The Carlton

My husband and I were so overly disappointed in our experience on New Years Eve at The Carlton that I will never return or recommend this restaurant to anyone. While this was my first time dining here, my husband had gone in the past and very excited to take me for a special dinner on NYE. He, and others, had such great things to say about past experiences that I was very excited to give it a shot — even though I had read some of the mediocre reviews before going.
We made our 8 PM reservation for NYE on December 8^th. When we booked through an online site, it appeared as though we had secured one of the few remaining reservations. We showed up right on time and were told to go sit in the bar by the hostess. I looked at her confused and she told me that they were running about 30 minutes behind and hopefully would catch up. Being that it was New Years Eve, we understood and found a seat at the bar for a before dinner drink.
The only good part of our experience at the restaurant was with the gentleman who was tending bar. He was friendly and responsive allowing us to get served quickly. After about 40 minutes and into our 2^nd drink, my husband and I started to get curious about when we would ever get seated so he checked in with the hostess. When he came back and was telling me that there were still 2 parties ahead of us, the couple next to us started up a conversation with us about the long wait. This is when we came to find out the other couple had just made their reservations on the 30^th. We couldn’t believe how over booked they were. After a few minutes, the couple who booked at the last minute were seen to their table and my husband and I sat around until almost 9 PM waiting for our table. The bartender tried to make it up to us by comping a glass of wine for me and offering my husband a fresh pour on his scotch.
The hostess walked us to our table — and right past the coat check — without allowing us to stop and check our coats. Mind you, most people were able to check them as they arrived but we were not given this offer. The hostess finally offered to check them for us once we carried them all the way to our table.
At this point, it’s nearly an hour after the time of our reservation and we sat at the table for well over 5 minutes before our waiter stopped by to simply say hi. We had no menus, no water, no offer to get a drink — NADA! After waiting another 5 minutes and watching our waiter clean off tables, put on linens, etc. I stopped a passing hostess to ask for menus. The waiter overheard and made it seem like we were being impatient but finally brought them to us. Keep in mind — it’s now 9:10 and our reservation was for 8 PM. He said, «Oh you are in luck, usually at this time of night we don’t have everything on the menu but tonight we do.»
Disgusted with the experience thus far, my husband and I opted to skip appetizers to save time as it was NYE and we did have plans after dinner. We ordered the surf and turf ($ 37) and a 14 oz. prime rib ($ 36). This was certainly the straw that broke the camels back. About 20 minutes later, we were presented with 2 underwhelming and barely lukewarm dishes. On the surf and turf, I had a very petite lobster tail (maybe 4 – 6 oz) and the meat was cooked in a way that most of it stuck to the shell. The turf part of the meal was the ends that typically get cut off of a prime rib and discarded. The Carlton called them prime rib caps — wish I would have inquired on that one! I have 2 «puffs» of some type of whipped potato that were cold to the touch and a few small pieces of limpy asparagus. My husbands 14 oz prime rib was 8 ox at best and was served with a small lump of mashed potato that you could tell were cold by looking at them. He also mentioned that it was so salty he could barely eat it.
Starving, we began to eat. Torn on sending the food back and possibly waiting another 30+ minutes for something else or just sucking it up and eating what we could stomach of our plates, we opted to just suck it up. The manager stopped by at one point to ask us about our food and we were honest in what was wrong with it. The problem was, he wanted to know what else he could do for us and we honestly didn’t want to be there any longer or have to eat any more of the food. A bit later our waiter returned to clear our plates and set a dessert menu out in front of us saying the manager would comp us anything we wanted for dessert. My husband and I looked at each other in disgust and declined the offer.
This is the real kicker — at this point, the waiter, who we never saw while eating, started to put the blame on us for not liking our food. He said we should have spoken up to him — we were very clear with the manager, so there was obviously a barrier in what was relayed back. After waiting yet another 10 minutes for our bill, the waiter brought it back and gave us 50% off and to be honest — we should have only paid for the bottle of wine we got!

