Amazing tender beef on weck. Perfect salted roll. Pulled pork is like butter. Even cole slaw that has a hint of blue cheese. The atmosphere is fun, super clean beer garden and of course a great beer selection. Very accommodating to kids too. Good kids meal selections and they offer the Buffalo favorite loganberry. Family of 4 dinner for $37. Can't beat it! read more

It's always wonderful to come back and visit Buffalo, and discover places I've never been to! Gene McCarthy's is an awesome Irish Pub in the First Ward neighborhood with outstanding food and beer, and very reasonable prices. The chicken wings were out of this world! (We're military so we have lived all over the US - no one makes wings like Buffalo!) The beef-on-weck and Friday fish fry were also delectable. Christina and the other ladies working there were so sweet and helpful. This will be a Buffalo favorite we come back to whenever we are in town! read more

Gene McCarthy's - Gene McCarthy's - American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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My husband and I have started to come here regularly after kayaking. Their home brews are just incredible! Their heffeweisen wheat beer is one of the best I've ever tasted - smooth and creamy and almost like a beer milkshake. Going on Wednesdays and Fridays will get you by far the best beer battered fish fry in town. This is a carboholics delight - beer battered fish both hot and crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside, the fish rests on a mound of french fries, then you get a side of macaroni salad, potato salad and coleslaw. This platter is big enough for us to split and still feel like we're rolling out of the place. Waitresses are friendly, owner seems to always be around and they've place their tables outside 6 feet apart. I only wish I could find a way to keep their beer icy cold on these 90 degree days. Next up to try is their Beef on weck. read more

Casey is a wonderful bartender and she took great care of us. The food was fantastic and the service was above and beyond. If you are here on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday ask for Casey. She understands the history of this classic tavern and it's importance to the Old First Ward neighborhood. We will definitely be back. read more

Met some running friends here for dinner last night. The place was packed. They have a good variety of beers ( I had a hard cider ). The menu was varied and everything looked good. I split an order of nachos with a friend - they were huge and pretty good. We also got the pretzel sticks ( bread ) which came with good dipping sauce. I loved those ! I'd come again to try other menu items! read more

A nice little neighborhood bar with a great atmosphere. I wanted to get a good fish fry and my boyfriend was looking for some good wings. We both got what we had been looking for! The fish fry wasn't greasy at all and the wings were cooked perfectly. Nice size portions and the beer was delicious. Definitely will make a trip back to try out different items on the menu! read more

I like this bar, but not the fact that they list online that they're open until at least 12 and I pull up at 9:45 and the bartender sees me and my friends walking up, gives us a dirty look, and purposely turns off the lights. Real nice. I'll make sure to come back when you guys actually feel like being open next time... read more

Fantastic food. Wings and beef on weck sandwiches are delicious. Food does sometimes takes longer than necessary to arrive.

Alright, I'm saying it, best damn wings and fingers in WNY. I've lived in the Buffalo area for a quarter century and this place takes the cake for me. In addition, they have great beer and service. One of my favorite places to stop after a long days work! read more

best fish fry around price and portions !! delicious seasoned breading on fish and tasty salads. the salads each tasted different. Pleasant server and food came out quick. My friend and I are caterers so we are very critical. this is the 2nd time we have been there and the 2nd was better than the first. we'll be back !! for the place the drink prices are high. $8. for absolute plus $3.00 for on the rocks .. thats $11.00 for a drink.. tooo much ! read more

What a great neighborhood pub. My husband and I went on a Saturday night around 7:30. It was pretty slow, we decided to sit at the bar. The bar tender was very friendly and the food was delicious. I had the beer brat and my husband had the pulled pork. Everyone who walked in or was already there all seemed to know each other. It was a great welcoming atmosphere. We will definitely be back. read more

I loved the place and the atmosphere but had a bad experience because they were understaffed and very busy! The poor waitress was actually running trying to keep up. It took an hour to get our food which consisted of chicken fingers and fries, a roast beef sandwich, and a cheeseburger. I had to wait another half hour to get some bleu cheese which should've come with my fingers. Again, not the workers' fault, more like bad management. I would go again in hopes that we just caught them on a bad day. read more

stopped in on a Saturday night for dinner what a mistake. the bar was crowded so we sat outside since it was a nice night waitress took our drink order and disappeared about 15 minutes later we get our drinks and place our order. Come to find out from talking to people around us that there is a party going on and things were moving slow wish someone would have said something to us instead waited a hour for a bland turkey sandwich very disappointed. read more

