Had a tasty dinner at Con Alma tonight. Quaint little venue on Ellsworth, where we planned to see Michael Malis and Marcus Elliot perform. Due to unfortunate circumstances the venue needed to close early, and hopefully will get the duo back for a future tour. The grilled corn off the Cobb (Esquites) was sweet, and complimented well with the spice of the cold Szechuan noodles. The salsa had both the sweet and the spice, and ended up mixing in a bit with the guacamole which was a creamy cool down. Best wishes to the staff
Anne McPherson
I really enjoyed the music, food, and drink! The cold Szechuan noodles were amazing, and the cocktail I had was unique and flavorful. Our server Angela was attentive and made us feel so welcome! Next time we will sit further back in the restaurant; it's hard to talk when you're close to the stage! But it was a lovely night.Vegetarian options: VeganDietary restrictions: Vegan
Bethany James
Con Alma has a real cool esthetic and the live music is a great touch. I was originally concerned about the menu saying you cannot ask for modification, but the food was so good that I can't say I cared about that. However, I would not recommend it if you have time sensitive plans after. I'm not sure if our server was too busy, or just forgot we were sitting on the patio, but it took us a while to get her attention and pay for the meal.
Emily Peifer
This place is one-of-a-kind (there are two locations, but each are stunning in different ways)! I love the Shadyside location for it's vegan menu, intimate seating, and cozy interior that highlights the bar. I love the Downtown location for it's spacious stage, classy jazz club feel, and Cuban-inspired food. I enjoy this place even more than a couple of the jazz clubs I've been to in NYC. Both locations are elegant, elevated, and so so fun. A must-see!
T Mc
Great live music. Expensive drinks. Forcing a vegan menu on dining customers... not good. What is plant-based beef anyway??? I wonder how it differs from plant-based chicken? Won't be dining at the Shadyside location again unless they bring back some options for carnivores.
Tarun Gupta
Tried their new menu with a Jamaican touch. Loved the food and the atmosphere. Will definitely go back
Sean Enright
Awesome Vegan menu... even for this serious carnivore... but the live jazz is what makes this place. Dining alongside the best Pgh jazz players really makes the experience here unique and memorable.
MarkStulga
It was a great Sunday Brunch, we were surprised to see that they had a jazz band and the music was great. The have a great menu, but only a few things vegetarian at brunch. The chef/owner Josh came out and offered to make us some dishes. WOW incredible! We had 5 Dishes each one was unique, incredible flavors. His food is the best! You can't find that kind of innovation and tastes anywhere
CrazyQ
This small jazz club was a gem of a find in the Cultural District. The music was excellent, the atmosphere was perfect and the food was delicious! The staff were friendly and attentive and their recommendations were spot on. We can't wait to go back!
Fezeka Saige
It is hard to overstate how welcoming, warm, and accommodating all the staff were to us. My son is a jazz pianist in high school and is totally into jazz and the rest of us enjoy it. They couldn’t seat him at the bar because of his age but they found him a spot as close as possible so he could see and hear the band. They accommodated our last mine reservation (there were 5 of us!!), they completely ignored their 90 minute time limit and let us stay there as long as we wanted. Because we had a large seating area we invited the jazz pianist to sit, since she was standing taking a break between sets, and we immediately got connected with all the jazz aficionados in the room. The food was secondary to us, since we had a really late lunch and we don’t drink, so no comment there but if you want to hear jazz in a great atmosphere come visit this place.
Awesome jazz bar and restaurant. I attended with family a few days before NYE. It was a little short staffed due to the holidays, but they are a high functioning team of professionals and they made it work! Food rotates in flavor influence quite often, we had Thai and Cuban style cuisine options. All very good and sizable portions. Music was great! Shoutout to José for taking great care of us and ensuring we had a great night!
Yiying X.
This is my first time visit and I really like the live Jazz performance. It was New Year's Eve so the charge for the live music is $20/person ($10/person for normal days) and I think it's very reasonable. It was a late night so we only ordered two plates, one is the rice cake as appetizer, and then the pineapple fried rice for main. Both are vegan (the whole menu for this location is vegan, the downtown one has more regular options). They are delicious and I highly recommend. For the drinks though, my friend and I both found that there were less flavorful then we expected, the amount of alcohol didn't seem right, tasted too watery. It's a bummer. overall I think it's a good place for hanging out, especially when there are friends having a vegan diet.
