Pittsburgh newby's guide to strip clubs

Submitted by frailwords t3_ygd4ad in pittsburgh

- Spearmint Rhino - Don't go here - its $20 cover charge, its a tiny place with one stage (as far as I could discover), dancers seemed completely uninterested (ymmv). Didn't try VIP, probably too expensive as well. I went here on a Friday and it was completely dead.

- Cheerleaders - pretty good - dancers are best here - they do an amazing job. Downside - the seating arrangement is not great - the bar seating is too far away from the stage - at-least the main stage. VIP was not great - ymmv again. $20 cover, $125 VIP for 15 mins, super expensive (specially if you use. your card) and not worth it. Don't know what is the cost for a single dance tbh. This place is usually packed.

- Ricks Cabaret - $15 entry fee - friendly bartenders and all staff - have heard that the food is amazing here but I've always been here quite late. Dancers are super friendly, $30 for a song/dance. They have specials sometimes where you can do 3 songs for the price of 2. VIP is expensive again - $250 or more for 30 mins but probably worth it.

So, i'd recommend cheerleaders just for the amazing dancers and Rick's for. the friendliness and the small size of the place.

I am still to get to Tennyson Lodge, probably too afraid to go there given the reviews :)

I am pretty new to PGH and just exploring the city. Would love to hear some tips or places to explore.

PS: All these are on Friday nights, prices vary a lot on weekdays and timings.

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Comments

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Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer t1_iu847zg wrote

I want you to go to Controversy. I need to know how bad it is, but not bad enough to go.

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tzeriel t1_iu84ohp wrote

These are all mainstream/chain places. All worthless and too expensive, they’re the kind of place you’d go for a tame bachelor party. You need to get into the smaller, local, shadier places to get your money’s worth and have a half decent time.

I miss the old Neverclean Hotel.

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LostOldAccountTimmay t1_iu88n81 wrote

Don't be afraid of the Tenny. It's hilarious and amazing and serves the best steak in Pittsburgh

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lordjuicy t1_iu8dgyw wrote

Never go to erotica, got a whole pile of cash stolen from me by a stripper last time I was there, bouncer said “you weren’t quick enough bro” as if I should spring out of my seat and tackle her

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superm455ive t1_iu8gnca wrote

Replying to ShoppinInDa412 (#308,885)

It’s open, only Thursday-Sunday. While they didn’t open back up during Covid as soon as everywhere else, they’ve been open most of the time since then. I haven’t been since before Covid though, it seems to be even more urban than it was before.

Edit: LOL on the downvotes for “urban” being some racist trigger or something. Some of favorite dancers over the years have been black. Whenever I go to clubs (usually during the week) a very sizable percentage of the clientele is black and I have no problem with it. All of the clubs generally play 50-80% rap music unless the dancer specifically requests rock or something else. When I did used to go to Controversy there were times when I was the only white person there (not counting dancers or staff) and a had good times and never felt unsafe or unwelcome. The only color the dancers care about is green, and I can certainly respect that.

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MagAqua t1_iu8hwag wrote

Is true diamonds still open up? Now that’s a place where you can get bang for your buck

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superm455ive t1_iu8igps wrote

A couple corrections/clarifications…
Cover for Cheerleaders during the week is usually $7. This Thursday for the Halloween party it was $10. Single dances are $25, on Tuesdays they are 2 for $25 until midnight.
At Ricks, cover is usually $10 during the week. I’ve also paid $5 if I got there early, I think before 6. Dances are $35 each, not $30. The 3 dance “special” is $95 and it’s good anytime, not just sometimes.
I don’t understand how you can say $250 is worth it for 30 minutes at Ricks but $125 is not worth it for 15 minutes at Cheerleaders. FYI, 30 minutes at Cheerleaders is something odd like $236. Also the 15/30 minute rooms at Cheerleaders include a drink for you and the dancer, while at Ricks you have to pay for any drinks. When you get to the room at Ricks, the waitress is going to give a hard upsell to try to get you to buy a bottle of champagne or something else. They pressure some of the dancers to play along like they really want the champagne too.
IIRC, at Spearmint privates are 15 minute booth-$140, 30 minute room-$300, one hour room-$600. I don’t go there often, so I could definitely be wrong on those.

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DarkKnyt t1_iu8okae wrote

The hero we need...

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odog9797 t1_iu8rmk3 wrote

Haha new to the city but has 3 strip club recommendations. I can dig it

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ConsternationBias t1_iu8tmah wrote

OP doing a great public service. We owe him a debt of gratitude.

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hooch t1_iu8tvjy wrote

Replying to Lil_Phantoms_Lawyer (#308,563)

It’s actually not that bad of a place. Never too busy, seating layout is pretty decent, drinks aren’t insanely expensive. Everyone was super nice the couple of times that I went.

