My husband and I always come for Jeopardy and a couple of beers and something to eat. The service is good and the bartender always remembers us. It's a cool vibe and everyone is always looking like they're having a good time. I like Milkie's. read more

Milkie's On Elmwood - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Good food great drinks. Very comfortable spot to enjoy the Lance Diamond tribute on July 4th & friendly staff read more

Milkie's On Elmwood - Chicken wings - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

See all

Definitely a dive bar with limited spirits, but I was content with my $4 Captain and Coke. We came for an open mic comedy show. The audience seems gentle to newcomers. A few great sets later in the evening. They also have karaoke nights. The claw game attracts a bad element. Just sayin' read more

Milkie's On Elmwood - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

We also dropped in on a whim as we saw an actual female guitarist through the window on a Saturday night, chancing a $7 cover. Chelsea was good, very PJ Harvey-esque - covers and originals. Sound system was excellent! Then we listened as the podcasters had to tap dance to fill about 20 minutes because the next act was late. When she got there , the little diva made the audience wait until she had her water before performing. Then, they had to take another ten minutes to load her backing tracks, a cover charge to hear someone sing karaoke? (and not even good recognizable karaoke, but some navel-gazing pre-recorded stuff.) That this would be booked on anything other than an open mic shows the lows that music venues have stooped to. to avoid paying real musicians. Boycott these fakes. Do your research and make sure it's a real live musician; don' fall for the non-musician scam that Milkie Way offers. read more

I tried going there on a Thursday Karaoke night. It was almost empty. For the first hour, it was just two of us singing plus the DJ (whose voice is not good either). And then a couple of few singers (around 5) on the second to the last hour. The karaoke background music was horrible. They didn't have background vocals. Never gonna go back there for a supposed karaoke fun night. read more

We stopped here on a whim when having dinner in Elmwood village. It's a classic dive bar that hasn't been renovated in many years (and we like that!). The drinks were cheap, the bartender (Nikki) was super-friendly and helpful, and the crowd was accepting of two older people busting in on their scene. We really liked it and will definitely return. If you like dive bars with friendly bartenders and cheap drinks, Milkie's is for you! read more

I like Milkie's, I really do, but it smells like racoon. Like a dead racoon that crawled up into a chimney for the winter and got stuck. The front-of-house looks like a bowling alley lobby trapped in a time warp. Bartenders ARE ALWAYS friendly, but the atmosphere needs work. Sorry Milkie's. read more

I have been for a few open mic nights and recently the vibe just isn't there for these artists. The food was also less than desirable, although I might continue to check out some shows in an effort to support the folks trying to find their place in the circle of fellow comedians, the last few nights even the material presented has left me less than impressed and driven away. read more

Milkie's On Elmwood - tables and chairs - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I made the mistake of going here without doing research. Maybe the music is good but I was here to eat. No music at 6 pm. I ordered the steak sandwich. It was suppose to come with cheese, peppers and onions, coleslaw, pickle and chips. It came with two pieces of canned mushrooms, cheese that was so dry it would not melt, and the bottom of the bag of Bar-B-Q chips. Really??? Save your money eat someplace else! read more

Start: Milkies. What am I supposed to think when I see that name? Cows? Dude stuff? Moms? C'mon. Middle: Lance Diamond show is awesome. It feels like getting a hug from the entire city of Buffalo. End: Buddies and I had dinner, drinks, bartender was great, really having a nice time, you know? Then some dude comes over to let us know that we have to pay a cover to stay because a band was coming on (not the same as the Lance Diamond night). Yeah, that was super stupid. Why would you tell 3 people who have already dropped a hundred dollars in an hour that they have to pay a $3/person cover. We left immediately. Every Milkies encounter ends in a story. Maybe it's making new friends or enemies, or watching something other worldly happen. Or maybe it's just that eery feeling of time warp. In the end, I will return because I will be too drunk to remember the annoying stuff. And there will always be a good story. read more

