If you want a classic,old time tavern feel in the heart of East Side of Buffalo this is the place. Ronnie & Lottie make you feel right at home...went yesterday to celebrate National Pierogi Day!!...love love the pierogi and conversation.... If your looking for an authentic tavern in the heart of Polonia R & L is the place...be sure to check it out for Dygnus Day!! Pierogis here are top notch and different then others in the area...extremely delicious.. read more

I know everyone just loves this place and Lotte ... blah, blah, blah. My first experience here was 7 years ago ... Lotte came out of the back - her smock a mess - and said she was out if fish. Me and my guest left and went to The Edge of Town - which had plenty of fish. My second time was yesterday. They have an advertised open time til 7, and at 5:45 when we arrived, it was closed. No signs, no phone recordings, nothing - just closed. Bad for business in my opinion, but what do they care I guess ... they are a Buffalo treasure. read more

We found the R & L lounge and Ronnie and Lottie, who has been established since 1969 in the historic Polonial district of Buffalo New York in the owners of the bar since 1969 we found them on YouTube and had to visit... Lottie makes the best pirogi and the Golompki in town and in the whole United States of America!!!! The prices are reasonable and very historic and the classic bar Decor... what makes it so special is chatting and spending time with Ronnie and Lottie!!! You need to visit while they are still so young!!! read more

Intro: We showed the East side some love tonight by grabbing dinner at R&L Lounge on Mill Street. It is one of the highest rated polish restaurants in Buffalo and the third restaurant of 52 that we will be reviewing this year. Setting: A true hole in the wall with polish flair and pictures of Ronnie and Lottie in the 1950's spread across the walls. Menu: When we asked Ronnie for the menu, he replied "You're looking at it.". We knew we were in for a treat and ordered the combination plate that he recommended- Gołąbki and pierogis with a slice of rye bread. We washed it down with a bottle of Polish beer (Tyskie) from a brewery that has been in existence since the 1600's. It was the first time I've had Polish. Food: The Gołąbki was one of the most flavorful dishes I have had in a long time. The sauce was slightly sweet and oh-so scrumptious. The cabbage rolls were great and the Lottie-style pierogies topped it all off. The plates were $8 a piece and left us full. Overall: Awesome experience. Ronnie and Lottie made for a memorable night and the food was just as enjoyable as the company. Ronnie told us about his life as a child in Poland and early years in America and the story about how he ended up working at the lounge. Lottie brought me back in time to my Polish grandmother's kitchen with her stories of youth and sledding at the central terminal. We will definitely be coming back the next time we are looking for authentic food and our new polish friends! Overall score: A- read more

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The R&L Lounge is a taste of an era gone by in the historic Polonia section of Buffalo. I recently stopped by on a Monday night with my Dad and a few friends and we were warmly greeted by Ronnie and Lottie. This place is now celebrating its 50th(!) year in business, going back all the way to 1969. We started out with Tyskies at the bar and admired the old photos and memories from Dyngus Days past. Lottie then showed us how the pierogis are each hand made in the back. We all opted for the platter, which includes two pierogi, two golombki, and rye bread with butter. The pierogis were fried nicely and the golombki had a nice flavor to them with the sauce. Lottie chatted us up for quite some time at the bar and told us many stories of her years in business here. She also gave advice to myself and a friend "If you're young, and you work hard, you can accomplish anything". Ronnie and Lottie are evidence of that with a business running 50 years strong. A note that Fish Fry's are available only Friday from noon - 7. I will be back to try one soon! read more

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I'm always a fan of different local places. You have to understand they have a small menu and is a hole in the wall. But a great place to go to. We had the the polish platter which had golabki with two pierogi of your choice. The pierogi weren't like another pierogi I have tasted. They were homemade and extremely good. The couple that own it were there and have owed the place for over 40 years and were extremely sweet. The atmosphere is the history of the place, which was great to hear all the stories from the owners. This hidden treasure is a must, if you like polish food you should go try. read more

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This is the greatest old bar in all of buffalo. Try the pierogis my friend. Best in the world.

This place is super awesome. You'll be treated to stories from Ronnie and Lottie all night in a way that seems long gone from restaurant and pub owners. You'll also be treated to some of the most delicate (albeit a little nontraditional) pierogi you've ever had. Same with the fish - delicate and tasty. Ok, so I'm not giving them 5 stars. It's not without its downfalls (limited menu, slow or no service if it's busy - which is rare anyways) but you should check it out anyways, its a gem of Buffalo that will be lost, at least in some part, when Ronnie and Lottie finally retire... so get in there while you can! read more

This place is fantastic. We had been meaning to stop in for a while now after reading about R&L on Buffalo Rising. It looks like you might expect an old tavern to look-- wood paneling, old tin ceiling, funky Easter decorations. Lottie and her daughter welcome you like an old friend. The fish fry is great and CHEAP. $7! If you've got kids, bring 'em along. Lottie is a treasure-- she's spunky and smart and wears pirogie earrings. Can't top that. As the previous reviewer noted, the her quotes are fantastic. Towards the end of our meal, three people came in wanting fish frys. They were running low on salads, but Lottie assured them, "I'll give you some pirogies. Whatever you eat, you'll like. Sit down." read more

The sweet couple that runs this lounge makes you feel like you are a part of their family! Lottie will sit right in the booth with you and talk to you like she has known you for years!! Always the best food! This is also the place to party on Dyngus Day!! Whenever I come back to Buffalo this is on the must visit list!!! read more

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Great fish fry! The owners Ronnie and Lottie are an absolute delight. Can't wait to go back.

