Primanti Brothers

Yeah, I know, it’s the famous “Primanti Brothers.” An institution in Pittsburgh. A rite of passage... more

Yeah, I know, it’s the famous “Primanti Brothers.” An institution in Pittsburgh. A rite of passage for locals and travelers alike. To be revered an... more

Every time that my husband and I have family or visitors come to town, we go to Primanti Brothers in the Strip District. Sure - there are closer Primanti's, but the suburban locations don't offer the same experience found at the original location. The restaurant in the Strip isn't necessarily clean or inviting, but the EXPERIENCE of being in that location with those people really gives our visitors a thrill. I used to order the standard Pastrami with Cheese, but lately, I've been trying to be more adventurous. Last week, I tried the Kolbassi - delicious. And I've had the giant fish sandwich, the ham and cheese, and one other one so far. All works of art. I love this place - old school Pittsburgh! more

The place is awesome.. they have amazing prices and they still serve good quality food. The place is really famous in Pittsburgh, so if you are visiting, you should really go there. Make sure you understand your fries won't be as a side xD they are part of ur sandwish. Awesome more

I like this place. There aren't any bells and whistles, you know what you're going to get. The prices are pretty reasonable too. Great place to stop in and grab a sandwich! more

Went here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Never again. I went into the bathroom as the fat cook was coming out. He obviously destroyed the bathroom as it was nearly unbearable in there. He didn't wash his hands! He went right out and started cooking again. I peeked into the stall he came out of and it looked like he killed a small animal in there. I asked him when I ordered my food if he would wash his hands and he said he did. Well I got my food to go and as I was walking out I got hit in the back with a french fry. I turned around and everyone started laughing more

This is by far a must see and eat in Pittsburgh! I've been here dozens of times. I have personally talked with all of the staff who are both friendly and happy. However, this is not a smiley FAKE place like most places. The food is amazing and bought fresh from the Strip every day. The bread is made JUST FOR Primanti Brothers and is fresh. For those who expect some gourmet food go spend $100 for a plate with a sliver of steak and some type of mango sauce, but if you want to eat and feel what a real Pittsburgh experience is come on in and enjoy. And for the ""tourists"" who complain and cry about people being ""meanies"" stay home or go to a theme restaurant for fake smiles and unhealthy food. more

Hi, I visited today from the Atlanta Georigia area. I enjoyed the sandwhiches and very prompt service, However...Not once did I get a smile or acknowledgement when I requested the order or side items. I was given the item, but when I would say ""Thank You"" I never received a common courtesy of ""Your Welcome"" I never received a smile from any of the 3 women behind the bar serving me and my guest.I am disappointed with the level of hospitality. Please let the women know, that a smile goes a long way.\r ~Angela from Georgia more

They apparently don't know what a broom is. Food & paper all over the floor. The rest room is in the basement underneath the kitchen and FILTHY. The cheese steak sandwich barely had cheese & the steak was bland. We also had the sweet sausage sandwich & that was bland as well. I'm not sure if the best thing we had was the bread on the sandwiches or the saltine crackers we had with the terrible chili (just mildly hot, but NO taste either!) The ketchup on the table tasted a little bit stale (refillable bottle, so the old ketchup is mixed with the new) and you NEED the ketchup to make everything taste like something! Subway, Quizno's or Miami Subs will give you a tastier sandwich any day. Don't waste your time or $. That said, my dad liked his egg sandwich - but he was really hungry so I don't know how valid his review is. more

As a tourist, I went in on 5-19-2010 with high expectations after seeing it on Man Versus Food and was really disappointed in how the sandwich is just average and I'm being polite when I say average. I got the Cheese steak and what I got was a gray square piece of meat. I guess if you are drunk and can't taste the food then this is your place. I hope there is a better sandwich shop in Pittsburgh. Pros: Service is fast, cheap prices Cons: Staff is rude, sandwhich is not very good, no credit cards more

My husband brought me to Primanti Brothers in the Strip District for the first time about 5 years ago. The place was packed to capacity and the service was a bit slow, but we had cold beer in front of us and no place to hurry up and get to. The menu board is on the wall and said all sandwiches come with fries and cole slaw. AWESOME! I like fries and cole slaw!!\r \r The waitress set my waxed paper wrapped sandwich down in front of me and I looked at my husband in horror. The fries and slaw were ON my sandwich! They were TOUCHING each other - a big no no in my world. However, all it took was one bit and I was hooked. The Italian bread was fresh, the cabbage of the cole slaw was crunch and had just the right amount of flavor, the fries were hot and salty and everything blended together so well. I have had a couple of different sandwiches there, but I usually get the steak and cheese or the bologna and always an Iron City beer.\r \r It's not fancy, the Strip Dist. shop is in an old building, it's clean, but don't expect high gloss chrome and glistening surfaces. It's old brass and wood where thousands of hard working people have come to grab a bite to eat and head back out to work. Don't expect plates and silverwear - food is served on wax paper sheets with plastic utensils. It's just perfect. Pros: History, cold beer, great sandwiches Cons: Croweded at times more

