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

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

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

The buffalo milk was a very delicious cocktail and I had to keep reminding myself that it was an adult drink. We also enjoyed a buffalo burger which was great too. read more

I'm sad. This was not the Buffalo nickel I remembered,and yearned for today. The signature buffalo burger was lackluster. The patty appeared to be preformed by a machine. The bun seemed stale-maybe if they had toasted it. The lettuce on the burger was bruised. The fries were also disappointment. Frozen, crinkle cut and cooked to a limpness no French fry would be proud of. The fact that they were below average mitigated the skimpy portion. $2.50 for a fountain beverage with only 1 free refill...who does that??!!! Our server was fine, but when we needed more napkins he wasn't around. read more

Getting to this restaurant is an adventure (a very small one) in itself. Hopefully for others, our story will spare you the aggravation of waiting around and you might be able to better coordinate transportation to get to the restaurant. We walked to a sign on Crescent before it bends towards the Floats (near Pancake Cottage) and started looking around for the restaurant. Well...it was not there so we called the number on the sign and was told that a shuttle would come pick us up in 2 minutes. The restaurant is not within walking distance and we were not allowed to enter the stretch of area on our bicycles anyhow (protected land?). So we waited 15 minutes and called back 3 times...maybe the driver missed us. Each time we were told he would be there in a few minutes. The driver didn't miss us. In actuality, he was picking us up after he made all his food order deliveries. We could have been told this - it would have been okay. We thought the driver was leaving the restaurant just to get us. Whatever -- but this is definitely a pet peeve of mine. If I am told 2 minutes...I would be okay with 5 minutes...but 15 minutes? That's just wrong. Anyhow, we were picked up by a very nice driver and the ride to the restaurant was really just a few minutes in total. The restaurant decor is kinda cool if you're into buffalo heads on the wall - given that the evening was nice, we sat outside. The place can definitely use sprucing up...maybe add a few more trees to block the view of the restrooms, that sort of thing however it was a large open patio and we were one of the few people eating there, it was fine. They do a lot of deliveries given its out of the way location. The food was quite decent. They have the best chips and salsa which are on the house. That's really nice. I ordered the grilled Mahi-Mahi. It was a nice heavy fillet. It came with a baked potato. With 3 huge gobs of butter. The potato got sent back to the kitchen and a plain one came out. The server was very nice about it. I ate half and packed up the rest. My husband ordered the steak fajita. More veggies than steak that night. He liked it. Overall, this restaurant is definitely one of the best values on the island. The food was well priced and good, the atmosphere was fine, and we would definitely return for more! read more

These guys get a 5 star just because they are the only ones in town that deliver!! the other place says they do...but.....nooooo!! the pizza was excellent and the specials were just what the doctor ordered. 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

We went here because of all the reviews saying that it's worth taking their shuttle and getting out of Avalon, the locals eat here, etc. They do, we saw a shop owner and his wife eating dinner there while we were there. But I don't get the appeal. We took the shuttle, which was very timely. We walked in to what looked like a dark and dingy 70's diner. We wanted to sit up on the roof as we had read on reviews, but were told that it was closed. Not sure if the roof was closed forever or for the night, but we did manage to get a table outside. There were 3 other parties there, and about 3-4 open tables. GOod thing we got there when we did, a party of 18 came in shortly after, and although they weren't all there, they took every single table on the patio and made their huge table up. So we watched 3-4 other couples come out to the patio and have nowhere to sit, and have to go inside to the dark and depressing, ugly inside seating. And, since you've taken a shuttle over there, it's not like you can walk out and find another place with better seating. If we'd had to sit inside I would have made my husband wait for the shuttle to take us back to town. Sitting outside is the only way to go here. It's not a really pretty patio, but at least it's outside. We ordered the Super Nachos, whcih was a mistake. They were good, but had SO MUCH cheese I could feel my arteries clogging. However, it does say "a lot of cheese" on the description. My husband wanted to try them, we ordered them with Carnitas. They were good, but incredibly filling. We probably only made it through 1/4 of the plate. We'd of course were served free chips & salsa right after we ordered the nachos, and maybe could have cancelled the order, but my husband still wanted them. Probably the best chips and salsa I've had in a long time. They must make their own chips, and probably the salsa too. I could have just eaten that all night. We ordered the Fajitas for 2, with Carne Asada. We ordered this at the same time that we ordered the Super Nachos with Carnitas, and when the Fajitas arrived, they came with Carnitas instead of Carne Asada. The waiter offered to make us a new one, but I didn't want to make a big deal of it and be so wasteful, but he insisted on bringing us a side plate of the Carne Asada, which was really nice. We'd eaten so much already that we had a hard time getting the Fajitas down, but they were really tasty. The waiter seemed like he had a lot of tables, maybe inside, and he also had that big party of 18, so it was kind of hard to get another glass of wine, napkins, etc. Not his fault though. The food was good, not healthy, but tasty. We chatted with that shop owner the next day, we'd recognized him from dinner the night before and he said they go there all the time. My problem with this place is that if we took the shuttle over there and ended up with no patio seating, I'd be really unhappy. Part of vacationing in Catalina is to enjoy the scenery, and the inside of this place is so gross, dark, dingy that it would prevent enjoyment for me...ambiance is part of the dining experience for me. If you can be absolutely sure that you're getting a table on the patio and you're in the mood for a lot of mexican food, go for it. read more

