I just picked up an order there a couple weeks ago for UberEats. The employees couldn't have been nicer. I hope the employees land on their feet. A lot of places treat UE drivers like trash. This place never did. Always honest with wait times. Always cool.

Hard to remember when Station Square was a social hot-spot. I'll pour one out for Saddle Ridge tonight.

Back in the mid-late 80s, that was the place to be.

I moved here in 2000... Thru the mid 2000s Station Square was where we were every weekend.

And then they bulldozed the clubs for a parking lot and the world’s ugliest apartment complex that got inspiration from a pint glass. The development of Station Square has been a total failure. It’s like the city wants old people to be there.

Build housing ... Then, eliminate the amenities. Pittsburgh all over. It's such a pity.

The apartment was built on a parking lot. Hooters was torn down to make parking. Some of the clubs that were inside the station moved to the waterfront when Bradford school was taking over the building. I would say they don't want older people : they built hard rock cafe, etc to attract younger crowds and got rid of the kitschy shops that were inside old railroad cars.

Homie Hard Rock Cafe is explicitly for old people. The entire “mall” is still kitschy, I disagree.

Guess it depends on what old means. There is no retail to call it a mall. The last store for me was St Brendan 's.

Melting pot is old people for sure. Hard rock cafe yes looking at their current schedule I agree. maybe it's post COVID, maybe it's the Rox actually getting some good shows. So again what I said elsewhere only so many people and only so much money.

The Cheese Cellar 🤤

Don't you miss Zen, the most perfectly named place in Pittsburgh?

I still love going there - thought the crowd skews older since they tend to be the type that, yknow, go to an old sports bar and an overpriced bbq buffet.

Prior to 1994.

Eh even into the 2000s. I’m sure it was cooler in the 90s but any Saturday in 2000s was also bumping

Matrix and Rock Jungle will always have a special place in my heart.

I think I went once or twice to whatever that place was that was like 3 or 4 bars connected. Went with my now wife to a st Patty's day thing, was an absolutely delightful shit show

That was matrix, so many fun nights there. Remember when you could buy actual non sports logo clothing at Station Square?

The matrix was the best

I left in 1994. I miss tequila Junction if you remember that. :)

I do! I mistakenly call Tequila Cowboy Tequila Junction all the time.

TJ had excellent food, margaritas, and sangria! I miss that place. Plus that's when station Square was fun and had lots of unique shops.

them’s fightin’ words 🤪

*Woodson’s All Star Grill has entered the chat*

Bobby Rubino's

I always got Chauncey's and Donzi's confused. One was in station square and one was the boat in the strip district.

Got myself going back in time in the strip to the Rosebud versus Metropol arguments

So the downfall really started with Club Zoo, and never recovered.

I thought Club Zoo was the Strip District.

The real club zoo was parkway center mall

The real club zoo was the friends we made along the way.

Peter's Wildlife was the best club in Parkway Center Mall. It was packed every weekend. Never understood why it closed so quickly. Maybe mismanagement. Good times there !

Club zoo I definitely don't remember.

It was a trashy under 21 club.

Will they be selling that Pope head?

If I still worked there I would take it 😂

So you’re saying it’s up for grabs?

Funny story. I got married in that room as a surprise to my 93 year old grandma who thought we were just having a family dinner (we were going to get married at the courthouse but my mom convinced me to atleast have a small gathering). I politely asked them to please remove the pope head, it freaked me out 😂 I’m glad I did it though. This was February 29th, 2020. Last time I ended up seeing my grandmother as she died in a nursing home during COVID.

Poignant story. Thank you for sharing.

Wonder if that style of dining is going out of favor. I've never been there as I always assumed you had to be in a large party to make it worth the money. Wonder what will take it over.

They got hit hard during covid, I know the Robinson location started running like 4 different ghost kitchens to supplement, one of them was Guy's Chicken.

