We live in New York City so have never experienced this sort of racism. The lady who was the bartender was horrible to my husband and I. It starts off with us calling out to her she for our drinks which she ignored. Not only that, when my husband asked her to remove the ice she removed the whole drink. We decided to leave it at that, I thought I could speak to her kindly to change it. When I went there, she said "you made me remove the ice that's why this is like this, and I can't give people like you free shit" I was honestly just shocked and a little bit drunk from the place we went before so I couldn't process it, looking at my shocked face she goes "I can make you another drink but you'll have to pay for it" I say yes do that please. She shows me quantity mocking me, "this is what is used and the amount of quantity I'm not gonna do this again so I'm showing you" I still say thank you When she comes back with the new drink, i was about to take it and then go back to our seat where my husband is and get money to pay her, returning her my old drink, she goes "nah I'm not giving it to you until you pay it" since I'm tipsy I say please keep my drink too I'll give you the money, while I'm giving her back the drink she doesn't hold the glass and it tips off and falls and she makes a nasty face I say sorry and proceed to get the money from my husband. By then husband saw me at the waiting at the bar too long and was heading towards me to help me out. When he comes I tell him to give me money and he gives it to me, again at the bar we're trying to catch her attention, she comes back are you paying for the drink? I say yes with the 20$ in my hand reaching out to give it to her, and asked the drink you spilled I already paid for that, are you gonna give me that back? She proceeds to not give the new drink I say can I have my drink back, she screams I'm not serving you lady, get off! I was still calm and didn't say anything cuz I was tipsy, my husband right next to me while this happened. (He was confused as he didn't know what happened in the first half of the conversation as he wasn't there) We were absolutely shocked and ended up leaving, I ended up crying the whole night. Waited for the alcohol to wear off to understand what I've truly been through. Saw the timings of the bar so we could go and talk to the manager/owner about it, I called the number present in google, waited for someone to pick up, the cleaner picked up after I called multiple times, it opens at 3pm on Sunday we would've left Buffalo by then to start for home, so we went at 1pm to see if anyone was there, same cleaner. Left him our numbers, he said he will let his manager know but didn't help (as apparently he didn't know anything else, didn't even know the name of the tall female bartender, who was so ugly to me) Since then I've emailed, called, there has been no response. I'd not have posted this had there been any response since then. I've been affected by this humiliation horribly, my mental health got messed up cuz I'm still questioning as to how can someone behave like this with me, what did I do wrong, because surely the color of my skin cannot be the only reason you hate me, we were celebrating 6 months of our marriage, seeing Niagara Falls was so immensely beautiful, but this experience changed my whole perspective about human behavior, all I can say is Please donot spend your hard earned money there that is my only request. PS: I keep posting the review on Google but they keep removing it somehow I just posted it again. But they removed it. I'm gonna keep posting until it's there. read more

Came here for the dive bar vibe to watch the hockey game last night and it did not disappoint (unlike the Sabres). Always such a fun place to chill, or play a few bar games if you're into that. Ordered the Rhody sandwich which was fantastic. The two bartenders were very attentive and offered great service. Will totally be back for the cheeseburger quesadilla- I need to try it! read more

Essex St. Pub - Rhody Sandwich - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Great neighborhood pub just west of Richmond near five points. Really one of my fave bars in Buffalo

A- We came to Buffalo for a concert and just so happened to snag an air bnb right around the corner from Essex St. Pub. what a stroke of luck! we attended the pub twice in one day. the first was to grab two delicious beers before the show and play a game of pool. there was an old jukebox that we had lots of fun choosing songs from. then, after the concert, we returned to grab some late night food. i got a burger and E got a chicken sandwich. absolutely incredible. great atmosphere, food, and staff. 10/10 would absolutely come back again! E- The vibes during the day were immaculate for a couple of beers and a few games of pool. The old school jukebox really tied it all together for a proper 5 star dive experience. Kitchen didn't open until 5, so we came back for one of the best burgers i've had in awhile, and a smoked chicken sandwich. Highly recommend coming any time of the day. Goated read more

