I get the ribs every time I go here. I always bring over half home so I have lunch the next day. The loaded baked potato is always good. The chips and salsa are always great too. Every one there is always very nice. My kids eat here every day. read more

They deliver to the dive park! Good was great. Service was super quick. Made for a great surface interval meal.

I love this place. It's for the locals. Tourists like me shouldn't even be in here, I feel like I'm violating some unspoken island code by just coming here, but it's nice. The interior decoration is great, but the star attraction is that it's away from everything else. I only had a quick snack here before boarding a chopper but the food was okay. I had no complaints. I want to come back here some time and have a full meal someday. read more

When we first arrived to Avalon and asked the locals were to eat, the Buffalo Nickle was mentioned several times. It's a good sign when you see more locals than tourists. This restaurant is way out of town, about a mile from the ferry landing to the opposite side of town (past Lover's Cove). You can call 310-510-1323 for their shuttle service from town to the restaurant. The restaurant has inside and patio dining. The few times we've been here it's been windy, so we've eaten inside. As you can see from my pic, the inside has a dark wood, tavern style interior. The Mexican food was recommended - so we tried it. The Big & Wet Burrito, as you can see in my pic, is huge. The waiter suggested the carnitas as being the most flavorful, and this burrito was mostly filled with carnitas. The meat was moist and flavorful, very rich and filling. There were very little beans and rice inside. The red sauce was an enchilada-style sauce with a heat kick. We then had 2 tacos: beef and carnitas. The carnitas was the most flavorful one. The taco shells were crispy, see pic. And we loaded them as we pleased. The beans and rice were good. The soft drinks are not refillable, but, like the burrito, they are huge! We definitely felt that we got our money's worth here. read more

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Was spoiled rotten by this family run restaurant. Terrific Mexican food(Chili Relleno) and a really frech salad(a sign of a quality/caring restaurant). Off the beaten track but well worth the short trip. Van service was great and easy to arrange read more

Delicious food, excellent service. We were waiting to board the boat and didn't want to miss the last one so they were kind enough to deliver our food to our location. Oh and the chips and salsa was delicious. read more

Another local favorite restaurant and bar in Avalon. But this place is far from the dock so you would definitely need to have/rent a golf cart to get here. It's at the helicopter port so you get to see helicopters from time to time. Place is small and cozy with a nice patio. For food I like ceviche and tuna melt. The Buffalo wings and nachos are very good too. They make good burgers and sandwiches as well. Sister usually orders a sweet Bay Breeze to go with her food. This is a local gem so ppl know each other here. One of the servers likes to talk to sister and I in simple Chinese that's cute and fun. A good casual place for comfort meals. We frequent this place often cause it's always open! read more

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Really good food - good drinks - best on the island! The Buffalo milk is STRONG. Highly recommend.

Get. The. Nachos! Overall a cute spot. They are near the helicopter pad. A bit of a walk from the main street butttt if you call them they will send a van to pick you up! I got the Buffalo Burger and a Buffalo Milk (can you sense a theme?). Both were ok... nothing too crazy. But then... then we got the nachos. Got one regular and one with carnitas! These were so good (like, not for you, but like taste-wise)!!! Good portion and lots of cheese! Yum! Service is also good and people are super nice! Overall a great spot to try when on the island! Stay Cheerful read more

I love this place- a favorite of mine and a must stop for every trip. For dinner I love the ceviche with shrimp- Huge, delicious and fresh. A great place to come while waiting for the helicopter or to see locals just outside of the main town The staff is always so welcoming and warm! Looking forward to my next trip to the island so I can go back! read more

Nice(?) decor of bison, deer and other game hung around. Two TVs, but one of them is out of order. And it seems like they only have limited channels (running YouTube TV). If you are coming to watch a game (like I was), please check with the team before you come. Also ask if they have the TV at the bar fixed - only working TV was placed on the backside of the bar patrons (bar stools were fixed and didn't rotate 180 degrees). Food was good. Soup portion was pretty small (even for an appetizer). However the dinner portion was larger. I do not like using big plates and not generously filling it. Just keep the portion size the same and use smaller plates to give the illusion of more food. But the food was good - left me satisfied. Even better than the food... Pedro. Service was top notch. Great team was able to take care of all the guests (and it got busy!) I will be coming back just to see Pedro and team! Hopefully not on a gameday. read more