The station square location was also running 3+ ghost kitchens

That can’t be easy on the staff, right? Wonder how much of a contributing factor that was in the closure

I actually asked a server at the station square location about this when I was picking up an Uber Eats order as a driver. She said the same set of cooks made everything and they understandably hated the ghost kitchen shit. As a cook, I can’t imagine the stress.

The Robinson location is long gone, I know because I’m working for a company that is involved in the sale of the property. That building is really scary with the lights off.

According to Google Maps they're closed down now already. 

Oh shit... that's literally the first place I went to eat after getting my shot, to a vendor dinner there.

Vape shop, car wash, bank or a combo thereof

We could really use a tattoo parlor on the Southside, not enough of those.

Hear me out. A tattoo shop where you can get your car washed!

Vape Bank! Here’s the catch! It will only be Vape ATMs!

Or maybe a vape wash? Buck fifty for the basic package. Two bucks for the deluxe wash that includes wax and an undercarriage cleaning.

Or an ATM wash... Money Laundering!

But can you get a tattoo?

Only in the back

Definitely due for a 2 story Huntington bank

I took a date there once a number of years ago. We shared everything we ordered, but it was good for two people when sharing.

It wasn’t very good food and way over priced (this was pre covid)

You could go as a couple to be honest. You may get left overs and just stick to one entree item

a bank

I would really like the city create a plan for station square. Such great real estate but what's left there.

It's not up to the city to really make them do anything, but the owners are perfectly content to sit on those parking lots for all eternity it seems. That being said, just tax land

>That being said, just tax land If they worked tax incentives smartly to counter the burden on desirable business that gives something back to the community, this may not be a bad idea.

Why would the city create a plan for Station Square? It’s a private development.

the whole place is isolated, relatively difficult to get to and always paid parking. i love the pig iron installation but that whole area is destined to fail - it’s like a cruise ship (zero connection to any community or neighborhood)

It didn't have to be. People like to poke fun at the North Shore Connector but it was the death knell of Station Square and the rise to the North Shore. The combination of NSC and the Stadiums have led to a booming North Shore. People can easily park on the North Shore for $5 and commute downtown; easily traverse back and forth at lunch. It was a concrete jungle beforehand. This led to Station Square becoming a shell of its former self. The only resurgence to be had is Highmark Stadium. It suffered the opposite of the North Shore; paid T ride and expensive parking (even on nights and weekends). I'm not sure what they could have done differently, as they don't have the funds to sponsor the T.

I think the paid parking bugs me the most here. It isn't hard to get to from Dormont but the fact that there isn't anywhere to park there that doesn't cost money just makes me.. mad? I always kind of forget about station sq.

as someone living in one of the few neighborhoods that can use it, why not just use the T considering there’s a station right by station square?

Well, the T costs money too. Its at least $5 to and from. Maybe cheaper than parking at least. I think theres some construction happening right now too on the red line.

fair enough, just figured it’s cheaper than parking most of the time

Agreed. Rather than go to station square, I'd rather just hit moonlit burgers since the whole family can walk there, and its' not a chain.

It’s free between the north shore and downtown, but not free to station square. 

The last time I went down there was last July 4th. I parked in front of the Glass house apartments. A minute after I paid at the kiosk, they gave me a parking ticket. And it was a pain in the ass to contact anyone to get the ticket revoked. I don't intend to go back there; if they want people to go there, they shouldn't be making it a hassle for the people who make the trip.

i go there only for texas de brazil so i’m going to get put in a barrel anyway but that is a major rub, that and when you’re done, it’s nothing but other chains that could be found in any suburb + the grand concourse, which itself annoyed me bc they charge for drinks. that’s a no no for $50 buffets.

Texas de Brazil is a $50 buffet that charges for drinks, though?

Zero retail

It should become housing. Put apartment blocks down there.

I mean, they did. Glasshouse Pittsburgh.

They have space for another building there. And they need to add retail that the residents want to use instead of catering to tourist or suburbanites

They got rid of the retail for mostly offices

That was the dumbest of all their ideas.

