BJ's Brewhouse

BJ's is new to the Pittsburgh dining scene, having just opened a new restaurant at McCandless Crossing. They are a chain based out of California, and are know for having a large menu, and making their own craft beers.
 We arrived around 8PM on a Saturday and were told that there would be a 45 minute wait. Around 35 minutes later we were seated. To start we ordered a few beverages. Mrs.Yinzer ordered a house made Berry Burst Cider, which was fruity with a dry finish, not overly sweet.

Berry Burst Cider $5.75

 I ordered the Tatonka Stout, which was in the style of an Imperial Stout. Not at all like Guiness, this stout is very rich, sweet, and with a high alcohol content.                            

Tatonka Stout $6.25

 For an appetizer we ordered the California Club Flatbread. This was an excellent start to the meal. Cracker thin crust covered with tomato, chicken, avocado, bacon, garlic aioli, and diced avocado. The combination of ingredients worked well together and I absolutely loved the paper thin crisp crust. This would make an excellent entree for someone as well.

California Flatbread  $9.75

  Then our entrees came. Mrs.Yinzer ordered the Mediterranean Chicken Pita Tacos, Little Yinzer ordered a small (9") BJ's Favorite Deep Dish Pizza, I ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger.

Mediterranean Chicken Pita Tacos $9.25

    These were meh. Chicken, feta, cilantro, tomatoes, and a greek yogurt sauce. Tasted like a little chicken gyro. Good but nothing spectacular. The cheddar mashed potatoes were equally uninspired.

BJ's Favorite Deep Dish Pizza $15.25

  Little Yinzer loved this pizza, while I thought it was a mixed bag. The crust was near perfect for a deep dish style pizza, however the quality of the toppings could be better. The crust was a  golden brown morphing in with the browned cheese which made it a great base for the pie. The toppings which included olives, pepperoni, onions, sausage, green peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes, were average. The sausage comes to mind first as something that would be the topping found on a frozen pizza. You did so well with the crust, why buy precooked generic Italian sausage to cover it with?

Bacon Cheeseburger $10.95

  The Bacon Cheeseburger was pretty damn tasty. It was cooked a perfect medium. It also was charbroiled which gives it that outdoor off the grill taste. The bacon was crisp, and BJ's signature burger sauce added some tang to it. The fries were very thin and crispy. All in all, a good solid burger.

 Oh and I almost forgot. Try one of their home brewed sodas. The Cream Soda is a real delight with notes of vanilla and butterscotch.

 By and large our meal at BJ's was a good experience. Service was good except when the waitress asked me how everything was while I had a mouth full of food, hate that. Prices are a little high for the quality and quantity. Huge beer selection to keep even the snootiest of beer snobs busy.

RATING: 7/10

BJ's Brewhouse
8970 Covenant Ave
Pittsburgh, PA  15237Phone: 412.748.1470