The first time I visited Founding Fathers, I was viciously ill from a terrible burger. I was frustrated. The bar was too hot. The service was lousy. My imported bottled beer was at the wrong temperature and in an ill-fitting glass. I couldn't find the bathroom. I railed against the place.
Since writing that review, I have visited pretty much every single bar, bar/restaurant, pub, tavern, and etc. within a mile and a half-radius of Founding Fathers. As poorly as I do regard the establishment... the rest are so much worse that F.F. absolutely shines like a beacon in the desert. It is what Glen Rice was to the Charlotte Hornets of the 1990's, excellent by comparison. So yes, I have been back more than a few times. I understand its flaws and its virtues far more. Feel free to read my original review for a sense of the place. In the meantime, some tips.
FOOD:
Simply put... do NOT order the food. Tasteless at best, sickening at worst, uncreative across the board, you will feel cheated. Most days, the bar offers free popcorn and chips (with salsa, hot melted cheese, and jalapenos accompanying). The mechanism inside the popcorn dispenser doesn't do a good job of keeping the popcorn warm, and they do produce an ungodly amount in one go, so the offering you select will likely be both lukewarm and stale. Oh well. Regarding the nachos, the cheese seems to sit, and sit, and sit, and sit. The jalapenos are constantly replenished though and easily the most flavorful of any of the food items offered in the entire bar/restaurant. Go after these if you want.
DRINKS:
This is not a place for craft beer per se. Although the selection has evolved a bit, offerings are limited, and glassware and temperature are uniform. Don't expect either the variety or careful treatment of a Blue Monk, Gene McCarthy's, et cetera. Meanwhile, this is certainly not a place for mixed drinks. What I mean is that while Mike and his staff can prepare rudimentary drinks (think Jack 'n Cokes, kamikazes, G&T's, and so on), glassware, equipment, liquor breadth, ingredients, and ultimately skill are all lacking. Lastly, Founding Fathers is not a place to relax with a glass of wine or a nice scotch neat. Again, selection is miserable. So temper your expectations across the board and think as simply as you can.
SEATING:
On any given night, the best seat in the house is likely at the bar rather than at one of the rather tackily-decorated tables. Mike, the owner, is a personality unique to Buffalo and relishes engaging anyone within shouting distance in impromptu battles of wits. This can be a saving grace if you're there alone, else with a buddy you're tired of talking with. Else, his incessant prodding is meddlesome and frankly quite irritating. If you seek conversation with a companion, sit at a table... or go somewhere else. Unique in Buffalo, Mike's personality definitely qualifies Founding Fathers as a Japanese style "Master Bar."
ATMOSPHERE AND CLIENTELE:
Founding Fathers is unique for the area. It doesn't cater to the Allentown arty scene or to the Allentown weekend night trashy scene. Undergraduates are nowhere to be found. Unlikely to be found are lounge lizards, suits, bros, or clubgoers as you would on Chippewa. Founding Fathers is Buffalo's Land of Misfit Toys, and I suppose there's something to be said for that, a key contributor to making it one of the best places in a mile and a half either way. I must stress that Founding Fathers is NOT a place to come seeking a hookup but might be a place to encounter a few now rather awkward grown-ups who never quite found their clique in high school.
So long as you temper your expectations and understand the establishment's limitations, it is quite possible to enjoy a nice... Coors Lite... or Jack 'n Coke... or improperly poured Franziskaner. After all, Founding Fathers is one of the best of the pubs immediately around Allentown, if only by comparison. read more