Home>Eat & Drink>Restaurants>North Side
Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on March 10, 2026.
Disclaimer: Our site uses demographic data, email opt-ins, display advertising, and affiliate links. Please check out our Terms and Conditions. Pricing, operating hours, or menus may have changed since our initial visit and may not be reflected in subsequent updates. Please confirm these directly with any business or attraction prior to visiting.
Fry Bar in the North Side is a bit of an unassuming restaurant on Galveston Ave- just a few blocks north of the Western Avenue business district.
Although its name suggests that the restaurant is a spot to visit for French fries, which they do have in abundance, this one offers a rather large menu beyond that, including fried and smoked wings, sandwiches, and more that you absolutely should not miss.
To say this one surpassed all expectations is an understatement, and their wings may be our very favorite we’ve had in the city to date.
Yes, they’re the real deal.
🗺️ Planning a Trip to Pittsburgh?
Book your trip early to snag a deal and have a great time!
Fry Bar Offers a Delicious Menu of Fries and More
Fry Bar’s menu is split into what we’d argue are three main sections- the Fry Bar Classicz (loaded fries, mac bowls, or salads), Wangs, and Sammichez. Although the name suggests we should’ve leaned into the fry side of the menu, we ordered from all three categories to try a bit of everything.
We are really glad we did!
For our fry order, we ordered the Papa Loco loaded fries. This one came with chicken, a spicy slaw, pico, and habanero bbq sauce. The fries themselves had a delicious texture and excellent flavor, and the order overall came with an ample amount of all the toppings we appreciated.
The wings were perhaps our favorite of the bunch as they are whole wings that are both smoked and fried- not too intensely smoked on the former, and not too overly crispy on the latter. We ordered ours with the same habanero bbq sauce from our fry order, and it came out with a lovely glaze as well. Much like the cook, it was neither too saucy, nor needing more- it was just right (grab extra napkins all the same- you’ll need them).
I really need to double down on the wings here because I cannot overstate how perfectly they were cooked. When it is rare to find a stellar smoked wing or fried wing on their own, Fry Bar comes in and rocks a combination of both that makes it on our shortlist of the very best we’ve had in the city (and, personally, might sit firmly at the top).
So while we thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant’s fries, and will advocate getting an order when visiting, we really must insist that you add on some wings to go with them- they were the true standout of our meal!
Finally, we rounded out our meal with an Old Bay chicken sandwich, a hand-breaded fried chicken sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, and Old Bay mayo. Now, given our commentary on the wings, it should come as no surprise that the chicken’s fry texture was the highlight. It was perfectly crisp but also almost delicate and light. The minimal toppings here really were a nice accompaniment and showcased just how good a perfect fry can be.
One other element we appreciated from Fry Bar is that, in our takeout order, nearly all of the toppings for the fries and sandwich were served on the side (as you can see in our fry photo at the start of this one). We really appreciated this one because it helped ensure that the fried elements stayed crisp, and although we were heading to Late Addition Brewing a few blocks over, it was one of those small attention-to-detail elements that made us appreciate this restaurant even more.
They take their fried dishes as seriously as they come!
Overall, Fry Bar was a great surprise for us. As its name suggests, we went into this one excited about trying their loaded fries. But it turns out this one is a rare spot that hits the mark across all its menu categories, and we highly recommend trying a bit of everything at this gem in the North Side.
Fry Bar is located at 1100 Galveston Avenue in the North Side.
The Pittsburgh Guidebook is Now Available
Our first book, The Pittsburgh Guidebook: 175 Things to Do in Pittsburgh, is on sale now!
Grab a print copy from online retailers Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Bookshop.org. Digital downloads and local distribution information can be found on our book’s website.
Thank you for supporting independent media!
Pittsburgh Discounts and Promotions
In the mood for a sale? Or perhaps you simply want to try out something new? Check out our latest Pittsburgh promotions below!
🧥 Get 10% Off at
Steel City
— code DISCOVERTHEBURGH
🍎 $40 Off your first box from
Harvie
🧳 $20 off 4-day luggage transfer on the GAP and $30 off 8-day transfer on the GAP & C&O with
Sunshine Luggage Shuttle
— mention Discover the Burgh when inquiring.
Are you a local business that would like featured? Click here!
Read Another Restaurant Review
Find More to Do in the North Side
