They have a free shuttle that will pick you up and drop you back off at Avalon! What a great service. The free wet burrito was HUGE and such a great deal. Usually birthday deals are tiny, but they are very generous here. The green sauce was perfect and we were very satisfied. Check it out on your birthday! read more

Went to Catalina Island on my bday and wanted to take advantage of the free meal at Buffalo Nickel. I took the Catalina Express over to Avalon, and I suggest that when you're 10 minutes away from docking call the shuttle so they can be there ready to scoop you up once you get off the boat (if eating is the first thing you want to do). A minivan picked us up and we went up the street to pickup another couple that was celebrating a bday as well. It's a quick drive to the restaurant, and once we got there the place was empty. As soon as we were seated and eating, the place began to fill up. I judge a Mexican restaurant by chips and salsa and/or their frozen strawberry margarita. I felt like I ate too many chips in the past month, so I skipped that and went straight for the drink (it's my bday why not??) All I can say is that if I had room, I would've ordered 2 strawberry margaritas. It was so freaking delicious!!! I ordered the wet burrito from the bday menu and it was filling. I heard about the buffalo milk, but had no room in my belly to try it! Will definitely check that out next time. The decor was cool and we ate fast and took a golf cart shuttle back. It was nice to sit in the back and see the water and road behind us. read more

Buffalo Nickel - This frozen strawberry margarita was so damn good!! - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

This is an 'off-the-beaten-path' restaurant that the locals frequent...and a few tourists. Since they closed Pebbly Beach Road to the golf carts because of landslides and falling rocks you have to call their shuttle service that picks you up by the Pancake House. Riding in that van made me feel like I was in Tijuana! The restaurant is quaint and quiet and has outdoor seating for those that want to take advantage of the normally awesome Catalina weather. The food is good and reasonably priced for a restaurant on the island. They have a great bar and make a mean drink called "Buffalo Milk"! http://www.buffalonickelrestaurant.com/ read more

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Hey everyone comes here for the free birthday meal. I did! Yassss! Why not? Had to chase down the shuttle guy after we got off the 11am Cat Express boat. There were signs for taxis but it was not so clear where the Buffalo Nickel stop was. We flagged down the shuttle guy in front of the Catherine hotel. I forgot his name but he was entertaining and the ride to the Buffalo Nickel was scenic. I suppose you could walk but it's treacherous with all the 'falling rocks' signs. There was only one other couple there and we chose to dine outside. Which was fine with me since it was middle of the week. I'm not one of those sheeple that like to stand in line for anything. I put on the birthday badge and was given the birthday menu. You can choose burgers, sandwiches etc...quite a variety. We were hungry but not enough to buy separate entrees so we shared my bday meal. I chose carnitas nachos and it was a big heaping of pork, cheese and chips. It satisfied our appetite right away and we were done. No dessert menu. The drink in the clay pot was interesting, a mix of tequila and sodas. Didn't give me a hangover. Service was quick and shuttle driver came around, asked us when we wanted to go back to Front street. Buffalo Nickel is in a secluded location, away from all the crowds. Not beach front but this fit my birthday needs. ****Tipped the shuttle driver going and coming. Cause that's what I do. No bachi, only good karma. Definitely a place you should visit once, especially on your birthday. read more

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Buffalo burger just tasted like a burger. It wasn't a bad burger, as burgers go, but it wasn't really worth the trek, probably even factoring in that it was free. Service was terrible, and my girlfriend's seafood sampler platter... mostly looked like someone had gone out to costco, bought some stuff from the frozen section, and microwaved it. Badly. The "signature drink" (buffalo milk) was decent at least, but still not really worth either the price or the trek. There's a reason they give out free birthday meals - cause nobody would ever show up otherwise. I have a feeling it was someone's birthday in basically every group there . Oh, and somehow, despite getting driven a couple miles to a location that's right next to the water, they chose one of the ugliest possible "right next to the water" spots to put a restaurant. You can't even really see the water, being other buildings in the way, but you certainly *can* see (and hear, and feel) helicopters coming and going from the nearby heliport. read more

I obviously came here because my meal was free on my birthday. There is a separate menu for birthdays. It's pretty decent. I got the carnitas wet burrito. It was pretty dang good if you ask me. The size was a good size too. It was filling. My boyfriend got the chicken nachos (full size not birthday menu) and they were delicious! The only thing was they put a little too much beans so we ended up leaving half of the beans there. One other thing we notified was that you only Get one free refill. My man ordered pink lemonade and he drinks a lot. They told him they charge per refill but they gave him that other one free. I think for the price it should be unlimited. We all know drinks are not expensive to get. Smh. I guess everything on Catalina is a bit pricey though. Anywho, if it's your birthday, stop by for a free meal. P.s there is a helipad right next door so don't be frightened when you hear them come and go! read more

