Acacia — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

I've been a handful of times, my most recent visit has severely damaged my impression of this establishment. The first bartender I encountered was less than pleased with my request for a whiskey based cocktail that he made particularly well. I thought this would be fun seeing as the place touts itself as a 'handcrafted cocktail bar.' While I realize my request was vague I was hoping the supposedly knowledgeable staff would take interested is making suggestions leading to a mutual decision on a new drink of notable quality. Instead I was simply told, "I don't really care. We make hundreds of whiskey cocktails." Then it should not have been that difficult to think of a suggestion. Furthermore it was certainly not necessary for the fellow I was dealing with to approach the other bartender and very loudly relay the interaction to him and further refuse to serve my party leaving us with only the one server to occasionally check in on us. If this gentleman doesn't like interacting with the general public and entertaining lighthearted experimentation with unfamiliar cocktails, perhaps he has chosen the wrong line of work. After a $72 tab on five drinks and a $20 dollar tip, despite having the experience ruined from the start, I think I've paid enough to cover being humored just a bit. I think from now on I'll stick with a good 18yr old scotch at home, they have much better service. I apologize for inconveniencing the staff and promise it will never happen again nor will another $72 dollar bill or a tip...

Location: Where the wild things are. 21st Street is just far enough off for you to catch fresh breath outside of that Southside smell of ruined nights, low expectations and coming-of-age debauchery.

Facility: Wait, is this the place? If you move too fast, you may walk right past it. I wouldn't have reviewed this, but the cat's out of the bag. This bar is one of the finest drinking establishments in the city. You want old, aged and rare whiskey/scotch? Welcome to heaven.

Drink: Come here first before your palate is destroyed and you can still appreciate the craft of both the making distillery and the bar keeps. These guys take it to a new level. Think Employees-Only (NYC) mixology. Expect to spend money and if you don't have a heightened sense of curiosity and/or taste, don't come in!

Service: If you are a loud obnoxious wreck, do everyone a favor and go anywhere else. These guys will and do deal with too much nonsense and be a respectful patron. This being said, these guys kill it. Mixology is a science and these guys have obtained their PhDs. Expect and intellectual experience and admiration for how far we have taken the craft to get to this point.

Conclusion: This place is worth it every time. By far the best bar in South Side, now about adding a...

An unsuspecting storefront that makes it looks like an abandoned store, Acacia is not the place for you if you're looking for luxury and plush seating and an attentive waitstaff. However, if you're looking for the more stellar cocktails in Pittsburgh, for bartenders who are at the top of their game, and a completely unpretentious setting that is reminiscent of hidden bars during Prohibition--this is the place for you.

Amanda and Richard were behind the bar the night we went. The cocktails--some from the menu, but most a result of us saying "I love this, and this, and not sweet, but like this..."--were exceptional. The ingredients they have to work with + their knowledge yields things I've never tasted before. So do yourself a favor, tell them your favorite liquors and flavors (eg citrus, smoky) and let them work their magic.

Sit at the bar, so you can be front row at watching aforementioned magic. Talk to the people around you, ask what their having. Don't go with a big group--there's not room. Be adventurous and...