We went shopping recently for bridesmaid/groomsmaid dresses (almost the entire party is female) on a busy Saturday afternoon. As some of the wedding party drove in from out of town, the bride made an appointment weeks in advance. A few things: Some of the bridal party are curvy and/or very tall, so when the bride made the appointment, she asked if there were samples in plus sizes. She was told there were.

When the five of us arrived (the bride and four maids), our consultant was with another appointment that had run over. That's fine. However, we never ended up seeing her! We were given the services of another sweet but slightly clueless attendant. Not only that, but the bride kept asking for samples in sizes over 10-12... and we never saw any. Both consultants kept saying that they would "get to it," but they never did! So two of us had to try on every dress because we were the only ones who could. What was the point of having people drive in to an appointment when there are no dresses to try on?

In the end, we ended up tentatively choosing some dresses, but the bride has made the decision that we will actually purchase them elsewhere. As we were leaving, the store was closing and I heard several of the consultants upstairs LOUDLY arguing. There were still several customers in the store, so I found this to be highly unprofessional! I forgot something in the downstairs area (where all the bridesmaids dresses are kept), and when I went back the original consultant asked me to apologize to the bride for all that had transpired. I told her to tell her herself! To date that has not happened.

As for the selection (of bridesmaids dresses), it is ok. Twice as many chiffon as satin choices. Our bride wanted the latter, so we actually didn't have much to choose from. They are renovating so at least currently, the bridesmaids section/dressing rooms are tiny and cramped.

Because of the service (or lack thereof), we will not be returning.

After several disappointing trips to the Il Pizzaiolo in Market Square, I had heard good things about the Mount Lebo location and decided to give it a try. I went with Turkish Engineer (TE) on a snowy weekend evening. We dined rather early, so there was no wait. Unfortunately throughout the meal, I noticed almost the same (if not more) problems with service and food.

Our drink (two sodas) and appetizer orders were taken almost immediately (great!). But we were not given silverware or napkins and for some reason could not possibly distract our waitress to obtain any. We snagged some from a nearby empty table instead. My soup and TE's frittatine arrived a short time later. The wedding soup was delicious, with savory meatballs, spinach, and orzo. I did ask for some parmesan cheese to put in the soup, and our waitress shook exactly half a teaspoon over the bowl and quickly departed. Since when is parmesan cheese a limited commodity? The way the servers at Il Pizzaiolo protect the freshly grated parm, you'd think it was made of gold flakes. But I digress. The frittatine (fried pasta with bechamel sauce and cheese) was quite bland. After a few bites, we had it wrapped to add tomatoes and herbs at home.

Then our pizzas arrived; I ordered the margherita doc (mozzarella, basil, and tomato sauce) and TE chose the funghi (mushroom). My pizza, (despite it being short on the basil), was very tasty. TE was upset to find he was served not a pizza with mushrooms, but one with sausage instead. He asked if he had ordered correctly, and I said that he had. Even the patron next to us said that TE had indeed ordered the mushrooms. The waitress seemed a little unnerved but quickly had the kitchen make a new pizza.

Overall, a disappointing dining experience. It took forever to get water and any other items we needed for our meal. We tried to be patient, as we only saw two servers working. However, there were three hostesses at the bar chatting and seemingly doing nothing. The restaurant was by no means crowded (this was a Sunday). Moreover, what is the point of having three hostesses and two overworked servers? It doesn't make sense.

I will speak up for the quality and freshness of the ingredients. Everything is freshly made, especially the pizzas. That is great. But otherwise, the food and service at Il Pizzaiolo is severely lacking.

Yes, of course 5801 is my favorite gay bar in Pittsburgh. From the friendly servers to the great music and dancing... it is just a fun place to be any night of the week.

But you must never go there. Nope. Because the secret must never get out that 5801 has some of the most DELICIOUS and CHEAP bar food in Pittsburgh. Those capitalized words? They usually don't go hand in hand. Not so at 5801. They have found the magic formula for quality bites that won't hurt your wallet. The menu has something for everybody. Eight types of dips/chips to share, wraps, salads, even pizza and wings! Everything I have had there is large portioned and yummy.

As for the environment, it varies according to day of the week and area of the lounge. As others have said before, smoking is still permitted downstairs. However, 5801 is so large that you can avoid the nicotine by either going upstairs or enjoying your drinks and watching the game on the large outdoor patio and bar.

Stay away, though! I don't want crowds getting in on my $3.75 long island Thursdays and daily happy hour specials (6-8 pm).

...

Ok, fine. You can come. I hope to see you all there!

Carmella's a newcomer on Carson Street, replacing the trusty and rusty dive bar Intermission.

Like several other new places in Pittsburgh, Carmella's is trying to capitalize on the current popularity of prohibition-type cocktail bars. As a bar, it succeeds. As a restaurant, not so much... yet.

Decor: Picture yourself inside an old hunting lodge, only cleaner. No. Picture an Abercrombie and Fitch without the smell of Fierce cologne choking you. Moose heads on the walls, cozy fires, men and women sharply dressed in vests and plaid. But instead of selling you $60 sweaters, these fine folks are selling you handcrafted cocktails, beer, and whiskey. The latter, in my opinion, is a much better way of spending your money.

Service: The servers and bartenders are incredibly friendly and attentive, which is great! I know this sounds odd, but Carmella's is the only place I've ever been to that overdoes the service. This is not first class seating on an overseas flight to Dubai. I don't need a hot towel before I start tucking into my appetizer. Notwithstanding, servers are well versed regarding both drinks (they can tailor drinks according to your taste) and food. Speaking of the food...

"Plates": Let me say that all of the dishes I have had at Carmella's are as delicious as they are innovative. The head chef and Cutthroat Kitchen winner - true story - creates amazing food. We were given tiny tasters of watermelon and lime with cilantro as a palate cleanser. The gnocchi is light and smothered in a decadent bolognese sauce with mascarpone cheese. The lamb meatball is incredibly flavorful and will leave you wanting more. The charcuterie appetizer (pricey at 20+) is an intuitive pairing of meats and cheeses. So what's the problem? The plates are so small they couldn't satisfy a mouse's hunger. There were barely four or five gnocchi and one singular medium meatball for my friend. If Carmella's wants to market themselves as a tapas or small plates restaurant, that is fine (hint: they should!). But that is concept is completely lost on the menu. Currently, the appetizers and entrees are separated by sections but are the same size - tiny. A table for two would need at least four or five items to satiate their appetites. Add a few drinks, you are looking at a large bill! All that is needed is a simple re-write of the menu and perhaps a slight increase in portion size. Hot small plates. Cold small plates. Desserts. Order a few and share! Problem solved.

Drinks: Extensive and decently priced whiskeys from the tried and true Jonny Walker to my lesser known favorites like Yamazaki and Angel's Envy. Handcrafted cocktails and and an incredible selection of affordable draft beers. I don't have to go on because this review is already rather verbose.

TLDR; Carmella's does the "Pints" part perfectly. The delicious "Plates" need a little more explanation and organization and I will happily give them five stars when that happens.