Good enough to go out of your way for. If you're a local, ride your bike. The view, the breeze, the sweet potato fries, hot dogs, and most anything tempts me. My brother is a fan of the fried bologna sandwich, but there's no accounting for taste! I love this place! read more

This waterfront institution offers more than just burgers and hotdogs with a larger list of options than it's sister restaurant down the street. With a seafood, barbeque, and beer shack in the back and occasional live music this place offers more to love than just the waterfront view. It's true that some of the menu items may seem over priced for their simplicity, but the important thing to remember is that your paying in part for the atmosphere rather than just the food. The facility is long overdue for improved maintenance and upkeep but still a recommended destination in the Tonawanda area. read more

Wow. This this place has turned into a dump. Its worse than a dive. Filthy and in disrepair everything. The restroom made want to barf. Employees sat in view of patrons puffing away on their smokes too. Are you kidding me! My fish dog was so so. It should be bigger and the roll should be toasted. I had the WORST clam broth ever. Greasy and rancid. I tossed it. I would have gotten sick! This was a horrible experience and memory. Even my 9 year old son was grossed out. Old man river...your good days are in the past. No wonder why this place was empty while muds was packed. read more

WHERE DID THE HAND CUT SWEET FRIES GO!!!! This was the main reason for choosing to drive further to old man river :(

Old man river started having breakfast! Had the papa rooster which is fried chicken egg and biscuit!! So delicious! And their own signature brewed coffee. read more

Old Man River - Papa rooster. Fried chicken, cheese and egg on a biscuit!! - Hot Dogs Near Me - Tonawanda, New York

Brought my family for my husbands birthday and was greatly disappointed. They have Vegan options, which is wonderful but do not know how to grill. which THE VERY YOUNG GRILL COOKS WERE SAYING TO ONE ANOTHER DO YOU KNOW HOW TO COOK THIS.The bunny dogs were dripping black from the grill, my husbands swiss mushroom burger had no mushrooms and when he asked they looked at him funny. IT WAS NOT WORTH THE $10. In my opinion if the young staff was supervised the food might of been worth the money. read more

Find it ironic that so many out of town reviewers don't like Old Man RIver, I think a LOT of the Californians expect it to be like a walk up food truck, it's not, and they don't even try to do that. I would say of the 50+ years I've been going there I am rarely disappointed. The burgers and dogs are top notch, IF you order one of the specialty ones, the inexpensive ones at the top of each menu are really for kids with less than discerning taste. I LOVE the sautéed onion burger, and have enjoyed just about every other burger on their eclectic menu! The sweet potato fries are NOT to be missed! I have been disappointed in their ribs (hence the 4 stars), but the BBQ chicken is tops. Love to take my Dad here for dinner like he used to do with me when I was a kid. read more

No frills, simple, in and out dining. The staff is friendly. Our hot dogs were perfectly char grilled. Those of us that asked for a little more char, got exactly that. Pups are allowed on the patio. A ton of food choices, not as many ice cream options but enough to not pass up a scoop with sprinkles for a sunset walk by the river. read more

I used to love this place but will never go back anymore. The cashier I had tonight was absolutely horrible. I was trying to put information in the rewards program which is right in the middle of the order line. I moved it a little out of the way so other people can order food and I wasn't in their way and I was yelled at. She then yelled at me because I was taking forever to type my information in but their iPad had froze up. A little girl was in front of me standing nice with her mother and was gently playing with the rope, like any kid would do and this cashier proceeded to tell the mom to control her child! I went to Mississippi Muds instead. You don't treat customers that way!! read more

Second review from here last one was bad too. Three stars but completely downgraded to one star now. I went to the seafood shack. "Best clams in town". Little do they tell you that after eating three clams casino I would have to make my way to the bathroom to throw them up. Now I have a strong stomach, I could eat a cheeseburger from a dumpster and not get sick. Would you believe when we told them they made it seem like we were criminals. There is nno quality or value here. The table next to me got a $4.59 cheeseburger that was comparable to a McDonalds .99 cent special. Corn was old and cold. Do not waste your money here. Mississippi muses is a block away and there are five different choices in the area. We will not be back again. Two thumbs down. read more