A great low-key dive bar that you wish was on the end of your street. I sat down to eat for the first time on Friday and was shocked at how good the food was. Our waitress was kind and attentive. She mentioned that the menu is getting revamped. I didn't expect this place to have so much BBQ flair. The burger I had was outstanding. I forget the name but it came on a fresh seeded roll, topped with chips, bacon, mac n cheese and BBQ sauce. HELL YEAH! Even the beef patti was shockingly tender and tasty. I also ordered the wings. They're a lot meatier than your average "Buffalo wing". They're more like the style of wing you'd get at a standard BBQ restraunt. They weren't my style. I found the chicken tough to eat. But the BBQ sauce they were smothered in was truly finger licking good. Nice time you're here for a beer get a BBQ burger too! read more

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Always a good meal and great atmosphere. Highly recommend anyone looking for local Flavor read more

Something you should know about Essex is that it's infamous in England, partly for its "Essex Girls." You can maybe consider them to be a cross between "Vegas Girls" and "Jersey Girls", if you need some sort of comparison. If Essex St. Pub was full of Essex Girls then I think it would be even more popular than it is... let's leave it at that. What is great about this place, other than the fact that the word "sex" is part of the name, is that it's open super late, and its food menu is super original. I tried this place at the behest of Brian. Actually I am not sure why behest is being used in this context because it wasn't really at his specific or particular behest, but he and several others in the area that I like and respect have tried it, and loved it. And as they say, you have to try it to love it. In fact they have all become regulars... some of them live right round the corner, in fact. So this place has been championed by quite a few over the preceding months. I stopped in and asked them which burger I should get... grilled (Brian's fave) or smoked (house special). They recommended the latter, so I tried it. It was a little under $10. Bad or good? Let's start with the good. 1) It's a really cool place. It's the kind of place you'd want to hang out in for sure. Some of you. 2) The smoky taste of the burger is excellent. I really enjoyed the taste and it made quite a difference from the typical burger that I've been used to lately. 3) The chips that came with the burger tasted almost homemade and quite good, yet were crinkle cut. Now for the bad. 1) The burger was a bit dry. The meat had a great flavour but could have been much juicier to rock my world. 2) The burger was covered in condiments, which I am fine with, but all of them tasted like sugar. Very nutrisweet. So it was like eating a sugary smoky burger. 3) I think the bun was slightly stale (sorry) and this part really annoys me because I don't do stale, at all, ever. I ripped the stale-est parts off and stuck to the rest. 4) They said 15 mins, I arrived in under 13, and the food was already boxed up and lukewarm... that's just a personal pet peeve of mine since I like my food piping hot. 5) It's not a huge portion. If you think you'll get filled up for $10 on this burger, you probably won't. If I was starving I could have easily eaten two of them. And thus completes the task. I think it would get a higher rating if not for the sweet taste and the stale bun. I can deal with the different, dry style and the lukewarm-ness (because I can just not call ahead next time). Anyway this is a VERY different burger to whatever you're used to, it'll definitely slot right into my top 20 in the region... maybe top 15... if you'd like to try a smoked burger check it out. Next time I'm around I'll try some of their other offerings possibly. If this were the E-Sex Street Pub, then it would be focused on people that meet on the internet, decide to do the wild thing, then pick a street, and meet there, and then, um, do it. Which sounds like, well, basically, any bar, ever. But in this case it's a bar that has no fryer and makes all of its awesome meats by smoking or grilling them. So no E-Sex. Unfortunately. read more

Essex St. Pub - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I've been here a couple of times recently and I feel like it's a hidden gem. This is a small neighborhood bar offering cheap drinks and a cozy area to sit with friends and wind down from a long day of work. Due to the small size of the bar, it's not overly loud here, which is a rarity for bars in this area. They also offer some outdoor seating so that on a nice night you and your friends can enjoy the beautiful Buffalo summers. I haven't tried the food yet but I've been assured it's great. I gave them a 4 to begin with and would gladly move it up to a 5 if the food lives up to its billing. read more

Essex St. Pub - When the PBR happy hour deal is about to end. - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

