Big Jim’s In The Run

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Field Note

Pittsburgh neighborhood “The Run,” sometimes referred to as Greenfield, is almost entirely physically separated from the core of the city thanks to a winding network of roads required to reach this area bordered by the Monongahela River, a towering nearby highway and a steep ravine wall. This pocket of the city hosts one of Pittsburgh’s great treasures, Big Jim’s In The Run, more a diner today than it is a true dive bar but a city institution across its many incarnations.

Founder Jim “Big Jim” Bochicchio opened what is now Big Jim’s In The Run in 1977, branching out with wife Joyce after successfully managing other restaurants in the city. Bochicchio’s parents, Vito & Migliorina were also part of the restaurant industry in Pittsburgh and Big Jim integrated his mother’s recipes for now-staples Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs and spaghetti sauce into the menu for the tucked-away spot that fortuitously came on the market down in The Run.

Bochicchio opened the restaurant on the first floor of the building and moved his family into the apartment on the second floor, making Big Jim’s In The Run very much a family-oriented business. The crowd in the early days was more of a shot & beer group unwinding from a shift spent at one of the local mills. The boxed-in nature of the neighborhood meant that Big Jim’s became a local hub, an easy gathering spot for generations of nearby residents. That commitment to community can be seen in the countless photos of local residents and youth sports teams across decades of support & sponsorship by the Pittsburgh dive bar.

The unofficial slogan of Big Jim’s In The Run is “Good food and drink since 1977,” a phrase that should probably be appended with the word ‘gigantic’ in some way. The portions here are enormous, no other item quite as show stopping in that regard as the calzone, a 45-minute wait time investment that yields a dish large enough to feature in the opening credits of The Filntstones. Other favorites like chicken parmesan are similarly gigantic, the menu rounded out with a handful of sandwich (the reuben is a favorite) and pizza options.

As the neighborhood evolved, so too did Big Jim’s In The Run, converting from a dive bar with food to more of a restaurant that happens to serve beer. Accordingly, the hours here run a bit earlier than they once did, Big Jim’s closing at 7 PM as a reflection of what is now mostly a food-first business. But make no mistake, the beer selection at Big Jim’s In The Run is strong, pitchers available for a select set of tap beers and countless bottled varieties available in the large cooler behind the bar.

The Big Jim’s structure has remained constant across the changes in clientele and opening hours, the most prominent feature the inlaid brickwork on the corner of the building’s exterior that spells out the name of the bar. Inside, little has changed, the floorplan comprised of two main rooms, one more a dining area and the other home to the Big Jim’s In The Run bar. Photos of Big Jim and the rest of his family can be found along a small ridge above the bar, the wood paneling here running floor to drop ceiling. Small knick knacks can be found atop the shelving used to hold the bar’s liquor options and of course, a Pittsburgh Steelers schedule can always be found nearby.

Big Jim sadly passed away in 1991, leaving the business to his nephew, Vito, long-time manager Blane Volovich and investor Gary Burdick. While the group considered changes to the space and to the business overall, the neighborhood vibe cultivated over so many decades won out and little has changed since the shift in ownership. That commitment to authenticity was rewarded with a visit by Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives in 2009.

Be warned that the crowd can be thick, especially on weekends, the tables packed in tight to serve as many locals as possible. The main Big Jim’s room manages to fit a classic dive bar counter and two rows of small tables & chairs into a snug space dotted with a few bits of neon beer signs. On this reviewer’s last visit, however, the service was fantastic, orders & checks collected efficiently despite the dense crowd. Less efficient was this reviewer exiting the building comfortably after a massive plate of chicken parmesan.