Amazing food!!! Me and my boyfriend had a 5 day trip to Catalina Island and we kept coming back here to try new things because of how delicious everything was. 10/10 recommend. Must try everything here... will be coming back!! Service is great too. All of the employees are super nice and treat customers very well. read more

I visited Catalina Island for my birthday and was not sure if I should try the free birthday meal after reading some of the negative reviews here. However, the owner of the place where I rented a bike really suggested I try it out. I wasn't sure if I would, but I was just cycling around the island, saw this restaurant and was hungry too, so decided to give it a try. Location: The restaurant is slightly out of the way so you may have to walk/cycle a bit (a mile or so) away from the main pier and market if you don't use their shuttle. I love cycling so that wasn't a problem for me. I'm not sure how good the shuttle service is since I didn't use it. I personally prefer places away from the crowds, so that was a plus for me. Ambience: The place was quiet, probably because I went at about 3 in the afternoon, so you could actually hear the waves crashing on the rocky shore a few yards away. There is a helipad right next door so it can get noisy when someone is landing/taking off, but otherwise it is peaceful. I noticed three types of seating, the standard booths that seat 4, group tables that would seat 8, and bar type seating. Food: Being a vegetarian, I didn't have a lot of choices in the menu. I went for grilled cheese with fries and a coke. You can't really go wrong with a grilled cheese so ya, the food was good and the service quick enough. But they should definitely try to have some more vegetarian options in the menu, or at least have vegetarian variants of the food items on request. Service: This is where they have scope for improvement. The staff wasn't rude but not friendly either. But that could have been due to it being a slow day. Overall, I would say do give it a try if you're visiting Catalina and are looking for a quiet place, away from the crowd. read more

Buffalo Nickel - The indoor seating area. - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

Since Catalina Express is celebrating the City of Avalon's 100th anniversary, the round trip ferry ride is free for anyone who goes on his or her birthday! Couldn't pass that up and decided to plan mine around a trip to Catalina Island. The ride over wasn't the only freebie either. Buffalo Nickel just happened to be on a list of places that offered birthday perks. We're not talking a single scoop ice cream cone--but your entire meal! We called the restaurant once our ferry docked, to have their shuttle pick us up in the parking lot. We waited about 12 minutes when we saw a black van bearing the Buffalo Nickel logo loading another couple into the vehicle. We climbed in and were off. The drive was fairly short, curving along Pebbly Beach Rd. Once we got there, we decided to dine in the back patio. It was 11:30am with only a handful of taken tables yet the service was excruciatingly slow. Is this what island time means? Finally, we got waters and menus. I ordered the wet burrito with green sauce. Hubby got a grilled fish sandwich with fries. Good thing I was hungry because the burrito was huge! The carnitas had a good flavor and together with the beans, rice, and cheese, it was a solid burrito. They kind of skimped on my hubby's fries but otherwise, he enjoyed his meal. I was antsy to get on to my other birthday activities but it took a good 15 minutes to get our check. If not for the service, I would've given it another star. Then again, it's my party and I'll rate as I want to. read more

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First time here and I loved it! Not only is the food amazing, but the customer service is great! I believe it's a family owned business with children working, but never the less even the children are professional and great servers! I got the ribs with the fries and loved them. Definitely coming back when I'm on the island again. read more

Buffalo Nickel - Bbq ribs and fries. - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

This restaurant is a bit out of the way, but excellent ribs, steaks and seafood! A must visit! read more

Had lunch here Sunday while we were in Catalina with the suggestions of our tour guide and really should have just stayed on the strip. They do have free shuttle service. We had the patty melt with french fries, beef quesadilla, onion rings, 1/2 lb hamburger with french fries and fish tacos. Iced tea to drink. Food was adequate read more

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Got lured in by their free meal on your birthday Pros: -The Shuttle will pick you up from the Hotel Catherine in the main area of Avalon. The driver is really nice and you can choose to tip or not tip. The drive is a short 5 minutes along the coastline to a helipad area (the view is okay but there's a small restroom blocking the view but *shrug*) -Free meal on your birthday Cons: -Unattentive Service... Takes forever just to get an order when only three parties of two are there -Food was mediocre. My dad wanted the seafood sampler as his birthday meal but they claimed they were out of calamari.... *shrug. We opted for half clubsandwich/clam chowder, buffalo burger, and fish sandwich... The club sandwich is probably the best thing and the best price at $7 for lunch. The buffalo burger was really dry... and didnt even have mayo or mustard or ketchup. After asking for ketchup it never even came..... =_=. Fish sandwich had two nibbles of fish they found lying around on the shores of Catalina I guess. Definitely feel like they pulled a fast one on me here today by getting me to come but I guess for the price we saved a little but not much but the food quality was whatever. Additionally: If you look at the picture of their signs where they pick you up... the picture of the buffalo burger is actually a picture of a carls jr 6dollar burger... read more

