There is only one steak, and its name is ribeye! Can't beat the ribeye cooked in the 1500 degree oven at CG. What do you need for a good steak? Quality meat, the right cut (and I go ribeye), minimal seasoning, and technique with a good hot oven! Started with the calamari, Rodney Strong Cabernet, spinach and bacon salad, finished with that great ribeye! Remember, its all about the marbling!
(5)
Raivis G.
Well, well... I thought I knew what a good cheesecake was. It was quite wonderful to be proven wrong. That aside, lovely ambiance, a professional and courteous staff, delicious food that not only didn't disappoint, but went above and beyond my expectations. I'll make a very minor complaint and note that there was a bit of banging noise by where I was seated, probably coming from the kitchen-- it wasn't terribly loud so it didn't bother me much, though it was fairly consistent throughout the meal. Other than that bit of nitpicking, though... I can't think of a reason I wouldn't return.
(4)
Lauren C.
I'm not a steak eater but I love it here. We make it a point to come here at least once a year for the Generous Pour, which is a very generous sampling of up to 8 wines for $38 with the cost of a meal. This year there were 3 whites and 5 reds. I sampled them all, and they were all delicious. Then you can request unlimited refills of your favorites! How can you beat that?! I also love the service here. Your wait staff is attentive and friendly and very knowledgeable about the food and the wines. I could eat an entire bowl of just the mashed potatoes. Creamy and delicious, I'm sure they are full of butter and cream (a fact that I choose to ignore). I always opt for a fish dish for my main course and everything is good, although outdone by the aforementioned mashed potatoes. I also tried the cheesecake with fresh berries and it was to die for. Believe me, it's worth the cost!
(4)
Jiaxin T.
I celebrated my 21st birthday in the one in LA and my 24th birthday in Pittsburgh in November last year (lol I know it's been so long) but I liked it. I made a reservation and told them it's for birthday. I walked in, the hostess was helping me to take care my coat and led us to the table that was decorated with colorful pieces. Food and service was very good too.
(5)
Abe O.
Let's start with the negatives. In reality there are none. You pay for what you get in this world and this definitely applies to Capital Grille. For my wife and I (neither of which drink alcohol) we spent $200 with tip. It was a special occasion, so I'm not complaining, but the cost can certainly be a limitation. Now for the positives, which are countless. The food is unmatched, the service is stellar, the place is absolutely spotless, classy, and not at all intimidating. I've only been once, but I can guarantee everything on the menu will send the average mortal into a fourth dimension. An absolute must try...even if it means a second mortgage. You'll thank me later.
(5)
Mark K.
Went for an early birthday dinner. We had the calamari with peppers as a starter with a basil gin martini and the bohemian all very good. The bohemian being the best out of both drinks. Not over sweet like many like it. For the main course we had the 22 oz Porterhouse steak and the Chef's Choice Filet Mignon with mushrooms. We picked the Lobster Mac and Cheese and the Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella salad for our sides. All excellent. For dessert we had the cheesecake and the coconut cream pie. It was a struggle at this point to eat a single bite more, but it was so good we pushed through the pain. Service was top notch and classic high end American style. Everything came out quickly but at proper intervals. Lucky for me the manager was a co-worker at a previous job and made sure we were well taken care of. Definitely worth the $$$$ (dolla dolla bills yo - as Yelp says).
(5)
Shu Jin S.
We arrived a few minutes late (but called to give them a heads up) and apparently that meant waiting an extensive amount of time to be seated. Granted, I know how annoying it is not to be punctual, but it seemed a little excessive. Steaks all arrived in the wrong temperature. Either undercooked or overcooked. Also, the tuna steaks had been seared (and in one case, completely cooked through) when the request was for them to be raw. Honestly, I don't know that any one out of our group of eight had one dish right. The server was nice, and our table was a prime people watching spot. I'd give them points on the desserts, the lobster mac n cheese and the Malbec. But for the price, my expectations were high.
(1)
Erin N.
I'm not new to the slightly higher price point, chain steak house circuit. If Ruth's Chris had a rewards program, my family would have free steak for life. That being said, I know what is expected here. It's going to be stuffy and overpriced; you know that. But your expectation is the food and service should make up for those little trips. +1 and I are early 20s, cute lil' professional guys. I understand we are a contrast to the older people in floor length furs, but we didn't come in off the street like a bunch of ruffians demanding cheese fries (although the ladies behind the host podium would have disagreed). After being greeted with "do you have a reservation", we let them know we were early and would have a drink at the bar until our scheduled time was up. Drinks were fine. Whatever. We were taken to our table which was one of two placed right in front of the kitchen and that terrifying eagle. They're kind of like the next to the bathroom booths. When I asked our hostess if we could move to one of the few (3+) open tables that were actually in the dining room, she said she couldn't do that (I would normally freak out over this, but somehow that pales to the rest of the night). Our waiters and helpers/runners were awesome. They weren't nearly as personable as you'd expect, but they didn't act like we were confused and didn't mean to be there. Now here, judging by the other reviews, I should rave about the food. That is absolutely not going to happen. This is also going to be much more harsh than it should be as I was expecting (what I suppose is) way too much. Way harsh, T. Oops. Because I don't do seafood, we ordered the fries "to share" .. The portion you receive of the truffle fries is sad. If Burgatory's truffle fries are a 10, these may get a 4. We both ordered our double priced Caesar salads and were given small plates of yellow iceberg. I can't tell you how sad this was. A few shavings of asiago I was able to find saved my sanity that night. For our main courses, I ordered the chicken that makes more an hour than I do, and +1 got the strip steak. He said it was "good," but was not impressed in the slightest. My chicken tasted like I did nothing but threw a chicken in the oven and then cut it in half and served it to you with some blackened cooked shriveling yellow carrots. It was sad. So sad we didn't even get dessert. I just wanted to get out of there. The only decent sustenance I received was 200% marked up glass of Riesling. If you are thinking of going here, it won't be the worst. Clearly, people enjoy it. But if you are one of those people that may have expectations for anything ever or don't happen to have some extra change from your hedge fund to waste, keep walking until you hit Ruth's Chris or something that isn't going to make you cry into your fifty dollar piece of meat (at least that would season it).
(2)
Melisa F.
Meals expertly planned and delivered! great tableservice and decent pricing for an upscale Steak house. Chappellet red fusion vino was a perfect welcomed compliment to my Sliced Filet with mushrooms and baby onions and my brothers Filet Oscar was cooked medium to perfection. The lobster crab cake appetizer was delicious ..homemade tartar sauce was a perfect topping. Fresh made mint lemonade and the dimly lit restaurant and all its beauty sealed the deal for a perfect meal. When in Pittsburgh this place is a Must!
(5)
Rich K.
Had an amazing 30th wedding anniversary dinner. Attention to detail, going the extra mile etc. Food was outstanding. People bitching about the prices...shut it...it's an expensive restaurant. You want cheap, head down to Eat N Puke. This is a great place to celebrate very special occasions.
(5)
Gloria S.
Salads, bread, lobster macaroni & cheese, and sliced filet with mushrooms and onions (chef's selection) were excellent. Porterhouse was OK, ordered medium-rare and it came rare, so had to send it back. Decided to finish the filet and take most of the porterhouse home, but it wasn't in our doggie bag when we arrived home. Good, but pricey compared to what you can get elsewhere, especially considering everything is a la carte.
(3)
Jessica D.
I've visited the Capital Grille twice - both times for Pittsburgh Restaurant week. The second visit was just last evening - 08/10/2015. Both times - the service was amazing! The food - amazing. The drinks - amazing. I don't have a single things to complain about. Both restaurant weeks when I've visited - I've had the 8 oz Filet - it cut like butter. I barely needed a knife. I don't expect anything less from The Capital Grille - Go, especially during restaurant week!!
(5)
G B.
I have been to the Capital Grille in Pittsburgh many time. The staff is professional and on top of every request. I've been there both lunch and dinner. The lunch plate is a nice addition( where you make three choices for $18. I had the waygu burger with the French cut green beans yesterday and it was a really nice lunch, served in an expedited manner for a quicker lunch. Fried calamari was excellent as always.
(5)
Amy M.
Went here with a friend during the height of the G-20 Conference in September 2009 as we could not find another restaurant OPEN. Jessica, our server, was fantastic. She was helpful and prompt and I get the feeling that she would be that way regardless of the number of tables in her charge for the evening. The food was excellent, as can be expected, but pricey, as should be expected. When the time came for after dinner beverages, we chose scotch. My selection was nearly out, partial pour, so they gave it to me on the house, a nice touch. Everything we ordered was cooked to perfection, piping hot and delicious.
(5)
Jen L.
I want to give this place five stars, I really, really do. But I can't. I should preface this entire review by saying that the food absolutely gets 5 stars. One of the best meals Bobby and I have had in PGH to date. Fortunately, they have valet service but unfortunately because of construction going on downtown it's a little confusing. You have to drive past the Capital Grille and the valet is on your right. When we were here last week, there seemed to be some sort of event going on so valet service took foreeeever to get our car back for us. We've been to this location a few times and every time, despite having reservations, we end up waiting in the lobby for a good 15 minutes. This is okay, and worth it for the food, but they definitely don't get you in right away, or at least not in our experience. Surprisingly, between the wait to get in and the amount of time our server took between ordering/retrieving our drinks, we didn't even order dinner until 9:00pm. This was sort of frustrating, considering our 8:15 reservations. I don't mind slowly enjoying a nice meal and I can dig the European trend of doing so, but at least let us put the order in and bring us some bread and our starters! On to the meal itself: I started with the butternut squash soup and it was amazing! Seriously one of the best (if not the best) butternut squash soup I've had, and I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to squash. Absolutely delicious and the perfect way to start a meal after coming in off the cold street. For my entree, I had the filet with some sort of gorgonzola crust and I-kid-you-not it was one of the best cuts of steak I've ever eaten. The preparation was absolutely fantastic. It was a perfect medium rare. The flavors of the gorgonzola crust and the small bit of sauce complimented the steak without overwhelming it. I cannot say enough how delicious this meal was! Pro tip: order the lobster mac n' cheese side. So, so, so good. At the end of the meal, we waited for awhile for our plates to be cleared. Service was just very slow that night. We noticed that our server had a very large party, so that probably contributed to the slower service. Every other time I've been to the Capital Grille, they have wiped down the tablecloths with the crumb catchers, and offered hot towel service. These amenities were not offered this time. Perhaps because our server was so busy? Or maybe the Capital Grille simply isn't doing this anymore? Not a big deal either way, but I noticed it and so I figured it was worth mentioning. Our server brought out dessert for us, since it was Bobby's birthday. This was lovely, but we also ordered an additional dessert (the one he really wanted!) but unfortunately, it never came out. Our server was very friendly and apologetic and certainly rectified this on the receipt, but we were just overall a bit underwhelmed with our service this time around. For such a upscale place, we hold this establishment to a higher standard. Fortunately, the food was so delicious (as always) that I'm only deducting one star for service. It is my sincere hope that this was simply a deviation from the norm in the service here. I know we've certainly experienced better at this location! We will definitely be back.
(4)
Larissa G.
I'm a big fan of this place! I've had the chance to eat dinner here as well as eat off-menu light bites when organizations I'm a member of have booked lunch here. I've also had the chance to enjoy a quick tour of their wine stocks, which honestly are impressive in and of themselves! Not only did I get a glimpse into the huge collection of wine but I found out that they have quite a system here to ensure that different wines are ready for serving throughout the night. So yep, when it comes to wine it's safe to say that these guys definitely know what they're doing. Food wise, I can say after dining here during group outings that Capital Grille makes very delicious and tender meat dishes. I've had off-menu lamb bites and kabobs and can't even describe how tasty they were! The last time I was here for dinner I opted to stick to soup and salad, and believe it or not those options were just as satisfying as anything else I could have ordered. The bisque was thick and nicely seasoned, and the Caprese Salad was put together beautifully and drizzled with just the right amount of dressing - and hey, I love any place that doesn't drown its salads in dressing! And to finish my last meal off, I ordered the cheesecake with fresh seasonal berries. It was definitely one the best pieces of cheesecake that I've ever had, I think - it was both tasty and light and fluffy, so I left after eating feeling perfectly full rather than overstuffed from my delightful meal. Service? No complaints. I've never had a problem here. The waiters here are always able to answer questions and help with meal and drink selections when we're having trouble picking what to pair with what. They've also always been quick to check on our waters, take away empty dishes, see if we need anything else - honestly they've always succeeded in making me feel like a special guest, which in a place as fancy and expensive as Capital Grille is always a good thing, I think! I would absolutely come back for a big date or just to grab a drink and dessert, but unfortunately Capital Grille will always be a special occasion only sort of place. It's impossible to forget that the food here is expensive - particularly the steaks! - and while I don't mind paying for a high quality meal like the ones you can get here once in a while, those prices do mean that this place and my budget don't always mix well. Darn money, always ruining my fun!
(4)
Kenneth C.
Food is superb. Service exceptional. Portions huge, especially desserts ! Ambiance warm, old world. Good place for intimate tête-à -tête or conversation with friends. Only reason for 4 stars is a bit over priced. You'll need to take out a second mortgage.
(4)
Kevin F.
I had a business meeting there today and Nicole was our server. She was very attentive and helpful when making recommendations. I had the chicken Cesar Salad. It was not as I had imagined it would be; a Cesar Salad with strips of chicken or cubed chicken. It was a Cesar Salad with a chicken leg and thigh on the side. This was my favorite part of the chicken and it was cooked very well, moist and tender. I will be back for more than just lunch meetings for sure!
Went here for my birthday dinner and couldn't have been more thrilled! Two words- STOLI DOLI. Our server, Rob, was amazing and couldn't have been more helpful with explaining the menu. Ordered the filet mignon and although it was a little more rare than I would have preferred, it still melted in my mouth and was overshadowed by the fact the lobster mac n cheese (minus the lobster) was perfection. One side was suitable enough for my husband and I, we ended up bringing the rest home for the most expensive leftovers we've ever had. Definitely make it a point to come here for any special occasion!
(5)
A. Emre Ü.
A very good steakhouse. Definitely on the more luxurious and delicious side of the scale. The Porterhouse, grilled mushrooms and asparagus were superb. Definitely recommended for special occasions.
(5)
Bob B.
I have been here a few times. It seems that it is getting exponentially worse. I think the steaks are medicore and the crab crakes and sides don't do it for me either. I do like the wine special that they run in the summer where you can sample multiple wines for an affordable price. Their cheese cake is top notch, I will give them that.
(2)
Ines B.
Last night I dined at Capital Grille with my date to celebrate my birthday. This restaurant had really great reviews. I ordered the filet mignon with the Au Gratin potatoes and my date ordered the scallop dish. My steak was very tender and the sauce made it more flavorful but it was still bland for my liking. I didn't like the au gratin potatoes and my date didn't enjoy his scallops. The manager came by to check up on us and my date expressed his distaste for the scallop dish and was brought out a different scallop dish with 15 year old balsamic and it was delightful. I don't know if I would return to this restaurant. I wasn't blown away by the meal.
Went there for lunch today , beautiful place , excellent service , ordered sliced filet with mushrooms and onions , (cooked perfectly ) and great presentation , had coffee and chocolate espresso cake for dessert , I must admit , never had coffee that tasted that smooth , and the cake was full of flavor with just the right amount of "sweet". All things considered , the prices are very reasonable . Will definitely go back again !
(4)
Julie L.
My friends and I had dinner here this week. We all ordered from the Restaurant Week menu. We wanted to take advantage of at least one meal during the week and really liked that their menu had multiple options and not just one set meal. I had the wedge salad, 14oz bone in strip, green beans, mashed potatoes, and finished with cheesecake. Everything was very good. I can't say the steak was mind blowing but it was good. My favorite thing that I ate had to be the potatoes. They were creamy yet still had some skins in them. I could have ate the entire bowl myself. I probably wouldn't rush back but I would dine here again.
(4)
Ana W.
I have been to two capital grille restaurants. The one in king of Prussia is the best service I have ever gotten from any restaurant anywhere! And not just once! Every time I go the food and service is beyond compare. Lobster Mac n cheese is amazing! The one in Pittsburgh has decent food and the service is okay but it isn't anything to write home about. I would rather go elsewhere.
(3)
Emily W.
Service was top notch, and setting was even better. I have no complaints. Bring lots of money, though, in fact if you are even thinking of trying not to spend too much, this is not the place. Wish I could afford to dine here regularly.
(4)
Leiha K.
The whole experience was wonderful. I was a little worried when we got there because we asked to be seated somewhere else and the hostess was definitely not happy about it. When we pay good money for a meal I expect the best of service. Our waiter, Travis, was the best. Very knowledgeable and courteous. I would love to have him again when we return. We had their speciality pineapple vodka soaked cocktail. Delicious. We ordered two appetizers, the crab cakes and calamari with spicy peppers. Both tasted wonderful. I would suggest eating the crab cakes first because the peppers from the calamari slightly took over my palate. The bread basket they served was elegant and the butter very fresh and tasty. Dinner was tenderloin with lobster tail with two sides of creamed corn and bacon and the roasted mushrooms. Simple, tasty, and went well with the meat. We finished off the evening with coffee (was SO happy it was piping hot and strong) and dessert, flourless chocolate espresso cake and the coconut cream cake! Both were absolutely to die for, and a must have. Great evening.
(5)
Weiran W.
Went to the capital Grille last night. Service there is really good and food is also excellent. ordered the medium well steak which is delicious.
(5)
Matt B.
We went to the Capital Grille for a pre-penguins game meal with family friends. I was stunned by the prices. The high end experience was a change of pace to my normal pre game meal, but It's difficult to really find a way to enjoy your meal when you know the costs are so exorbitant. The food, however, tasted fantastic and if you have the money available it is a fantastic option for higher-end dining in Pittsburgh.
(3)
Amanda J.
I came to Capital Grille for a private party, and it was a delightful time. I am really glad I wasn't the one paying for the party, as the prices seem steep. As it was a party, I sampled a lot of foods. But I didn't eat a full meal. I'm guessing everything we ate was catered so I'm not sure what all is on the regular menu. Overall, everything was great. Before the food, the ambiance was quite nice. There is a main dining area, and there is also a private room toward the back. The restaurant was set up very nicely, and I would definitely come back here for a nice evening. I didn't realize it was a Darden Chain, but this is ten steps above Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Favorite Food Sampled: Risotto Fritters: I loved these FAR too much. It's grown up deep fried mac and cheese, and it made me so happy. Perfect in the cold weather. It's creamy and cheesey and warm. SO DELICIOUS. I may have eaten ten (or twelve). Other things I sampled: Two glasses of wine (OK. More than a sample there.), fresh tomato and mozzarella crostini, proscuitto, smoked Norwegian Salmon on onion pita crisps, cheese platter, and grilled vegetables. Everything was delicious. No complaints. Ok. I don't get the massive picture of Mr. Rogers at all. In a place that is supposed to be "classy," it was just weird. It was like Mr. Rogers was watching me eat. I mean, local flavor is cool. But this was just pushing it.
(4)
Glenn C.
Went for a smaller dinner in the bar. Been dying to try the burger after a recommendation over a year ago. It was very juicy and flavorville. Glad i passed on 5 guys. Added a nice caesar salad with anchovies. Service was great. I love their bread!
(4)
David B.