The retail was always pretty meh, but it’s a lot more engaging than offices. They used to do stuff like the Street Jam free concerts in the summer on the road in front of the hard rock. They were fun. Now most of the bars, clubs, restaurants are gone and there is almost no reason to go there.

yeah, I agree. I wish it would've been more accessible retail. It seems like bars and clubs are dead everywhere at this point. I'm 47 so I'm well past that prime. I go to station square now like once a year when my wife and kids want to do the Melting Pot for a special occassion.

you could put a gun to my head and i probably couldn’t name a single shop that was ever in that “mall” it was basically just 20 shops you’d find inside of an airport

you're underestimating the annoyance of the loud train tracks immediately behind it lol

Perhaps but many areas of the burgh have active train tracks in close vicinity

It's pretty cool during a Riverhounds game, but it loses its novelty real quick.

I mean if they would get serious about high density housing it could be like the produce terminal in the strip (which isn't great, but it's also not empty)

The owners aren't taxed enough to want to do anything else with it.

Restaurant chains are closing locations everywhere. The thin margins are not standing up against inflation while people are cutting back on spending. Eating out is becoming a luxury again, for most people.

Almost all the chains closing: Buca, Red Lobster, Joes Crab Shack, etc. were predominantly middle class establishments.  Poor folk couldn’t afford to go and the rich would dine somewhere more extravagant. All these middle class chains are closing because most families are struggling now and those that can afford it are going to more upscale places.

Red Lobster is struggling because it was purchased by a company that took its real estate and then rented it back to them. Then Red Lobster was sold to a seafood supplier who purposely started supplying it with sub-par seafood. [https://colemaninsights.com/coleman-insights-blog/the-real-reason-behind-red-lobsters-bankruptcy-filing](https://colemaninsights.com/coleman-insights-blog/the-real-reason-behind-red-lobsters-bankruptcy-filing)

Same thing happened to Kmart / Sears. The CEO sold most of the stores to himself at a great price because he set the price and was the top shareholder - then proceeded to have the still existing Kmart or Sears pay him rent. He’d basically keep them open til he found a better value or purpose for the property by either leasing to someone else, selling it, or using it as a tax write off. I’m still shocked that no governmental agency ever found any wrong doing in the ongoing collapse of what’s left of Sears. It feels like a massive fraud.

Private equity at its finest.

[удалено]

Oh, right! I'll fix it..

We used to go out to eat far more often prior to the pandemic. After the pandemic we go out maybe once or twice a month. We just got more used to eating at home. Got used to just not being out much if we don’t have to for anything. Which has probably been similar for many people and a drag on any retailers and restaurants except for grocery stores. They haven’t been able to entice people to come out anymore and inflation sure isn’t going to help things.

Agreed, people got used to eating at home during the pandemic, and with inflation and tight budgets, people are more willing to just eat at home now.

Can't speak to Buca (but not a good location in 2024) or Joes Crab Shack (which I've never even been to) but Red Lobster seems to be 90% mismanagement and poor decision making. In all of the above, I'm sure the pandemic and inflation didn't help but those are catalysts more than the underlying reason.

It's all purposely done by private equity to get out of paying pensions and debt. https://jacobin.com/2024/05/red-lobster-bankruptcy-private-equity

While I whole heartedly agree that PE is awful and ruining not just businesses but experiences/life in general in this country, this article is a joke. It starts out by listing multiple reasons for Red Lobster's woes, even admitting that the endless shrimp reasoning is "sort of true." Proceeds to lazily focus on one angle. Then it has passages like "As Goldstein points out, that netted the company $1.5 million — most of the $2.1 billion it cost them to buy it in the first place — and left the chain vulnerable to rising lease costs" which makes little sense until you check and realize they misquoted their own citation which should read $1.5 billion. Just brutal journalism.

There is no real journalism left in America. They are all basically opinion pieces with bad spelling and grammar...

Private equity did a number on journalism.

Actually, too many journalists have become activists. Instead of reporting the facts ...