I had such a positive experience at Gene McCarthy's for Lunch today. The server was pleasant and very helpful. The food was delicious. I would recommend this diamond in the ruff. read more

Best Pub Food EVER!!! First visit; brought crew from Rochester. Everything was absolutely FANTASTIC. Service was great, Beef on Weck, fish fry's, burgers, pizza logs....all were hot, and delicious. Beef piled high on the salty rollT The handcut fries were golden crispy perfect. We're planning another Buffalo day in a week, just to have another dinner here. Can't wait! read more

my favorite neighborhood bar. it feels just like home when you walk in the door. great for a mid-week evening or weekend afternoon stop. Old First Ward is brewing some of the best beer in the city. can't go wrong with the Not A Pale Ale or a Therapy Session when it's on. I don't often eat much when I'm here. I've had the grilled cheese and the turkey club. both were pretty good. a step above your typical pub food. their fries used to be better, more seasoned than they have been recently. I wish they'd bring those back because those were great. read more

Delicious, hearty, creative without being overly sassy or pompous. Comfort food jazzed up a bit. The best of its kind in Buffalo

Met friends there last week. Interesting beer selection. Food -- not good. Of the six people in our group only one thought their meal was good. I had the fish fry and I hate to say this but it was the worse I have ever had, period. If you go,go for the beer not the food. Me, I think I will not be back. Sorry... read more

Went for wings and fries, wings good but fries were room temperature and hard, after waiting 45 minutes to be served. Nice neighborhood bar vibe, but we'll try elsewhere when we're hungry. read more

Cute and tiny place. We went kayaking and stopped by for lunch. Great outdoor patio. My husband is a huge fan of their wings and I had an amazing Ahi tuna salad. Great kids menu too! read more

This is the go to spot if you are in the first ward or plan on going to the first ward. Really cool microbrews , excellent McCarthy wings! Wow those are good! Great outdoor seating especially on hot days because there is coverage from the sun and there's always a breeze from the river. I would recommend bringing a long sleeve shirt during spring or fall it always feels a bit chillier there than anywhere else in the city. There beers are great and they're always changing. Prices for food and alcohol are so reasonable too. read more

I hesitate to review because I want Gene McCarthy's all to my self. They have the best fish fry I've ever eaten. I've tried almost everything on the menu; bold garlicky french fries, perfectly done wings, beef on weck, reuben; all the comfort-food favorites, but enhanced by quality and their own clever details. The daily beer list always provides a wide ranging and frequently updated selection. They'll be crafting their own brew in a couple months; really looking forward to that. I've enjoyed the live music there too. read more

Update: I've been here a few times now and, while the food is consistently good, the service has seriously declined. Today, I brought a group of 9 hikers in. We were the only people in the restaurant and the bartender who was serving us clearly did not want to be there. She forgot to bring drinks. Twice, I saw people go to the bar to get her help since our table was not a priority. One person got soup as an appetizer. She forgot mine. The food took an exceptionally long time to come out and when it did, 2 entrees were missing. She found one, then brought out a completely different salad than what I had ordered. I told her I would eat it, mainly because we had been waiting so long already for our food. It was drowning in bleu cheese which I normally like, but on the salad was too much and too strong. The waitress never came back to check on things. She did give me two dollars off my bill, but on an $11 salad that didn't make much difference. Most of the others did enjoy their food and I did appreciate that she gave us separate checks. A smile would have gone a long way. read more

Welcome to the Old First Ward. Gene's is a diamond in the rough that probably fell on your radar because of the Shamrock Run or the Old Neighborhood St. Patrick's Day Parade. That's changed recently with the addition of OFC Brewing where craft beer enthusiasts have flocked to this spot as part of a tour de beer of WNY. All that said, here is the rundown... Gene McCarthy's offers above average bar food with a few "foodie" items mixed in. The drinks are slightly cheaper than you'll find around town and that all plays into the authenticity of the place. The service is on par, a digital jukebox offers up anything you want to hear, and there is an outdoor space ideal for warmer weather, complete with a service window for your food/drink needs. PRO TIP: Mutual Riverfront Park is a stones throw away. The single room museum gives a decent history of the Ward/Buffalo River and offers a super convenient kayak ramp for easy entry/exit to the river. If its the right season, make a day of it. read more

