Ranking Dormont-Brookline's Most Terrific Taverns

DORMONT, PA - Summer is a season to get out of the house and socialize, and there aren’t many better ways to do that than by imbibing with a friend or neighbor at your local tavern. Ah, but which one? Dormont and Brookline have many. Which are the best?

Opinions vary, of course. But we sought the thoughts of Yelp users on the topic.

What follows is a top 10 list of bars in Ross and West View. We started with the four places that were ranked on both Dormont and Brookline’s Yelp pages. Bars after that were ranked according to how many stars they received.

Do you agree with the choices? Do you see a glaring omission? Is one or more of these places overrated?

Let us know in the comments section below or on Patch’s Dormont-Brookline Facebook page.

1. R Bar, 2883 West Liberty Avenue, Dormont (ranked second in Dormont, fifth in Brookline.)
What do people like about this place? Yelp reviewers praised the live weekend music and beer selection. Wrote one: “I asked (the bartender) if there were any craft beers, not expecting there to be any, because in this city most of the classic bars just serve the standard yellow beers. Much to my surprise, the young lady starting rattling off a pretty nice list of craft brews.Now that I know that R Bar has good beer as well as good music, I will certainly be making a return visit.”

2. Jamison’s, 3113 West Liberty Avenue, Dormont (ranked first in Dormont, seventh in Brookline).
I have eaten here more than I can count and I've never had a single thing that wasn't excellent!,” raved one Yelpster. ”Good beer selection, old school mugs and a darn good drink. Specials are unreal every day of the week and the staff is absolutely amazing. Go for the food and stay because you'll be treated like family.”

3. Zippy’s Saloon, 542 Brookline Blvd., Brookline (ranked sixth in Dormont, third in Brookline).
In Pittsburgh, how can you not dig a bar that’s painted black and yellow? Wrote one Yelp reviewer: “The folks at Zippy's love the Steelers.This is not just a bar and grill but a shrine of sorts. Life-sized cut-outs of various players adorn the walls and pillars.” The food got a thumbs-up as well.

4. Albert’s Lounge, 2856 Broadway Ave., Dormont (ranked third in Dormont, eighth in Brookline).
“Albert's is unapologetically a dive to its core, and we love them for that,” wrote one Yelp reviewer. “No frills, no food, no cards, no foofy drinks, no new fangled jukebox where you can play music from your barstool. Beer and booze that’s their specialty.”
No new-fangled jukebox?

5. Boulevard Lounge, 1150 Brookline Boulevard, Brookline (ranked first in Brookline).
One Yelpster opined that despite being a smoker-friendly bar, “this place is a little gem. They have a good menu, excellent drink specials, and the bartenders are top notch. They have entertainment on the weekends, and the crowd is pretty friendly.”

6. Brookline Pub, 734 Brookline Blvd., Brookline (ranked second in Brookline).
“They have a big menu,” wrote this reviewer. “They have like 37,000 different sauces for their wings, which is just a little bit overwhelming for me. But I can see how all of them would be popular because all of them sound really great”

7. Egghead’s, 1162 Brookline Blvd. (ranked fourth in Brookline).
To be honest, we’re not sure why this place is ranked so high. About the most complimentary comment we could find about it was: “Wish they would stay open later when there are customers present.”

8. The Apple Inn, 2895 West Liberty Avenue, Dormont (ranked fifth in Dormont).
“If you're looking for a fun time, good drinks and stellar karaoke, I recommend The Apple Inn,” one reviewer wrote. “Now if they would just bring back that pickle tray.”
Pickle tray?

9. Breaker’s, 1413 Potomac Ave., Dormont (ranked sixth in Dormont).
Primarily a billiards joint, but the bar received good reviews. Wrote one Yelpster: “Cool pool hall. The front is a small neighborhood bar type of place that has good beer prices and almost everything seemed to be on special the night we were there.”

10. Brook Line and Sinker, 806 Brookline Blvd, Brookline (ranked sixth in Brookline).
Again, not sure why this place is rated so highly. The lone Yelp review contained a complaint about the bar having a fruit fly problem.
Remember, this process is not scientific.

Photo via Yelp.