Dani G.
First time was New years Eve! I will be back every chance I get. Food was amazing, staff was so friendly and the musicians were killer! Let's not forget the drink menu! I was really taken back they had non alcoholic wine. 10 out of 10
Wesley P.
I showed up 5 minutes early for my 9pm "seating". I've never in my life felt so "in the way" and like I was bothering a place by being there. When I opened the door and walked in, the place was packed with no empty tables (and really no where to stand and wait because you enter right by the "stage"). The hostess came up and asked if I had a reservation. I said "Yes, for 9 o'clock". She said "Yeah, we just have to wait for 9:00 to get here." She offered no alternative for what I was supposed to do with myself for the next 5 minutes, so I turned around and walked back out the door to wait in the tiny little (3x3 maybe) area before you get outside. I waited until 9:05. No one came and got me and very few people had left to clear tables. I saw thru the door that the band was beginning to come to the instruments to play, so I went back in. Almost all the tables close to the band remained full with the same people who had been there at 8:55, so I'm not sure what the point of the 9pm "seating" and reservation is if the groups from the earlier times can remain in the best seats. The hostess was nowhere around this time, so I went and stood by the only good table that was available. I started setting my gloves and coat down. The hostess finally came over and asked if the table had been wiped and if we had really been seated there by someone. I told her no. She walks off to check her computer to see where we are supposed to be seated. I walk way to the back (just to get out of the way and to stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong and invading their territory). She's back there, so I ask in an annoyed voice "Are we supposed to wait back here?" She picks up on my tone and assures me that no, the table we were standing by is indeed ours, and I'll seat you now. By this point, I was on the verge of simply leaving. The night got somewhat better from here, but not enough to overcome my first impressions. This curt, unhelpful hostess nearly ruined it for me before it got started. The music was good. It was definitely NOT great, not by a long shot. I think the sax player was a substitute (which is OK) and maybe the piano player as well. There were no drums that night which I consider to be an indispensable part of good jazz. The vocalist was very good and the bassist was the best musician I think. I ordered a red curry dish that was absolutely one of the best dishes I've ever had anywhere. If all the food is that good, this is a great place to eat. But ultimately I came for a music experience which didn't deliver and was borderline insulted by the initial service. Unless I thought things would be greatly improved from this experience, I'll never go back.
pnwtoc
I showed up 5 minutes early for my 9pm "seating". I've never in my life felt so "in the way" and like I was bothering a place by being there. When I opened the door and walked in, the place was packed with no empty tables (and really no where to stand and wait because you enter right by the "stage"). The hostess came up and asked if I had a reservation. I said "Yes, for 9 o'clock". She said "Yeah, we just have to wait for 9:00 to get here." She offered no alternative for what I was supposed to do with myself for the next 5 minutes, so I turned around and walked back out the door to wait in the tiny little (3x3 maybe) area before you get outside. I waited until 9:05. No one came and got me and very few people had left to clear tables. I saw thru the door that the band was beginning to come to the instruments to play, so I went back in. Almost all the tables close to the band remained full with the same people who had been there at 8:55, so I'm not sure what the point of the 9pm "seating" and reservation is if the groups from the earlier times can remain in the best seats. The hostess was no where around this time, so I went and stood by the only good table that was available. I started setting my gloves and coat down. The hostess finally came over and asked if the table had been wiped and if we had really been seated there by someone. I told her no. She walks off to check her computer to see where we are supposed to be seated. I walk way to the back (just to get out of the way and to stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong and invading their territory). She's back there, so I ask in an annoyed voice "Are we supposed to wait back here?" She picks up on my tone and assures me that no, the table we were standing by is indeed ours, and I'll seat you now. By this point, I was on the verge of simply leaving. The night got somewhat better from here, but not enough to overcome by first impressions. This curt, unhelpful hostess nearly ruined it for me before it got started. The music was good. It was definitely NOT great, not by a long shot. I think the sax player was a substitute (which is OK) and maybe the piano player as well. There were no drums that night which I consider to be an indispensable part of good jazz. The vocalist was very good and the bassist was the best musician I think. I ordered a red curry dish that was absolutely one of the best dishes I've ever had anywhere. If all the food is that good, this is a great place to eat. But ultimately I came for a music experience which didn't deliver and was borderline insulted by the initial service. Unless I thought things would be greatly improved from this experience, I'll never go back.