I think this is one of the most underrated brewpubs in Buffalo. I think it's interesting to note that a lot of reviews here seem to have missed the point that Gene McCarthy's runs along the same vein as Resurgence and Big Ditch. It is before all, a place that was opened to sell its own beer. And what a brewery this place is. Old First Ward is fantastic. I had a chance to try the hefeweizen, the saison, and the oatmeal stout. The hefe and stout were outstanding and the saison was pretty good as well. I was also impressed with the quality of the food served at this pub on top of their good brews. They offer quality pub fare including soups, salads and sandwiches along with the traditional irish dishes you would expect to find in this sort of atmosphere. The focus of this place isn't the food, but I think it's notable that the food they do offer is good. I happened to order wings and fries. The wings were pretty large, and by bounds better than what is offered in the more touristy places in the Buffalo area. I enjoyed the MacCarthy's wings (BBQ sauce with blue cheese crumbles) and the thai chili sauce wings. They were both cooked to perfection and the sauces were very tasty, but they were a bit too heavy-handed for me. The fries are also fresh cut. The only weird thing, and perhaps this is what makes this place confusing, is that Gene McCarthy's has other beers on tap besides OFW which I thought sent out a mixed message. I really think Gene McCarthy's could use some PR help to get some more patronage (most people have not even heard of this place) and get some exposure at the local festivals here that celebrate beers, but then again, keeping this place quiet means more for me! read more

Gene McCarthy's is an old time bar in the First Ward district just south of downtown. They have recently added their own brewery called Old First Ward Brewing, as well as a nice outdoor beer garden. Most of the beers on tap are their own, but they also have a few other local selections. I liked both of the beers I tried. On this visit I did not have any food, but I have heard good things about their menu, so I will eat there the next time I stop in, read more

The family and I went there for lunch and man let me tell you what a great and friendly place. I had the pulled pork sandwich and it was very flavorful just like there fresh cut fries. I was also suprised they make there own beer. Keep up the good work and dont change a thing. read more

First time @ McCarthys, so I am sure this review will be updated. I did not eat the food, but the platters that passed me looked great. 2 Stars is for the bar service and beer. They are either severely understaffed or simply do not care. Took a good 10 minutes for anyone to take my order - 1 Hopster. To preface my review, I am a bit of a beer snob. I LOVE a good craft brew. I would like to say the Hopster was up to snuff, but it was warm and flat. I switched to a known entity, Southern Tier IPA, same result - warm and flat. Totally disgusted, I tried something out of the cooler - a blue light. Guess what, warm. Bartender even agreed and replaced with a cold Blue. I'm no bar expert, but it seems they have a big issue with clean lines and refrigeration. Also, I wish they had more variety. Only one non-OFW beer? Again, I plan on returning to try some of that food, but I'll probably ordering a diet pop read more

Gene McCarthy's in The Ward as we say in Buffalo is a hidden gem that I just recently discovered... I've visited this place on St. Patrick's Day (a sight to see)... But I had never tried their food... I can't believe I waited 39yrs to finally try their amazing food, Now I can die..... First off, I'm a super picky person, well not picky, I just like Good food... And I don't like paying for crappy food. Gene McCarthy's in the Ward shines when it comes to their food... Best Fish Fry in Buffalo... Yes, it's better than Wiechec's, Hoaks, etc... It put's those fish fry's to shame... Tip though... The fish is so BIG, that I would suggest asking the server to put it on a separate plate... I don't want my homemade (YES HOMEMADE) coleslaw & potato salad & fries getting smushed! The servers are all so nice and pleasing all the time. McCarthy's also has great wings, I normally don't like JUMBO chicken wings aka wings on STEROIDS (most places in Buffalo are going to these HUGE WINGS and nobody can seem to master thoroughly cooking these Beastly sized mammoth wings...Bigger is not always better in my book especially when it comes to clams, wings, and women) ... McCarthy has MASTERED thoroughly cooking the chicken wing on STEROIDS... Their wings are always cooked very well done and crispy, they are probably my 5th best wing spot in Buffalo... Behind Audubon North, Dwyers, The Dome in NT, and the BSG. All the food at McCarthy's comes out looking like art aka hot & appealing... I have had nothing but great experiences there... Also check out their Trivia Night on Tuesdays (7pm) It's a lot of fun!! read more

Gene McCarthy's - Best Fish Fry in Buffalo!! - American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Great place! Awesome selection of Irish music,food and brews. The staff makes you at home and leaves you coming back for more.Highly recommended!! read more

