The Shadyside Tavern

Terribly mis-​managed restaurant with endless amounts of potential. Owner seems to think he’s above customer feedback and general criticism… yet he’s never once established the fact that he has a plan or knows how to run a restaurant (his father is the actual owner, he gave it to his sons to run…). You can see from previous reviews that he’s been verbally attacking people who didn’t have a good experience here. If that’s not a red flag, I don’t know what is.
First, you can’t just make up hours. The hours fluctuate so often here, customers are never sure if/​when the restaurant is open… which, in turn, leads them to try other options instead of wasting the effort.
Secondly, the food quality has gone down IMMENSELY from previous years/​owners. This is a local-​heavy restaurant, so to completely change up the menu? That’s not a bad thing… but to make it worse than the original menu? That takes some gusto… because those regulars are going to tell you how they feel about it.
Thirdly, the staff. The waitstaff here are horribly inept. They show no drive to help customers, stand around being inappropriate and act like you’re bothering them when you need them to do their job. The bar staff is so inappropriate it has literally scared long-​running customers away.
I believe this restaurant (under current management, that is) is on it’s last legs. And rightfully so.

I feel compelled to update my review. Over the course of the last 4 months, I have received 3 hostile messages from the owner (whose name changed from Patrick up Ray to Robert during that time), and a response to my review. In one message he called me a lunatic and he is insisting that I’m a former disgruntled employee, which I am not.
In addition, the owner/​manager posted a review insinuating the people giving bad reviews are snobby elitists that expect servers to look like hookers. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I am someone that loves to sit outside with a Miller Lite next to a fire pit on a nice night or at a bar for hours on end, eating fried food and dumping money into jukebox music at a friendly neighborhood bar. I’m pretty easy to please and don’t have ridiculous expectations. I just want a server or bartender to act like doing their job isn’t a huge inconvenience to them or be able to order a draft beer and receive it within 10 – 15 minutes.
I’m also someone that went to Shady Side for drinks and food with friends several times who, each time, left thinking «how is this place still in business?» And I can’t even share my opinion of my experiences without being harassed by the owner/​management.

Service nice but inept. To many things 86d on the menu and the «no joke nachos» were a total effin’ joke. Overpriced and under quality. Won’t be back to dine.
It’s a shame, I used to regular this place when it was the WB and remember the food being much better and generous portions. Not any more.

Fried food, burgers 6 ways, and 9 dollar glasses of wine. If your a local better food with more variety at 4 dogs!!!

This place is great. Good food. Wonderful wait staff. Awesome live music. What a nice oasis.

Love the atmosphere. Local, like Cheers. Lobster bisque: awesome. Bacon skewers: awesome. Dirt Wolf on tap: awesome. Definitely going back. Thanks Patrick! Love your copper bar.