This is the best place in Buffalo for beer. I've been going for a few months, and I finally decide to write a review. This place is fantastic. If you're a beer guy, the bartender has something for you. If you're a Budweiser guy, the bartender ha something for you. If you've had everything under the sun, THE BARTENDER HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU. Service is prompt, knowledgeable, and courteous. The draft selection is vast. The only food is pizza, but it's better than bar pizza has any right to be. But beer is king in any bar, and Crabapple's can't be beat. read more

Came here on a Saturday night and had a great time! Bartenders were friendly and great at keeping the drinks flowing. Never had to wait. Crowd was nice. No negativity whatsoever. Bouncer was nice and checked IDs. There's 3 pool tables and some dartboards. The music was a great mixture of genres. You never knew what would come on next. I look forward to coming by here again soon! read more

My husband and I stopped in here after hearing that they have mead on tap. We love Queen City Meadery in West Seneca, but it wasn't open this night. We were pleasantly surprised by the many beer, mead, and cider selections offered at Crabapples. Our bartender, Katie, was helpful and well versed on the different beer and mead choices. She offered us some slices of pizza as we were hungry as well as thirsty. This is definitely a dive bar, but a great one! read more

Crabapples - They have darts, pool, pinball, a fireplace, and a jukebox. - Dive Bars Near Me - Buffalo, New York

See all

Definitely a dive bar. The menu was sticky and not updated. Also they don't do flights?? Who has 100 beers on tap and doesn't do a flight ?? $8 each a bit steep on the beers. Bartender was attentive and service was good as she did let us "try " several options. Don't think I'd go again but if you're looking for a hole in the wall w some loud people on a monday @ 8pm here you go. read more

This place could be really great to "tourists" or people who aren't their regulars and it would take it to a whole other level. They have so many great bears/taps and we love spots like these but weird vibe as a bar for some reason... when we walked in everyone just stared at us and bartender didn't say hi so it felt like if you don't have a chair at the bar, it's kinda difficult to get another round or more service. read more

Very friendly bartender. Tried a SAMPLER, unfortunately all 5 were room temperature, not a good temperature for cider, beers. Different tastes, I can't stand NEW COUNTRY, lot of that. read more

My friend Reagan sent me a picture of the tap selection at this place. They have Allagash White. Immediate 5 stars

My first experience here was with an establishment that literally looked like a house. I'm thinking that this is going to be just another one of Buffalo's dive bars. You know the type, don't you? They have a local crowd only and serve maybe 4 types of beer, including 3 really bad taps (Bud, Coors, and Miller Lite). Walking up, I wasn't sure what to expect but I hoped it wasn't going to be this scenario. I entered from an on-center doorway, typical of any old establishment in Buffalo, turned a quick left and emerged into the dark, dimly lit bliss of neon signs, TV sets, a projector, dart boards, and illuminated pool tables. A quick glace to the right revealed a bar littered in taps from around the globe, stretching the length of the bar, representing styles I was completely intrigued by. I slid into the comfortable support of a full-backed bar chair, and was introduced to the girl behind the bar. Instantly, I felt right at home. A quick hello, a tab, and off I went. The night progressed from good conversation to fun sessions of darts and pool, back to full pints for a price you can not beat. If Crabapples were a women, I would surely have proposed this night. The atmosphere is that of a dive bar, old booths from the previous restaurant still line the walls, pool table lights are rigged up by sections of extension cord, pool cues are well used, and the change machine screams '80s arcade, yet these things, in and of themselves, are the charm. Crabapples is a pub based purely on its tap selection, while it mingles at being an atmospheric dive bar with more than enough places to rest your weary legs. The bar is always clean, tables wiped down, and empties picked up around the clock. The girls who run the bar by day are fun and welcoming. They will hold a conversation with you, while being extremely attentive to your empty glass. What they do not know about beer or drinks they make up for with enthusiasm. If you are coming here for the taps, while trying to show off your snobbish attitude, best wait for Pete who usually arrives between 11 pm. Pete is extremely approachable, while looking something like Vin Diesel's little brother. Pete is exactly the type of person you want running your lines. He cares about the product, how it is presented, and maintains a vast knowledge of his carefully chosen inventory. He runs specials, sometimes blowing out extremely good kegs in favor of putting on something new. He also brings in extremely rare allocations every Friday. On a price per ounce ratio, Pete has it dialed in and always makes you feel like you got your money's worth. Crabapples has space for 3 pool tables, 4 electric dart boards, 1 mega touch, 1 digital jukebox, and an arcade beer pong. Beer pong now stands in the former resting place of Chexx Bubble Hockey, something which was far more enjoyable and there is promise that it will make its return after pong has run its course. The pool tables cost $1. They are fully functional, while seated comfortably in their dive bar-like setting. Most of the cues are well used, and while fine for a pick-up game, they may not meet your needs if you are a professional shark. Crabapples features special event nights, which include weekly pool and dart tournaments. So you can play for fun or brag all week and then show off your stuff. The jukebox gives you 2 credits for $1, which is 1 song or 2 off the single credit list. For a bit more money it also plays videos on a couple of the TVs. Fridays and Saturdays can get fairly busy. If your style of drinking is calm and relaxing, then be sure to stop in during the week. Taps range in price from $5-7, so bring about $30 if you want to try a few gems and some games. There is plenty of parking on the side, in front, and to the left of Crabapples. They also have an over-flow lot across Beach street. Crabapples is conveniently located near the I-90 exits 49-52 and just west of where the 33 ends on Genesee Street. It is also a stones throw from Main Street in Williamsville. When I want to enjoy a good beer, I could head to any number of local spots or larger chains that now cater to "craft" beer. While they offer more than pizza by the slice, their 6% and higher ABV beers are often more expensive. I do not desire an establishment dictating my night or my chosen style of refreshment based on their corporate pricing policy. Crabapples is a home away from home, where I am treated with respect by strangers, staff, and locals alike. You'll either love it or leave it. Those that love it are welcome to hang. If your intentions are to talk smack while you give unwavering pretentious praise to other local establishments, then you are by all means welcome to leave. Grab a pint, challenge me to a game of pool, and then stay awhile to chat about the mysteries of the universe. All positive people are welcome at Crabapples. read more

