Old school vibe in Old Ward…read more The wings and drinks are awesome. I will go back for some other foods but place was packed on a mid afternoon week day. Now that is awesome!

We stopped by Adolf's to check out the wings, which have come highly recommended by several friends…read moreas well as online. I've been on somewhat of my own personal wing tour lately and I'm glad we tried Adolf's. We came on a Monday, which is their wing special night, 75 cent wings. We arrived a little before the 5:00 PM rush so we sat right at the bar, ordered and behold, the wings were in front of us in about 5 minutes! Service was very fast and friendly. We ordered hot, and the level of heat was exactly what hot is supposed to be. Saucy, but not swimming in excessive sauce. The wings were crispy outside and juicy inside, that elusive perfectly fried wing. We opted for the homemade blue cheese, and while I liked it, I found it didn't have a strong blue cheese flavor. But they do have two choices of blue cheese type. Carrots and celery were included, not always the case with wing night specials. I would call these elite level, top 10 in Buffalo wings, maybe even top 5. The only reason that I did not score 5 stars was that there we 7 drums and 3 flats - and I am a flat guy. This usually works out well because my wife likes the drums, but this time they definitely skewed in my wife's favor. If it were not the wing special night, I might have said something, but the wings were so good I did not want to register a complaint about the lack of flats. We also ordered the hand cut fries which were hot and excellent. We definitely plan to return.

Imagine great Irish food, unique drinks, and live music all in one place -- this is it. We chose it…read morebased on reviews, and they were absolutely spot‑on. We didn't reserve in advance (which I now highly recommend). The wait was about an hour, but we passed the time at the nearby Churchill with a pre‑drink, and they texted us when our table was ready. The Sunday night jazz band was fantastic. The staff is incredibly friendly, and they work together as a team to take care of you. Amber was our primary server - she was great. Service for both drinks and food was quick, and the cozy Irish pub atmosphere made it even better. Definitely try to reserve ahead on the website if you can. If not, just plan to relax at one of the nearby pubs until your table is ready.

Service was excellent from Mary Kate. Crowded on Tuesday night due to music trivia night. Ambiance…read morewas Nice - classic pub. Seating comfortable enough in the dining room. Parking in NOTL always a bit of a challenge especially if you don't want to pay! Wife enjoyed her 1+1 - 2 different fish filets with chips. I had the Irish Experience of three different meat pies. Each did have a unique taste. A filling and interesting dish. Murphy's stout on tap was Devine. Wife found her NA Moscow mule good but, given no alcohol, she felt the serving volume was low. Less than $100 CA all-in seemed reasonable for a fairly authentic Irish meal.

When it comes to the local Buffalo specialty of chicken wings, every local has a strong opinion as…read moreto where to find the best. I visit the city every year in the fall, and I am still trying all of the wing places that have been recommended. The latest on my list was Doc Sullivan's, a very, VERY local watering hole. This is the kind of place that makes you immediately remember that you are absolutely not from here, but in the best possible way. Doc's is a historic, no-frills neighborhood pub smack in the heart of South Buffalo's Irish Heritage district. The second we walked in as clearly obvious outsiders, the entire room of rough-and-tumble regulars seemed to pause their conversations, turn towards the door, and stare at us. Even the bartender (who also doubled as the host and our waiter) clocked us immediately with a cheerful, "Hey visitors!" It was hilarious and broke the awkwardness we were starting to feel. Everyone was incredibly nice and welcoming once the moment passed, but it was clear we stood out from the regular crowd. If you have an aversion to dive bars, this is not the place for you because Doc's is not fancy. It's well-worn and smells like Fabuloso cleaner mixed with stale cigarette smoke and old beer. I was surprised at how clean the place was, but it does have that dive bar smell and feel. I felt like I'd walked onto a movie set because this place screams Buffalo, and does so loudly and proudly. I'm not a fan of chicken wings, but my hubby is. Food-wise, he ordered a half dozen of the famous Smitty Wings at the suggestion of the bartender, which come coated in the house's unique spiced butter sauce along with a half dozen with hot sauce. He liked the Smitty wings fine, but preferred the classic hot Buffalo wings, which he said had legit heat and were "more than decent." Not his all-time favorite wings, but still tasty and meaty enough to earn his respect. I went with the buffalo chicken sandwich, which was massive. It was a fried chicken breast patty on a super soft, fresh roll with lettuce, tomato, and onions, tossed in a mild Buffalo sauce that had just enough heat for a timid spice girl like me. The quality was good, but not great, and it was basically the same chicken sandwich you can get at dozens of places around town (it was very similar to the same menu item at the Anchor Bar, for example). The fries were nothing special, and they tasted like regular old french fries you'd get at your local deli. They were freshly fried, hot and crispy, and we both appreciated that malt vinegar was already on the table. We had a good experience at Doc Sullivan's, but agreed that we would not go out of our way to eat here again. I wouldn't call it a must-do for foodies, but I'm still really glad we went. While the food wasn't all that memorable, it felt like a true local Buffalo experience that you don't get at polished, tourist-friendly spots. This is the place if you want to soak up local character and are seeking another stop on your buffalo wing eating tour.

