went with a group for a drink at 7pm BEFORE our pedal tour. Security screamed vulgarities at us and yelled "bye! You can get the F out!" When we asked what the problem was she said "we dont take pedal tour people here". We tried explaining we didn't even go on the pedal tour yet, however, she continued to curse at us. She yelled at us to "read the sign". There was a small sign saying "no pedal tour guests during or after pedal tours". Again, this was prior to us going on the pedal tour. After she dragged us out, she continued to curse at us. When we got to the sidewalk a female bartender came out swinging a bar rag yelling "bye bye bye!" After this incident, I learned of many similar incidents others have encountered at Ballyhoo. It's too bad that a place like this clearly doesn't value their customers or how they are treated. Save your money and skip this place, they'll probably scream at you too for something irrelevant. This place deserves to close after all the incidents that have taken place there. read more

We came here because we had heard lots of hype about the house made sausages. Well let's get one thing straight, all of the hype couldn't come close to the amazingness that this place has to offer. After a short walk up some stairs into what feels like a weird smaller building, you walk into a very welcoming and homey feeling atmosphere. But let's get to the good stuff. The sausages and seasonings are Hand Made!!! And Daily!!! The best sausages....probably even best food! I have ever had in my life, I'm 30 yrs old, eaten all around Buffalo and also ate a lot in the Navy as I travelled. What your seeing is the Short Round, and the TJ Dawg. Both were seriously mind blowing. Best sausages I've Ever Had Hands Down. I Could Not Recommend this place more! And the Pasta!!!! GET THE PASTA!!!!!! read more

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Food was amazing. Every single thing. The drinks were good and I liked the staff. The selection of food is limited but I feel like it helped them to perfect the offerings. read more

The food was absolutely delicious. If I went again, I don't even know what I would order because everything was so good. The drinks were super good too. Especially liked the pineapple cider. Super sweet and fruity. read more

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Finally got to go here and try a jam cocktail. Yummy! We also all got a sandwich. They have a very limited menu of sandwiches, links, but there was a vegetarian options which I got and it was good. Better than I expected. The service was good, we sat at the bar. Mac and cheese was awesome! They do have a patio, but we opted to stay inside. Walked there from Canalside. read more

Ballyhoo - Jam session! - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Two stars but BARELY. The wait staff HARASS the customers. Absolutely horrible experience. The cocktails and Mac and cheese were good hence some glimmer of light in this review. I've never felt so belittled by a restaurant the way they treated not only me but the tables next to us. I understand the need to enforce the COVID protocols, and we did, but the vocabulary used and tone of voice by the wait staff was absolutely rude and inconsiderate. I DO NOT recommend this place. Go somewhere where they treat you with respect and are thankful for your business. read more

Food was delicious drinks were even better and the links were absolutely amazing! A cute hidden gem I never knew about. Bartenders were great and we were served quickly. read more

Had an awesome time grabbing lunch at Ballyhoo. Love the setup too --- a few seats around the perimeter, two tables and bar seating. The simplicity in their menu is the saving grace; love the few, high quality choices of delicious links! I started with the Tequila Chili Soup which was very flavorful and hearty. Perfect for a dreary day with nice chunks of ground beef and a beautiful dollop of sour cream and parsley on top. For my link, I ordered the "TJ Dawg" with a pork sausage, house cured bacon and delicious avocado. Enjoyed the flavoring and seasoning of the dog -- the bacon was the definite highlight. I would have preferred fries or a side salad to be served with the links, rather than potato chips, so I hope they can give us that option in the near future. The bartender was super passionate about the new neighborhood pub. He emphasized 'never frozen,' and high quality ingredients of uncompromising quality. Definitely a contender for a nice lunch in the Cobblestone district. Great to see some cool places popping up in that 'hood! read more

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Food was good, but service was aggressive. We got take out and brought it home. When picking up take out we where yelled at that we went to the wrong door to enter. The security guard was extremely rude and was not being very professional in his setting. I told them we where picking up food and they ID me to get into to pick up my food. I didn't need to go in and would rather be handed my food. Seemed like it was a major inconvenience to them. read more

I'm not even vegetarian but this veggie dog got me like . It was juicy, crispy and covered in some kind of sauce and corn that was so good. Perfect for meat lovers or "I'm trying to eat good" people. A good amount of beer of tap and lots of good cocktails. The Mac and cheese is unreal and it's like 4 bucks to add to your link. I thought it was was awesome and super easy that when you take your food order you get a printed out card that you write your name on and check what you want off. Sometimes at restaurants it's like playing telephone and you hope your order comes out right. Well it's always right. Free parking in back, and a really nice patio over looking down town buffalo. And yes it smells like Cheerios because the Cheerios factory is across the way. Man I love my city. @momamads read more