Food was just barely decent. The location could not be worse. They sat us outside and every few minutes the stench of sewage wafted through the courtyard. The view consists of commercial equipment storage yards and utility buildings. Felt like I was eating at a marine base. Staff did a decent job, but if this place was ever half decent those years have long passed. Don't waste your money or time. read more

This afternoon my husband and I decided to walk out to the Buffalo Nickel for lunch. I hadn't been since I was a kid but I remembered that the food was good and we wanted a place with a nice patio. We weren't disappointed! The patio is spacious and the service and food both excellent! I would highly recommend this place. It's a bit of a walk from town but they have plenty of parking and offer a free shuttle service. read more

3.5 the buffalo burgers here are really good. We loved the calamari sticks here they were one of the best appetizers we had out in Catalina so far! The service was just ok otherwise I would have given them a 4. They do have a bar as well. read more

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Came for a Catalina Birthday getaway & this restaurant was on the list of "places to dine." I have to admit it was a little odd because of the decor, but the service was fast & friendly. My boyfriend got the (large) buffalo wings, mild, which were awesome. And I got the Hamburger from the birthday menu. Did I mention you get a free meal on your birthday?! It was really good too. They were slow that day and didn't have to wait or make a reservation because we came in February, but I can imagine during the summer (tourist season) it picks up a bit. Other than our meals we just drank a Coke & water. Nothing special. Great place! read more

Buffalo Nickel - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

A little hidden gem in Catalina, this local restaurant is off the grid but SO worth the shuttle ride over. Hop in the restaurant's shuttle van and drive a short 2 minutes to the restaurant. If you go in the afternoon you can watch the helicopters fly in and out on the adjacent helipad. The service was AMAZING. Ricardo was our server and he was attentive, had great positive energy, and offered tons of drink recommendations. We went for lunch one day and dinner the next. The menu ranges from BBQ, to steak, to Mexican, to pizza. Check this place out when you're in Avalon! read more

We are regular visitors to the island and I've know of the Buffalo Nickel for a long time. With the impacts of the pandemic and very limited ability to have a cocktail and meal at one of the restaurants in a relaxing manner without gobs of people challenging the social distancing requirements, we had lunch one day. The food was great as was the cocktail! But the service was the great and welcome surprise. We went back last night for a drink and appetizer. I'm almost afraid to praise the Buffalo Nickel as i want it to remain the "gem off the beaten path!" read more

They're an OG restaurant on the island, not like all these new yuppie places popping up. Their pasta nights are a great deal. Their margs and mexican pizza are out of this world. read more

Buffalo Milk?! 'Why, yes!! I kept seeing "Buffalo Milk" pop up on yelp*views & menus on our visit... What is this mysterious milk that the tourists & locals speak of?... I asked quite a few islanders, "Where can I find the best Buffalo Milk?" Two Harbors was the general consensus, it was there that the drink made its debut in the 70s. However, on the Avalon side of the island, the Buffalo Nickel Restaurant seemed to be the local favorite. ("Descanso" & "Antonios" were also mentioned.) Recipe: (Served In a hurricane glass) - half shot of creme de cocoa (dark or light) - half shot of kalua - half shot creme de banana - one shot of vodka Fill rest with half and half, ice and blend. Top with whip cream and sprinkle with nutmeg. It has been compared to a White Russian w/island fever... I see it as more of an adult shake! Smooth, yummy, & goes fast! Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/bvtOKXVYtrnFVOPkeKVJOw?select=xjHlUzEJPctwYKn7OdQ1Gg#xjHlUzEJPctwYKn7OdQ1Gg Pedro was our bartender/server. Nice guy, "okay" service. Pedro - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/bvtOKXVYtrnFVOPkeKVJOw?select=xjHlUzEJPctwYKn7OdQ1Gg#TUnJkH0ZTzNyaBrNrJm-fw Buffalo Milk x4 ($6/ea.): Very good; could've been a bit stronger Rack of BBQ Pork Ribs w/Fries ($18): Good; tasty; tender Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/bvtOKXVYtrnFVOPkeKVJOw?select=xjHlUzEJPctwYKn7OdQ1Gg#ce8VE6tRPakgOypvefHjkQ Grand total w/tax & tip: $55 *FREE SHUTTLE to and from the restaurant! (Call them & they'll pick you up!) Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/bvtOKXVYtrnFVOPkeKVJOw?select=xjHlUzEJPctwYKn7OdQ1Gg#gJfyUxBlYU7B5Jk5VuEtJQ "The Shuttle" - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/bvtOKXVYtrnFVOPkeKVJOw?select=xjHlUzEJPctwYKn7OdQ1Gg#-FbwM2DwhtU-SYlJTJtOyw 'Just FYI - All "buffalo" served @ the local eateries are from Wyoming, not the island! However, they do ship off their "buffalo surplus"... 'Of all places, Wyoming! (Do the math! LOL) Overall, 3 Stars - The food was good, the Buffalo Milk, good - but could've been a tad stronger... 'Even after I asked for the 2nd round to be a bit stronger, nada. 'Thanks for the luke warm buzz Pedro! 8) Next time around, "Buffalo Milk @ Two Harbors!" - Big Aloha! Food: 4 Service: 3 Ambiance: 3 Value: 3 read more

