Pittsburgh, PA

I was recently in Pittsburgh for a job interview. This was my first time driving there and usually do very well in big cities but not the burgh. The exit the company told me to take off of I 79 was 19B Washington does not exist. I pulled off at a gas station to ask for directions or were the exit was and all the patrons and workers didn't seem to want to help. So I used the gps in my phone and it took me south on I 79 then to 279 and 579. Once I got to the Liberty bridge my gps had no signal. I pulled off into downtown and couldn't find a place to park to ask for directions. I ended up on a street which took me to a circle around food places. I put my window down to ask people for help and they acted as if I wasn't there. I went around the circle and back the way I came which once I was half way up the street I realized it is was a one way. A woman saw I was lost and confused and had the nerve to say do you just make up your own streets. I apologized for the mix up told her I am not f... Read more

The first time I was ever there was three weeks ago and I'm still reeling from it. i could not find my way anywhere but even so, there was more than enough stuff to see even where I was... the western most area of the city. Probably if I would have gotten into it the town proper would have been more impressive and appeared more like the trash town some of my friends have taken it for. I am starting to think those friends had it confused with South Phille. Either way this is a commercial town, dominated by fast town and Italian restaurants, in the shadow of it's own surroundings and a maze within a maze to all but the most live-long natives. And I have the opinions of three former natives to support that statement. I have no particular idea of living there, plausibilities or advice, but it's a good place to get away for a few days and here is why: The people are awesome, the food is better than most others of the same chains that i have seen and simply, tho it IS in shadow of it's ow... Read more

I go to Grad School at the University of Pittsburgh and think of Pitt as more of a town and not a city. I know its a city, but it is small and a little boring. I swear its always a little dreary there in terms of weather as well. There are some cool sites and museums in the city so give it a try!

I stopped in Pittsburgh one time and ate at a fast food joint.  I got the drizzles for three days.  I didn't think much of the town after that.

I lived on Mount Washington, right at the top of the Monongahela Incline, with a million dollar postcard view of the downtown skyline. I worked at the bottom of the Incline, on Carson Street, the famous South Side cultural center.I actually commuted to work and home for lunch on the Incline, which is kept as a tourist attraction. One can easily drive up the face of Mount Washington, as I did all the time. Here's what I found sad about Pittsburgh. Seven miles out on Carson Street is the former site of the Homestead Works, the largest steel mill in the US, site of a significant labor battle between Pinkerton thugs and union people during which dozens were shot and killed. US Steel shut it down during the 70s; developers turned it into a shopping mall called The Waterfront during the 90s. Now, at least 90% of the yuppies shopping there know nothing of the site's history. They think it's just another altar of consumerism. I find that sad. Pittsburgh is like St Louis in that it's lost mo... Read more

i actually liked it i guess im kinda ranking these cities differently, because its obviously no chitown, or NYC but for a mid-sized city it seems prety great

Very nice! Awesome skyline and downtown area, with the three rivers and everything.

It's definitely a big city with a lot of huge buildings. I've only been there when I fly into Pittsburgh International Airport to visit my dad, who lives in Oil City. Other than that, I've been to a Pittsburg Pirates game. I vaguely remember the city but I give it 5 stars anyway.

As someone who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, but who now lives elsewhere and has visited many cities in the US and in Europe, I can definitely say, without any doubt whatsoever, that Pittsburgh is one of the best cities in the US. With the exception of NY, which is really in a category of its own in this country, I think it can compete with any other place. Every person I've brought to visit has been extremely impressed, and every one of them thought that the population was at least double what it is because of the vibrance of the area. That should tell you something. Those who complain about it, especially those who are there for college and who are complaining, are most likely unfamiliar with the different neighborhoods and have never explored anything outside their dorm, or they may be moronic suburbanite sprawl-loving idiots--the kind who have no appreciation for history, urban areas, or anything remotely authentic. Go visit and judge for yourself!

