Packs & Dogs

Packs & DogsPacks & Dogs
Packs & DogsPacks & Dogs
Eatery, Beer-to-go

223 Shiloh St
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15211-1623
United States

(412) 431-1855 | map
packsanddogs.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.89
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
19
pDev:
13.11%
View: Place Reviews
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Rated: 4.79 by ajg1 from Pennsylvania

Sep 27, 2017
Photo of rodmanfor3
Reviewed by rodmanfor3 from Vermont

3.25/5  rDev -16.5%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.25 | service: 3.25 | selection: 3.25 | food: 3.25
I was hungry and the food was good enough. The beer selection is maybe four or five coolers but nothing impressive in terms of out of distribution beers.
Jun 29, 2015
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Reviewed by deleted_user_971432

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 3.75
Yah,
I used to go to this place after doing errands in the same area. The selection is not amazing. Also, they don't keep up on having things consistently. There was a comment about their prices. For the mix six pack it has been at $14.00 for quite sometime, so it is quite a bit less expensive than you mentioned. I think they must have changed the prices since you have been there. The people are also not very informative on the beer. The hot dogs are good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here, but if in the area and hungry I would stop by for a dog. My favorite is the golden retriever.
Jun 04, 2015
Photo of Bone53
Reviewed by Bone53 from Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -0.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3
This is a very small place.. Decent selection, but as with all burgh bottle shops, extremely overpriced. I saw BCBS here one time but it was like $20 for a 12oz bottle. A mix and match six pack can easily top $20, and that even with the cheaper beers. I used to come here all the time, but i finally smartened up and realized im paying an arm and a leg, and am better off going to Giant Eagles for my craft beer fix
Mar 20, 2015
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Rated by CapCollector16 from Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -12.6%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5 | food: 2.5
Decent selection but it's sooo damn expensive for a make your own six pack
Jan 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by McMatt7 from Pennsylvania

Oct 15, 2014
Photo of jakethomp
Reviewed by jakethomp from New Jersey

5/5  rDev +28.5%
Straight no frills establishment with a none to serious feel. Get a sixer or a few bottles, some natural casing dogs, stay or be out. Don't mind there aren't many brews on tap, but enjoy in the variety of bottles ever changing that are available.
Sep 01, 2014
Photo of RblWthACoz
Reviewed by RblWthACoz from Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4
$14.75 for a bottle of Enjoy By to go. $14.75.

I'm not exaggerating when I say that visiting this shop has probably been the final push for my consideration in leaving Pittsburgh. The price of beer in the Pittsburgh area is more than San Francisco and NYC. And I'm over it.

My observations of the place: Clean on the inside, but frankly a bit bland. Everyone there looked about 3 months past their 21st birthday. Some of them about 3 years shy. Not my scene. If you know the Mt. Washington area, you'll know what you're getting into. Long line of coolers is clearly lit and cleanly organized. Prices posted for most, from what I gathered.

This very well may be the last new place I visit in Pittsburgh.
Mar 24, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by ejimhof from Pennsylvania

Oct 09, 2013
Photo of Preluderl
Reviewed by Preluderl from Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Made my first trip to Packs and Dogs recently after a couple of... colorful phone conversations with the staff.

Atmosphere - Nice little eat in place. Good bar space, decent amount of tables. My first occurred just after their major renovation so unfortunately I never saw the old space people speak of.

Quality - Food was tasty except for the cheap, bagged shredded cheese they use on the dogs that looks and tastes plastic. Come on now, a quality natural casing dog and then you throw that plastic cheese on there? I know it's cheaper, but that killed it a bit.

Service - My tip was premeditated by Packs posting on Facebook that they had received in a pretty rare brew that I wanted to get my hands on. This is a GREAT service, by the way. Follow them on Facebook and they post each time they get something new in. Initially, after seeing the message on Facebook, I called to confirm they did in fact have it. Had a very strange conversation with someone who, after asking several people, said they did NOT have it. Come to find out when I visited that they did and the person who answered (and apparently the ones asked) didn't know what they were talking about.

Selection - Limited taps, but the bottle selection is large and versatile. Individual bottles and mix and match sixers available for a reasonable price.

Food - See above under "quality"

Value - Prices are reasonable and average for the area. No complaints.
Nov 27, 2012
Photo of Cylinsier
Reviewed by Cylinsier from Pennsylvania

4.85/5  rDev +24.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
So head's up: I'm reviewing this in October 2012 and Packs and Dogs has only just finished a major renovation this month! I liked this place a lot before but if you've been before, it's a lot different now on the inside. The menu and quality beer are the same though, but it's much more of a "bar" now than it was.