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Love the food, we ordered half rack of rib and it's always perfect. I go here whenever we have a trip to Catalina.

My family and I came here on our last night in Catalina and we were not disappointed! It is past the gas station in Avalon and very much out of the way. We got to the restaurant around 6pm on a Wednesday night and we were the only people there. This is also one of the only restaurants with homemade brewed iced tea! Here are our food reviews: Chicken nachos - 5/5 Big enough to feed a family of 5. Super gooey cheese, lots of yummy shredded chicken, and great fresh salsa and guacamole on the side. Would get again. Chicken Fajitas - 5/5 HUGE portions! Tasty spices on the chicken and veggies. Would get again. Chile Relleno and Chicken Enchilada special - 5/5 Homemade chile relleno that my mom could not stop raving about. Direct quote from her "this is the best chile relleno I have ever had!". As for the chicken enchilada, she could have done without. Whole fried Tilapia - 5/5 Crispy on the outside and tender and soft on the inside. Eyeballs and all! Chicken Burrito - 5/5 The biggest burrito I have ever seen. Comes with shredded chicken, beans, cheese, and rice all inside. Super delicious! read more

Wow. What a gem on Catalina! For the short review - DELICIOUS and FRESH food! Very adequate (maybe too much? That's never a bad thing) serving sizes, good prices (for Catalina), super nice and quick service, and a shuttle to pick you up and take you back?! 10/10 would eat here again. Full review - We came to Catalina for our daughters first visit, and of course it's during COVID an the fires but she needed a break. There were wayyyy too many people on the island for August, but we still tried to make due. This restaurant and Descanso's beach alcohol (we didn't try Nickels alcohol unfortunately) were the highlights of the trip. We ordered the carnitas nachos, fish tacos, kids chickens strips, and the burger. Wow wow wow for everything. We were unsure what to order but our server gave us amazing recommendations and letting us know they were known for their carnitas. The nachos? Holy guacamole and not enough chips!!! Fully loaded with everything you want in nachos, and real cheese?! This whole island this is the first place to offer nachos with real cheese not the pumped stuff. Part of me wishes there were more chips but I wouldn't have been able to touch my food if there were! What a huge portion, and all delicious too. The fish tacos were to. Die. For. In California if you are offering fish tacos you gotta show up or get out and Buffalo Nickels showed up!!! Plenty of fish on the tacos, delicious seasoning, perfect tortillas and yummy rice and beans (if the rice is right, the place is right). I had to force myself to finish the rice because it would be a sin to leave that food there. The burger was cooked to PERFECTION. The best burger I've had in years! I know a lot of people say that but wow that was a juicy, delicious burger. We ordered the simple one but the ingredients were so fresh I don't know if I'd add anything to it! And finally the kids chicken strips? Next time I'm ordering that!!! This isn't your run of the mill frozen chicken, you can tell it's fresh and breaded and cooked there. We ended up stealing some from the kid lol! Overall, would definitely come back here. Best restaurant on the island? Yes yes yes! Everywhere else is full of pseudo-fine dining. I don't mean to compare and bring down the other restaurants, but when I can pay $100 for 4 people at buffalo nickels and get better food than $300 I might have to. 10/10, will be back, and thank you for making our trip! read more

Yummy. Food was delicious and will be back. CustomWe service was great and the prices was great for what we paid do or. Atmosphere was pleasant as well. read more

