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Bossa Nova
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants Tapas Bars Bars, Tapas Bars [Edit]
123 7th StPittsburgh, PA 15222
Neighborhood: Downtown
(412) 232-3030
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4 pm - 11 pm
Fri 4 pm - 12 am
Sat 5 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
22 reviews for Bossa Nova
22 reviews in English
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Review from Katie B.
1/20/2012
Another great choice for Happy Hour, dinner and quick eating before a show downtown. The menu is simple and elegant- the fried calamari is my favorite dish on the menu. The wine selction is broad and the atmosphere is trendy and classy. The round bar really sticks out and offers great views and makes for quick service. Perfect place for a date and get together with friends.
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Review from Kat M.
3/1/2012
I never ate here nor could have possibly gotten a drink no one would wait on me.
My friend who wanted to be a socialite of some kind asked me to come with her. I don't know what she was thinking. Not my scene whatsoever! We had come from a free Devo concert. I was dressed in converses, a side pony tale, and bright pink 80's garb.
I have never seen so many idiots occupying one space. The chicks looked at me like I was an alien. Not everyone needs to wear 5 inch heels, gobs of makeup, and clothes that is so tight that your breathing is impaired just to get a little cleavage popping out of a minuscule ugly dress.
I like fashion, I love heals. It was the glassy, vapid, duplicates that I saw that made me give my friends a hug and kiss then seriously BOLT out the door! Super bad energy in this place. I jumped in the first cab I saw and headed to Lawrenceville. I didn't even say goodbye to the friend who had brought me there. Smoke bomb disappeared! She knew I would hate it but just didn't want to go alone. I was pissed.
The night was not lost. My awesome "fiends" from LA (stunt man Curtze, and Elvis impersonator slash gangster screen writer) met me out and we dive bar-ed the rest of the evening away. I meant to write "friends" but didn't change it because fiends, haha... much more appropriate.
I am not saying that people who like this place are any particular sort. Some of my favorite people like Bossa Nova. Just stating my personal experience. -
Review from Faith A.
3/1/2012
I was reading through some other Yelpers reviews about Bossa Nova and I cannot agree more with the person who said something along the lines of this place being for girls looking for a sugar daddy, desperate divorced older women looking to snag anyone, guys looking for a cougar, or if you're just a pretentious douche.
Now I admit, I can have fun here, but I can have fun anywhere as it is not the place that makes you have fun, it is the company you keep. I have had a few good times with some girl friends here, but unlike the rest of the crowd, we were not looking for a sugar daddy/man/etc.
Food was nothing to write home about, the service at the bar can seem very slow so we often end up moving to a table. Some of the servers are great, actually. I just wish the overall vibe and atmosphere was not as it was as it takes this place down several notches. -
Review from Becky Z.
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a trendy "Brazilian Tapas" restaurant nestled in the Cultural District. Perfect for grabbing a drink or light meal before or after a show.
Boy and I popped into Bossa Nova before the ballet. We saw suits de-stressing from the week, some 30-something females looking to get tanked, and some were just like us, waiting to go to a show.
I had an (uncharacteristically) girly cocktail. I was dressed to the nines for the ballet. I figured... why not? It was sugary sweet and through no fault of the very lovely bartender, I will stick to wine and beer from now on. Boy chose one of their many scotch selections.
For tapas, I had the fig and goat cheese toastas. Boy chose the stuffed peppers. Strangely, my food arrived about fifteen minutes before the peppers. The restaurant was not crowded in the slghtest, so I found this puzzling. Having tried both, I thought the tapas were bland and overpriced for things I could have easily made at home. Boy disagreed. He really liked his peppered.
The quality of the food and drinks (and their corresponding high prices) probably merit a two-star review. But we were greated by a very pleasant hostess and served well by the nice bartender. Their service alone probably earns Bossa Nova the three stars I am giving. -
Review from Anneke S.
Pittsburgh, PA
4/8/2012
This rating is for the drinks only and atomosphere, and based on my personal taste a bit ok a big bit. This is definately a "I'm a young professional pittsburgh business person and I've arrived." Status bar or "I'm a young college girl and I've just had my first boob job care to help fund my nose job too?" Bar , I did not try the food becaused I moved from a place where we have awesome brazilian restaurant where fresh meats melt in your mouth accompanied by tart sweet grilled pineapple, and real slow cooked brazilian beans mmmm. Soooo after seeing how pittsburgh does Mexican food I'm not willing to drop my pennies to risk the disapointment of pittsbugh attmepts brasilian.
