Flew into Buffalo and was driving to Rochester. I'd traveled all morning and needed a late lunch. Got off the last exit before the toll road and searched restaurants on google maps. This popped up. Half a mile away. Really nice local spot, with no one else but the bartender and a maintenance guy. Not real big, but not too small. Very attractive and comfortable space. Looks like they have a long list of guest taps. No beers I recognized, so I had my go to, a hazy IPA. It was very good, so I had two. I had roast beef with creamy horseradish on a weck bun(??). Never seen that before but it was really tasty. The bartender recommended a roast poblano cheese soup as a side and I swear I could live on that soup alone! The bartender and her buddy were super friendly and just the right amount of chatty. I told them I was coming back to Buffalo to catch a flight later in the week and they gave me a BOGO coupon. I'll probably come back just for the soup! read more

We were there for Beers and Gears, a fundraiser for the Ride for Roswell. Besides the pre-paid drink tickets, there was one for a plate of potato chips with a dip. The beer was gone and the chips had not yet shown up. As we were returning to our car, a friend still in the bar texted that our chips had finally shown up. We did not go back. I do not know how efficiently the restaurant gets out their menu food orders, but it seems that a bowl of potato chips with a small container of dip should not take over an hour even if the bar is busy. read more

Went in on a random night and met a friend out for a beer. It was pretty dead, and the vibe wasn't bad. The service was friendly. The beer was a decent price. I'd go back. read more

Ration Ales - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

We had an ok experience here. I guess I expected better but I think part of the issue was a private event going on upstairs. I would like to give it another try sometime and hopefully boost my rating. I'd say the best part of this place was the "look and feel" and so many seating options ... bar, indoor, outdoor, upstairs, down stairs, covered, not covered. I think this part was really my favorite and I love sitting outdoors in the summer. My friend enjoyed his chips and turkey sandwich. He had no complaints. I ordered the cool and collected salad. It's one of their GF options FYI. It comes with a house ranch. The ranch I found rather bland. One hand, it allowed the toppings of the salad to shine and they were nice blend. On the other hand, I would prefer a more favorable ranch. That is just a personal preference. My disappointment came with the $2 upcharge for the tiniest bit of sourdough bread. It was so small I honestly couldn't taste the sourdough part (at least the waitress said it was sourdough). And I just was shocked they would charge $2 for that. It really should just be included at that small of a size (see my photo). What was really disappointing was the service. Our waitress was actually extremely nice! It wasn't her attitude or demeanor by any means. And I doubt it was even her fault; but there was a private event upstairs and she had to juggle that and our table and the event was the priority. My friend needed a refill on his drink the whole time and she didn't return after our food. He finished his meal, no refill. He finally had to go find her to get one, which was inside, and I wasn't given a refill myself and just didn't bother asking since she was busy. Then we waited for our check. And waited some more. I decided to use the bathroom and would ask for our check then. Didn't see her on the way in, didn't see her on the way out. Waited a little while again and went back in. She was carrying more things to the upstairs event. And she told her to bring us our check when she could. Overall, like I said, the seating options were the best part. Our waitress was a nice young lady but just too busy with the event and we shouldn't have to chase anyone down for refills AND the check. I think just having her serve the event and another waitress downstairs would have been better managed, especially since hardly anyone was there (hence the people-free photos I could get). And the upcharge for the tiny bread was silly. I would try this place again sometime .. our waitress said the trivia was fun and you can reserve a table ahead of time for that. But I think I would try something else to eat. Maybe a flatbread. And I hope to improve my rating in the future! read more

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Really enjoyed this spot on Main Street! The patio is definitely the standout--spacious, great atmosphere, and perfect for people-watching or hanging with friends on a nice day. Food and drinks were both really good, highly recommend checking out their canned selections! Make sure you stop by over the summer, they are always hosting amazing events and music on main in their bar area and patio! Overall, a great place for a chill night out with a solid vibe! read more

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Came here for dinner on a Thursday night around 6:30 and had a great experience. We sat outside on the downstairs patio on a perfect night for it weather-wise. Our waitress Kathryn was great, getting our orders in quickly and getting our drinks and food to us quickly as well. I ordered the RBF wrap which I liked but if I order again one day, I'll ask to substitute another condiment instead of the mustard, because I don't eat mustard on sandwiches a lot. For the side, I opted for Mac & Cheese and loved how creamy and cheesy it was. I'd love to get this again sometime. I also appreciated the number of local beers on tap! I got a blonde ale and enjoyed it. Overall we had a great experience and will come back again soon! read more

Ration Ales - Menu as of 9/19/2024 - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