This place is nice even though there is a helipad and helicopters landing right next to it is still really cool and I love it and great food. read more

Buffalo Nickel - This is it. - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

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This island restaurant offers a free shuttle service and a free lunch on your birthday day, woo-hoo! I sat at the patio overlooking the beach along with the beautiful and soothing rock water fountain. Had a delicious salad and tequila island concoction to start my beautiful and perfect celebratory birthday on the island. Cheers to good eats and peaceful living! read more

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What a little hidden gem. This place is right outside the heliport. So it is loud at times. This is just a small little Kind of hole in the wall family owned business. They have everything for everyone it seemed. Overall my actual dish was ok...their guacamole was awesome, the steak my husband was cooked to perfection. The daiquiri I had was like dessert. Service was above and beyond. Super nice guys in there. We will enjoy this pace again I will just order something different. read more

Been coming to Catalina for many years and just learned of this place. It's a bit of a jaunt from the city center but just call and they'll pick you up in the courtesy shuttle. THE BEST Buffalo Milks. We ordered the ceviche and carnitas platters for two of us and it was way too much. Both delicious! Great service, food and cocktails! And dog friendly too! We'll definitely be back. read more

Great varied menu. Seafood, Mexican, pizza etc etc. The service was 5 star. This is a locals favorite and the night we were here it was mostly locals and regulars. It's a ways out of town so you need a golf cart or ride if some sort. read more

This was another disappointing food spot in Catalina . More pride needs to be paced in their food. However, they do get kudos on the fajitas . Rice is horrible and taste canned and beans are acceptable The service is pleasant and it's a delightful place to look at. read more

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If I could leave less than one star then I would. We called and placed an order for drop off, and they told us it was a 45 minute wait. That was no problem with us, however when the man who was dropping off our order called us and said that he would be back in two minutes and attempted to come back 25 minutes later... that was an issue We ordered fish tacos and a burrito, however the guy was too arrogant to drop it off in a timely manner and that turned us away.. I am not going to eat soggy food that I am paying 50+ dollars for. read more

We enjoyed lunch at the Buffalo Nickel before walking next door to catch our helicopter ride back to Long Beach after a fun 3-day getaway to Avalon. Upon landing back on the mainland, I discovered that my cell phone was missing. A call to the Buffalo Nickel connected me to Rafael Silva, who found my phone on their premises. He promised to mail it to me the next day and declined my offer to pay for postage. The next day, he texted me a photo of the parcel, which arrived the next day via priority 1-day mail. Thank you, Mr. Silva! Your kindness was the highlight of our trip. read more

Best ceviche on the island!! Fresh Mahi-Mahi and make sure to add on the spicy cucumbers. Great drinks that are large and delicious. Right near the helicopter pad so that is a the only negative. read more

This is a great place to eat, food excellent , service awesome and off the main drag in Catalina! We will be going back!! read more

My husband and I came here to try the buffalo burger. We ordered nachos for our appetizer and it was delicious! When the buffalo burgers came, I tasted the meat all by itself. It tasted like one of those cheap preformed parties that someone had microwaved. My husband said the fries didn't taste fried, that they tasted like baked Ore-Ida fries. On top of all this, the two of us were very nauseated after and my stomach is still not feeling great a full 24 hours later. read more

A hidden gem just off the beaten path. If you're looking for delicious food and drink without the pretense of the "downtown" then this is your best choice. So happy that the lady on the ferry told us about it. The ceviche was the best we've ever had, the fajitas to share are perfect, and the drinks are on par. The restaurant is rustic and laid back. They also have a free shuttle from the ferry building if you call. Highly recommend this place if you're the tourist who doesn't like the "tourist" thing... read more

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The best and tasty food I have tasted. First time there with my husband and celebrated our anniversary and I was very pleased with the food and service. Friendly staff and good prices for quality food they serve. read more

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Absolutely the best patty melt I've ever had! Order it medium rare because if you don't it will be done well and too dry. Great coleslaw, ice cold beer, and a beautiful patio to enjoy the sunshine of Avalon! read more

The vegetables were over salted. The Mahi was average, and my husband could not bear to put some dark pieces in his mouth. My fish tacos started out okay, but as they quickly lost heat, the good taste left too. The sewage smell wafting in probably didn't help. I know it isn't necessarily their fault, but the wait staff makes many promises they cannot keep. We asked many times for the heaters to be turned on outside, and were told one moment, only to be finally told they do not work. Our 6:30 reservations were seated at 7:15 and food and drink didn't arrive for 90 minutes. Do not make the trip out for this disappointment. read more