My boyfriend and I are heading up to Pittsburgh in December for a game (hopefully the season will be turned around by then!) and were wondering what bars, besides Clarks, are popular before the game. Also, how crowded are these bars...if we want to plan on eating before the game, how early do we have to get there? Thanks for everyones help

right across from PNC Park is Castellano's(good food),Hightops,and Firewater...PNC is the Pirates baseball field.....next door to Heinz Field...Clark Bar is okay but the others are more hopping..went to Castellanos(was getting full) for the Oct 5 game and Hightops was packed already at 4 and the game was at 8:30...and there is close parking at Allegheny Center Mall...all the other parking lots are mostly permit parking..there is a parking garage behind Castelanno's too..we all hope our boys can turn it around..there is a good German rest on the north side that has a great breakfast buffet...what game are you going to?....

The German restaurant is Max's Allegheny Tavern.

sorry it is Hi-Tops not Hightops....lost my mind...yes the rest is Max's..on the corner of Suisman and Middle..down from Allegheny General Hospital..food is great and beers too...

What about doing the Southside then taking the riverboat over from the Sheraton? We've done that for a Pirate game. Maybe the farther away from the Big Ketchup the lesser the pre-game crowd?
Oops. Does the boat run when it's cold in December?