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Been coming weekly for trivia. Service is always great. Food is good and comes fast. Good beer selection. read more

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Chill vibes all around. Great place to grab a small bite and a drink. Been here twice and both times were good. The chicken wing dip and pretzels are very yummy. Kudos for originality on the roast beef weck quesadilla. The frozen drinks were very good and very welcomed on a hot day. Service was good also. read more

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Came here with co-workers... Not quite sure why this place was selected, it's a dive. They didn't have the spirits needed to make a Long Island Ice Tea. They didn't have pineapple juice to use as a mixer. They didn't have any better vodka than Tito's. They had plenty of beer tho, but what about non-beer drinkers who didn't choose to go there, but needed to as part of an event?? Anyways, the food in our event looked boring and was far from appetizing. The wings were bland and didn't look like they were fully cooked. Their take on a beef on weck was sad, with salt that looked like small pretzel salt. I wouldn't return. read more

Food is simple but good, hand held fare. Service is friendly and efficient. Really enjoyed the live bands on Thursday and Saturday nights this past summer. Perfect place especially for the summertime with outdoor seating areas. Drinks are good. You can bring your dog on the patio. read more

Ration Ales - Vegan wrap - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

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Tried this place for the first time. They had 17 beers on tap from different breweries. One was a cider, there were a couple sours and a mix of Pilsner, Ales, Stouts and IPA's. There were only three IPA's; and we only liked one, the Prison City Quiet Riot. I'd like to see more IPA's on the menu. They have a small "rations" menu with soup/salad/apps/sandwiches and wraps. They also can make shots, cocktails and have wine. There was one guy, John, behind the bar for the majority of the time we were there. He was pretty quick being the only guy in the middle of the afternoon. We ordered the loaded beef sandwich, which was really good. If you like horseradish, don't hesitate to switch the sauce from bbq. We asked for no bbq and it still came with it. There wasn't a ton, which was good, but we dipped it in the creamy horseradish anyway, and it was good. The kettle chips were pretty good, got the mesquite and the 716 with the sandwich. They have music on Saturday nights. read more

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bar service was not enjoyable last night. bartenders have bad attitude. like we were bothering them to wait on us

We live close by and with so many options it's always good to find a consistent place to have a bite and a beer. We were lucky enough to be greeted by John who loved his job, he was very informative and gave many recommendations. He was accompanied by Katherine who was also outstanding checking in with us often. This bartender duo ran the front of house in complete sync. I started with the snozzberry pint (sour beer) and my wife had the Sweet Heat margarita. Both were excellent. We had some food as well Mac and Cheese and a RBF wrap. The wrap was fresh and delicious. The mac and cheese was absolutely out of this world, the seasoning was on point. Overall we are very happy to have a great bar/restaurant option so close by. Oh and my new thing - clean bathroom. read more

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A really wonderful addition to Main St.. Very solid beer offering - all local & lots of variety of styles. Most importantly they were cold and poured beautifully. Bartenders were quick and attentive. I did see anyone with food but I can't wait to go back and try it. They offer brunch too! read more

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Recently had my sons 30th birthday party here. It was a great place rented the top room along with rooftop. Katheryn helped us coordinate party and was very responsive in answering all questions. Lake our server for the party was fantastic. The set up and food was great. Can't wait to visit again. read more

It seems their menu has changed a bit between our visit and my post. Snack pack Charcuterie board I did not like the carrot slaw thing, I can't remember what it was though. I also wasn't a huge fan of the cherries. The cheese and meat options though, we're great. But it did also need more slices of bread. Beer reviews on Untappd. read more

Ration Ales - Snack Pack Charcuterie - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

Food is horible, pricey and not made in house. Beer is overpriced and sour. They often operate outdoor heat while A/C is on inside making the restaurant cold. The help tries but I think they need some training but there is no trainer present. read more

We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon for a pint. The beer was fresh and cold. We decided not to stay long or order food. We plan to return when they have live music, or when the weather is nice enough to sit outside on the patio. read more

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Attended a sold out bourbon pairing brought in by Hartmans distilling. Fantastic event! We were able to sample some very special award winning bourbon. We were also educated on various types and provided the correct way to taste. It's true, you can learn something new everyday. The food also was well thought out and paired wonderfully, thanks chef! I definitely will be attending more of these offerings. BEer, wine, spirits they are planning them all! read more

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Please do yourself a favor and DO NOT order the beef on weck. I waited several months in anticipation to get their large order beef on weck (about $20), but was sorely disappointed. Not only was there a disappointing amount of beef ( in comparison to the small week roll), but there was no pink to the beef and it was completely tasteless. I am a 62 year old foodie and I've eaten at more restaurants in the WNY and in Southern Ontario than most of you have had birthdays. To date, the best slow cooked beef on weck (rare / medium rare & generous portion) is Kelly's Korner, Joey's Place, Bar Bill, and Beef-N-Barrel (Olean). read more