Ballyhoo - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The sausage (short round n curry lamb) was legit, even the veggie but for a lover of toppings they didn't meet my topping needs. The mac n cheese was creamy and flavorful which is very appreciated, nuts to dry and/or oily versions. I am totally in favor of their "pour a good cause" drinks and the drinking for charity option. read more

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Great service and vibes. We went after a Sabres game. We enjoyed the steak sausage & German sausage. If you like Mac n cheese at all you must try theirs! read more

Nice atmosphere. Great music when we visited. This review is for cocktails only. I like to visit in wintertime for a hot toddy made with whiskey, honey, lemon, hot water and a cinnamon stick. The boyfriend got a jam session drink which is always good too. Mix some jam and soda water with whatever spirit you like and boom! a delicious little concoction! I find the drinks to be reasonably priced for this sort of establishment. I will definitely be back! I really need to make a point to get that ice cream cookie sandwich sometime and maybe some links! read more

This is a Place for Sausage Lovers everywhere can come and have an Ice Cold Beer and Bite down on some Homemade Sausage when they are not hanging out or kicking it at Canalside. I would only come here either for Lunch or for a Late Night Bite, making unique & adventurous blends of Sausage that are said to be a Bally-hoot. After Kayaking and paddling through the choppy waters down at Canalside I told Nathan to stop here for a Late Lunch. Walked up the stairs and into the Bar/Dining Area, very small place, no tables and about 14 Stools at the Bar, we sat down looked over them menu to decide what we want. They only have 6 different Sausages (at 9 Bucks a Piece), Short Round, Church Chicken, Curry Lamb Bam, TJ Dawg, Steak House & Reggie Veggie. Nathan got a Budweiser and I got the Otter Creek Couch Surfer Nitro to Drink, I took that first sip and the Taste was just like Guinness only smoother. Then Great minds did think alike as we both ordered the same Dish, The Curried Lamb Bam. Made from the Lamb Shank with Harissa (Tunisian Hot Sauce), Raita (Indian Yogurt Sauce) & Tabouli (Levantine Vegetarian Salad). This was one of the most Adventurous Sausages I've eaten, I took a bite and I get that heat instantly from the Harissa, the Raita helps to tone down some that Heat (although I'd prefer it on the top instead of on the Bottom it made the bun a bit Soggy), the Tabouli on top provided a Fresh Bite with light hints of Mint to help liven it up. The Chips weren't homemade (they were store bought tossed with Old Bay seasoning), they were still flavorful. But the Pickles were Homemade and I loved the Briny Flavor they had. Me & Nathan both enjoyed our Sausages and its rare for him to find something he likes. This is a Place for you to come for Lunch, get together with friends, slug down a few cold ones and watch the Game or even come for some Late Night Munchies. Hopefully this place goes on for a long time cuz Buffalo has found its Missing "Link" !!! read more

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Outstanding craft cocktails, for those times when a decent $4 highball just won't do. The bartenders are always friendly and will helpfully guide you towards something you will find delicious. There are quality food items available for omnis and vegetarians, but alas, no snacks for us vegans. House made sausages, and I hear the mac-n-cheese is to die for. I have had the homemade ice cream sandwich prior to becoming vegan, so I can attest to the fabulousness of that treat. (If there were a vegan option, I'd gladly rate one more star.) read more

Ballyhoo - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This evening I left very happy after the great meal that I had at the Ballyhoo. I ordered the Reggie Veggie sausage which was vegetarian and absolutely delicious with fresh ingredients. It was fantastic!!!! I ordered the Downeast Cider which is so difficult to find and one of the best ciders that I have found thus far. It was neat watching the bartenders craft the many unusual cocktails they serve. I ended by ordering the ice cream sandwich which was excellent and a very generous size. The staff was so friendly and I appreciated the free parking. I plan on returning to the Ballyhoo. Thank You!!!! read more

Bar is cool- bartender was awesome and a good chatter but not intrusive. He knew a lot and was super friendly. I had a raspberry cider that was good and the TJ Dawg Sausage- The sausage was not good- it had potential (maybe?) but it was super dry and just kind of gross. I definitely wouldn't order food there again but the drinks were good and it was a good place to hang out. They also have a parking lot- which makes a huge difference when you get old. read more