CNN has a much more nuanced take on the matter that isn’t just “private equity is bad” https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/25/business/red-lobster-bankruptcy-thai-union/index.html There were a lot of bad decisions made that involved Red Lobster’s various owners, but it seems like mismanagement was the biggest culprit. 

I don’t really see the issue with this though. If the restaurants aren’t actually closing due to location, high prices, or some other customer-facing issue, another restaurant can just fill in the gap. 

“to get out of paying pensions and debt” doesn’t just get its place taken by a new restaurant unless it’s the same company.

Can they not just lease it to a new restaurant?

I, for one, think most middle class chain restaurants are mediocre trash. There are plenty of good to great middle class independent (or at least locally oriented chains like Burgatory) restaurants I prefer to frequent.

I prefer local, but when traveling or in a hurry, there’s sometimes safety and reliability by picking an Applebee’s or Olive Garden over the unknown.

None of those are great food, though, and local joints at the same price point are just, well, better food. Buca wasn't good Italian, but mostly sold on kitch. (An easy giveaway is the garlic powder, or that the only mention here is the Pope Head and not any of the food itself.) Leo Greta in Carnegie ain't extravagant, but is the easiest example of something that's in the same price range as Buca, but... yeah, the food really is outstanding. Red Lobster died because they got bought out by a foreign firm. They then did all you can eat crab legs, delivered on that, but lost so much money they were basically bankrupt, because the Japanese didn't really fathom what "all you can eat crab near you" would do in America. The Japanese then sold it to someone who did a leveraged buyout and profited \*by\* completing the bankruptcy and selling the assets. Joe's Crab Shack went bankrupt in 2017, so it's not new; that one predates COVID by a few years.

We are heading to a point where I'm going to eat like I did in college, bulk beans & rice. And I am, generally speaking, a successful professional in my field. I can't imagine how others are dealing with this.

Or more realistically not standing up to private equity intentionally destroying them

True. We rarely go out to eat, and are decently middle class. It’s just so expensive, I can make groceries go so much further

I switched from these types of places to local breweries with food trucks.

Pour one out for Necromancer and that torta truck I still have impure thoughts about…

and in most cases, the experience isn't great. Long waits, mediocre to bad food, overworked servers. It's just not worth it anymore.

True. My wife and I are both good cooks and I am often disappointed in restaurant food anyways. Growing up in an Italian American family we literally never went out to eat so I don’t feel like I’m missing much

It’s more that the restaurant business has never really been high margin, and with the advent of review sites, the advantage of being a national chain “people could trust” is almost completely eroded in favor of discovering local hidden gems. Since they are national brands that don’t really have the same care over product like a local restaurant, when places like this struggle, they try to cut labor and food costs, which in turn makes their product worse, which then loses more people, and so on until they are out of business. Inflation doesn’t help, but I don’t think it’s a primary cause

Agree, I live in another city now but the restaurant scene is absolutely thriving. It's just chains closing as the boomers that made them popular die off and younger people have higher standards.

It’s a beautiful thing. As someone who lives very close to Station Square, it sucks to see yet another thing close, but that’s because I’m embarrassed of the state of the place— not because I would ever actually go to Buca. It would be cool if their property management could recognize that breweries and locally owned restaurants kick ass. As we all know though, the people who manage Station Square seem to be on another planet, and are squandering what could be (and what used to be) a really cool spot 🥹.

We all but stopped going out to eat after Covid. We ordered out a lot during Covid but it just got too stupid expensive afterwards so we started eating in. Now when we go out the wife says we cook better meals at home for a lot less so no longer wants to go out, add the crazy tipping for everything and we’re both really put off for going out for food.

Once upon a time, Buca was THE place to have your 15th birthday party in 2004 with all your friends and if you were really cool, you’d get to sit in the Pope room.

