If he has never been there, how do you know their burgers are that much better than here? Are milkshakes really that big of a deciding factor?

woo-#@*(#ing-hoo. I hope you're merely being snide.

But they still have to live in Pittsburgh. So they lose, hands down.

How many people leave Pittsbugh for Baltimore? I can think of quite of few without even trying too hard.

Now, how many people leave Baltimore for Pittsburgh? And I mean for good, not just for college. I bet not many. I can't think of any, and I'm not sure if milkshakes will lead to any great reverse migration.

I basically came to say what RoCK said.

Why would anyone ever want to visit Pittsburgh?

Really not trying to be rude, Richard, but would you care to cover local food topics and let the Pittsburgh food media cover Pittsburgh restaurants?

I basically came to say what RoCK said.

Why would anyone ever want to visit Pittsburgh?

Really not trying to be rude, Richard, but would you care to cover local food topics and let the Pittsburgh food media cover Pittsburgh restaurants?

Hey, Pittsburgh is actually a very nice city to visit. (Emphasis on visit.)

Also, Burgatory may have a cute name, and its reviews may have been good so far, but its website definitely fails -- menu only downloadable as an 8-page PDF file, not readable on website; hours not posted on website or on that 8-page PDF menu; etc., etc.

RoCK, I know one person who left Pittsburgh to live here, and one who left Baltimore to live there, so my personal score is even. I think we need a bigger sample.

Burgers and shakes are for kids. Burgers and beer is what I am looking for and this afternoon I will have a perfect burger with onion rings (for $7.00) and a 60 minute IPA at the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg. Dogfish please come to Baltimore County (maybe where the closed Tony Roma's is in Owings Mills so I could walk there) then Pittsburgh would really be buried.

Nothing wrong with visiting Pittsburgh. I wouldn't want to do it too often, but it can be enjoyable if you go with the right attitude.

I will acknowledge one place where Pittsburgh has Baltimore beat. The fish sandwich at Wholeys in Pittsburgh is better than any I've had in Baltimore.

I have to stand up for the shakes at Abbeys Burger Bistro. They are fantatastic and spiked with actual liquor, so they appeal to both the kid and adult in everyone. Plus those of us who just never got into beer.

That said, I have some in-laws in the Pittsbugh area, so I may get a chance to try Burgatory. It is a great name.

I grew up in Pittsburgh. It's true that many people leave Pittsburgh and end up in Baltimore. Four of my immediate neighbors in Towson are from the Burgh! I've got a few high school classmates here, too. The reason is, plain and simple, jobs. Pittsburgh doesn't have very many of them. The hospitals have all consolidated into one mega-heath-care monstrosity. There are several colleges, but Baltimore has a lot more. And it's isolated; people who live here work in DC, Wilmington, Annapolis, etc. But Pittsburgh is not near anything, except Cleveland, and it's two hours away from there and Cleveland has the same problems, or worse.

I like Pittsburgh. It's a surprisingly beautiful city, with a lot going on, food-wise and culturally. Topography-wise, it's prettier than Baltimore. But I'd much rather live here, for many, many reasons. Baltimore is a far more interesting, accepting place with so many lively neighborhoods and much more diversity than Pgh. Better restaurants, more quirky neighborhoods, more accepting people.

I'll say nothing about the football teams. I am not a Steelers fan, and I don't watch the Ravens, either. Just not into football. But I do enjoy the Warhol Museum, next to the stadiums.

Next time I'm back, I'll check out the burger joint, which is in a strip mall over the Highland Park bridge. Everything in Pgh. involves crossing a bridge - yet another reason to prefer Baltimore and its easy-to-navigate beltway.