The atmosphere of this place was kind of "quality disguised as dive" before, but now they've removed the dive disguise. It's a nice place inside, good bar seating, a few big screens for sports and otherwise light on staff but staff is quite friendly and knowledgeable.

You order at the counter still, which is fine, and then they call you to come get it. No problem.

Food wise, it's basically hot dogs. See the name. They have burgers too and good fries, and the dogs vary in types and toppings, pretty much everything you can think to put on a dog. The dogs are the best in town, except maybe for D's which is a good distance away.

The beer choice is pretty small on tap (only 6 or so) but rotates regularly. Bottles, on the other hand, range in the hundreds and also regularly rotate to include seasonals and rare pickups. There's bargain stuff and pricey stuff and everything in between.

Can't beat the price, the dogs are cheap and the beer is fair. I love this place and I go a couple times a month without fail.

EDIT: An update, this place has added additional fare to the menu in 2014, most notably hoagies.
Oct 24, 2012
Photo of WVbeergeek
Reviewed by WVbeergeek from West Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Listen up these folks know beer, the owner I spoke with seemed equally excited about the Mission beers that they have been getting in on a regular basis. They had about every variety of Mission that's available in the bottles, plus a slew of other PA and other micro favorites. Coolers line the whole side of the back left hand portion of this exceptional beer bar on Mount Washington, c'mon we've all found ourselves on Mount Washington with our lady friends posing in some cheesy pics with the Burgh lit up in the background, while putting ourselves through this Pittsburgh rite of passage we might as well eat some lesser fare meaning great hotdogs, burgers, and fries and drink world class ales and lagers in the process of it all. There are some well known restaurants on Mt. Washington Monterey Bay, the Tin Angel, and the Georgetown Inn, etc. That's what makes this place so ballsy, it's in a slice of Pittsburgh that is traditionally upscale, yet has kept it real in regards to high quality beer, a couple sofas, flat screens, and a diner style seating facing their flat top grill that they cook on. Every city deserves ample tube shaped meats this is just one place offering such a variety, and they appeared to do it well.
Jun 29, 2012
Photo of toolbrew
Reviewed by toolbrew from Indiana

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Visiting a friend in Mt. Washington area and he took me here. Some tables outside and a lounge area inside. In the back is a food counter with seats and some glass cases of beer.

Good selection of PA brews and some gems. They also have some decent taps and will fill growlers. I had a hot dog - the closest to a Chicago-dog.

All in all a good stop for mix-6ers and bombers. Some of my haul: NC Whales Tale; 21st A Monk's Blood & Hell or High Watermelon Wheat; Yards General Wash & T. Jefferson; Knot Stock - Furthermore; Lancaster Milk Stout; Oskar Blues Deviant Dales; DFH Urkontinent; Blue Point Hoptical Illusion; Full Pint Chinookie IPA; Terrapin Hopsecutioner; Mission Dark Seas RIS.
May 09, 2012
Photo of zrab11
Reviewed by zrab11 from Indiana

3.86/5  rDev -0.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
A- The Atmosphere was nice. Had a diner feel and look with about 10 or so Sliding glass cases full of beer and wine on te left wall. Had the counter and kitchen on the right wall and a few tables as u walk in

Q- Quality was good. Didn't see anything past its "best by" date

Ser-Service was lacking alittle bit. They asked if they could help me wth anything once. I said well im from Indiana. im looking for beers i don't get there. the employe said "ok well we have lots of brews im sure you can find some not in ur state" Wished he would of been alittle more help but he was still nice.

Sel- out of the 10 sliding cases of beer. about 6 were of craft beer. Had alot of brews no in my area so i was pleased of the selection

F- didn't eat any

V- Prices seemed very reasonable so i was happy

Overall-this was a nice little stop to pick up 2 random 6 packs of local PN beer. would go to again, if i ever travel to that state again.
Jul 24, 2011
Photo of jmshulk
Reviewed by jmshulk from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.2%
Can't really add much that others haven't already said. It's a dog and pack shop and has a nice lounge type area and a old restaurant style bar you can eat at. I didn't get any of the food, but I'd be willing to try it out some time.

The selection seemed pretty good, but two of the beers that I picked up were beyond their "best by" date. Partly me being careless, but one was a month and a half past. If that's the kind of thing you're a stickler for, be sure to check the bottles.

Given that the prices were reasonable and and there was a wide selection I'd go back again to try the food and pick up some more beer, I would just be sure to check for freshness dates.
Jan 09, 2011
Photo of PileOwnz
Reviewed by PileOwnz from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.2%
If you're in the Mt. Washington area this is definitely a place to stop. It's a hot dog and bottle shop. The food is good, but obviously the beer is better.