Ballyhoo is a pretty unique little place - their whole thing is being a simple no muss no fuss kind of place. Very small menu - only 6 or 7 types of sausage to choose from, and 4 available sides. All sausages automatically come with a side of chips and pickles. The majority of seating here is bar seating, either along the bar itself or along the long wall. There's three tables at the far end, but those are honestly just glorified bar seats as well. Have to be honest - I was ready to not like Ballyhoo. I wanted to come because I've seen so many amazing reviews here, and when we arrived I was confused. Staff is a little standoffish, giving that vibe that they're kind of annoyed to have to deal with you. You're meant to order at the bar and then find your seat somewhere. I got a diet coke which included probably a quarter cup of actual coke and then 7 ice cubes. The food seemed to be taking awhile - I was not thrilled. That food though! $9 sausage rolls, each option a different sort of theme. I got the Korean short rib sausage with pickled veggies and sambal. SO GOOD. I am not even a big sausage roll lover, but I could eat this sandwich every day. Generous portion and toppings, so tasty, and so filling. Really excellent quality. Simply put, I am not cool enough to go to Ballyhoo, I did not like being at Ballyhoo, but I would recommend it and go back because damn the food is good and the price is right. read more

Great spot, prefect location, amazing patio. I head to Buffalo a few times a year to visit friends. One of the go-to spots they always lead me to is Ballyhoo. First and foremost... GET THE ICE CREAM SANDWICH, its huge you'll need a buddy to share with. Service it always excellent. As far as the vibe of the place: it's craft cocktail class with a dash of dive, "hometown bar" feel with a great patio to hang out with your friends after a long bike ride. (The friends I come to visit organize and run Slow Roll Buffalo, I'm a part of Slow Roll Detroit) Overall, I always look forward to a pit stop at Ballyhoo when I'm in town. read more

Ballyhoo - THE BEST ice cream sandwich and a pretty alright IPL - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Can't say enough good things about this place. The drinks are absolutely amazing, and if you want something different, the bartenders are always willing to accommodate. Jam mixes are my fave. The veggie dog and Mac and cheese read more

Went on a Saturday night, parking lot isn't huge. Boy oh boy did they make up for it inside with the food and drink! Service was quick and attentive. The ambience was a bit divey but the cocktails were exquisite and the food was very artisan. For sausage and Mac and cheese I'd give this place a ten! The sausage was beyond fresh and the mac and cheese was light but with the perfect mount of cheesiness. Definitely a must go and hidden gem of downtown Buffalo! Rated 4/5 due to the bathroom being a bit divey but it's a Saturday so it's not a dealbreaker read more

Ballyhoo - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Always a favorite. Best Mac n cheese in the world. Cocktails are the best in Buffalo for a reasonable price, large variety, and helpful bartenders. Can't beat ending the night with a homemade ice cream sandwich. One of a kind! read more

Ballyhoo? Ballyme? Bally-yeah! First off, they serve drinks made with jam. That's DEFINITELY my jam! We jammed out quite a bit and all combos tried were tasty: bourbon and orange, bourbon and apricot, tequila and cherry, gin and cherry. Also had a hot toddy and a beer in our group and there were satisfied grins on all faces. During this visit...all drinks have been tastified since coming here and none disappoint. But the mac and cheese and sausages? YUM. YUM GIVE ME SOME. Can you seriously go wrong with house made sausages and Mac and cheese?!? read more

Ballyhoo - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Wonderful vibes. Nice array of cocktails for all tastes as well as an impressive beer list. The sausages. Incredible! I got the Short round Korean short rib. I never knew I'd love kimchi and sausage together until now. Went perfectly with a gazpacho (I know it seems weird but it works). My friend got the steak house and also enjoyed it. We finished them in five minutes. I'm not sure what the space is like at its peak, but it's a perfect quiet spot for lunch. read more

Ballyhoo - Penicillin Scotch, lemon, honey, ginger syrup and Islay scotch - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Ballyhoo is fun. Unique and common drinks. Reasonably priced. Chilled atmosphere. A little loud , but lively! Some nice outdoor seating, dog friendly. I loved the kimchi sausage and mac and cheese . Cant wait to have more ! read more

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My friends and I tried going here after finishing a pedal tour and they had a sign that said "no pedal tours." We weren't visiting during the pedal tour, just tying to go out after and they denied us entry. Our pedal tour ended at 8pm and we tried to visit around 9pm. I was looking forward to visiting this place and disappointed with how disrespectful the bouncer was to me and my group of friends. read more