Despite working next door in the US Steel tower for three years, I had no idea The Carlton was located in BNY Mellon until just this past week when I was taken there for a work holiday lunch. I think that with all of the trendy new restaurants and buzz in the cultural district, these «old school» places sometimes get overlooked.
I found the experience to be pleasant overall. Everything about this place is traditional, from the very classic décor and coat check at the entrance, to the perfectly set table with white linens.
Even though it was a safe choice, I was in the mood for chicken parmesan. It was on par with the chicken parm I’ve had at other places; it’s hard dish to mess up, after all. What drew me in was the fact that it was served over mushroom risotto instead of the usual spaghetti. The risotto was very flavorful and cooked perfectly. I really enjoyed this pairing and will probably copy the idea at home. The dish was accompanied by a side of green beans.
I had the crème brûlée for dessert and was not disappointed. The hard, caramelized top was uniform and the custard underneath was silky and delicious. My coworkers tried some of the cake options and had nothing but good things to say.
It’s old-​fashioned, but not in a bad way. Definitely a good option for a business lunch downtown, and I can imagine it’s a great spot for dinner on a special occasion as well.

Imagine you drove for hours. Your looking forward to a nice quiet meal, good food, especially after sitting in Pittsburgh’s illogical traffic. You have reservations, you show up and the hostess walks you to a table that is maybe 15 inches wide sitting awkwardly in a walkway. Guess it’s not going to be relaxing. Whatever… I can get past it, although it’s my number one pet peeve. OH! and number 2: chairs so high and tables so low I can’t fit my hand in between the table and my leg. I’m not Kareem Abdul Jabbar, this shouldn’t happen… it did here too. I pick up my napkin and to large pieces of old lettuce fall out of it! The waiter goes… oops, let me get those out of your way. No offer for a new napkin. We decided to get just an appetizer bc we couldn’t face pittsburgh traffic without something in our stomach. We ordered a meatball. It was dry and forgetful. At this point my problem is with Unilocal for not offering a zero star option.

Four of us dined here. Waiter was very professional and service was very good. Food was very good as well. Would give five stars, however front area needs updating, think interior due for update. We thoroughly enjoyed the dinner!

Awesome bartender and cool local vibe at the bar. I hear the restaurant has a large wine selection as well!

Came here for restaurant week and enjoyed our meal but we weren’t blown away. Our waiter was attentive but it always seemed like he was flustered and in a hurry even though the restaurant was half full.
We started out with the salmon ravioli and chicken bruschetta. Both were decent but nothing incredible. For our entrée my husband got the filet and I got the grouper. His filet was delicious, perfectly cooked. My grouper was a bit bland but went well with the tomato asparagus accompaniment. We both had the bread pudding for dessert and weren’t impressed-​definitely not your New Orleans bread pudding!
Overall, we had a nice night and didn’t leave feeling overly full like you can in other restaurants. We were both satisfied but not blown away to the point where we feel like we have to go back.

Great place and even better service. Our server’s name escapes me, but he was young with dark hair. Funny enough his pen ran on his apron pocket and that is the best way I can remember him/​describe him. He was excellent and we loved the food. Thank you.

I had high expectations based upon reviews and location of the restaurant, but was also hoping the mediocre reviews would be wrong. I don’t think this place knows what it’s doing. There is a strange air of refined elegance that’s not backed up by the food whatsoever. The service was fine, and we were there for an early dinner on a Friday night. The restaurant was empty, but our server kept telling us that he would be back shortly with the evening’s specials. Then it all made sense. They insert the specials into their menus directly. but then he continued to go over each one, pretty much reading the description verbatim. I found that to be awkward.
Husband and I started out with the lobster and crab gnocchi. It had plenty of seafood, but the gnocchi was overcooked and the sauce was too heavy and creamy for the dish. It lacked salt and seasoning.
We were both in the mood for red meat, so we ended up ordering the NY Strip & Lamb Chops. The NY Strip is typically topped with blue cheese, but my husband asked for it to be done without. The steak came without the blue cheese — and without any seasoning. It was one of the blandest steaks we’d ever had, comparable to a steak cooked on the flat top at an Outback Steakhouse. The steak had no grill marks and came with over-​blanched and unseasoned asparagus and very buttery red mashed potatoes. The potatoes should not be the star of the dish. This is not a $ 40 dish. And you can’t depend on blue cheese for flavor.
My 3 lamb chops were big, and I asked for the herb butter sauce to come on the side. Again, no seasoning and no grill marks. More bland asparagus, and more buttery mashed potatoes. This is also not a $ 40 dish. Huge portions don’t make up for the poor quality.
We didn’t look at the dessert menu. At that point, we had a clear idea of what it would be like.
The restaurant advertises itself as an expert in fine dining. This was a JOKE. I could also be pretty mean and biased, as this type of fine dining compares to nothing like the fine dining I’ve had in Philly. Thoroughly and disappointingly disappointed.
I should have just went to the Spaghetti Warehouse.