I was really looking forward to this stop of our 8 stop tour. We got medium and beef on weck wings…read more. The neighborhood was one of the nicest of our whole trip. The restaurant was really cool .... But The wings tasted liked they fried in the same oil as fish and it was just of putting. I wish I could have gotten past that but it was in my mind as I was trying the wings. Hopefully it was just a fluke and everyone else has a great experience. We don't live close so the chance I trying them again will probably be rare.

I love griffins! They have the best wings, always crispy and flavorful and their prices are…read moreunmatched in this economy. I just get wings and fries and always tell others about it. I've had other things like mac and cheese(cant remember the flavor) but it was good. Staff are friendly. Its a typical bar as far as far as vibes and ambience, but one of my favorites and Im pretty sure the locals who lnow about it love it also.

Very Cool, old fashioned Irish Pub! Lots of seating at the extraordinarily long bar. Table seating…read morein other room. We went for an early bird fish fry and were very surprised by the bagpipe band! We were the only patrons in the room and that was a treat! We both got the fish my friend had the broiled which was done perfect and the beer batter was awesome too, not greased fresh cut fries, excellent lazy Pierogis and the Mac salad was slightly over onions but I like onion so it didn't matter too me I had the best Bloody Mary that I've had out in a very long time! I really think I would go there for one of those again.

Another Friday, another fish (&chips) fry. Banshee had a…read moreclassic Buffalo fish fry but I went for the Irish favorite fish & chips. They have both on their regular menu so you don't need to wait for Friday. The dish was fresh and delicious, the beer batter light and crunchy. The chips though are the highlight for me. I love their crispy flatness. The service was excellent even for a very busy St. Patrick's weekend early evening when Riverdance is playing just up the street. Keep in mind bar area can be raucous if there's sports on, but you can get a quiet table if you reserve in advance. But, sure have a pint of the dark stuff with your dinner.

We loved the atmosphere of this pub! Visited in the late afternoon in April 2026. Wasn't crowded,…read morefood was great (especially the fish & chips), beverage selection was fantastic. Friendly staff. If you're in Buffalo, this is a win.

The Mr and I were passing through Buffalo, on our way to Niagara Falls, at dinner time…read more After a search on YELP I landed on Blackthorn Restaurant. Obviously a neighborhood place, the Blackthorn offered a full bar, cool vibe, an extensive menu, and friendly service. The Mr. & I both opted for the Friday fish fry special. It came with a huge piece of haddock, choice of potato (I opted for the baked potato and the Mr. got a sweet potato), macaroni salad, cole slaw, and an assortment of rolls + regular and herbed butter. Everything was delicious but I couldn't finish it all - so the Mr. got extra. He didn't complain! Haha Since we were both so stuffed, we took cannolis to go. This was a great dining experience that I'd love to repeat someday!

Fish fry Friday! Stopped after a show for a late lunch/early dinner…read more Gave it 4 stars because the Cajun broiled fish was under seasoned and baked potatoes are not offered till after 4pm. My blue moon was served in a Genesee glass. The rest of the meal was good, the Mac salad & Cole slaw are homemade & our server was attentive. Being that it's December the holiday decorations were kind of minimal.

Love coming here, especially when Cassie is bartending! She is sweet, attentive, and always…read moreremembers me regardless of how long it's been since i've been in and she very kindly bought flowers for my friend's birthday. Raff's will always be a favorite spot.

Nice bar!!! Very affordable drinks and food!! Great company and bartender Mark is really cool!! For…read moresure will be back to hang out here.

This place is awesome! Old world charm in Old Ward with delicious food. Had their Rachel and cannot…read morewait to go back. It was an early afternoon lunch and drinks with an old friend and we loved it! Great beer selections too.

