1st trip to Buffalo!

[Whites Bay]

1 hour ago, SoMAn said:

...the southern tier and finger lakes regions.

 

 

 

 

Probably out of the OP's time window, but it's hard to beat the winery tour at Dr. Konstantin Frank in Hammondsport.  About a 2 hour drive one way.  But wow.  What a view.

[djp14150]

1 hour ago, boater said:

The Curtiss...? The wife done good.

 

I once made a map of reputable Chicken Wing and Beef on Weck places. It is up to date as of 2024.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1mpmtjHMZCrqYop5-FKuRvDtRLTvMhbs&ll=42.95024824339911%2C-78.80922200917966&z=11

 

You dont have wingnuts by airport.

 

Many local places are Corning shop pizza and wings thst are popular in the local area. 

[JP51]

1 hour ago, DrZ said:

This is great!

We are all about experiencing local restaurants/spots vs stuff we can do in ohio. Thanks!

Transit line above ground down town is free.. so if you take a minute to plan out where you are gonna go, the rapid transit will pretty much get you close anywhere down town I mentioned except for anchor bar and Gabriels 

[Big Turk]

11 minutes ago, Low Positive said:

I’m in Ohio too. The first thing I do when I hit WNY is get pizza. I would drive all the way from Cincinnati just to get Bocce Club. I like take out wings from LaNova. I get a bucket with half hot and half BBQ. The surprising thing will be just how much better the blue cheese is in WNY than it is anywhere else.

 

I would also walk around Elmwood Village. A lot of nice shops and cafes. But then again I grew up there so that’s the old neighbourhood. If you want local fast food, Elmwood Taco and Sub is really good but Mighty Taco is a local legend. 

 

But the best part about being in town is everyone is a Bills fan. Also, go to Wegmans and get a couple reusable Bills shopping bags. They are great conversation starters in Ohio with the Kroger checkout girls. 

 

Oh yeah. Get a loganberry! It’s a taste of childhood for Bills fans.

 

My Condolences 😂

 

I was in various parts of Ohio for 6 years before moving back to WNY over 20 years ago now. Never leaving unless it's to move out of the country.

[muppy]

I say wear flexible waist pants lol . Buffalo has GREAT FOOD  all over the place. INDULGE

 

so many great places. If you want as traditional as it gets WNY fish fry to go to https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/classic-buffalo-spotlight-wiechecs-lounge/

 

Wiechecs Lounge 

 

it is outstandiing

 

what a great present! . I hope you have a blast!

[Jauronimo]

7 minutes ago, chris heff said:

Somebody named their restaurant Adolfs?

They named the bar well before the rise of Hitler and that whole thing.  I mean, who could have seen that one coming?  Not me.  

 

 

 

And before you ask, 911 Tavern was around well before 2001 and is a reference to the street address and not the horrible tragedy.  

Edited September 10 by Jauronimo

[djp14150]

In buffalo...Friday is fish fry day.

 

Buffalo is a heavily catholic area so no meat on Friday has been a tradition.

 

In city if Tonawanda there us a Niagara River city oark. 

 

Actisd the cabsk in north Tonawanda there are a bunch if restaurants. 

[Jauronimo]

34 minutes ago, yall said:

Try Adolfs as well (or maybe instead). Best wings you can get downtown as far as I'm concerned.

Excellent suggestion.  And right down the street is Gene McCarthys which has solid wings and the best fish fry I've had.

[0017]

2 hours ago, DrZ said:

Wife surprised me with a trip to Buffalo for my 40th bday. Would really appreciate any suggestions/local spots/recommendations on must do things. We are staying at Curtiss Hotel  Thanks everyone!

Congratulations! It’s one of favorite places to go as a family for a game!! You’re going to love it! You gotta try Bar Bill! The wings and beef on weck are amazing! Enjoy your trip! 

[Augie]

5 minutes ago, muppy said:

I say wear flexible waist pants lol . Buffalo has GREAT FOOD  all over the place. INDULGE

 

so many great places. If you want as traditional as it gets WNY fish fry to go to https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/classic-buffalo-spotlight-wiechecs-lounge/

 

Wiechecs Lounge 

 

it is outstandiing

 

what a great present! . I hope you have a blast!

