have not been to this 'quintessential' buffalo joint in years, mainly because the last time i visited, the SAME cobwebs from my previous visits months before were still in the same spots, hanging down over diners' tables....that, and the moldy roll that we were unapologetically served with our burger. the service blows, the atmosphere is disgusting, and the food is NOT worth the hassle to eat here. at least, not when there are so many other wonderful, quality establishments to enjoy in town. obviously, this place still exists because someone has paid off all the local concierges to talk them up. i wonder if any of these recommenders have been to this place in the last few years to experience it for themselves... read more

The only reason we decided to give them a try was because of the reviews on her. What we experienced is not what was on here. We went on a Friday night around 7pm so they were kinda busy. We choose to sit on the patio which was nicely shaded and very serene. We placed our drinks they were brought back many tables outside left an they were cleaning the tables up. We placed our food order with some appetizers, salads, and burgers nothing crazy. 45 minutes later still no food or apps nothing. a few more tables sat down, but they were not overly busy. The waitress comes by says oh you need more water and i'll check on your food. The wings, salads and 2 sandwiches were brought out all at once. The waitress says enjoys anything else you need. My friend said yes the burger I ordered and their appetizers. She got wide eyed and said oh yeah ill go check if they are done. I think if we didnt ask that she would have remembered to bring them to us. She brings the sandwich back and there are chips on the plate when the order was for no chips she said they didn't listen in the kitchen and walked away. By this point we were all very hungry and just quickly ate. The food was ok nothing special with the burgers very dry and the onion rings were soggy. The wings were smaller and not that great. I have had better at my local pizza place. The waitress didn't come back until we grabbed her to ask for the bill. The prices were reasonable for what we got to eat. I don't know if we caught them on a bad day or what, but this place was nothing what was described on here and the food was definitely not something I would have to come back for and for the service I would steer clear of this place. Not impressed and have no reason to go back. read more

I got the North St portobello mushroom sandwich. The bun was cold as if it had just come out of the fridge. The chips that came with it were mostly small shards apparently from the bottom of a bag. My wife got the fish fry which she said was greasy and didn't come with the stated bread. I guess if you come here order the wings. If you're vegetarian, stay away. read more

Great wings, but there were rats (!) on the edge of the patio. When I brought this up a waiter dismissed me with 'they're all over the neighborhood.' Well, I live in the neighborhood and I don't have rats on my patio. read more

Loved this place! It's one of the many places I wanted to check out while in Buffalo for their wings. I was not disappointed. Nice, rustic old , outdated style decorations but it's meant to look that way. Service was great! And the other food items on the menu were delicious as well. I'll be back ! read more

Gabriel's gate is the type of bar I look for when I have no where else to go and I want to feel comfortable. This place is a landmark on Allen St, a local favorite, and one with an almost a cult-like following. The place has A LOT of character. It seems seedy and almost scary from the outside with what the black paint and the giant Gabriel's Gate outside and all, but if you can muster the courage to walk in, you'll see more of the same sort of haunted house feel that makes this place a local favorite. This place is NOT a fancy eatery - in case you aren't able to tell from the front.. because I get it sometime it is hard to tell real character from hipster.. maybe Gabriel's gate transcends all and is both... The food here is filling and it comes hot. Wings are big and juicy, and the burgers and sandwiches will make your eyes bug out they're so big. Gabriel's gate is the pillar of Allen St. To be honest, you haven't really experienced this street unless you've eaten here. Very comfortable, and a haven when you've been on this street too long and you need an oasis at which to recharge. True to Buffalo, Gabriel's gate also serves up its own brown ale which is pretty good. read more

While I had a nice cold Molson Golden (we were so close to Canada, I had to) and everyone was friendly, the food just didn't live up to expectations. Nothing was bad, per se, but nothing was really good either. The patio area was packed but the interior was interesting enough to keep me entertained. Certainly a cool room to hang and enjoy a meal and a few brews. If you're in the area, stop in and hang for a bit. read more

My husband and I went for drinks and wings yesterday. We ordered Cajun wings. They were delicious with the dry rub, and cooked perfectly with a nice crisp. We also got BBQ wings. The sauce was delicious, but I think given the caliber of the Cajun wings, it would be nice if the BBQ style had a char to them. This restaurant has a nice, cozy atmosphere. The reason why I am knocking off a star is because our waiter needs to watch his language. Considering this is a place that can serve a wide age range of people, it was not pleasant to hear the f word get dropped left and right. There were not a lot of people there to dine, and it was impossible to miss. Had we had out almost two year old son with, I would have said something because it was quite out I place and not necessary. Good food, nice atmosphere, but the staff needs to be mindful on how to represent the establishment. read more