See all

Great local bar with a lot of craft beer. The locals usually come often and everyone knows each other there. The bartender was extremely nice. read more

Crabapples is the best bar around. Brew master pete is the best. Highly recommend if you are a craft beer fanatic

TONS of craft beer to choose from and new beer selections on tap every few weeks. Dark and dreary inside but the bathrooms are clean! Pool, darts & beer pong game are always fun. They also have a juke box that you can select your own music from through an app on your smart phone... so that's fun! The bar tenders are always pro-active on your refills and will chill your shots if you ask them to. This is a corner bar "hole-in-the-wall" that does what it does best -- serve tasty craft beer. They have pizza for sale but otherwise no other food I'm aware of. read more

Crabapples - a view of a street at dusk - Dive Bars Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Stopped tonight would give zero stars if it was an option, total dive bar with a catch it has a ton of beers on draft which most I'm sure are old as sh^* because it's a nothing place. Only food around was pizza in a warming display and looked like those slices had been in for three days. I'm not one to blast a place but felt it was my responsibility to reduce this establishments credit on yelp tonight. read more

HOLY EFFING SHIZ, I LOVE THIS PLACE! No seriously this is the best hole in the wall ever on this earth. 50 hand selected craft beers on tap! BEST prices EVER! The bar owner was awesome, welcoming and a good time. They had beers i had never even heard of ever. 8 bucks for a flight of legit anything on the menu, unbelievable! Plenty of pool tables and dart boards. there are also some rules above the bar that are pretty entertaining. the crowed here is a bit more on the "rocker" side if you wanna say that, i was not excepting that considering the beers on tap. typically ages 21-35 i would say, not many older people, the music is all rock as well, or classic rock. I'm just so surprised that i had never heard of this place or knew of it before, if you like craft beers this is a hidden jem you will want to check out! Can not wait to come back and sample more! read more

Great bar for conversation and meeting new people! 50 beers on tap, plus cans and craft bottles. Domestic bottles also available. Bartender can make what you want or suggest something similar and delicious cocktail-wise. There are not the ornamentations that are available at other bars but the quality of the people and the selection here makes it a worthwhile. read more

The good: great beer selection on tap which was very surprising. The bad: its out in the middle of nowhere, its very dark and dank (which I sometimes enjoy) but, they also don't serve any kind of food. Again, I can deal with that but when your in the middle of nowhere that fact kinda sucks. I would go there again if I am not the person driving. I think it would do better in a way better location. read more