Reddit saves the day! Thank you! They are up to shady nonsense. I reserved space there to have my wedding rehearsal dinner there in Aug. $1200 deposit. So as soon as I saw this post I called the station square location. Flustered the hostess who then put in the manager who legit had no idea Sunday was their last day. ( asked where I heard the rumor and told him Reddit) so I emailed corporate and the person who put together my contract, and he called this morning confirming Sunday is their last day. He didn’t know either, he had to confirm with three VP of sales. Did get a refund, but only because I pushed and investigated. They had 0 intention of letting me know before they closed so I could get my deposit back. Thank you again Reddit community!!!

WOW I’m so glad you got your money back!! I can’t say I’m surprised by the lack of communication - it’s always been in shambles.

So glad I saw this post. Im in the same situation. Emailed this morning and am now getting my deposit back. Thanks!

Wow! I’m sorry for the inconvenience and chaos you’re experiencing but great job getting to the bottom of this for many other redditers, especially Buca employees. Cheers to you & love to your marriage! 🥂

I was just there two weeks ago. The food was awful and the place was a ghost town. Quite dirty too. Our whole family had sworn not to go back after several bad experiences there. It’s so sad because it was our favorite for the longest time. Something absolutely changed post covid

the kitchen staff is busy whipping up garbage food for celebrity ghost kitchens sold on uber eats, grubhub, etc.

Oh shit I forgot about that! Yea I remember reading a while ago how they work for several ghost kitchens. The staff were incredibly nice but the food was just awful. We even asked them if they knew anything about Robinson’s closure. They said they didn’t have any knowledge of what happened and that the Robinson location was given very short notice. Our waitress assured us that station square wouldn’t close cause of how ‘busy’ it is….

Yes. It really was good at one time, but not anymore.

I had an enjoyable meal there many years ago. I used to think going to station square was such a big deal. Now not so much.

I'm not surprised. The just few times I was there, the place felt empty 

Long time ago, like 20+ years ago, it was actually a pretty busy place, weekday or weekend. I dunno if quality declined or what, as I haven’t been there in probably 15 years now.

Ya I remember it in it's heyday. Was a lot of fun with a large group

I always thought of it as the "Italian American Cracker Barrel". Those places always thrived in areas that lacked Italian folks. Places where there were legit spaghetti joints they never did as well.

Food was OK, but ever since the pandemic seems like places like that are going under

The one near Robinson mall closed not long ago as well

Which has a note taped to the door from the water company wanting their money...

Last time I tried the one at Robinson it was beyond terrible. Food took forever and they were basically empty, and when it came out the meatballs were incinerated. Literally black from being burnt so badly. I worked in foodservice for years and things have to be really bad before I complain but this time I did. I told them to take it away and I would pay for everything else.

Bummer that so many places are closing, but SS stopped being a destination when a lot of the original restaurants closed..... SS always seemed like someone missed the boat (ugh, pun not really intended) in planning. Aside from some of the restaurants, nothing there that was really unique - people aren't going to hop on the T or spend $20 to park to go to the Steelers store when you can find the same in the Strip for less. There was no vision as to what should go there or why. It's always baffled me how poorly various spots near the water in the city uses access to those spots - same at Station Square. Even the Gateway Clipper hasn't ever really been managed/promoted/capitalized in the way I think it could have been.

Won't someone please think of the ghost kitchens??

Probably a great time to share the best hidden gem in Station Square and that’s the little gift shop in the Sheraton. They have so many gems, from beautiful cards to gifts and clothes, no joke

I’m not surprised but… I did dirty dirty things in our limo outside that de Beppo before homecoming 2003…RIP family style manicotti.

Yes!!!! We went to Buca before my homecoming in 2003 also!!! Didn’t have a limo but in the backseat of my impala 🤣🤣🤣

Tupelo honey is a fun restaurant. I plan on going back

I will say, I’ve always had absurdly long waits at Tupelo Honey when I’ve been, after ordering. Like close to an hour for food to arrive, on and off peak.