I wish I could give no stars tables very extremely dirty, people singing and trying to play guitar and very loud audio, service was awful very rude I'm remember coming here as a kid and it was great but now it's just awful read more

I love the location of this place and the low-key neighborly atmosphere. But my family was very disappointed in the food, which we got from "Omr's" shack in the back. The cook and the server were very nice, but the food was just awful. Corn on the cob was water-logged, probably 'cause it had been frozen, and it was delivered swimming in grease. Fish was terrible. Next time I'll bring my own food and enjoy the view from a bench in the park. read more

Formed chicken patties. If I am going to pay a premium price for a chicken sandwich, it had better be a real. What I received here was a formed chicken patty that had an irregular shape so that it would appear to be real. Even though there were grill marks, it was easy to see that this was a large mcnugget minus the breading. read more

Old Man River and is not as good as it used to be. The only reason to be there is for The view. Food is overpriced and mediocre at best. Burgers were dry and overcooked. Sweet potato fries taste prepackaged, not the homemade ones they used too have. Fries are of the frozen variety. Chicken sandwich uses what looks to be half a chicken breast, again overcooked. Be prepared, your cup of coffee comes in the form of a k-cup and Styrofoam cup with directions to the coffeemaker. Hope it has water cause if not it will take forever to get someone to refill it. If I was a member of the Berrafato family I'd take my name off the cups. Embarrassing what this place has become. read more

A summertime must see/do in Western New York. This place looks and feels carnival-ish, a perfect mix of thoughtfully placed clap trap (that's a compliment). There is much visual stimulation for all ages, especially kidlets. You can go to any number of stations to place your order, one on the outside called the Seafood Shack, to the Doghouse on the inside. We went straight to the ice cream part of the inside and had ourselves some lemon ice, which was oh so good, with bits of lemon zest in it, very refreshing - different though, if you're used to the freezer section variety, all smooth and fairly sugary - and some soft serve ice cream, which was a-ok, albeit drippy, perhaps due to the humidity that hot day? The server was a young woman, perhaps a high school student, who was smiling and eager to serve it up. Hopefully she'll sign up for one of those electives like, "Small Talk 101" this fall; you just have to have those skills if you're going to work with the public. It was fun seeing the nostalgic vintage metal kitchen tables and chairs inside and out, the kind your elderly aunt sat at during those hideous visits your parents made you endure. With plenty of shaded - and some not - outdoor seating there was something for everyone. Ditto on the menu items, from fish to the famous Bunny Dog (grilled carrot) and yummy sweet potato fries. During the summer and on non-inclement weather Monday evenings (check first), hang out, grab a bite and listen to some of the best blues music in the area. Old Man River is a two thumbs up for accommodating every age and palate, and in an over-the-top goofy atmosphere. If you're feeling low or cranky, pop in, enjoy; OMR will change your mood. read more

The place with the whale on the roof! Atmosphere, ambiance, and yes, fun summer fare to eat. A local classic institution, it's a wonderful place for an enjoyable riverside meal. Hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage, ribs, fried baloney, chicken fingers and sandwiches, seafood, poutine, ice cream, and more will tempt you. Prices are reasonable. Free refills on soft drinks. Clean environment. Very family friendly! Sit outside and watch the Niagara River flow by, bicyclists out for a ride, and walkers/runners along the path. It should be a summer staple for at least one seasonal visit, maybe more! read more

Average, greasy, and more average! Greasy Clams Casino, under cooked shrimp and high prices. Stick with hot dogs and hamburgers at this place. read more