Amazing!! Hot wings were perfect. The service was great. Very fast and friendly. French onion soup was the best I've ever had!!! Highly recommend!! read more

stopped here for lunch time. i ordered the fish n chips. the wait staff was friendly and took our orders promptly. my order came out piping hot, as if it was taken straight from the frier to our table. the fish had a nice crispy outside, the batter was nice and golden yellow and tasted very fresh. the fish itself was very flaky and moist. the fries were hot and fresh as well. probably one of the best fish and chips i've had in a long while. I would return here if i had another fish and chips craving. there is a good selection of beers and drinks. the one thing preventing me from giving them 4 stars would be the appearance of the bar. there are lots of bars/restaurants in the area that have a more inviting appearance. the outside of the bar is very old and run down and the inside is quite dark with poor lighting. it definitely would use some TLC to clean things up and some general maintenance . read more

Food is good. Great building, awesome patio. I had to give 3 stars because the last few times I was there, the service was TERRIBLE. I was with 3 friends. Only two of us ordered food, and those were just fries and soup. Our food took over an hour, and our waitress only came by to refill our drinks once. I have not eaten here since. Really hope they are able to get their dining room under control, because it really is a great place. read more

Great wings!!! Definitely my favorite place for wings when I'm visiting my home and native land (What can I say, Canada is on the other side of the river) :D They are always cooked to perfection, nice and crispy skin, tender and moist on the inside. The sauce is perfect. I really miss eating these wings on those cold winter nights. I find that the Anchor Bar (The place where chicken wings were born) over cooks the wings more often than not. The Gate also has great samis, the best one is not on the menu, it's called the Pearl street which is a chicken finger sandwich, get it with a side of wing sauce. The Gate is very casual and has a very warm atmosphere inside which includes 3 fire places and great brews on tap. read more

Legitimately the best wings I've ever had on earth. No lie. The French onion soup is also very good. Love the atmosphere too. As a matter of fact, there's really nothing to dislike about this place... read more

Cozy atmosphere...decent food...friendly service at the bar.

You'll find me there nearly every Friday getting a fish fry and wings for me and the wife! ...even when there's no parking on tiny little Allen Street! The wings are one of the best in Buffalo, the atmosphere is cool, and the architecture of this quaint old building is a true sight! read more

Unless you're taking someone there for wings STEER CLEAR. The service is AWFUL, if you get any of their sandwiches ASK FOR THE BUN TO BE TOASTED otherwise it's cold and gross. Paltry beer selection, abhorrent wine selection. The ambiance is ok and it is in the heart of allentown but NO NO NO on anything but wings. read more

Was stunned when I walked into this place a couple of weekends ago. Was with a pretty big group, which they accommodated without hesitation, we all had drinks and menus before we knew it. Great beers on tap, and the wings were literally the best I've ever had. read more

Great wings, great French soup and Great everything. If you are looking for a taste of Buffalo, then this is the place to go.

The best french onion soup in Buffalo. Seriously. I love this place in the winter. It's a cute cozy lodge style, although in the summer it's great too. They have great prices and awesome character. And the food is fantastic! An allentown staple. read more

Me and my sister's were looking for a place to celebrate one sister's graduation and boy did we have fun , this place was laid back and we were seated right away. The waiters and Greeter's were friendly, and it wasn't over crowded and loud like some other places in downtown Buffalo , the food was finger licking good , the ribs are hands down the best in downtown Buffalo , the portions are plenty enough to take home and enjoy later , the price we paid was well worth it and then some If you like great food and want to feel safe from the crazy downtown Buffalo life try here read more

I've been here numerous times when coming home to visit over the past several years. I've had the wings several times and, while they're good, they're nothing I would seek out GG to get. The bar is a really nice space with character, but the atmosphere is nothing to rave about, mostly because the bartenders have never been terribly friendly. Also, I'm not crazy about having a bourbon n'coke in a Tom Collins glass. I'll stick to beer next time. read more

