bar food. And that's all it is...bar food. Few attempts at something 'fancy' are kinda funny. You're a bar.....be good at bar food. Be excellent at bar food. The beer list here is FANTASTIC. Seriously. Only place in the north hills that has Kasteel Cuvée. If know what Kasteel Cuvée is, you know the beer list is worth stopping here for. We like it, come often....for the beer. As long as you stick to wings and other simple fare, you're golden.
(3)Nate B.
Everyone before me has basically nailed it. As an out-of-towner on a business trip in the North Hills, I wanted to stop in a nice local bar, grab an appetizer and a drink. Hal's was perfect. Great menu and great bar food, at an affordable price. Definitely a sports bar atmosphere, lots of TV's with different games on. The beer selection was outstanding as well. A+!
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