Living in the Buffalo area, I've heard rumors of Ballyhoo's Jam Session drinks for a long time but i've never made it a point to go for one, until tonight. For those who are uninitiated, they are essentially the fruit preserve of your choice paired with your liquor of choice, combined with some magic from the bartender (which appeared to be some lemon juice and soda water). And what a delight they are. I paired raspberry preserves with gin and it was out. of. this. world. Like, not to throw it back to the mid-90s, but this particular combination was the bomb dot com. Yeah. I went there. The ambiance is laid back leaning towards trendy/hipster, but there was a mix of ages while I was there from what I would guess was early 20s to mid 60s, which says a lot when you can appeal to a wide group like that. There's bar seating, a couple tables, and seats around the perimeter of the bar area. It's definitely not built for a huge crowd, but that's fine. If you make your way down the stairs to get out, you'll find a patio with some additional seating. It's not huge and faces the parking lot, so maybe not the best ambiance, but the jam drinks make up for it. Their menu isn't huge, so don't go there expecting a huge menu but if you're looking for a quick bite, they appear to have a small selection of sausages and a couple of sides. Nothing extravagant, but enough to tide you over. The bartenders were friendly and provided quick service, making you want to come back for another go 'round, and I will definitely be back if for nothing else than another jam drink. read more

Ballyhoo - Gin + Raspberry - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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What a great place. We were at canal side when someone started to get hangry. I checked yelp quick to see what was around and this place caught my attention. From the street it's unremarkable, dwarfed by the casino next door. The inside contains a decent sized bar and modest seating along the wall. The menu is Small and succinct. We ordered 2 sausages and a side of pasta (3 cheese). Although the pasta took a while and came out when we were nearly done with our sausages, it was worth the wait. The sausages were flavorful and delicious. We ordered a Short round and a TJ Dawg, upon recommendation from the bartender. The short round was topped with very flavorful kimchi and the TJ was topped with a generous amount of guacamole and pico. I recommend both. The 3 cheese pasta was made to order and of course, delicious as well. I had a wisky sour, The bar tender really knows how to make a drink. It was awesome. This place is absolutely One of the best lunch spots I've encountered. Do yourself a favor and stop in read more

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The food is awesome, service not so much, I literally stood at the bar waiting for a drink while Thing 1 & thing 2 & bus boy discuss about the female Anatomy to great detail for 5 mins before I finally had to call one over for a drink I don't care much but seriously learn to multitask ffs. Drinks good but no tip or little tip, I'm salty read more

Great place- good food and nice people too. The lamb sausage and Mac and cheese are my favorite

This place is awesome...it has a great old school vibe,a few tables and a beautiful bar. Our friends brought us here after sailing for a bite to eat and some delicious drinks and we've been back a bunch of times. They have a small menu of great food. To order they have little cards you check off and take to the bar. The entrees are handmade sausages with amazing toppings. I've had them all, including their vegetarian version and they are all good. The side are a salad, slaw, soup and pasta that rotate. The apple slaw and mac and cheese are my favorites. As for drinks...they make true speciality cocktails. I love all their jam concoctions. If you don't know what you want just ask they will make you something amazing. And the best for last....go for the ice cream sandwiches...two huge chocolate chip cookies and vanilla icecream...sweet, salty chocolaty....they are the size of a small child and amazing. I always want my own but can never finish it! Seriously go check this place out...it's a great bar, staff is amazing and the vibes are great. read more

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I almost feel like I love this place too much to do it justice with a review. This is my #1 place for a first date, and I always recommend it to out-of-towners. I love the chill, semi-divey vibe, the amazing (yet affordable) craft cocktails, and the fantastic limited menu. The bartenders are fun to chat with, although sitting outside on the patio during the summer while the smell of freshly baked Cheerios wafts over from the General Mills plant is pretty great, too. The Korean Short Rib taco is out of this world - and if you really want to go over the top, order one of their massive ice cream sandwiches between chocolate chip cookies for dessert. For the full experience, hop over to Swannie House afterward for a nightcap! read more

Been meaning to go here forever and glad we finally got in there today. Perfect non-pretentious place to grab some fun drinks. Being that it is was Cinco de Mayo me and the hubby both went for tequila based drinks. He got the Mexican firing squad which at first sounded bizarre to me with chocolate and tequila but I was very presently surprised at how good it was! (That cherry garnish was literally the cherry on top of this great drink). I decided to do one of their jam creations. I went for grapefruit jam with tequila and it was prefect and refreshing on this nice buffalo spring day. We had walked around quite a bit at the waterfront before stopping here so as we sat I got a bit hungry. We decided to split a "link" and got the curry lamb bam. The sausage was really yummy but the tabouli wasn't very flavorful. The pickles that come on the side tho were soo flavorful and I ate all of them immediately! Really a great spot tucked away that's worth finding. read more