Cruised by while renting golf carts for chips and salsa and a beer. Had a good time and the beers were cold.

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

I just had to write a review. First, someone recommended this restaurant to us. This is a quiet restaurant off the beaten path A courtesy shuttle will come for you down by the boat dock It was My birthday. The restaurant provides a free birthday meal and has a huge selection to choose from.... so generous. We were pressed for time. They immediately placed our order and served us promptly. The courtesy shuttle was out so one of the employees took us to the dock in his personal vehicle when we were done so we could get to the boat in time. I was very impressed with the service at this restaurant. They went above and beyond and I really appreciated that. Great service!!! read more

I really don't understand all of the negative reviews. It's a free meal on your birthday! Plus, a free shuttle ride. Was it the best meal I've ever had? No. However, it was quite good and I'd say even better than the pricier meal I had the next night at Blue Water Grill. To top it off, the service was excellent. read more

Great place! Came here to celebrate a couple birthdays, and they offer a free meal on the day of your birthday. They have a separate menu, and the food was great :) read more

Very friendly and welcoming staff! The food was delicious and reasonably priced. Had no problem getting on the shuttle and the ride was only about 5 minutes. read more

Went there for GF birthday dinner. Great food, great service. Would definitely eat there again if I ever get back to Catalina.

Been coming here for years and the last two times I was here the service was awful. Last night we waited 20 minutes before even being noticed. Who is inside additional 20 minutes before they even asked for a drink order. We ordered hors d'oeuvres and they forgot to bring them to us after 30 minutes we reminded them that we had ordered it and had to walk into the kitchen or self to ask for them to bring them out. One of my children spilled a drink across the table and one of the servers looked at us we asked for a rag and he walked away and had no intentions on helping us. I had to run to the kitchen to grab napkins myself so that I could come up the mess. The hors d'oeuvres finally came in and I had to run back to the kitchen to grab plates because we sat there for 10 minutes without any plates or silverware. To top it all off there were four tables on the patio that were served before we were, each of those parties arrive after we did. I was told by one of the servers that they were extremely busy that night and that they were not prepared for it. I have been there many times when there is been a lot more people eating there and there were last night. I'm very disappointed in the service and the response by the staff there. As I mentioned before we have been coming to this place for over 10 years several times a year when we visit the island and the service was downright shitty last night not sure if I will return to eat there again. read more

Excellent Restaurant on Catalina Island. Monday nights are a special "Italian Feast", with a chef who cooks your pasta as you pick out your specialty items to be cooked for you . Scallops, Shrimp, Beef, Chicken to add to your 4 different types of pasta, green and red peppers, fresh garlic, mushrooms, broccoli, olive,s and many more items to choose from. Hot, Fresh, and oh so tasty. A must try while on the Island. A free shuttle from Avalon to Pebbly Beach. The service is impeccable, and the wine selection is fabulous as well. Buon Appetite! read more

I was not pleased with service we received. Our orders were incorrect and the service was very slow. Only one server was working that day. The good thing was that we got free shuttle service to and from the restaurant. Will not go there again though. read more

We loved the food. Staff ran after me when I forgot my iPhone to give it back. Yes, a bit janky, but free bday lunch, nice view and delish Mexican food! Try it read more

We have lunch with 6 friends and ordered 5 items. Club sandwich, Tostada, Catalina Phili, Chicken Fried steak & camarones diablo- all the dishes were fantastic and plentiful. The service was great and a spectacular value. I highly recommend for lunch. read more

