With it's fairly low-key exterior - at a glance not dissimilar to the other terraced houses it accompanies - it isn't hard to miss Buffalo sitting almost opposite the Central Bar on Windsor Place. A plush interior, with large, comfortable sofas and a well-stocked bar with a wide range of cocktails, Buffalo is a favourite of the more "arty" clientele of Cardiff. And it's not hard to see why.
On most nights there's a DJ downstairs playing anything from Techno, Drum and Bass, Hip-Hop or Rock depending on which night you attend. There is also an upstairs area with it's own bar which is mainly used for various events and themed nights. They have tailored their events schedule extremely well, with something for everyone and you can expect anything from live bands to video-games competitions to cinema nights throughout the week. If there's nothing on on your particularly night of choice though, there's always a selection of board games downstairs to keep you occupied!
Buffalo Bar has a large, partially covered beer garden, which is - when not jam-packed of course - an extremely chilled out place to relax, chat and enjoy the atmosphere. There are several large tables with bench seats and also a small standing area if, as is often the case on the busier nights, seating is hard to come by. Weather-permitting, for certain events during the year this is converted into one large dancefloor with DJs outside playing various styles of music. I, myself had one of the best New Year's Eves in recent memory here just last year.
One criticism regularly aimed at Buffalo would be the pricey drinks and slow service at the bar. Generally, between Sunday and Thursday I have never had problems with service but on the busier, more overcrowded nights it can take up to 20 minutes to get to the front of the queue. The bar is sometimes a little understaffed and a special warning if you order a cocktail as these too can take a little while! I've also found that the quality of the cocktail can vary depending on who is serving. Prices are indeed slightly higher with most drinks, as you can expect from a slightly more upmarket bar such as this one and a full night out here can be an expensive one. Personally though, I'd rather pay 20-30p more per pint and enjoy a great atmosphere than to save the money and skimp on the experience. They have a great cocktail menu, with many being 2 for 1. My wallet has been extremely grateful for this over the last few months. A recommendation of mine (unfortunately not included in the 2 for 1 deal) would be the Toasty Buffalo, which at £6.50 for a small glass isn't cheap but it certainly serves as the perfect last drink of the night. I have never found the bar staff here to be especially rude or ignorant if you strike up a conversation with them and most who work there seem pleasant enough on the whole.
To summarise then, Buffalo Bar is one of those increasingly rare venues in Cardiff which manages to offer a wide range of events, retain a certain level of chic and exclusivity and provide a chilled out, friendly atmosphere with one of the best beer gardens in the whole city. Despite all this though, it's main clientele is Buffalo's strongest point, with a friendly, more mature attitude prevalent over the binge drinking culture present in many of Cardiff's other bars. It's all relatively affordable too - as long as you can resist the lure of the cocktail menu that is...... read more