Excellent, friendly service. Unpretentious menu. They have very good fish.
I don’t know that I would call it «new American» dining though. It has a very old school vibe and while the food is good, it isn’t extremely inventive, which is part of the appeal to me. I don’t know that I would go out of my way to dine here with my husband or a younger crowd, but it is a great place to go with extended family for a nice occasion.

So I have to preface that we were staying at the omni hotel near by and our bartender Danny had a waiter friend that he asked to take care of us. BOY OH BOY DID HE!!! Coming from Florida my expectations in regards to seafood is quite high. Two of us had the crab lobster gnocchi and the other had the halibut. All of which were huge portions. There was no skimping on the buttery lobster which by the way was cooked to perfection. Oh and if you have a taste for cocktails they are heavy on the poor so the Carlton is worth every penny spent. If I every return to this area I will be sure to come back. Thank you Russell for taking care of me and making sure I had extra juice as I struggled through trying my first gimlet. It was such a dining pleasure.

Dined here for the 1^st time last Saturday. Pleasantly surprised that it was over 75% full on a cold Saturday evening (730 reservation) with a varied clientele: I honestly expected to be among the youngest there. Our server, Anthony, was cordial, informed and did a great job.
Great wine list… okay cocktail (bourbon Manhattan).
Total bill was lower than expected, with 3 glasses of wine & a cocktail.
The Carlton salad was great: we both had one. She had scallops (very good) and I had the barramundi (excellent). Hot fudge brownie sundae for desert, which was on the house since it was my wife’s birthday.
Great experience… would recommend it… good for special occasions.

Let me just cut straight to it. Hospital cafeteria food taste better than the sea bass and pasta I purchased this evening. Trust me, I work at one. Absolutely no seasoning. Chef boy would be considered gourmet compared to this pasta. On top of the terrible food, the server was horrific. Please save yourself your time and money. Go to Ruth’s Chris or etc… I don’t even know how this place is still in business.

I had no idea this place was downtown but glad we tried it out for a special Valentine’s Day dinner. It was pretty busy for a Friday night and glad we made reservations. The place is huge with plenty of seating although the seats are pretty packed together. They have a very extensive wine list and you can get 3 different size glasses of wine. I went with beer and ordered the Full Pint White Lightening. The bread they brought out was pretty basic and I went with the tossed salad to start with minus the mushrooms and dressing on the side. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the dressing which was like some sort of thousand island. My date went with the crab cake-​it was an extremely small portion but he enjoyed it. For my entrée I went with the steak filet and you had your pick of a few sauces and toppings. I went with a blue cheese crumble with steak sauce. The steak was cooked just to my liking and came with a veggie assortment (I asked for just carrots) and whipped potatoes. All very delicious although the steak was priced at Morton’s or Hyde Park prices but did not compare in quality. Also it is just an extra on the menu not sure why a pricey steak would be hidden on the menu. For dessert we went with the Tollhouse cookie with vanilla ice cream which was scrumptious. Our waitress was great and made the dining experience exceptional.

Two of us dined here this past Saturday night and were happy with our experience. We had reservations and called ahead since we would be late and they moved them without any issue. I had the veal and it was out of this world. One of the best pieces of meat that I’ve ever had. I seriously enjoyed every bite of it. My girlfriend had the Mahi Mahi and didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoyed my dinner. The fish must have got done before my veal since it came out at a less than desirable temperature. I tried the fish and thought that it had good taste but it wasn’t as warm as you would expect. It was also sitting in a mushy bowl of something that I’m still not sure what it was.
Service was very good and even the owner came to the table at one point to make sure that everything was OK. We will come back but will not get the Mahi Mahi.