So ... Lunch time and so many options but so little time. There's nothing that says classic Buffalo more than a corner Tavern ... Bar ... or Pub so today my choice was this corner pub for my noontime visit. Ok, first ... Boss, no matter how much stress I do not do liquid lunches although this dark cold pub has the feeling that there must be someone who has slipped from the bar stool because it is so dark AND cold inside. At least there's rock n'roll in the background because a corner beer joint in Buffalo would not be worth it's bison without rock. It's noon ... I am alone ... It's dark and cold ... I ask when does the pub start to get energy (including heat ... At least from body heat) and I am told after four. My bad luck ... Can't stay until the cool pool table has players around it or the darts start flying. The menu is short with a BBQ feel to it ... Strongly debated the chili but went sloppy joe because it has their bbq Mac and cheese on the sandwich. Decided to go with the corn bread side after getting "eh" reaction from the bar tender; she seemed to feel good about the corn bread. So, I sat at the bar with my water/lemon and I sat. Did I mention dark and ... I guess I did but I felt cold. Time was ticking ... A man rushes in with what looks like a "take out" bag and heads into the kitchen. Surprisingly my lunch appears in front of me minutes later (I would be bizarre coincidence but did I mention no one else was there?). The sandwich looked good and messy (Sloppy Joes are meant to be messy.) plus the decent sized piece of corn bread looked good. The corn bread was good, warm and moist (good choice) but my sandwich rather pedestrian. There was a very slight BBQ twang to the sauce but the few pieces of BBQ Mac and Cheese had me wondering whether it is a classic dish by itself because it added nothing to my sandwich. As I walked out the door onto a wintry Rhode Island Street I saw the light of the day with my eyes adjusting from the darkness ... The signage says award winner so I am guessing things heat up at the Essex as the sun goes down. I just picked the wrong time of day to check it out as the song once filled the AM airwaves "All by myself" read more

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Small, but nice little bar. Drink specials are very good. Can't speak to all the food offerings, but the things I've had were all good. I go for a nice time with friends and a post-work drink. Nice outdoor seating read more

Tuesday night, after dinner at Kunis, we walked down to Essex pub. When we got there around 8:30pm, there were only about 8 patrons inside and a couple of people sitting outside. One of the things I noticed upon walking-in was the air temperature. I don't think there was A/C inside the establishment, or otherwise it was set on LOW so I suggested we sit outside for some breeze. I believe drinks were about $4-5/each, so not bad at all for prices. I didn't see a menu, so I can't comment on food or whether food is available. At around 10pm, the karaoke started and that was pretty entertaining!! Also there is a pool table and other games, such as darts for fun. Overall, a pretty good experience. I'd say one area of improvement would just be their lack of A/C, so they get 4 stars out of 5. read more

Essex St. Pub - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This place is great for cheap drinks and a nice place to relax and play pool. It's small and has pretty decent late night food, I really like the Reuben. Unfortunately the chicken wings are not very good at all. One time i tried a quesadilla and the manager at the time charged me extra for a side of salsa which should obviously come with a quesadilla. It should be common sense that people don't eat a quesadilla most of the time completely dry? I know many of the other pool players and all of the workers. Everyone is really friendly it's a fun place where fights never start and it is drama free. Good place to check out if you have not ever been there before. read more

As much of a dive bar as you're going to ever experience. Pool tables, limited seating, and the occasional weird stenches. All-in-all, this has become a favorite place of mine to grab a solid cheap drink. The place is always packed no matter what day it is and you'll even see people there until 4:00AM (don't ask how I know). With that being said, it would be nice if they had two bartenders working but I understand the bar itself doesn't really warrant two people behind their at a time and I understand. Wishful thinking. They do seem to have a pretty popular midnight snack menu that people seem to rave about. I've yet to have it because I try and be as frugal as possible considering my place is just a short walk from it but if I'm ever starving and simply don't feel like making anything, I know where to go. Again, what makes them so great is they're very cost efficient. If I'm not mistaking, you can get a pitcher of PBR ( I know, I know) for $6 before 10pm. The drafts are usually $5 and even the well drinks. read more

