OT : Buffalo / Green Bay recommendatios ? | The Boneyard

OT : Buffalo / Green Bay recommendatios ?

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Going to Buffalo to watch the Packers / Bills game in 2 weeks. Eleven of us ( 10 Packers / 1 Bills fans) and staying for 3 nights. Any recommendations on restaurants, attractions etc. Staying downtown. Will be going to Niagara Falls and was told of 2 wing joints ( Anchor Bar, Duffs) to check out.

Any other info will be appreciated. Hopefully they don't get another 9 feet of snow that week. Thanks in advance.
 

Fishy

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Are you one of the Packers' fans?
 
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I live in Buffalo. Two good budget hotels downtown: Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn.

What do you like for food? If you're already downtown, then don't bother with Duffs. Gabriel's Gate is just as good. anchor is obviously the home of wings, but not as good as the others.

Bars: Founding Fathers and Hardware
Beer/Micropub: Blue Monk (I recommend this one), Resurgence, Pan American Bar at the Hotel Lafayette.
Italian: Trattoria Aroma
Sushi: Seabar
BBQ: Dinosaur
There are several good high end places like Hutchs and Martins.

As for attractions, this time of year I'd avoid the Harbor because of the weather, and that has many of the attractions. Honestly, in winter, it's just indoor sports like the Sabres. There's a lot of stuff for artsy/historical people, like the Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Niagara Falls will be a disappointment this time of year because the mist from the Falls creates glaciers all over the park, so they cordon off huge areas and you can't get a good look at the falls unless you go to Canada.
 
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Going to Buffalo in December. Incredible.
My best to you hardy souls.
I don't go to North Scottsdale in December.
 
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Going to Buffalo to watch the Packers / Bills game in 2 weeks. Eleven of us ( 10 Packers / 1 Bills fans) and staying for 3 nights. Any recommendations on restaurants, attractions etc. Staying downtown. Will be going to Niagara Falls and was told of 2 wing joints ( Anchor Bar, Duffs) to check out.

Any other info will be appreciated. Hopefully they don't get another 9 feet of snow that week. Thanks in advance.
Was going to post on football board. Also posting on footb
Are you one of the Packers' fans?
Yes. Why do you ask ?
 
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I live in Buffalo. Two good budget hotels downtown: Comfort Suites and Hampton Inn.

What do you like for food? If you're already downtown, then don't bother with Duffs. Gabriel's Gate is just as good. anchor is obviously the home of wings, but not as good as the others.

Bars: Founding Fathers and Hardware
Beer/Micropub: Blue Monk (I recommend this one), Resurgence, Pan American Bar at the Hotel Lafayette.
Italian: Trattoria Aroma
Sushi: Seabar
BBQ: Dinosaur
There are several good high end places like Hutchs and Martins.

As for attractions, this time of year I'd avoid the Harbor because of the weather, and that has many of the attractions. Honestly, in winter, it's just indoor sports like the Sabres. There's a lot of stuff for artsy/historical people, like the Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Niagara Falls will be a disappointment this time of year because the mist from the Falls creates glaciers all over the park, so they cordon off huge areas and you can't get a good look at the falls unless you go to Canada.
Thanks for info. Actually staying at the downtown Hampton Inn. Is the Anchor Bar overrated ? Is it far from downtown. Someone also mentioned the Chocolate Bar for Martini's. Supposedly also downtown.
 
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Thanks for info. Actually staying at the downtown Hampton Inn. Is the Anchor Bar overrated ? Is it far from downtown. Someone also mentioned the Chocolate Bar for Martini's. Supposedly also downtown.

I like the Hampton Inn, you chose well. But the Chocolate Bar is a chain and holds no appeal for me. That whole street is kind of where the 21s and sometimes underagers go to party. So, if you're into a college/town crowd, Chippewa is the place to be.

The good part of the Hampton is you have access 2 blocks up the street to the subway and trolley which takes you down to the Sabres Arena, where there's a 716 Sports Bar in Terry Pegula's building across the street. That's the place to go and watch sports. You're also close to really good restaurants like Seabar, Oshun and there's the Lafayette Hotel which has a really cool bar, Pan American, from the turn of the last century. Dinosaur BBQ is nearby as well, as is Tappo, an Italian place that sells wine bottles at wholesale prices, but the food is only a little better than mediocre. That's the place to go to if you want decent food while getting sloshed. There are a lot of Martini places but I tend to avoid them because the bartenders call themselves Mixologists. I guess I'd recommend Bacchus right near Hampton or the 1st floor bar of the Lafayette Hotel (which is different than the Pan American).