The bar is roomy with nice lounge seating which is nice for those who don't want to participate in the round the bar meat market. The guys make for fun people watching, either all suits or in their pirates jerseys. Or the occaisional jersey shore look a like meat heat in his v neck t shirt who is too good to attempt so much as a toe tap to the beat of the music. Then there's the balding old man with twenty something on his arm who already looks like she has botoxed up her face in an attempt to mirror her idol kim k. There are few older gay gentlemen I would have liked to chat with who mad things a little more interesting. There was an awesome looking woody Allen meets Andy Warhol look a like with cool glasses, and an awesome white frizzy mane.
The women range from down to earth girlfriends in for chat, drink and dance to wifes and girlfriends grinding it up on the dance floor with their man to the cougars. Warning Cougar dance zone, these women looked decent though and I'll give it to em they weren't afraid to shake it.
My biggest gripe about this place (I know I haven't gotten there yet), the drinks are sugary syrup crap. You can only put too many sugary alcohols together before you get a tummyache, you might as well be drinking the syrup flavors starbucks puts in your coffee. Stick to something on the rocks or a vodka soda most places cannot screw that up too badly (aside from Bar louie) but I will get to them later. Price is lame also 8 bucks and up for a mojito and they use coconut rum in it! Yuck. Sorry my college days of only being able to handle coconut rum are over, it is was frat guys give girls with a roofie.
Anyway moving on my biggest gripe was that there is a cop standing by the door, who looks like he just walked away from beating a non white person to death. I know I know cops have the hardest job and I will be the first to say it, but this guy has a thick energy so nasty it hits you in the face from across the room. The way he was looking at the non white people who were a little to "loud" for his tastes, no louder than the booming music mind you. Made my stomach churn. Also they used him to close at 1:15am on a saturday. Thats pretty lame for a downtown bar just because they were not packed. Bars in Salt Lake City Utah do that, come on BossaNova this is pittsburgh aka drinkersville, not mormondryville. Just sayin.... -
Review from adam o.
Pittsburgh, PA
8/12/2011
Girls looking for a sugar daddy, guys looking for a cougar, or if you're just a pretentious douche: Bossa Nova is the place for you.
The atmosphere is downright tragic for how hard it tries. The bar prices scream to the proletariat: "Let them drink beer down the street! We only want the bourgeois in here." Even the DJ they had during the Gallery Crawl a few weeks back was tragic. I mean I know that the DJ has to appease the sugar daddies and cougars but is every place in Pittsburgh required to have 80s music? I'm sure it is in the liquor license application.
That said, the barstaff is generally friendly and very quick - most likely so you don't realize you just paid eight dollars for a beer.Listed in: kill it with fire, where suburbanites go to make…, downtown pgh
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Review from amy h.
11/5/2011
I like it here...
I've only visited in the past for happy hour or drinks out with friends. Recently, both times I came late in the evening after work functions and arrived hungry. Coincidentally, both nights I was there was also salsa night. It's an interesting crowd, all ages, just gettin' their salsa on. I enjoy the music, but will sit back and let the "pros" do the dancing. They have friendly service, a few outdoor tables and a huge bar. It's a pretty lounge-y vibe.
There is a decent wine/beer list, and also specialty cocktails. Both times, I tried the sushi, which was not bad at all - not comparing to a Japanese restaurant, but for a bar it was done well. The spicy one was really hot, topped with a jalepeno: nice touch. I also ordered the house salad, which was a meal in itself. Seriously it was huge! The ingredients were fresh, and with some balsamic and olive oil, it was very enjoyable.
For drinks or light fare, Bossa Nova is one happening spot in the downtown area, which seems to be on the up and up! -
Review from Jason Z.
Pittsburgh, PA
8/5/2011
Never been before and went on a Thursday night at 6PM before a show. Upon arriving, all the good seating near the windows was blocked off for private use (and remained unused). The "host" told us to go find our own seating wherever we wanted. The setup is interesting with a large open bar area and a small number of tables around the perimeter. We took a seat at a table. The bar seating was fairly full with some milling around in the area and standing, and probably a total of 30 people there. We saw at least 5-6 staff, a couple sitting around playing on their phones.
We sat at our table for 20 minutes and never had a single person come by, not to say we will be there shortly, not to take a drink order, nothing. We could tell this wasn't going to be good so left and no one even noticed.
It was a little more bar than restaurant, so we weren't sad to leave. -
Review from Rachel C.
It's always surprising to me when you go to a bar/nightclub/restaurant and they actually have good food! It DOESN'T surprise me when most of those food and drink items are pricey, so they better be worth it!
Cocktails were STA-RONG. My caipirinha was really wicked strong and my Cosmo was pretty much cranberry juice with a splash of vodka. Looking to party, here you go! Looking to dance...meet me in the middle of the wide dance floor to drop to some pretty excellent DJ tunes. It's nice that there's wide windows that open up in the summer that people can gawk at you dropping it from the street!