The Capital Grille is a steakhouse with superb service, a great wine list and excellent food. I've eaten there about 3 times and have experienced wonderful food and extraordinary service. The decor is very gentleman's club and over the top masculine. I particularly like the Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese, which is gourmet comfort food. Their wine list is heavy on the reds, and their strength is American wines. I believe they have an extensive collection of over 2,000 bottles. But honestly, people go here to impress a business client, or for a special occasion. It's a great place to go if you are not picking up the tab and you want to feel pampered. The menu is more diverse than both Ruth Chris and Mortons, when it comes to the food, I think the Capital Grille far outshines the competition. The Sommelier is well trained and knows a lot about food pairings and making wine recommendations. So overall, the Capital Grille is expensive, but at the same time high quality, and is always my first choice when recommending a steak house.
(4)
Sheila B.
The Capital Grille is definitely a place to go for special occasions. The service was superb. The waitress was extremely knowledgeable about all menu items and wine pairings with menu items. The bread basket was delicious, including some Passover friendly items. I had the mozzarella, basil, tomato salad (let's just call it Caprese, though that isn't the official name on the menu). The aged balsamic vinegar was delightful, as well as the basil. The rest was ho-hum, but by no means bad. Just average. I partially blame myself for ordering a tomato based salad not during tomato growing season. My mom and I split the lobster macaroni and cheese as well as the green beans. Both were delicious and well executed, though my mom felt like the green beans were a little undercooked. Dessert was the flourless chocolate espresso cake. It was good, but didn't knock anyone's socks off. What DID look amazing and tasted awesome was the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. It was also HUGE and would easily serve 3+ people. Ambiance was wonderful with low lighting. I could have used a few less dead animal heads around the place, but I get the vibe they're going for. Wine list is expansive and also expensive, which gets to my next idea. The place is very, very expensive. You may notice we didn't get any steak, which the place is known for. There is not a cut of meat available for under 40 bucks. I get it, it's a fancy steak place. Personally, I just couldn't muster spending that much for anything that is food. Call me cheap, but I call it smart.
(4)
Mel A.
Went for dinner last night and oh my word! The Porcini Rubbed Delmonico with 15-Year Aged Balsamic was out of this world. The portion was huge & everyone at the table was blown away. I also had the fries with truffle oil and the lobster mac- yum & yum! Husband tried lobster bisque and it was phenomenal. I also had the house Cabernet and it was exquisite. I highly recommend for a beautiful evening.
(5)
Oren S.
I was drawn to the restaurant on this evening for the outstanding Pittsburgh Restaurant Week promotion, a one-week event which draws in dozens of fine local establishments. The Capital Grille offers the best deal and the finest quality of cuisine of the bunch: choice of salad or soup, entree, including three steak choices, side dishes of mashed potatoes and fresh green beans, and creme brulee or flourless chocolate espresso cake for the relatively low price of $35, less than half of what this meal would ordinarily cost. The bread basket contains an interesting assortment including a matzoh-like item which was delicious and crisp. The butter pats were soft and an excellent accompaniment to the bread basket choices. My sirloin steak was delicious, but part of it (ordered medium rare) was raw. The restaurant is beautiful and comfortable. My wife and I were provided a spacious booth in a part of the restaurant that was not particularly noisy, though we were forced to wait for a good while despite there being many empty tables and booths when we arrived for our reservation. I believe the idea is to get customers into the bar with a cocktail before they are seated at a table. $15 for a delicious, but average-sized martini is profiteering. I was surprised that there were no draft beers at a restaurant such as this, particularly one which has a large bar. Our service from Koy was efficient, pleasant, gracious, and delightful. Unlike the high-pressure tactics employed by our overbearing and overpowering server at Eddie Merlot's in Downtown Pittsburgh recently, Koy did not force us to listen to a lengthy recitation of dishes nor try to force anything on us that we did not want in order to pad the check. My wife and I enjoyed an excellent evening!
(4)
Alex F.
My girlfriend took me here for My 23rd birthday. This place was so great when it came to the food AND the service. Highly recommended for anyone willing to spend a pretty penny on a great evening. I recommend the ribeye that is cooked perfectly medium rare.
(5)
Dan P.
The best steak I have ever had! The service was great and the dessert was even better!! A must go to restaurant in Pittsburgh.
(5)
Vincenzo C.
This place was unbelievably out of this world !! From the moment u pull up to the place! Non stop service! First let me start off our waiter was absolutely amazing! Ask for Horacio!! He's great!! I ordered the filet 10oz and it was cooked to pure perfection! With sides of Au gratin potatoes and spinach! Which were also out of this world !!! For starters we had the calamari! And there's not enough stars here to give that order! My counter part ordered the filet Oscar med well- which is topped with fresh crab meat ... Soft like butter and fresh !! Amazing experience here! The ambiance is wonderful! This is a high end steak house!!! Loved it!
We have dined here many times and brought a guest this time. The atmosphere in the main dining room is very nice as in a warm gentleman's clubby room kind of way. There are great paintings on all the walls including a great one of Mr. Rogers and there are several mounted animal heads high-up on some walls. Their bread and the selection is very good including the pumpernickel and lavash. They serve butter that is some the best you can get. "European-style" Cultured Butter I would say. From the Bar we ordered a Grey Goose martini with blue cheese stuffed olives perfectly made and the olives were some of the best I have had. The apple martini was weak for some reason but had good taste. With dinner a bottle of Concha y Toro, Marques Casa de Concha 2010 Carmenere went so well with our steaks. To start I had the Wedge salad that was pretty good for sure right up there with some of the best. The lettuce was appropriately extremely cold and crisp. While the blue cheese dressing was good indeed, it could have been a little stronger of the blue for my own taste, but the tomato wedges and the bacon were outstanding. The Onion soup was tasty with a great topping of oozy melted crusty cheese. We also had Wagyu Beef Carpaccio that I would grade outstanding. Specials of the night are always worth a review and discussion with your server. Tonight, one that sounded great was a preparation of wild pacific salmon, but we were here for the steaks tonight. My dry age strip steak was a very flavorful piece of meat and the tenderloin with porcini sauce and the poached lobster was a super combination, tender and flavorful, decadent perhaps; just great . The filet that we asked to be treated with the Kona was very good. Also at our table we had he porterhouse which was a good size, nicely done and very tasty. To reiterate a bit, we enjoyed good flavor with all the steaks and all were prepared as ordered. Service, first and last was outstanding. Our server's knowledge was just short of encyclopedic. Everything about everything on their menu and anything about all the food and perpetrations she was able to recite. She was very professional, fast and prompt in an apparent effortless and smooth manner. Wine she knew all about, yes she did. "Oh I think you would want that wine filtered", so she decanted our wine as her own recommendation for what we had. "Not going to finish the wine; want it back in the bottle", not a problem and immediately it was done. They are very busy on the weekends and when we arrived for our 8PM reservation the dining rooms were at 95 percent full. If you arrive without a reservation you might have a chance to eat in the lounge area high tops, bar, or the few tables in the area. If you like great dining and great steak and can afford an upscale price; Capital Grill is worth the occasional experience.
(4)
Mike S.
kona rubbed steak and a bottle of Jordan Cab. tough to beat. Place is a little dark....otherwise a great steakhouse.
(4)
Anthony S.
Food was great. Nick the manager is very good at keeping his patrons happy. We will certainly be back.
(5)
Heather B.
All around great experience. Went there for our anniversary and when we arrived, the table was covered in little hearts and every employee we encountered said happy anniversary. The waiter was great. He took time to go over wine/drink !emus, as well as the food menu. I ordered the filet Oscar with parmesan truffle oil fries... Both of which were so delicious. Capital is !y new favorite steak house in Pittsburgh!
(5)
Benjamin M.
Have you ever finished dinner and immediately started fantasizing about eating it all over again? Yeah, me neither. But if I ever did, this would be the one. Food: Beyond Excellent! I immediately had my eye on the 10 oz. Filet Mignon steak and ordered one cooked medium. Our waitress recommended various marinades and rubs, but the Kona coffee with shallot butter one piqued my interest. Well, it turned out to be "I'm going to chew each and every bite of this ever so slowly so this lasts forever" kinda delicious, tender and juicy. We also all shared an order of the Lobster Mac 'N' Cheese, which was one of the best side dishes I've eaten in a long time. I probably could have just eaten a couple bowls of this and been happy the rest of the night. Dessert was Creme Brulee topped with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Words cannot express what a delightful epilogue this was to the entire meal. Service: Top-notch! Our waitress was over-the-top friendly. Although slightly animated, she was knowledgeable, prompt, friendly and resourceful the entire time. Our water glasses never dipped below half-full and she even comped one of our desserts and our post-dinner coffees. Granted, it's not a huge deal for what you pay for all the entrees and drinks (the wine list is longer than the menu), but it was not required, but much appreciated. The good news is there are Capital Grille's all over the U.S. So, if you're smart, you'll make a reservation, throw on something nice, grab your wallet (fa sho) and enjoy a wonderful evening of wining and dining in style.
(5)
Sammy B.
My 1st time here.. It was so GREAT.. My BFF had her brithday dinner here .. The food was soooooooo super GREAT.. Everyone was very nice.. O.. Don't 4get to try the happy hour 6-7pm good deals
(4)
Laura H.
My first time at Capital Grille was celebrating my brother's graduation from CMU , but my parents have been to other locations and have spoken highly of it. Due to the fact that one member of our party has a severe shellfish allergy and another member is on a very restrictive diet, we were unable to try any appetizers so we went straight to the entrees. Everyone except for myself ordered the bone-In Kona crusted dry aged sirloin with shallot butter. Only one person who ordered it is a coffee fan but it was enjoyed by everyone. I think it was priced around $50 and it was a truly massive piece of meat! Every single person who ordered this finished it and raved about how juicy and flavorful the cut of meat was that night. I ordered the sliced filet mignon with Cipollini Onions and Wild Mushrooms. My steak was prepared perfectly to a medium temp. I thought the steak and sauce however was greatly lacking flavor. I have honestly had more flavorful steaks cooked at home. So for $50, I don't believe this was worth the cost at all. For sides we were rather limited by the diners with restrictions but we ordered the mashed potatoes which were absolutely delicious (we should have ordered 2 sides for the 5 of us) and the asparagus which only 3 out of the 5 diners were able to eat. A nice Zin accompanied our steaks. We had a cake at home so again did not eat dessert. As far as special occasion meals go, If it were for me I'd have much rather dined at meat&Potatoes or Sienna Sulla Piazza or Restaurant Echo-something more adventurous and complex than a simple steakhouse, however our service was excellent and the conversation at the table was enjoyable so pair that with mediocre food, it was a decent evening.
(3)
Joseph T.
I came here without a reservation and was able to find a seat at the bar before the bar was too busy too order food. If you would like to dine, then I recommend a reservation. For appetizer, I had the Lobster Bisque soup by recommendation of the bartender Michael. He was spot on with his recommendation. The soup was excellent. I cleaned the bowl with the warm bread we were given. With his credibility established, we ordered a few other of Michael's recommendations: the Sirloin, the Porterhouse, and the Lobster Mac'n'Cheese. The steaks were the portions which they were advertised to be. Furthermore, they were both cooked to medium-rare as we requested; however, the outside of the steak was a bit too charred in some portions which led a few bites to be a little too ashy for the cost of the steaks. The Lobster Mac'n'Cheese was surprisingly good. It was topped off with a crunchy ingredient to complement the lobster and macaroni which gave the dish an interesting texture. All of Michael's recommendations were spot on, and he was very friendly and attentive throughout our meal. Michael's co-bartender, Seth was also very friendly. The two also knew many of the patrons by name further demonstrating how friendly they were. The two were also quite knowledgeable of all of the drinks which were available. If you are in Pittsburgh and looking for a steakhouse or upscale bar, then the Capital Grille would be an appropriate destination.
(4)
Russ C.
King crab very good. Mashed potatoes were really really tasty. Great meal, ambiance is like them all. Classy.
(4)
Kat S.
omg, i went here for lunch, and it was so good! A little dim lighting for lunch, but it was delicious. Next time i will make sure to grab a drink too!
(4)
Ashley L.
We made the trek downtown to the Capital Grille for my mother-in-law's birthday in Jan 2013. We're not regulars to this classy (i.e. expensive) of an establishment so I only have a few other like-restaurants to compare our experience to. Overall, the experience was quite nice. We ended up here during Restaurant Week which gave our wallets a break. Our server was prompt and attentive even knowing our bill would be much less than the normal 3-top. I ordered clam chowder, a filet with grilled shrimp, and a cheesecake desert. The soup was delicious and my boyfriend tells me the cheesecake with fresh fruit was also great. (I was too full to eat it and had it boxed up to take home. They boxed it up very nicely for me, but since I was flying out of town for work the next day, he ate it!) My steak, ordered medium rare, came out a bit more rare than I would have expected (cool red center instead of warm red) but it was tender and delicious none-the-less. The grilled shrimp was overcooked but I wasn't annoyed enough to complain at the time. Now, I wont be back anytime soon, but that's more a factor of the price than anything else. It's definitely a special occasion kind of place for me, and I have a number of other places like that to try first!
(4)
Adam L.
First of all, I am not a chain restaurant guy. Growing up in Manhattan and eating out almost every weekend. Wasn't until I moved to pitt that I even considered trying this place but due to the lack of steakhouses I wasn't getting my "proper" fix so I had to. Couldnt be happier that I made that initial decision. Consistency is just what you get at The Capital Grille. Superior service and a consistently delicious meal. Expensive but for the quality of the steak Id say its well worth the trip. If you want extraordinary service ask for Horacio, he will make your evening memorable and treat you like royalty. Beautiful decor as well and not only is your server great but the entire staff is extremely attentive.
(5)
Keith M.
As correctly predicted by my last review, I ordered the Lobster and Crab sandwich(think lightly fried crab cake with lobster) along with a bowl of the Clam Chowder. Each dish stands on it's own. The Clam Chowder was hot, tasty, fragrant, and not overdone --- Clams cooked as they should be, and perfect for the cold weather we've had recently. The lobster and crab cake sandwich was a nice size, served on a toasted bun, with greens, and was lightly fried as mentioned. I think mine could have been fried longer, and perhaps could have stuck together a little better --- but overall it was excellent. Part of the issue was the larger pieces of lobster, and it's hard to complain about that! This was an expensive but tasty extravagance for lunch. The capital grille gets it right again! P.S. I think I'm worth it. :)
(5)
Dale H.
My boyfriend and I went here two weeks ago before seeing "Wicked" at the Benedum Center. It's not a place we would normally do dinner unless it's a special occasion. However, since our tickets to the show coincided with Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, we decided to give it a try/see how the other half lives! We were running a little late, so I called to let the restaurant know and was told they could hold the reservation for 15 minutes. When we arrived, were were seated in one of the smaller dining rooms off to the side, with only six tables in it. The atmosphere was not what I expected, with interesting art choices. A huge picture of August Wilson was basically at the table with us, while a painting of cows in a pasture hung across the way and the counter had a strange, brass statue of a falcon. It was museum-esque, almost suffocating. The room was a little too dim for my boyfriend, who doesn't have the best eyesight. Although I did like that the tiny, battery operated lamps at each table. I wanted to take one home! The rest of the restaurant and bar area seemed more lively and upbeat, so if we go back I would request to sit in the larger, main dining area. One thing that really bothered me was what happened when we were seated. The gentleman brought us to the table and, as he presented us with the special Restaurant Week Menu, said "This menu is a great deal, we usually average over $100 per head," and then he left. His tone was condescending and it made me feel uncomfortable, like I should have felt privileged to be there. It's expensive, dude, I get it. Our server, however, was fabulous. He was knowledgeable and attentive without hovering. The server's assistant, who was also serving our room, was also very polite and kept our water glasses full the entire night--even though we didn't order the fancy cucumber Fiji water like the table across from us. However, I think the uniforms/chef coat things they have their servers and other waitstaff wear are just weird, it didn't really seem to fit the who high-class, 1% vibe they had going on. On to the food! Nom! We each started with a Caesar Salad, which was small, but delightful. The dressing was good, as were the Parmesan croutons. For the entrees, I chose the Seared Citrus Glazed Salmon and my boyfriend got the Bone-In Dry Aged Sirloin Steak (14oz). My salmon was very good, but the real star of the night was the steak. It was seasoned and cooked beautifully, and I had never been more jealous of my partner. (He was nice enough to share a few pieces, though. He's a sweetheart!) With the entrees, we were served sides family style, Sam's Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Green Beans. The green beans were just "eh," but the mashed potatoes were some of the best I've had in a long time. Seriously, so good. When it came time to get dessert, we were slightly bummed as there were only two selections (Flour-less Chocolate Espresso Cake or Cheesecake with Fresh Berries) , while the website said there would be more options. I don't know if this is the fault of the restaurant or the folks who run the Pittsburgh Restaurant Week site. We both went for the cheesecake, but it turned out they had just run out. To our delight, our server allowed us to each get an order of their Classic Crème Brulee, which was also quite delicious. Next time, I really want to try the Strawberries Capital Grille! They sound phenomenal. Wine! The wine list they have here is ridiculous. It is so long! So. Long. It's about 25 times the size of their normal dinner menu. We ordered a white blend that we shared during dinner and it was good. Overall, our experience was nice. That steak. That steak gets 5 stars! As does the service we received from our waiter. I couldn't give the restaurant 5 stars though, because I was put off my the gentleman that seated us and by the atmosphere in the small dining room. I really felt like I needed to whisper, which is hard because I cannot whisper to save my life. I would possibly come here again for a special night out. And maybe this time, I will ask about getting one of those adorable little lamps!
(4)
Rachel C.
I felt very fancy schmany being in here for lunch. You definitely receive the the same fancy schmancy service you'd expect too. I was just very impressed with the whole experience from beginning to end. Trying to stay on the healthy side, I was a little nervous about going to a steak house. Don't get me wrong, I love me some filet mignon. And maybe another time, some filet will be had... But for now I had to stay on the safe side. The soup of the day was lobster bisque. Darnnit! I love lobster bisque! That was a hard one to avoid. So... I ordered that and kept the rest of the meal light. The lobster bisque was awesome! A tomato base with a HUGE piece of lobster in the bottom. NICE surprise! For the main course I ordered the scallops in lemon sauce instead of butter and sauteed greens. It was a fantastic choice because it tasted yummy and was on the healthy side. The scallops were a great size, seared and cooked perfectly, with a light lemon sauce. The greens were also served in the lemon sauce, which made them equally as delicious and flavorful. I had one tiny tiny bite of their creme brulee cheese cake and it was to. Die. For! Seriously, if you're going for dessert, any choice is probably going to be a good one considering the choices I heard that day! I must say again, the service was stellar. From start to finish everything was taken care of. The servers were extremely friendly too, and seriously seemed like they enjoyed their job and the food there. So if you're looking for a fancy schmancy night out with stellar service and food, this is your place!
(4)
Julie D.