Had a tasty dinner at Con Alma tonight. Quaint little venue on Ellsworth, where we planned to see Michael Malis and Marcus Elliot perform. Due to unfortunate circumstances the venue needed to close early, and hopefully will get the duo back for a future tour. The grilled corn off the Cobb (Esquites) was sweet, and complimented well with the spice of the cold Szechuan noodles. The salsa had both the sweet and the spice, and ended up mixing in a bit with the guacamole which was a creamy cool down. Best wishes to the staff
I really enjoyed the music, food, and drink! The cold Szechuan noodles were amazing, and the cocktail I had was unique and flavorful. Our server Angela was attentive and made us feel so welcome! Next time we will sit further back in the restaurant; it's hard to talk when you're close to the stage! But it was a lovely night.Vegetarian options: VeganDietary restrictions: Vegan
Con Alma has a real cool esthetic and the live music is a great touch. I was originally concerned about the menu saying you cannot ask for modification, but the food was so good that I can't say I cared about that. However, I would not recommend it if you have time sensitive plans after. I'm not sure if our server was too busy, or just forgot we were sitting on the patio, but it took us a while to get her attention and pay for the meal.
This place is one-of-a-kind (there are two locations, but each are stunning in different ways)! I love the Shadyside location for it's vegan menu, intimate seating, and cozy interior that highlights the bar. I love the Downtown location for it's spacious stage, classy jazz club feel, and Cuban-inspired food. I enjoy this place even more than a couple of the jazz clubs I've been to in NYC. Both locations are elegant, elevated, and so so fun. A must-see!
Great live music. Expensive drinks. Forcing a vegan menu on dining customers... not good. What is plant-based beef anyway??? I wonder how it differs from plant-based chicken? Won't be dining at the Shadyside location again unless they bring back some options for carnivores.
Tried their new menu with a Jamaican touch. Loved the food and the atmosphere. Will definitely go back
Awesome Vegan menu... even for this serious carnivore... but the live jazz is what makes this place. Dining alongside the best Pgh jazz players really makes the experience here unique and memorable.
It was a great Sunday Brunch, we were surprised to see that they had a jazz band and the music was great. The have a great menu, but only a few things vegetarian at brunch. The chef/owner Josh came out and offered to make us some dishes. WOW incredible! We had 5 Dishes each one was unique, incredible flavors. His food is the best! You can't find that kind of innovation and tastes anywhere
This small jazz club was a gem of a find in the Cultural District. The music was excellent, the atmosphere was perfect and the food was delicious! The staff were friendly and attentive and their recommendations were spot on. We can't wait to go back!
It is hard to overstate how welcoming, warm, and accommodating all the staff were to us. My son is a jazz pianist in high school and is totally into jazz and the rest of us enjoy it. They couldn’t seat him at the bar because of his age but they found him a spot as close as possible so he could see and hear the band. They accommodated our last mine reservation (there were 5 of us!!), they completely ignored their 90 minute time limit and let us stay there as long as we wanted. Because we had a large seating area we invited the jazz pianist to sit, since she was standing taking a break between sets, and we immediately got connected with all the jazz aficionados in the room. The food was secondary to us, since we had a really late lunch and we don’t drink, so no comment there but if you want to hear jazz in a great atmosphere come visit this place.
Restaurantji Recommends
Awesome jazz bar and restaurant. I attended with family a few days before NYE. It was a little short staffed due to the holidays, but they are a high functioning team of professionals and they made it work! Food rotates in flavor influence quite often, we had Thai and Cuban style cuisine options. All very good and sizable portions. Music was great! Shoutout to José for taking great care of us and ensuring we had a great night!
This is my first time visit and I really like the live Jazz performance. It was New Year's Eve so the charge for the live music is $20/person ($10/person for normal days) and I think it's very reasonable. It was a late night so we only ordered two plates, one is the rice cake as appetizer, and then the pineapple fried rice for main. Both are vegan (the whole menu for this location is vegan, the downtown one has more regular options). They are delicious and I highly recommend. For the drinks though, my friend and I both found that there were less flavorful then we expected, the amount of alcohol didn't seem right, tasted too watery. It's a bummer. overall I think it's a good place for hanging out, especially when there are friends having a vegan diet.