Pittsburgh or the burgh what the locals call it has the potential to be on par with a Boston on the east coast in terms of culture, education, and economics. Two great universities Pitt and Carnegie Mellon the three rivers and the sports teams make Pittsburgh an upcoming city. The transition from a blue collar industrial town to 21st century city is slowly but surely taking place. Very green hilly best time to visit is the fall when the leaves change color just absolutely beautiful.

I like Pittsburgh and it really has a lot to offer. It has sports, history, culture and I like the old ethnic neighborhoods. The beer in that part of the country is good, also.

Pittsburgh is an underrated city. I notice all the bad comments are from the ignorant types who would probably be best off in a city meant for boring suburbanites like Atlanta or Phoenix. No arts and culture? Don’t make me laugh. People who say this probably never stepped foot into the Andy Warhol Museum, or Carnegie Mellon Art Museum. They don’t realize that Pittsburgh is ranked only below Boston, New York, Chicago, and Philly in the quality of Museums. These people probably think “art culture” means having Paris Hilton step into a cool hip club. If that is the case then yes the culture sucks. I live out west in Denver now and would do ANYTHING to be able to hangout on the South Side, Strip District, or North Side again on weekend nights. I would do anything to walk around neighborhoods with the character and culture like Shadyside and Squirrel Hill again. It would be great to check out the architectural achievements of buildings in the Downtown area or Oakland area. Also trust... Read more

Pittsburgh is probably the most underrated city in America. I moved out west where everything is suppose to be nice and beautiful. I saw the cities of L.A., Denver, and San Diego and thought, "Where is the culture, the soul, and character of these towns." Yeah, its nice living in Denver, but the town itself is bland and boring. People here look at me like I come from a hell hole when telling them I am from Pittsburgh while totally ignoring the brown scrap lands that are around the city, or the boring urban sprawl abundant everywhere. You got to drive 2 hours to the mountains till you see why living here is nice. Then their ignorance never even lets them think what other towns may have to offer.

Come on people, wake up. Sure downtown pittsburgh has cleaned up itself but for God's sake, take a look at your suburbs. They look like a bomb hit them. Most of the people out on the streets or in public are either 100 years old or dress like they live on skid row. Face it, the city as a whole is DEAD! Sure we have nice stadiums, obsessive pride on our sports teams, a pretty skyline, etc. But that doesn't do anything to eliminate the fact that there are NO JOBS, THE ECONOMY SUCKS, THE WEATHER IS LOUSY, THE POLITICIANS ARE CORRUPT, SINGLE LIFE SUCKS HERE, THE SUBURBS ARE ROTTING INTO THE GROUND, CRIME IS ON THE RISE, THE ROADS AND BRIDGES ARE FALLING APART, AND THE TAXES ARE INSANE! Face facts pittsburghers. I know yinz all love your little mountain town but wake the f**k up!

I visited and went in circles - all the road construction and lack of proper detours made it a nightmare even for the locals. PNC Park was nice especially if you like gnats flying around your head and face at night as the stadium is right on the river. The one way streets are a big turnoff, though, for real. And when there is a lot of road construction, it is not worth it to go there for any reason.

good city, good food, nice skyline, clean, real nice people. Im not sure what the complaints of nightlife are about. I read an artical that says Pitt makes LA look lame with its nightlife. Carson street has the highest concetration of bars/clubs of any street in the US. PNC park is sweet too. Good views from up high and it is a very photogenic city. I also saw a lot of hot girls.

A lot of people talk about the re-birth of Pittsburgh. Outside of the downtown and some very nice suburbs (Fox Chapel, Mt. Lebanon, Squirrel Hill etc..), there is a lot of the scruffy blue-collar city that has seen much better days. Landscape is very interesting though. Good place to be FROM. Like Baltimore in the hills of PA.

Pros: Attractive skyline, nice sports stadiums and amusement parks, relatively safe. Cons: social scene and people leave something to be desired. Note: I estimate that 90% of the people living there are originally from the area. That may be good or bad depending on your point of view. You probably will be treated differently if you're an outsider. I stuck out like a sore thumb and experienced a little bit of prejudice during my stay there.