Here's one of my favorite go-to spots in Buffalo. The servers are friendly and the food is always consistently good. I will now firmly claim that Gene's has the best fish fry in Buffalo. It's a little pricey but for the amount of food (huge piece of haddock, fries, Mac salad, potato salad, and coleslaw) it's worth it. My only gripe is that they don't allow substitutions for the sides, which I understand as they do get incredibly busy on Fridays. On the other hand, my bf doesn't eat anything mayonnaise-based so he basically pays $15 for fish and fries - not worth it in my opinion. We've asked for extra fries in place of the salads, but that has never been honored. If you're looking for something on the more healthier side, their salads are outstanding. Finally, THE BANANA PEPPERS! I'm always disappointed when I order banana peppers elsewhere (just too ordinary), but Gene's are extraordinary! Stuffed with three cheeses (I believe there's crumbled bleu in there which makes them really stand out) and served with warm pita -- they're too good to let them slip by you! read more

Great small bar & restaurant tucked away on the fringe of Buffalo. Fine selection of craft beers on tap, great staff and classic bar atmosphere. Food is above board. Go with friends, order anything and drink anything on tap. They work closely with local brewers and the cook on staff is creative and puts out some good meals. read more

Stopped in on July 5, during long bike ride. Last time I was here (2008?), different owner and different experience. What a change since! The outdoor patio and bike parking is awesome. Beer selection included the usual, but their own brews are very worthy..i enjoyed the oatmeal stout. Wings were awesome, especially the BBQ Blue Cheese--OMG. I recommend. read more

Good food, great neighborhood atmosphere, wide selection of beers to choose from. Great place to meets some friends for a beer and food. It is a short walk away from Hamburg St kayak launch and 5 minutes from downtown. read more

Cool bar. For a beer guy like me I love the NY craft beer commitment. Good food, the fries are great. Cheese plate is very good. Will be back. read more

Great place. So fun and laid back. Great selection of craft brews. Say hi to Mike on Fridays and Sundays - he knows his stuff.

The fish fry here is soooo good. The fish is so fresh and the fries are delicious. Try the breaded fish, the chef's favorite. Staff is very nice and friendly. Can't go wrong here! read more

I have visited this bar several times the bartenders and serving staff are very friendly, the times I been there. The bartender on was Stacy, she was very friendly effiencent with a great personality and the bar was pretty busy, and she was very competent and able to handle and multiple task. The menu has a great variety and food is good and wait time is short over all a great experience, the only thing that struck me as odd as I sat at the bar I did notice a was a man that seem to be maybe a "owner" or "manager" lurking and kinda of be condescending to his staff and his attitude was quite frankly rude in front of customers there seems to maybe be a way this should be handled behind the scenes ....overall I would give this establishment 4 stars.. read more

My friend and I did a mini tour de Buffalo on a Friday night and this was one of our stops. We were at another brewery close by and we're excited to come here next after looking at their tap list. The potential is here and it is a cute little neighborhood joint full when we walked in but we were lucky to score a couple stools at the bar next to what were clearly a couple regulars. The atmosphere is fun with a jukebox and a lively older crowd but it felt like something was wrong with the beer. I tried a Hefeweizen, a Pilsner, an oatmeal stout, a sour pear and a mango hefeweizen. Overall they all seemed to have the same taste, sort of like the taps hadn't been cleaned in a while? It had a weird dirty taste at first that seemed to hide the taste of the beer. The sour beer was also much sweeter than I'd expect in a beer identified as a sour. Although I didn't love the beer I'm hoping it was just a weird fluke because the variety is so promising and the staff and crowd are so friendly. I will be trying it again because of the potential and everything else being a positive. Hoping for the best next time!! read more

Gene McCarthy's - Flight of different OFW Brewing beers - American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

What can I say, totally felt at home here the minute I walked in the door. Especially being greeted by the no nonsense bartender ( I had suggested that the mango beer would be suitable for my boys). We just hit it at a really bad time, apparently they were totally slammed at lunch and then a huge evening crowd were not what they were expecting on a holiday Monday. I would argue that the prize of fame...Our beers were excellent, went with the home made brew and the boys plentiful birch beers kept them happy. The food when it arrived was decent..will definitely come back another time. The staff though we're in another class of their own. They could have been transplanted from the home country, with the warmth and the hospitality that they showed. read more