Barb's Corner Kitchen

Having a breakfast task like our Saturday adventures can be compared to a Forest Gump's box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get.  So I guess taking the good with the bad is part of the fun (??)  So it is with Barb's Corner Kitchen (& Back Room Pub and Grill) in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood.

(picture snapped from the front of the menu, as this artist's rendition is much prettier than real life. Maybe it's because we aren't "Good Friends" as the by-line states, or maybe I'm just reading too much into things...)


The restaurant seems to be composed of two parts, with the kitchen area on the left entrance, and the pub & grill closed off in the morning.  Nearly all of the tables were filled while we were there, and service was quite quick.  But the place itself was quite run down and not very pretty.

The menu is typical breakfast with lots of eggs, hash browns and pork products. We both ordered off the section of the menu claiming to be the "famous" everyday breakfast specials.  Not sure what made them famous, but I chose the Southern Style, and husband the Bigman's Farm Style.

I guess it's been a while since I lived in the South, so I shouldn't have been so surprised when not only were the biscuits covered with gravy, but so were the eggs & potatoes - Yikes! And they must have been running low on sausage links, because instead of 2 of them and 2 bacon, it was 1 and 3.  The pancakes weren't too bad, and the bread was quite good, if not a little too saturated in what we are supposed to believe is butter.

So the food wasn't the best, and neither was the general atmosphere.  But the help was very friendly.

The best part about Barb's is it is directly across the street from the Allegheny Cemetery. It was a rainy, dreary day which seemed perfect for a drive through the 300 acres of this hauntingly beautiful place which has been around since the mid 1800's. Signs as we were driving in advertised guided tours available which sounds really intriguing. Definitely the best part of today's adventure!

Luckily Pittsburgh is filled with historic and interesting spots like this to visit, so whenever we come across a not-so-awesome Saturday breakfast spot, there's always the next piece of chocolate in the box.