Gene McCarthys deserves a spot in the top 5 places to go for wings in buffalo…read more A small quiet neighborhood bar with a great service and a nice selection of beers and pub food. The apple pie cider was so dangerous, sweet and had that distinct fresh pie flavor to it. If this was summer... well I'm just glad it's not.... But the wings, the wings were the standout as always. Wings McCarthy, the bbq flavor with the bleu cheese crumbles... easily one of my absolute favorites. Always crispy, and a good size. Plus as an added bonus their bleu cheese is always chunky and fresh, so good it takes two-3cups per single order.

10 out of 5 stars. Wow…read more The owner took care of us personally (Patrick). This place is so amazing. We're here from California and this is the BEST food we had on our whole trip. With amazing personal service. This is a must visit.

This is exactly the kind of place I would eat lunch at everyday if I worked downtown. I walked in…read moreclose to when they opened and the owner was there to welcome me in. He was a really nice guy and told me what his best menu items were. I had heard good things about the steak sandwich and hadn't had one in a while. I opted to get that with some fries. The fries were the best fries I've had. They taste like the ones from McDonald's only better because they aren't doused in salt. The sandwich was perfect. The steak was cooked exactly like it should be and the flavor was incredible. The peppers and onions on top added even more flavor but didn't overpower it. I don't think I've eaten anything faster in recent memory. No take out boxes needed here. The meal is too good not to eat right then. The bar also had a great vibe to it. I'm a big fan of old school style bars and establishments like this. The traditional architecture and nostalgic feeling is perfect here. It's not modernized like every other new bar built in the last decade. It's got character, a great menu, and excellent service. I will definitely be back for more lunch specials and enjoy this spot downtown.

After a long drive to have brunch somewhere on Elmwood, just to find the doors locked, I ventured…read moreover here to have lunch and it did not disappoint! First off, I was greeted and found staff friendly and efficient! You have plenty of options for seating .. dining area, front bar, back bar, even an outdoor patio bar. Although it is dive bar-esque, it was nice and clean (let's be honest .. some dives have a stench and stickiness that can definitely ruin your appetite, no matter how much you may love them). They have a set up for bands to play, as one was playing while I was there for their 2 year anniversary (congrats!). What was nice is although I could hear the band (it was playing in the back and I was up front), it wasn't over whelming me. I have eaten places where, no matter where you sit, it's extremely loud, and I appreciated that you had a choice here. Now onto the food: The food should have been doomed to fail; my tastebuds were prepared to eat sweet, buttery, syrupy French toast with a mocktail at brunch elsewhere. But wasn't hyped about the menu because of this (which is not dog and pony's fault .. I had to work and didn't have time to research where else brunch was available). I settled on the umami smashburger by a suggestion of my waitress. Now once again, could have been doomed to fail as I'm not a French fry person and my favorite cheeseburger is one I make on my own. BUT WOW their food blew me away and made me forget all about my brunch let-down. The French fries were fantastic and had a great seasoning on them! The smashburger was great to the last bite .. and I was NOT expecting to finish it as it was a really nice portion (I ate lunch now 10 hours ago and didn't need to eat again it was so filling!) but it was so dang gone good I sure finished it! Smoked cheddar .. chimichuri aioli ... kimchi bacon jam .. oh ya that bacon jam was EVERYTHING!! Thank you to the staff at Dog and Pony for making my long drive worth while!

We came here for lunch because we seen so many great reviews but man, what a disappointment. The…read morebar area was nice, but the service and the food was not as everyone else described. I ordered the smash burger, my husband ordered the turkey sandwich. After we were waiting for our food for over 25 minutes, the server came over and said that he was just informed they don't have the turkey because they had an issue with that freezer. Ok, so my husband ordered the cheese steak because he was super excited for the bahn mi roll. My smash burger was alright, but the bread they use for their burgers remind me of those cheap buns you get from TOPS that just fall apart. The worst part was that they forgot the dog sauce on my burger, so I asked for the sauce, and THEY CHARGED ME FOR ASKING FOR SAUCE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO ALREADY BE ON THE BURGER I ORDERED. My husband made sure to tell me after we already left because he knew I would have fought it and our already 1.5 hour long lunch date would have been longer waiting for the refund... He ordered the cheesesteak and the sandwich was so small, and the "bahn mi bun" wasn't even toasted which is a signature for bahn mi bread. He said the flavor was fine but nothing to rave about. The worst part, for me, were the French fries that came with both of our meals. They were soooo heavily peppered that they were inedible. We asked for ketchup to try to make them tolerable, and they gave us a pre-portioned small cup of ketchup... You serve french fries with most of your menu, why isn't there ketchup on the table?!? Overall, It was a nice place to have on senrca street which used to only have the blackthorn and franchescas, but I would not eat here again.