Friends and I went in, typical dive bar and atmosphere. We ordered up some beers, were impressed that they had some shaped glasses but noticed the glasses were not clean (really spotted, fingerprints). Worse than most dive bars I've been in. The bartender was nice enough. Group consensus was that the kegs must have been mixed up at the tap, the lines must've been dirty, or it was dated beer (they had beers on tap that were out of season and breweries have different shelf lives). None of the beers tasted right (even ones we've had before. When you advertise that you have a fall beer from last year (that's OK) and also the year before...you're not winning the educated beer snobs or brewers over. 2 years is 2 old. Nice owner, nice staff, they just have to do their diligence. I don't know what made the beer taste off (out of those factors) but if they get that taken care of, it's a 3 out of 5. There's too many multi-craft tap bars around now that are nice and clean. They have cheaper down alright though. read more

"You ain't thinking of getting rid of the dank, are you, Moe?" Yeah it's a dank. But I like danks. Drink specials, darts, pool tables, last time I was there bubble hockey. So yeah, I've never had a bad experience. read more

If you're a beer person, this is your place. They have a crazy amount of beers on tap! Too many options to pick from? Tell the bartender what kind of beer/flavors you prefer and he'll guide you in the right direction. They also have a mug club where you can buy a customized mug with your name and use it whenever you go in (they'll store it for you) to get a better deal. Crabapples is spacious with multiple pool tables and has a unique library feeling with the decor. I highly recommend checking this place out. read more

Go for the beer, stay for the awesome! I went here last week after hearing about this place for some time now. I was drawn to this place by the press its been getting lately about the beer list. What cracked me up is they had a plaque from Buffalo Spree something regarding the best place to get beer. If you read Buffalo Spree you're gonna hate this place. Its a dive bar that reminds me of the many college bars I've been at through the years, but with a BOATLOAD of really good beers on tap. They also have mixed drinks but they use that pour measurer so that just turned me off. In the back they have a bunch of games like darts, pool and Beer Pong......and last but not least a library. I hid a $1 in one of the books try to find it! Go ahead and check it out, I had a blast! read more

The location may be random and the bathrooms may be in desperate need of a renovation, but hey, it's a cool dive bar! While I'm not the biggest craft beer fan, I can admire their selection. I was impressed with the number of stouts and porters; where I live in San Diego most bars have 50 beers on tap and 49 are IPAs. The best aspect that will keep me coming here when I'm in Buff....is....the updated version of Little Shop of Treasures on Megatouch! I have not seen this version anywhere else...in Buffalo or San Diego! It's so fun! The bar also has pool, darts and plenty of parking!! It's def worth a stopping in for a few pints! read more

My first time at Crabapples, after hearing about the beer selection for some time. Crabapples is a dive bar, but they do have an pretty amazing craft beer selection and very reasonable (cheap) prices on their drafts. There was plenty to do, there, I saw 3 pool tables and 4 dart boards. They had 2 TV's at the bar so I sat and watched playoff hockey and had a few beers. Sara ,the bartender, was pleasant and attentive. I will be stopping back for good deals on good beers. read more

Yikes. Came in on a Thursday night around 10:00 PM. The girl behind the bar knew nothing about the beer selection. I asked about a Red and she says she doesn't know then offers me a taste of a Saison. I went for a go-to, Live. Additionally, she didn't even know how to properly pour a beer. I watched as my glass was plopped directly under the tap and just turned on to drop into the glass. No tilt or finesse, just head. About 4 1/2 inches of head generated on the initial pour and then she shuts off the tap and heads down to the other end of the bar to take another order. After a few minutes, the head has subsided and she continues the pour. Later, another girl appears to watch the first bartender attempt to deliver a beer with a giant head to a customer and she says "Too much head, only an inch". She giggles and says "We need shirts that say 'Our Bartenders Give Good Head'" Apparently, you meant something else... I'll overlook the dirty floors and outages on the taps but let's be honest... "No crap on tap" means nothing to me if you don't know what you got or don't even know how to pour it. I'll go somewhere else. read more

Had a blast at Crabapple- friendly patrons, brewmaster Pete dishing out sweet nectar of the gods, darts, pool, Sabres game, and you can hear yourself talk. My kind of place. A beer lovers paradise. Cider selection made me consider adding it to my adult beverage mix. All amazing. read more

