Scratch Food & Beverage

Terrible service… I waited about 10 minutes just to order a beer, literally. The bartender was making a mixed drink on the menu which was fine, but after doing so he decided it was more important to talk to some friends (or co-​workers off duty) than to help someone else waiting to get served. Finally, a different server who randomly showed up ended up taking care of me. My buddy showed up about another 10 minutes later, and had the same experience. We looked at each other and could only shake our heads in disbelief. There’s not much competition in the area, at least for what this place is trying to offer anyways, maybe that’s why they don’t seem to care about service much.

I was really disappointed by this place. There were great reviews online, and everyone said great things about it, so I had my hopes up, but it was a let down. First, the menu only had about half of the things their facebook page said it would have. Nothing chicken (my BF is a little picky), no vegetable pie, etc. Basically it was burgers or halushki. Meh. The drinks weren’t bad, but nothing special. I had a veggie burger, and it was really really dry. My BF had a salad and catfish bites. He was not impressed. I don’t know if we were there on an off night or what, but the server was swamped, and not very attentive. I probably won’t go back.

Wife and I went for dinner and were treated so well. Not only is the food first rate, but the staff is competent, nice and very accommodating. Cozy environment too, I highly recommend giving it a try!

I was very excited to try Scratch, unfortunately the experience fell pretty short of my expectations. Despite the great renovations made to an old building, the service was lacking and the food was mediocre.
We tried Scratch on the Tuesday prior to Christmas around 8 pm and they were jumping. What the owners have done with this place is incredible! I’ve been to the old Billy’s Bistro and always thought that with some TLC it had a lot of potential. The owners of Scratch saw that potential and capitalized on it. It’s modern, but rustic, very casual, but it still feels like you’re having a cool night out. The building is split into a bar side (the bar and about 6 2 – 4 tops), and a dining room side, we sat in the bar side. The bar side is very loud, and could really use something to help dampen the noise.
The service was slow and gave off the air of being inconvenienced. Due to a food allergy we asked if anything on the menu was, or could be made, gluten free. The server went back to the kitchen to ask, then returned to tell us that most things on the menu are vegan. We re-​stated that we were looking for gluten free options, and after another trip to the kitchen the server said «IDK, just get a burger without a bun.» If you don’t offer anything gluten free that is completely fine, but it would have been helpful if the server could have guided us through the menu with a little less attitude.
We ordered the Brussels sprouts (delicious), their house burger with out the bun, and their Reuben. The burger patty was decent but overcooked, and the fries were heavily seasoned with black pepper and their house spice. The ketchup that accompanied the fries was more akin to tomato sauce than ketchup, but we appreciate the scratch made effort. The Reuben was tasty, but by the time it go to me the bottom slice of bread was completely sogged out, and I couldn’t even pick it up to eat it.
Overall it took us about an hour and half for an appetizer and 2 sandwiches.
I’ll try Scratch again, I really want to like this place, hopefully the food and service improve.

Upon moving to Troy Hill a few months ago, we have been anxiously awaiting trying Scratch. Troy Hill is about to boom and Scratch is just the beginning.
I am very conflicted on how I feel about my experience. There are so many things right and so many things wrong. Let’s start with the ambience… Very good! Love the rustic look they’re going for. It almost reminded me of a more modern ski resort. There’s so much space as well! You have your main room with the bar and dining tables, then two separate dining areas.
On to the food– I ordered a burger and loved it. Very tasty and the fries were awesome. They use a very unique seasoning that is making my mouth water as we speak. Their ketchup is also homemade apparently. Nothing better than fries with ketchup! For ten bucks, it was a good deal and very comparable to other establishments in the city. My boyfriend ordered the haluski. It was listed under «dinners» on the menu so we assumed it was going to be a huge bowl. Wrong. For ten freaking dollars, he got a bowl filled with ¼ of haluski. We couldn’t believe it. Not only did it take forever to come out, but it is a shame that management feels the meal is worth that much. It honestly could have been passed off as a side. HUGE rip off. He enjoyed it, but nowhere near worth the ten bucks.
Now here’s what Scratch needs to work on– It took someone a few minutes to seat us and give us menus just to wait another five or so minutes to have the waitress come over to grab our order. Both staff members didn’t come off as friendly. I felt a sense of entitlement for some reason and I didn’t feel truly welcome. Almost like they were better than me. Very pretentious. I understand the place just opened and they have to work out kinks, but staff is a major MUST. Don’t hire people who don’t understand customer service.
Following up with food and service, because my boyfriend was obviously still hungry after his meal, he ordered a burger to go. We waited, waited and waited at our table for it to come out. Finally, we noticed a brown bag was put out on the bar. It probably sat there for about five minutes till the waitress brought it over to us. We couldn’t believe that the food sat there to get cold. I understand she was the only staff member at this point, but before serving drinks to a huge party of about six people, maybe she should have rung as out and sent us on our way. No sense of urgency.
I honestly want to give this place two stars, but I’m being generous due to the quality of my burger and atmosphere. I would like to stop back for their drinks because their cocktails looked fun and decently priced. However, I may wait a few months for them to work out kinks before returning. Hopefully management reads this and takes my advice.