Two stars for the beautiful location. No stars for the poor quality and grossly overpriced food or the annoying bee colonies that rule the trash cans, soft drink dispensers and most every table. This place is a mear shadow of its formerly great self when operated by a different family I remain amazed at people who accept such 2nd rate products simply because they can see the river while being gypped read more

Very let down by quality of food at the seafood Shack. Ordered rib chicken combo for $22. Chicken seemed a bit under cooked and ribs had an over burnt taste. The potato wedges had bits of deep fried shrimp in them. Thankfully I do not have any seafood allergies. Their was a dark haired girl behind the counter that we noticed as we ate was not wearing gloves and was putting rolls on the plates mine included. As we ate she was observed touching her face and armpits. She also went to the bathroom praying she washed her hands and as we left she was outside smoking. All huge issues for a diner to observe. Ate very little but enjoyed the cold beer read more

You must try the sweet potato fries. Great open-air restaurant with a great view. I had a made to order burger and it had quality ingredients. Very casual. read more

An okay place to go if you happen to be passing by. A very strange mix on the menu and poor execution on food quality. Stick to basics when ordering. read more

The food is school cafeteria-quality and WAY overpriced. For a steep $7 each, we received fish sandwiches comprised of what was basically a double wide fishstick on a roll. It was square and prefab and yet still somehow took 20 minutes to cook. We also ordered two $3 sides of fries. Those were cold the first time, tossed back in the fryer, rejected again and finally cooked fresh. All told 45 minutes to get our disappointing $22 meal, one piece at a time. I even tried to return the untouched fish sandwiches for burgers and was scoffed at. Never again. read more

Honestly the rudest experience I have ever encountered while eating out. I understand times are a little different in the covid era but this was ridiculous. I walk in to place an order and they all just stand there and look until a younger girl comes to take my order. I used a bogo coupon and ask for an extra drink to be added. Clearly new because she had to have someone come over to help input the coupon, the order was in and she told me to stand down the aisle and wait for my food. They kept the receipt to use for the order. The girl fulfilling my order puts one cup on the tray and I ask for my second and the girl tells me I didn't order another so I state that I did and then she proceeds to grab the receipt and shove it in my face exclaiming "NO YOU DIDN'T!" I have worked in retail for 35 years and if I were to scream and shove a receipt in a customer's face I would have been fired on the spot. I go back to order the second drink that the cashier failed to put on my order the first time and the girl who shoved the receipt in my face walks over to another employee, points at me and starts talking. A simple acknowledgement of a mistake made by the order taker would have rectified the situation but the other girl's rudeness just makes me not want to patronize or recommend this establishment again. read more

I have not been to old man river in at least 3 years. I used to love it as a kid, but as an adult, it could be better. We came here on Sunday around noon, it was not too busy. I ordered a piggly wiggly dog which is a cheese stuffed hotdog wrapped with bacon then deep fried! It was delicious! We also ordered the sweet potato fries and onion rings. While the hot dog was good, that's where it stopped. It was pretty chaotic, the line did not seem to move smoothly. The staff seemed all over the place and they were also behind on fryer foods so after getting our food from the grill, we had to wait for our sweet potato fries. The fries looked good, but we're not cooked long enough so some of them were still hard potatoes. We were looking forward to an ice cream cone for dessert, but when we looked at our options... They only had about 6 different flavors to choose from, all 9 of us decided to pass since nothing was really exciting. I guess I would return, and hope for it to be better:/ read more

Came here with a group to listen to good Blues music outside and have a meal. The foods is good. Some have half BBQ ribs, shrimps, steam mussels and hamburgers and hot dog along with fries and corn on the cobs. No complaints. There plenty of tables here. Old Man River dont look like sa mmm e 20 years ago. The new owner did good job fits its up. But I missed the old Old Man River. The Blues band played Tuesday night is good. read more

Grew up here. First time back in 20 years. The place looks the same. Feels the same. Sadly I don't think the food or cleanliness is anywhere close to the same. Ordered coleslaw and potato salad. And a tea. Decided to exchange the tea for bottle water. The machines looked gross. Thankfully the salads were premade tasteless. Made me sad not what I remember read more

The chargrilled dog is 3 stars, but the sweet potato fries with honey and butter are a 5 for sure!!