Review Number 600 - I decided to take BJ out for a really special dinner on Father's Day. He likes steak and seafood, so Capital Grille came to mind. I made a reservation through open table. When we arrived, the restaurant was very busy, but we were seated right away. The decor is rich dark wood walls, extraordinary light fixtures, rich woven wool carpeting, and a few mounted animal heads and statues and old world type of artwork. I am sure you get the picture. For drinks, BJ opted for his usual beer and I had a Cosmo. We had plenty of time to study the menu. We decided to skip the appetizers and ordered a C.G. Chopped Salad to share. I would call this a kitchen sink salad, it was full of a lot of different fresh vegetables, served on mixed greens with house made croutons and olive vinaigrette. I really liked the salad, very fresh and delicious. The bread basket here is great, it offers some nice choices of bread. For our steaks, I got a filet mignon. BJ got the seared tenderloins with butter poached lobster tails. We decided to share the grilled asparagus based on our server's recommendation. BJ loved his meal and that's what was important on this particular occasion. He shared his lobster with me and it was perfectly cooked. My steak, however was over cooked, tough and very dry. It's a sin to see a filet prepared this way. Also, our server seemed to be lost and didn't return to see if our steaks were cooked properly until well after BJ was done. At that point, I wasn't really interested in a new steak. But, as a reward for my suffering through a mediocre steak, we were given a free dessert. Not exactly adequate, if you ask me, but better than nothing. We got the cheesecake with seasonal berries. It's described as the lighter, fluffier cousins of a New York. Our server said it made with mascarpone and had a little crisp caramelized sugar ala creme brulee style, which was a nice touch. The berries were raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. It was delicious. We did have a really nice evening out. But it's a shame that it couldn't have been perfect. Inadequate service and a shoe leather steak prevented that. We might try C.G., again. But we have had such perfect meals at Morton's and Ruth Chris', we should probably stick with them.
(3)
Susan W.
This is one of the nicest restaurants I have ever been too. Fantastic food and excellent service. If you are looking for a great meal downtown Pittsburgh look no more . Top notch. Avoid Franco's downtown. Note: Capital grill is not cheap, but the good is delicious, the atmosphere is nice and the staff treats you like royalty. Great Resturant for special occasions.
(5)
JT T.
Voted the best Steakhouse in PGH for a reason. Good Downtown location, valet service, solid wine list, the lobster bisque is absolutely incredible, Filet Oscar done to perfection. Need I say more The creepy picture of Fred Rogers right behind me in the dining room almost made this a 4 star. But I suppose I can't hold that against them ;)
(5)
Sarah K.
We had dry aged steak, and it was very good! The sides were also wonderful! Our server was a little odd with her theatric expressions, but attentive to our needs. An expensive meal, but well worth it!
(5)
Jim W.
I botched the reservation. It was my wife's birthday dinner and I botched it, reserving a place the evening before and not realizing it until we arrived the following night and they didn't have us on the list. It was a one hour wait to get seated. The woman at the front of the house told us we could sit at the bar if we wanted to get in faster, and my wife, disappointed, lamented that she didn't want to spend her birthday dinner experience at a barstool. And...they fit us in. Like...within five minutes. Straight across the board the wait staff was top notch, and added special little touches to make it a nice night for my wife. Loved the wagyu beef carpaccio appetizer. Really enjoyed the lobster bisque Was a little disappointed in the "special" (more in a minute) Thoroughly enjoyed the birthday dessert they brought my wife gratis. What was going to make this a three star review (but I thought better of it) was the entree special, which was a NY strip with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce with a red wine reduction. The reduction was sweet. TOO sweet for me. I didn't like how it paired with the cheese sauce OR the steak. The steak was cooked just right, but was a little tough, and I had to cut a couple inedible pieces off. I'm not sure whether to chalk that up to not awesome steak, or just my lack of experience with Strip steak vs. Filet. When i looked back over the evening, the only thing they didn't nail was the sauce on the steak (and arguably the meat, but really...come on) and although it's a place that is KNOWN for its steak, I think a 4 start rating is deserved.
(4)
Michael D.
Me and my girlfriend attended valentines day dinner here this year. She got the surf and turf and I got the 24oz. dry aged porterhouse. Both were delicious. Reason behind the 3 stars is I paid $170 for this meal and I noticed in main dining room they had big tables or booths with nice chairs. (More then likely paying the same price) assuming the menu pricing doesn't change for special occasions such as valentines day. And I was sitting in a room off to the left of the main dining room and to the left of the wine storage room. And we had a tiny tiny table with Cheap fold up chairs. Point being if everyone is paying the same we should all enjoy the same environment. Not just cuz some restaurant wants to make a couple bucks they throw in some extra seating. Not acceptable. if you want to go here don't go on a busy or event like valentines day.
(3)
Susan K.
Love the personalization! We arrived with only half our party, but we were seated and brought starter cocktails right away. Everyone (even the waiter) greeted my husband by name as we were seated (he made the reservation). I was suitably impressed. The decor is top notch, muted and cozy lighting, just all around very pleasing. Food is great, as is should be for how expensive this place is. I ordered the truffle fries because I heard how great they were, but they were nothing special. My only complaint was that the ladies bathroom was dirty, i.e. towels and toilet paper all over the floor and in all the stalls. I thought that in a classy place such as this that they'd have someone keeping an eye on them, but it looked like they had not been cared for in a couple days.
(4)
Pavel I.
Not the best steak house from what I have seen, even between Capital Grills. The one in DC has better steaks.
(3)
Robert T.
Great food and atmosphere. Some great wines. A bit pricy. Would go there next time in Pitt.
(5)
A M.
This is a good steakhouse. It's mostly what you would expect if you've been to this type of place in other cities. I do like that they tailor the art to reflect the local history. The bartenders are excellent. I especially like Seth. Unlike Mortons and Ruth Chris the bar is a lot of fun. The crowd is similiar to the other steak places, but seem to me to be a bit younger. The steaks are what you'd expect and they are excellent. However, and this may just be my personal opinion I'd stay away from some of the exotic preparations (like coffee beans) and just stick with a good piece of meat. I really liked the spinach. They put just the right amount of nutmeg to give it an interesting taste. The other sides are about average. If I had to rank these steak places I mentioned in this review I'd have to say the Capital Grille is the current favorite. I'd like to find a local place that is on par with these franchises, since I'd much prefer to support local business owners.
(4)
Susan B.
Food was awesome and the Stoli Doli was great! Service was great...atmosphere was top notche!
(5)
Rufus G.
What an amazing steak. First time I ate at this chain was in Pittsburgh and the food was the same amazing taste in Los Angeles. Made you feel welcome and not just another head count. You must go if you have the chance. Great experience!
(5)
Jessica I.
I recently had the good fortune to eat here on someone else's expense account, which usually means a feast of epic proportions. This particular dinner did not disappoint. Several bottles of French wine from the well-curated list were procured and enjoyed. Soups and salads kicked off the meal; the wedge looked particularly good, and my French onion soup was deeply beefy and robed in enough cheese to move your cholesterol levels. I was the only person out of a party of seven to not order steak (my husband does it better than any chef), but I did not regret my shrimp stuffed with crab and lobster. My beef-eating colleagues reported that their steaks were done to perfection, and some came with intriguing extras like truffle butter. Service was impeccable, and the meal was well-paced and not rushed. At its heart, however, the Capital Grille is still a chain, and it's hard to forget that. While the experience was flawless, if I were spending my money, I'd prefer a venue with a bit more personality.
(4)
Danielle P.
Always great food and atmosphere At The Capital Grille. I've had everything from salads, to steaks, to fish and almost all of the sides, my favorites being the mashed potatoes, the appetizer spinach salad with bacon and tangy vinaigrette, and the truffle fries. Delicious! They have a gluten free menu, but still ask your waitress to alert the chef of your dietary issues. I was told today that the French onion soup without the crouton still has gluten in it from wheat in the soup base, but it is on the GF menu. Loss of one star for that, but at least i asked the waitress to check before I ordered it. They took care of my million of other food allergies with ease and it was an excellent dining experience.
(4)
Robb C.
All aspects of the restaurant's service were way below my expectation for a restaurant of this caliber, with the exception of the valet. The hostesses seemed disoriented and confused when I arrived and pointed to the table where the rest of my party had been seated rather than escorting me. Our waitress would be a better fit at McDonald's than a high end establishment, she referred to me as "Hun" several times. She never asked if we wanted another bottle of wine. Her assistants were also inattentive to our needs (we requested water 3 times before our glasses were filled). The highlight of my experience was my meal.
(3)
Heather W.
Went to Capital Grill with some clients for lunch. We had reservations for 1:30pm, not a lot of people there. I ordered a Plate - clam chowder, lobster roll and truffle fries. Delicious!! It was cold outside, the clam chowder was a great 'first course'.The lobster roll is a sandwich, not a sushi roll. Huge fan of fries! I was my birthday so afterwards the waitress brought out a creme brulee and fourless chocolate cake. If I was not with clients, I would have licked the creme brulee bowl.
(4)
Beatrice K.
This has always been our favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. My husband and I dined here last night for Valentine's Day. In the past, we always received superb service. However, our first server last night was horrible. There was heart confetti on the table and I received a red rose (my husband requested this), but the server took her time coming to our table. She had another large group and was clearly rushed. She did not place the napkin in our laps. When I asked her about this, she balked and informed me that she was not trained to do that. Not only do servers place the napkin in your lap, they match the napkin to your slacks, skirt or dress. When I told her this, she snapped, "Do you want another server?" We said yes. This was a special dinner for us and the restaurant is expensive, but worth the price for exceptional food and service. Thankfully, Koy stepped in as our server, and he was incredible. Our first server should be fired. She alone will ruin the reputation of this wonderful restaurant.
(4)
Sara C.
As I've said a few times in other reviews, my Partner In Cuisine and I really try to avoid corporate restaurants, but the Capital Grille is a rare exception and it earns itself five stars. Perhaps I am a bit biased because my one and only experience here was on my birthday, but given the exceptional level of service and food, I can't bring myself to give anything less. The PIC went to great lengths to make my birthday dinner a special surprise after I had mentioned hankering for a good steak. We arrived at the restaurant and were greeted immediately by not one, not two, but three people. We were seated at a cozy little out of the way booth which had been set up with a tasteful sprinkling of birthday confetti. I got my favorite drink from the bar (amaretto sour) which had been generously portioned with amaratto and before too long, we were getting a variety of breads to munch on. The PIC had ordered our food before arriving so it wasn't even 10 minutes before I was looking at a delicious NY Strip (my favorite) and his filet as well as the most exquisite macaroni and cheese. We ate everything! After dinner, I received a complimentary cup of coffee and creme brulee which I shared with the PIC. We left feeling fat and happy. I feel that the wait staff really went to great lengths to make me feel special on my birthday. Of course I'd go back again, but I think this is a place best kept for special occassions because it is NOT cheap (I stole a peek at the bill!).
(5)
Barry R.
Most high end steak houses are heavy on pretension. The capital grille was incredibly friendly, and has some nice "small town touches" like a massive oil painting of our own Mr. Rogers hanging on the wall. The lighting, booths and tables are luxurious but cozy, and they manage to be both warm and elegant. Their wine selection seems to go on forever, they looked to have well over 1000 bottles in their temperature controlled wine cellar, on hand ready for you to drink! The staff was friendly and genuinely passionate about the quality of their food and drink. The food was excellent and can be compared to Mortons or Ruths Chris, but Capital Grille beat them out with the warmest, most inviting atmosphere of any of the luxury steak houses I've had the pleasure of eating at.
(4)
Alan M.
Having recently moved to the Burgh, my wife and I decided to make our first visit during Restaurant Week and we were not disappointed. We went on a weeknight and set reservations as recommended by the front desk when I called. The service was attentive with the staff not hovering despite the crowd. When our server T arrived, we mentioned that we were celebrating and wanted to have a leisurely meal and she absolutely delivered. We asked to see the Restaurant week menu along with the standard menu (with the HUGE wine menu). Our questions were met with careful consideration and suggestions for options were all great. We both had the RW specials with Caesar Salads, Filets topped with Grilled Shrimp, shared sides of green beans, mashed potatoes and the FABULOUS Lobster Mac n Cheese. Salad was excellent but could have had a few more croutons. The steaks were exactly as ordered and were delivered in a very tasty au jus. The shrimp were much more than we expected both in quantity, size and flavor. My wife is not much of a potato eater but had a second helping of the mashed, especially the skins. The best surprise was the Lobster Mac n Cheese with lots of lobster, thick, rich, creamy sauce that invited us to eat more and more. Very decadent. Great comfort food. Highly recommend it. Dessert was also included in the fixed meal and server T suggested the choices might narrow as the evening went on so we were kept up on what was available as the meal progressed. We both opted for the cheesecake, but due to allergies omitted the berries/sauce. It arrived with a creme brulee topping with a light fluffy center and a firm homemade crust . The portion was just enough to top off a delightful meal ( we took leftovers of everything and are enjoying it again tonight) Decor was very men's club and a little over the top, but warm. All in all the dinner and entire experience was memorable. Our server stuck around to chat when possible and was very personable, and is definitely an asset to the Grille. We will definitely return and hope to try other dishes , but would be glad to request the same server as she was that good. Thanks for making our anniversary even more special...
(5)
Robert S.
I was disappointed here. I've had much better Steak Tartare, and my Filet was delivered almost Tartare-like (after ordering it medium). The sides, except for the potatoes au gratin were unimpressive (the creamed corn tasted like the kernels came straight off the cob). The magnum of Sliver Oak was good, though. But overall, should have gone to Ruth's Chris.
(2)
Tim U.
Absolutely fantastic! My wife and I had a lovely evening at the Capital Grille and will certainly return on future trips to Pittsburgh. We had initially planned on going to Ruth's Chris, which is a personal favourite, but we were given a $50 gift card to Capital Grille which was enough to prompt us to give it a try. The ambiance was very fine, calling to mind an era regrettably passed. We began with a drink at the bar, and there the bartender was very helpful in taking us through the menu. He also let us sample an excellent house martini made with pineapple and vodka. For dinner we had a very nice Franciscan wine from Napa. My wife had salmon and I filet mignon. The steak was juicy and well prepared, though I must dash it ever so slightly as I had ordered it without mushrooms, which did not happen. Our sides were mashed potatoes and cream spinach. The spinach was particularly fine. The service was beyond excellent - the waiters clearly take great pride in their work and execute it with pinpoint precision. A lovely evening hopefully soon to be repeated. Bravo!
(5)
Elizabeth W.
Incredible wine list and service... hands down, best high end restaurant in Pittsburgh. My hubby and I don't splurge too terribly often, but when we do, man do we love CG. Don't miss the Porcini Rubbed Delmonico... or the calamari or asparagus with hollandaise or the seared tuna or the Creme Brulee . Ok, ok, you get my point. you can't go wrong with this place. One of the best points about this place is the wine list... we're impressed with it every time we read it. We're wine-ohs and this place satisfies our cravings, which is difficult to do in this uber conservative blue law state. Do yourself a favor, go a bit before your reservation and sit at the bar for a drink. It's easy to make an evening out of this place and you won't be disappointed when you do!
(5)
Adam M.
Great place for a special ocasion celebratory dinner! My girlfriend and I like to go there on our special nights and it's always perfect. Food, service, atmosphere all is great and definitely worth the price.
(5)
JIM B.
Best restaurant downtown, no question about it. Pricey but worth it for a special occasion. I had the grilled salmon with a tomato and mango salad, it was fantastic, best piece of fish I have had in a while. Older crowd is a detractor.
(5)
Shawn F.
Service was average. Had to send steak back as it was crunchy on the outside. Potatoes Au Gratin seemed like something out of a box. Waitress brought another member of our party the incorrect wine. Valet took 45 minutes to get our car. In general, a disappointing experience. Won't be back.
(2)
Rae S.
Normally this restaurant would be out of our price range, but my husband and I decided to try it during Restaurant Week. We were pretty underwhelmed, and agreed that they must have really been phoning it in on the restaurant week menu items. The food was fine, not great. The servers were very nice and friendly, but I expect more polished service at an upscale restaurant. The regular menu looked really good, so if we could have afforded that I'm sure we'd have enjoyed the food much more. Probably won't go back.
(3)
Amber B.
This place was pretty top notch! Complimentary valet parking make life easier when eating downtown. The atmosphere was great in the restaurant, busy for a Monday night when we went, so I found it a little loud. The food was great I had the sirloin, 43.00 dollars though was a little high for just a steak. The wine list was extremely long but the servers are well educated on it! We shared cheesecake for dessert and it was to die for. Overall very nice night out, however pricey for what it is.
(4)
Matt K.
Yeah, this is a chain and yeah it's pricey. However, the food is top notch and the service is impeccable. Truly, the service we had the other night was a gold standard. Our waiter was excellent with recommendations, honest about some menu choices, and extremely attentive and personal. This is a fantastic spot for a special occasion. I ate at the Capital Grille in Indianapolis (see that review here: yelp.com/biz/the-capital… ) the night I got engaged and they did many special things for us. At my recent experience at the Pittsburgh location, I watched the same personal treatment unfold at a nearby table for a young couple's anniversary. I recommend the lobster mac n cheese as a side along with the wedge salad and Delmonico cut steak. You can have any preparation on any steak, so just ask. You will get plenty of food and be full, so order wisely to avoid wasting money (though this stuff makes for some delicious leftovers). The Strawberries Capital Grille is ok, but the mixed berries with cream is better. Valet parking is complimentary.
(5)
Amanda W.
Just Delicious! We used to go to CG in downtown Chicago for biz lunches, and it's just as good here in Pittsburgh. I don't eat beef so today I had the sushi-grade tuna for lunch today, and it was amazing, an enormous piece perfectly seared on the outside and rare on the inside. The flour-less chocolate cake was to die for. They even made a plain chicken breast for my toddler, and it was better than any plain chicken breast I've ever tasted. The service was impeccable as expected. There are better steakhouses in the world, but this one will likely not disappoint for an good fine dining experience in Pittsburgh.
(4)
Marc C.
The menu has been largely the same since I've been coming here but every time I go I am never disappointed. The cedar planked salmon is great and every steak I have ordered melted in my mouth. The lobster bisque and lobster Mac and cheese are pretty much my go-to's when I go. I recently had the spinach salad and that was reasonably priced at $11 and came with a savory bacon vinaigrette, which was great. Bottom line, it's pricy but well worth every penny. They don't go too outside the box but their execution is always spot- on
(5)
Sarah P.
In the bar: cocktail with ginger beer and grapefruit (don't remember the name) was sooo good. App: housemade mozz wrapped in prosciotto was stupid good. Mains: filet Oscar and the delmonico. Both were cooked perfectly and were delicious. Service was great. Perfect date night :)
(5)
Natalie S.
My favorite restaurant downtown. When you first arrive take advantage of the free valet parking. Finding a place to park around the restaurant is not enjoyable and when you have free valet, take advantage of it. We have always made a reservation, never had any problems. I'm not sure how it works with walk-in's but i'm sure they would do their best to accommodate. The service is wonderful. The wine list is amazingly large. They have a glass room in the dining room where you can see all the wines by bottle that they have. It's a menu in itself. The menu is al-a-carte so it can get pricey especially when adding on wine. Chopped Salad is delicious. They have a olive vinaigrette dressing with it that is outstanding. I would continually go back here just for this salad. The dry aged steaks are very good. The filet Oscar is excellent. Truffle fries and the lobster mac and cheese are to die for. You cannot leave here without trying them.
What a Capital Grille! This was quite a disappointing steakhouse to say the least - we had an awful seafood tower - the crab was dry and tasteless, and the other seafood was far from fresh. The waiter dropped calamari on my lap and didn't seem to care. My bone in ribeye was decent, but it didn't make up for everything else. At this price point this Capital Grille needs to clean up their act.
(1)
Andrew S.
The decor, food, and service are outstanding. It is on the more expensive side, especially for dinner. Do lunch if you want the experience yet need to moderate your costs.
(5)
Joe M.
Very good - consistent with most Capital Grille restaurants. Inside the restaurant we had a near 5-star experience. Right outside the restaurant however were some very shady characters. We would not let the ladies we were with walk unescorted to their cars.
