The Story
Bar Marco opened in 2012 in a beautifully restored building on Penn Avenue in the Strip District. Co-founders Bobby Fry and Justin Steel created a restaurant and bar that combines a sharply curated wine and cocktail program with a seasonal, ingredient-driven menu. The space itself is stunning: exposed brick, reclaimed wood, and soft lighting that makes every evening feel like an occasion.
What Makes It Pittsburgh
The restaurant gained national attention when it eliminated tipping in 2015, offering staff a salary, equity, and benefits instead. While the tipping model has evolved since then, the commitment to treating hospitality workers as professionals has remained a core value. The food menu changes frequently, built around whatever is freshest from local farms and purveyors.
Bar Marco helped establish the Strip District as more than just a wholesale food market. It proved the neighborhood could support elevated dining and nightlife, and its success paved the way for the wave of restaurants and bars that have since transformed the Strip into one of Pittsburgh's premier food destinations.