See all

Not impressed, first off, let me say the door guy/ owner manager or who ever he is was rude. I expect some roudyness when I hang out at bars, but I don't expect employees to condone drug use right infront of the bar!!! (although I was told he was the owner) I complained to him about the drug use, and was told "if you don't like it leave!" So I did! I will never go back! I only had one glass of beer (very good beer) that's why it's getting one star instead of none! read more

dont go here its nothing but racist and rude people service was slow and the food was half cooked nothing but hicks thats slow in the brain they should close down at this point read more

This is an ok bar with an amazing selection of beer and cider. Cider collection can't be beat and the bar has some cool taps. The bar tender was very friendly and quick to serve us. This isn't really a classy place and the furniture could use some updating but not a bad place to go with friends. They have an electronic juke box that won't play your songs for a very long time if ever be warned. Parking lot could use some work as it was full of holes and puddles so choose your shoes well if headed there. read more

I just love this bar Pete is a great guy, just serving up some of the greatest beers. Great atmosphere and music.

Seriously, I really love this bar. It's a really good place for craft beers, even on a budget. Tonight they have Souther Tier Gemini, IPA, Live, Unearthly, 2xone, and Hop Sun for $3 PINTS. Prompt and attentive service. If you care more about beers/are a beer geek and are less concerned about "ambiance" and "atmosphere", this is the place for you. Come for the beer. read more

So many amazing beers on tap, both local and from abroad. Loved getting Pete's advice on which to try. I liked the Peach Wheat from a local brewer. Perfect place to hang out on a layover. Thanks! read more

Back woods, needs updated big time and landscaping. Dirty. Wood not want to be there after dark!

If you love beer and a no (low?) attitude "hole in the wall" bar where the only frills are the incredible selection of craft and European ales, lagers, bocks, lambics, saisons, wits, goses, ciders and more. Crabapple's draught selection puts all other beer-centric establishments to shame. They do of course have the average popular beer bottles too. There isn't a kitchen so the bar orders pies from the local pizza place. When they're gone you're outta luck if you're hungry. I don't want to end this review on a low note so I'll reiterate that this is more impressive than the Beer Markt found in large cities like Toronto (unless you need to eat). Just saying. read more

Great beer selection... Julia, bartender, perfect. Her shift was over and then came the idiots. Too bad the biggest idiot was the next bartender. Wearing pajamas she instantly complained about being at the bar and worst of all complained about the patrons that were not there. Crabbing about how the bar does not attract a decent crowd. My first time at this gem of a brew palace. I will turn like door knobs the next time I go and this dolt is behind the bar. Nice turtle pj's, dummy. She was wearing kids pj's expecting to see some kind respectable crowd. Someone that would tip her?Hey, it is the fact you have no patrons when in fact a patron has nothing to come for... Oh except the great beer selection!!! This chick (21 year old know it all) is ruining that place. She attracts the same fools. Get there before 9:00 and be happy... read more

Pete is the most knowledgeable and painstakingly articulate, when it comes to the finest artisan crafts in all the land. Best hole-in-the-wall bar you could ever hope to land that next special one night stand. You may not even ask what you were thinking, because the beer selection was that fucking enchanting. I'm not into the teeny bopper weekend crowd, but stop in after 11 on any other day, THE MAN won't ever steer you wrong. read more

If you are looking for a place to drink great beer in Buffalo where you will be greeted like an old friend and feel accepted as soon as you walk in the door this is the place for you. Some of the best beers consistently on tap with variety that ensures that even the biggest of snobs will be satisfied. Pricing is very reasonable with prompt friendly service. The bartenders are absolutely beautiful and are like a breath of fresh air in relief to the desolate wasteland of the outside world. Brewmaster Pete is a man of magnificence. He is a beer connoisseur that has knowledge that no mere mortal should posses. If you come in not knowing what kind of beer you like to drink be assured, you will upon leaving because of this man. Plenty of ways to have fun including a juke box, 3 pool tables, and 4 dart boards. There are enough mediocre things in life, beer should not be one of them. Come in and become part of the family. read more

Above average beer selection you have to choose by walking around the bar and interfere with patrons. Of the two barmaids that were there, one when asked what she thought of a particular beer said she didn't know and doesn't like beer. The other described beer as whether or not she liked or disliked it, but was quick to offer a free sample. All patrons in the bar, save four (which included myself and my husband) were drinking bottled Bud Light. Asked if they had food and was told they got a pizza in at 5pm, and more pizza arrives at midnight. So much wasted potential here, it's sad. read more