DO NOT EAT HERE. My mom and I shared a full order of chicken fingers and fries and both got violently ill the following day. After waiting nearly an hour for our food to arrive, my sister's chicken wing dip was cold. We asked that it be hot, and when it was returned to the table, a large puddle of grease covered the entire top layer of the dish. (Not to mention, the dip itself was disgusting and inedible.) My dad's mixed "greens" salad consisted mostly of old, watery iceberg lettuce and was also unappetizing at best. Though nearly our entire check was comped by the house due to our terrible experience, the saved money hardly made up for the sickness experienced after eating at Milkies. Summary: save your stomachs and your money and DO NOT EAT AT MILKIES. read more

Great place for a date night! An Elmwood classic. Makes me nostalgic of Lance Diamond, another Buffalo classic. Entertainment is always interesting. Personally, I am a fan of comedy nights. Drinks and food are reasonably priced. I would recommend this place to those out and about on Elmwood Ave. read more

First of all, anyone who complains about the food here is an idiot. It's Milkie's. The dinner specials are 5 dollars. You are not going to get anything that is not frozen, thawed and cooked. Idiots. Secondly, this is a great bar to catch creative local talents. I was there last night for a comedy show/open mic. Not only are the drinks fairly priced, the wait staff very friendly but the atmosphere is awesome for a shot and a beer type place. For the naysayers, if you want to eat cheap under the guise of good food there is a TGIFridays on Chippewa. read more

Idk about everybody else's experience at Milkie's but on Wednesday's at the comedy open mic is fantastic! Drinks are cheap! Food is good. Bartender Nikki is so freaking good! She always knows the perfect drink if you let her choose. Great fargin time everyone should come. Wednesdays! Men's bathroom super tiny and stinks. read more

Milkie's On Elmwood - Comedy Open Mic at Milkie's - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Milkie's (formerly the Elmwood Lounge) is one of those quintessential Buffalo bars that you either love or hate ... sometimes both at the same time. You're as likely to have a conversation with a random college kid as an octogenarian who has been warming the same bar stool for a few decades. If you're lucky, you'll get chatted up by Milkie himself, and hear stories about hanging out at NYC Playboy clubs with his girlfriend Marlo Thomas (true stories, by the way; I fact checked and found photos). You'll catch live jazz music, jug bands, DJs, and zydeco--all depending on the day of the week. It's such a mixed bag, you basically just have to walk in with an open mind, start a few conversations, and see what happens. (And if the house lights start flicking on and off, don't worry--that's just Milkie messing with the light switches. It means he likes the song.) read more

Milkie's On Elmwood - a bar filled with people - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I didn't fart but I did gyrate a bit on my barstool and some air squeezed out of the seat-cushion and it smelled like a fart. Five stars!

Came in for an open mic night. Although the bartender was very nice, the loaded waffle fries I had were absolutely awful. Soggy fries, chili that tasted like it came out a can and had been kept warm for the last two weeks and American cheese slices melted on top. Really, really disappointing. read more

this buffalo gal made her first ever visit to the newly owned and operated Milkie's for Soul Night with her man in tow to get her funk on. without a previous experience for comparison, i cannot speak to the new ownership. the space is dated, but cozy and oddly 'Buffalo'. the most notable part of the evening was the weird stench that seemed to permeate from every square inch of the place, old and mildewy, maybe a little bit like sewage (a la the old Mohawk Place). we ordered up two of our usual cranberry and Cuervo's, and the man and i immediately noticed the funny taste of the alcohol. it was DEFINITELY NOT Jose Cuervo, despite being poured from a Cuervo bottle right in front of us. its a sneaky old trick, but i didn't expect a place like this to pull it...not for $4.50 a pop. the music and our company made the night memorable, but not the establishment, and that's a shame. i'd like to say i'll return for another soul night, but don't know if i want to patronize a place that doesn't respect its patrons enough to serve them honestly from the bar. read more

