HISTORIC DEUTSCHTOWN — Northsiders looking to enjoy classic cocktails, New Mexican food or even some bar favorites might just find what they’re looking for at The Eastman, a new bar which has opened up at the former location of Fat Cat.
Co-owned by husband and wife Michael Schmidt and Jess Frandsen, The Eastman held its soft opening on April 16, preparing for a sort of trial by fire just ahead of the NFL Draft coming to the Northside.
Schmidt, who is a resident of the Northside, said the idea to open The Eastman came about from discussions between himself and Frandsen on how to invest in their community.
“Really, we wanted to see this location open,” he said. “We loved it back when it was Fat Cat.”
Located at 520 E. Ohio St., the building housed the short-lived but much-loved Fat Cat, the combination bar and music venue from July 2023 until its closure on March 20, 2024. Following that, the location hosted tacOcat, a pop-up by the New Mexican restaurant Taqueria Acosta.
Fans of tacOcat will be happy to know that Chris Acosta, owner of Taqueria Acosta, is serving as head chef at The Eastman, connecting the new bar to the location’s history.
“From a food perspective, we’re going to go back to a lot of the Taqueria Acosta favorites, really focusing on that New Mexican cuisine,” said Schmidt.
In addition, Schmidt intends to offer several traditional favorite bar meals on the menu as well, a decision driven by his background.
“Growing up in Western New York, things like chicken wings and pizza logs are something I’m really invested in,” he said.
“We want to be something for everybody without being nothing for nobody,” he added later.
Handling drinks as head bartender will be Patrick Cassidy, who formerly worked at Gi-Jin, a Japanese restaurant located on the South Side. Cassidy was trained in bartending in Boston, where he was taught a particular mindset when it comes to cocktails.
“We basically weren’t allowed to put any drinks on the menu unless it was better than a classic,” he said.
Classic drinks include daiquiris, gimlets, old fashioneds, Tom Collins and more. Cassidy hopes to, at least initially, focus on beverages such as these.
“Those drinks, for a while, will be the backbone for this,” he said. “I really want to train and hire bartenders, and eventually have them flex their creativity.”
Customers ordering cocktails from Cassidy might be surprised to find them different from what they expect. Schmidt said the kinds of daiquiris Cassidy makes are known as Hemingway Specials and, far from the frozen drinks one might typically expect from a daiquiri, consist simply of fresh juice, sugar and rum.
“To me, that sounds delicious,” Schmidt said. “It’s just so different than what most people think of when they think daiquiri.”
A selection of beers will also be available on tap for Eastman patrons. Schmidt hopes that the bar can be a place where “whoever comes in here, whatever their attire is, they’ll feel comfortable.”
One may ask where the name “The Eastman” came from. As it turns out, that happens to be one of the more unique aspects of the restaurant’s formation.
“Apparently, in the middle of the night, my brother-in-law woke up and had that idea as a name for the bar,” said Schmidt.
As plans for the opening drew closer, the owners kept coming back to “The Eastman” as a title. According to Schmidt, it held many positive aspects, including being a nod to East Ohio Street, being a name that “rolls off the tongue” easily, and because it’s a name that “sounds like a bar.”
While just newly opened, big plans are in place for The Eastman’s future.
“It’s no small secret we have the event space upstairs,” Schmidt said.
The space will not be an initial focus, but the owners hope to eventually do some kind of event in that area. When the location was Fat Cat, the upstairs was known as the bar’s popular music venue.
“It’s kind of a white space we can put our fingerprints on over time, without needing to rush into it, but not wanting it to sit vacant for too long,” Schmidt said.
The Eastman is located at 520 E. Ohio St. Exact hours for the business have not yet been determined, though Schmidt said he plans to be open Thursdays through Mondays. For more information or to learn opening times, visit theeastmanpgh.com or follow The Eastman Pittsburgh on Facebook.
