Hidden Harbor opened in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh in January 2016. The bar is owned by Peter and Matt Kurzweg, who own the brewery next door, and their partner, tikiphile Adam Henry. The decor is decorated in a more nautical style than a tiki style, with no bamboo, rattan or thatch. There are, however, three large tikis carved by Crazy Al Evans. The drink menu is a mix of classic tiki drinks and modern tropicals, and there are special themed nights with more focused tropical drink menus. There is a small selection of food available, including a pu-pu platter.
Hidden Harbor was great! I got to go recently with my girlfriend for Cobra's Fang. The drinks were superb, the food delicious, and I got my menu signed by Brian Maxwell.
The ideal version of a Tiki bar in my mind, experimental while respectful of the classic, Puerto Rican food that my abuelita would be jealous of, and just a great place to kill a couple of hours while in Pittsburgh.
Always the highlight of my trip when rolling through Pittsburgh.
Only thing I'd change is investing in some blackout blinds!
Wahini and I were in town for a KISS concert, but had to make sure to spend time at a few Tiki bars. Hidden Harbor did not disappoint. I know my score seems low, but if you look at the ratings, you'll see it's only because of the music, tikiness, and moderness of the bar. The staff was amazing, the drinks were top notch, and Adam, one of the owners, even came out personally to speak with us and make sure we were enjoying ourselves. They were out of all of their mugs, so we'll have to grab one online when they come back in stock, but we left with some tiki swag courtesy of the bartender. I definitely recommend spending some time in HH and trying a few of their modern selections of cocktails, as well as a few tried and trues.
Hidden Harbor was great! I got to go recently with my girlfriend for Cobra's Fang. The drinks were superb, the food delicious, and I got my menu signed by Brian Maxwell.
The ideal version of a Tiki bar in my mind, experimental while respectful of the classic, Puerto Rican food that my abuelita would be jealous of, and just a great place to kill a couple of hours while in Pittsburgh.
Always the highlight of my trip when rolling through Pittsburgh.
Only thing I'd change is investing in some blackout blinds!
Wahini and I were in town for a KISS concert, but had to make sure to spend time at a few Tiki bars. Hidden Harbor did not disappoint. I know my score seems low, but if you look at the ratings, you'll see it's only because of the music, tikiness, and moderness of the bar. The staff was amazing, the drinks were top notch, and Adam, one of the owners, even came out personally to speak with us and make sure we were enjoying ourselves. They were out of all of their mugs, so we'll have to grab one online when they come back in stock, but we left with some tiki swag courtesy of the bartender. I definitely recommend spending some time in HH and trying a few of their modern selections of cocktails, as well as a few tried and trues.
Let me give you another perspective: I was attending a conference in Pittsburgh where I had signed a covenant stating that I would it drink while in attendance. I know. Just leave it. Anyway, when we visited Hidden Harbor, we were limited to the virgin offerings and mocktail section of the menu. We were greeted immediately at the door and put in the wait list while we bellied up to the bar. We started with A for Aloha. Fassionola was a great addition! But the real winner was the Riptide. Such depth of flavor in a virgin drink! It was amazing.
Everyone else can telll you about the vibe (tiki cool), the decor (Crazy Al!), the rum (over 300!), and the music (reggae and hip hop beats suggesting that the framed Martin Denny albums on the walls still contain their unspun vinyl), but I will tell you that if you have friends who don’t or can’t drink, that this is still the place for them. I am anxious to return soon.
And I will drink rum on that day. Oh, I will drink rum on that day.
Hidden Harbor is legit. It doesn't offer the most amount of drink types but they make up for it in presentation and quality. These are some of the best presented drinks I've seen around with plenty of flowers, swizzlers, straws, cinnamon, limes, fire, and more. The drinks are creative and strong focusing on the unique rums and complexity tiki can offer. The food is improving, more small bites than typical, but it is delicious. The atmosphere is more bright seaside than dark Trader Vic, but that's ok.
Top notch drinks, both tiki classics and original Tiki inspired cocktails. Excellent presentation, with fresh garnishes and an extensive rum selection. Dark and mysterious it is not, however I do not believe that is or should be a criteria for tiki authenticity. Let us not forget the beach front vibe of the first Tiki bars. This establishment by co-owners Adam and Pete are the beach vibe version of tiki, and it lends itself to a more awake and vibrant experience. Perfect for enjoying the lovely glassware, garnishes and friendly staff. For a moment I forgot I was in rainy Pittsburgh and felt more like near the beach in Santa Barbara.
A beautiful large Ku statue and two wall carvings are in the lounge-y area on other side of the bar. Souvenir glassware available at the time were a Mai Tai and collins glass (they refer to it as a Zombie glass), both perfectly cute.
Did I say the drinks were spot on? Without drinking myself under the table, I tried what I could (Night Ripper and King Ku) but observed every conconction crafted in front of me for other patrons with a keen eye. Most notable was the array of in house crafted syrups including Fassionola, Orgeat, Falernum, and many more! Always a good sign!
A modern take on Tiki with great artwork by Crazy Al and wallpaper by Cole & Son. Wonderfully crafted cocktails by a marvelous crew. I wished I could have stayed for more, and I hope I will be back some day. Adam, thank you so much for your delightful nickel tour!
michiganminiac is a semi-regular at Hidden Harbor.
March 21, 2018, 10:20 AM
We love HH. We make the 5 hour drive from Detroit several times a year to hang out at this modern interpretation of a tiki bar. Adam and the entire staff are always super attentive and friendly. I especially like that they have vegetarian options on the menu, and the drinks are always top notch. planning my next visit for Easter weekend :)
Nice visit here! The Hidden Harbor isn't on the menu anymore, but they will still make it for you. It's okay. I was excited to drink the bowl with pawpaw puree as an ingredient, but (I should have known!) it is out of season so there was a substitution. Will be back!
I made a trip to Pittsburgh basically just to go to Hidden Harbor and I was not disappointed. As previous comments have pointed out, the decor is a bit of a mix. There is a more traditional tiki-themed side that has three Crazy Al pieces, including a huge free-standing tiki carved from the trunk of a palm tree and two masks hanging on the wall. The other side is more nautical themed with brighter colors. There are glass floats in the window and outside they have tropical plants. Overall, it's really nice. There is a huge rum selection behind the bar. It's quite impressive. The menu is fairly extensive and the drink quality is fantastic. I had a Rum Barrel, a Zombie, and the signature Hidden Harbor. All were excellent. Service was top notch and the staff is very enthusiastic and willing to geek out about tiki stuff. This is a fantastic and fun bar that I will visit as often as possible.
If there was such a thing as a "new school Tiki bar" then Hidden Harbor would be it. No thatch, no huts, but big Tiki statues all around. The bar has a "modern" feel to it. At first I was taken back because Hidden Harbor doesn't look like a Tiki bar in a traditional sense but it does have a cool look to it which I really started to dig as I had a couple drinks in me.
Oh yeah, the drinks are top notch! Get the "Hidden Harbor" and the 3 Dots and Dash was the best I ever had.
Here is my full review of Hidden Harbor:
http://www.tikiwithray.com/tiki-bar-review-9-hidden-harbor-pittsburgh-pa/
Always the highlight of my trip when rolling through Pittsburgh.
Only thing I'd change is investing in some blackout blinds!