This place is the perfect work-lunch-midday break for me. Their food is SO reasonably priced and everything I've had from there so far has exceeded my expectations-- the smoked turkey & avocado sandwich is awesome and HUGE, garlic mayo whaaaat. I've had some great salads here too. Bread and butter/oil with every meal, even to go! Huge mega bonus points: sometimes I order ahead to dine-in on my half hour lunch break, and the waiter is SO attentive in minding how much time I have, rushing around. Does it get better than all that? Nope, 5 stars, thanks Bijou! read more

I recently got married at Shea's in downtown Buffalo and had Bijou cater our wedding and I really do not have enough good things to say about it. I worked mostly with Bea on figuring out the menu and she was wonderful. Bea was always available to answer my questions and I was blown away by all of the options I could choose from. The food was top notch and I have received nothing but complements. The Bijou staff that served at my reception were amazing and they really helped make the day very special. Compared to many other caterers I researched, Bijou's prices were very reasonable and they did not nickle and dime me for things like others were trying to do. Thank you Bijou! read more

Though our wait staff was friendly enough, the service was poor at best. The owner attempted to seat two random people at our table without asking, but by TELLING us. When we declined, the experience didn't fizzle, it imploded. Waited well over an hour for our entrees, none of which arrived at the same time. When we asked our server if our food was coming out any time soon, she honestly didn't know what to say and offered to send the owner over and the owner never showed up. Apparently, I ordered the overcooked asparagus atop undercooked ravioli. I had to eat it because I was hungry and as far as I know Shea's doesn't serve dinner. Despite voicing our concerns about the slow service and being late for a show (we allowed an hour and forty-five minutes), they had the audacity to ask if we wanted "a quick dessert". Fat chance. Since the server didn't want to address anything and the owner only wanted to bark at us about squeezing more people at our table, we attempted to talk to the "hostess" whose response was to glare at us over the glasses at the end of her nose. Not a great night by any stretch of the imagination. And one more thing, if you're going to charge $10 for a glass of wine, perhaps leave off from your menu the brand of the wine; the whole bottle costs barely $10 retail. read more

Yeah! The Bijou has their California Chopped Salad back and it is excellent. Dressing is just enough. First, let me apologize perhaps it has been on the menu and I just have not stopped there, but I only recently noticed it again. And, it is excellent. Sat at the bar. The Malbec suggested by Anthony (my daughter asked his name because he was so pleasant and we know he has worked there a while), was outstanding. THE BEST: California Chopped Salad and Malbec. read more

I've been going here for years, usually before a show at Shea's. The old-school theatre ambiance is charming and the waiters are sweet. I used to always get the pesto chicken sandwich...I'm not sure if they serve that anymore. But, the crab cakes, the crab/brie/artichoke dip (my favorite thing on the menu), and the lobster ravioli are really great as well. Be sure to get there early though, I would say at least 2 hours before a show because it does get really packed. read more

Great service and dinner. A massive stuffed pork chop with fresh green beans and mashed potatoes was perfect. Def recommend.

I was staying close by and spied some people eating pizza through the window and was hit by a craving. It was a Friday around 6 PM and the place was empty. The server was very friendly and made good conversation. He asked if I wanted a glass of wine and I asked if they had something red and very dry. He made a recommendation and I accepted. When I tasted it it was sweet like fruit juice. That wasn't very good. I ordered the pepperoni pizza. It was good but not mind blowing. It had a fair amount of cheese but the sauce was bland. It was grilled which gave it a soft chewiness but a good crisp on the edges. It was about $17 for the pizza and wine. I would go back if in the area and hungry but I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here. read more

Had the kobe beg burger was cooked perfectly! No condiments needed amazing food would definitely go to again and soon!

Went there before a show at the theater across the street. Just my wife and I. I had the scallops, she had the steak that was on special. The scallops were awful. Fishy and sort of vaguely briny, but not in a good way. They weren't overcooked just seemed off. I sent them back. The risotto that came with the scallops was undercooked but worse it came from a box. The tell tale taste of that powdered chicken flavoring ran through it. My wife's steak was lukewarm and had little flavor. The soup appetizers were good, as was the lobster dip and salads. The desert was so so. I paid my $150 dinner bill quietly and left, never to return(we did have 2 $26 bottles of wine). The wait staff was also completely overwhelmed (short staffing for a show night). But the servers earned every dime. They were great. read more

Code word: BLAND. The lemon risotto had no flavor, & the lobster ravioli was grainy & the sauce acidic. (I've never had a tomato sauce that was so bland.) Service was slow (took 45 minutes from order to meals hitting the table). On a bright note, the beet salad was quite yummy! read more