Don't get food here. We ordered chicken fingers and fries, typical bar food. What we were served was not typical by any means. Remember in public schools the chicken patties and chicken nuggets? Those would've been an upgrade compared to the "chicken fingers" they served. It would've been better to buy a bag of Tyson chicken fingers from Walmart, microwave that and serve it. The fries were good in that they were perfectly cut and crispy, and cooked excellent. Except they had been cooked in oil that clearly was used for fish fries. They tasted like fish potatoes. Pricing was fair for drinks, but never again for food. read more

Waitress had fleas or some other bug that jumps and jumps. Never again I tell you! They better milkie the carpets and the staff so those little bastards don't go home. Some things customers don't want to go home with. read more

Went to an open mic to have fun and play some bass. The place had no more than 6 tables full of empty chairs. After listening to a kid on guitar making my ears bleed with a distorted slide guitar for an hour straight, I was about ready to leave. Once he wrapped up, I looked around and asked loudly, "Is it my turn?" No body answered me. There were only two names on the sheet, and mine was second, so I grabbed my gear and went on stage. Once I had my bass strapped on and my amp fired up, a hippie who worked there walked in from the outside. He went on the stage and turned on his toy piano while was up there, being an asshole to me saying it's his turn. I was already playing by then but he was trying to play over me. My brother in the seats told him to cut it out and to just listen to me play. Then the dude put left his piano on top of my amp, which fell over and crashed in the middle of my performance, horribly disrupting it. Then I continued to play while the dude chatted with the owner, and then he proceeded to turn off my amp in the middle of my solo because I wasn't being respectful and had to leave. I am bewildered over this experience. I drove 30 minutes to the city. The whole idea of an open mic is to promote your business by letting guest artists perform, not driving your place empty by having the hippie manager act like a cock and fiddle on his toy piano, and trash the vibe of the whole night. As I was walking off stage a few people were coming from the outside fist bumping me, congratulating me on my skill, and I had to explain that the show was over and that I was kicked out, to their disbelief. They had missed the hippies scene and just walked in to listen to me. And if that hippie dude thought I was going to listen to him for an hour after the first terrible guitarist, he was trippin. I only wanted 10 minutes. What a disgrace this was to my instrument. This places smells like a raccoon. read more

Went to go see lance diamond with some of my coworkers and had a great time. The drinks are reasonably priced and Ashley the bartender was very attentive. She not only kept my glass full but kept after the cab company to make sure they picked me up on time. Looking forward to the next time all the staff of Helium comedy club wants to venture out to Milkie's. read more

I've been here for a few shows and I enjoyed the entertainment for the most part. There's everything from comedy to hip hop and sometimes shows with variety acts. The drink selection could be more diverse to enjoy but the bartender knows how to whip up cocktails and she was friendly. The place could be really special if it were spruced up or upgraded a bit. Worth checking out if you live in or will visit Buffalo. read more

We went in here since we walk by it often and happen to see a sign for early dinner specials, so, what the heck, why not. I will tell you why not. We were the only people in the place. My husband, daughter and I, and it STILL took 30 minutes to get our food. I mean, I get it if the place is swamped, but I could have went in the kitchen and made it myself in a shorter amount of time. The older gentleman who waited on us was really sweet. Not sure if he is the owner or what, but he was nice. Even showed my 3 year old a couple 'magic' tricks before we left and I appreciated that gesture. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs that I had intended to share with my daughter, who loves pasta. Meatballs were pre packed frozen meatballs...GROSS. I took one tiny bite and gagged. I can't even describe the texture...bad sushi maybe? And the pasta was underdone. 30+ minutes waiting for our food and my pasta is UNDER done? The sauce wasn't anything special either. He said that it was just made today, but it just tasted like canned tomato sauce to me. After frozen meatballs on my plate (that were cut in half and warmed in a frying pan?) I wasn't really buying that they made their own sauce from scratch. Sorry, that's just me. My husband ordered the breaded fantail shrimp. Which was hard as a rock and cold. He said that it made him think like this was leftover from another plate and reheated in the microwave (not even enough since they were still cold). The only saving grace was the waffle fries (imagine arby's curly fries in a waffle shape cause that's what they tasted like) they were hot and crispy and without them, my daughter would have had nothing to eat since she wanted no part of the spaghetti I attempted to give her. Oh and she ate the steamed broccoli and cauliflower that came with my husbands 'shrimp' dinner. In the end, it was horrible and I will NEVER eat in there EVER again. And, I suggest you do the same. Gordon Ramsay would have thrown the crap we were given on the floor for sure. read more

