The Map Room Grill & Bar

This place is great. I ordered a quinoa black bean burger that was cooked to perfection. The onion rings were huge and delicious. The menh was small but the waitress was lovely and even said that if there wasn’t anything appealing on the menu that her cook could whip something up for me. I don’t live close, but I’ll definitely be going back.

The Map Room is where my boyfriend and I went on our first date, and we’ve gone back every year since then. I’ve also come here on two or three occasions other than our annual dates when living in the neighborhood, and this darling Regent Square mainstay has definitely grown on me! The atmosphere is cozy and old-​timey with plenty of friendly locals, wood trim, framed maps on the walls, and cool map etchings on glass partitions. (Hence the name!) The service is always friendly, albeit a bit slow on a couple of understaffed occasions, but it’s a small place and I’m more than willing to wait a bit so long as the service is pleasant.
The beer and liquor prices are really good, which is why it’s nice to come for drinks. They have a draft list with about twelve options and twice as many bottled beers to choose from. Things like Flying Dog seem to be $ 1.50-$ 2.00 cheaper than pretty much anywhere else even if the selection is smaller. For those who don’t want beer they have a menu of throwback cocktails (think Gin Rickey and Tom Collins) for reasonable prices similar to that of Kelly’s in East Liberty. On top of all this whenever I’ve ordered their food it’s been really delicious and definitely a cut above dive bar fare in terms of greasiness and taste. I’ve never been here and not seen multiple tables full of people eating and looking very satisfied with their meals, so I know it’s not just me. I’m glad The Map Room is still open after seeing Dunning’s close (the area needs another late-​night food spot besides D’s) and I hope it stays that way for a while yet! I’ll be coming back (at least once a year) so long as it does.

Cute, easygoing restaurant. The whole restaurant is map themed (surprise surprise) and there are Trivial Pursuit cards in the booth tables (great way to entertain yourself as you wait for your food). Ordered the calamari and the Hangover burger for a really late dinner on a Thursday night. Both were pretty tasty and came out in a reasonable amount of time. It’s open late every day of the week and prices are good, so I’d recommend The Map Room for any meal of the day, especially when you’re hungry late at night because most other places probably won’t be open.
Taste | 4
Atmosphere | 3.5
Presentation | 3
Service | 3
OVERALL | 3.5

Solid selection of food, beer and whiskey.

Yes, Map room Yesssssss.
Love their happy hours. Calamari Tacos with fries on the side for only 3 dollars? Ya jokin’?! Best deal ever and the tacos were superb. I will definitely go here always and so should everyone else in regent square.

The Map Room could be a fantastic restaurant and I think it was at one point. I have had some really good food here and grape apes however the beer is often warm out of the tap and the food we have received the last few trips the food has been subpar.
Put more resources into updating the facilities and quality control in the kitchen for control and standardization and the Map Room can be great again!

The Map Room is one of our favorite, low-​key Regent Square go-​tos. My wife, a vegetarian, regularly orders the black strap seitan and loves it. (They changed chefs and for a short bout had a rough time getting the recipe down. But it’s back to its good olé self.) The décor is a bit dated, but cozy. It has a charming pub feel with good East End brews on tap. Don’t come here if you are in a hurry. But if you have the time to enjoy a beer and then some great food over a friendly conversation, then this is your place. The service is always friendly and accommodating.

I straight love the map room. The fact that this place doesn’t have at least 4.5 stars blows my mind. We start by ordering drinks. I’m a classic beer gal. The beer menu extensive and CHEAP. Big Hop on draft, big smile on my face. My husband enjoys fancier drinks because he’s a fancy man. He always picks something fun and different and always finishes whatever he’s served in about 1.5 gulps. Great in the booze department.
The food. I was worried about this place because the only menu I could find online for this place didn’t have many vegetarian options. We eventually went anyways and I was pleased to find that they had a newer menu. On the new menu there were several vegetarian options. I got the seitan sandwich. From the second I took the first bite, I went into a kind of trance and didn’t snap out of it until I looked down and realized I’d just inhaled the entire hoagie. I then started licking my fingers like a savage. Holy cow, it’s the most delicious entrée I’ve had since I can’t remember. Oh probably since the Quiet Storm (RIP) but honestly, I think this sandwich might have been better. No disrespect to the deceased. I noticed some other reviewers loathed the seitan sandwich which I don’t really understand. It’s flavorful and is very well seasoned. I really, really enjoyed it. The second time I got this sandwich I let my husband try a SMALL piece and he threw his endorsement behind it too.
The staff is really lovely and kind. Never a long wait and not hipster too cool for school like other places in the area that make me want to leave before even walking in the door. I think this place is a true gem and one of the best places in Regents Square.