(4)
Erin M.
The good: Mac and cheese was perfect Easy valet parking Manager tried to rectify a bad situation Citrus salmon was perfectly done The bad: The chopped salad was drenched in dressing and the lettuce pieces were huge. The service - the staff seemed busy with larger parties and we were an afterthought. The salad plate wasn't cleared before steaks came... Made for a crowded table. We asked for our wine to be served with dinner and we had to ask for it after the food came out (next time we will just ask for it right away!) One of our 4 wasn't happy with the color of his steak...(I find the interpretation of rare/medium/well varies) After a send back the color was better but the steak was covered in a liquid... They said it was au jus but the first steak didn't have it...the manager was kind enough to take it off the bill...the other two steaks were above average but not as good as we were expecting. I wanted to like this steakhouse - there is one down the street from me in DC and I had heard good things. The steak and service didn't justify the price and hype. I would travel to Arlington or East of the River to have Ray's instead.
(2)
Glenn C.
A nice thing about going to one of the big 3 steakhouse chains is that you know exactly what you're going to get. Is is unusual or adventurous? Of course not, but that's not why you're going to one of these restaurants. You're going because you want a great piece of meat with a big, powerful, this-should-really-be-decanted-for-a-while red to go with it. The Capital Grille absolutely delivers on that account. My wife and I recently had dinner on a weeknight. It's dark and full of wood paneling inside. We saw a bunch of Steelers sitting at a table together. We started off with oysters which were excellent as expected. We split a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing which was also tasty. Both we paired with a nice sparkling blanc de blanc. For entrees, I went with their signature Kona-crusted sirloin with shallot butter and my wife had the filet Oscar. Both were cooked perfectly. We paired those with a nice, heavy, Merlot-dominant blend. For dessert we got the homemade ice-cream and cookies. The 3 flavors our night were vanilla, dark chocolate, and brownie batter (yes, it was as good as it sounds). I also had a glass of vintage Taylor Fladgate that was superb. Throughout the evening our server was quite attentive. Despite eating on a Monday, the large space seemed mostly full. Everyone has their own opinion about which of the big 3 steakhouse chains is their favorite. Personally, I'm more partial to Ruth's Chris with their sizzling steaks with extra butter. However, the Capital Grille is overall just as good and a great choice for this kind of dinner.
(4)
Nick A.
First off, let me tell you if you haven't been to Capital Grille, you need to go! This is by far the best dining experience I have ever had. I went to the one in Chicago twice and this was my first time in Pittsburgh and they were all exceptional. Positives: Staff is amazing they make you feel as if you are the owner of Capital Grille, they really know how to treat the customer. They are always on top of drinks, refills, and making sure you are taken care of. Food: Amazing, amazing, amazing, PERIOD! Negatives: None Overall: I have been to Morton's, I have been to Hyde Park, but nothing compares to The Capital Grille, it is worth the money. I will always be a loyal customer of Capital Grille for always making my experience great.
(5)
Jeff F.
I ran in here for lunch on Friday. Here's a few quick thoughts: Exceptional service (really, really incredible service). Remarkably memorable Wagyu Carpaccio, Way too thick Lobster Bisque that they took off the menu, and a good ribeye steak sandwich (a bit too fatty). Even though the food wasn't perfect (well, the carpaccio was more than perfect), I'm still giving Cap Grille 4 stars because I know that this experience, although imperfect is going to get me back and trying more of their menu.
(4)
Doug C.
I met two buddies for dinner last week. Our server was n time and served me a fantastic dirty martini with blue cheese olives. I was not in the mood for salads and appetizers. I ordered my filet, medium. The steak arrived, med rare. Our server seemed lost at that point so I finished my filet. It was dry. I know their steaks are dry aged but this was too dry for my taste. This was my last try.
(2)
Jason S.
If you are in Pittsburgh and need a great steak, go to Capital Grille. Wine list was crazy good, food was farking good! Service is exceptional. Always crowded.
(4)
I.E. C.
WTFH Capital Grille? It's been a while since I've been here, and every time I had been before was pretty much 5 stars. However, last night I came here for a friend's birthday... and it was just a parade of horribles. First thing, we had a reservation at 8:45, and we did not get seated until 9:30. Considering our reservation was late, we were pretty hungry. So waiting an extra 45 min., not exactly the most pleasant experience. However, we got bread at the bar, which held us up. To make up for that, they gave us two apps, which was quite thoughtful. We had the calamari and prosciutto wrapped mozzarella. Both were great! We ordered a bottle of wine, a tempranillo from Spain as I recall, and that was excellent as well. Then we ordered our entrees. I got the filet with the kona rub, my friend got the crab cakes and lobster as her entree, and my other friend got the delmonico with the kona rub. In a timely fashion, they brought my friend's crab cakes out and told us our steaks would be out very soon. However, they didn't come out until 30 min or so after our friend was served. But even before the steaks came out, the manager came over to apologize, and to say that they had accidentally burned our steaks and threw them out and they would be on the house. We thought that was very nice and thoughtful, but we were thinking OK, what else is going to happen... So we get our steaks, and mine is cooked to perfection. My other friend's looks fine, but a little charred on the outside. The waitress said it was because of the kona rub. Nonetheless, after a few bites of his, he tried mine. The waitress then came back and asked how the steaks were, and he said that his was burnt. I really didn't believe it, so I tried it. And wow, I had to spit it out it was THAT bad. The waitress, flustered with us at that point offers to make him another and we decline. I felt bad for her, she seemed to not be having the best night because it was so busy. And we even said, we know it's not you, don't worry about it, and she replied, we're always busy and your experience should always be excellent here (or something along those lines). Next, we ordered some creme brulee and some cappuccinos. Our waitress brought out the cappuccinos and the creme brulee. I sipped my cappuccino, and what do you know, it was COLD! My other friend's was cold too. We asked to speak to the manager, because we just couldn't believe this had happened. We told him about the steak, and he said, "and that's why we comped your whole meal." However, we also told him about the cappuccinos as well, and he seemed a bit shocked, but said "thank you for telling me." He then seemed almost annoyed, and walked away. All we wanted was a top notch dining experience in Pittsburgh for my friend's birthday, something you expect from Capital Grille. However, we definitely did not receive one. And even though our meal was comped, it was still a very disheartening night out and simply not worth it. Sadly, I don't think I'll be coming back here.
(2)
David W.
Ouch!! It really hurts when you taste the best. In fact you're probably jaded for life when you taste a plate that would give 'antonEgo' a second trip to his childhood. I tasted the 'porcini rubbed delmonico with 12 year old aged balsamic vinegar' at the Capital Grille in Pittsburgh an I have officially spoiled my palate for life. And service by Mr. Horacio Ruiz was truly incomparable. A rating
(5)
Sal W.
I've had better. I expect many people to rate this place on expectations and not really relative quality because they feel that they are supposed to. I don't. So, for starters this place looks high class. The prices on the menu reflect that appearance too. I think it would be a challenge to get out a lunch under $25 and be full afterwards. I ordered a dry-aged sirloin steak ($24) and "The wedge" salad ($9). I had never had a dry-aged sirloin steak before, but according to the waiter it is supposed to have more flavor. Honestly, it just tasted like any other steak that I've had. I probably could have made a comparable steak after shopping at the local grocery store. Like really, all you do is cook it. But I digress. The salad was tasty but it was iceberg lettuce and the sauce was likely loaded with fat. Overall not a bad experience. But I recommend the Ruth Chris Steak house instead of this place as they add a light sauce (with garlic butter) to their steak that really adds to the flavor. They also kiss your ass throughout the entire meal which makes you feel like a king. Hail! Food Quality/Taste = 3 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars Relative Price = 2 Stars Service = 4 Stars Experience with Staff = 4 Stars Decor = 5 Stars Clean (yes/no) = yes
(3)
Lo S.
I enjoyed the service and the ambience, and my husband raved about everything, from the fresh bread to his steak. My steak was okay, it was fairly undercooked in the middle but the outside was charred- not my favorite. Plus I added the Gorgonzola cheese with wine sauce and I wasn't impressed. Also, the lobster mac n' cheese wasn't super tasty either. I wouldn't mind going back, but for a substantial check like that I expect my tastebuds to be more satisfied!
(3)
Chris K.
I went here for the first time about a month ago with some friend's of the family, and I have to say I was impressed. We always eat well, but this was a real treat. I could say with confidence that this is one of the top three restaurants I've been to in Pittsburgh. The bar is beautiful, the decor in the rest of the restaurant was very elegant as well, although a little traditional. The food was magnificent! Everything we had was phenomenal, the steak, the calamari, the flour-less cake, and even the ice cream sandwich (as simple as it sounds!). The salads were crisp and fresh, the waiters were prompt and pleasant. If you were to limit your food choices, you could keep the cost down, but everything is a-la-carte, so it can get pretty pricey. I'd say it was totally worth it though. On a side note, Pittsburgh isn't known for many celebrity sightings (something I've gotten used to living in Southern California for the last 10 years), but when we were there, Franco Harris (A Pittsburgh Steeler from the 1970's famous for the Immaculate Reception) sat down at the table next to us! And then at another table, Larry Fitzgerald (star wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals and a Pitt alumni) was sitting with a handful of other football players. I don't get starstruck, but that was pretty cool. The biggest downside was parking. You can find street parking sometimes, but if you don't feel like looking for that they do have free valet which is nice, although you might have to wait for a moment. Also beware, they will not seat you unless your entire party is present. When we first got there it was a bit on the loud side which made it hard to talk, but that didn't last long either. All-in-all I had a great experience here and I look forward to going back!
(5)
Doug C.
Having eaten at the other upscale steakhouse chains such as Morton's, Ruth's Chris, etc., we pretty much had our expectations in check prior to visiting The Capital Grille for the first time. We ate at the bar, which was quite nice. Had the Calamari appetizer, which was quite good. Calamari was fresh, and it was very tasty overall (served with jalapeno peppers). Later sampled the Crabcake appetizer, which was very nice as well. The bread selection was excellent. Went with the 10 oz filet, which was perfectly cooked (Medium +), butterflied, and extra blackened. While I would have preferred a bit more seasoning, it was a perfect cut of meat, again - perfectly cooked. Exceeded my expectation. Had the Lobster-Mac, which was decent, but a little underwhelming. We have had similar Mac dishes elsewhere, and have been more impressed (Truluck in Florida and Birches in Baltimore). Also tried the Filet Oscar, and was not nearly as impressed. Felt it wasn't cooked properly (also Medium +, but not butterflied, which may have accounted for this difference). Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. Had the filet been seasoned a bit more, I might have gone with 5 stars.
(4)
Jonathan W.
A steak house we've all been to a thousand times. For a chain, not bad to bet on consistency but don't sit at the bar long because it will cost you. A round of drinks (5) for $130 is not my idea of fun. Big steaks, big sides but avoid the beaten path and try something new!
(2)
Nathan K.
This is the best steakhouse in Pittsburgh. It is not the cheapest!!! However, it is the best service and the best food so you get what you pay for. The Capital Grille has the best steak, and the best wine list among major steakhouses in the city of Pittsburgh. Their Kona rubbed steaks are PHENOMENAL . Their attention to detail on the service side of things is IMPECCABLE. I highly recommend when attending a show at the Benedum (short walking distance). If you have doggy bags, they will keep them in their cooler until after the show. They will also let you leave your car with their valets while you attend the show.
(5)
Lindsay R.
I had the fish of the day - Halibut (a common special). Waitress recommended it Oscar style AND so do I. It was absolutely delicious!
(5)
Michael D.
Always a great job and the waitstaff are topnotch. If there's anything amiss, they fix it right away. The lady who brings your water and bread, Cherry, is as sweet as they come and starts your experience off on the right foot every time. Between all the Capital Grilles in DC and NY, I eat at one at least once per week and they are consistently good.
(5)
S. P.
Great steakhouse. The signature strip steak is my favorite. Lobster mac is a must. Fried calamari and the seafood platter appetizer are great as well. It is wonderful that Capital Grille came to downtown Pittsburgh and became an outstanding addition to the neighborhood. The only reason this place is a 4 star is b/c it is a national chain and there is no real local flavor to it. I personally like to dine at places specific to that locale.
(4)
Andrew S.
Standard upscale chain steakhouse. Good food, etc. but nothing memorable. Expensive but you know that going in.
(4)
Orpheus R.
Excellent dry-aged beef. You won' find a better one in town. And you will pay dearly for it. Similar in atmosphere and menu to Morton's, the Capital Grille is located on the ground floor of the former Lazarus building at the corner of Wood & Fifth. Expect dark paneled wood, a massively overpriced (300% and up) wine list, and oil paintings of Pittsburgh's forefathers (including Mr. Rogers). The little things, like impeccable service by the bartenders, and umbrellas to your car on rainy nights by the valet staff, are refereshing. Regarding the food - appetizers were just ok. I'd give a big thumbs up to the any of the dry aged steaks (simple and delicious and the house speciality) and a thumbs down to the Filet Oscar (Filet Mignon topped with lump crabmeat and a bearnaise sauce). Also, please do yourself a favor and order the truffle fries (if you like truffles) - these are to die for. Desserts are nothing special - I'd give a pass on the key lime pie. When I go back, it's straight to the dry aged steak and truffle fries for me.
(4)
C R.
We had the best time at the Capital Grille. We were seated in a very cozy table and enjoyed the martini and seafood platter we got. We will definitely return.
(5)
Tri D.
The crab and lobster cake were great, lots of crab and big chunks of lobster. Their steaks are not prime, but the dry aged delmonico with mushrooms was actually better then expected, a bit too salty though. Service was good.
(4)
Abby L.
Today my family and I went to capital grill for their first Easter Brunch. We were told over the phone that the menu would be a la carte which wasn't true. When we sat down we had so many different waitresses our orders and drinks came out wrong and we had to order multiple times. The food was still good but the service was not up to par. Nice try capital grill but stick to what you know.
(2)
Johnna F.
We love to eat here when we are in Pittsburgh. We always meet nice people at the bar and the food is great.
(4)
joe b.
Still the best steak i have ever had. Amazing every time Im here. Pricey but worth it
(5)
Zach G.
We came here for our anniversary. The service was excellent. Our waitress brought rose petals to the table and took the time to explain the menu. She recommended the Porcini Rubbed Delmonico with 12-Year Aged Balsamic. At first I thought, "of course you would recommend the most expensive item on the menu, but what the heck. It's my anniversary!" Let me tell you, it was the most phenomenal steak I've ever eaten. I'm talking melt-in-your-mouth delicious. On top of that - it was huge! We ordered crab cakes as an appetizer and they also had a very good flavor. She also brought out two complimentary desserts for us. The cheesecake was better than any other I've had. Rich, creamy, and perfect. The only "downside" is the price but if you're saving up for a special occasion then it's worth it. The price can very easily reach $100 per person but I haven't found better food anywhere else. I can't speak highly enough of how delicious this place is.
(5)
Sheila M.
An incredible dining experience. Classy ambiance - dark wood decor and soft lighting. From looking around the dining room, it's apparent this Pittsburgh location draws many business professionals after work. Service was top notch.... some of the best I've ever received. Our waiter, Greg, was personable, knowledgeable, and very accommodating. I inquired about 2 of the reds on the wine list and he described them and then brought me samples to help me decide. My husband tried the Stoli Doli signature drink and enjoyed that too. Greg was also very well versed in the menu items and offered suggestions (fyi - they were aged steaks, Kona steak, Porcini steak, lobster mac & cheese, truffle fries, Stoli Doli drink). I mentioned that I wasn't too hungry and thought I'd get something small and different from my husband's choice so we could share. He offered to split our meals on each plate, so we ended up with a Surf and Turf meal. In addition lobster mac 'n cheese side dish is to die for and includes giant pieces of lobster... One last tip - free Valet parking at the door!! Make this your first stop in the city and return for your car later. Tip the valet generously and you still make out well. A wonderful meal from start to finish! No doubt we'll be returning to try more of the menu items, next time from their new location (currently under construction) across from the King of Prussia Mall.
(5)
Eddie M.
One of the best steakhouses I've ever been to. The quality of the food is the best in the business, and our server was knowledgeable about everything on the menu, including the color of the beef we would get based on how we wanted it done. Great service speed as well. It is expensive, but anything that's the best of the best is expensive.
(5)
Kim H.
Overpriced! I've had just as good of filet mignon at Longhorn. I guess I had a bad experience since we got seated near a table with a bunch of roudy toddlers whos parents let them literally run around the table and almost bump into the waiters! We should have moved! For the price you pay, you want a nice, quite, enjoyable evening without hearing screaming kids! Parents, leave your kids at home at a upscale restaurant!
(3)
Mary W.
I went here for the first time on Saturday night. We had an 8:45 reservation and were seated upon arrival. The decor is elegant and I was excited. My excitement was short lived as it took 40 minutes, not an exaggeration, to get our drinks. We were also seated in area where the wait staff continuously placed dirty dishes. I was beginning to think this was a big mistake, but when our food arrived, i knew my disappointment was going to change. I ordered the roasted chicken and au gratin potatoes and my meal was excellent. The chicken was tender, juicy, and had just the right amount of seasoning. The au gratin potatoes were creamy. My boyfriend had the aged del monico, sam's mashed potatoes, and scallops. His steak was tender and seasoned to perfection. We finished dinner with cheesecake and coconut creme pie. Needless to say, the food here is excellent. I only gave four stars because I would expect better service from a high end restaurant.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Lizelle A.
They will oscar (add crab meat) anything!
(5)Chris C.
There is only one steak, and its name is ribeye! Can't beat the ribeye cooked in the 1500 degree oven at CG. What do you need for a good steak? Quality meat, the right cut (and I go ribeye), minimal seasoning, and technique with a good hot oven! Started with the calamari, Rodney Strong Cabernet, spinach and bacon salad, finished with that great ribeye! Remember, its all about the marbling!
(5)Raivis G.
Well, well... I thought I knew what a good cheesecake was. It was quite wonderful to be proven wrong. That aside, lovely ambiance, a professional and courteous staff, delicious food that not only didn't disappoint, but went above and beyond my expectations. I'll make a very minor complaint and note that there was a bit of banging noise by where I was seated, probably coming from the kitchen-- it wasn't terribly loud so it didn't bother me much, though it was fairly consistent throughout the meal. Other than that bit of nitpicking, though... I can't think of a reason I wouldn't return.
(4)Lauren C.
I'm not a steak eater but I love it here. We make it a point to come here at least once a year for the Generous Pour, which is a very generous sampling of up to 8 wines for $38 with the cost of a meal. This year there were 3 whites and 5 reds. I sampled them all, and they were all delicious. Then you can request unlimited refills of your favorites! How can you beat that?! I also love the service here. Your wait staff is attentive and friendly and very knowledgeable about the food and the wines. I could eat an entire bowl of just the mashed potatoes. Creamy and delicious, I'm sure they are full of butter and cream (a fact that I choose to ignore). I always opt for a fish dish for my main course and everything is good, although outdone by the aforementioned mashed potatoes. I also tried the cheesecake with fresh berries and it was to die for. Believe me, it's worth the cost!
(4)Jiaxin T.
I celebrated my 21st birthday in the one in LA and my 24th birthday in Pittsburgh in November last year (lol I know it's been so long) but I liked it. I made a reservation and told them it's for birthday. I walked in, the hostess was helping me to take care my coat and led us to the table that was decorated with colorful pieces. Food and service was very good too.