A fine lunch we had at the Essex St. Pub. They make their own pastrami and have a big ol' smoker. The three of us enjoyed house chef salad, pastrami salad, chili nachos, wings, grilled burger, and a bowl of chili. All very enjoyable. If you want to know the best wing places and haven't tried the Essex' saucy, smoky wings, you're missing the boat. Very meaty, great taste. The food is good, portions are large, and service is great. Says it all. Oh, and not crowded at lunch time, perhaps because it is a neighborhood spot and off the beaten path. read more

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Quiet little bar sort of tucked away. Great patio, good food, friendly bar tender. Would definitely recommend. read more

Essex St. Pub - Excellent chesse and beef quesadilla! - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This place has really slipped in the last couple of years. What used to be a source for some of the best bar food in town has left me deciding to probably never go back, which sucks because it's a neighborhood place. What made me decide to write this is the food. I remember when virtually everyone who frequented this place ate there. Packed, with sometimes 2 or 3 waitresses running about. Now? The last few times I've been there I was the only one eating. Should be a clue, right? The problem is, they don't seem to care about food anymore. The menu is a fraction of what it was... the quality is terrible and each and every time I go the prices are higher than the time before. Add to this the routine of the bartender reading off the list of what they are out of... really? It was before 6pm and you are out of a half dozen things? Somebody just doesn't care anymore... and now neither do I..... read more

Essex is a highly serviceable pub in the newly gentrifying Five Points area. It's on the small side with an outdoor patio area, so it's never likely to be too rowdy. It's got bar essentials like pool and darts, a solid-if-unspectacular regular and late night food menu, excellent happy hour specials, cheap well drinks all the time, and personable bar and wait staff. It's cozy and low-key and mostly inexpensive. I like to catch it on the way into or out of Elmwood as a quick stop in. Beer selection is decent, liquor selection on the smallish side. read more

This bar is a geographical oddity: whether you live on the Westside, on Elmwood or in Allentown, it's magically "just around the corner" from it all, tucked away on Rhode Island in a residential 'hood with plenty of parking. Inside, the crowd and the vibe is a similarly mixed bag. You've got grungesters from god knows where nursing a beer in the corner or bogarting the pool tables. You've got ladies on the lam from the Elmwood party scene, dressed to the nines drinking vodka and cran. And you've got hipsters who biked through the snow from Allentown to split pitchers of Rolling Rock. Me? I'm not sure where I fit in there, but the great thing is, that's not something I have to worry about at Essex. Personally, I like hang my coat on the wall, take over the back table on the right (it has a radiator underneath!), sip on a cold glass of Great Lakes' Edmund Fitzgerald, and listen whatever good jam's on the juke. But you can do whatever you like. No judgement here! read more

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If ordering food to go, you will have enough time to drink two beers at the bar. Or you can call ahead but, I recommend going in to check out the specials board in the back. Worth it! I have been working my way down the specialty burger board in the back. I haven't met one that I do not like. I will say my order often gets a little screwed up but, not enough to deter me or piss me off too badly. I like that they do not have a fryer, because the whole place smells fresh and clean and of smoked meat products. I love the PLT (house smoked pastrami!) I tend to add it onto anything I order, why not? Just passing by their parking lot can be a dangerous endeavor. I dare you to not stop i after you catch a whiff. A neighborhood staple on the up. New menu has some winners! The hickory chicken burrito is delicious! read more

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I'd heard a lot of good things about the new menu at Essex Street, and was not disappointed with the selections of tasty food--featuring a lot of lunch choices for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. The venue still has the divy, neighborhood vibe that has made it a staple of West Side life for decades, but it's a bit cleaned up to befit its reincarnation as more than a gin joint (although it certainly still seems perfectly suitable to your gin joint needs). Kitschy artwork, dark wood, a pool table, and an honest-to-god dart board help set the stage. You can tuck into a small room at the back, sit at a front window ledge and watch the world roll by, or venture outside onto the patio. It all feels warm, inviting, and intimate. The quality of our meal was good, but not AMAZING. The bread on my reuben was on the verge of being burned, and my husband's sandwich was pretty lacking on the meat--barely enough to cover the bread. (I hate to bring pricing into it, but I have to say we also felt it was a little out of whack with the quality/portions; this could be different with the dinner menu, as I've seen other reviewers raving about dishes that were not on the menu we received.) Long story short, we liked it--and liked it enough to give it another try, this time probably for dinner. read more