I first came to Pittsburgh nearly three years ago and was taken here. I consider myself a food snob and did not expect to be impressed by any restaurant in Pittsburgh, but I was. I was in Pittsburgh again this past weekend and had a chance to visit The Carlton. It did not disappoint and is the best dining I have found thus far in Pittsburgh.
For apps this past weekend, we ordered the portabella mushroom, gnocchi, and stuffed meatball. I can’t decide whether I preferred the mushroom or gnocchi, which is surprising since the portabella mushroom app wasn’t even on my radar, but was so pleasant and light in its flavors. The stuffed meatball was tasty, but disappointing to the extent that I couldn’t detect any cheese.
For entrees, we ordered the duck ragu (WOW), the bolognese (the ragu was way better), one of the fish, and the wellington. All were delicious, but the duck ragu was such a star and so surprising in its combination of flavors. The duck was cooked perfectly!
For dessert, we shared some chocolate cake that I thought was lackluster, but I also wasn’t hungry and we were 3 bottles of wine in.
The Carlton is on the list of definite recommends and staples for when I’m visiting the Burgh.

The Carlton is one of those places that feels as if it’s from a different time — in a good way.
When every single restaurant in the city was booked at 6pm on a Saturday night, my party of four had no issue getting into The Carlton to celebrate my mom’s birthday. Between us, we ordered two Prime Rib dinners, a Walleye Pike and the Sea Bass special. Every single bite was near-​perfection. Between drinks, apps, entrees our total bill rang in at ~$ 220; not too shabby all things considered. I think it’s silly when restaurants of this caliber charge per the glass for sodas, but I’ll let that one go.
So, throw on a fedora and stop in at The Carlton to experience old-​fashioned food and service sure to leave even the most jaded hipster with a smile of satisfaction.

The Carlton Restaurant’s Laughing Bird Blue Tilapia
If you are of the opinion that eating healthy doesn’t taste good… your opinion will change after just one bite. Chef Simon has an incredible talent for blending flavors, making every bite a welcoming surprise. His Laughing Bird Blue Tilapia is a meal experience you cannot pass up.
If you are concerned about eating fish because of all the factory farming taking place, you can rest assured you are getting a clean fish when you eat Laughing Bird Blue Tilapia. It is never treated with hormones, bleach, antibiotics or chemicals. This is fish as nature intended.
The first, and most obvious, part of the meal is the fresh tilapia fillet. This fresh meat is not farmed in the traditional sense, and the taste reflects that fact. The meat is firm, juicy, and bursting with sweet fish flavor without the muddy after taste that occurs in earth pond raised fish. The fish by itself would be a suitable meal, but Chef Simon brings it to the next level with these additions. Read more

Bön Appetit,
Donna

This place is simply not worth it. I came for restaurant week and was only impressed by the shrimp tacos (the fig salad was also good.) The ravioli was average and the salmon was alright, but nothing to write home about. The sorbet tasted like it had been melted and then refrozen. The cake, while good, was again nothing special.
The one saving grace was that service was phenomenal.
Overall, this place is simply not worth the money. There are plenty of better options that don’t have a group of loud grandmas discussing their boyfriends that went to ‘nam.

Nice service. Incorrectly over or under cooked almost every steak on the table. Reported promptly to wait staff not willing to correct. I would never come back here. Plenty of great restaurants in Pittsburgh.
In summary overpriced and overrated.

This is definitely one of the more expensive and classier restaurants in downtown Pittsburgh. I came during restaurant week with a group which was a perfect opportunity for me to try multiple things here.
I honestly don’t remember what the entrée I ordered tasted like, but my crab salad appetizer was a great start to the meal. Pleasantly, the crab to salad ratio was higher on the crab end. It was dressed with a vinaigrette giving the whole salad a very crisp and fresh flavor.
The best part of the meal was the dessert. That probably made me forget what the entrée tasted like. Since I came with a group I was able to try their Chocolate Mousse Tart and Capuccunio Torte. Both were rich, chocolaty, and addicting. The Torte also came with this delicious oreo-​cookie like crust.
One plus for this restaurant is you can get your parking garage ticket waived. Free parking in Pittsburgh is a win.