With indoor or outdoor seating, plus live music on Thursday and Saturday this place is a must.With fast and friendly service I received my grilled cheese Panini. It was Mozzarella, cheddar on a crispy parmesan crust and so delicious, it came with Kettle chips and a pickle.Other menu choices include soup, salad, beef on weck and wraps.Plus there's a big wine, draft and Cocktails list for your drinking pleasure. read more

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Plenty to choose from on their wine, Ales, Lager, drafts and cocktails list and a huge bar to enjoy.They have live music on Thursday and Saturday nights.You can dine inside or outside.With speedy service and a smile I received my SWX Wrap of black-bean humus , pico,pickled jalapenos,onions and lettuce.It was tasty and came with kettle chips and a pickle.Menu option include soup, salads ,burgers,beef on weck and paninis.So come out and enjoy a nice night out. read more

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Stopped in to check this place out with three friends on 3/25/23, before the evening crowd. The atmosphere and overall vibe of the place was neat, with their selections of wine, beer, and craft cocktails for purchase and on the go. The upstairs section, has a comfortable seating area to relax, talk and enjoy with others. Fortunate for me, I ordered my drink for the bar downstairs, prior to locating my friends who were upstairs. As long as they work out their ordering drinks technology issue, and the QR Code, and form of payment things will run more smoothly for patrons ordering and paying for drinks. read more

We hosted a 30th birthday party at RationAles. Coming from out of town, we had never been there and took a leap. We are SO glad we did. We rented out the whole top, indoor and outdoor, which was great. The casual vibes allowed guests to mingle and move around. Their event coordinator, Kathryn, was an excellent communicator. She replied quickly and provided us with assistance in planning the party. They have fantastic food options for parties. The vibes were great and the band playing below was such a bonus. The band was truly incredible! The drinks and beers were delicious. Our server, Lake, was awesome. So kind, fun, and helpful. She did an amazing job and we were so thankful for her. 10/10 would host another party here, and absolutely recommend! read more

Great brewery added to the collection of wonderful restaurants and breweries on Main St in Williamsville. We experienced very attentive service and a great atmosphere. The bar area was very cool and had a great vibe. We ordered a couple of beers using their online menu (scan UPC). Great selection of wine, beer and craft cocktails. Will be back soon. read more

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This beef in weck was absolutely savory. The creamy horseradish sauce was the perfect amount of kik. The sandwich was moist and full but of flavor. read more

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I ate dinner at Ration Ales with a group on a Saturday night. We made reservations for 6pm but, upon arrival, it was really unclear who we needed to talk to in order to be seated. There was host stand so, after about 10 minutes of being a little lost, we went up to the bar. A friendly server helped us to our seats. We sat in the patio which was covered with heaters and fabric walls. It made for a nice outdoor space on Main St to enjoy a meal with friends. The inside space had a handful of tables and a nice bar with a good number of seats. The bartender who sat us also acted as our waiter. It was a busy Saturday night so, needless to say, service was slower than you'd expect from a restaurant. Now, the bartender was very friendly and did a nice job for how many people she was serving, but it wasn't what we had expected having reserved a table for dinner. (Would have thought there would be a dedicated staff to the tables). We all ordered a beer from their large selection of choices. Each one of us were satisfied with our selection. The menu was small but it offered a variety of options. We each got a sandwich and several of us upgraded our sides to the mac and cheese. The sandwiches were nicely sized and everyone was happy with their choice. The mac and cheese was a little dry but had a nice, buttery, cracker topping that helped add in some flavor. Ration Ales is a bar 1st, and it does that very well! Nothing inherently wrong with the meal service, it just isn't their main focus. Service and food were good, just secondary to the beer. read more

We came for a party for my son. We had the upstairs and the deck. Over the TOP experience. Lake our server is amazing. Great hire on your part... she never missed a beat. All night running up and down the stairs for drinks and never slowed down. The food was delicious, "GREAT JOB KITCHEN" . Lake and crew kept it clean all night, never getting in anyone's way. Silent service at its best. Many Thanks for a great evening. read more

Had the beef on weck and the apple bacon chicken wrap. Both were very good. Great flavor; delicious! Nice afternoon talking with the bartender and having a bite to eat. My husband enjoyed the amber ale and, I liked both the cab snd sauv blanc. Very good selection of beer, wine and cocktails. Would highly recommend. read more