Essex St. Pub - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

As far as beer and eateries go, this place is A-OK! I don't ever make it my destination, but I don't mind if my friends choose it. They have vegetarian/vegan options that range - sadly, they changed the recipe a little for the Vegan Club, so it's not as appetizing to me anymore. But, they have options that aren't just fried food - so that's amazing for Buffalo standards. Staff is great! They are attentive and good at dealing with the crowd, especially when it gets a little busy. The karaoke nights are pretty fun, but I haven't been to one in awhile. Still, a good place to get drunk and blast your favorite tunes. If that's not an appealing part of a place, I don't know what is. read more

What a great atmosphere and cool crowd. The food is of the charts!!! You can not go wrong at this pub. What a great joint

So much fun. Came here the night before Thanksgiving in 2019. At the time had only been in Buffalo NY for Two weeks, I relocated from Atlanta GA. The bar staff and the wait staff were all awesome, they did excellent getting in orders and multitasking due to the high volume of people, as it was the busiest bar day of the year. Buffalo is a very easy place to find friends and these friends find great places. Looking forward after. Covid to come back. read more

First time ever going to Essex, it was a great time. Very relaxed atmosphere, love the bar area and the pool table! I ordered the A. Dogg burger that had mac and cheese, bacon and potato chips on it, which was really good (get it smoked)! Beers were a great price during happy hour especially, can't go wrong with pbr pitchers haha. Overall great place! read more

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Small bar. Decent bar food. Great beer selection. Pool table. Darts. And karaoke on Tuesdays! Never any complaints with the bartenders. Bouncers are nice and keep people in check aka they do their job. Perfect bar for when you want to avoid Allentown or Chippewa. Laid back environment, solid crowd, and good music. There's bar seating and table seating which is great for drinking with groups and eating. Great corner street pub! read more

Drinking on Tuesday It was karaoke night Don't stop believin' Some ghosts from the past I remember Jack Drummer Asleep in corner read more

I like to grab drinks here on occasion (quieter than other places, but never dead) and the drinks are fine. Pretty good selection of beer at reasonable prices, most being at the $5 dollar mark. However, when the munchies hit, I recommend moving elsewhere. 2 times I've gotten food from here, both disappointing. First, a rather pricy tray of soggy uninspiring nachos, which I didn't even finish (I'll eat most anything). Then last night I had the worst BBQ wings I've ever tasted. Sauce was bland, and not only were the wings not crispy, they had a consistency akin to a boiled hot dog. In summary; good place to grab drinks on a weeknight, but skip the food, there's too many great eateries in this neighborhood to waste your valuable appetite here. read more

I have been to Essex a few times albeit this is my first visit as a vegan. There are a couple vegan options on the menu: vegan BLT (with fried tofu, house smoked coconut bacon and chipotle mayo) and spaghetti squash BBQ sandwich (option of traditional coleslaw or Hawaiian). I chose the the vegan BLT. The sandwich was good. The tofu could have been made crispier though I did enjoy the depth of flavor of the smoked coconut bacon. The meal came with 1 side. I chose the potatoes which consisted of 3-4 small pieces; the portion of the potato could have been a tad larger. Overall, the meal was enjoyable and I will return to try the BBQ spaghetti squash sammie. read more

Only the best at Essex Street Pub! I had the house smoked pastrami on marble rye. It's as good as it gets. Especially with multiple homemade hot sauces. Clean, friendly, reasonable prices and great food. Oh, and great selection of beer too. Check out this gem! read more

Essex St. Pub - House smoked pastrami on marble rye with awesome mac and cheese. The medley of homemade hot sauces rock! Great stuff! - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