Just a really great old-school restaurant and bar. I had a book reading and signing scheduled there, so I have an obvious bias, but I fell in love with the place and already booked it again for the fall. Formerly The Elmwood Lounge and the home of Buffalo legend Lance Diamond, Milkie's has a palpable air of entertainment history. There's a gorgeous stage backed by a lighted mirror and the location is about the best you could ask for on the Elmwood strip. After talking with Mike Milkie (the owner and proprietor), it's clear that he's spent a lifetime at the forefront of that happy medium between running restaurants and backing local entertainment. He has plans to incorporate theater into a weekly lineup that already includes Buffalo's best comedy open mic hosted by the incredibly talented Tyrone Maclin on Wednesdays, an live music open mic on Tuesdays and everything in between throughout the rest of the week. After my reading I couldn't resist trying Milkie's beef on weck special for $7.95. It was salty the way it was supposed to be, ample, juicy and came with a side of fries. This is a damned good price for the area! From a 'talent' perspective (and I'm applying the term loosely to myself with tongue planted firmly in cheek), Milkie's is a win-win. They've got a superb location, a charming stage and a very likable owner and booking agent. I'll try any place once but it takes that special something to get me to come back. Will make this part of my yearly circuit! read more

Such a great location. Remodeling the whole place from top to bottom is the only way this bar can be good. Depressing inside..cheap liquor selection ..dirty feel..horrible smoke and soap smell read more

Football Sunday's are great -- free wings and other food during half-time and $2 beers and wells, and $1 shots. Food was of good quality. Not a ton of tv's but good viewing from most of the bar area. The bartender was the problem. While she seemed nice enough, she was slow on re-fills, got distracted very easily, and sat down to eat in the middle of everything going on. Eat lunch before your shift is my advice. Definitely a great alternative to Thirsty Buffalo's right across the street, which was so loud, so packed and so impossible to hear the game. Plus no free food. read more

Went for Jazz and dinner on 3-5-13, Tuesday night. Mike took our order for drinks which was slow coming. Service about fair if we get the attention of the waitresses. Dinning out for the evening usually requires the need of a restroom visit or two. I found the mens restroom in need of attention as it seems everything was dirty; floor, plumbing, sink, walls, towel dispenser. etc. Most gas stations have cleaner restrooms. A restaurant must have clean restrooms, or the dinner won't be every enjoyable. A bucket of ice had been dumped in the urinal and made me wonder what the conditions might be in the kitchen if they don't use sink there. My wife reported an equally unclean ladies restroom and encouraged this report. We witnessed a dining neighbor return dirty silverware two times. He didn't joke about it. I think that the Erie County Health Dept. should keep an eye on this place. read more

Absolutely horrible experience! 50+ minutes for French Onion soup that had extreme burnt cheese on top (to the point that it was basically crisp and no "cheesiness") and soup was lukewarm!! -wth!! I'm assuming high broiled which cooked the cheese but not the soup. Poor and unapologetic service. Absolutely terrible! And then to top it off, the fish fry contained canned carrots, instant mash potatoes (that were icky and watery), and a overly cooked broiled haddock...why did this meal take over 90 minutes to prepare?!?! Absolutely HORRIBLE! #disappointed read more

I always have a great time here! Food is great, the burgers and fries are delicious and the homemade chicken fingers are the best. Bartenders are very friendly and always great live entertainment! read more