Buffalo's cocktail scene grew up alongside the revival of downtown's Cobblestone District and the Theater District. Marble + Rye on Genesee Street is the city's clearest statement of the craft-cocktail movement, while Big Ditch Brewing Taproom on East Huron Street and Buffalo Iron Works on Illinois Street fold drinks into the local brewing and live-music culture. The mix reflects a city that pairs serious mixing with an unfussy tavern backbone.
Cocktail bars in Buffalo
12 cocktail bar places in Buffalo we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Buffalo · Cocktail Bar across every city.
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Mr. Goodbar
- ★ 4.6
- $$$
Drink Local craft beer flight
Mr.
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Marble + Rye (Cocktail Bar)
- ★ 4.8
- $$$
Drink Seasonal cocktail program
Marble + Rye on Genesee Street downtown is the Dimmer-Willmott cocktail program, with seasonal mixed drinks and Buffalo's most considered bar work.
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Founding Fathers Pub
- ★ 4.3
- $$$
Drink Local craft beer
Founding Fathers Pub on Edward Street near Allentown is the trivia-and-bar-food institution with a presidential-history theme and a long local beer list.
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Allen Street Hardware Cafe
- ★ 4.2
- $$$
Drink House cocktails, craft beer
Allen Street Hardware on Allen Street in Allentown is the long-running neighborhood bar in a former hardware store, with patio and weekend live music.
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Cole's Restaurant
- ★ 4.5
- $$$
Drink Local draft beer
Cole's on Elmwood Avenue has anchored the Elmwood Village since 1934, with a deep beer list, classic burger and a weekend brunch the locals defend.
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The Place
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
Drink Old Fashioned
The Place on Lexington Avenue near Cathedral Park is the dim, jukebox-driven Elmwood-area bar with cocktails, draft beer and a tight neighborhood following.
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Big Ditch Brewing Taproom
- ★ 4.7
- $$$
Drink Hayburner IPA
Big Ditch Brewing on East Huron Street downtown is the two-level Buffalo brewery taproom, with up to fifteen beers on tap and a full small-plates menu.
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Buffalo Iron Works
- ★ 4.4
- $$$
Drink Local craft beer
Buffalo Iron Works on Illinois Street in the Cobblestone District is the downtown live-music bar in a 19th-century iron foundry, with regular national acts.
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Lucky Day
- ★ 4.7
- $$$
Drink Whiskey cocktails
Lucky Day on Pearl Street downtown is the dim-lit Buffalo cocktail bar with a deep whiskey program, leather banquettes and a Prohibition-era room feel.
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Resurgence at the Cooperage
- ★ 4.1
- $$$
Drink Buffalo lager
Resurgence Brewing at the Cooperage on Chicago Street in the Old First Ward is the brewery's main Buffalo taproom, with patio and wood-fired pizza.
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Pearl Street Grill (Brewery Bar)
- ★ 4.0
- $$$
Drink Lake Effect IPA
Pearl Street Grill on Pearl Street has nine bars across four floors since 1997, with house-brewed beer and a long Buffalo brewpub history downtown.
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Thin Man Brewery (Chandler)
- ★ 4.1
- $$$
Drink Bliss IPA
Thin Man Brewery on Chandler Street is the surviving taproom after Community Beer Works acquired the brand in 2024, with patio and a Black Rocks feel.