***Well, the business got VERY VERY ANGRY with me (check their Facebook page) so I've decided to bring down the tone on why I don't like it.*** This is a dive bar, yes, but not as crap-holey as you will find elsewhere in the city. It does not smell like vomit. But oh! They have karaoke! Yes they do! One guy actually made some very passable attempts at some country songs. I was pretty impressed. Cheap beer. Listen. Suppose you go to a place and 50% of the time the bartenders can't give you back correct change for your $20. Wouldn't you feel something is wrong? Wouldn't that color your opinion of the place? And then, what if, instead of an apology, you get your picture posted on their Facebook timeline, with instructions for their fans to "slap" you? Let's get some things straight, Essex. Unlike some Yelpers, I'm not the guy who won't put my face and name to a place when I torch it. I don't feel threatened. Secondly, who is the asshole? The person who points out a lack of professionalism in the bar staff, albeit in a not so kind way, or the place that responds by issuing threats? What kind of people own this joint? Keep my picture up, I don't care. This place sucks and so do the people running it. read more

I've been to Essex Street pub for beers a few times before. I honestly don't get the appeal of the bar itself, honestly. It's cramped, and they don't have a lot of beer on tap. Thus, I never really come here. That was until I learned about their excellent food! My fiance and I decided to do some takeout one night after work. Everything on the menu sounded so good! We ordered the Smoked Bourbon Surfer BBQ wings, the Hickory Smoked BBQ Chicken Burrito, and the Essex Brisket Burrito. The wings were amazing! $7 for 6 delicious wings, smoked, juicy, and flavorful. I really loved my burrito (Hickory Smoked Chicken BBQ Burrito). I thought it was delicious, and smoked chicken was very good. My fiance was a little disappointed with his brisket burrito, though, saying that he thought it lacked flavor. I can honestly say that we will order again, however. I really want to try the smoked burger next time, since everyone says they are amazin! The menu is large and everything sounds delicious! They use their smoke system for most of their menu, which helps deliver great flavor. You would not expect a tiny hipster dive bar like this to have such great food, but you will surely be surprised. read more

I've been a patron of the Essex for 7-8 years. I admit everyone there knows my name. Just call me Norm. I've watched it change from a corner bar with a "divey" vibe to a pub with a solid menu. There was a time when being hungry at the Essex meant asking for the delivery menus. Now you just ask for their menu. The owner Macky is a smoker perfectionist. I remember devouring his brisket and such at local charity events and gatherings of friends long before the Essex served food. For me this is one of the charms of the Essex. My local watering hole now serves the food I've known and loved for years. At the same time, if I stopped there my review would be incomplete. Setting all of that aside I'll give you my opinion of the Essex as objectively as possible. The staff at the Essex is really solid. Everyone is friendly and they get your order right. The food is tasty and my wife has quickly become a fan of the smoked burger bringing many friends with her. We pick up from them regularly. For the record the smoked burger is a consistently medium burger (sorry that's your only choice) that you will devour. Having said that, I prefer the BBQ ribs or the grill burger (RARE!) personally. Wet wipes are thoughtfully provided. One thing I like about the Essex is the vegetarian menu options. I typically go for something with meat, but the owner took time to customize his menu to the regulars and that meant a strong vegetarian offering. Smoked spaghetti squash anyone? I love this bar. As a hang out it is top notch. If you're a regular it's home. As a first timer coming for food I can only give it four stars. It all comes down to seating. There's no good place to settle in and enjoy your meal other than the bar. It's an understandable problem as it's a popular place to shoot pool and darts and there just isn't room for much else. If they can sort that I would give it five stars without a doubt. read more

Time was, you would never think about food being served at the Essex. It was a dive bar, a place to drown your sorrows while sitting between an aged punk, and an old man who smelled of urine and despair. The jukebox was the best in town, and everyone knew your name when you walked in. Today, everything is different. Oh, the jukebox is still great. The staff still seems to know the name of all their customers. Mackie, the new owner, greets you as a long lost brother when you walk through the door. Instead of despair, you smell pork...wonderful, smoked, delicious pork. The Essex now serves food, and by god, what food they sell! Mackie keeps a smoker running, serving some of the best meats in the city. The smoked pastrami sandwiches are incredible. The ribs like an orgasm served on a plate. The beer selection rocks, and it would be hard to picture a more friendly place to eat. I've never seen a bar change so much of itself, while still retaining it's character and spirit. Every change, every coat of paint, every repair, I viewed with a level of skepticism, and fear. This was unfounded. This classic place of Buffalo lore remains a place everyone should go. It keeps it's history, while transforming itself into a place of good cheer, good food and good people. Bravo, Essex! read more