(5)Abe O.
Let's start with the negatives. In reality there are none. You pay for what you get in this world and this definitely applies to Capital Grille. For my wife and I (neither of which drink alcohol) we spent $200 with tip. It was a special occasion, so I'm not complaining, but the cost can certainly be a limitation. Now for the positives, which are countless. The food is unmatched, the service is stellar, the place is absolutely spotless, classy, and not at all intimidating. I've only been once, but I can guarantee everything on the menu will send the average mortal into a fourth dimension. An absolute must try...even if it means a second mortgage. You'll thank me later.
(5)Mark K.
Went for an early birthday dinner. We had the calamari with peppers as a starter with a basil gin martini and the bohemian all very good. The bohemian being the best out of both drinks. Not over sweet like many like it. For the main course we had the 22 oz Porterhouse steak and the Chef's Choice Filet Mignon with mushrooms. We picked the Lobster Mac and Cheese and the Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella salad for our sides. All excellent. For dessert we had the cheesecake and the coconut cream pie. It was a struggle at this point to eat a single bite more, but it was so good we pushed through the pain. Service was top notch and classic high end American style. Everything came out quickly but at proper intervals. Lucky for me the manager was a co-worker at a previous job and made sure we were well taken care of. Definitely worth the $$$$ (dolla dolla bills yo - as Yelp says).
(5)Shu Jin S.
We arrived a few minutes late (but called to give them a heads up) and apparently that meant waiting an extensive amount of time to be seated. Granted, I know how annoying it is not to be punctual, but it seemed a little excessive. Steaks all arrived in the wrong temperature. Either undercooked or overcooked. Also, the tuna steaks had been seared (and in one case, completely cooked through) when the request was for them to be raw. Honestly, I don't know that any one out of our group of eight had one dish right. The server was nice, and our table was a prime people watching spot. I'd give them points on the desserts, the lobster mac n cheese and the Malbec. But for the price, my expectations were high.
(1)Erin N.
I'm not new to the slightly higher price point, chain steak house circuit. If Ruth's Chris had a rewards program, my family would have free steak for life. That being said, I know what is expected here. It's going to be stuffy and overpriced; you know that. But your expectation is the food and service should make up for those little trips. +1 and I are early 20s, cute lil' professional guys. I understand we are a contrast to the older people in floor length furs, but we didn't come in off the street like a bunch of ruffians demanding cheese fries (although the ladies behind the host podium would have disagreed). After being greeted with "do you have a reservation", we let them know we were early and would have a drink at the bar until our scheduled time was up. Drinks were fine. Whatever. We were taken to our table which was one of two placed right in front of the kitchen and that terrifying eagle. They're kind of like the next to the bathroom booths. When I asked our hostess if we could move to one of the few (3+) open tables that were actually in the dining room, she said she couldn't do that (I would normally freak out over this, but somehow that pales to the rest of the night). Our waiters and helpers/runners were awesome. They weren't nearly as personable as you'd expect, but they didn't act like we were confused and didn't mean to be there. Now here, judging by the other reviews, I should rave about the food. That is absolutely not going to happen. This is also going to be much more harsh than it should be as I was expecting (what I suppose is) way too much. Way harsh, T. Oops. Because I don't do seafood, we ordered the fries "to share" .. The portion you receive of the truffle fries is sad. If Burgatory's truffle fries are a 10, these may get a 4. We both ordered our double priced Caesar salads and were given small plates of yellow iceberg. I can't tell you how sad this was. A few shavings of asiago I was able to find saved my sanity that night. For our main courses, I ordered the chicken that makes more an hour than I do, and +1 got the strip steak. He said it was "good," but was not impressed in the slightest. My chicken tasted like I did nothing but threw a chicken in the oven and then cut it in half and served it to you with some blackened cooked shriveling yellow carrots. It was sad. So sad we didn't even get dessert. I just wanted to get out of there. The only decent sustenance I received was 200% marked up glass of Riesling. If you are thinking of going here, it won't be the worst. Clearly, people enjoy it. But if you are one of those people that may have expectations for anything ever or don't happen to have some extra change from your hedge fund to waste, keep walking until you hit Ruth's Chris or something that isn't going to make you cry into your fifty dollar piece of meat (at least that would season it).
(2)Melisa F.
Meals expertly planned and delivered! great tableservice and decent pricing for an upscale Steak house. Chappellet red fusion vino was a perfect welcomed compliment to my Sliced Filet with mushrooms and baby onions and my brothers Filet Oscar was cooked medium to perfection. The lobster crab cake appetizer was delicious ..homemade tartar sauce was a perfect topping. Fresh made mint lemonade and the dimly lit restaurant and all its beauty sealed the deal for a perfect meal. When in Pittsburgh this place is a Must!
(5)Rich K.
Had an amazing 30th wedding anniversary dinner. Attention to detail, going the extra mile etc. Food was outstanding. People bitching about the prices...shut it...it's an expensive restaurant. You want cheap, head down to Eat N Puke. This is a great place to celebrate very special occasions.
(5)Gloria S.
Salads, bread, lobster macaroni & cheese, and sliced filet with mushrooms and onions (chef's selection) were excellent. Porterhouse was OK, ordered medium-rare and it came rare, so had to send it back. Decided to finish the filet and take most of the porterhouse home, but it wasn't in our doggie bag when we arrived home. Good, but pricey compared to what you can get elsewhere, especially considering everything is a la carte.
(3)Jessica D.
I've visited the Capital Grille twice - both times for Pittsburgh Restaurant week. The second visit was just last evening - 08/10/2015. Both times - the service was amazing! The food - amazing. The drinks - amazing. I don't have a single things to complain about. Both restaurant weeks when I've visited - I've had the 8 oz Filet - it cut like butter. I barely needed a knife. I don't expect anything less from The Capital Grille - Go, especially during restaurant week!!
(5)G B.
I have been to the Capital Grille in Pittsburgh many time. The staff is professional and on top of every request. I've been there both lunch and dinner. The lunch plate is a nice addition( where you make three choices for $18. I had the waygu burger with the French cut green beans yesterday and it was a really nice lunch, served in an expedited manner for a quicker lunch. Fried calamari was excellent as always.
(5)Amy M.
Went here with a friend during the height of the G-20 Conference in September 2009 as we could not find another restaurant OPEN. Jessica, our server, was fantastic. She was helpful and prompt and I get the feeling that she would be that way regardless of the number of tables in her charge for the evening. The food was excellent, as can be expected, but pricey, as should be expected. When the time came for after dinner beverages, we chose scotch. My selection was nearly out, partial pour, so they gave it to me on the house, a nice touch. Everything we ordered was cooked to perfection, piping hot and delicious.
(5)Jen L.
I want to give this place five stars, I really, really do. But I can't. I should preface this entire review by saying that the food absolutely gets 5 stars. One of the best meals Bobby and I have had in PGH to date. Fortunately, they have valet service but unfortunately because of construction going on downtown it's a little confusing. You have to drive past the Capital Grille and the valet is on your right. When we were here last week, there seemed to be some sort of event going on so valet service took foreeeever to get our car back for us. We've been to this location a few times and every time, despite having reservations, we end up waiting in the lobby for a good 15 minutes. This is okay, and worth it for the food, but they definitely don't get you in right away, or at least not in our experience. Surprisingly, between the wait to get in and the amount of time our server took between ordering/retrieving our drinks, we didn't even order dinner until 9:00pm. This was sort of frustrating, considering our 8:15 reservations. I don't mind slowly enjoying a nice meal and I can dig the European trend of doing so, but at least let us put the order in and bring us some bread and our starters! On to the meal itself: I started with the butternut squash soup and it was amazing! Seriously one of the best (if not the best) butternut squash soup I've had, and I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to squash. Absolutely delicious and the perfect way to start a meal after coming in off the cold street. For my entree, I had the filet with some sort of gorgonzola crust and I-kid-you-not it was one of the best cuts of steak I've ever eaten. The preparation was absolutely fantastic. It was a perfect medium rare. The flavors of the gorgonzola crust and the small bit of sauce complimented the steak without overwhelming it. I cannot say enough how delicious this meal was! Pro tip: order the lobster mac n' cheese side. So, so, so good. At the end of the meal, we waited for awhile for our plates to be cleared. Service was just very slow that night. We noticed that our server had a very large party, so that probably contributed to the slower service. Every other time I've been to the Capital Grille, they have wiped down the tablecloths with the crumb catchers, and offered hot towel service. These amenities were not offered this time. Perhaps because our server was so busy? Or maybe the Capital Grille simply isn't doing this anymore? Not a big deal either way, but I noticed it and so I figured it was worth mentioning. Our server brought out dessert for us, since it was Bobby's birthday. This was lovely, but we also ordered an additional dessert (the one he really wanted!) but unfortunately, it never came out. Our server was very friendly and apologetic and certainly rectified this on the receipt, but we were just overall a bit underwhelmed with our service this time around. For such a upscale place, we hold this establishment to a higher standard. Fortunately, the food was so delicious (as always) that I'm only deducting one star for service. It is my sincere hope that this was simply a deviation from the norm in the service here. I know we've certainly experienced better at this location! We will definitely be back.
(4)Larissa G.
I'm a big fan of this place! I've had the chance to eat dinner here as well as eat off-menu light bites when organizations I'm a member of have booked lunch here. I've also had the chance to enjoy a quick tour of their wine stocks, which honestly are impressive in and of themselves! Not only did I get a glimpse into the huge collection of wine but I found out that they have quite a system here to ensure that different wines are ready for serving throughout the night. So yep, when it comes to wine it's safe to say that these guys definitely know what they're doing. Food wise, I can say after dining here during group outings that Capital Grille makes very delicious and tender meat dishes. I've had off-menu lamb bites and kabobs and can't even describe how tasty they were! The last time I was here for dinner I opted to stick to soup and salad, and believe it or not those options were just as satisfying as anything else I could have ordered. The bisque was thick and nicely seasoned, and the Caprese Salad was put together beautifully and drizzled with just the right amount of dressing - and hey, I love any place that doesn't drown its salads in dressing! And to finish my last meal off, I ordered the cheesecake with fresh seasonal berries. It was definitely one the best pieces of cheesecake that I've ever had, I think - it was both tasty and light and fluffy, so I left after eating feeling perfectly full rather than overstuffed from my delightful meal. Service? No complaints. I've never had a problem here. The waiters here are always able to answer questions and help with meal and drink selections when we're having trouble picking what to pair with what. They've also always been quick to check on our waters, take away empty dishes, see if we need anything else - honestly they've always succeeded in making me feel like a special guest, which in a place as fancy and expensive as Capital Grille is always a good thing, I think! I would absolutely come back for a big date or just to grab a drink and dessert, but unfortunately Capital Grille will always be a special occasion only sort of place. It's impossible to forget that the food here is expensive - particularly the steaks! - and while I don't mind paying for a high quality meal like the ones you can get here once in a while, those prices do mean that this place and my budget don't always mix well. Darn money, always ruining my fun!
(4)Kenneth C.
Food is superb. Service exceptional. Portions huge, especially desserts ! Ambiance warm, old world. Good place for intimate tête-à -tête or conversation with friends. Only reason for 4 stars is a bit over priced. You'll need to take out a second mortgage.
(4)Kevin F.
I had a business meeting there today and Nicole was our server. She was very attentive and helpful when making recommendations. I had the chicken Cesar Salad. It was not as I had imagined it would be; a Cesar Salad with strips of chicken or cubed chicken. It was a Cesar Salad with a chicken leg and thigh on the side. This was my favorite part of the chicken and it was cooked very well, moist and tender. I will be back for more than just lunch meetings for sure!
(5)Tim W.
Such a great date night! Once we arrived our jackets were taken and we were quickly taken to our reserved booth. (Thanks to the FREE Open Table Android App) Our server Melissa S was great! We told her that we were celebrating a late Valentine's Day and she brought us each a complimentary Champagne Toast. We both had the Adults Only Arnold Palmer as our cocktails. The bread basket featured some really tasty bread to hold us over until our salads came out. We shared a delicious blue cheese and bacon wedge salad. The Applewood smoked bacon really made the salad. I just wish it had a little more blue cheese in the dressing. The wife had the Dry Aged Steak au Poivre (Tender sirloin flavored with black peppercorn) with a side of creamed spinach and I had the Dry Aged Porterhouse with a side Lobster Mac & Cheese. They were both superb! My Porterhouse was cooked perfectly and was extremely tender and juicy. The mac & cheese was delicious and had a good bit of Lobster as well. We both shared the mac & cheese and creamed spinach. The creamed spinach is blended with a béchamel sauce which is good but, a little too salty for my taste. For dessert we had the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. So good. The place was pretty packed our entire evening there but, our service never suffered. Our glasses were always full and when finished our plates were also whisked away quickly and without any fuss. Even the valet guys are nice. I'm having my yummy leftovers for lunch as we speak. I couldn't have asked for a better evening!
(5)Ashley H.
Went here for my birthday dinner and couldn't have been more thrilled! Two words- STOLI DOLI. Our server, Rob, was amazing and couldn't have been more helpful with explaining the menu. Ordered the filet mignon and although it was a little more rare than I would have preferred, it still melted in my mouth and was overshadowed by the fact the lobster mac n cheese (minus the lobster) was perfection. One side was suitable enough for my husband and I, we ended up bringing the rest home for the most expensive leftovers we've ever had. Definitely make it a point to come here for any special occasion!
(5)A. Emre Ü.
A very good steakhouse. Definitely on the more luxurious and delicious side of the scale. The Porterhouse, grilled mushrooms and asparagus were superb. Definitely recommended for special occasions.
(5)Bob B.
I have been here a few times. It seems that it is getting exponentially worse. I think the steaks are medicore and the crab crakes and sides don't do it for me either. I do like the wine special that they run in the summer where you can sample multiple wines for an affordable price. Their cheese cake is top notch, I will give them that.
(2)Ines B.
Last night I dined at Capital Grille with my date to celebrate my birthday. This restaurant had really great reviews. I ordered the filet mignon with the Au Gratin potatoes and my date ordered the scallop dish. My steak was very tender and the sauce made it more flavorful but it was still bland for my liking. I didn't like the au gratin potatoes and my date didn't enjoy his scallops. The manager came by to check up on us and my date expressed his distaste for the scallop dish and was brought out a different scallop dish with 15 year old balsamic and it was delightful. I don't know if I would return to this restaurant. I wasn't blown away by the meal.
(3)Jen T.
My family and I visited for lunch during Pittsburgh Restaurant Week. Our reservation was confirmed through the OpenTable app, and we were politely greeted and promptly seated upon arrival. Although there was quite a difference in the restaurant week pricing versus the actual menu prices, service and quality were not compromised. Unfortunately, the field greens and tomato salad listed on the restaurant week website had been changed to a wedge salad at the restaurant. Since I don't eat pork or like blue cheese, I opted for the only other selection of clam chowder. I never eat clam chowder (personal preference) but I was actually pleased with the taste and consistency. For the entree course, we all ordered the dry aged sirloin with roasted pepper, fresh mozzarella, and arugula salad - wow! My one complaint is that my steak was a bit underdone, but I switched with my brother who didn't mind a more rare steak. The steak was a quality cut of beef, and the side dish was the perfect accompaniment. For dessert, we all opted for the creme brûlée with fresh berries. This dessert selection was another deviation from the online menu, but a pleasant surprise since it was absolutely delicious. I've visited other Pittsburgh steakhouses that boast the same quality and service as The Capital Grille, but none can compare to this experience. My parents didn't stop talking about this meal for weeks, and even tried to replicate it at home. Thank you for a great experience! P.S.- I've already booked a reservation for my parent's upcoming anniversary.
(5)Kent S.
Went there for lunch today , beautiful place , excellent service , ordered sliced filet with mushrooms and onions , (cooked perfectly ) and great presentation , had coffee and chocolate espresso cake for dessert , I must admit , never had coffee that tasted that smooth , and the cake was full of flavor with just the right amount of "sweet". All things considered , the prices are very reasonable . Will definitely go back again !
(4)Julie L.
My friends and I had dinner here this week. We all ordered from the Restaurant Week menu. We wanted to take advantage of at least one meal during the week and really liked that their menu had multiple options and not just one set meal. I had the wedge salad, 14oz bone in strip, green beans, mashed potatoes, and finished with cheesecake. Everything was very good. I can't say the steak was mind blowing but it was good. My favorite thing that I ate had to be the potatoes. They were creamy yet still had some skins in them. I could have ate the entire bowl myself. I probably wouldn't rush back but I would dine here again.
(4)Ana W.
I have been to two capital grille restaurants. The one in king of Prussia is the best service I have ever gotten from any restaurant anywhere! And not just once! Every time I go the food and service is beyond compare. Lobster Mac n cheese is amazing! The one in Pittsburgh has decent food and the service is okay but it isn't anything to write home about. I would rather go elsewhere.
(3)Emily W.
Service was top notch, and setting was even better. I have no complaints. Bring lots of money, though, in fact if you are even thinking of trying not to spend too much, this is not the place. Wish I could afford to dine here regularly.
(4)Leiha K.
The whole experience was wonderful. I was a little worried when we got there because we asked to be seated somewhere else and the hostess was definitely not happy about it. When we pay good money for a meal I expect the best of service. Our waiter, Travis, was the best. Very knowledgeable and courteous. I would love to have him again when we return. We had their speciality pineapple vodka soaked cocktail. Delicious. We ordered two appetizers, the crab cakes and calamari with spicy peppers. Both tasted wonderful. I would suggest eating the crab cakes first because the peppers from the calamari slightly took over my palate. The bread basket they served was elegant and the butter very fresh and tasty. Dinner was tenderloin with lobster tail with two sides of creamed corn and bacon and the roasted mushrooms. Simple, tasty, and went well with the meat. We finished off the evening with coffee (was SO happy it was piping hot and strong) and dessert, flourless chocolate espresso cake and the coconut cream cake! Both were absolutely to die for, and a must have. Great evening.
(5)Weiran W.
Went to the capital Grille last night. Service there is really good and food is also excellent. ordered the medium well steak which is delicious.
(5)Matt B.
We went to the Capital Grille for a pre-penguins game meal with family friends. I was stunned by the prices. The high end experience was a change of pace to my normal pre game meal, but It's difficult to really find a way to enjoy your meal when you know the costs are so exorbitant. The food, however, tasted fantastic and if you have the money available it is a fantastic option for higher-end dining in Pittsburgh.
(3)Amanda J.
I came to Capital Grille for a private party, and it was a delightful time. I am really glad I wasn't the one paying for the party, as the prices seem steep. As it was a party, I sampled a lot of foods. But I didn't eat a full meal. I'm guessing everything we ate was catered so I'm not sure what all is on the regular menu. Overall, everything was great. Before the food, the ambiance was quite nice. There is a main dining area, and there is also a private room toward the back. The restaurant was set up very nicely, and I would definitely come back here for a nice evening. I didn't realize it was a Darden Chain, but this is ten steps above Olive Garden and Red Lobster. Favorite Food Sampled: Risotto Fritters: I loved these FAR too much. It's grown up deep fried mac and cheese, and it made me so happy. Perfect in the cold weather. It's creamy and cheesey and warm. SO DELICIOUS. I may have eaten ten (or twelve). Other things I sampled: Two glasses of wine (OK. More than a sample there.), fresh tomato and mozzarella crostini, proscuitto, smoked Norwegian Salmon on onion pita crisps, cheese platter, and grilled vegetables. Everything was delicious. No complaints. Ok. I don't get the massive picture of Mr. Rogers at all. In a place that is supposed to be "classy," it was just weird. It was like Mr. Rogers was watching me eat. I mean, local flavor is cool. But this was just pushing it.