This place has no local competition and that's the quality of food and service you get. Cheeseburger...expensive and fast food quality at best. Soft drink selection and quality exactly the same as 7-11 for twice the price. Corn on the cob had clearly been resting in hot water ALL DAY. Onion rings -excellent. Service- slower than slow. Counter help could not have been less interested in what they were doing. This is what owning both stands along the river does. No competition=nothing special at all read more

I called ahead to make sure that their Garden burger is gluten free. I am gluten intolerant and vegan. They stated that it was. We came into eat, I ordered without a roll (as their are no gluten free buns) and sat down with my family. After taking a few bites, it was questionable to whether or not this burger party was made with flour products. I got up and asked TWO employees again it the garden burger is gluten free. One girl said she was sure it was but she'd check. She didn't return. A young man asked if I was waiting for food, and I asked again if the burger was gluten free. He returned and confirmed per label, it was not. If I was allergic, rather than just intolerant (sick to my stomach, and frustrated), you would have quite the law suit on your hands. Please do more to provide for the vegan/GF community. read more

Went for a Foot Long and a soda, came to over $10 bucks. Heavily overstaffed. Just MEH.

For as long as I can remember Old Man River has been a Northtowns institution and a must do in the summer. I took my two boys hoping that my fond memories of OMR would transfer over to their little brains and they would love it too. The staff was super friendly and very nice to my kids, but the food itself was blagh. There was live music on the patio which was headlined by the Crypt Keeper bored the kids to death. Thank god that they have loganberry as a fountain drink option or I would have had a mutiny on my hands. We had an astonishing $40 order of 2 hot dogs, a burger, and an order of the sweet potato fries that they are known for and, which I was looking forward to all day, which was undercooked and flavorless. On a scale of 1-10 I would give the over priced food a 3, the cleanliness a solid 8, and the atmosphere a 5 (5 because I like the barrel tables). Definitely come here if you're into chicks with leg bruises. read more

Me and my family love coming to Old Man River for special little outings, like bike rides along the river and nice river side picnics. The seafood shack has delicious steamed clams and a great little outdoor patio area with live music. Tonight, I came with my hubby and baby and we enjoyed our food on a picnic blanket across the street by the water. I didn't know you can order your food "to go" until tonight. It was perfect. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and cheese fries and a kid meal for the baby. In the kid meal, he got a cool Old Man River frisbee. My hubby ordered a burger as well and also the "dog in heat" (I think that's what it was called). All of the food was great and the service was excellent. Very friendly staff. After we finished our dinner, we headed back and enjoyed a couple of ice cream cones as we walked along the river. Nice little outing. Oh, they also have a little car out front that you put $.50 in for the kiddos to ride. Very family friendly environment. :) read more

A little on the expensive side which is why we only eat here a couple times a year. The food is good, especially the grilled marinate chicken sandwich. An order of fries is enough for 2 or 3 people and there are free refills on pop. Nice place to eat by the water. A summer time must! read more

On a warm summer evening four of us decided that old man river would be a great place to go for a hamburger and fries. Unfortunately so did half the population of Buffalo. It was crowded and there was a line but the line moves fairly quickly. Three of us ordered the usual fare hamburgers hotdogs french fries. the food come in short order at the other end of the counter. Next, find a place to sit down and eat your dinner. Everything was typical hotdog stand Fare, good but not super. My wife went over to the seafood shack to get two dozen steamed clams. She came back joined us with a card that had a number on it. They bring the seafood to you based upon your number. It was at least 20 minutes before the clams arrived. Be advised these are big clams, they are not littleneck clams. They placed the clams on our table and quite frankly the aroma that came off of them made me throw away half of my hamburger. I could eat no more. She tried one and it was disgusting. She took them back over to the shack where they gave her back her money no questions asked. What concerns me is that they're going to make somebody real sick. You can't serve bad clams. Keep them cold folks and please be careful. read more