This place has excellent food, but the service is less than desirable. A few weeks ago, a couple of my co-workers and I went there for lunch. When we asked for separate checks (3 of us), the waitress said she didn't have time. The following week, another co-worker and decided to go there for lunch. They had tables set-up outside. Since it was a nice day, we decided to dine outside. The same waitress said, "You are not going to make me serve you outside? It's too hot!" We left, needless to say. I ended up meeting a party there for lunch, at their request, the following week. Again, the food was excellent, but the service was horrible. It took 20 minutes from the time I asked for the check until I paid. While I was frustrated with the service, I recognize she was the only server for the entire establishment. Management needs to do a better job of staffing appropriately. read more

With 26 years in, this high quality restaurant knows how to put together a great menu with lots of choices, make it tasty, and serve you well. The bone in pork chop with walnuts and a bourbon glaze was perfectly cooked and served over mashed potatoes with a side of asparagus. A chicken pot pie for my mate was huge - big enough for me to take a deep dive, and it was spot on. Talk about diverse offerings! A bourbon was served with just the right amount of ice. Caesar salad had the dressing on point, and the romaine was crisp and fresh. Not a brown spot nor too large a bunk on the ample serving. The apple crisp with a scoop of fresh ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream (fresh not chemical) was as aromatic as it was flavorful, spiced with clove and cinnamon. I could not eat it all, even with a cup of fresh brewed coffee. A guaranteed good meal and walking distance to the hotels and the theatre. read more

The Bijou Grille is a cozy little nook across the "street" from the beautiful Shea's Performing Arts Center. I stopped by to see if I could get a table for dinner before seeing the fabulous Neglia Ballet Artists' "Nutcracker." I didn't have a reservation, but the gentleman hosting found a table for 2 in the bar area, which was great. The room was very relaxing with lovely music played as a background accompaniment, rather than as the main event, and the food was delicious. The rolls were hot out of the oven and served with a perfect blend of extra virgin olive oil and herbs, as well as with pats of butter - take your pick. The baked haddock and vegetables were cooked to perfection and the rice (of which I am not a big fan) was good enough for even me to eat - light, fluffy, and perfectly seasoned. My waitress, Lisa, was very personable and efficient and offered suggestions for places for after theater fare, in case the restaurant wasn't open or tables were not available after the show. Luckily, the restaurant was open after the show and we were able to have a wonderful snack and a moist, chocolately lava dessert with coffee. I hope to return in the spring to see the ballet again and treat myself to the joys of dining at The Bijour Grille in Buffalo, NY! read more

Went there before Shea's performance. Had reservations and we were immediately seated. Waitress was good. Atmosphere was small , loud and very warm. This is an ala cart restaurant. They brought out 4 TINY pieces of dried out bread for 2 people with dipping oil. For an appetizer I had French onion soup. It was not very good. Instead of a hearty broth it had an odd sweet flavor. I ordered the lobster ravioli. The sauce lacked flavor, and I didn't taste any lobster. Very disappointing, especially for the price of $19.00, which didn't even include a salad! This restaurant is overpriced and overated. Will not be returning. read more

We went to the Bijou prior to a performance at Sheas last June... Main Street was blocked & access was impossible. The restaurany was WAY overbooked & service was ridiculously slow. So, when one of our group suggested the Bijou for this past Friday, I was very skeptical... I called first and was assurred that the overbooking situation was an anomoly! Not so! Our reservation was for 6:00 and we were sure to be early... there weren't many people in the place, and fairly quickly placed our drink order. Then the waitress disappeared, to only be seen flying around the restaurant, and talking to the women next to us (she seemed to know them, and needless to see rhey got their drinks & food in good time)...not so us.at approximately 6:40, one of our 3 soup orders was brought to the table by a busboy... we asked about our drinks. About 5 min. later, our waitress finally returned & said "what were your drink orders, I forgot to put them in?" We reordered, and then perhaps 10 min. later (so around 6:50 the waitress came back to me and said the entree I had ordered without onions could not be made that way & started to walk away... I said "I can't eat that, I'm allergic to onions". She looked back to me and was like "oh, well what did you want to do, do you want a menu?" I said I did if the food could be made in time, ordering a Margaherita Flatbread pizza. My 2 companions food finally came at about 7:00 & I was told mine was 2 min. behind. At 7:15 I told them to cancel my order and bring us the check. My friend gave me 1 of her 2 Pulled Pork Sliders, With the check came my Pizza "at no charge". I said they might as well give it to someone as I didn't have time to eat it. For the first time in my life I didn't leave a tip, and I am usually at least a 20% tipper. As we were leaving the restaurant, the people in a nearby booth said "well, enjoy the show". We chatted very briefly... it turned out they had a 6:00 reservation... it was now 7:30 & they had no food!!! The food was tasteless when it did come!! Never eever AGAIN!! read more