SO MUCH YES. I got the Reuben and my lady got the low country stroganoff, and they were both delicious and extremely satisfying. Friendly staff, wonderful location, generous portions. I will definitely be coming back. Highly recommended!

My son told me about Scratch, so I hurried to get there. There are many places you can be disappointed by the hype, but Scratch exceeds all expectations.
First of all, it’s moderately priced to fit the typical income of the neighborhood. Secondly, I absolutely love the vibe! It’s comfortable, cool, and fun.
But most importantly, the food is excellent. It’s a creative menu that will keep me coming back.
We had excellent service, very friendly and welcoming. I do think they have a few things to work through, being new and also somewhat crowded, even on a Tuesday night, but I’m willing to be patient. This is a great new addition to the Pittsburgh dining scene, and particularly welcome to the North Side.

Tried dinner on a Tuesday night. We started with the catfish bites then I had roast beef sandwich and my wife had a burger. The catfish bites were a pleasant surprise, the other two dishes were nothing to complain about but nothing to recommend either. After adding bacon the burger was $ 12 and not as good as what you get at any of the specialty burger places around the city. Overall the menu was too small. The wait staff was very friendly but almost annoyingly positive about every drink and dish offered. It can’t be so good that it’s impossible to recommend one over the other. The cocktails were a pleasant surprise, very good and reasonably priced. I would give this place 4 to 5 stars as a place to go for drinks. Also great job mixing some cheap beer selection with a few micros.

Wow. Very pleasant surprise. Went with another couple. From drinks to food excellent experience.

I will definitely come back to Scratch. If not for the food, then definitely for the drinks. The cocktail list is very affordable compared to other hip joints in the city. An old fashioned was only $ 6.50. The food here is also very affordable! And delicious! My husband and I ordered the halusky and the Reuben and boy were they delicious! My husband devoured the halusky before I could get a taste but the Reuben was divine. There was a smokiness to the beef tongue (which was not at all tough like I imagined), and a sweetness and tanginess to the beet kraut. Not to mention the pickles, which were what you would expect from a pickle but even better! It was sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy. They paired so nicely with the sandwich. My husband and I will definitely be back to try some more items off the menu!

Beware of when you plan on going here, because if you choose any of the rich, heavy meals that we chose, you will be ready for bed soon after! (In the best way.)
I went to Scratch, about 2 weeks after it had opened. The service was slow and I could tell they were still getting into their groove, but the food was great and I loved the atmosphere, so I will definitely give it another try! I really enjoyed the whole set-​up of the bar room, plus they have Game of Thrones pinball there! For such a hip place, the beer was surprisingly well-​priced. You can get a cheap beer if that’s your thing or get a really nice, reasonably priced craft too! I love bars who keep the beer at prices it should be. $ 2.50 for a Yuengling? $ 3.00 for a PBR? Craft drafts for $ 5 – 7? Yes, thank you!
They have another dining room behind the bar room. We got seated fairly quickly but waited quite a while for our server to appear. Once she did, she was incredibly friendly and very sweet, so that immediately made up for the delay. We started with the carrot soup to share and it was delicious! For the entrees, we all shared a Halusky, Veggie Pie and Low Country Stroganoff. They were all incredibly rich and absolutely delicious! All of the entrees were enjoyed as well, but the Stroganoff was my favorite… served with super creamy grits, mushrooms, horseradish sauce and amazingly tender chunks of beef cheek.
It’s great to see a place like this up on Troy Hill and I hope they stick around!

