tarsier_jungle1485 t1_j69aisf wrote on January 28, 2023 at 5:52 PM

Girasole in Shadyside.

leadfoot9 t1_j69is9l wrote on January 28, 2023 at 6:48 PM

I've never been to Italy, but I assume this cramped, lively basement restaurant is the closest you can get in Pittsburgh.

tarsier_jungle1485 t1_j69pd8c wrote on January 28, 2023 at 7:33 PM

And the owner is an old grandpa dude who sits there nursing a glass of wine all day and chatting with customers.

mikeyHustle t1_j6amixm wrote on January 28, 2023 at 11:28 PM

That's the owner's dad, I believe. He apparently likes to chat with people he already knows and ignore people he doesn't, though. I know someone who (I wasn't there, but the story goes) spent their birthday just sobbing waiting to be seated for an hour because he bumped several friends of his in front of her reservation.

TheTunnelMonster t1_j6crz6a wrote on January 29, 2023 at 12:29 PM

Was this person a child? I can’t imagine an actual adult sobbing over a birthday dinner reservation.

pere-jane t1_j6d8jle wrote on January 29, 2023 at 3:01 PM

I’ve sobbed before when I’ve been hungry. Low blood sugar is real.

dburnsii OP t1_j6dmurc wrote on January 29, 2023 at 4:38 PM

We looked into this one, which definitely matched what I think we were looking for, but ultimately I think a place that was a little less... Cramped? Definitely captures that homestyle feeling, but the reviews mentioned that I can get pretty loud and the place is small. Maybe another time.