First, a disclaimer -- somehow, I've never tried their wings. I know they have a reputation for having some of the best wings -- if not the best -- in Buffalo, but everytime I go, I'm lured into ordering something else. I have to give this place three stars, though, which to me isn't a bad review -- it just isn't a great one. I've been here a few times. I don't mind the grime; I like the ambiance; I love a lot of the architectural elements, such as the ceiling; and I absolutely adore the courtyard. But if the physical location gets a B+, the ribs there get a C-. That's what I ordered my last visit. Granted, Gabriel's Gate isn't really a rib joint, and the sauce was good, but they were anything but fall-off-the-bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender. They were really tough, like the meat was marinated with glue and stapled to the bone. I'm fine with a place that can't make a great rack of ribs, but don't advertise them as "slow-cooked" and "famous." I was kicking myself for not ordering a burger, namely the Linwood Avenue. It's got spinach and mozerella cheese and I love it. I've had this combination at other places, but Gabriel's Gate does it best. The time before that, I ordered a steak. I told the waitress I wanted it "very rare," since in my experience, most places nowadays will not give you even a rare steak out of fear that you will get sick and sue them. In fact, a lot of places I've been to will tell you that medium rare is as rare as they'll go. I figured, if I ordered it "very rare," I'd get it rare, or at least almost-rare. But boy, the chef did not hold back. This steak was bright red on the inside -- rarer than I wanted it, not that I could complain since I got exactly what I ordered. I was almost intimidated, but I liked the flavor and the consistency of the meat, and I have to give them props for not being afraid to serve up a very rare steak when more and more places nowadays are holding the line at medium-rare. My only complaint was that it wasn't really seasoned. At all. Maybe I was confused about which version I was ordering, but I thought it was supposed to be "seasoned just right." A note about the service: I have to say, it was lacking in one respect the last time I was there. When we arrived, we were told by the guy who looked to be doubling as a busboy and a host that it would be a 10-minute wait for a table for two. "No problem," I said. We hung out at the bar and tables began clearing, and the busboy/host passed us over and over without seating us. He even acknowledged us a couple times, telling us he'd be right back, that he hadn't forgotten about us. He was back, alright, passing us again like he didn't recognize us. Twenty more minutes went by. The next time he passed us, I asked him if he knew how much longer it would be, and he said, "Just a couple of minutes." Finally, after another 20 minutes, I went back to the entryway. He was like, "Oh no! You're still waiting?" as if someone else should have seated us. "It's all good," I said. It wasn't like I wasn't having a good time at the bar. When we were finally seated, after the waitress took our drink orders, I saw the busboy/host whispering to her and pointing at us. I figured, since we were really cool about him inexplicably forgetting about us over and over and us having to wait for over an hour, they'd comp us for a drink or two. No such luck; everything was accounted for on the bill. Way to get my hopes up. read more

Yum. I was in Buffalo for a business trip from NYC. I spent time on Yelp trying to figure out which place to go for the best buffalo wings. This place was highly rated and close to my hotel. Im glad I did as they were the best wings I've had. Glad to know all the Buffalo natives arent being pretentious when they say no one makes wings like they do in Buffalo! I had a basket with half bbq and half cajun wings as reviews mentioned these got top marks. The wings were crispy on the outside, juicy and well seasoned. I had wings, with fries and house salad. I think it came to about to twenty something bucks with a ton of wings leftover for my doggie bag. Staff was nice and service super speedy. If I lived in town this would be a good place for drinks and wings. read more

The wings were quite tasty. The hot ones were hot and flavorful while the bbq ones had a a nice tang and were delicious. I had a roast beef sandwich there as well on a Kimmelweck roll. This is a roll with a course salt and caraway seeds on the top. Came with horseradish and was quite nice. Got some good cheap beers as well. Overall, food was delicious. So why the 3 stars? Why not more? The answer is the smell. It still like rotten wood in this place. The smell is really overpowering. I can appreciate the age of the building, but damn. It stank. With that being said. Food was good. Definetly try the wings. read more

Gabriels Gate is a great spot to go have have some drinks on a nice cold winter day, enjoy a nice bowl of french onion soup (which is delicious) and get some good bar food while enjoying the company of everyone at the bar. Every time I go to this place there seems to be the perfect crowd. Not too many people, but just enough to make it fun but not too wild. I love the fire place and the decor of the restaurant/bar. I have been to Gabriels Gate on numerous occasions and have never once been disappointed. They have a great selection of beers and spirits and whoever may be behind the bar serving you is always helpful and genuinely excited you chose Gabriels Gate for your meal or drink. I have not had too much no the menu but everything that I have had is delicious. The french onion soup is very good. I have also had the cheesy bread and wings which are also very good. Some people say that they have the best wings in the city, but I am not completely sold on that. They are very delicious but there are a lot of places that have very delicious wings so I do not want to label one as the best. Give this place a try though next time you are in allentown, it will not disappoint you. read more