First time was New years Eve! I will be back every chance I get. Food was amazing, staff was so friendly and the musicians were killer! Let's not forget the drink menu! I was really taken back they had non alcoholic wine. 10 out of 10
I showed up 5 minutes early for my 9pm "seating". I've never in my life felt so "in the way" and like I was bothering a place by being there. When I opened the door and walked in, the place was packed with no empty tables (and really no where to stand and wait because you enter right by the "stage"). The hostess came up and asked if I had a reservation. I said "Yes, for 9 o'clock". She said "Yeah, we just have to wait for 9:00 to get here." She offered no alternative for what I was supposed to do with myself for the next 5 minutes, so I turned around and walked back out the door to wait in the tiny little (3x3 maybe) area before you get outside. I waited until 9:05. No one came and got me and very few people had left to clear tables. I saw thru the door that the band was beginning to come to the instruments to play, so I went back in. Almost all the tables close to the band remained full with the same people who had been there at 8:55, so I'm not sure what the point of the 9pm "seating" and reservation is if the groups from the earlier times can remain in the best seats. The hostess was nowhere around this time, so I went and stood by the only good table that was available. I started setting my gloves and coat down. The hostess finally came over and asked if the table had been wiped and if we had really been seated there by someone. I told her no. She walks off to check her computer to see where we are supposed to be seated. I walk way to the back (just to get out of the way and to stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong and invading their territory). She's back there, so I ask in an annoyed voice "Are we supposed to wait back here?" She picks up on my tone and assures me that no, the table we were standing by is indeed ours, and I'll seat you now. By this point, I was on the verge of simply leaving. The night got somewhat better from here, but not enough to overcome my first impressions. This curt, unhelpful hostess nearly ruined it for me before it got started. The music was good. It was definitely NOT great, not by a long shot. I think the sax player was a substitute (which is OK) and maybe the piano player as well. There were no drums that night which I consider to be an indispensable part of good jazz. The vocalist was very good and the bassist was the best musician I think. I ordered a red curry dish that was absolutely one of the best dishes I've ever had anywhere. If all the food is that good, this is a great place to eat. But ultimately I came for a music experience which didn't deliver and was borderline insulted by the initial service. Unless I thought things would be greatly improved from this experience, I'll never go back.
I showed up 5 minutes early for my 9pm "seating". I've never in my life felt so "in the way" and like I was bothering a place by being there. When I opened the door and walked in, the place was packed with no empty tables (and really no where to stand and wait because you enter right by the "stage"). The hostess came up and asked if I had a reservation. I said "Yes, for 9 o'clock". She said "Yeah, we just have to wait for 9:00 to get here." She offered no alternative for what I was supposed to do with myself for the next 5 minutes, so I turned around and walked back out the door to wait in the tiny little (3x3 maybe) area before you get outside. I waited until 9:05. No one came and got me and very few people had left to clear tables. I saw thru the door that the band was beginning to come to the instruments to play, so I went back in. Almost all the tables close to the band remained full with the same people who had been there at 8:55, so I'm not sure what the point of the 9pm "seating" and reservation is if the groups from the earlier times can remain in the best seats. The hostess was no where around this time, so I went and stood by the only good table that was available. I started setting my gloves and coat down. The hostess finally came over and asked if the table had been wiped and if we had really been seated there by someone. I told her no. She walks off to check her computer to see where we are supposed to be seated. I walk way to the back (just to get out of the way and to stop feeling like I'm doing something wrong and invading their territory). She's back there, so I ask in an annoyed voice "Are we supposed to wait back here?" She picks up on my tone and assures me that no, the table we were standing by is indeed ours, and I'll seat you now. By this point, I was on the verge of simply leaving. The night got somewhat better from here, but not enough to overcome by first impressions. This curt, unhelpful hostess nearly ruined it for me before it got started. The music was good. It was definitely NOT great, not by a long shot. I think the sax player was a substitute (which is OK) and maybe the piano player as well. There were no drums that night which I consider to be an indispensable part of good jazz. The vocalist was very good and the bassist was the best musician I think. I ordered a red curry dish that was absolutely one of the best dishes I've ever had anywhere. If all the food is that good, this is a great place to eat. But ultimately I came for a music experience which didn't deliver and was borderline insulted by the initial service. Unless I thought things would be greatly improved from this experience, I'll never go back.