 

Toward the end of our trip last week the wife sat down in a restaurant, picked up a menu and said “I need something green to eat.” So true! And we never did pizza, Ted’s or Mighty Taco. Seeing fresh vegetables at the Farmers Market was about as close as we got to “healthy eating.”  

[Metal Man]

Surprised no one has mentioned Pearl Street Brewery as far as downtown places to go for good food/wings.

Definitely walkable from the Curtis if the weather is nice, maybe .5 mile.

 

https://pearlstreetgrill.com/

 

Lucky Day is a great call too. Basically right across the street from Curtis.

[First Round Bust]

Food - Bar Bill Tavern, followed by Mulberry Ristorante and La Nova's (managed by a reputed retired mafiaso)

Then check out Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, bring passport and money to gamble,  and then to Toronto to spend a day in the city, and to Letchworth State park in the country ,

Mom and Pop..shop at Camillos market in Sloan NY for meat specials that folks lineup for outside as well as pierogis

and Redlinski store in Cheektowoga for kielbasa and the Polish Villa restaurant

[yall]

2 minutes ago, Metal Man said:

Surprised no one has mentioned Pearl Street Brewery as far as downtown places to go for good food/wings.

Definitely walkable from the Curtis if the weather is nice, maybe .5 mile.

 

https://pearlstreetgrill.com/

 

Lucky Day is a great call too. Basically right across the street from Curtis.

Pearl is an excellent place to go, I just don't rate their wings in the top two tiers. Definitely mid-tier, although not bad. Just a few better options in the city.

[Metal Man]

3 minutes ago, yall said:

Pearl is an excellent place to go, I just don't rate their wings in the top two tiers. Definitely mid-tier, although not bad. Just a few better options in the city.

 

Sure, but coming from someone outside of WNY mid tier wings are still much better than most places in the rest of the country.

 

Even as close as I am to Buffalo in Syracuse I would love for some places around here to have wings that were "mid-tier".  😉

[boater]

51 minutes ago, djp14150 said:

You dont have wingnuts by airport.

 

Many local places are Corning shop pizza and wings thst are popular in the local area. 

I will add it, it is new since I made the map.

 

Also, Wingnuts on Millersport Hwy replaced Santoras.

[The Jokeman]

An under rated gem of a restaurant close by is The Place and less than a 15 minute drive from your hotel. Service is great and with the weather still being warm I recommend an after dark dinner with one of the fire pits. Oh and my favorite thing on the menu is the Lobster Gnocci. https://theplacebuffalo.com

[Peace Frog]

49 minutes ago, muppy said:

I say wear flexible waist pants lol . Buffalo has GREAT FOOD  all over the place. INDULGE

 

so many great places. If you want as traditional as it gets WNY fish fry to go to https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/classic-buffalo-spotlight-wiechecs-lounge/

 

Wiechecs Lounge 

 

it is outstandiing

 

what a great present! . I hope you have a blast!

 

Been there, done that.  Big ol' piece of haddock in Kaisertown.

 

 

Don't forget to try the Polish platter at the Polish Villa in Cheektowaga.

 

[SoMAn]

54 minutes ago, Whites Bay said:

Probably out of the OP's time window, but it's hard to beat the winery tour at Dr. Konstantin Frank in Hammondsport.  About a 2 hour drive one way.  But wow.  What a view.

Assumed it's not practical for short visit.

My statement was a general counterpoint in a side note  and the perception by some that "there's nothing to do in WNY".

 

It's the sort of thing that used to be said in regard to Free Agent NFL players who might prefer the glamour and action in South Beach as opposed to the cloudy skies and slower pace of Buffalo.

 

For families living in WNY, there's more options for entertainment and recreation in the region than there are in many cities, even if there aren't white sandy beaches and palm trees.

 

I believe the Bills actively recruit the type of mature family-oriented men who are comfortable with the Buffalo lifestyle. A lot of these guys grew up on farms, experienced rural life and a small town lifestyle. I'm sure a good number of them have no desire for instant access to parties in La-La Land or South Beach.

 

[BigAl2526]

1 hour ago, chris heff said:

There is stuff to do on Ohio?

 

Sorry can’t help myself.

There's always driving across the state if you enjoy flat, featureless landscapes.

[jethro_tull]

Big Tree In, Duffs.