I live about 45 minutes from Pittsburgh, so as a PA native, I may be a little biased, but overall, Pittsburgh is a good city. It has a gritty, Rust Belt reputation. Some of that is deserved, but Pittsburgh has come a long way since the closing of the steel mills. It's more laid back than other major cities. It's also a unique blend of eastern, midwestern, and appalachian cultures along with the Italians, Polish, and others who make Pittsburgh an interesting melting pot. No place is quite like the 'Burg.

This city is a dirty, depressing, poor shantytown. It is covered with litter, graffiti and there are no jobs or careers to be found. (Oh, yeah- the few doctors and lawyers have jobs. Big whoop) The people here still have mullets and feathered hair. The sun shines once per week. (Research this yourself- it is true!) The restaurants are dirty, disgusting nightmares that should all be closed down. The city is bankrupt and every building is crumbling. Your choice of housing runs from junky to should-be-condemned. There are rats everywhere, just like New York, because the city is too poor to have rodent control. What more can I say? The accent of the locals is abhorrent. Stay away... stay far away. The one nice thing is some of the views, but give me a break. All the bridges are falling down. 10,000 people have left the area each year for the past several years. I plan on joining them very soon.

Awesome city. If you've never checked out the view from Mt. Washington, make sure it's on your "to do" list if you ever visit.

Really nice city. Getting around is a little complicated, but it's a really attractive place.

Pittsburgh is a great city! All of the different neighborhoods make the it very attractive and unique. Downtown is so easy to walk from end to end. Plus, the city parks are wonderful and the city is filled with green during the warm months. As for the people who give Pittsburgh a negative rating, obviously you are not from around here and have too much pride for the city you grew up in. That is fine, but don't bash our city with knowing little about it.

I have to laugh at some of the posts here, this city has been in decline for a long time now and losing people every year. People here for the most part are obnoxious and rude, boring nightlife and a dirty city overall, you must be crazy to want to live here.

being a minority in the city - aka not having grown up in or around this area - I've lived in pittsburgh for just over a year now and love it :) it's got all the perks of a big city (museums, sports teams, etc) and of a small town (nice people, cute neighborhoods, cheap housing) all rolled into one! I'm proud to say that I'm now a pittsburgher!

Despite the fact that I was mugged with a knife stuck in my neck I like Pittsburgh. As pointed out below there is a burgeoning arts scene and the skyline is nice. The last time I was there which was 6 years ago the Downtown did'nt really have any nightlife but that may have changed. I spent a lot of time in Monroeville where the University Of Pitt is. There was a great 24 hr Pizza-Sandwich place where all the College drunks would go with the riff raff hanging outside waiting to mug them. That's sort of what happened to me.

Skyline is the most beautiful of any city. Good people and lots of great variety when looking to dine out. It's fun to entertain visitors here and see their surprise as to all the city has to offer.

Gets a horrible rap, but really nice in reality. Sure, as in any city there are run down parts, but no more here than anywhere else. I think it will be able to turn itself around within the next few years. It has really nice people, with a very interesting accent.

Beautiful view from Mt. Washington, home of the STEELERS!!!, similar to Cincinnati, only a little more personality.

Love those hills. Great Carnegie Museums (3 in 1 building). My rating could go up to 5 if I got to know it better. ...Cy

Pittsburgh is great. if you find something wrong with it, chances are you're a fool.