I live down the street from the «Old Billy’s» according to some of the neighbors and I can tell you straight, this place is the bees knees. They have great beers and fancy foods. Their Reuben is the freaking truth.

Food was delicious. Carrot soup and Brussels sprouts were very tasty. Appreciated gluten free and vegetarian options as well as meat dishes. Cocktails were good and about half the price that I would pay at downtown or trendy Lville restaurants. Service a little slow but not bad and they just opened so probably will get better.

It’s not often that you find a place that provides excellent food, drinks, and atmosphere. This place he all three. Plus, the staff and owners are good people.
Today, I enjoyed the all-​day brunch — including the eggs, apple-​compote pancakes, and AMAZING hash browns. AND, the cocktail list is creative and reasonable.
I’m looking forward to coming back and experiencing the super-​local menu.

This place is the best, hip atmosphere and great food. The Hot Chicken and Pig Fries were the best. If your into drinks and cocktails, they have mixologists behind the bar to make you drinks from yesteryear to today. I definitely suggest trying this place for cool place to get some drinks and some great food.

We have never been to a restaurant that all 5
Of us have it a poor rating. Beef «cheeks», beef «tongue» Really. Are you kidding?
No thanks How about some regular comfort food. We used to go to
Billy’s all the timeThere was always something on the menu ! I got a grilled cheese sandwich which seemed the safest and
Ask for some ketchup. Was told there would be an up charge for ketchup !!!’!!!‘
Wasn’t even ketchup. Tasted like marinara
and tomatoe paste. Eeeeee! Our friend got
Stroganoff with grits and horseradish Smelled Bad and looked bad. It’s great to try to be different but this may be going way too far
Will never ever go back. People in the kitchen all eating while preparing your food. No thanks I’d rather not watch that while waiting for my food. I wish them well but the six of us were in total agreement that this place was off our list of go to places should put a screen up around the dish and food prep. It was pretty gross!

Everything that I had was AMAZING! We started with the carrot soup and the Brussels sprouts, and they blew my mind. For dinner, I had the hanger steak, and we also got the stroganoff, which were both out of this world. The food is all made from scratch, and it really shows. The cocktails are delicious, and not too expensive. The staff were kind and helpful. The renovations that they did are incredible. They took a very dated building, and completely redid it, making it feel very homey and inviting. Don, the owner, and Shipwreck, the front of house manager, told me that a lot of the materials they used to renovate were recycled, which I love. I cant wait to go back!

had dinner and drinks at scratch f&b.
food was fantastic! I had the beef cheeks stroganof, was served over grits with mushrooms and leeks! I’d highly recommend it to anyone!
Also try the «old fashioned» from the cocktail menu.
The renovation looks incredible!

Since it’s replacing Troy Hill’s flagship restaurant, Billy’s, Scratch’s opening has been highly anticipated. We went tonight during their opening weekend, and the suspense was worth it.
The drink menu includes fairly-​priced craft beers and creative handcrafted cocktails, along with the standard Miller, Yuengling, etc. and classics like an old fashioned. The Bertha, with lemon shrub, gin, and muddled cucumber and mint, was delicious.
The food menu features creative takes on familiar recipes and ingredients, with much-​appreciated vegetarian and gluten-​free options. The Brussels sprout appetizer was amazing. Seriously, just order it. I also had the Vegetable Pot, an updated veggie pot pie, which was perfect comfort food that still felt healthy. The thin, crispy crust was poured over the top and well seasoned with herbs and cheese. Because there was no pie crust on the bottom or sides, it wasn’t too heavy. The filling was a blend of potatoes, carrots and peas in a creamy vegetarian gravy.
The renovation is gorgeous, with lots of exposed wood, windows and open space. The atmosphere preserves the comfort of Billy’s, but with a vibe you’d expect more from Lawrenceville than Troy Hill. Live terrariums on every table, well-​spaced seating, and fun touches like board games, an area with couches, a jukebox, and pinball make it feel inviting. All of the staff were super friendly, too, and checked in to chat and ask for feedback.
I’m so glad to see this place in Troy Hill. It’s great to have somewhere in the neighborhood that’s casual and affordable enough for happy hour and hip enough to bring friends for a fancier date.