I like the Map Room. I’ve been here a number of times and have always been satisfied. The service is good and the food quality has never disappointed. If you’re looking for beer, the place next door, D’s Six Pack and Dogs, is where you want to be. But it doesn’t hurt that the Map Room has a full bar and a few quality beers on tap as well.
This Irish inspired pub sports a limited menu of regular items and an ever changing variety of daily specials. This evening I had a choice of either chicken parm on angel hair pasta or marsala creamed pork chops. Since I had chicken for lunch I went with the pork chops. It came with a tasty bowl of Irish stew and the chops didn’t take very long at all to follow.
My dish had two chops coated with marsala cream, a baked potato with sour cream and real bacon bits on top and a grilled veggie meddly of tomatoe, zucchini and Brussels sprouts. Everything was delicious!
Dinner and a beer set me back $ 23.80 plus tip… not bad at all for a relaxing Monday.evening.

This is more of a 3.5 star review, as I thought this place was solid and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t an absolute dump.
I’d driven by here a few times while visiting a friend and last night stopped in for a bite to eat after discovering everything else on the block was closed. We walked in and looked for a hostess stand or something to dictate if we should seat ourselves, when a bartender yelled that we can just sit anywhere. The dining room side of the room was almost full with two large tables and duos of people, but we got a seat and waited.
And waited. And waited. After awhile a clearly overwhelmed server came over and read us the specials, which was our main draw to the restaurant in the first place. From the outside this just looks like another neighborhood bar and grille joint that doesn’t take its food too seriously, but the menu is a bit more upscale barfood inspired. Though I’m not sure they hit all the marks on everything they wanted to accomplish, it was better than most comparable establishments I’ve been to.
After hearing the specials, we ordered the loaded cheese fries appetizer and waited a good bit for menus to be brought over. I’m not complaining about the service – when our server could get to us amidst her 10 or so other tables, she was great. The problem is that she was the only one on a busy Sunday night and clearly wasn’t used to that sort of pressure.
I ordered the Regent Square with steak on a baguette and my friend ordered be A1 black strap burger with bacon. We also tried the crab and corn chowder and the cream of mushroom.
The scratch made cheese sauce was great, and you could tell the fries were handmade. The crab soup left a lot to be desired. My sandwich was just alright – the bread was great, but the steak was in large chunks and not sliced which made some bites a bit more difficult to chew than others. The flavors were all there, but again it missed the mark for me. It would have done well with a sauce of some sort.
I heard a table complain behind us about how long their food was taking and the server said she explained before that it is scratch made kitchen and the food takes a lot of time. I can assure you that my table wasn’t informed about the scratch made kitchen, but we excused the long wait times because it was clear the place was overwhelmed. There was nary a sign on the menu or posted anywhere that mentioned how long the cooking times would be. I don’t mind waiting if that means good food is on the way, but I feel as if that is something that absolutely should be mentioned up front so the diner can adjust their expectation.
All in all, my experience here was fairly good and I wouldn’t mind trying it again. I’ll just remember to allow myself extra time :)

Dont know what the other reviews are talking about with the food, thought it was incredible.
Started with the field salad with Gorgonzola dressing, very fresh and flavorful. I had the pub fish and chips which was good, the fries have that perfect combination of soft and crisp texture. My wife had the black strap seitan sandwich and loved it. It’s difficult to find a vegetarian option that is unique but they nailed it. The BBQ sauce on it was tangy and went with the cheese perfectly.
Also nice that their cocktails are very reasonably priced and they have Pimms cups which are quite hard to find.
Will definitely be back.