So I kept saying to myself, "Alex, you need to come back to Essex Pub again before you write review." So I thought about it. And I waited. But the more I think about returning to Essex, the less desirable the proposition seems. Now, I realize I have no desire to. And I probably won't. The best way to describe Essex is negatively, is literally by negation. It's not a dive bar. It keeps itself too clean, tidies itself up too much, markets itself too thoroughly, tries a bit too hard to ever be a dive bar. It's not a neighborhood bar. I say this because it doesn't draw its folks from its immediate environs. It doesn't actively participate in the community. It's not a place that people merely drop into. Essex draws people from all over Buffalo for a particular "something" I can't quite define yet. It's not a beer snob's bar. With a limited selection of beer on tap and a selection of large to mid-size domestics in bottles, quality ain't to be found here. UFO and Harpoon are about the rarest, most off-the-wall varieties of beer to be found. It's not a gastropub. My experience here involved being told that the establishment had run out of pastrami and thus ordering a smoked burger instead. Smothered with ketchup and mustard and served on a forgettable Tops Friendly Markets bulk bin-quality bun, the burger tasted resembled nothing smoked whatsoever. The meat itself was unseasoned and flavorless. As they seem to lack a frying station in their back kitchen, the burger was served with stale potato chips. Yuck. It's not a sports bar. Not enough TV's. No Sunday ticket. No sports paraphernalia on the walls. Not to mention that the crowd is completely wrong. It's not an art bar. Adorning the walls are mostly license plates and posters and prints for different beers, many of which they do not even serve! It's not an entertainment venue. No stage, no space. I suppose this place could (and probably does) put on garage bands and the like. But yuck. Oh, and it's certainly not upscale. Service is brusque. Cocktail ingredients are basic. Wine quality is depressing. I can state that Essex Pub definitively is one thing though. It is very, very, very uncomfortable. Stroll in the bar, and you will realize that there is not a single chair, bench, or low stool to be found and only a few tables to boot. Counters lining the wall and the four isolated high tables shoved to the side of the bar all feature the same aged, wobbly high stools. A key problem is that the bar, the counters, and the high tables are all different heights. Except at the bar, a situation is effected in which you may have to raise or lower your hands to an uncomfortable level to reach food or drink. Sitting and reading a book with a plate of food and a pint, as I was, I found the situation untenable. After a few minutes of struggling, I gave up, placed my food on an adjacent stool and wolfed down my disappointing fare hunched over, eating in a fashion I am somewhat bemused, somewhat ashamed to say I have never, ever attempted before. So maybe, just maybe this place might be a destination bar of sorts. A destination for what though, I am not sure. The likely answer is confused young people who don't have any idea what actually comprises a quality bar. Fie on this place. Spend hard earned money elsewhere. 1 star for food 2 stars for drinks 1 star for atmosphere 2 stars for service 1 star for concept read more

Essex St. Pub - Smoked burger served with pickle and chips. - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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This is exactly the kind of bar where you'd find me if I lived in Buffalo--but I don't. So, this is exactly the bar I will go hang out at when I'm in Buffalo. Let's just hope it's often! Besides being an awesome hole-in-wall, neighborhood pub, this place even carries a little taste of home on tap. Great Lakes, baby! You really can't go wrong here no matter who you are. As yelper Ryan W mentioned, it's quite the mixed bag. Like pool? Darts? A bar with some character and history? Cheap drinks? This is the place for you! The vibe reminded me of Cleveland (and I mean that in the best way possible) so I instantly felt at ease. Besides, you can't beat a great jukebox--and this place has got one! I'd definitely come back to imbibe, but let's just wait until it's a little warmer outside. Or, well... maybe next time I could just dress for the weather. That's an option, too. read more

