Cupka’s Cafe II

I ordered a pepperoni roll here the other day and it was very tasty! Not the best food that you will get in Pittsburgh but that is a hard shoe to fill. The prices are extremely good for South Side. And the ranch dressing is homemade which is always a bonus in my book.

Not a good place, fruit fly’s buzzing around the bar. None of the liquor bottles are covered. The smell of yesterdays beer thru the air. The bartender was rude and unaccommodating. All the TVs were turned off. The bar tender is wearing basketball shorts and a dirty orange T-​shirt. Just don’t come here, just about anywhere is better. At least there was space at the bar. I guess that means that everyone else already figured that out.

Cupka’s Café II is my go to sports bar on the South Side. The atmosphere is always fun and friendly and the beer/​liquor is fairly priced unlike other sports bars in the south side.
The restaurant features both indoor and outdoor seating that makes it especially great in the summer/​spring. The wait/​bar staff is always very friendly. The food is well above average and features great sandwiches, wraps, and on Wednesday’s Grill Wings (A+++). Overall this is a great spot to watch a game, have a beer after work, or just get together with friends. If you are looking for something to do on the south side, Cupka’s II is a great place to start!

Great place to go to watch a football game. I love this place because you can always find a parking spot out front and a seat inside! The drinks and food are cheap but the quality is great! They have a nice selection of draft beers and I usually get a Bluemoon or Shocktop. Each day they have a drink special and typically it includes a bucket special. On a Saturday night we got the $ 11 bucket of Budlight and $ 13 bucket of Landshark. Great deal for five beers. Every time I go in the food looks tasty and I couldn’t wait to order a sandwich which most on the menu are only $ 6.99 from hoagies to wraps and burgers. I tried the turkey, swiss, bacon club but asked for provolone-​I don’t like that holey cheese. The waitress was happy to make the change. You can choose chips or fries and I went with the chips which were not the least bit greasy. The staff is friendly and kept making sure we had drinks throughout the night. In the summer they have a great outdoor seating area. Plenty of TVs to watch the games and a nice older crowd.

I was invited to Cupka’s by a friend/Eagle’s fan. The only Eagles I generally care for are of the endangered variety, but me and Jonathan D. decided to join in for some playoff revelry, as our dear own Steelers could not partake. We arrived at Cupka’s with low expectations. I figured I’d have some bar food and a few drinks, then call it an early night. From the moment the nice doorman held the door for me as I hobbled in on my crutches, I was sold. Each employee greeted us with a friendly smile and speedy service. I started with a mixed drink, then ordered the Cajun Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a side salad. The chicken was so well-​seasoned and tender, it could’ve been Eagle meat. Jonathan D. enjoyed «Pittsburgh Best Fish Sandwich.» I’m still partial to the Oyster House, but dang, this fish was GOOD. And BIG. He had it for lunch the next day and it was just as delightful warmed up in the toaster oven.
As I chugged through an embarrassing number of vodka and Diet Coke’s (self-​medicating — who needs narcotics!) I expected to receive a bar tab of around a million dollars. Wouldn’t you know those drinks cost TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY-​NINE CENTS! They were on the small side, but mighty enough. All told for two delicious sandwiches and ten drinks (not all for me), our bill rang in at $ 43. Shut up. It wasn’t even happy hour and we didn’t buy any of their specials. Between the Eagles’ flags flying and the incessant shouting, we even managed to join in on an Eagles’ chant or two. This bar crowd was FUN; and though we called it a night at 11:30, that was more to do with the drinking than the desire to leave. I had zero desire to leave and can’t wait to go back!

Not bad atmosphere for Cinco de Mayo. Not too busy, had room to sit outside (mid you, I was looking for a bar to hang out in, not to get Cinco de Drunko). Nothing special, but not bad either.

It is an ok place to watch sports games or just a place to get a drink. The additional outside patio is nice for drinks in the summer. But if you’re stuck inside, there are better bars to be at. The bar tenders aren’t that friendly and the food is pretty bad. It is usually canned food mixed with not-​so fresh frozen ingredients. But it will do if you’re hungry and happen to be there. But you will never crave their food or think about it when you’re not.

Great place for skeeball! The wings are amazing, I highly recommend them grilled, try the spicy bbq is to die for.

Cupka’s II has had a handful of chances to impress me, and I’ve yet to leave satisfied.
Now, it’s a bar, so I don’t expect much from the food, but no matter what you order, expect nothing less than a greasy mess on a plate served up by a waitress who seems miserable.
The few positives regarding the food? The cole slaw on the side is actually really good… and I like their honey mustard. I’m pretty sure that’s it. Note that my favorite things about their food is the sides? Yeah… that should say enough about their offerings. Fresh-​cut fries seem like a great idea, but they’re way too greasy to enjoy. The grilled chicken sandwiches are so greasy, you may as well just order deep fried chicken. Again, I understand that it’s bar food, but all of the grease and butter just makes everything on your plate taste the same. I’ve never ordered the same meal twice, but my taste buds would laugh at me if I tried to tell them otherwise.
Even if the food was awful, they could still bring me back with good service, right? Right… unfortunately, that doesn’t exist at Cupka’s II, either. Yesterday’s waitress did a good job dealing with our large group, but she just had no personality and didn’t seem to want to be there. Sadly, that was the first time that the service was decent, but it was hardly good enough to bring me back. Usually, the amount of time it takes to place your order or get your drink refreshed is way too long. Perhaps it’s because I’ve only sat in their outside area, but when their outside seating is the best part of the place, it’s a shame to have the food and service ruin the experience.

One star is me being generous after my experience here one Sunday watching football. We should have known better given the drunken Steelers gear wearing girls that were dancing and playing ridiculous songs on the jukebox ever so loudly when other patrons were watching football (since the Steelers game was over, they must have assumed that no one else cared what was going on with the other games).
For a place that was not that busy with multiple staff members working, service was AWFUL! I had to chase down someone to get drinks and food and even the check. If you do not want to be working, take the day off!
They do have NFL Sunday ticket, but depending on which side of the place you sit on, you may not be able to enjoy the team you are looking to watch.
I do not think I will ever go back here… when there is nothing good about a place, it leaves me not wanting more!

This place serves the typical Pittsburgh style sandwich. They happen to be one of the best at it though. Salami, egg, and cheese. Get it!
Skip all the other food though. Their specials are usually pretty sub par.