Eleven — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

We strolled in and were aptly greeted by a very kind woman with a smile on her face. She generously asked how we were and asked whether we had a reservation or not. Now, of course I had a reservation (what am I, poor?), but instead of acting indignantly, I happily replied "yes". She then showed us to our seats, again with a smiling face of joy. Our seats reminded me of a European veranda, basking in the luscious vineyards of France wondering what grape we would try next. The scenery was imaginative, yet formal juxtaposed by the upbeat, smooth, jazzy ambiance. The music was subtle, but impactful, reminding us of a 70s concert with foreigner. Our server, a young chap named Kyle, kindly greeted us and almost put us to sleep with such a smooth, soft voice. It reminded me of a gentle tenpurpedic mattress smothered with fifty puppies. Like a tidal wave of lusciousness. Elegant. Impressive. Sexy...to say the least. Would I have gotten naked for kyle, maybe, but that's for another night when I go back again. It was absolutely delicious. The muscles were rich, yet abundant with salty croutons that softened up in the delicious juices. The small cloves of garlic dispersed throughout melted in your mouth and acted like ice cream on a warm summers day. The crab cake was fresh, and had notes of the soft sea air. Kyle noted that they take great pride in their produce being curated locally. The hanger steak was to die for. A rich, perfect medium rare plus, with a delicious anglaise paired perfectly with the beefiness. The lamb loin was fall apart tender with cubes of polenta scattered around the plate making it like a small treasure. Not only was it beautiful, but it brought tears to my eyes. The pureed carrots along with it added the perfect hint of freshness to an otherwise hearty dish. Colour was abundant in every dish, like a picasso painting. A van gogh. A pollock. When I finally got the bill, I had no worries paying the hefty price, because kyle softened the blow with two chocolate, blood orange truffles that were compliments from the pastry department. As we concluded the night, kyle let out a cheeky smile one more time, the valet driver caressed my shoulder, and I could not imagine anything...

This restaurant surely is one of the best in all of Pittsburgh. Went without any pre-concieved expectations, but left with new requirements from any other future dining destinations in the entire state. Everything from start to finish was exquisite in execution. Had 2 starters - crab cake, and the pork belly dish. The crab cake was full of lump crab, (no fillers or butter basting to hide inferior ingredients). Lightly breaded and flash fried (I assume), simply delicious. Moving on to the pork belly dish - my goodness.. Probably 99% of pork belly dishes I've had (which are many) have been crispy and/or fried, at some point in the process. This one was not and was so delicate, meat forward, melt in the mouth as you can only hope a potentially heavy dish such as pork belly can be. Chicharroněs on the side for texture and a blueberry compote for a sweet/tart break from the fatty unctiousness. Wow. As far as entrees, my partner picked the chicken, (which I would - rightly or wrongly- normally scoff at as a valid 'choice' on a dinner menu) This chicken was so moist, delicately smoked creamy delicous risotto by its side, I will happily never scoff at chicken again. I chose the short rib. How can you go wrong on a short rib you ask? Very easily is the answer, especially if you order it as much as I do. However, this restaurant, as I'm sure you know by now in this review, executed it absolutely perfectly. Rich, meaty, full mouthfeel without being heavy or burdensome on the palate. Simply delicious. And, just now remembered their bread service, baked on premises. This is the type of bread offering that would break the willpower of any carb concious patron, like myself. My god, spectacular, and so worth the extra mile i'll run tomorrow.. Must add we also had exceptionally great service, from start to finish, with a more than subtantial wine and cocktail list to compliment the great meal. As they say - run,...

My partner and I chose ELEVEN for our anniversary dinner, expecting a night of delightful dining. Unfortunately, our experience was far from it, leading me to leave this 1-star review.

From the onset, the ambiance was uncomfortably dark, making it difficult to even see our surroundings. The first major issue arose with the service; despite clearly stating my walnut allergy in the reservation, we were served walnut bread. The server’s response to this serious oversight was nonchalant, with no genuine apology.

The service throughout the evening was intrusive and disorganized. Our server, although described as tenured, was overly hyper and made us feel uncomfortable, particularly with her insistence on rearranging our table and prematurely clearing dishes.

The pinnacle of our disappointing experience was the food quality. Our pork entrée was undercooked to the point of being nearly raw, and when raised with our server, it was met with indifference.

What makes this experience more disheartening is the lack of acknowledgment of our special occasion, despite mentioning it during reservation. This lack of attention to detail and customer care was surprising and unacceptable.

I reached out to the management, hoping for a resolution. However, their response was unsatisfactory, offering only an apology without any tangible action or compensation for the ruined special evening. This dismissive attitude towards a genuine concern about food safety, service quality, and overall experience is alarming.

As a result, I feel compelled to warn potential patrons. If you’re seeking a place for a special occasion or just a pleasant dining experience in Pittsburgh, I’d recommend looking elsewhere. ELEVEN, in my experience, has shown a disregard for customer satisfaction and safety, and their handling of feedback does not inspire confidence in...