Rarely do I write reviews on restaurants, good or bad. However I simply could not ignore the opportunity to alert the public to save their hard earned money or frequent a more deserving dining establishment. Talk about buyer beware! My family and I have been customers of Old Man River since I was young. It has always been a treat to visit. It was always one of the mandatory summer requirements. Over the past several years much to our disappointment the quality of the food has deteriorated while of course the prices have increased. We have been dining their less and less with sadness and realization that like most retail and dining experiences the quality, service and attention to detail is no longer a priority. However, we made our trek on a hot summer night with the intention of enjoying our meal at the park across the street. Sure wished we had stopped at Ted's first. What a mess. After ordering at 7:00 p.m. on Monday night and while listening to the live band I waited in line to pick up our food. Two hotdogs, one fry, one ear of corn, two soda drinks, simple right? Wrong! There was only one expeditor for several orders who wasted so much time desperately looking up to see if anyone was coming to her aide, sadly no on cared not even (I presume) the manager/owner on duty. So the hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, onion rings, corn on the cob etc. was piling up under the heat lamp waiting to be dressed by said drowning expeditor. There were two pieces of uncooked bacon on the floor no one would pick up and I was waiting for her to step on them and go flying like they were a banana peal. She would start an order then start another without finishing the first order. This went on nearly 15 minutes all the while food is under heat lamp with flies buzzing overhead. I observed such apathy among her coworkers and was appalled. Yes it was very warm, yes they were tired and yes I am sure they were counting down the minutes until closing but with no leadership or encouragement from the management I would also feel like they looked. When my small order came up I asked her for new fries (who wants warm soggy fries), she went to the fry station and came back with a new order and wrapped everything to go. When we arrived at the park at nearly 7:30 p.m. we unwrapped the food to find undercooked cold hotdogs with far to much topping that had smeared all over the inside of the wrapper, more cold soggy fries and an ear of corn with no butter even though I was asked if I wanted butter and said yes I received none. Bottom line we will not return until the current owners relinquish ownership to owners who wish to keep Old Man River clean, with quality food and service that this establishment deserves. The owners need to take a page from the playbook of more successful establishments to upgrade from a single star to five stars and stop cashing in on the past reputation of a once charming and successful business. The reason for one star my sister enjoyed her corn sans butter and the food was fresh. read more

Looked at menu online and had to go there,never again.Ordered Dog in Heat They didnt have the peppers for it i guess Tops was closed down the street. Ordered the Chicago dog first they put dog on wrong type of roll and the condiments they put on the dogs was maybe a table spoon at most. By the time they spent with the order the hot dogs were cold, and the sweet potato they brough to the table were over cooked. never again the help was slow mixing up orders not knowing what there doing and the price for what i got 3.46 & 3.99 was not worth the trip hope you have better luck then me. 6-26-11 read more

awesome sweet potato fries. a lil shack beside the Niagara River.

Dirty. Rolls were stale. Hamburger was from a box, the processed kind they sell at the dollar store. Not what I remember from when I was a kid. read more

If OMR makes an effort to spruce up the place, we might be back. The place has such potential, we like the atmosphere more than the sister biz, Mississippi Muds, but the building is just looking dumpy. Please, a fresh coat of paint, maintenance on chairs, and some tables that don't woble. And please clean the walls and baseboards. I would LOVE to come back and leave an updated review next spring- please invest in this great location and don't let it continue on it's downward slide. read more

My advisers tell me I'm too loud in the internet, to heck with them. Five to balance it out, the beef on weck and sweet potato fries are great. read more