Our favorite restaurant on the island. We spend summers here and go to BN at least a few times a week. Always great food-consistent every time for every dish. Love all of the servers-loyal, longtime employees who are so attentive. Drinks and food are better than anywhere else on the island. Great prices. Good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I almost hate leaving a review because I don't want it to get packed with people but it's just too good so I have to leave a review. I don't think we have ever had to wait for a table. Nice, out of the way, location. read more

First off the Service was AMAZING here! The Bartenders, Bar Backs and Servers were spot on. The food was made perfect. Compliments to the Chef. I had thee tastiest Tilipia ever on this Island. Nothing beats it. Be sure to grab a couple BUFFALO MILK drinks. They are a dessert treat for "alcohol enthusiasts"! read more

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This is where the "locals" go to eat. Always great drinks and food. The staff remember us year after year. It's truly like family here read more

Loved this place! Great food and service. Tasty cocktails. Super laid back atmosphere. You won't find it if you're walking around the town since it's down the road a bit. Very much worth the short drive. It's cash only so bring $$. read more

The food was amazing, and there was a lot of it. I could barely finish my sandwich, but it was so good. The service was exceptional, the food got to us in very good time. The restaurant itself was very charming, I loved the setup of it. Overall, I would recommend coming here when you're at Catalina Island. read more

This is a new review after a visit early last about year after the previous time on my birthday 9 years earlier. f you could find my review from nine years ago, not much is changed. Still serving regular beef at buffalo burger prices. I've been eating buffalo Burgers on Catalina island at the airport for well over 17 years so I know the texture and taste very well and I've never been served Buffalo at this place despite ordering it and being charged for it. Each time I called them on it and got out of paying ended up leaving and discussed. Looking at the staff, about the only thing I would trust this place at anymore is Mexican food. But I doubt I'll ever come here again. It's not worth the walk to Pebble Beach and the shuttle bus is hit and miss if they even show up. read more

Great food - awesome location & kid friendly. Went with a large party & staff were attentive & very nice. Will definitely be back when in the area read more

This place was so cute! It was a very homey vibe, with a small inside area. Seemed like it was a big local gem as I didn't see many tourists. The portions were absolutely massive & the prices were super great for what you get! The antipasto salad was delicious & probably the hugest portion I've ever received of salad at a restaurant. However, the highlight of the meal was definitely the Sampler. It came with wings, taquitos , quesadilla, and nachos & for the 5 people in my family, it was the perfect size of appetizer for all of us. read more

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Good food. Won't be disappointed. They do deliver which is great and convenient when your staying in you hotel and dont feel like going out to eat. Maybe even worth dinning in a experiencing the atmosphere. All in all try it. read more

Is this a secret on the island? There is so many great restaurants on Catalina Island to enjoy. We finally decided (after 30 years) to go to The Buffaloe Nickel. We thought it was a Buffalo burger place! It's A cool hang out for the Homies and possibly the best Mexican food AND drink on the island. I had a huge fried carnitas chimichanga and We gobbled up the chips w/guacamole and the tomato salsa. The drinks were heavy handed and delish. We took a munchie bag of left overs back to Hamilton Cove read more

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Great amazing service! Wonderful people, they are like family and I have recently been here but always make me feel welcome. The food is delicious. The ambiance is perfect for family and couples. read more

Not only an amazing service by Mr. Pedro and staff but also outstanding service and taste for any type of food you order. We were here twice while in our three days stay, just because the food and price is out of the park. They also provide shuttle service from downtown(another plus). Overall 12+ rating out of the "10 scale" ::::: !!!! read more

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We had dinner here and they gave a us a courtesy ride from our vacation rental to the restaurant! My moms in a wheelchair and so this was above and beyond. The food did not disappoint. They had a huge menu selection. Everything was excellent including the service. Great place for a casual family dinner. read more

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This is a local spot. If you want that cool local vibe this place is awesome. We had a big group and tried everything from pizza to fish tacos and more. All excellent. read more

Buffalo Nickel - Minutes after our wedding! - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

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Deffinatley the place to go when visiting Catalina. Whenever on vacation you see locals at the restaurant you know you have found the right spot. Fajitas were amazing. Ribs were good. If you're feeling lively try a moose milk. It's a chocolate banana cocktail they are known for. Fair prices, great service, and amazing food. What more can you ask for when looking for new places to try. read more

This is a hidden gem passing Lover's Cove and right next to the Helicopter landing pad. Since we were walking around this area and found this restaurant we decided on ordering a few alcohol drinks and some nachos. We are still in the COVID-19 pandemic and only the outdoor patio area was open for business. read more

