Golden Gai

4.8

59 Reviews

$50 and over

Japanese

Make a booking

2 people

30 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 11 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Hot spot
Great for creative cocktails

Welcome to Golden Gai, a hidden gem nestled in the vibrant heart of Pittsburgh’s East End, conveniently located in Bakery Square. Step inside and embark on a culinary journey to the bustling streets of Japan with our Izakaya-style dining experience.

As you enter Golden Gai, you’re greeted by the warm ambiance of traditional Japanese decor fused with modern touches, creating an inviting atmosphere that is both chic and cozy. The soft glow of our stunning light fixtures over the intimate dining space, where the wooden bar top that spans the length of the space, and slate accents evoke the charm of Tokyo’s iconic Golden Gai district.

At the helm of our kitchen is Executive Chef Michael Taylor, a master of Japanese cuisine renowned for his innovative approach to flavor and presentation. With a background honed at the esteemed Gi-Jin, Chef Taylor brings his passion for culinary excellence to every dish, infusing each bite with creativity and precision.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Izakaya, Creative Japanese
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(412) 844-6688
Website
https://goldengaipgh.com/
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
116 Bakery Square Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
Area
Point Breeze
Cross Street
Penn Avenue
Parking details
Public Lot

Experiences

New Years Eve Chef's Tasting Dinner
US$150.00 per person
Prepaid
27 Dec 2024 - 31 Dec 2024
This New Year's Eve, step into a world of vibrant flavors and intimate celebration with a special, limited-time Izakaya tasting menu curated by Chef Michael Taylor. This is your chance to experience a one-of-a-kind evening that brings together the artistry of Japanese small plates, a 7 course tasting menu that celebrates the flavors of Japan, designed by Chef Michael Taylor Reserve your seat now for an evening of exceptional food, exciting surprises, and the perfect way to close out the year. Whether you’re celebrating with friends, family, or that special someone, this unique culinary experience is not to be missed. Add-ons: Alcoholic beverage pairings available to enhance your meal, available to add on the day of your reservation

Nigiri & Maki Box
chef's choice: 8 pieces nigiri / 1 maki / 1 sashimi / edamame / ginger / wasabi
Maki Box
chef's choice: 3 maki rolls / 1 sashimi / ginger / wasabi / edamame
Nigiri Box
chef's choice: 10 nigiri / 1 sashimi / edamame / ginger / wasabi
Sashimi Box
Chef's choice: 10 sashimi / edamame / ginger / wasabi

What 59 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.7Service
4.8Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

Pittsburgh / Western PA
Hot spot
Pittsburgh
Best Ambience
Pittsburgh
Hot spot

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Golden Gai offers an "amazing" blend of upscale and casual dining with "incredible" food and "excellent service." Guests rave about the "unbelievable" sushi quality and "creative cocktails," served in a "beautiful" and "intimate" space. While the music volume is noted, the overall "warm, inviting vibe" makes for a memorable dining experience.

59 Reviews

S
Shereen
Pittsburgh
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing tasting menu. Highly recommend making a reservation, you will not be disappointed!
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A
ANGELO
Pittsburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 22 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved it!! Pricy yes but worth it on a special date night. Drinks fabulous!! Excellent variety of cocktails. Food the best Japanese I have had in Pittsburgh. Reservations are tough, so call as soon as possible to get the best options. Looking forward to going back.
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E
Elizabeth
VIP
Pittsburgh
17 reviews
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on 18 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We loved our first visit to Golden Gai! From the moment we stepped through the door until the moment we left, the ambiance and hospitality exceeded expectations. Every dish we tried was perfectly presented and equally delicious! We really appreciated interacting with the chefs and watching them create the menu!! We will be back!
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T
Tim
Pittsburgh
7 reviews
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on 17 December 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Cool aesthetics spoiled by music played at an obnoxiously loud volume. Great tasting food soured by excessively tiny portion sizes for the price… I mean $16 for 6 little gyoza dumplings just feels ridiculous. It wasn’t all bad, the service was great and the cocktails were amazing, especially the Kappa. Nevertheless, we left nearly $200 poorer and still hungry, so probably won’t be back.
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C
Carrie
Pittsburgh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 14 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
10/10 experience. Everything from The service to the food to the atmosphere was great. Highly recommend. Especially if you like Gi-Jin!
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b
brigid
VIP
Naples
20 reviews
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on 13 December 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
I’d go back for the vibe and ambiance anytime—that made the dining experience! This place is so unique to the city of Pittsburgh. House music, bar seating, hand crafted cocktails, overall just a very cool vibe. The food however, was disappointing, especially the Golden Roll, which was supposed to be a signature dish.
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L
Lauren
Pittsburgh
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on 11 December 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
I was sat late to my reservation and encountered slow service throughout the night. The food, however, was incredible and came out swiftly once our order was placed.
1 person found this helpful
C
Cameron
Pittsburgh
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on 11 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent service. Food and servings made it great to share. Professional and knowledgeable staff. Going back as soon as we can
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A
Abe
Pittsburgh
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on 8 December 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Food was excellent. Really high quality for the price. Space is well designed and interesting to look at. The only negative was the service, which just felt off and inattentive. Both my spouse and I asked, "Does our waiter not like us?" We were not drinking, so I am not sure if he was giving more attention to guests who would have had higher bills. This was the only damper on a lovely meal. Golden Gai is a good addition to the East End food scene.
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L
Lisa
VIP
Philadelphia
15 reviews
2.0
15 reviews
Dined on 5 December 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 2
We were excited to try this out. We arrived early and I was concerned by how loud the music was in the lobby area. It was turned down once people were seated but still louder than anticipated and hard to hear the others in party. The bar seating is set up strange in that even if there are10-15 chairs between one party and another, they will sit a new party right next to an already seated party. It was just awkward. Lighting was dim and hard to read the menu. Ended up using flashlight from phone. They serve from the back and the chairs aren’t swivel so it was not easy to make eye contact with server nor easily talk to him ( I have neck issues so turning is an issue). Also as your eating a hand suddenly comes in and takes something (garbage) away is uncomfortable. The sushi options are basic and limited as far as rolls. The salmon avocado rolls had a pickle taste to them which was different. The rock roll was good. I think there are to many other options to go back. 2 rolls and a non alcoholic beverage was $50 with tip. Not awful, but better value elsewhere as well.
1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Golden Gai is rated 4.8 stars by 59 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

30 Dec 2024

19:00

Booked 11 times today

Experiences are available.

116 Bakery Square Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
Penn Avenue
Area
Point Breeze
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese, Izakaya, Creative Japanese
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Public Lot

Website
https://goldengaipgh.com/
Phone number
(412) 844-6688

Golden Gai

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information

New Years Eve Chef's Tasting Dinner

Starters

Edamame

Spicy Edamame

House Salad

Cucumber

Miso Soup

Bowls

Chirashi

Miso Tuna

BBQ Eel

Nigiri / Sashimi

Salmon / Sake

Tuna / Maguro

Eel / Unagi

Yellowtail / Hamachi

Scallop / Hotate

Fatty Tuna / Toro

Salmon Roe / Ikura

Maki

Spicy Tuna

Salmon Avocado

Yellowtail Scallion

California

Spicy Scallop

Eel Avocado

Tuna Cucumber

Toro

Omakase, Maki, & Sashimi Boxes

Nigiri & Maki Box

Maki Box

Nigiri Box

Sashimi Box

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

How is Golden Gai restaurant rated?

Is Golden Gai currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Dining areas

Additional information