The Flats on Carson
1500 East Carson St.
(412-586-7644)
On the corner of East Carson and 15th in Pittsburgh’s South Side district, the multi-floor bar/restaurant sits. Although the historic Victorian building’s outside rings true to its 1800s construction, on the inside of the building, this Victorian style fuses with the notorious industrialized flavor of the Steel City. Chocolate-oriented designs, multi-toned faux brick planks, exposed aluminum air vents, and a monochrome map of the South Side in 1923 make up the walls and ceilings of the room while thick light caramel wooden tables and black steel chairs are seated throughout the room. Nearest to the security-guarded entrance, the lengthy black bar and steel black staircase sit. During the weekdays, Pittsburgh natives enjoy finger foods like flatbreads or nachos while eating here; on the weekends, tables are put away, and every room of the building becomes a dance floor for the city young bloods, stripping away their weekday professional wear for skin bearing tight club clothes and new memories.
While the bottom floor of the building holds the main bar, the top floor holds an identical but smaller bar. Up here, 679 and other playlist hits blast through the wall-to-wall speakers, while DJ Red or DJ Butta take requests. The room smells of Miller Lite, Apple Pucker, and fragrances sprayed heavily onto the dancing bodies. Despite having white walls, this room is dimly lit beyond the flat screens lighting up the bare bar wall, minimum pendant lights hanging loosely from the ceiling, and the lights of other Carson Street bars shining through the full-length glass windows.
For the night owls who think that midnight is early and over ninety-five alcoholic choices available is a perfect night out, they will come in planning to stay an hour and stay until the doors close at 2 a.m. Single or not, those who are ready to steal a dance in the Steel City, will find potential one-night or life-long grind partners pouring onto the floor, ready to sway while screaming “Shots, Shots, Shots, Everybody.” While the sun dies down for the night, the Flats on Carson comes alive.
