The Goldmark

I’ve lived in Lawrenceville a long time and it’s always great to see some fresh places and faces. I think their shot and a beer menu is a great fun idea and the interior is extremely well done. Super friendly staff and talented dj’s. Nice to see alot of different types of people just having a good time. I highly recommend.

They said Lawrenceville wouldn’t become another Southside. They said everything would be great. THEY should go to Goldmark. I don’t have too much nice to say other than DJ Nuggett can throw down some sweet beats, but if I want to stand in line to get in… only to stand in line for a drink… then stand in another line for the bathroom amongst belligerent bros and hos (no offense to either since I’ve been known to bro-​it-​up and ho-​it-​up on occasion), I can go to Jimmy D’s and be just fine. To be fair, Goldmark is FINE — but big picture, I don’t really want it in my neighborhood. Not Goldmark’s fault.

I was so excited to try The Goldmark, since it seemed like an innovative and fun addition to the Larenceville bar scene. With the fate of Belvedere’s still undecided that only leaves Remedy and Spirit for dancing, and sometimes those places are just a little smoky for my taste. I was hoping for a nice in between balance with great dance music and an artsier clientele, but I don’t think The Goldmark is quite there yet.
In terms of atmosphere I was reminded a lot of Industry on a bad night as soon as I walked in. There were lots of conservatively dressed yuppie types trying to impress someone and a huge amount of bros. If that’s your jam it’s cool, but I’d rather not spend my evening in a crowd full of super sloshed women and men who refuse to understand that no means no. It felt like it could be categorized as a classy south side establishment, but I think Lawrenceville needs something a bit better. The service was adequate; Not too fast but not fifteen minutes to get a beer opened either.
The layout greatly contributes to the awkward vibe, since the back room has tons of unused space and is decidedly more open. The DJ is currently situated right smack in the middle of everything in a booth a few feet from the end of the bar. (Some people were trying to dance in the four foot square spot between him and the bar… why??) A narrow hallway immediately to the right creates an instant bottleneck. Putting the DJ booth in the rear of the space (and getting rid of that massive column in the middle of the back room if possible) would create a fun area for dancing and mingling and free up much-​needed breathing room around the bar.
I may try this place again in six months or so to see if anything has improved. It’s cute and I had high hopes.

Update: So apparently in the first month or so they were not charging tax on top of the drinks and now they are. So technically the prices of drinks went up. That’s really nice, so 1 more star for not being a calculation error but for forgetting to charge tax when they first opened.
Still, drops two stars for service. I’ll be back to see how it’s going.

Sigh. I think this place has potential if you go on a weekday or for happy hour (edit: they don’t open till 6, so even HH may not be an option), but Saturday night it’s not a place for those of us in our 30s.
I don’t know why this bar is attracting the young 20 somethings who would normally frequent the South Side, but unfortunately on Saturday nights, that is the crowd. If you are a single and ready to mingle lady or gent 21 – 29, def. check this place out. I can say the DJ was doing a great job getting everyone to shake their booty and the bros with their backwards hats were having a jolly time.
Goldmark has kept the wooden bar and original tile, but painted trendy murals on the walls and added some cocktail tables. Surprisingly, there is a lot more room than you’d expect looking at it from the outside. I like that they have a Beer + Shot menu — never seen that before in the ‘burgh! I also appreciate that they don’t overcrowd the venue by not allowing more peeps in when they reach a certain capacity. I don’t appreciate that people were smoking in the back of the bar (inside) when smoking is not permitted.
Cool spot for the youngins — I’ll stick to my old person bars :)

The atmosphere is incredible and they have the best DJs in Pittsburgh

This brand new bar seems to be doing everything right in my book: reasonable prices EXPLICITLY STATED ON THE MENU (no mystery craft beer costs), a multitude of beer + shot specials, eclectic restroom décor, and overall very nice vibe, a.k.a. a perfect and much needed middleground between smoky dive and upscale/​overpriced/​pretentious.
The original floor tiles and wooden, mirrored bar inherited from the building are perfectly shabby-​chic and give the space a lot of character.

The owner and his fiancé are dear friends of mine and when I found out they were opening this place in Lawrenceville, the city’s shining neighborhood star as of late, I knew it would be a success! I visited The Goldmark on it’s opening night and am sure I’ll be back again and again… Heck, I even went back the very next night for more! The owners have done a complete renovation and anyone who had the chance to check this spot out when it was a Cuban restaurant will probably not even recognize the place. It’s wonderfully decorated and softly lit to provide just enough ambience to kick off your evening, grab a delicious beverage, and enjoy good company.
DJ Nugget has been providing sweet sounds for Pittsburgh’s hottest clubs for years and now he finds himself on the decks in his very own bar. Great music, great service, a pretty awesome drink list… what more could you want? Food you say? Stay tuned! A late-​night food menu is in the works and will hopefully be ready to go soon. After leaving the bar late last night and not being able to find anywhere in Lawrenceville that serves food so late, I know The Goldmark will hit it out of the park for a second time when the kitchen is up and running.
The Goldmark is a goldmine when it comes to Pittsburgh nightlife: if you’re down for a chill night with great drinks, great company, no drama and no beefcakes eyeing you up from down the bar, you’ve gotta check this place out ASAP!