Buffalo Nickel - Hidden gem - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

Holy moly what a delicious meal! Probably the best baby back ribs I have ever had. Totally worth the 5 minute late-model minivan (with cracked windshield and semi-functional seatbelts) free shuttle ride to get there. That was the only weird part about it. Seriously, the food was outstanding. It was the opposite of a tourist trap. It was reasonably priced, the portions were ginormous and the food was SO GOOD. My big ol meat plate was mouth-watering and my vegetarian wife said her chile rellenos were the best of her life (and she grew up in New Mexico). We found this place on a tip from the kayak rental people in town. They said this was the locals' favorite place to eat, and I can see why! (I didn't even get to describing the cocktails, which were also awesome.) read more

Considering I visited during COVID and wasn't able to check out many other places, Buffalo Nickel is probably my favorite bar on the Island. Their food and drinks are both excellent. Service is way above average, and they have a very cool interior and a large outdoor patio. After entering the front door, the bar is immediately left with maybe 8 large wooden bar stools with back support. The block footrest is below. The bar top is a hard stone or stone-like material with no rail (wasn't able to be indoors). The back bar is primarily bottle/beer shelves with a large HDTV in the left corner. Few wooden high top tables and booths opposite the bar. Not a huge space. Walk thru the bar and to the large back patio with several low top wooden tables. Much better than some wire tables, and the wooden ones actually have a small lip for spills. Looking forward to returning when times are more typical. Sure the food and drinks will still be great, but I'm guessing the atmosphere will be even better. read more

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Food was ready fast and service was amazing. Not only that, but the food tasted great. They also have a wide variety of different foods. read more

Buffalo Nickel - Fajitas - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

Can't believe I haven't been here until I flown in on the helicopter. Great food! probably the best Mexican food in Avalon. Can't wait to try pizza when I go back? read more

Buffalo Nickel - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

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Went here for dinner on Friday evening. Casual bar and restaurant with both indoor and patio seating. Wife and I both ordered the Mahi Mahi fish tacos and a bucket of beers. The two tacos had enough fish in them to make four tacos and the taste was fantastic. Nice little place away from the crowds that serve great food and cold beers. read more

Buffalo Nickel - Follow the arrow to the Buffalo Nickel Restaurant - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

Great Authentic Mexican food and great service. The drinks were great and so was the food! read more

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Any visit to Catalina Island would not be complete without a trip to Buffalo Nickel Restaurant! We eat there every time we go. Just a short shuttle drive south of Avalon near the heliport. We always plan our island visits to include a Monday night. That's when they do the pasta bar thing at Buffalo Nickel and my son dearly adores it. Unfortunately their 'rona protocol prohibits this Monday night tradition right now. My burrito two visits ago unfortunately wasn't as good as previous visits. My chimichanga on this visit last week however was excellent. read more

Buffalo Nickel - Outstanding Chimichanga! - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

Really yummy local vibe place with friendly service and excellent food. We will be back often. Free shuttle service if you call them! read more

Buffalo Nickel - Ceviche is amazing!!! - Pizza Near Me - Avalon, California

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Amazing food!!! The Ceviche was just like what mom makes!! We had the big fat burrito and YES.. it was big!! The chimichanga was filled with so much meat. OH and the Buffalo Milk... was delicious!! Best one on the island!! read more

We came out on a Monday night for the "make your own pasta" meal, and thoroughly enjoyed the different varieties of pasta we concocted! The tortilla soup however.... was the best I've ever had by far! I certainly recommend it to you. No kidding around, here; not too salty, full bodied, hearty. Amaaaazing. But you know the thing that makes this place stand out the most was the friendly staff and the we're-all-family environment.... it is truly a treat; I'm so glad that we came out here to try it! read more

Patronizing waiters need to back off. Decent food, good vibe. But they need to serve up some real hot sauce. Minimal seating for large party's inside so if you get cold easily bring a jacket so you can sit outside. I read more

They delivered to us, and the food was great! Had the fish, tacos and salmon. Delivery guy was super cool, so we tipped him generously. This place was the favorite restaurant of our zip lining tour guide that lives on the island. Only bummer. Was they don't make pizza before 5 PM. Cash only when being delivered. read more

We love having lunch here every time we come to the island. The carnitas platter is great. The meat is tender and very flavorful. The salsa is refreshing and spicy.. soo good Since its a little out of the way the atmosphere this excellent and service great. read more