Ronnie & Lottie are what is great about Buffalo and they and their food embody the rich tradition of the area. Perogi's are fresh and a touch of the past. read more

No kidding. As the star ratings say: "As good as it gets." Lottie and her pirogi are fantastic. Her real, huge, old jukebox is frozen in about 1983. Polkas and Elvis and Rodney Crowell is what we played the day I went with visiting friends who have lived in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, so they know their Polish beer and pirogi places. We had the cabbage roll "golabki" and pirogi plate. Two golabki, two pirogi. Perfect, it leaves room for a couple of Polish beers. The pirogi come unadorned - no fried onions, no sour cream. It's OK. They taste like the sour cream is in the potato mash already. I've never seen pirogi wide and flat before, but they're great - not gummy and fat like so many can be. Lottie herself is everything you could hope for in a bartender, cook, hostess, grandmother. She's funny, she's good at what she does and clearly is happy, she's interested in what's up with you, she's welcoming. She gave my visiting godson cereal box race cars to amuse himself with while we ate. He liked them but loved the juke box. It was a like a crazy ancient space ship to him. My favorite Lottie quote comes from a Buffalo News story by Andrew Z. Galarneau which was written in May 2010: "People call and say, will you sell me a dozen (pirogi)? I say NO. You have to come in and have a drink...eat it here." Go there, gather your own quotes. I couldn't, I was too busy having a fun time to write anything down. read more

This place is amazing and a true gem. Our party of 6 were greeted like family by Lottie and her husband. Lottie even showed us the kitchen and how she prepares the food. The menu only has a few items (pierogi, golabki, fish in Fridays, and hand cut French fries). Such a great evening. Wish there were more places like it! read more

OMG Best polish food around, absolutely love this place and the owners. Perogies are phenomenal

Ron and Lottie are great. We both ordered fish frys and luckily received some of the last available ones for that day. We went on a Friday during Lent and to our surprise it wasn't as busy as we anticipated. We also went early knowing that it can get crowded. The fish was delicious and so were the sides. read more

Just plain awful a total dive. Went here with my girlfriend based on the positive reviews. Big mistake. The interior is extremely outdated. Could not find a single clean table. There was a table of extremely loud intoxicated middle aged women who had their coats draped across several booths. Their menu is extremely limited and everything we ordered was undercooked with no prices listed leaving us wide open to be stiffed. $20 for a can of pepsi, 4 flattened room temperature perogis, soggy fries and 4 chicken tenders. Won't be back. read more

R and L Lounge on the Eastside of Buffalo is a wonderful place to dine. Great food,service, and amazing prices make this a must visit any time not just for Fish Fry. When I visited with my parents, Lottie one of the owners had me move over in the booth we were in and started talking to all of us. This place gets full fast so come as early as you can since when the Fish runs out it is gone for the rest of the day. Truly a hidden gem that needs to be explored. I'm glad I did and will be returning tomorrow! read more

I'm going to give this a reluctant 3 stars. After trying for about a year to find time to get here, I finally got to R&L Lounge last night. We arrived around 6:45 PM to find a packed house. Well, not really a packed house, but all 4 booths were full and there were 2 men at the bar. We took a seat at the bar and ended eating there. Food: fish fry was just ok. In a city filled with good fish fries, this one didn't really stand out. The fries were clearly just frozen and reheated. Pierogies, however, were exceptional. We asked about the golombki, but she hadn't had time to make them. Drinks: We had a few Gennys and one of our party had a Diet Pepsi. A closer inspection of the can revealed that the Diet Pepsi had been expired for 7 months. Price: 2 fish fries, 8 pierogies, 4 beers, and 1 pop for $37. It fed all 4 of us for less than $10/person (before tip). Great price. Ambiance: this is the best part. Lottie came over and talked our ears off for about a half hour. I'm pretty sure we got her whole life story. She even pulled out a photo album from a family member's recent wedding. She's a keeper. So why the 3 stars? As we were preparing to leave, we noticed a few small bugs on the counter behind the bar. Upon closer inspection, we're pretty sure they were roaches. Gross. The ambiance was great, pierogies were great, and the prices were great. But the fish fry was average....and the roaches. 3 stars. read more

Very gracious owners. Beautiful old bar. Excellent food. A unique piece of Buffalo history. Pierogi of an astounding delicacy.

Best fish fry in the city! Full of heart and fish! Everything is homemade, and you can tell. The two owners keep you entertained the whole time. Like visiting your grandma's house. Lottie will tell you stories of the neighborhood and how to fix your problems. One of the last, truly authentic experiences you can have in Buffalo. read more

An absolute treasure! R&L is a wonderful combination of a classic Buffalo neighborhood tavern and a trip to my favorite aunt's house for dinner! As the other reviews state, the real gems here are Ronnie and Lottie. They are genuine examples of the folks who make Buffalo the city of good neighbors. Warm, genuine people who are instant friends, who offer great conversation, and delicious home made food. Out last visit was on a Wednesday, so the menu consisted of the "Polish Platter", two pirogi and 2 golabki. The cabbage rolls were stuffed with seasoned ground beef and rice, and the cabbage wrapper was perfect thickness and very tender. The tomato sauce was spot on, and the leftover sauce was made to pour over the pirogi. A perfect portion for lunch. A shot of Krupnik (Polish honey liquor) finished off lunch nicely! Don't miss this place. Mills Street is almost directly across the street from the Broadway Market. You can see the Market from the front steps of R&L. If you have a soft spot for "old school Buffalo" don't miss the R&L! read more