I like that there's actually a business downtown that stays open past 9 pm! You'd be surprised the crowd you get here on any night of the week. Thursdays are salsa night and Friday/Saturday you get a mix up the after theater crowd and the night owls. Throw in a random Steeler (hi Charlie Batch) or Pens sighting and you've got a hip place! I love how the place is decorated like a Mad Mex restaurant that's ready to throw down on the dance floor!
Although you will always have your creepers....case in point last night. A strange man claiming to work at Saks went around kissing our hands. But who doesn't come out of a bar without a creeper story. It just adds more flavor to the place...or a good story to tell the day after! -
Review from Rob I.
5/13/2011
Awesome bar if you want a classy night out in Pittsburgh with great drinks and awesome music. We were celebrating my friends birthday downtown and we decided to stop in here for some drinks.
What's a birthday without birthday drinks? After we got seated, I ordered a round of Patron and Corona's, which were expertly chilled by our awesome bartender Jim.
Great times were had... it was nice relaxing and sipping on a Corona while vibing to some great latin music. Bossa Nova had a really nice wide-open layout with high ceilings, so you never feel cramped like some crappy bars on the Southside. I absolutely love the decor and artwork too.
If you want a really classy night out in Pittsburgh, I highly recommend checking this place out. The drinks are a bit pricy, but it's well worth it for the quality and great service. -
Review from Maureen C.
Pittsburgh, PA
10/27/2011
Came here for drinks on a Thursday night which was salsa night. Very classy and swanky. Great to find some culture among the steeler jersey laden bars that cover most of the area.
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Review from Serena R.
11/23/2010
This place is A-OK! I was contemplating giving it 4 stars but the scene is getting a bit dated. They need to spruce it up or something. It's just sorta there now. But don't get me wrong, every time I go here I enjoy myself - but I make sure I have a good group to go with. You do see some regulars but that's just the type of place that it is. I like that you get a mixed crowd, no one too young and most of the people that seem to frequent this joint are in there late 20's, 30's, and 40's.
It can get a bit pricey if you have a tab open and aren't thinking about what your drinking and how much the drinks are. The drinks are made reasonably well, by that I mean they have enough alcohol in them so that you don't have to wonder why you just paid $10 for ice, water, and a splash of alcohol.
Back in the day Bossa Nova was a novel idea for this town, but now with all these upscale bars/lounges and restaurants opening they may have to reinvent themselves somehow.
All in all a fun place to hang out. One thing I noticed is that there is a gap between when it's jumping. Right after work is good b/c you get the happy hour peeps, but then it seems to clear out after 7:30 PM and then it picks back up around 10:30 PM...maybe it was just the night that I went, but I have a feeling that this is the norm. -
Review from David B.
10/5/2011
Just a warning, Bossa Nova will close early if business is slow. The kitchen is supposed to be open until 11 pm on weekdays, so I was shocked for them to say they are closed when I walked in the door at 9:15 pm. But I went back again the next day and had a wonderful meal there. I was a little disappointed that some of the traditional Spanish items, such as the Tortilla de patatas, were no longer on the menu. But there are still some marvelous choices. The Scallops are always excellent, and so is the Jamon Asparagus. The Cranberry Walnut Salad is delicious and I also like the homemade Spanish Chorizo. The service is attentive. The decor is beautiful and hip.
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Review from Joe W.
Chicago, IL
10/28/2009
Went here on a Monday at around 7:00. The bar was filled with the usual suspects; guys in Brioni suits drinking away the stress, unfortunate weather and reality they have to head home to the wives who just dropped 3-5k at pottery barn.
The drinks were solid, and very fair priced (based on NY and Chicago pricing) The open(ish) floor plan would accommodate a happy hour very well. The food on the other hand - absolutely horrible.
We had lamb, chili prawns, ahi, chicken (something) and Chorizo. The 'fusion' southern Spain meets some Japanese influenced small plates works, but the execution was deplorable.
Verdict: Drink but avoid the food at all costs... -
Review from Shweta N.
6/28/2011
Best caiparinhas I've had so far in Pittsburgh :) The layout is open, with high ceilings and a lot of lounge seating. With the fun atmosphere, I was not surprised that shortly after the salsa music started, the dance floor was full!
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Review from Cara J.
11/22/2008
This is a happening joint for happy hour and beyond. I've walked by the huge windows while downtown before and been amazed at how many people were drinking it up inside. Friday night, I finally made it inside.
I was disappointed that they used "mojito mix" for their seemingly very popular mojito - but at least they had freshly mashed mint. The martinis are generous, but you pay the price for them. Enjoy your measly $1 off at happy hour during the week, but I don't blame them. Why have a better happy hour when you're already making money hand over fist?