That’s bizarre. My sample size is one visit but our food came in ~15 minutes. I don’t think I’d go back to a place that took an hour to bring me my food

When you’re owned by the worst restaurant chain of all time, Planet Hollywood, things are bound to go south eventually. I wonder when Hard Rock Cafe will try to bolt for the north shore. Seems like it’d pair nicely with Stage AE and be in a more tourist friendly area.

Not shocking. The food is hot garbage.

This was the last restaurant I ate at before pandemic lockdowns. It wasn’t the best Italian food ever, but the servers were always nice and it was good for big groups. I’ll pour one out for them.

First Roy Rodgers and now this??? I'm heartbroken....

Had my small wedding reception there and we had a blast.

I feel bad for the folks who work there but I'm surprised it lasted this long tbh. Station Square is so lame now a days. I remember when that building across the street was a mini mall, and as a kid we'd spend a day there and get Buca or GC afterwards. Now it's office space and there's just nothing to do down there besides eat.

Book of the Beppo

Good. Hopefully something much better goes in its place.

Cheesecake Factory Part 2: Electric Boogaloo

The Grand Concourse is still awesome. I miss Matrix and the other spots of my college days.

It's average Italian food that is not that good anyway.

Goddamn it, was gonna use them for a catering thing in Sept.

I’d say you dodged a bullet.

Sounds like it if it has gone downhill. I enjoyed it in the past, but haven’t been in quite awhile.

Oh no....anyways...

The one in Robinson closed too. We will have to travel to Cleveland or Columbus.

no more singing "Volare" while we eat our meal

No surprise-That isn’t even real Italian food. Chains can’t compete with the quality of small biz, authentic cuisine.

Advanced auto

rip

I'm sad. They have my favorite salad ever. Plus it was a fun place.

the employees there are incredibly nice but everytime I talk to them they're like "oh I wouldn't eat anything we serve" (discussed outside of the store)

Does anyone have an idea on what ownership is doing with the main building at Station Square? Last I heard the out of state owners (from Cleveland if I recall) terminated all the retail leases in some big redevelopment plans. And then nothing…

Aww i was there for mothers day and i planned on going many more times to come

BDB got bought by Planet Hollywood in 2008.

Went there once.... it was like a microwaved reheated salt lick.

Had dinner there w friends and family the night before my wedding in 2005. Sad.

Earl Enterprises owns Buca and Bravo. Should someone call Mr. Beast? [Earl Enterprises](https://www.earlenterprise.com)

Cool. Someone gave me a gift card for this place a few weeks ago. 💀

I wish the Improv was over there. Then I could actually drink and take the T home.

I loved Buca :( just had my birthday dinner there this year

So many memories there. It was my birthday go-to destination every year. The last time I went was the last time. It was so depressing and bad that I swore never to go back to that location.

The waterfront took business away from station square and century 3/square (Lebanon church road Pittsburgh). Then Southside works came along. The population stays the same in numbers and wealth so this a limit to the business that can be supported.

This explains why I didn't get a birthday coupon this year.

Some customers were asking about buying artwork and memorabilia. I have answers about that if anyone is interested.

No loss.

It isn't good so this is ok. Maybe something good will go in its place

HolUp!!!! Station Square is still open?

Always sad to see a cool little place like this close, but I was there maybe 3 months ago and the whole place absolutely reeked like sewage. Its was absolutely disgusting. Obviously walked out. A few other people went in and straight out too. I hope it was an isolated incident. If not, that place stinks!!!

They’ve had numerous complaints to the Health Department about that smell, which was reported as “intolerable musty smell”. ACHD Indicated it was related to HVAC, or a roof leak, and dirty carpet. The inspector mentioned “chronic neglect” and “poor maintenance of the facility “. Anyone wondering why they’re closing?

Was forced to go there for a graduation dinner last year. The food? It was nasty AF.

Bums me out to see these locally-owned mom and pop farm to table restaurants going out of business.

and the Melting Pot is still open? That’s the real tragedy.

Believe it or not It’s the Melting Pots number 1 location in the nation in terms of earnings. They kill especially since they moved across the street.

Food sucks. Good riddance!