(4)Glenn C.
Went for a smaller dinner in the bar. Been dying to try the burger after a recommendation over a year ago. It was very juicy and flavorville. Glad i passed on 5 guys. Added a nice caesar salad with anchovies. Service was great. I love their bread!
(4)David B.
The Capital Grille is a steakhouse with superb service, a great wine list and excellent food. I've eaten there about 3 times and have experienced wonderful food and extraordinary service. The decor is very gentleman's club and over the top masculine. I particularly like the Lobster Mac 'n' Cheese, which is gourmet comfort food. Their wine list is heavy on the reds, and their strength is American wines. I believe they have an extensive collection of over 2,000 bottles. But honestly, people go here to impress a business client, or for a special occasion. It's a great place to go if you are not picking up the tab and you want to feel pampered. The menu is more diverse than both Ruth Chris and Mortons, when it comes to the food, I think the Capital Grille far outshines the competition. The Sommelier is well trained and knows a lot about food pairings and making wine recommendations. So overall, the Capital Grille is expensive, but at the same time high quality, and is always my first choice when recommending a steak house.
(4)Sheila B.
The Capital Grille is definitely a place to go for special occasions. The service was superb. The waitress was extremely knowledgeable about all menu items and wine pairings with menu items. The bread basket was delicious, including some Passover friendly items. I had the mozzarella, basil, tomato salad (let's just call it Caprese, though that isn't the official name on the menu). The aged balsamic vinegar was delightful, as well as the basil. The rest was ho-hum, but by no means bad. Just average. I partially blame myself for ordering a tomato based salad not during tomato growing season. My mom and I split the lobster macaroni and cheese as well as the green beans. Both were delicious and well executed, though my mom felt like the green beans were a little undercooked. Dessert was the flourless chocolate espresso cake. It was good, but didn't knock anyone's socks off. What DID look amazing and tasted awesome was the Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. It was also HUGE and would easily serve 3+ people. Ambiance was wonderful with low lighting. I could have used a few less dead animal heads around the place, but I get the vibe they're going for. Wine list is expansive and also expensive, which gets to my next idea. The place is very, very expensive. You may notice we didn't get any steak, which the place is known for. There is not a cut of meat available for under 40 bucks. I get it, it's a fancy steak place. Personally, I just couldn't muster spending that much for anything that is food. Call me cheap, but I call it smart.
(4)Mel A.
Went for dinner last night and oh my word! The Porcini Rubbed Delmonico with 15-Year Aged Balsamic was out of this world. The portion was huge & everyone at the table was blown away. I also had the fries with truffle oil and the lobster mac- yum & yum! Husband tried lobster bisque and it was phenomenal. I also had the house Cabernet and it was exquisite. I highly recommend for a beautiful evening.
(5)Oren S.
I was drawn to the restaurant on this evening for the outstanding Pittsburgh Restaurant Week promotion, a one-week event which draws in dozens of fine local establishments. The Capital Grille offers the best deal and the finest quality of cuisine of the bunch: choice of salad or soup, entree, including three steak choices, side dishes of mashed potatoes and fresh green beans, and creme brulee or flourless chocolate espresso cake for the relatively low price of $35, less than half of what this meal would ordinarily cost. The bread basket contains an interesting assortment including a matzoh-like item which was delicious and crisp. The butter pats were soft and an excellent accompaniment to the bread basket choices. My sirloin steak was delicious, but part of it (ordered medium rare) was raw. The restaurant is beautiful and comfortable. My wife and I were provided a spacious booth in a part of the restaurant that was not particularly noisy, though we were forced to wait for a good while despite there being many empty tables and booths when we arrived for our reservation. I believe the idea is to get customers into the bar with a cocktail before they are seated at a table. $15 for a delicious, but average-sized martini is profiteering. I was surprised that there were no draft beers at a restaurant such as this, particularly one which has a large bar. Our service from Koy was efficient, pleasant, gracious, and delightful. Unlike the high-pressure tactics employed by our overbearing and overpowering server at Eddie Merlot's in Downtown Pittsburgh recently, Koy did not force us to listen to a lengthy recitation of dishes nor try to force anything on us that we did not want in order to pad the check. My wife and I enjoyed an excellent evening!
(4)Alex F.
My girlfriend took me here for My 23rd birthday. This place was so great when it came to the food AND the service. Highly recommended for anyone willing to spend a pretty penny on a great evening. I recommend the ribeye that is cooked perfectly medium rare.
(5)Dan P.
The best steak I have ever had! The service was great and the dessert was even better!! A must go to restaurant in Pittsburgh.
(5)Vincenzo C.
This place was unbelievably out of this world !! From the moment u pull up to the place! Non stop service! First let me start off our waiter was absolutely amazing! Ask for Horacio!! He's great!! I ordered the filet 10oz and it was cooked to pure perfection! With sides of Au gratin potatoes and spinach! Which were also out of this world !!! For starters we had the calamari! And there's not enough stars here to give that order! My counter part ordered the filet Oscar med well- which is topped with fresh crab meat ... Soft like butter and fresh !! Amazing experience here! The ambiance is wonderful! This is a high end steak house!!! Loved it!
(5)Stephanie P.
I cannot say enough about this restaraunt! I took my mother there for her birthday and she left feeling special. The wait staff were absolutely wonderful. They were very attentive. We both ordered Halibut with a share of Lobster Mac and Cheese which by far is my favorite. For the sides we had the sautéed spinach and grilled aspargus. Absolutely delicious.
(4)Chuck W.
We have dined here many times and brought a guest this time. The atmosphere in the main dining room is very nice as in a warm gentleman's clubby room kind of way. There are great paintings on all the walls including a great one of Mr. Rogers and there are several mounted animal heads high-up on some walls. Their bread and the selection is very good including the pumpernickel and lavash. They serve butter that is some the best you can get. "European-style" Cultured Butter I would say. From the Bar we ordered a Grey Goose martini with blue cheese stuffed olives perfectly made and the olives were some of the best I have had. The apple martini was weak for some reason but had good taste. With dinner a bottle of Concha y Toro, Marques Casa de Concha 2010 Carmenere went so well with our steaks. To start I had the Wedge salad that was pretty good for sure right up there with some of the best. The lettuce was appropriately extremely cold and crisp. While the blue cheese dressing was good indeed, it could have been a little stronger of the blue for my own taste, but the tomato wedges and the bacon were outstanding. The Onion soup was tasty with a great topping of oozy melted crusty cheese. We also had Wagyu Beef Carpaccio that I would grade outstanding. Specials of the night are always worth a review and discussion with your server. Tonight, one that sounded great was a preparation of wild pacific salmon, but we were here for the steaks tonight. My dry age strip steak was a very flavorful piece of meat and the tenderloin with porcini sauce and the poached lobster was a super combination, tender and flavorful, decadent perhaps; just great . The filet that we asked to be treated with the Kona was very good. Also at our table we had he porterhouse which was a good size, nicely done and very tasty. To reiterate a bit, we enjoyed good flavor with all the steaks and all were prepared as ordered. Service, first and last was outstanding. Our server's knowledge was just short of encyclopedic. Everything about everything on their menu and anything about all the food and perpetrations she was able to recite. She was very professional, fast and prompt in an apparent effortless and smooth manner. Wine she knew all about, yes she did. "Oh I think you would want that wine filtered", so she decanted our wine as her own recommendation for what we had. "Not going to finish the wine; want it back in the bottle", not a problem and immediately it was done. They are very busy on the weekends and when we arrived for our 8PM reservation the dining rooms were at 95 percent full. If you arrive without a reservation you might have a chance to eat in the lounge area high tops, bar, or the few tables in the area. If you like great dining and great steak and can afford an upscale price; Capital Grill is worth the occasional experience.
(4)Mike S.
kona rubbed steak and a bottle of Jordan Cab. tough to beat. Place is a little dark....otherwise a great steakhouse.
(4)Anthony S.
Food was great. Nick the manager is very good at keeping his patrons happy. We will certainly be back.
(5)Heather B.
All around great experience. Went there for our anniversary and when we arrived, the table was covered in little hearts and every employee we encountered said happy anniversary. The waiter was great. He took time to go over wine/drink !emus, as well as the food menu. I ordered the filet Oscar with parmesan truffle oil fries... Both of which were so delicious. Capital is !y new favorite steak house in Pittsburgh!
(5)Benjamin M.
Have you ever finished dinner and immediately started fantasizing about eating it all over again? Yeah, me neither. But if I ever did, this would be the one. Food: Beyond Excellent! I immediately had my eye on the 10 oz. Filet Mignon steak and ordered one cooked medium. Our waitress recommended various marinades and rubs, but the Kona coffee with shallot butter one piqued my interest. Well, it turned out to be "I'm going to chew each and every bite of this ever so slowly so this lasts forever" kinda delicious, tender and juicy. We also all shared an order of the Lobster Mac 'N' Cheese, which was one of the best side dishes I've eaten in a long time. I probably could have just eaten a couple bowls of this and been happy the rest of the night. Dessert was Creme Brulee topped with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Words cannot express what a delightful epilogue this was to the entire meal. Service: Top-notch! Our waitress was over-the-top friendly. Although slightly animated, she was knowledgeable, prompt, friendly and resourceful the entire time. Our water glasses never dipped below half-full and she even comped one of our desserts and our post-dinner coffees. Granted, it's not a huge deal for what you pay for all the entrees and drinks (the wine list is longer than the menu), but it was not required, but much appreciated. The good news is there are Capital Grille's all over the U.S. So, if you're smart, you'll make a reservation, throw on something nice, grab your wallet (fa sho) and enjoy a wonderful evening of wining and dining in style.
(5)Sammy B.
My 1st time here.. It was so GREAT.. My BFF had her brithday dinner here .. The food was soooooooo super GREAT.. Everyone was very nice.. O.. Don't 4get to try the happy hour 6-7pm good deals
(4)Laura H.
My first time at Capital Grille was celebrating my brother's graduation from CMU , but my parents have been to other locations and have spoken highly of it. Due to the fact that one member of our party has a severe shellfish allergy and another member is on a very restrictive diet, we were unable to try any appetizers so we went straight to the entrees. Everyone except for myself ordered the bone-In Kona crusted dry aged sirloin with shallot butter. Only one person who ordered it is a coffee fan but it was enjoyed by everyone. I think it was priced around $50 and it was a truly massive piece of meat! Every single person who ordered this finished it and raved about how juicy and flavorful the cut of meat was that night. I ordered the sliced filet mignon with Cipollini Onions and Wild Mushrooms. My steak was prepared perfectly to a medium temp. I thought the steak and sauce however was greatly lacking flavor. I have honestly had more flavorful steaks cooked at home. So for $50, I don't believe this was worth the cost at all. For sides we were rather limited by the diners with restrictions but we ordered the mashed potatoes which were absolutely delicious (we should have ordered 2 sides for the 5 of us) and the asparagus which only 3 out of the 5 diners were able to eat. A nice Zin accompanied our steaks. We had a cake at home so again did not eat dessert. As far as special occasion meals go, If it were for me I'd have much rather dined at meat&Potatoes or Sienna Sulla Piazza or Restaurant Echo-something more adventurous and complex than a simple steakhouse, however our service was excellent and the conversation at the table was enjoyable so pair that with mediocre food, it was a decent evening.
(3)Joseph T.
I came here without a reservation and was able to find a seat at the bar before the bar was too busy too order food. If you would like to dine, then I recommend a reservation. For appetizer, I had the Lobster Bisque soup by recommendation of the bartender Michael. He was spot on with his recommendation. The soup was excellent. I cleaned the bowl with the warm bread we were given. With his credibility established, we ordered a few other of Michael's recommendations: the Sirloin, the Porterhouse, and the Lobster Mac'n'Cheese. The steaks were the portions which they were advertised to be. Furthermore, they were both cooked to medium-rare as we requested; however, the outside of the steak was a bit too charred in some portions which led a few bites to be a little too ashy for the cost of the steaks. The Lobster Mac'n'Cheese was surprisingly good. It was topped off with a crunchy ingredient to complement the lobster and macaroni which gave the dish an interesting texture. All of Michael's recommendations were spot on, and he was very friendly and attentive throughout our meal. Michael's co-bartender, Seth was also very friendly. The two also knew many of the patrons by name further demonstrating how friendly they were. The two were also quite knowledgeable of all of the drinks which were available. If you are in Pittsburgh and looking for a steakhouse or upscale bar, then the Capital Grille would be an appropriate destination.
(4)Russ C.
King crab very good. Mashed potatoes were really really tasty. Great meal, ambiance is like them all. Classy.
(4)Kat S.
omg, i went here for lunch, and it was so good! A little dim lighting for lunch, but it was delicious. Next time i will make sure to grab a drink too!
(4)Ashley L.
We made the trek downtown to the Capital Grille for my mother-in-law's birthday in Jan 2013. We're not regulars to this classy (i.e. expensive) of an establishment so I only have a few other like-restaurants to compare our experience to. Overall, the experience was quite nice. We ended up here during Restaurant Week which gave our wallets a break. Our server was prompt and attentive even knowing our bill would be much less than the normal 3-top. I ordered clam chowder, a filet with grilled shrimp, and a cheesecake desert. The soup was delicious and my boyfriend tells me the cheesecake with fresh fruit was also great. (I was too full to eat it and had it boxed up to take home. They boxed it up very nicely for me, but since I was flying out of town for work the next day, he ate it!) My steak, ordered medium rare, came out a bit more rare than I would have expected (cool red center instead of warm red) but it was tender and delicious none-the-less. The grilled shrimp was overcooked but I wasn't annoyed enough to complain at the time. Now, I wont be back anytime soon, but that's more a factor of the price than anything else. It's definitely a special occasion kind of place for me, and I have a number of other places like that to try first!
(4)Adam L.
First of all, I am not a chain restaurant guy. Growing up in Manhattan and eating out almost every weekend. Wasn't until I moved to pitt that I even considered trying this place but due to the lack of steakhouses I wasn't getting my "proper" fix so I had to. Couldnt be happier that I made that initial decision. Consistency is just what you get at The Capital Grille. Superior service and a consistently delicious meal. Expensive but for the quality of the steak Id say its well worth the trip. If you want extraordinary service ask for Horacio, he will make your evening memorable and treat you like royalty. Beautiful decor as well and not only is your server great but the entire staff is extremely attentive.
(5)Keith M.
As correctly predicted by my last review, I ordered the Lobster and Crab sandwich(think lightly fried crab cake with lobster) along with a bowl of the Clam Chowder. Each dish stands on it's own. The Clam Chowder was hot, tasty, fragrant, and not overdone --- Clams cooked as they should be, and perfect for the cold weather we've had recently. The lobster and crab cake sandwich was a nice size, served on a toasted bun, with greens, and was lightly fried as mentioned. I think mine could have been fried longer, and perhaps could have stuck together a little better --- but overall it was excellent. Part of the issue was the larger pieces of lobster, and it's hard to complain about that! This was an expensive but tasty extravagance for lunch. The capital grille gets it right again! P.S. I think I'm worth it. :)
(5)Dale H.
My boyfriend and I went here two weeks ago before seeing "Wicked" at the Benedum Center. It's not a place we would normally do dinner unless it's a special occasion. However, since our tickets to the show coincided with Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, we decided to give it a try/see how the other half lives! We were running a little late, so I called to let the restaurant know and was told they could hold the reservation for 15 minutes. When we arrived, were were seated in one of the smaller dining rooms off to the side, with only six tables in it. The atmosphere was not what I expected, with interesting art choices. A huge picture of August Wilson was basically at the table with us, while a painting of cows in a pasture hung across the way and the counter had a strange, brass statue of a falcon. It was museum-esque, almost suffocating. The room was a little too dim for my boyfriend, who doesn't have the best eyesight. Although I did like that the tiny, battery operated lamps at each table. I wanted to take one home! The rest of the restaurant and bar area seemed more lively and upbeat, so if we go back I would request to sit in the larger, main dining area. One thing that really bothered me was what happened when we were seated. The gentleman brought us to the table and, as he presented us with the special Restaurant Week Menu, said "This menu is a great deal, we usually average over $100 per head," and then he left. His tone was condescending and it made me feel uncomfortable, like I should have felt privileged to be there. It's expensive, dude, I get it. Our server, however, was fabulous. He was knowledgeable and attentive without hovering. The server's assistant, who was also serving our room, was also very polite and kept our water glasses full the entire night--even though we didn't order the fancy cucumber Fiji water like the table across from us. However, I think the uniforms/chef coat things they have their servers and other waitstaff wear are just weird, it didn't really seem to fit the who high-class, 1% vibe they had going on. On to the food! Nom! We each started with a Caesar Salad, which was small, but delightful. The dressing was good, as were the Parmesan croutons. For the entrees, I chose the Seared Citrus Glazed Salmon and my boyfriend got the Bone-In Dry Aged Sirloin Steak (14oz). My salmon was very good, but the real star of the night was the steak. It was seasoned and cooked beautifully, and I had never been more jealous of my partner. (He was nice enough to share a few pieces, though. He's a sweetheart!) With the entrees, we were served sides family style, Sam's Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Green Beans. The green beans were just "eh," but the mashed potatoes were some of the best I've had in a long time. Seriously, so good. When it came time to get dessert, we were slightly bummed as there were only two selections (Flour-less Chocolate Espresso Cake or Cheesecake with Fresh Berries) , while the website said there would be more options. I don't know if this is the fault of the restaurant or the folks who run the Pittsburgh Restaurant Week site. We both went for the cheesecake, but it turned out they had just run out. To our delight, our server allowed us to each get an order of their Classic Crème Brulee, which was also quite delicious. Next time, I really want to try the Strawberries Capital Grille! They sound phenomenal. Wine! The wine list they have here is ridiculous. It is so long! So. Long. It's about 25 times the size of their normal dinner menu. We ordered a white blend that we shared during dinner and it was good. Overall, our experience was nice. That steak. That steak gets 5 stars! As does the service we received from our waiter. I couldn't give the restaurant 5 stars though, because I was put off my the gentleman that seated us and by the atmosphere in the small dining room. I really felt like I needed to whisper, which is hard because I cannot whisper to save my life. I would possibly come here again for a special night out. And maybe this time, I will ask about getting one of those adorable little lamps!
(4)Rachel C.
I felt very fancy schmany being in here for lunch. You definitely receive the the same fancy schmancy service you'd expect too. I was just very impressed with the whole experience from beginning to end. Trying to stay on the healthy side, I was a little nervous about going to a steak house. Don't get me wrong, I love me some filet mignon. And maybe another time, some filet will be had... But for now I had to stay on the safe side. The soup of the day was lobster bisque. Darnnit! I love lobster bisque! That was a hard one to avoid. So... I ordered that and kept the rest of the meal light. The lobster bisque was awesome! A tomato base with a HUGE piece of lobster in the bottom. NICE surprise! For the main course I ordered the scallops in lemon sauce instead of butter and sauteed greens. It was a fantastic choice because it tasted yummy and was on the healthy side. The scallops were a great size, seared and cooked perfectly, with a light lemon sauce. The greens were also served in the lemon sauce, which made them equally as delicious and flavorful. I had one tiny tiny bite of their creme brulee cheese cake and it was to. Die. For! Seriously, if you're going for dessert, any choice is probably going to be a good one considering the choices I heard that day! I must say again, the service was stellar. From start to finish everything was taken care of. The servers were extremely friendly too, and seriously seemed like they enjoyed their job and the food there. So if you're looking for a fancy schmancy night out with stellar service and food, this is your place!