This is a fun place to hang out but expect to spend lots of money if you stick around. The atmosphere is probably the best for a downtown bar, but the crowd is surely on the older side.
Unfortunately, they still allow smoking, but the place is big and airy enough that it's not so much an issue.
Overall, I will definitely be heading back to Bossa Nova on another night - it has a very nice atmosphere. But I'll be sticking to one drink at a time. -
Review from Amy Z.
San Francisco, CA
6/24/2007
Best night of the week is Friday night where all of the old and decrepit playas of Pittsburgh come out to drink. Wednesday and Thursday happy hours also decent. For Pittsburgh standards, it's a very swanky joint and the drink prices are decent (wait my SF pricing kicked in...ok it's a bargain!) I also agree with the other reviewer's sentiments about the food. Several steps up from your standard bar food in Pittsburgh, and the portions are HUGE for tapas.
To the ladies- this is the best joint in Pittsburgh to get your SATC mode on. -
Review from Brian G.
7/22/2010
Good drinks with some run of the mill tapas. Nothing was innovative which I don't mind since it wasn't to expensive. My food taste a little burnt which is what cost it the fourth star. Overall it's worth trying and you may like it better than I did.
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Review from London A.
Washington, DC
8/2/2010
SO disappointed with this place! I've been wanting to try it for some time and finally did and boy...what a letdown. I had heard that it was one of downtown's happening Happy Hour places, but on the Tuesday night I went, it was 99% empty. The menu was pretty random and everything we tried was really average. The drinks weren't anything special either. No innovation here in the food, drinks, or decor.
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Review from A M.
Pittsburgh, PA
4/17/2008
I was here last night for a few drinks and a couple of appetizers. I go here about 6 or 7 times a year. The bar itself is beautiful. The seating is great with a huge circular bar in the middle and a lot of leather seats towards the sidewalk by the open air doors and windows. They also have seating outside which is good for people watching especially when there is some type of event in the city. I've found the staff to be a little above average, but nothing special. By far the best thing about this place is the space itself and its location in the city. The drinks are pretty good, but overpriced. Some martinis are about $10, which is fine for a stellar top shelf martini in Pittsburgh or an average martini in NYC. This is not a stellar Pittsburgh martini. I believe that any bar whether its in your basement or at the "French Laundry" should have guinness on tap (just my personal belief), and this place at least has guinness but serves it out of a can. Another annoying thing is depending on who serves me I pay a different price. Last night I paid $7 for a guinness (which is way too much) and then minutes later I ordered another one from a different bartender and paid $5.25. The food is two stars at best and very inconsistent. They bill themselves as a "tapas" place, but it is obvious to me they don't understand what "tapas" entail. Go to ibiza on the s. side for your tapas. Some of their selections are better than others. I've had the quail before which was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. Last night I tried the AHI tuna which was of good quality, but could have used some wasabi or a stronger flavored sauce to compliment the good quality tuna. I also tried the lobster cakes. The lobster was barely noticable and the cakes had way too much breading. The best thing about the plate was the curry sauce on the side. I'd have to say that the location and space of the restaurant is 4 stars, but the food is 2 stars at best. Another weird thing is that I've been here before on more than one occassion when they simply said they were not serving food (and it was like 8 on a Friday). They need an overhaul of the chef staff.
Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Steve B.
Pasadena, CA
11/23/2010
Cavernous and huge floor plan. The location of Bossa Nova is perfect if you're downtown - either coming from or going to a show at Heinz Hall or walking across the Alleghany over the Clemente bridge to go to a game. The place is handy if you're with a large group. The timing was probably bad - the Monday nite of Thanksgiving week at 8 pm but there was no more than a 4 or so tables going off. I fear that BN may not be long for this world. However, the price was right for me and my girl - 4 glasses of wine and two trays of tapas (the Chef's cheese platter and the veal & pork meatballs for $50)! Agree with another reviewer that the servings were generous and tasty. What was missing? Lack of a mood or beat in the place. And, the server who took care of us - she did a good job but she seemed bummed out as if waiting on us was a chore. If not for the lack of ambiance and the somewhat feckless service, no problem assigning this place 5 stars. I think we just hit it on an off nite.
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Review from Jim S.
PA
1/25/2007
great bar for meeting/greeting. lots of yuppies... excellent drink menu and atmosphere. decent drink prices. a little known secret...the food here is awesome. smaller portions, but that means you get to try all kinds of different tastes. the bacon wrapped shrimp with horseradish off the tapas menu is awesome. go for the tomato and mozzarella salad too. we will eat here many times in the future.