Otherwise, the locals hang out in three places: Allentown (half a mile north of your hotel on Allen Street, you'll find Gabriel's Gate and Hardware there, and Founding Father's is one block over). Elmwood Village (Aroma and Blue Monk are there), and Hertel (where you have soccer bars like Mes Que and ethnic restaurants). There are actually lots of bars and restaurants in these areas. Several right next to Hampton Inn as well (maybe 7 or 8 bars, but all populated by 21 year olds).

Anchor is in a rundown area right behind the Biomedical complex, which is due for a facelift, so if you go there, you drive and eat relatively mediocre wings. It's an OK place though, if only to see where the first wing was made. There used to be projects behind there but they were all bought up by the medical complex and destroyed. It's kind of a ghost land there.
 
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I wanted to suggest the best point at which to throw yourself off the Falls.
That's not a nice thing to say. I thought you would have some sympathy for me since I am traveling to Buffalo in mid December
 
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I like the Hampton Inn, you chose well. But the Chocolate Bar is a chain and holds no appeal for me. That whole street is kind of where the 21s and sometimes underagers go to party. So, if you're into a college/town crowd, Chippewa is the place to be.

The good part of the Hampton is you have access 2 blocks up the street to the subway and trolley which takes you down to the Sabres Arena, where there's a 716 Sports Bar in Terry Pegula's building across the street. That's the place to go and watch sports. You're also close to really good restaurants like Seabar, Oshun and there's the Lafayette Hotel which has a really cool bar, Pan American, from the turn of the last century. Dinosaur BBQ is nearby as well, as is Tappo, an Italian place that sells wine bottles at wholesale prices, but the food is only a little better than mediocre. That's the place to go to if you want decent food while getting sloshed. There are a lot of Martini places but I tend to avoid them because the bartenders call themselves Mixologists. I guess I'd recommend Bacchus right near Hampton or the 1st floor bar of the Lafayette Hotel (which is different than the Pan American).

Otherwise, the locals hang out in three places: Allentown (half a mile north of your hotel on Allen Street, you'll find Gabriel's Gate and Hardware there, and Founding Father's is one block over). Elmwood Village (Aroma and Blue Monk are there), and Hertel (where you have soccer bars like Mes Que and ethnic restaurants). There are actually lots of bars and restaurants in these areas. Several right next to Hampton Inn as well (maybe 7 or 8 bars, but all populated by 21 year olds).

Anchor is in a rundown area right behind the Biomedical complex, which is due for a facelift, so if you go there, you drive and eat relatively mediocre wings. It's an OK place though, if only to see where the first wing was made. There used to be projects behind there but they were all bought up by the medical complex and destroyed. It's kind of a ghost land there.
Thanks again. Our party consists of 2 males in our mid 50's ( our wives are not joining us, think we are dopes for going). Then we have 9 ( 6 males, 3 females) that are in there mid 20's). These are our kids, nieces, nephews. All of us don't mind having a drink or 2, and are not looking for anything fancy. Maybe based on this info you can give us what you think would be best place to go. Appreciate all this info.
 

Fishy

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That's not a nice thing to say. I thought you would have some sympathy for me since I am traveling to Buffalo in mid December

1) Why would you do that?

2) I'm a Vikings' fan.
 
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1) Why would you do that?

2) I'm a Vikings' fan.
Now I understand. Actually someone that works for me is a Vikings fan. We get along pretty well. We are planning a trip to Lambeau to watch Packers / Vikings in 2016. You are welcome to join us. Have to warn you, most of traveling party will be Cheeseheads.
 

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Not sure how it happened to me, but my brother's girlfriend and my next door neighbor are both from Green Bay and both enjoy calling three or four or ten times during those games.

The only Vikings' jersey I have ever owned was a Vikings' Bret Favre jersey that my brother bought in Green Bay...where they were selling them as novelty items.

I have no idea why I agreed to it, but we're going to Lambeau in '15. I expect to have a good time other than the three hours of the actual game.
 
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Not sure how it happened to me, but my brother's girlfriend and my next door neighbor are both from Green Bay and both enjoy calling three or four or ten times during those games.

The only Vikings' jersey I have ever owned was a Vikings' Bret Favre jersey that my brother bought in Green Bay...where they were selling them as novelty items.

I have no idea why I agreed to it, but we're going to Lambeau in '15. I expect to have a good time other than the three hours of the actual game.
Hope you have a good time. I am sure you will. When you get back , you can give me some tips on things to check out.
 
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I love CT, it's the only place in the world where it's okay to be a Vikings, Yankees, Lakers, Bruins and Uconn fan.
You 100 % correct. In my neighborhood growing up, we had Giants, Jets, Raiders, Cowboys and packer fans. Also in baseball there were Orioles, A's, Red Sox and Yankee fans. In hoops Knicks, Celtics, Bullets and 1 Buffalo Brave fan ( with McAdoo, and Ernie D).

