I went here yesterday for my birthday. This place gets a 1 star for the awesome driver and my server. This place loses four stars for serving me wine in a glass that had lipstick on it. GROSS!!! I sent it back with a different server and he took it off my bill but then he came back to and questioned if I was sure it wasn't mine then kept saying that the lipstick doesn't come off when he rubs it. Ok, first of all, it's absolutely unacceptable that whomever is washing dishes isn't washing them clean and whomever is pouring and serving the wine isn't making sure the glasses are clean. Second of all, how dare you question and accuse a customer! When thick dark red wine moves in a glass, you can tell where it moves. It was VERY obvious I didn't drink that wine! (also, side note, my lips were dry and champed so clearly I wasn't wearing lipstick, champ stick, lip balm, etc) Last of all, it's my birthday!! I shouldn't have to explain why I don't want to drink someone else's lipstick! read more

the mysterious shuttle over to one side of catalina... to find its not fancy but a regular joe smoe joint must eats: -the buffalo burger... leaner than any beef hamburger decor: a western saloon room: inside dining of 20-30, and outside of 10 to 15 service: it was ok... not great. our entree came out before our appetizers. price: moderately priced for lunch. about 9 bucks for a restaurant burger and fries. overall: i dont think id really go back because there were alot of restaurants on the main strip of catalina that can be a time saver... more so the place was ok... it didn't hit me enough to want to go back the 2nd time. read more

WORSE service ever!!!! Do Not go there!! you will regret it. waiters are rude and racist. Be prepared to wait forever for everything, starting with their so called "shuttle" the driver also rude. guess that's a requirement to working there. The food was mediocre. read more

Came here for my free birthday meal. They didn't have any vegetarian options but they accommodated me by offering to stuff my burrito with grilled onions and peppers. I appreciate service like that, I would have been OK with just rice and beans. Since I can't can't go someplace and not spend money, I ordered chips with guacamole and a margarita which were both very good. They offer a fee shuttle but I walked here from Avalon. read more

Can't go wrong with their daily soup. Chicken fried steak sandwich is my favorite thing. Fajitas are good too. I give it 4 stars just because I can walk there from Edison. read more

We were visiting the island, and one night ordered pizza to be delivered to our hotel room (it was around 6 pm on a Friday night). The man on the phone (who also delivered the pizza) was friendly and helpful, but the pizza was THE WORST FOOD THAT IVE EVER ORDERED from restaurant. My girlfriend and I each could take no more than 2 bites of it, and threw the rest away. It was awful! We ordered a Hawaiian pizza...Canadian bacon and pineapple, with mushrooms added. The pineapple and mushrooms were good, but the rest was AWFUL. The meat sort-of looked like pepperoni, but tasted like metal-infused anchovies. The crust wasn't good, there was NO sauce on it, and very little cheese. Did I say it was AWFUL? read more

My girlfriend's birthday was today and I called here, trying to confirm what the hours were so that we could celebrate. They answered, said something incoherent, I asked to clarify, and they hung up. Tried calling again, they answered, and hung up. We'll try another restaurant in Avalon. read more

I had planned to take my boyfriend here for his birthday tomorrow, but after all these bad reviews about he shuttle service, the food quality, and the poor service I will skip it and pay full price for food and drinks from another restaurant on the beach. Thanks YELP! read more

This place is a gem. The food was amazing and a friend had the Buffalo milk and said it was the best. Great place for kids too. Great outside patio large enough for a big group. Definitely a place to go too. read more

We ate here before we caught the helicopter back to Long Beach.. chicken nachos were excellent and great service

Took my mom here for her free birthday meal. The shuttle takes forever to pick you up both ways!! The staff was not very friendly. They didn't even say happy birthday to my mom who was even wearing her birthday ribbon. Buffalo burger was average. Cheese crisps are fairly good but over priced and small. read more

The service is extremely slow and the opposite of thorough. WIll not bring out napkins, waters, nor menus unless asked at least 5 times. They seem snobby when you ask for the birthday discount and the buffalo burger, although flavorful, tastes no where near buffalo. Must be a dominant mix of beef. Oh yeah and the shuttle guy barely understands English so just be prepared with a bit of Spanish beforehand. read more

I grew up going to Buffalo Nickel and used to love this place. However, the staff bought out the owners and decided to run the restaurant on their own and since then things have really gone down hill. I went to eat here on Labor Day weekend and were completely ignored by our waiter even though we had a fairly descent size group and the place wasn't exactly packed. When the waiter finally came he insisted on taking just drink orders first even though by that time everyone had decided what they wanted and we were planning on ordering apps. After more waiting the food came and it was less than stellar. Then it was time for the bill. The waiter had decided to hand write the order on four ticket sheets. The bill was difficult to read because he used abbreviations and short hand which was difficult to decipher based on our orders (i.e. "Buff" appeared in multiple places to represent both buffalo burgers and buffalo milk). The worst part was the bill's total did not match the amounts shown next to the abbreviated items (he was about $40 too high in his calculation before tax). We tried explaining this to him but he just mumbled some nonsense trying to explain his erroneous math and my husband finally gave in and we took it out of his tip. I really hope they get their act together, I miss the old Buffalo Nickel. Won't be going back anytime soon. read more

