5801 Video Lounge & Cafe   

Although not flawless, and the other prior reviewers may wish to recall they are far from flawless themselves, 5801 has made numerous, noteworthy upgrades. The restrooms are far improved, the staffs are pretty efficient and the deck on the back always creates an air of community difficult to achieve in a traditional gay bay. Boys, Girls, and the entire spectrum in between, coalesce and do it well. The cost for the drinks is fair and I have to admit that I haven’t eaten any of the food they serve. Folks please know Pittsburgh has never had and I doubt ever will have an elite gay bar that is restrictive to only the beautiful people, it’s not our town’s history. No red ropes barring the less then perfect. Consider Warhol, he knew the best times are had when you mix the beautiful with the interesting with the off-beat as well as the absurd. For people who complain because this bar would never survive in the lands of the gorgeous, go ahead and move to New York, Chicago or LA, I for one never morn the ones who leave thinking the pastures are greener elsewhere. Especially when you could have had just as much fun in your own back yard. Keep up the good work 5801 staffers.

When you walk in - you are not only attacked by smoke, but in front of you is what looks like a high school queen's double-wide home interior project - bare plywood with rainbow colored lights. The green, glowing lighting surrounding the downstairs bar is reminiscent of the starship enterprise's warp core - absolutely awful. Upstairs bar has no smoking - but has doors that are BARELY on the hinges, nearly froze my butt off. Overall, friendly, but draws a bad mix of older bar flies left over from NY NY, and wierd-ass goth and ultra-prep college kids. Not quite a sportsbar - and the design fo the bar is a garbled mess. The glass block everywhere makes me feel like I'm in a federal prison, and NOT in the good way....

I read the two other comments made about this establishment and I was put into a state of angst!! "Newyork Newyork" was not a nice friendly or clean establishment and the change to "5801" and take over by a new man or new men, couldn't have come at a better time. The cute staff is helpful, HOT, and knowledgable and the new owners (I believe there are two or three) are extremely pleasent to talk with and be around not to mention the beautifully remodled bar has better prices than any other gay bar in the city short of that dump "Brewers". There are acouple gay/lesbien bars in the city that have also been updated, but going to them would mean I would have to put up with the likes of Pervert Gary of "Images" (one that should have stuck to managing Papa John restaruants) or an evil troll like Nancy of "luckys". Another point is the smoking issue. I understanding people don't like to be around smoke, that is why people are granted non smoking sections and if you have a problem with migrating through a ten foot portion of the smoking section to get to non smoking, just think how the smokers feel having to walk through a non smoking section filled with bitter faced little unhappy whiners like yourself!! Sorry, just a little rant. To finish off, I think the atmosphere, staff, owners and patrons of "5801" are all wonderful & I'd rather go there than any other gay bar in the Burgh. Hell, this place gives the great str8 bars a run for their money. I forgot to mention the huge beautiful deck. Can't find one of those at many gay bars!! Have fun partying!!!

why should non smokers have to walk into a room full of smokers to get to the non smoking area. It should be the other way around. Maybe this will change when the law changes.