Penn City Grill - Pittsburgh

Our waiter was very lively; I guessed he might be an aspiring actor. He offered us coffee and juice options. The coffee was Starbucks, priced at $4.50 for a pot containing about four cups. The juice was also $4.50, but they do offer refills. As for the breakfast menu, it leans towards non-traditional dishes. There are plenty of healthy options for those who prefer lighter fare, but if you're in the mood for a classic breakfast, you'll need to go elsewhere. We opted for the ham and eggs; however, the poached eggs were barely poached. The dish was $15.00 and consisted of two eggs, ham, toast, and a small serving of home fries. Tomorrow, we're planning to venture into town in search of a diner.

The service and staff at Penn City Grill were very friendly. However, we were let down by both the food and the prices. I ordered a small sandwich, a small serving of hash browns, and coffee, which totaled $19.50. My wife had a bagel, hash browns, and coffee for $13.50. The BLT sandwich was just mediocre. We believe they should consider offering a buffet-style breakfast for hotel guests instead of the small and expensive menu they currently have.

I have mixed feelings about Penn City Grill. I visited for breakfast expecting quick service due to the low number of customers. Initially, the service was prompt, but it soon declined. After I placed my order, my waitress forgot what I had asked for and had to return to my table to ask me again. Furthermore, it took a considerable amount of time for them to bring me my check after I finished eating. On the positive side, the food was quite good. I ordered the BLT Benedict and was pleasantly surprised by the sweetened English muffin; its sweetness paired wonderfully with the bacon, adding a refreshing twist to the classic Benedict recipe.

This place is ok. Food is ok. Atmosphere is ok. Location and convenience to your hotel is amazing. Don't expect amazing food but a semi-quick bite where you can almost always get a table with no wait. If you have time run across the street to the Taco place or Meatball place down the road. If you have extra time go to Gauchos.

So I have a theory. The architects at the Westin really wanted to build an obstacle course as part of the hotel. And so they did. But then they couldn't figure out how to market it. So they decided to turn that obstacle course into a restaurant instead, and they called it the Penn City Grill. Now, the food isn't too bad, and the sushi is decent. But the service is so slow and so inefficient at the Penn City Grill, that it's almost comical to watch the waitstaff run back and forth, without any rhyme or reason, because anything you ask for menu, silverware, napkins, check requires at minimum two laps around the obstacle course. So eventually, I stopped expecting the waitstaff to come around, and just enjoyed the show. Never mind that the restaurant is at most 25% full. Stuff just takes that long. Bravo, Penn City Grill! If that's the goal you were aiming for, you certainly succeeded.