That was years ago so ymmv.

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Rocktroy33 t1_iu8u1y9 wrote

Has anyone been to Beemers? I'm curious to know about that place.

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HotDrink2601 t1_iu8uhww wrote

Is Crazy Horse in New Brighton still in business?

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GoodGravy412 t1_iu8vgut wrote

No mention of Food or Bathroom Cleanliness...

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frailwords OP t1_iu91h6e wrote

Replying to superm455ive (#310,551)

About the 15 min at Cheerleaders, I didn't really have a good time, maybe it'll be different on another day. These are just one off experiences, so definitely not a generalization. Thanks for your info for the non-weekend pices, I visited all these on Friday nights as thats when they have the most dancers usually.

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S4ltyInt3ractions t1_iu93l2p wrote

Replying to _rabbit-hole_ (#310,121)

Don't mean to victim blame but people who put cash in front of them seem to be challenging a confrontation. Like put money out and be like "I dare somebody to touch my stuff" so many fights begin this way you lucky a stripper took it...

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contiguous t1_iu94b4k wrote

Replying to pangaea1972 (#311,672)

Cricket has been closed for awhile sadly. No activity happening to the building. In February, there was an account posting on IG “Medusa’s Lair” implying they were taking over the space and hiring dancers but no further posts

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yakatuus t1_iu95s98 wrote

Replying to pangaea1972 (#311,672)

No. Covid killed it. There's a daycare next door and a massive residential complex across the street just went up. I assume those points did not help either.

Edit: The real estate right now is worth far more than Cricket ever could be. This strip is in an economic wave that can be seen hitting anything along the Centre/Baum corridor until it stops at the "We Fight Cancer" building..

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Jahya69 t1_iu96t1f wrote

You got problems if you go to strip clubs what an utter waste of time and what a stupid tease

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NonoYouHeardMeWrong t1_iu977d4 wrote

What about that Strip club where you do karaoke while dancers dance on the stage?

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chb66 t1_iu98ppq wrote

Replying to Jahya69 (#314,938)

Who are you to say someone has problems because they like going to a strip club? It’s entertainment, it’s no more frivolous than spending money on tickets to a concert or sporting event.

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blp9 t1_iu9a340 wrote

So any of you all ever been to either Bare Assets or Pleasure Ultra Show Lounge in North Braddock/ East Pittsburgh? https://imgur.com/a/LQnnX2O

We bought the then-abandoned building in 2019 and renovated it into not-a-strip-club. I will tell you that my lawyer insists on calling it a titty bar.

If anyone has photos (?) or stories, I would *love* to collect them.

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kschmit516 t1_iu9crhk wrote

Replying to tzeriel (#308,620)

I (38f) went to the Body Shop off 80 up by clarion, bc a friend worked there. It’s the only place I have been, and I feel like I would be disappointed in anywhere else bc the girls were the sweetest, and one of them always made me ramen to have while I waited to pick up my friend.

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subjiciendum t1_iu9f3ze wrote

Forgot Lucky’s, conveniently located between cheerleaders and Rick’s cabaret. Home of one of Pittsburgh’s finest cigarette vending machines, and only moderate risk of falling demolition debris from the adjoining building.

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knotnotme83 t1_iu9fq1w wrote

Replying to damp_goat (#315,284)

It's ok not to want to go. And it's ok to not Like places that force women to do things they don't want to....but to say people have problems etc is just rude.

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LostOldAccountTimmay t1_iu9hske wrote

Replying to RIPDickcream (#315,679)

It's such a down to earth place, juxtaposed with debauchery and gross bathrooms that you have to love it. And only partially ironically.

Also, I once saw them shoot a late- night (3-4am) music video there. It was a random weekend and when they were closing, we just said we wanted to stay and watch production, gave the bartender some cash, and they let us stay. Amazing in so many ways.... I wish I knew the artist or song so I could look it up on YouTube or whatever. Sadly, I only remember the event, and not the specifics. I'm not sure I've been back since, and this was probably 10 years ago, but still a very fond and ridiculous memory

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chb66 t1_iu9kbqm wrote

Replying to damp_goat (#315,284)

Who says you have to? I've only ever gone with my wife (and before her other girlfriends). I mean if you aren't interested that's cool, but that doesn't mean people who go are making some odd decision. It's fun!

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superm455ive t1_iu9mn5l wrote

Replying to frailwords (#313,929)

It’s really going to depend a lot more on the particular dancer more than club. At least as long as a club doesn’t have unusually restrictive rules. Both clubs have some of the sweetest girls, but they both also have their share of ROBs(Rip off bitches).