Pittsburgh has to be one of the most racist cities I have ever been to. It is a dirty, run down city. I will never in my life visit this back woods place again in my entire life

Ok, I have read many good reviews and many bad reviews of my fair city. Most of the people who have given bad reviews say things that are very ignorant or based on no real facts. I've seen everything from the people are rude to there is nothing to do. True, some people are rude, just like any city. But can you really rely on some else's opinion when they say something like this: What's left is a Rust Belt dump with the stupidest, most provincial citizens I've ever had the mispleasure of knowing. No active culture, no arts scene, PATHETICALLY BAD nightlife-- a sh!thole!! If you are going to rip on something, at least dont make up words like mispleasure. I think you looking for the word displeasureanywayno active culture? No arts scene? Wow. There are 4 museums that are part of the Carnegie Museum. (Art, Nat. History, The Warhol and the Science Center.) Not to mention the Mattress Factory, Heinz History Center and Sports Museum, The Childrens Museum, Phipps Conservatory (which is... Read more

I would give Pittsburgh five stars, if the people were nicer. Pittsburgh is a beautiful, clean city with an excellent skyline from Mount Washington and atop the Duquesne Incline. With the exception of the Hill District and parts Braddock and Wilkinsburg, Pittsburgh is a low crime rate city. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Oakland is perhaps the largest medical campus in the country. Pittsburgh is said to have more hospitals per capita than any city in America. University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University are both havens for young people, the Carnagie Mellon students are quite snobby. Pittsburgh also has excellent Italian food(I got a massive four cheese vegetarian hoagie for three dollars), especially along Carson Street. If you can dismiss the rude people, Pittsburgh is worth visiting.

Pittsburgh is underrated on this list. It's actually a surprisingly pleasant city. People think of Pittsburgh as a steel town, but all those steel mills have become loft condominiums. If you drive through the Ft. Pitt tunnel, the city suddenly appears and the skyline is beautiful. There are new stadiums for the sports teams along the river, restaurants all over the place in cute neighborhoods like Shadyside, and rolling hills great for biking surround the city. Pittsburgh is a well kept secret - it's not the cultural center it should be yet, but it doesn't deserve to be on this list with the far less interesting Phoenix and Atlanta.

I think that Pittsburgh is living proof that the horrible term of rust belt must die! Most if not all of the cities in the so called rust belt have improved dramaticaly since the 70's when the term was invented. I have only been thru there a few times, but the people were very nice, and the city seemed very clean. I liked how historic it was. One think i didnt get, what is up with all of these little sub-cities in pittsburgh? They are sort of part of pittsburgh, but they have different names like, Squirrel Hill. If those are all suburbs of pittsburgh, where is the actual city itself?

I enjoy Pittsburgh, it's a great city with much character. It seemed clean and easy to get around. Interesting buildings and good shopping and the people are friendly. Lot's of green areas and beautiful scenery compared with other citys.

Grew up here and lived here for 24 years. Sports fanatics, especially football. Andy Warhol museaum, the planetarium, this is an old ass city with such an old feeling. I love it and would love to go back someday. All the yellow bridges are mesmerizing, oh and the best skyline in the world.

u bashers that come on here putting down pittsburgh are really retarded & most of u are very young stupid people who have no clue of what this city has.If its not a bunch of stupid young people under 20 or of legal age running around going to bars & clubs getting more stupider than its not cool & its boring. u all got issues!!! pittsburgh is very eruopean in different ways especially by style of the old buildings & different cultures.It could be a little san fran, or seattle, or toronto. i'm from the west coast & have done lots of travel. All those so call cool so great cities ain't so great or cool, very expensive, more fools on the street & crime ,weather ain't all that either, more job problems etc. There is more to do in pittsburgh than u got money. It all depends on what u want. Creative minds know how to have fun, while bozos are all ways complaining.pittsburgh is up & coming, & will be a city to reckon with in time. pittsburgh needs more positive people here living & visiting. p... Read more

i've read most of the reviews of the town of pittsburgh on this page, and i have to say i do not enjoy it there really. i go to pitt which no doubt is a good school but i don't even consider pittsburgh to be a city. i expected too much going there. downtown has about 20 stores and closes too early. they have an alright club scene if you're over 21 which i'm not. but even if i do go out i can't get home cuz the busses stop at like 1:30! it has some real nice landscapes which are fun to look at. somebody said there's too much to do in pittsburgh if you're the fun-seeker. honey, i have looked i have traveled there's no good chinese food, nowhere to shop, nowhere to get good candy, no kids outside playing, no people outside after dark. it's the the twilight zone. how do people live there. i would never be able to take pride in being from there. it's the worst.

