October seems to be a pretty popular time to book lodging in Buffalo. Airbnbs and hotels are filling up quickly, so don’t sleep on booking your stay! 

If you want to scout out alternative rentals like Airbnb or VRBO, Elmwood Village and Allentown are cozy neighborhoods close to the venue.

Around town

With so many family and friends visiting our city for the first time, we wanted to provide some recommendations on where to eat, drink and capture the essence of Western New York. COVID might put a damper on some of these options, so be sure to check websites and social in advance.  

WING SPOTS (obviously…)

First things first: we call them chicken wings. Order them extra crispy. And for the love of god, do NOT ask for ranch. Anchor Bar is the original, but it’s not the best by a longshot.

• Gabriel’s Gate (Andrew’s longtime favorite) - Allentown

• Nine-Eleven Tavern (largely regarded as the best wings in Buffalo) - South Buffalo

• Gene McCarthy’s (Old Buffalo, classic no-frills wings) - Old First Ward

• Wing Kings (inventive flavors) - Elmwood Village

• Lenox Grill (get the Korean BBQ) - Allentown/Elmwood Village

Breweries

• Community Beer Works (best overall, newly renovated location) - Lakeview

• Froth Brewing Company (our personal favorite for inventive sours) - North Buffalo

• Big Ditch Brewing Company (prime location, solid food menu as well) - Downtown

• Resurgence Brewing Company (not all of their beers are created equal, but amazing location) - First Ward

• Thin Man Brewery (Black Rock has great pizza, Elmwood is more a brew pub vibe) - Elmwood Village or Black Rock

Bars

Our top picks:

• Matinee (tell Rex and Kev we sent you, canned craft beer) - Downtown

• Duende (amazing location near the old grain silos, beer and cocktails) - Silo City

• Ballyhoo (Jam Session cocktails, specialty sausage) - Cobblestone District

Other pretty great spots:

• Fattey Beer Company (can craft beer) - Downtown

• Essex Street Pub (dive bar, good BBQ and vegan food) - Elmwood Village

• Billy Club (classy cocktails) - Allentown

• Angelica Tea Room (funky cocktails) - Downtown

• Mohawk Place (pretty divey bar) - Downtown

• Lockhouse Distillery (cocktails, distillery) - Cobblestone District

• Lucky Day (cocktails, whiskey bar) - Downtown

• The Pink (diviest of dive bars, late-night steak sandwiches) - Allentown

Food

Quick bites

• Ted’s Hot Dogs (fast casual) - multiple locations

• Jim’s Steak Out (late night, open until 5 a.m.) - multiple locations

• Rachel’s (like a Mediterranean Chipotle) - multiple locations

• Mighty Taco (hometown Taco Bell) - multiple locations

• Sue’s NY Deli (soup and sandwiches, breakfast and lunch only) - Downtown

Sit down & to-go

• Alibaba Kebab (delicious, cheap, Middle Eastern/halal to-go) - Broadway-Fillmore

• Allentown Burger Venture (inventive burgers, nice patio) - Allentown

• Betty’s (great breakfast and dinner, vegan options) - Lakeview

• Big Mood (creative vegan) - Elmwood Village

• Black Sheep (classy farm-to-table, cocktails) - Bryant

• Cafe 59 (not a cafe, great vegan options) - Allentown

• Cantina Loco (Mexican) - Allentown

• Colter Bay (new American, large beer selection) - Allentown

• Hydraulic Hearth (pizza, new American) - Larkinville

• Lake Effect Diner (great breakfast) - North Buffalo/LaSalle

• Lloyd (inventive tacos, try the Big Lloyd) - North Buffalo

• Marble & Rye (classy new American, cocktails) - Downtown

• New Jewel of India (our favorite place, Indian cuisine) - North Buffalo

• SATO Brewpub (ramen and brews) - Downtown

Activities

• Niagara Falls (Maid of the Mist) - 20 miles from Buffalo

• RiverWorks - Old First Ward

• Canalside - Downtown/Canalside

• Hatchets & Hops - Downtown

• Delaware Park - Parkside

• Forest Lawn Cemetery (it’s gorgeous, plus Rick James and William McKinley are buried here) - Elmwood Village/Hamlin Park

• Pierce Arrow Museum - Old First Ward

• Buffalo River History Tours - Canalside

• Buffalo City Hall Observation Deck - Downtown

• Larkin Square (check for food truck and live events) - Larkinville

• Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site - Allentown