Merry and bright: Seasonal pop-up bars serve up holiday cheer
With festive names and twinkling decorations, these season venues are popping up all over.
Stepping into a holiday pop-up bar is like, well, stepping into Christmas. Strings of lights, tinsel and garland deck the walls, and themed holiday cocktails and mocktails with clever names are served up to toast the season.
Pop-up bars have gained in popularity, offering holiday decor, themed beverages, and a place for adults to gather during “the most wonderful time of the year.”
“It’s about an experience, rather than a typical drink at a bar. There’s an extra layer of decor and holiday magic,” said Elise Miranda, director of marketing for Wigle Whisky in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.
Miranda describes pop-ups as specialty themed bars with a limited time frame. “It’s what we’ve found really drives traffic, that limited factor,” she said. A cabin-themed retreat, Wigle Wonderland returns for its second year at Wigle Whiskey.
The pop-up at 2401 Smallman St. in the Strip District features specialty drinks such as the “Ho Ho Cocoa Old Fashioned” and “A Very Nice Holiday Drink” with gin and cranberries inspired by a snow globe in a globe-style glass. Hours are Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday, 5 to 11 p.m. and Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m. through Jan. 4. For more information, visit https://wiglewhiskey.com/wigle-wonderland/
Some area pop-ups serving extra holiday whimsy and cheer also can be found in Finleyville, Bethel Park, Canonsburg, Oakdale, Bridgeville and Imperial.
After the success of its Halloween pop-up in 2023, the 1781 Club in Finleyville is also back for the second year with its Christmas-themed pop-up, A Very Merry Holiday Pop-Up Bar.
“Being a golf club, historically the winter season is slow because most of our business comes during summer, with it being warm out,” said Rachel Galish, marketing and events manager for the club. “We actually came up with a Halloween bar last year and it ended up being spectacular. Everyone kept asking if we planned to have a Christmas pop-up.”
The pop-up is located in the club’s public restaurant, The Cellar. In addition to the twinkling lights and tinsel, and a drink menu that follows “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” there are four golf simulator bays that can be reserved for a fee to watch a movie, play golf or other sporting games (they have Mario Kart available on Switch). Pop-up hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours are extended until midnight on Dec. 28 and 29 and on New Year’s Eve, hours are noon to 8 p.m. with a special ball drop. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/1781club/.
Stop in at The Trolley Stop Inn in Bethel Park, 6247 Library Road, for the Yuletide Tavern. General Manager Rich Wolfe said the restaurant had a successful short pop-up run last year and decided to extend it this year from now until Jan. 1, in the heated patio area with a specialty drink and soup menu. Specialty cocktails include a Yuletide Chai, Jack Frost Jingle Juice, and Candy Cane Crush, among others. Hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 11 p.m., Sundays, 5 to 9 p.m. until Jan. 1 and Christmas Eve, noon to 5 p.m. For more information visit https://www.trolleystopinn.com/.
In Bridgeville, Santa’s Nut House will be open at Hickory Heights Golf Club, 116 Hickory Heights Drive. The pub is decked with Christmas lighting, presents, garland and tinsel with themed parties planned for the weekends including a PJ party, an ugly sweater party and a Polar Express night. Samples from the festive drink menu include the Grinch, Sugar Cookie martini and a frozen spiked hot chocolate. Hours are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 9 p.m., Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., until the weekend after Christmas. For more information on theme nights visit https://www.instagram.com/hickoryheightsgolf/.
New this year in Canonsburg is Santa’s Vault, a festive pop-up Christmas bar in the former Citizens Bank building, 1 E. Pike St. in Canonsburg. Santa’s Vault will have specialty cocktails crafted by The Washington Winery and craft beers from the Washington Brewing Company along with a variety of Christmas-themed event nights. Hours are Friday, 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, 2 to 11 p.m., Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. For more information, visit https://www.instagram.com/downtowncanonsburg/p/DCPW3KbvcNo/
For the eighth year, North Star Restaurant, 8155 Steubenville Pike in Imperial, hosts Christmas at North Star inside the spacious, heated tiki hut. The wall-to-wall decorations include 30,000 lights and 6,000 Christmas bulbs, a 10-foot gingerbread sleigh and a large collection of nutcrackers. Along with their food menu, specialty drinks include a Merry Mule, Charles Dickens Cider, The Grinch and Christmas Morning. Pictures with Santa are available during Sunday hours starting Dec. 8. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 4 p.m. to midnight and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Dec. 30. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/NorthStarBarandRestaurant/.
Black Dog Winery, 7425 Steubenville Pike in Oakdale, provides a cozy and festive atmosphere in its downstairs German-style Rathskeller. It’s open now until the end of December with a menu of holiday cocktails, wines and slushies. Open Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p..m., go to https://www.facebook.com/BlackDogWine/ for more details.
Among downtown Pittsburgh options include:
The Aspen at the Spritzery, 960 Penn Ave., downtown. Enjoy a ski lodge-themed pop-up where you can warm up by the fire. Hours are: Tuesday to Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturday 1 p.m. to 1 a.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit https://spritzerypgh.com/.
Blitzen’s at Mellon Square Coffee, 520 William Penn Place, downtown, “Where the cocktails sleigh,” is open Thursday through Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m., ages 21 and over.
For more information, visit https://www.omnihotels.com/hotels/pittsburgh-william-penn/dining/blitzens
Holiday Tavern at The PA Market, 108 19th St. in the Strip District, open Fridays and Saturdays at 5 p.m. For more information: https://www.thepamarket.com/.
Miracle, 130 Seventh St., downtown, is back for its ninth year. Hours are daily, 4 p.m. to midnight until Dec. 31
For more information: https://www.instagram.com/miraclepgh?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==.
The Retro Holiday Lounge Pop-Up Bar at the Industrialist Hotel is located at 405 Wood St. in Pittsburgh. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight until Dec. 31. For more information: tinyurl.-com/retroholidaylounge/.
Rudolph’s Rooftop at Il Tetto Rooftop Beer Garden, third floor, 942 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 4 to 10 p.m., Thursday, 4 to 11 p.m., Friday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Saturday, 2 p.m. to 1 a.m., until Jan. 1. For more information: https://www.siennamercato.com/location/il-tetto/
Sippin Santa, 130 Seventh Street, Pittsburgh, is open from 4 p.m. to midnight until Dec. 30. For more information: https://www.instagram.com/sippinsantapgh/.