Yes, locals like it!! Monday evening Pasta night is great. (Shhhsh it is a secret.) read more

Food was slightly below average. The tacos were all meat -only. None of the regular lettuce, tomato, cheese etc. that is found in a taco. I showed my my license to prove it was my birthday, but was still charged for the "free" meal. The waiter said he would "correct it." I waited at least 15 minutes for his return - then went looking for him. He seemed "surprised" he hadn't given me my card and corrected bill. He had altered the check, but charged for the larger amount that was my free birthday meal (my wife's meal was less). I gave up and just paid the bill. I couldn't wait to get out of there. We had made the lengthy walk to get there, but took the shuttle back. People in the shuttle complained about similar shoddy service. I got my Mastercard bill a few weeks later and they had twice charged me for the meal!!! And this after I left a $5 tip on a $15 bill as consideration that my meal was (suppose to be) "free." UPDATE: We contacted the credit card company and the extra charge was removed. That said, everything else stated still applies. Don't be enticed by the "free" meal. Marginal food, shoddy service and getting "ripped off" is not worth the "gift." read more

Free Birthday meal! we tried calling for the shuttle and the number gave us a busy signal.. soooo we opted for the free scoop of ice cream.. well... the guy at Lloyds caled for us and got us the shuttle. How awesome is that. So once we got there my daughter ordered her birthday meal and drinks... the food was good the drinks were great and the service was fast and friendly! The shuttle got us back to the boat in plenty of time.. Thank you Bufflao NIckle for helping us celebrate my Daughters BIG 3-0 read more

Mediocre. Not worth the free shuttle service to get there. There is nothing else nearby so once you get there you're pretty stuck. The birthday menu is now limited to just a few items. Bland overcooked fish, burgers, veggies. My shrimp a la buffalo was pretty good but that was all. If it wasn't my friend's b-day & my kids weren't starving we would have left. Pretty run down, wasting what could be a pretty location if they thought to take advantage of the ocean view. Service was OK. read more

There was only one server and one bus boy. We ordered drinks and appetizers but then it took A LONG time to place our entrée order. So long we considered leaving. So after a long wait we got or food. The Mahi-mahi in my sandwich was good and moist but everything else about it was sub-par. My friend had a tostada salad and it was wet and gross. But the worst part was they OVER CHARGED us. The waiter gave me his order pad (not a tallied receipt) he had written $196 (this included a $25 tip.) on it. With a quick glance I could tell that was wrong. I made him add it up again in front of me and it was only $120. Needless to say he didn't get that $25 tip. read more

The best fajitas on the planet, bar none!!! I am writing this even before going there in two weeks because I know they are the bomb! Don't know how good anything else is at this little dive but we go here for Fajitas every year. Catalina here we come.... Watch out you little bastards!! read more

I actually like this place. 1) it's away from the crowds 2) they have a good outdoor patio 3) you can see helicopters taking off and landing 4) the prices are quite reasonable 5) it's a pretty good casual restaurant menu 6) the food was pretty good. On the other hand the service is just ok (but hey this is Catalina - slow sown and chill out!) read more

Don't eat here. It's not good. It's overpriced. Service was Mediocre. The minivan was late and overcrowded. The food was the furthest thing from authentic, ever. read more

We came here for my free birthday meal. Theres a variety of meals to choose from. I chose the buffalo burger which was ok. I would not order that again. My husband ordered the pastrami sandwich which he said was ok. The car service was awesome. We only had to wait for it to pick us up and drop us off like 5 minutes. The driver drove a little crazy which scared me a little since I'm pregnant. The restaurant service was good. I would go back again but only to get the free meal otherwise I wouldn't. read more

I was really looking forward to my birthday meal and called for the shuttle. The man on the phone said it would be 15-20 minutes and so I waited, and waited, and waited until I eventually checked the time. 40 minutes had gone by and I even checked to see if I could walk the distance, it's a 20 min walk apparently. I ended up going someplace else because I had wasted enough time on them even if it would've been a free meal. There is no reason to have people waiting such a long time for these shuttles. It doesn't matter how many people are waiting, you should honor the shuttle service that you provide. I also would recommend having a shuttle a few times from open to close. I might try again next year but it's highly unlikely. I wish I could've actually experienced the restaurant and given a better review but alas I was left hungry at the pier. read more

I had a great birthday in Catalina and appreciate Buffalo Nickel's free meal on your birthday. I was expecting to get just a little thing, but I was pleasantly surprised. I shot a fun little video of my birthday experience. Thanks Buffalo Nickel and I'll see you again this year! https://vimeo.com/76983284 read more

They are one of only a handful that deliver. Great food and decent prices. They have a large selection to choose from. Their buffalo chili is amazing and their buffalo burger is solid. A nice meal stop while on the island! read more

This is great place for food and drinks, the food is very good and good portions size . Nice hidden gem

Great workers , there ceviche is the best !!!firet time to Catalina island and this didn't let down read more