Of the few places I ate on the island, this was my least favorite. While their chips and salsa were AMAZING, my food left me wanting more. I ordered the chicken and ribs, and the chicken was so dry I gave up on eating it. The ribs were actually very good. My fiance ordered the buffalo burger, and he later had better. In their defense, there was a large party right before us, so they may have not given us the attention that they would normally give other people. read more

Great hidden spot on catalin. they will come pick you up since they are out a ways but they took care of us for a month had good food and excellent staff. read more

Good food. Great fajitas. Very slow service however. The special "prime rib" ran out early in the night before I got there. Was disappointed

BAD SERVICE, Let me begin saying that this was a wonderful day up UNTIL I went here!! The Kids menu has more class than the Birthday Menu, and is on 1 red piece of paper in a plastic sleeve, , they come to your table and ask is there anyone with a birthday, you say yes, no one said happy birthday to me, if you said yes they give you that red menu and they get an attitude, it is embarrassing! When we got our food it was realllly greasy, not what we ordered, we specifically ordered beef taquitos and flautas and they brought us chicken, they made me feel like I shouldn't even be there!! If they don't want anyone coming in for a free birthday dinner, maybe they shouldn't advertise it!! the hispanic waiters, treated my husband who is 61 years old white male, with such disrespect, I could see the anger in his face but he kept his cool because it was my birthday, we do not recommend the free birthday dinner or this restaurant.. to anyone unless your hespanic ! read more

The food was fine and plenty for your money. Nice patio area. The shuttle was excellent and prompt. I liked the use of the historic building, which when I was a kid, was part of Catalina Channel Airlines. It's always fun to watch the helicopters. It will be nice to walk out there when the city opens the road to foot traffic. read more

Years past I might have skipped eating here, even for free on my birthday. Ate here today for lunch. Outstanding. Service is attentive and friendly. Food quality has improved tremendously. Had the tuna salad. Solid white tuna not the chunk light stuff. The walk along the coast was great too. You won't be sorry going here for a meal. read more

Just came for the free birthday lunch with the GF. She had BLT and I had Chefs salad. Food was so so but they sent free shuttle to pick us up and are really nice people and service was great so I give them 5 Stars! read more

We took our golf cart over for my free birthday meal - one of the many perks of traveling over to Catalina for your bday. The food was really good and the service was great. We'd go back! read more

This place was recommended by one of the locals. It's a nice place to come because it's away from the promenade. It's genius to have a shuttle that takes you there and back. Great food and service! Waiter was awesome and driver was exceptional! Service at most of the restaurants we went to was very disappointing. This one was refreshing! read more

We eat here every time we fill up with gas. Its fun watching the helicopters land and take off. The beer is cold and the food is good.

Love this place. If you use the Island Express, this place is right there when you land or a great place to grab something before you leave. Also they will take you to the boat dock after enjoying a meal or if you want a bite to eat. The waiters seem very nice although our last waiter seemed a bit irritated when we didn't order a large meal, guessing he was hoping for a larger tip. Other than that food was good. read more

This place is great. The meals portions are generous and prices are reasonable. The birthday menu has a large selection and the food is delicious. The staff is very friendly and made for a very enjoyable experience. read more

Nice food and service, and a great place to go to avoid summer crowds. And they take dogs on the patio. Woof!

Slow service is not a problem if you're not in a hurry. I wasn't so all gravy. Came on my birthday day so it was free.

The Buffalo Nickel was not a good experience. My girlfriend and I went there for her birthday because of the promise of a free meal for her. The shuttle picked us up and at first glance it had a nice atmosphere. We sat down at our table and the waiter brought us our menus. The waiter had noticed an ant and killed it immediately. After looking over the menu, I noticed another ant, then another.... The whole table and window were full of the them. So we got up to move to a different table away from the ants. After finding a new spot, we noticed more ants! We had to sit outisde to get away from the ants, we were going to leave however we were on a time crunch. We ordered our food, a buffalo chili and a grilled cheese. The grilled cheese was barely cooked, the cheese wasn't melted and it was made with kraft singles I'm pretty sure. The buffalo chili was mediocre at best. The only reason this place gets 2 stars was because the shuttle service was fast and free, and they made a decent drink for me. We will never ever go back there and I would recommend that you go to any of the other restaurants. read more

It's CLOSED. Walked the mile and under reconstruction. Yelp says open. Thanks a lot yelp.

Came here to celebrate a birthday with my cousin, family & friends. We came here to eat. The food was very tasty & the staff was awesome!!! read more