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superm455ive t1_iu9pola wrote

Replying to frailwords (#313,929)

FYI I’d recommend turning your post into reviews on TUSCL.net so you can get 30 days free VIP membership for each review. Make sure to add something to each review about the parking situation and club layout so the peer reviewers approve the review. The VIP will allow you to read all of the other reviews.

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superm455ive t1_iu9qcgm wrote

Replying to VacantLot412 (#313,338)

Albert put in the sports bar a couple years before he left. Most of the decorations around the club are still what his wife choose. Except for prices going up, in my opinion not a lot has changed from a customer’s perspective. Now that it’s a corporate club, any money the dancers and staff make off of credit cards is now reported on 1099s. That’s probably the biggest change that has affected them.

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BecGeoMom t1_iu9ro6f wrote

Are you joking? THIS is your post? You actually took the time to rate strip clubs in Pittsburgh and then post about strip clubs to help other losers find a place to go to get their rocks off? This is a real post? Seriously? You’re that guy? Single, right?

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aam726 t1_iu9veb9 wrote

Wow. Just....wow.

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rangoon03 t1_iu9vpk3 wrote

For your next review, check out Beemers in McKeesport!

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enraged_hbo_max_user t1_iu9vyqk wrote

Replying to superm455ive (#318,741)

Thanks to both you and u/VacantLot412.

Do they still get fully nude on stage? I remember being there once with some guys my company was a client of, they were from NYC and they were surprised the dancers on stage were fully nude. Which surprised me that THEY were surprised because I thought in NYC you could see/do anything you wanted lol

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superm455ive t1_iu9wiw9 wrote

Replying to enraged_hbo_max_user (#319,763)

Generally yes. I’m not sure they enforce it on the dancers as much as Albert did, but I’d say full nude is more the rule than the exception. Honestly I don’t really care one way or another, so perhaps I just don’t notice.

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superm455ive t1_iuae2ra wrote

Replying to Pencilveinyah (#322,060)

It’s always been a predominantly black club, and I’ve gone there in the past and had a good time. Perhaps after being up nearly 24 hours working my day job yesterday and driving Uber all night I didn’t find the best shorthand way to say from what I’ve heard it’s become more of a wannabe Atlanta style make it rain club. Fine, I’ll straight up say it’s more of a black club. But by that I mean the vibe is different, not so much ethnicity of the people there. In fact I know a few white dancers from other clubs who dance there 1 or 2 nights a week. Anyone who knows anything about strip clubs knows that being a “black club” had different connotations than just the makeup of the population.

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TheMrBR t1_iuahnc0 wrote

Is the beehive still open out on rt 22? I got cornered in the parking lot leaving a bar a couple months ago from a guy trying to promoter them.

Thought they had closed up and this seemed super sketchy.

When I did go there I will say it was “interesting” time. If you like a strip club where the ceiling is super low and the strippers basically roll around from person to person with no dancing go there Lol

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montani t1_iuatp7i wrote

What was the one down past the Baltimore house where you turn to go to south park? That one was hilariously awful

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CounterSensitive776 t1_iub4ixg wrote

Erotica is the One. $15 cover (last I checked), unlimited booze, plenty of girls. Tennyson isn't as bad as everyone says but it's very local.

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blp9 t1_iud84uk wrote

Replying to wseligsohn (#332,321)

Awesome! We're a boutique electronics manufacturer in the entertainment and architectural lighting markets. Basically, we build controllers that make things on Broadway happen and make pretty lights on the outside of buildings (top of Fifth Ave Place/Highmark Building, Homestead Grays Bridge, etc. etc.).

We turned the apartment upstairs into offices, and then have warehouse and manufacturing down on the first floor. We're actually quite literally manufacturing controls right where the stage used to be.

Mostly we just emptied the place out because we mostly just need open space -- it was like 5 dumpsters. I'm digging around and can't find the photos of the cleaned out space-- it's really a lovely building.

We do still have some carpet samples of that amazing mardi gras carpet that I still need to go take into a carpet shop and ask to see the strip club book, AND I get to claim "former strip club owner" as a title, so that's cool.

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OliverKlozoff1269 t1_iudanhf wrote

Wife and I have been to a few clubs around town and have found Erotica to be the best... $25 cover, but free drinks. Stage set up is good, can always get a spot. We never do private rooms so don't know about that.

Went to Tennyson for bareoke, that was pretty cool. Dj was really interactive. The club is really divey vibe. One of the best steaks I've ever had too!

We went to cheerleaders a while back to see "Octobooty" perform. She did a heck of a job. The stages are too far away though. Seems like more of a place to watch the game with some tiddys on the side

Stilettos in New Brighton is a dump. We've gone a few times hoping it was a fluke but there's hardly ever a girl on stage...sometimes, none to be seen at all. They allow smoking, so it reeks. $5 cover.

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