Buffalo Nickel - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

Went here for a late afternoon lunch by the helicopter pad. As a reference they do offer a complimentary meal to the birthday person but I was a day late. No biggie as I wasn't real hungry. Bf ordered the buffalo burger and I got the buffalo chili. Both were decent good. Overall this place is good to eat yet don't expect bells and whistles. It's a pretty chill and laid back place and they generally leave the local news on to keep you informed of whats going on in the mainland. read more

Tried this restaurant hoping for a good buffalo burger. It didn't happen. The food was just okay. We could have had much better at any of the other restaurants on the island. We called for the free restaurant shuttle and it was there to pick us up rather quickly. When we got to the restaurant, it was empty except for one other table. The server was non attentive and just stayed in the back when we were there. I would suggest going somewhere else to eat if you're on the island, unless you're waiting for the helicopter, since the helicopter takes off just feet from the restaurant. read more

Came to Avalon for my girlfriends birthday. They have a free meal on your birthday, I called TWICE for the free shuttle and it never came...dont offer free shuttle if its not gonna show up... read more

We came here for dinner and to take advantage of the free birthday dinner. The food was pretty good and the shuttle driver was nice. It was also neat to see a different part of the island. I wasn't as impressed with the service. However, there was a big party seated on the patio and I think our waiter was just overwhelmed. I would come here again even if it wasn't my birthday! read more

We went for my husband's birthday. It was for his birthday meal. The shuttle was timely and the driver was friendly and helpful. The restaurant was a nice little cozy place. We liked the decor. We liked the tall glasses for our drinks. My husband ordered from the "birthday" menu, he ordered the tostada salad. He liked it, it was good with the salsa. It just happened to be pasta night, so I ordered the pasta with the marinara sauce, didn't like it. Then I tried the alfredo sauce with the pasta, I thought it was really good, much better than the marinara. The only problem we had was that the waiter really wanted us to get out of there. He kept watching us to see if we were ready to leave. it was weird and uncomfortable. I think that we would come back again. My husband can try something from the regular menu. read more

Their buffalo chili was very delicious and served with a good sized salad for only nine bucks. The chili reminded me of my old neighbor's signature Italian stew--though he didn't use kidney beans in his. And my wife (and I) enjoyed her tostada. Disclaimer: I might have only given four stars, but I read one review on Yelp that was just wrong. She said she decided not to go there after reading some reviews and she gave the restaurant one star, though she admitted she'd never been there! This can only help to balance that bogus "review". The food was very good, the outdoor patio is wonderful, and the service was great. read more

I would give this place 0 stars if I could. First of all we went there for my free birthday meal. Needless to say the food was less than average and way overpriced. Next the waiter claims he did jot hear my daughter's order so he brought out alm the food except hers and then she had to wait over e0 minutes to get her food. Everyone else was done eating. We will never go there again. Free isn't always better. read more

Had a muy delicioso cheese enchilada plate on my birthday and it was free!! The margaritas were excellent they went down smooth and were very tasty. Large portions and no surprises. Loved the Buffalo Nickel and will return when I go back to the Island someday. read more

Wonderful food and service and shuttle. We ordered chicken nachos, it's a huge portion enough to feed two. And the buffalo burger, it was delicious. read more

Called for shuttle when we docked, they said we'll be there in 10 minutes, waited 20 minutes called again. The man said we'll be there in a few minutes. Waited another 20 minutes (yeah, right, I know) Called again said we'd waited 40 minutes, same man started whining again, so I said forget it, we'll find somewhere else to go, he said OK and hung up. No apologies offered at any point. If they'd just said they couldn't or wouldn't shuttle today that would've been ok. But to deliberately mislead and make us wait was beyond rude. Husband diabetic and eats at specific times, schedule blown and walked to another place. Went to pancake cottage. Food great. Muriel is wonderful. read more

Not awful. Got free but birthday food. But drinks are super expensive, flies buzzing everywhere, and they never brought me my change for my drink... Thanks.. read more

Awesome restaurant not far away from the touristic zone. Excellent customer service and nice decoration with a real buffalo head on the wall! Make sure you try the buffalo burger, totally suggested. Also, is close to the beach so make sure you bring your swim suit and googles. read more

BEWARE if you think you are going to get a free birthday meal! They don't advertise that you can only have the meal if they are not having a private party. I called ahead to ask about the shuttle service, and they said nothing about having a private party that night. However, when I arrived at the Buffalo Nickel, there was obviously a party going on. I explained to the man at the entrance that it was my birthday, and I was there for the advertised free birthday meal. He said that the restaurant was closed because of the private party. I asked if I could return the next day for my birthday meal. He said "No, because its not your birthday!" I said "Today is my birthday and I am here." He said "You can't come in because of the private party." Talk about a "Catch 22." I realize that the restaurant has every right to refuse to give a free birthday meal if they have a private party, but they should advertise that fact! They should clearly state that one can have a free birthday meal, only if there is no private party. So, if your birthday lands on a day that the Buffalo Nickel decides to hold a private party, then you cannot get a free meal for at least a year into the future! Birthday or not, I will NEVER go back to the Buffalo Nickel.....I'd rather pay full price at a reputable restaurant where they fully disclose the conditions of their advertised offers. read more