I would have given 0 starts but it was not an option. I agree with where2gonow. In 2-3 years Pittsburgh will probably cease to exist. It has been dead for a while now. I do not even admit to having lived there, I simply say Pennsylvania

Declining city...Too union for me.

Third-rate city. A previous poster noted that a major arts magazine rated it the #2 cultural destination in the US (hilarious!); what they don't tell you is that later it was found out that a vast number of the people that voted in that survey were (surprise!) Pittsburghers, in an organized effort to sway the vote. The fact remains: Pittsburgh is a decaying urban hellhole that young people are still fleeing as fast as they can. Like the South, the smart ones get out.

City could use more jobs, and Murphy has got to go. We voted against funding the stadiums and they unveiled Plan B, WTF? So, now we're paying for something we didn't want in the first place. The city does very little for children, how many pools were shut down to save money? Way to go city council, close neighborhood pools, cut the police force and then wonder why kids get into trouble. Aside from the idiots running the city, the city itself is beautiful beyond compare, the bridges, skyline, geography, public parks, architecture and trees are outstanding. Those who bash the Burgh have obviously not spent any real time exploring what it has to offer. Who mentioned Rock Jungle as a good night spot? Are you kidding? Dee's Cafe in the South Side is a good night spot, the 31st St. Pub is a good night spot. Rock Jungle is a good night spot for mouth breathers from the South Hills. You can keep that club-scene crap with its shi!!y music and high-priced watered down drinks, and the meat head f... Read more

I've travelled a good bit and find Pittsburgh to be one of 4 cities in which I would live in the world ( Melbourne, Aus, New Orleans, LA, and Vancouver BC, CA being the others). It's amazingly full of activity opportunities especially given its size (less that 400K), incredibly affordable, beautiful geographically (no where prettier than western Pa in Autumn), and conveniently located. Yes, its true, it is struggling to overcome economic and geographic blights; but it is making headway. Time will tell if its going to make it. The biggest challenges, are that its constantly misperceived as its old uber polluted past, and that most Americans want a remote control life. Its why they love cities like LA, NYC, and Las Vegas. They want to roll out of their doors and experience a life that's already been arranged for them. Pittsburgh doesn't coddle those with a desire for a cafeteiria style life. You've got to actually entertain yourself here, and I think that's why there is so much p... Read more

The most underrated city in the United States. For all the complaining I see by some people on here, I've never been at a loss for things to do when I've been there, and I'm 25 years old. There are many good restaurants throughout the city, and the skyline has to be the most impressive of any second-tier city in the country. It's a city with Midwestern charm and livability combined with Northeastern cultural and educational attributes. On the downside, the highway system is severely inadequate for a city its size. Also, civic pride seems to be lacking, which is unfortunate because it is a very nice city overall.

The champion of rust belt decay. The only major metro area to have consistently lost people since the Eisenhower administration. Was charming in a quirky sort of way at one time. Now it is just sliding into oblivion. It has something of a past but apparently not much of a future.

I have been there twice and I have to say it's a nice place to visit. The city is very nice and very clean, the people are very polite. No complaints here! The Roberto Clemente Bridge is very nice as well, Go Pirates!!

I really like it. It has a style of its own because, geographically, it is set out differently and has distinct heighborhoods. I found the residential areas to be more amusing than downtown. Univ. of Pittsburgh is cool too.

I went to Pittsburgh for school and am unfortunately still here while I look for work...ELSWHERE. From a distance it looks like it offers a lot, but then you find out it's filled with hillbillies, abandoned buildings, and generic people who thrive on their losing sports teams. It is true that there are some intellectual, artsy-types, but most of the time they are not from here. There is only one area of the city that is truly ethnically diverse and the rest is a zebra. The easiest way to describe pittsburgh is West Virginia that happens to have black people.