I was very excited to try their new menu items, but the service was bad and the food was meh. We ordered the PLT salad, soup, and a side of mac and cheese to start then a single order of wings. It took 25 - 30 minutes just to get the soup and salad. Now I am very forgiving if the restaurant was busy, but there were maybe 12 people there ordering food. Out of the three things we ordered, the PLT salad was the most memorable. After we finished our food, so about 40 minutes in, we inquired about our wings only to find out that the order was never put in and they just ran out. We were given this news right as the person next to us received their order, which they place 20 minutes after ours. Once again, I am a forgiving person, and having been in the business before, I would have done only one thing to a couple who waited 45 minutes for their food....comp.... comp, comp, comp! Take care of the drinks or give us another round for free....SOMETHING!! I don't blame people for mistakes, stuff happens all the time, but they should compensate for their errors if they want to keep my business. So the sad thing now is that I will most likely never go back for food and will only have this experience to remember this place by. read more

This place is super cool! Came in for drinks on a Friday night and met some friends. Lot's of old school charm in here. They feature a cool old music player that features all older music, seems to fit the crowed. The music is good though i had no complains about anything that people were playing. The bar has plenty of room, large pool table and dart boards are available as well. The beer selection is great and offers something of everyone, I tried the gingerbread UFO and it was actually pretty good! Certainly a friendly late night crowed, mainly people in their mid 20's to mid 30's. There were two bartenders on staff and both were helpful when i was deciding on what i wanted to drink! I'm excited to come back and maybe try some food or even just enjoy some beers with friends again. read more

Once upon a time, this place was scary, but now it is populated by harmless hipsters. Not even over-the-top annoying hipsters, just guys with beards and girls with glasses, having a beer. Good beers are on tap, good music is playing (mostly the 80s-90's alternative stuff folks my age never stopped listening to). It's a big risk serving wings in Buffalo that different from the norm, but Essex dared to smoke them and coat them in barbecue sauce, and it worked out very well. I was not the only patron waving about the wings. This place just feels right. There is good beer on tap, tasty food, darts, comfy music and friendly staff and patrons. The owner is a really good guy, and it shows through his bar. read more

Stopped in late to watch the end of the Sabres game and was very impressed with the service and food. This bar is mostly seen as a dive / hipster bar, but it is more than that. It is quickly becoming one of my favorites. For this review I wanted to focus on the food. I was hungry, the night was cold, and the soup was calling. At only $3.50 per bowl and given the aforementioned - dive bar feel - I was not going into this meal with high expectations. First, I tried 'Memmaw's Chicken n Dumplings Soup', described as a, 'hearty chicken stew with scratch made dumplings.' Upon first glance, the soup was not impressive looking. It had a think, gravy-like broth that hid all of the tasty ingredients. This gave it an appearance that made me think 'bowl of brown mush.' But after one bite I knew this was gonna be good. The dumplings are bite sized and there was a good amount in the bowl. Overall this hearty soup was very tasty and left me wanting to order another bowl. But with ALL soups only being $3.50, I thought I would try another offering. Next up, 'Sweet Corn & Poblano Chowder with Pastrami.' I really like corn chowder and after the precious bowl, it is safe to say I had high hopes...and I was not let down. The broth was thick and was similar to the gravy like broth with the dumplings, but it worked with this soup. The pastrami was cut up into tiny bits, which I wish would have been bigger, but the corn and potatoes along with the other ingredients worked well together. I am not a super spicy food person, so I was worried how spicy this would be, but for me it was great. It only had a subtle pepper taste which was perfect for me. Some may not love the gravy-like broth, but on this cold night it hit the spot. Some might think the poblano needs more kick, but for my taste buds it was enough. I will definitely try some more offerings on my next visit. read more

What else do you expect from Essex?? If what you want is a a bumpin jukebox, a GREAT Reuben and some crisp sudsy boys then this is your joint!!! The people are a mixed bag of students and locals. We had just landed in the hip Elmwood neighborhood of Buffalo and needed somewhere cozy to eat late night. This was the spot! read more

Essex St. Pub - Reuben with 1 side (side has been eaten) - Pubs Near Me - Buffalo, New York