The sandwich, steak and cheese, looked like a big mac, the sandwich literally had no flavor. The waitress never checked on us and we never got refills. The floor was littered with french fries and all kinds of stuff. Not going back. Pros: interesting idea of a sandwich Cons: see tittle more

I first ate at the original Primanti Bros restaurant back in the 1980's and it was a hunger-busting experience. a generous portion of pretty good, quality meat, piled high on the sandwich, with a small amount of fries, and the coleslaw/tomato topping. I went back there last week and things had definitely changed. I ordered The Pittsburgher Cheese Steak sandwich. The joke was on me. I thought that I had ordered a steak sandwich. What I got was a previously frozen hamburger Patty, topped with a mound of greasy French fries, all for the extravagant price of $5.99. Basically, it was a French fry sandwich and it was awful. The quality of the food at Primanti Brothers has deteriorated. I don't know who would still want to eat there. Pros: It's the only place open Cons: You are better off starving yourself than eating here. more

Would highly recommend Pros: Good food and drinks Cons: sometimes packed. more

We went there after the Steelers game and were highly disappointed. The waitress acted as if we were bothering her to order anything and the food was a few tiny pieces of something in the bread. My son was so sick that he threw up outside of the restaurant and in the hotel room and remained sick for a few days thereafter. It was a horrible experience. Never will we go back there even if it is the only place open in Pittsburgh! Pros: open late Cons: bad service, food and dirty more

Did you know Primanti Brother's steak sandwich is actually a beef hamburger pattie with TVP (Texurized Vegetable Protein, the same burgers with soy served at schools and prisons? Sandwich costs less than .75 to make. more

THis place is Pittsburgh! Great sandwiches & pizza! Ask for their top seller when you go here, IRON CITY BEER! The 2nd best seller is VERY good too, steak sandwich with all the fixins. more

I went to this place with a completely open mind and was expect a pretty solid (if not decent) sandwich. I can say this because I live in DC and did a 4hr drive on a whim to have one of these 'infamous' sandwiches that I had heard soo much about. I went to the original location and was really expecting a down home setting - simple but good food without all the frills. And that's pretty much what I got. But it most assuredly was not a sandwich that was worth all of the hype and reputation that it has received over the years.\r \r I had 3 sandwiches (cheese steak, roast beef, and double egg) and none of them left me feeling all that impressed. I drove 4hrs, was basically starving myself to fully appreciate this place, and still ended up walking out thinking 'what in the hell is the big deal?'. I honestly would rather have had a bite from my local deli down the road to repeat the 'quality' of the food. Its not to say it was bad, but it was just very mediocre. That's it. If you have some time and want to say you went there, I recommend it. But if you're looking to have an mind blowing experience that Pittsburgh folk seem to describe from this place, you're not gonna get it.\r \r Its a signature sandwich of the city alright...messy, simple, and not all that good. Pros: Very simple and straight forward - what you see is what you get Cons: Underwhelming with a lot of hype, Parking is huge pain, seating is an issue if its busy more

Being from out of town, I asked - what is the local flavor of Pittsburgh. I figured these hearty steelworkers know good food the same as Kansas City locals know BBQ. Well let me tell you brother, this is not it. Sure it was cheap, $8 for my sandwich and a beverage. But wow was it hard to swallow....the sandwich was fresh enough, but the meat had no flavor, the cole-slaw was boring, and the whoel fries thing is just goofy. Believe me, I went in with an appetite, and an open mind to something new that I would love, but this just did not cut it. Gimmick for sure! Filling, absolutely. Tasty, NEVER. Memorable, yes, but not in a good way.\r \r Pass. You will not regret passing on this one. Pros: Cheap food, quick service. Cons: The worst con possible, the food. more

Always a good call on a hungry night....Go to the Strip District Branch. They have the best tasting coleslaw...I don't know why! Pros: best tasting sandwich in the burgh! Cons: small portions...getting smaller each year I think more