Disappointed, we stopped in for a few beers. The beer list clearly showed $8. But we were charged $9. per beer; when inquired, the bartender explained they now charge tax. We were sitting at the bar and no where did it say + tax. I know this is williamsville but this is CRAZY. No music, snacks or extras etc read more

A nice simple place for food and drink. They have a nice outdoor space with a rooftop as well as patio area for seating, along with a small indoor bar space. When you arrive, you seat yourself and there's no waiters to take your order or pay for your bill. Instead everything is done online and you scan a table unique QR code so the staff knows where to bring food. Their food menu is limited and simple but there are still some delicious sounding options. I ordered the turkey sandwich and enjoyed it. It had tender turkey, crispy bacon, brie, cranberry aioli, red onion, mixed greens on grilled italian bread. The flavors blended nicely, but nothing too surprising or unique from other sandwiches I've had. The cranberry aioli was a nice touch though and I would have loved more of it. The beer list is comprehensive full or local beers and has something for everyone. Overall a good spot for a light lunch and enjoying the outdoor space. read more

Ration Ales - Turkey Sandwich - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

This bar opened not that long ago and this was my first visit. The inside is not that roomy, a bar and some tables, but there are 2 great patios. The upstairs one covers the downstairs one! They offer a nice number of local craft beers. read more

I love this addition to Williamsville that gives me major beach town vibes. The cocktails are good, and the staff is friendly.

I really like coming here for lunch and sitting outside. It's never that busy because it seems like people mostly come here at night when they have bands playing and to drink, but the food is pretty good. I like the good amount of outdoor seating too. read more

Ration Ales - SWX without the oil. Delicious and healthy - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

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I stopped here tonight with three friends around 5:45pm. It was my first time here. This place has only been open four weeks. It was busy on the first floor so we went upstairs. I like the architecture but with the two or three large groups, it was very loud upstairs. You need to scan a QR code on a placard, which is on the table. Once you pay, your drinks will be brought to your table. It seemed confusing to me so I went downstairs to order a beer at the bar. I asked the bartender what stouts they had so he was helpful. The staff were nice. (When I was downstairs my friend upstairs had ordered drinks on the app and had already had their drinks brought up to them.) I tried ordering a second drink on th app but it kept trying to get me to pay for everyone's drinks. Although no one had paid, the drinks were somehow ordered and brought up to us. The employee had to run our cards separately in his card reader because although he had me close out of the screen and go back in, the app/program still made me try to pay for everyone's drinks. They didn't happen yo my friends, when I was downstairs getting my first drink. The local and vine seems cool and I wouldn't mind giving this place another try. read more

Ration Ales - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

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Nice Ambiance. The order system has got to go - was confusing to use - waitress had problems too. Service was meh. Food was ok . They ain't gonna survive with their no paper order system. Limited menu- again Meh. read more

Nice spot, yet they need to work out their systems. Get rid of the QR code system. We are not technologically limited yet it just doesn't work on so many levels. The very nice waitress took our order finally. If you are all going to serve food. Have what is listed on the menu, half the items you were out of including salad dressing?? In addition, lower the food pricing or raise the quality of the food and portion sizes. If it's on the menu you should have it in stock. Somehow a turkey sandwich went from out of stock, to in stock at 7pm at night? Great spot for a beer (even though again my first two choices were not available.). read more

Food was good, not obscenely priced. Beautiful 2-story patio. The service was different, you just order on your phone and someone runs you your order. I personally prefer regular wait staff. Next time I'd do just drinks and hangout on the patio. read more

Ration Ales - Tomato soup, salad, grilled cheese - Beer Bar Near Me - Williamsville, New York

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Had the smoken sandwich with tomato basil soup. Sandwich was fine, outside was warm but meat on the inside was refrigerator cold. The soup was not edible, too much basil sauce ruined it. I normally don't leave food, but left my soup. Bartender knew his drinks and gave great recommendations. When I arrived and asked if the kitchen was still open the waitress bellowed "ah, ya got 5 minutes "! When she brought out the food, she literally through the prison tray in front of me without saying anything and walked away. What I found most odd was the kid sitting at the bar playing loud music throughout the entire restaurant off the iPad. His choice of music was hard core rap, he would play the song halfway get bored and change it. All while his boyfriend fondled him. Hard to enjoy my meal even if the food would have been good. read more

I have to say how disappointing rationales was today. I ordered a drink with Prosecco and gin and I have to say my glass had about an inch and a half of a drink in it for $12. It was such a rip off. For my lunch, I had the hummus black bean wrap. When I got my hummus wrap it was a spread like mayonnaise for $14, no beans no hummus. What a waste of money. read more