(4)Julie D.
Review Number 600 - I decided to take BJ out for a really special dinner on Father's Day. He likes steak and seafood, so Capital Grille came to mind. I made a reservation through open table. When we arrived, the restaurant was very busy, but we were seated right away. The decor is rich dark wood walls, extraordinary light fixtures, rich woven wool carpeting, and a few mounted animal heads and statues and old world type of artwork. I am sure you get the picture. For drinks, BJ opted for his usual beer and I had a Cosmo. We had plenty of time to study the menu. We decided to skip the appetizers and ordered a C.G. Chopped Salad to share. I would call this a kitchen sink salad, it was full of a lot of different fresh vegetables, served on mixed greens with house made croutons and olive vinaigrette. I really liked the salad, very fresh and delicious. The bread basket here is great, it offers some nice choices of bread. For our steaks, I got a filet mignon. BJ got the seared tenderloins with butter poached lobster tails. We decided to share the grilled asparagus based on our server's recommendation. BJ loved his meal and that's what was important on this particular occasion. He shared his lobster with me and it was perfectly cooked. My steak, however was over cooked, tough and very dry. It's a sin to see a filet prepared this way. Also, our server seemed to be lost and didn't return to see if our steaks were cooked properly until well after BJ was done. At that point, I wasn't really interested in a new steak. But, as a reward for my suffering through a mediocre steak, we were given a free dessert. Not exactly adequate, if you ask me, but better than nothing. We got the cheesecake with seasonal berries. It's described as the lighter, fluffier cousins of a New York. Our server said it made with mascarpone and had a little crisp caramelized sugar ala creme brulee style, which was a nice touch. The berries were raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries. It was delicious. We did have a really nice evening out. But it's a shame that it couldn't have been perfect. Inadequate service and a shoe leather steak prevented that. We might try C.G., again. But we have had such perfect meals at Morton's and Ruth Chris', we should probably stick with them.
(3)Susan W.
This is one of the nicest restaurants I have ever been too. Fantastic food and excellent service. If you are looking for a great meal downtown Pittsburgh look no more . Top notch. Avoid Franco's downtown. Note: Capital grill is not cheap, but the good is delicious, the atmosphere is nice and the staff treats you like royalty. Great Resturant for special occasions.
(5)JT T.
Voted the best Steakhouse in PGH for a reason. Good Downtown location, valet service, solid wine list, the lobster bisque is absolutely incredible, Filet Oscar done to perfection. Need I say more The creepy picture of Fred Rogers right behind me in the dining room almost made this a 4 star. But I suppose I can't hold that against them ;)
(5)Sarah K.
We had dry aged steak, and it was very good! The sides were also wonderful! Our server was a little odd with her theatric expressions, but attentive to our needs. An expensive meal, but well worth it!
(5)Jim W.
I botched the reservation. It was my wife's birthday dinner and I botched it, reserving a place the evening before and not realizing it until we arrived the following night and they didn't have us on the list. It was a one hour wait to get seated. The woman at the front of the house told us we could sit at the bar if we wanted to get in faster, and my wife, disappointed, lamented that she didn't want to spend her birthday dinner experience at a barstool. And...they fit us in. Like...within five minutes. Straight across the board the wait staff was top notch, and added special little touches to make it a nice night for my wife. Loved the wagyu beef carpaccio appetizer. Really enjoyed the lobster bisque Was a little disappointed in the "special" (more in a minute) Thoroughly enjoyed the birthday dessert they brought my wife gratis. What was going to make this a three star review (but I thought better of it) was the entree special, which was a NY strip with a Gorgonzola cheese sauce with a red wine reduction. The reduction was sweet. TOO sweet for me. I didn't like how it paired with the cheese sauce OR the steak. The steak was cooked just right, but was a little tough, and I had to cut a couple inedible pieces off. I'm not sure whether to chalk that up to not awesome steak, or just my lack of experience with Strip steak vs. Filet. When i looked back over the evening, the only thing they didn't nail was the sauce on the steak (and arguably the meat, but really...come on) and although it's a place that is KNOWN for its steak, I think a 4 start rating is deserved.
(4)Michael D.
Me and my girlfriend attended valentines day dinner here this year. She got the surf and turf and I got the 24oz. dry aged porterhouse. Both were delicious. Reason behind the 3 stars is I paid $170 for this meal and I noticed in main dining room they had big tables or booths with nice chairs. (More then likely paying the same price) assuming the menu pricing doesn't change for special occasions such as valentines day. And I was sitting in a room off to the left of the main dining room and to the left of the wine storage room. And we had a tiny tiny table with Cheap fold up chairs. Point being if everyone is paying the same we should all enjoy the same environment. Not just cuz some restaurant wants to make a couple bucks they throw in some extra seating. Not acceptable. if you want to go here don't go on a busy or event like valentines day.
(3)Susan K.
Love the personalization! We arrived with only half our party, but we were seated and brought starter cocktails right away. Everyone (even the waiter) greeted my husband by name as we were seated (he made the reservation). I was suitably impressed. The decor is top notch, muted and cozy lighting, just all around very pleasing. Food is great, as is should be for how expensive this place is. I ordered the truffle fries because I heard how great they were, but they were nothing special. My only complaint was that the ladies bathroom was dirty, i.e. towels and toilet paper all over the floor and in all the stalls. I thought that in a classy place such as this that they'd have someone keeping an eye on them, but it looked like they had not been cared for in a couple days.
(4)Pavel I.
Not the best steak house from what I have seen, even between Capital Grills. The one in DC has better steaks.
(3)Robert T.
Great food and atmosphere. Some great wines. A bit pricy. Would go there next time in Pitt.
(5)A M.
This is a good steakhouse. It's mostly what you would expect if you've been to this type of place in other cities. I do like that they tailor the art to reflect the local history. The bartenders are excellent. I especially like Seth. Unlike Mortons and Ruth Chris the bar is a lot of fun. The crowd is similiar to the other steak places, but seem to me to be a bit younger. The steaks are what you'd expect and they are excellent. However, and this may just be my personal opinion I'd stay away from some of the exotic preparations (like coffee beans) and just stick with a good piece of meat. I really liked the spinach. They put just the right amount of nutmeg to give it an interesting taste. The other sides are about average. If I had to rank these steak places I mentioned in this review I'd have to say the Capital Grille is the current favorite. I'd like to find a local place that is on par with these franchises, since I'd much prefer to support local business owners.
(4)Susan B.
Food was awesome and the Stoli Doli was great! Service was great...atmosphere was top notche!
(5)Rufus G.
What an amazing steak. First time I ate at this chain was in Pittsburgh and the food was the same amazing taste in Los Angeles. Made you feel welcome and not just another head count. You must go if you have the chance. Great experience!
(5)Jessica I.
I recently had the good fortune to eat here on someone else's expense account, which usually means a feast of epic proportions. This particular dinner did not disappoint. Several bottles of French wine from the well-curated list were procured and enjoyed. Soups and salads kicked off the meal; the wedge looked particularly good, and my French onion soup was deeply beefy and robed in enough cheese to move your cholesterol levels. I was the only person out of a party of seven to not order steak (my husband does it better than any chef), but I did not regret my shrimp stuffed with crab and lobster. My beef-eating colleagues reported that their steaks were done to perfection, and some came with intriguing extras like truffle butter. Service was impeccable, and the meal was well-paced and not rushed. At its heart, however, the Capital Grille is still a chain, and it's hard to forget that. While the experience was flawless, if I were spending my money, I'd prefer a venue with a bit more personality.
(4)Danielle P.
Always great food and atmosphere At The Capital Grille. I've had everything from salads, to steaks, to fish and almost all of the sides, my favorites being the mashed potatoes, the appetizer spinach salad with bacon and tangy vinaigrette, and the truffle fries. Delicious! They have a gluten free menu, but still ask your waitress to alert the chef of your dietary issues. I was told today that the French onion soup without the crouton still has gluten in it from wheat in the soup base, but it is on the GF menu. Loss of one star for that, but at least i asked the waitress to check before I ordered it. They took care of my million of other food allergies with ease and it was an excellent dining experience.
(4)Robb C.
All aspects of the restaurant's service were way below my expectation for a restaurant of this caliber, with the exception of the valet. The hostesses seemed disoriented and confused when I arrived and pointed to the table where the rest of my party had been seated rather than escorting me. Our waitress would be a better fit at McDonald's than a high end establishment, she referred to me as "Hun" several times. She never asked if we wanted another bottle of wine. Her assistants were also inattentive to our needs (we requested water 3 times before our glasses were filled). The highlight of my experience was my meal.
(3)Heather W.
Went to Capital Grill with some clients for lunch. We had reservations for 1:30pm, not a lot of people there. I ordered a Plate - clam chowder, lobster roll and truffle fries. Delicious!! It was cold outside, the clam chowder was a great 'first course'.The lobster roll is a sandwich, not a sushi roll. Huge fan of fries! I was my birthday so afterwards the waitress brought out a creme brulee and fourless chocolate cake. If I was not with clients, I would have licked the creme brulee bowl.
(4)Beatrice K.
This has always been our favorite restaurant in Pittsburgh. My husband and I dined here last night for Valentine's Day. In the past, we always received superb service. However, our first server last night was horrible. There was heart confetti on the table and I received a red rose (my husband requested this), but the server took her time coming to our table. She had another large group and was clearly rushed. She did not place the napkin in our laps. When I asked her about this, she balked and informed me that she was not trained to do that. Not only do servers place the napkin in your lap, they match the napkin to your slacks, skirt or dress. When I told her this, she snapped, "Do you want another server?" We said yes. This was a special dinner for us and the restaurant is expensive, but worth the price for exceptional food and service. Thankfully, Koy stepped in as our server, and he was incredible. Our first server should be fired. She alone will ruin the reputation of this wonderful restaurant.
(4)Sara C.
As I've said a few times in other reviews, my Partner In Cuisine and I really try to avoid corporate restaurants, but the Capital Grille is a rare exception and it earns itself five stars. Perhaps I am a bit biased because my one and only experience here was on my birthday, but given the exceptional level of service and food, I can't bring myself to give anything less. The PIC went to great lengths to make my birthday dinner a special surprise after I had mentioned hankering for a good steak. We arrived at the restaurant and were greeted immediately by not one, not two, but three people. We were seated at a cozy little out of the way booth which had been set up with a tasteful sprinkling of birthday confetti. I got my favorite drink from the bar (amaretto sour) which had been generously portioned with amaratto and before too long, we were getting a variety of breads to munch on. The PIC had ordered our food before arriving so it wasn't even 10 minutes before I was looking at a delicious NY Strip (my favorite) and his filet as well as the most exquisite macaroni and cheese. We ate everything! After dinner, I received a complimentary cup of coffee and creme brulee which I shared with the PIC. We left feeling fat and happy. I feel that the wait staff really went to great lengths to make me feel special on my birthday. Of course I'd go back again, but I think this is a place best kept for special occassions because it is NOT cheap (I stole a peek at the bill!).
(5)Barry R.
Most high end steak houses are heavy on pretension. The capital grille was incredibly friendly, and has some nice "small town touches" like a massive oil painting of our own Mr. Rogers hanging on the wall. The lighting, booths and tables are luxurious but cozy, and they manage to be both warm and elegant. Their wine selection seems to go on forever, they looked to have well over 1000 bottles in their temperature controlled wine cellar, on hand ready for you to drink! The staff was friendly and genuinely passionate about the quality of their food and drink. The food was excellent and can be compared to Mortons or Ruths Chris, but Capital Grille beat them out with the warmest, most inviting atmosphere of any of the luxury steak houses I've had the pleasure of eating at.
(4)Alan M.
Having recently moved to the Burgh, my wife and I decided to make our first visit during Restaurant Week and we were not disappointed. We went on a weeknight and set reservations as recommended by the front desk when I called. The service was attentive with the staff not hovering despite the crowd. When our server T arrived, we mentioned that we were celebrating and wanted to have a leisurely meal and she absolutely delivered. We asked to see the Restaurant week menu along with the standard menu (with the HUGE wine menu). Our questions were met with careful consideration and suggestions for options were all great. We both had the RW specials with Caesar Salads, Filets topped with Grilled Shrimp, shared sides of green beans, mashed potatoes and the FABULOUS Lobster Mac n Cheese. Salad was excellent but could have had a few more croutons. The steaks were exactly as ordered and were delivered in a very tasty au jus. The shrimp were much more than we expected both in quantity, size and flavor. My wife is not much of a potato eater but had a second helping of the mashed, especially the skins. The best surprise was the Lobster Mac n Cheese with lots of lobster, thick, rich, creamy sauce that invited us to eat more and more. Very decadent. Great comfort food. Highly recommend it. Dessert was also included in the fixed meal and server T suggested the choices might narrow as the evening went on so we were kept up on what was available as the meal progressed. We both opted for the cheesecake, but due to allergies omitted the berries/sauce. It arrived with a creme brulee topping with a light fluffy center and a firm homemade crust . The portion was just enough to top off a delightful meal ( we took leftovers of everything and are enjoying it again tonight) Decor was very men's club and a little over the top, but warm. All in all the dinner and entire experience was memorable. Our server stuck around to chat when possible and was very personable, and is definitely an asset to the Grille. We will definitely return and hope to try other dishes , but would be glad to request the same server as she was that good. Thanks for making our anniversary even more special...
(5)Robert S.
I was disappointed here. I've had much better Steak Tartare, and my Filet was delivered almost Tartare-like (after ordering it medium). The sides, except for the potatoes au gratin were unimpressive (the creamed corn tasted like the kernels came straight off the cob). The magnum of Sliver Oak was good, though. But overall, should have gone to Ruth's Chris.
(2)Tim U.
Absolutely fantastic! My wife and I had a lovely evening at the Capital Grille and will certainly return on future trips to Pittsburgh. We had initially planned on going to Ruth's Chris, which is a personal favourite, but we were given a $50 gift card to Capital Grille which was enough to prompt us to give it a try. The ambiance was very fine, calling to mind an era regrettably passed. We began with a drink at the bar, and there the bartender was very helpful in taking us through the menu. He also let us sample an excellent house martini made with pineapple and vodka. For dinner we had a very nice Franciscan wine from Napa. My wife had salmon and I filet mignon. The steak was juicy and well prepared, though I must dash it ever so slightly as I had ordered it without mushrooms, which did not happen. Our sides were mashed potatoes and cream spinach. The spinach was particularly fine. The service was beyond excellent - the waiters clearly take great pride in their work and execute it with pinpoint precision. A lovely evening hopefully soon to be repeated. Bravo!
(5)Elizabeth W.
Incredible wine list and service... hands down, best high end restaurant in Pittsburgh. My hubby and I don't splurge too terribly often, but when we do, man do we love CG. Don't miss the Porcini Rubbed Delmonico... or the calamari or asparagus with hollandaise or the seared tuna or the Creme Brulee . Ok, ok, you get my point. you can't go wrong with this place. One of the best points about this place is the wine list... we're impressed with it every time we read it. We're wine-ohs and this place satisfies our cravings, which is difficult to do in this uber conservative blue law state. Do yourself a favor, go a bit before your reservation and sit at the bar for a drink. It's easy to make an evening out of this place and you won't be disappointed when you do!
(5)Adam M.
Great place for a special ocasion celebratory dinner! My girlfriend and I like to go there on our special nights and it's always perfect. Food, service, atmosphere all is great and definitely worth the price.
(5)JIM B.
Best restaurant downtown, no question about it. Pricey but worth it for a special occasion. I had the grilled salmon with a tomato and mango salad, it was fantastic, best piece of fish I have had in a while. Older crowd is a detractor.
(5)Shawn F.
Service was average. Had to send steak back as it was crunchy on the outside. Potatoes Au Gratin seemed like something out of a box. Waitress brought another member of our party the incorrect wine. Valet took 45 minutes to get our car. In general, a disappointing experience. Won't be back.
(2)Rae S.
Normally this restaurant would be out of our price range, but my husband and I decided to try it during Restaurant Week. We were pretty underwhelmed, and agreed that they must have really been phoning it in on the restaurant week menu items. The food was fine, not great. The servers were very nice and friendly, but I expect more polished service at an upscale restaurant. The regular menu looked really good, so if we could have afforded that I'm sure we'd have enjoyed the food much more. Probably won't go back.
(3)Amber B.
This place was pretty top notch! Complimentary valet parking make life easier when eating downtown. The atmosphere was great in the restaurant, busy for a Monday night when we went, so I found it a little loud. The food was great I had the sirloin, 43.00 dollars though was a little high for just a steak. The wine list was extremely long but the servers are well educated on it! We shared cheesecake for dessert and it was to die for. Overall very nice night out, however pricey for what it is.
(4)Matt K.
Yeah, this is a chain and yeah it's pricey. However, the food is top notch and the service is impeccable. Truly, the service we had the other night was a gold standard. Our waiter was excellent with recommendations, honest about some menu choices, and extremely attentive and personal. This is a fantastic spot for a special occasion. I ate at the Capital Grille in Indianapolis (see that review here: yelp.com/biz/the-capital… ) the night I got engaged and they did many special things for us. At my recent experience at the Pittsburgh location, I watched the same personal treatment unfold at a nearby table for a young couple's anniversary. I recommend the lobster mac n cheese as a side along with the wedge salad and Delmonico cut steak. You can have any preparation on any steak, so just ask. You will get plenty of food and be full, so order wisely to avoid wasting money (though this stuff makes for some delicious leftovers). The Strawberries Capital Grille is ok, but the mixed berries with cream is better. Valet parking is complimentary.
(5)Amanda W.
Just Delicious! We used to go to CG in downtown Chicago for biz lunches, and it's just as good here in Pittsburgh. I don't eat beef so today I had the sushi-grade tuna for lunch today, and it was amazing, an enormous piece perfectly seared on the outside and rare on the inside. The flour-less chocolate cake was to die for. They even made a plain chicken breast for my toddler, and it was better than any plain chicken breast I've ever tasted. The service was impeccable as expected. There are better steakhouses in the world, but this one will likely not disappoint for an good fine dining experience in Pittsburgh.
(4)Marc C.
The menu has been largely the same since I've been coming here but every time I go I am never disappointed. The cedar planked salmon is great and every steak I have ordered melted in my mouth. The lobster bisque and lobster Mac and cheese are pretty much my go-to's when I go. I recently had the spinach salad and that was reasonably priced at $11 and came with a savory bacon vinaigrette, which was great. Bottom line, it's pricy but well worth every penny. They don't go too outside the box but their execution is always spot- on
(5)Sarah P.
In the bar: cocktail with ginger beer and grapefruit (don't remember the name) was sooo good. App: housemade mozz wrapped in prosciotto was stupid good. Mains: filet Oscar and the delmonico. Both were cooked perfectly and were delicious. Service was great. Perfect date night :)
(5)Natalie S.
My favorite restaurant downtown. When you first arrive take advantage of the free valet parking. Finding a place to park around the restaurant is not enjoyable and when you have free valet, take advantage of it. We have always made a reservation, never had any problems. I'm not sure how it works with walk-in's but i'm sure they would do their best to accommodate. The service is wonderful. The wine list is amazingly large. They have a glass room in the dining room where you can see all the wines by bottle that they have. It's a menu in itself. The menu is al-a-carte so it can get pricey especially when adding on wine. Chopped Salad is delicious. They have a olive vinaigrette dressing with it that is outstanding. I would continually go back here just for this salad. The dry aged steaks are very good. The filet Oscar is excellent. Truffle fries and the lobster mac and cheese are to die for. You cannot leave here without trying them.