During the warmer weather, there is outdoor seating (only two tables, nothing huge) right in front of the shop. You enter the shop into a seating area, on the left side are lounge seats, on the right wall there are booths. Walk past that and there is a decent sized cooler selection on the left wall and a counter on the right with bar stool seating. Very laid back environment, but the setup can get somewhat congested on busy days/nights due to the coolers being right across from the cash register. But, not a real problem.

The coolers are arranged very straight forwardly by price and then in said price ranges, by brewer. (ex. all Great Lakes that are $2.25 are all right next to each other.) This makes it very easy to locate any specific brews you're looking for.

Lowest priced singles are $2.25 plus tax, which is comparable to other shops in the area, but still a bit pricey in my book. On average, it seems as though Pittsburgh prices are $2 more than Ohio prices. So, I can't fault this shop for the pricing because of it's area.

The selection is large, but at times doesn't change for a long while. Nemesis '09 was on the shelf for months and at $7 a bottle. This place does get some rare beers in, but at times has completely missed the boat on other releases that it should probably get in (ex. Stone IRS, SSR, and 14th didn't come in there.)

The service is good and the people that work there are friendly. Most of the employees could use some beer knowledge though; if I have questions about certain beers, they usually don't have answers (thankfully phones have the internet on them now!) But, as I said, they're good friendly people overall.

Overall I really like this place and it's close. My one main issue that I've come across is that special requests never seem to be filled.

Edit 10/05/10 - The installed 8 taps with some pretty good stuff on it.
Sep 11, 2010
Photo of MikefromDormont
Reviewed by MikefromDormont from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.2%
The front of the store is occupied by lounge chairs on the left and some booths on the right. Behind the booths is a counter that runs along the right side of the store. The left wall behind the lounge chairs is lined with coolers.

The beer bottles are organized by price with the most expensive bottles - 22 oz. bombers and 750 ml bottles occupying the coolers closest to the front of the store. As you head towards the rear of the store the coolers hold 12 ounce beer bottles of lower prices. At the very rear of the store are shelves holding six packs of beer stored at room temperature. I purchased a 750 ml bottle of the Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout for $13 plus 7% drink tax. Being used to beer shopping in Ohio, it's hard to readjust double digit dollar prices for most 22 oz. and 750 ml craft beers. A 750 ml bottle of Brooklyn Local One was selling for $11 here. They had Founders Nemesis selling for $7.00 a bottle which was 25 cents less than what Brews Brothers in Mount Lebanon was selling it for. I passed figuring that the same beer is probably selling much less per bottle in Ohio.

All in all the store doesn't look like much form the outside, but has a decent selection of craft beers. Their prices seem in line with other area bottle shops that I've visited. If you're in the Mount Washington area, it's worth a visit. The beers in the coolers are organized by price so unlike many other area bottle shops there's no guessing what the price is when you go to the cashier to pay for the beer.
May 01, 2010
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Reviewed by MbpBugeye from Ohio

4/5  rDev +2.8%
This is a small hot dog shop. It looks pretty ordinary until you head in and see all the coolers on the left. They are filled with mostly 12oz singles but there are some bombers and magnums. Full 6 packs are on shelves in the very back.

There were some really nice gems here. Weyerbacher Reserva being my biggest catch here. There was still LOTS of Nemesis as well. Other beers from Weyerbacher, Terrapin, DFH, Duck-Rabbit and other PA breweries that I have not heard of.

Bottles are grouped by brewery and placed on shelves according to cost. I feel that a lot of them are a bit expensive. Nemesis being $7 a bottle for example. Bottles from Bell's and Sam Adams and Weyerbacher going for $2.50. That seems to be the price on most bottles but some go up to over $3 a piece. Lots of these beers are available here in OH for much less.

Other than the price it was a pretty good place to pick up some beer. I do wish some beers would be replaced with more craft selections. Linie's, ciders, "hard creamer" and things like that for example.
Apr 18, 2010
Photo of mgbickel
Reviewed by mgbickel from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.8%
I would consider this place to be a hidden gem for sure!

You walk into the dining area which is set up cafe style. The back half of the store has a number of coolers lining the left wall and a counter lining the right. The 300+ bottles are both in the coolers available for mix and match as well as in various six packs to go.

The beer selection is awesome. They have a large number of craft beers and some imports. Lots of local stuff available. The best part is that all the pricing is clearly marked. And speaking of pricing...I found them to be up to $3.00 cheaper per bomber than some of the bigger beer stores...

This is a place you should visit for sure if you are making a cooler stocking run...great selection and prices.
Dec 07, 2009
Packs & Dogs in Pittsburgh, PA
Place rating: 3.89 out of 5 with 19 ratings