This would be an interesting poll to see, if or how peoples teams have changed over the years.
 
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Thanks again. Our party consists of 2 males in our mid 50's ( our wives are not joining us, think we are dopes for going). Then we have 9 ( 6 males, 3 females) that are in there mid 20's). These are our kids, nieces, nephews. All of us don't mind having a drink or 2, and are not looking for anything fancy. Maybe based on this info you can give us what you think would be best place to go. Appreciate all this info.

Chippewa, right next to your hotel, will have lots of bars for mid 20s. For a more laidback bar, try the PanAmerican at the Hotel Lafayette which is 2 blocks away. For wings, go to Gabriel's Gate on Allen Street. For craft beer, Blue Monk on Elmwood. For dinner, Tappo and Dinosaur BBQ which is only a few blocks away from you. For a sports bar, 716 at the harbor (the free trolley stop is two blocks away from you, about a 5 minute ride to 716 at the harbor).

Downtown Buffalo is a bit bleak, even if the architecture is turn of the 20th century. Most of the city life happens on Elmwood and also Hertel.

If you can, bring passports to cross over Niagara Falls into Canada, I'd recommend it this time of year. Normally I wouldn't because the nicest part of the Falls is Goat Island on the American side.

Advice for driving to Ralph Wilson stadium (I wouldn't follow GPS since that will surely take you into the traffic jam):

1. Take 190 south from downtown Buffalo
2. Take 90 west toward Erie.
3. Get off on Rt. 219 toward Orchard Park (keep following signs for Orchard Park)
4. Do NOT get off where it says Ralph Wilson Stadium
5. Go one exit further: Big Tree Road.
6. Take a left onto Big Tree at the bottom of the exit ramp.
7. Once you pass California Road, park at any of the houses on your right hand side.

It will be a very short walk to the stadium from there. Virtually no traffic. AND, very easy out after the game.

Get to the gates early (12:30 -12:40) since this year the Bills and the whole NFL seems to have instituted a new policy. You can only enter at an assigned gate. It is chaos.
 
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Chippewa, right next to your hotel, will have lots of bars for mid 20s. For a more laidback bar, try the PanAmerican at the Hotel Lafayette which is 2 blocks away. For wings, go to Gabriel's Gate on Allen Street. For craft beer, Blue Monk on Elmwood. For dinner, Tappo and Dinosaur BBQ which is only a few blocks away from you. For a sports bar, 716 at the harbor (the free trolley stop is two blocks away from you, about a 5 minute ride to 716 at the harbor).

Downtown Buffalo is a bit bleak, even if the architecture is turn of the 20th century. Most of the city life happens on Elmwood and also Hertel.

If you can, bring passports to cross over Niagara Falls into Canada, I'd recommend it this time of year. Normally I wouldn't because the nicest part of the Falls is Goat Island on the American side.

Advice for driving to Ralph Wilson stadium (I wouldn't follow GPS since that will surely take you into the traffic jam):

1. Take 190 south from downtown Buffalo
2. Take 90 west toward Erie.
3. Get off on Rt. 219 toward Orchard Park (keep following signs for Orchard Park)
4. Do NOT get off where it says Ralph Wilson Stadium
5. Go one exit further: Big Tree Road.
6. Take a left onto Big Tree at the bottom of the exit ramp.
7. Once you pass California Road, park at any of the houses on your right hand side.

It will be a very short walk to the stadium from there. Virtually no traffic. AND, very easy out after the game.

Get to the gates early (12:30 -12:40) since this year the Bills and the whole NFL seems to have instituted a new policy. You can only enter at an assigned gate. It is chaos.
Can't thank you enough for all your help. Great to get an insiders recommendations. Now if you can only not have it snow for the 3 days we are there.
 
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Can't thank you enough for all your help. Great to get an insiders recommendations. Now if you can only not have it snow for the 3 days we are there.

It won't snow in Buffalo, at most 1 inch. It WILL snow down in Orchard Park.
 

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upstater got most of the info you need...I'm a lifelong Buffalo resident, grew up 3 minutes from the Ralph and live off Elmwood. If you need anything more, including suburbs info, I'll be around here...no need to go into anything further if his info is sufficient fir ya but I can throw my 2 cents in as well.
 
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Thanks Mr French. Upstater gave what I think is excellent info. I greatly appreciate his advice. I am wondering if you second his thoughts on Niagara Falls. My son and I have already been there, so no big deal for us. The others have never been and it may be the only time they are up in area. Do you think it is worth it, also how far away is it ( from downtown Buffalo). Thanks in advance.

PS any info you want to add would be welcome.
 
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