Gabriel's Gate - American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Got in here on a recent trip due to the rave reviews - in a nicer part of town as well - haven't been to the Allentown area before. Atmosphere 5/5, service 5/5. But what I really came for was the wings - and yes they were good, but were they 5/5? No. Definitely a bit overcooked - I usually eat the cartilage off the ends (yeah, I'm weird) and they were very tough to get off. The meaty part was also somewhat chewy and tough. The sauce made up for it, and the wings were a good size, but unless Buffalo wings are supposed to be tough and overcooked, there's no way these were a 5. Perhaps I got a bad batch.. read more

Best french onion soup in town. Wings are almost always very good.

Went with a party of 6 the other night for wings. Short wait for a table, good service, and great beers on tap. Our party had French onion soup: very good with tons of melted cheese. Chili: very meaty with a nice kick. And wings! Excellent wings! Not too greasy, just enough sauce. We will be going back. read more

They have a great french onion soup here, but otherwise not many vegetarian options. I'm always freaked out by the animal carcass heads on the wall and the funky carpet. The wood floor in the bar area has a spot that's warped that I always trip over. Being on Allen street, they are lgbt friendly. read more

Nice atmosphere, nice look, but they weren't even close to pouring Guinness the right way. They just poured it all the way to the top all at once and served it. read more

Phenomenal food, great pricing. Some issues 1) be prepared to park a long ways away. Allen St is horrible to navigate and parking is seldom available 2) be prepared to wait, table times are atrocious 3) drink sparingly, cups are small and refills aren't free Definitely go though, try the French onion soup and there best wings in Buffalo! read more

Well ,where do I start,looked into the kitchen a see a cook with a beard that is probably 6-8 inches long without a beard cover!!! Ordered potato skins they come with a nice hair just like beard hair! I tell the waitress about the hair and then ask why he isn't wearing a beard cover, your going to love the answer they ran out of them!!!! This cook should not be in the kitchen !!!! I hope the health department sees this!! read more

The consensus here seems fairly unified: I don't need to reiterate what others have said, other than that their wings are the real deal, the very definition of "Buffalo." read more

Visited on a Sunday evening & enjoyed the medium wings with a side of fries. Friends also enjoyed the crispy cheese on the French onion soup. The restaurant had a unique, old world feel to the ambience. Service was efficient. No free refills on beverages. read more

Firsr negative review I've submitted. Don't like doing this but Buffalo chicken wing lovers beware. The hot wings ordered last evening from Gabriel's Gate (takeout) were horrible. Fleshy and fatty, almost breaded-like in texture and not in the least bit HOT. Next time I feel like wings, will visit the Anchor Bar, their wings are never a disappointment and always superb. read more

KILLER WINGS! Friendly staff, nice location, great after a Sabres game!

Waitstaff is great. Bartenders are great. Atmosphere is ok. I get what they are going for, but a swiffer never hurt anyone. Free popcorn and the games are always on. If they aren't, they will put them on if you ask. The draft selection is good. But the food is seriously hit or miss. I don't care for their wings too much. The burgers are ok. It's a nice little place to lose some time. There are worse bars and worse restaurants around. But I definitely wouldn't bring an out of town friend here to try to impress them. read more

Food is good but service was definitely lacking. There's no real waiting area so we stood there in the middle of the bar for a few minutes while all the waitresses walked right past us w/o acknowledging us. That left a pretty sour first note but once we were seated, ppl were nice and no problems. The wings here are crispy and not drenched in sauce which imo is a good thing. Also, the house ale on tap was a plus. read more

Had this delivered, and had it in-house. Loved their bbq and hot wings! Fast service, great portions. Yum yum yum.

Gabriel's Gate is an institution. Most recently we stopped in for a late lunch on a cold Saturday. I ordered a chicken sandwich with spinach and blue cheese. One of my tablemates ordered a burger with spinach and provolone. It arrived with blue cheese so we had to send it back. Otherwise, everything was fine. Not a make or break meal but it hit the spot. read more