Pittsburgh is located on the ancestral homelands of the Seneca Nation, members of the Iroquois Confederacy.

Date of Visit: July 25, 2026

On our recent family vacation to Pittsburgh, one of the most important parts of planning was finding kid-friendly restaurants for lunch and dinner. Children’s menus were a must, as were a casual atmosphere and reasonable prices. 

Two blocks from our hotel on the North Shore, Burgatory fit the bill. 

Burgatory has multiple locations in and around Pittsburgh. We visited the North Shore Drive location which is within walking distance of the stadiums for both the Pirates and Steelers. 

The one-block strip of North Shore Drive between Chuck Knoll Drive and Tony Dorsett Way is lined on both sides with bars and restaurants catering to the sports crowd. Burgatory is no exception.

We had reservations for 6 p.m. but took our chances and arrived about 30 minutes early. While the dining area was packed, they were still able to get us seated quickly. 

Julie and I had our sons, Jakob (8) and Lukas (3), with us. The only table they had was a high-top, but we were able to make it work. 

Burgatory – as you might guess from the name – specializes in burgers. They have a menu filled with classic and unique topping combinations, as well as a build-your-own option that includes eight different patties, eight roll choices, six rubs, nine cheeses, 13 sauces, 11 free toppings and 18 premium toppings. 

Not wanting the pressure of those decisions, we all ordered off the main menu. 

For me, it was the Morty’s Steakhouse burger – a sweet onion-crusted beef patty with horseradish cheddar, caramelized onions, haystack onions, and au poivre sauce. The menu described it as “the greatest steak dinner you’ve had reincarnated as a burger.” 

Though it didn’t quite live up to the moniker, it was very good. Because it was just a component of the cheese, the horseradish was very mild. The caramelized onions had a slight sweetness to them, and the au poivre was rich and creamy. It was very messy but good. 

I also enjoyed the house-made chips that were served alongside the burgers. With such a larger burger to contend with, fries would have been too much. Instead, the chips were perfect – well-done but not burnt with a nice flavor on their own. 

We did get to try Burgatory’s fries, though, as we got a single order for our youngest to munch on. (He had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich previously). The fresh-cut fries were so good, and way more than he could eat, so Julie and I helped him a little more than we planned and left some of the chips. 

Julie went with the chippy chick – a potato chip-crusted chicken burger with farmhouse cheddar, bacon, French onion dip, onion straws and honey mustard on a pretzel bun. 

I’m not a honey mustard fan, but I love onions, and the bite I tried was very good. The pretzel bun was delicious, though it didn’t quite hold up until Julie finished. The onion straws and bacon (which was cooked perfectly) gave a good crunch as well as a little sweet and saltiness. 

Our oldest got a kids burger, a single smash patty with American cheese. It came served with fries and carrots with a cup of ranch for dipping. It was the same quality burger we had enjoyed, just smaller, and he loved every bite. 

Kids meals also come with a free Cherry Coke float. The menu says it’s for those who clean their plate, and somehow our eight-year-old did just that so he could get his sweet treat at the end. 

Julie and I wished we had room for one of Burgatory’s signature shakes, but we settled for iced tea and water for our drinks and still left very full. 

Our total for the meal was around $70 plus tip. Burgers range in price from $15-$20 and kids meals are a reasonable $8 each. While it’s not the cheapest meal in the city, it’s easy to spend a lot more than that for a family of four. 

There are limited other entrees available including fried chicken and salads, plus a selection of appetizers like wings and mozzarella sticks. 

But if we get back to Burgatory again, we will be going back for the burgers – and maybe a shake next time.

Burgatory – North Shore
342 North Shore Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

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