(5)Erika D.
My fiancé and I decided to dine at the Capital Grill for a special anniversary. This was our first time at the restaurant, and we left with a lack luster impression. The service was subpar at best. After being seated, we waited for a good 5-10 minutes before being greeted. Our table was partially set, and we needed to ask for napkins halfway through our first course. Our waitress was far from attentive, and it was obvious she did not want to be working. After mildly checking from across the way on how our dinner was, she quickly rushed to take our dessert order and our bill was on the table before dessert even came out. While we can usually overlook bad service for good food, there wasn't much to be desired when it came to taste and presentation. We both ordered a Caesar salad, which I've seen plated more appealingly at you local pub. At $10 a salad, I guess we just expected to see more than a plate half scattered with lettuce and 2 croutons. My fiancé had a steak, which he did say was delicious, and we split a nice batch of their truffle fries. I got their vegetarian pasta, it was ok - lacked flavor, but I recognized it was a steak house and pasta isn't a speciality. Maybe it was an off night for the kitchen and staff - regardless - we won't be rushing back or recommending it to anyone.
(2)Nate S.
What a Capital Grille! This was quite a disappointing steakhouse to say the least - we had an awful seafood tower - the crab was dry and tasteless, and the other seafood was far from fresh. The waiter dropped calamari on my lap and didn't seem to care. My bone in ribeye was decent, but it didn't make up for everything else. At this price point this Capital Grille needs to clean up their act.
(1)Andrew S.
The decor, food, and service are outstanding. It is on the more expensive side, especially for dinner. Do lunch if you want the experience yet need to moderate your costs.
(5)Joe M.
Very good - consistent with most Capital Grille restaurants. Inside the restaurant we had a near 5-star experience. Right outside the restaurant however were some very shady characters. We would not let the ladies we were with walk unescorted to their cars.
(4)Erin M.
The good: Mac and cheese was perfect Easy valet parking Manager tried to rectify a bad situation Citrus salmon was perfectly done The bad: The chopped salad was drenched in dressing and the lettuce pieces were huge. The service - the staff seemed busy with larger parties and we were an afterthought. The salad plate wasn't cleared before steaks came... Made for a crowded table. We asked for our wine to be served with dinner and we had to ask for it after the food came out (next time we will just ask for it right away!) One of our 4 wasn't happy with the color of his steak...(I find the interpretation of rare/medium/well varies) After a send back the color was better but the steak was covered in a liquid... They said it was au jus but the first steak didn't have it...the manager was kind enough to take it off the bill...the other two steaks were above average but not as good as we were expecting. I wanted to like this steakhouse - there is one down the street from me in DC and I had heard good things. The steak and service didn't justify the price and hype. I would travel to Arlington or East of the River to have Ray's instead.
(2)Glenn C.
A nice thing about going to one of the big 3 steakhouse chains is that you know exactly what you're going to get. Is is unusual or adventurous? Of course not, but that's not why you're going to one of these restaurants. You're going because you want a great piece of meat with a big, powerful, this-should-really-be-decanted-for-a-while red to go with it. The Capital Grille absolutely delivers on that account. My wife and I recently had dinner on a weeknight. It's dark and full of wood paneling inside. We saw a bunch of Steelers sitting at a table together. We started off with oysters which were excellent as expected. We split a spinach salad with warm bacon dressing which was also tasty. Both we paired with a nice sparkling blanc de blanc. For entrees, I went with their signature Kona-crusted sirloin with shallot butter and my wife had the filet Oscar. Both were cooked perfectly. We paired those with a nice, heavy, Merlot-dominant blend. For dessert we got the homemade ice-cream and cookies. The 3 flavors our night were vanilla, dark chocolate, and brownie batter (yes, it was as good as it sounds). I also had a glass of vintage Taylor Fladgate that was superb. Throughout the evening our server was quite attentive. Despite eating on a Monday, the large space seemed mostly full. Everyone has their own opinion about which of the big 3 steakhouse chains is their favorite. Personally, I'm more partial to Ruth's Chris with their sizzling steaks with extra butter. However, the Capital Grille is overall just as good and a great choice for this kind of dinner.
(4)Nick A.
First off, let me tell you if you haven't been to Capital Grille, you need to go! This is by far the best dining experience I have ever had. I went to the one in Chicago twice and this was my first time in Pittsburgh and they were all exceptional. Positives: Staff is amazing they make you feel as if you are the owner of Capital Grille, they really know how to treat the customer. They are always on top of drinks, refills, and making sure you are taken care of. Food: Amazing, amazing, amazing, PERIOD! Negatives: None Overall: I have been to Morton's, I have been to Hyde Park, but nothing compares to The Capital Grille, it is worth the money. I will always be a loyal customer of Capital Grille for always making my experience great.
(5)Jeff F.
I ran in here for lunch on Friday. Here's a few quick thoughts: Exceptional service (really, really incredible service). Remarkably memorable Wagyu Carpaccio, Way too thick Lobster Bisque that they took off the menu, and a good ribeye steak sandwich (a bit too fatty). Even though the food wasn't perfect (well, the carpaccio was more than perfect), I'm still giving Cap Grille 4 stars because I know that this experience, although imperfect is going to get me back and trying more of their menu.
(4)Doug C.
I met two buddies for dinner last week. Our server was n time and served me a fantastic dirty martini with blue cheese olives. I was not in the mood for salads and appetizers. I ordered my filet, medium. The steak arrived, med rare. Our server seemed lost at that point so I finished my filet. It was dry. I know their steaks are dry aged but this was too dry for my taste. This was my last try.
(2)Jason S.
If you are in Pittsburgh and need a great steak, go to Capital Grille. Wine list was crazy good, food was farking good! Service is exceptional. Always crowded.
(4)I.E. C.
WTFH Capital Grille? It's been a while since I've been here, and every time I had been before was pretty much 5 stars. However, last night I came here for a friend's birthday... and it was just a parade of horribles. First thing, we had a reservation at 8:45, and we did not get seated until 9:30. Considering our reservation was late, we were pretty hungry. So waiting an extra 45 min., not exactly the most pleasant experience. However, we got bread at the bar, which held us up. To make up for that, they gave us two apps, which was quite thoughtful. We had the calamari and prosciutto wrapped mozzarella. Both were great! We ordered a bottle of wine, a tempranillo from Spain as I recall, and that was excellent as well. Then we ordered our entrees. I got the filet with the kona rub, my friend got the crab cakes and lobster as her entree, and my other friend got the delmonico with the kona rub. In a timely fashion, they brought my friend's crab cakes out and told us our steaks would be out very soon. However, they didn't come out until 30 min or so after our friend was served. But even before the steaks came out, the manager came over to apologize, and to say that they had accidentally burned our steaks and threw them out and they would be on the house. We thought that was very nice and thoughtful, but we were thinking OK, what else is going to happen... So we get our steaks, and mine is cooked to perfection. My other friend's looks fine, but a little charred on the outside. The waitress said it was because of the kona rub. Nonetheless, after a few bites of his, he tried mine. The waitress then came back and asked how the steaks were, and he said that his was burnt. I really didn't believe it, so I tried it. And wow, I had to spit it out it was THAT bad. The waitress, flustered with us at that point offers to make him another and we decline. I felt bad for her, she seemed to not be having the best night because it was so busy. And we even said, we know it's not you, don't worry about it, and she replied, we're always busy and your experience should always be excellent here (or something along those lines). Next, we ordered some creme brulee and some cappuccinos. Our waitress brought out the cappuccinos and the creme brulee. I sipped my cappuccino, and what do you know, it was COLD! My other friend's was cold too. We asked to speak to the manager, because we just couldn't believe this had happened. We told him about the steak, and he said, "and that's why we comped your whole meal." However, we also told him about the cappuccinos as well, and he seemed a bit shocked, but said "thank you for telling me." He then seemed almost annoyed, and walked away. All we wanted was a top notch dining experience in Pittsburgh for my friend's birthday, something you expect from Capital Grille. However, we definitely did not receive one. And even though our meal was comped, it was still a very disheartening night out and simply not worth it. Sadly, I don't think I'll be coming back here.
(2)David W.
Ouch!! It really hurts when you taste the best. In fact you're probably jaded for life when you taste a plate that would give 'antonEgo' a second trip to his childhood. I tasted the 'porcini rubbed delmonico with 12 year old aged balsamic vinegar' at the Capital Grille in Pittsburgh an I have officially spoiled my palate for life. And service by Mr. Horacio Ruiz was truly incomparable. A rating
(5)Sal W.
I've had better. I expect many people to rate this place on expectations and not really relative quality because they feel that they are supposed to. I don't. So, for starters this place looks high class. The prices on the menu reflect that appearance too. I think it would be a challenge to get out a lunch under $25 and be full afterwards. I ordered a dry-aged sirloin steak ($24) and "The wedge" salad ($9). I had never had a dry-aged sirloin steak before, but according to the waiter it is supposed to have more flavor. Honestly, it just tasted like any other steak that I've had. I probably could have made a comparable steak after shopping at the local grocery store. Like really, all you do is cook it. But I digress. The salad was tasty but it was iceberg lettuce and the sauce was likely loaded with fat. Overall not a bad experience. But I recommend the Ruth Chris Steak house instead of this place as they add a light sauce (with garlic butter) to their steak that really adds to the flavor. They also kiss your ass throughout the entire meal which makes you feel like a king. Hail! Food Quality/Taste = 3 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars Relative Price = 2 Stars Service = 4 Stars Experience with Staff = 4 Stars Decor = 5 Stars Clean (yes/no) = yes
(3)Lo S.
I enjoyed the service and the ambience, and my husband raved about everything, from the fresh bread to his steak. My steak was okay, it was fairly undercooked in the middle but the outside was charred- not my favorite. Plus I added the Gorgonzola cheese with wine sauce and I wasn't impressed. Also, the lobster mac n' cheese wasn't super tasty either. I wouldn't mind going back, but for a substantial check like that I expect my tastebuds to be more satisfied!
(3)Chris K.
I went here for the first time about a month ago with some friend's of the family, and I have to say I was impressed. We always eat well, but this was a real treat. I could say with confidence that this is one of the top three restaurants I've been to in Pittsburgh. The bar is beautiful, the decor in the rest of the restaurant was very elegant as well, although a little traditional. The food was magnificent! Everything we had was phenomenal, the steak, the calamari, the flour-less cake, and even the ice cream sandwich (as simple as it sounds!). The salads were crisp and fresh, the waiters were prompt and pleasant. If you were to limit your food choices, you could keep the cost down, but everything is a-la-carte, so it can get pretty pricey. I'd say it was totally worth it though. On a side note, Pittsburgh isn't known for many celebrity sightings (something I've gotten used to living in Southern California for the last 10 years), but when we were there, Franco Harris (A Pittsburgh Steeler from the 1970's famous for the Immaculate Reception) sat down at the table next to us! And then at another table, Larry Fitzgerald (star wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals and a Pitt alumni) was sitting with a handful of other football players. I don't get starstruck, but that was pretty cool. The biggest downside was parking. You can find street parking sometimes, but if you don't feel like looking for that they do have free valet which is nice, although you might have to wait for a moment. Also beware, they will not seat you unless your entire party is present. When we first got there it was a bit on the loud side which made it hard to talk, but that didn't last long either. All-in-all I had a great experience here and I look forward to going back!
(5)Doug C.
Having eaten at the other upscale steakhouse chains such as Morton's, Ruth's Chris, etc., we pretty much had our expectations in check prior to visiting The Capital Grille for the first time. We ate at the bar, which was quite nice. Had the Calamari appetizer, which was quite good. Calamari was fresh, and it was very tasty overall (served with jalapeno peppers). Later sampled the Crabcake appetizer, which was very nice as well. The bread selection was excellent. Went with the 10 oz filet, which was perfectly cooked (Medium +), butterflied, and extra blackened. While I would have preferred a bit more seasoning, it was a perfect cut of meat, again - perfectly cooked. Exceeded my expectation. Had the Lobster-Mac, which was decent, but a little underwhelming. We have had similar Mac dishes elsewhere, and have been more impressed (Truluck in Florida and Birches in Baltimore). Also tried the Filet Oscar, and was not nearly as impressed. Felt it wasn't cooked properly (also Medium +, but not butterflied, which may have accounted for this difference). Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. Had the filet been seasoned a bit more, I might have gone with 5 stars.
(4)Jonathan W.
A steak house we've all been to a thousand times. For a chain, not bad to bet on consistency but don't sit at the bar long because it will cost you. A round of drinks (5) for $130 is not my idea of fun. Big steaks, big sides but avoid the beaten path and try something new!
(2)Nathan K.
This is the best steakhouse in Pittsburgh. It is not the cheapest!!! However, it is the best service and the best food so you get what you pay for. The Capital Grille has the best steak, and the best wine list among major steakhouses in the city of Pittsburgh. Their Kona rubbed steaks are PHENOMENAL . Their attention to detail on the service side of things is IMPECCABLE. I highly recommend when attending a show at the Benedum (short walking distance). If you have doggy bags, they will keep them in their cooler until after the show. They will also let you leave your car with their valets while you attend the show.
(5)Lindsay R.
I had the fish of the day - Halibut (a common special). Waitress recommended it Oscar style AND so do I. It was absolutely delicious!
(5)Michael D.
Always a great job and the waitstaff are topnotch. If there's anything amiss, they fix it right away. The lady who brings your water and bread, Cherry, is as sweet as they come and starts your experience off on the right foot every time. Between all the Capital Grilles in DC and NY, I eat at one at least once per week and they are consistently good.
(5)S. P.
Great steakhouse. The signature strip steak is my favorite. Lobster mac is a must. Fried calamari and the seafood platter appetizer are great as well. It is wonderful that Capital Grille came to downtown Pittsburgh and became an outstanding addition to the neighborhood. The only reason this place is a 4 star is b/c it is a national chain and there is no real local flavor to it. I personally like to dine at places specific to that locale.
(4)Andrew S.
Standard upscale chain steakhouse. Good food, etc. but nothing memorable. Expensive but you know that going in.
(4)Orpheus R.
Excellent dry-aged beef. You won' find a better one in town. And you will pay dearly for it. Similar in atmosphere and menu to Morton's, the Capital Grille is located on the ground floor of the former Lazarus building at the corner of Wood & Fifth. Expect dark paneled wood, a massively overpriced (300% and up) wine list, and oil paintings of Pittsburgh's forefathers (including Mr. Rogers). The little things, like impeccable service by the bartenders, and umbrellas to your car on rainy nights by the valet staff, are refereshing. Regarding the food - appetizers were just ok. I'd give a big thumbs up to the any of the dry aged steaks (simple and delicious and the house speciality) and a thumbs down to the Filet Oscar (Filet Mignon topped with lump crabmeat and a bearnaise sauce). Also, please do yourself a favor and order the truffle fries (if you like truffles) - these are to die for. Desserts are nothing special - I'd give a pass on the key lime pie. When I go back, it's straight to the dry aged steak and truffle fries for me.
(4)C R.
We had the best time at the Capital Grille. We were seated in a very cozy table and enjoyed the martini and seafood platter we got. We will definitely return.
(5)Tri D.
The crab and lobster cake were great, lots of crab and big chunks of lobster. Their steaks are not prime, but the dry aged delmonico with mushrooms was actually better then expected, a bit too salty though. Service was good.
(4)Abby L.
Today my family and I went to capital grill for their first Easter Brunch. We were told over the phone that the menu would be a la carte which wasn't true. When we sat down we had so many different waitresses our orders and drinks came out wrong and we had to order multiple times. The food was still good but the service was not up to par. Nice try capital grill but stick to what you know.
(2)Johnna F.
We love to eat here when we are in Pittsburgh. We always meet nice people at the bar and the food is great.
(4)joe b.
Still the best steak i have ever had. Amazing every time Im here. Pricey but worth it
(5)Zach G.
We came here for our anniversary. The service was excellent. Our waitress brought rose petals to the table and took the time to explain the menu. She recommended the Porcini Rubbed Delmonico with 12-Year Aged Balsamic. At first I thought, "of course you would recommend the most expensive item on the menu, but what the heck. It's my anniversary!" Let me tell you, it was the most phenomenal steak I've ever eaten. I'm talking melt-in-your-mouth delicious. On top of that - it was huge! We ordered crab cakes as an appetizer and they also had a very good flavor. She also brought out two complimentary desserts for us. The cheesecake was better than any other I've had. Rich, creamy, and perfect. The only "downside" is the price but if you're saving up for a special occasion then it's worth it. The price can very easily reach $100 per person but I haven't found better food anywhere else. I can't speak highly enough of how delicious this place is.
(5)Sheila M.
An incredible dining experience. Classy ambiance - dark wood decor and soft lighting. From looking around the dining room, it's apparent this Pittsburgh location draws many business professionals after work. Service was top notch.... some of the best I've ever received. Our waiter, Greg, was personable, knowledgeable, and very accommodating. I inquired about 2 of the reds on the wine list and he described them and then brought me samples to help me decide. My husband tried the Stoli Doli signature drink and enjoyed that too. Greg was also very well versed in the menu items and offered suggestions (fyi - they were aged steaks, Kona steak, Porcini steak, lobster mac & cheese, truffle fries, Stoli Doli drink). I mentioned that I wasn't too hungry and thought I'd get something small and different from my husband's choice so we could share. He offered to split our meals on each plate, so we ended up with a Surf and Turf meal. In addition lobster mac 'n cheese side dish is to die for and includes giant pieces of lobster... One last tip - free Valet parking at the door!! Make this your first stop in the city and return for your car later. Tip the valet generously and you still make out well. A wonderful meal from start to finish! No doubt we'll be returning to try more of the menu items, next time from their new location (currently under construction) across from the King of Prussia Mall.
(5)Eddie M.
One of the best steakhouses I've ever been to. The quality of the food is the best in the business, and our server was knowledgeable about everything on the menu, including the color of the beef we would get based on how we wanted it done. Great service speed as well. It is expensive, but anything that's the best of the best is expensive.
(5)Kim H.
Overpriced! I've had just as good of filet mignon at Longhorn. I guess I had a bad experience since we got seated near a table with a bunch of roudy toddlers whos parents let them literally run around the table and almost bump into the waiters! We should have moved! For the price you pay, you want a nice, quite, enjoyable evening without hearing screaming kids! Parents, leave your kids at home at a upscale restaurant!
(3)Mary W.
I went here for the first time on Saturday night. We had an 8:45 reservation and were seated upon arrival. The decor is elegant and I was excited. My excitement was short lived as it took 40 minutes, not an exaggeration, to get our drinks. We were also seated in area where the wait staff continuously placed dirty dishes. I was beginning to think this was a big mistake, but when our food arrived, i knew my disappointment was going to change. I ordered the roasted chicken and au gratin potatoes and my meal was excellent. The chicken was tender, juicy, and had just the right amount of seasoning. The au gratin potatoes were creamy. My boyfriend had the aged del monico, sam's mashed potatoes, and scallops. His steak was tender and seasoned to perfection. We finished dinner with cheesecake and coconut creme pie. Needless to say, the food here is excellent. I only gave four stars because I would expect better service from a high end restaurant.
(4)