The good: the service, décor, location, beer list, perogi, & Cesar salad.
The bad: the shrimp linguini
The ugly: The seitan was inedible, and one of the worst things I’ve ever tasted. I am pesceterian (former vegetarian), and it made me nauseas. It had the texture of pure pig fat, but without the yummy taste. Our server was kind enough to comp both of our entrees
Summary: seems like a good place for a beer and appetizer a bad place to try something new for dinner.

I’ve never had the food here so I can only comment on my drinking experiences, but I’ve always had a good time here. I like the décor and it’s comfortable to hang out in, plus you often meet friendly people there (or talkative at least, whn you’re at the bar!).
I’ve always thought the prices looked a bit funny on the menu, as they’re listed like 4.27 and 5.29 and stuff, but maybe I’m the only one who thinks that. Also, they sell Magner’s cider, yay!

I was not impressed with the Map Room. We went there on a Sunday when Dunning’s wasn’t open. The service was meh and the food uninspired. The décor is interesting and reminds me of an old pub. It’s a good place to have a drink and chat but not to eat. I will probably not go back.

As other reviewers have said, this is a nice place to get a beer and chat with friends. It’s relatively quiet compared to other places, and they do keep trivial pursuit cards around at the bar, which can add a little fun into the mix if you’re the trivia type.
I struggle a little bit with the «gastropub» classification on this one, unless you call any bar & grille establishment a gastropub. I’ve never had food here that I was particularly fond of, nor would I consider it one of their selling points. It’s merely ok.
Overall, The Map Room serves a different clientele and provides a niche atmosphere unlike the other establishments in the Square, which is why is still exists.

Based on the other reviews, I’m thinking maybe I went on an off day – I don’t know!
Based on my experience, I would say DEFINITELY don’t go for the food. I got the shrimp scampi which was truly horrible. I thought, okay it’s a bar maybe their bar food is good I should have known not to order something like shrimp scampi, however, my boyfriend ordered the fish and chips and those were awful too! The fries were soggy and the fish was way over fried and tasteless.

Living in Regent Square, this is where I go if I want to have a nice, quiet, relaxing beer. I have never been there on celtic music nights, Every time I have gone I have been able to enjoy my food in peace, and this is something that is SO important to me. Its on the dark side, with not much natural light, but this really seems to vibe with the environment. The vegetarian selections are slim, but they are yummy.
If your looking for a louder environment, try D’s.
If you’re looking for a louder and rowdier environment, try Murphys.
Thanks Map Room for giving me a place to relax!

I really want to like this place. It’s geography-​themed décor is the perfect primer for bringing up discussion of world travels. I was lucky to stumble upon a group of musicians strumming away at some Irish tunes at the back table once. All in all, a really fun atmosphere.
Unfortunately, I’ve taken friends here several times after a romp through Frick Park and have been disappointed every time. The vegetable sandwich was kind of slimy and lifeless. The turkey sandwich with stuffing was really salty and terribly dry. The decent beer selection wasn’t enough to wash it down. If pub food is what you seek, you’re probably better off slinking down to Dunning’s at the other end.
The silver lining: At least you can’t get lost in here.

Everything was incredibly fresh, full flavored and home made, like a special holiday meal with family! The portions were extremely generous (my chicken wings look like they came from pterodactyls and my crab cakes were the size of vinyl records). I like D’s next door for their 1000+ beer selection, but if great eating is my main focus, I’d gladly return to the Map Room for their friendly casual service and cozy ambiance.

First of all, why doesn’t Regent Square get more credit for being an awesome neighborhood? Seriously, Frick Park is right there and there is a great mix of residential sections along with a quaint row of shops, restaurants, bars, and a movie theater that shows some great stuff! Thumbs up Regent Square, keep it up.
But I digress, this is not a review of Regent Square as a whole but The Map Room. It was Sunday night and my friend and I were leaving D’s a couple doors down. As we passed the Map Room we heard music coming from inside and through the window saw a trio of musicians: one playing the fiddle, another the guitar, and a young woman playing the accordion. We had to go in to see what it was all about.
Jamming for nearly 3 hours was an Irish Band and they were seriously talented. The guy who played the fiddle would jump up from time to time and start right into the craziest jig I’d ever seen. It was great.
Other than the great music, Map room has a nice tap selection too. 4 brews by the East End Brewing Company. Two thumbs up for Map Room supporting local breweries.
I will definitely be back.