The food was ok but the worst service I have ever had . The waiter was not coherent enough to remember our orders. Will not go back

I have had lunch and dinner here many times over the years and have never had a horrible meal. The service, however, could use an overhaul. In regards to my latest experience, the person who greated and seated us also turned out to be our waiter. He seemed as if we were bothering him. His attitude continued throughout the meal. He took our order and when a friend asked for specific veggie-type food he screw faced her like she was from another planet. Our soup came out cold(not his fault) and he never checked on us so that we could return it for something warmer. It took a good 15 minutes, and me waving him down, to exchange it. Additionally, he reached in front of the diner to my left to hand me my food twice. Right in front of her face. If she opened her mouth she could bite him. Now, I have never been a server but I know the proper way to serve someone their meal. When my meal came out he awkwardly reached over her head and I had to take my plate from him. If she didn't duck she would have gotten hit, I fear. If I didn't love their fig & gorgenzola flatbread so much I would probably give 1 start for bad service alone. Here's a tip Bijou: just because you are a downtown staple does not mean you can deliver poor service. Repeat customers and good reviews are what help keep you in business. I have come to believe the ONLY reason this place is still alive is because they are lucky to be right across the street from Shea's. read more

We wanted to eat close to Shea's for a Saturday evening show. When we called for reservations and mentioned the show was at 8:00, they advised getting there a little after 6:00 instead of the 6:30 time we wanted. We took their advice and had a great dining experience. Wait staff was great, explained all dishes in detail. We all enjoyed our food; Salmon and Lobster Ravs were the hit. We had a leisurely dinner and walked into Shea's at 7:45. I think most people have issues with Bijou because they don't give themselves enough time. read more

Decided to go for a lite dinner before a 7:30 show at Shea's. reservations were made for a party of two at 6:00. so we would be on time. We both ordered a Greek salad with chicken and a Caesar salad with chicken. Our order went in at 6:05. At 6:36 we asked why our food was taking so long because the table next to us was there after us and they got their food before us. The server told us they lost our ticket and our food would be right out in 5 minutes. when the food came I had a Greek salad with no feta cheese and no tomatoes! After telling the waiter the issue, he said he would talk to the owner and let her know. He came back and told us there was nothing they could do but take $3.00 off for tomatoes! The point of the story is, I did not want money off I thought the owner should come over and apologize! How do you have a Greek salad without tomatoes and feta cheese the service was so so the food was not great at all, and I will never go back and I will not recommend to anybody! read more

food wasn't great and the food didnt arrive for 45 mins it took the longest time t even order 1 star

Ate here for the 1st time yesterday, and I will never go back. We had reservations at 4:15 and had tickets to see a 6:00 show at Shea's. It was very busy, but we were seated right away. It took the waitress 10 minutes to come to our table and ask for drinks and at least another 10 to deliver them. When she finally did bring our bring drinks, she just dropped them off and left, never taking our order. It took her yet another 10 minutes to finally come around take our order. My 9 year old daughter ordered a hamburger and asked for no cheese, the waitress did not acknowledge this request, so my mother asked if she heard her. the waitress, clearly annoyed, and in a very snotty voice said, got it and rolled her eyes. Our booth was located right in front of the kitchen and i could see everything that was going on, as it is an open kitchen. I saw our food finally being put out under heat lamps and there it sat. I could also clearly see that there was cheese on my daughter's hamburger. When our waitress finally went over to get our food, she too saw the cheeseburger and handed it back to the chef. I watched as he scraped the cheese off and put it back on the bun. When delivered, my daughter saw the cheese on it and did not want to eat it. It was now 5:30. When the waitress came over to check on us, I said the hamburger had cheese on it and my daughter doesn't want it. She shrugged her shoulders and said, I told them no cheese. I saw her go to the chef and and roll her eyes some more and she came back said we would not be charged for the burger. My mother encouraged my daughter to eat a little or she would be hungry. So she took a bite out of the burger and it was completely raw! By now I was outraged, and an older woman who was working there came over and yelled, we took the burger off the bill. I said, thank you , however, I am upset that this burger is raw. She looked at it and said to my daughter give it to me. My daughter tried handed her the burger and the woman yelled at her, put it on the plate - my daughter is 9. She put it on the plate and it handed it to the woman. The woman again yelled at my daughter and told her to take the french fries off. She did and was stuck holding her french fries!! The woman told her to put them in the bread basket and left. She did bring her back the same burger, we know because it had the bite in it, and it was cooked. However, it was 5:45 and we needed to leave for the 6:00 show. My daughter had french fries for dinner. She was starving had to sit through the show with nothing to eat. Whether or not this was a fluke for them, this was our 1st impression, and we will not be back. read more