Ballyhoo - Curry lamb bam - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Every time I check in here I think to myself 'why have I only rated this place 4 stars?' After all, I tell people this is my favorite bar. I bring everyone from out of town here. The food tastes fabulous and always seems to taste even better than I remember. I would happily pay $10 for their $4 mac and cheese because it's just that good. I always tell the bartender to surprise me and I have never had a bad cocktail yet. So yes, here is me finally giving this place the 5 stars they have always had in my heart. read more

Great place for a casual meal. They have excellent beverages and a great choice and food fair. The best of course is there selection of hot dog meals. Several flavors to choose from, all of which are superlative. Service is casual and fun read more

Initially was hesitant about this place but was incredibly surprised at how good the food was. I purchased the short round Korean short rib and it was delicious. Not a spot to miss out on read more

Ballyhoo - Korean kimchi sandwich with some Mac and cheese - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Probably the best macncheese in buffalo! If you like sausage, you've gotta check this place out! It's a small bar, on the corner across from the casino downtown. In the summer the back patio is a great place to hangout with friends and have some drinks. They have a bunch of beers on tap and also make some cool cocktails. Every month they have a charity drink- where portions of the sale of the monthly drink go towards a specific Charity. So you can drink and feel good about it! As for food selection, there are only a few options but they're all delicious. My favorite is the short round, which is Korean short rib with Kim chi, Sambai and pickled vegetables. If you don't like sausage or macncheese, this place probably isn't for you because that's about all they have on their menu. read more

I have loved Ballyhoo since they first opened- I work nearby and have spent countless hours there for lunch, happy hour, and nights out, but after my most recent experience I may never return nor recommend this place to anyone moving forward - and I'd seriously question spending my money at any of this owners other establishments (Lucky Day and Graylynn). Perhaps the owners have focused their attention on their other restaurants and moved the once friendly and quality staff to those places, because Ballyhoo no longer seems to employ anyone fitting that description. This is the second time in the last two months that I was turned away at the door and told they would not serve us food or drinks, even though they were open and hardly at capacity (and no one in our group was too intoxicated to enter). That's fine, perhaps they were short staffed or had to close early (seems to be a common occurrence, so they should probably change their posted hours of operation). But the person working the door then proceeded to raise his voice nearly yelling at us and throw out slurs and insults at women in our group as we walked out. I actually stood there in shock - never in my life had I experienced such unprovoked malice from a business that is entirely reliant on customer service, his insults were so specific to one woman in our group that she actually cried. Looking through other Yelp reviews, this seems to be a somewhat common occurrence. I cannot fathom how Mr. and Ms. Stevens continue to keep people like this employed, is this really who you want representing your business?? This place seems to be two steps away from having some type of discriminatory "dress code" that has caused other businesses in Buffalo to practically be run out of business, they seem to be operating that way already just without the official notice being posted on the door. Yea their mac and cheese is good, but I prefer my noodles and cheese to be served without a side of hatred, misogyny, and bigotry. Apparently I'll have to visit other nearby spots for that - Swannie House, Southern Tier, Lockhouse, Cobblestone, The Draft Room, Hofbrauhaus, The Rose, to name a few. This place is in a very sad state from the once fun, friendly, and inclusive place it used to be. read more

Terrible. Discriminatory business practices. Will not come here ever again. There will be no way for them to redeem themselves, this place at minimum has lost a handful of customers today, and we won't plan on coming back for as long as this restaurant stands. read more

I would give this place negative stars if I could. We walked into this place after a Sabres game... it was a friend's birthday today so a special day. We walked up the stairs into the empty space, excited because I have been dying to check the place out for years, but also a little confused as to why it was so empty. We were greeted by a security guy who immediately told us to leave. He claimed that I was too intoxicated to be there (despite the fact that I'm writing this review right now). He said my eyes look like I was too intoxicated. Sorry, but there's nothing wrong with my eyes except that they are Asian and squinty. I'm going to be honest, I'm not 100% sober, but the fact that they turned us off due to the fact that they assumed that I was too "DRUNK", was insulting. I am obviously not intoxicated, considering I'm able to write this review right now. Perhaps I was being discriminated against... mind you - I do not EVER throw the race card, ever. I mean, my eyes??? Really? Geez. I will not return to this place, EVER, and nor should you. read more