Had an incredible dinner at Reserve Steakhouse by Chef Darian and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The service was outstanding--attentive, personable, and genuinely knowledgeable about the entire menu. The atmosphere is elegant and refined, yet still comfortable and welcoming. The food is where Reserve truly shines. The Steak au Poivre melts in your mouth and ranks among the best I've had, and the scallops were equally impressive. The crème brûlée cheesecake is a must-order to finish the night. A true 10/10 experience and already one of the best restaurants in Buffalo. Highly recommend. read more

Reserve Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Pictured: Steakhouse Caesar, Signature Wagyu Burger with creamed greens, and crème brûlée BuffaliciousBites gives Reserve Steakhouse by Chef Darian 5 stars! read more

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TLDR; they're not ready to serve the public yet. Nice looking space, servers are unprepared / not trained, product coming out of the kitchen is borderline unacceptable for this price point. Seems as though Chef Darian has no hand in anything operational, because I couldn't imagine he'd be happy with anything being served / level of service for a fine dining steakhouse. My wife and I dined here on a Saturday (2 weeks after opening, so our expectations were tempered, as places typically need more time to tie up loose ends and make necessary tweaks). Hostess was lovely, super welcoming, brought us to the bar, which was also a great experience with high quality cocktails to start. That's when the good experience ended, sadly. Drinks: Sat down, greeted by our server, was asked if we wanted anything to drink. We asked for a wine list and she said "you guys are the first to order a bottle, I'm not sure where a wine list is... I think we only have the paper stapled draft copy." We are very patient and understanding, so this was fine with us, we all got a good laugh. She brings it back, we order a bottle (wine list had a really good selection). She brings the wine bottle over but sets it on the table, unopened, for 10 minutes... I was about to open it myself. Again, not the level of service you'd expect from an upscale steakhouse, but we understood. Comes back with an opener finally and pours it up, little to no recognition of the wait. Small plates: ordered the bread (amazing), French onion (very good), and tuna "crudo" (bad). The "crudo" is more of a tartare prep, and it came out tasting like a complete salt bath; as if someone dumped a shaker of salt on top. We told the server it was basically inedible and she was apologetic and brought out a new one. That one was okay, but still pretty bland. Wouldn't order it again. We were already done with all of the small plates by the time our server took our order for mains, which was a bit odd because the menus took up so much room on the table, making it not so comfortable to eat the small plates because we had limited room. About 55 mins elapsed between ordering and receiving the steaks for our mains. Steaks: I got the NY Strip "Beef on Weck" and my wife for the Au Poivre. The flavor of the Strip was fine, but plating was a disaster, and was frankly, sad looking. It was supposed to come with horse radish foam, but all I got was one tiny little drop of foam on the side because I think it had melted away before arriving at the table. The au jus sauce was so thin it was splashing all around the bottom of the plate, so every time I went to cut the steak, even incredibly gently, the sauce flew all over the table and my clothes. My wife's Au Poivre had 0 flavor. Nothing. No shot it's Gordon Ramsey's favorite steak, as they tell everyone. The sides came out cold, and seemed like they were prepared the night before and just reheated. We told the server, she was apologetic, and took them off the bill which was nice. But they still weren't good enough to box up and take home. Unfortunately the place needs a lot of work, the staff needs a lot more training, I'm just hoping Chef Darian has more of a hand in the day to day operations than he has so far, especially with it being so early in the process. Too expensive to have this type of a bad experience. I hope they improve and that this was not simply money grab that just simply uses the competition winning chef's name as a way to bring business in. read more

I really want to give a high review and wanted to like this place! With that said, I'd like to rate 3.5 stars with the note that I'll likely be back to try again in a few months. I know they have only been open a couple weeks so there's a bit to iron out. Fair enough. We did see Chef Darien walking around in the kitchen from the view from our table so I'm sure he's actively assessing the food and operations. Party of two. It was easy to make online reservations. Although we didn't use it and parked on the street, they have complimentary valet. Staff was friendly. Properly greeted at the door and sat right away. The light up menus are a great touch especially when fancy places have dim lighting! We ordered a pop and a mocktail. Salads and bread came out rather quickly - before the drinks. Both the bread (4 rolls) and salads (goat cheese and caesar) were very tasty! Then there was a loooong lag time between the salads and the entree. The maître d' came over to apologize for the wait and explained it was only their 2nd week open. We appreciated the acknowledgment. We split the 45-day dry aged ribeye and 2 sides, lobster mac and fries. Steak was cooked perfectly. Sides were also good; I'd recommend both. Important note: the price on the online menu was different (cheaper) from the menu in the restaurant. This is wild to me especially since they just opened - make sure your menus match. We proceeded to order dessert - crème brûlée and chocolate espresso tart. They came out but instead of the tart, they brought tiramisu. Although it looked delicious, I wanted the chocolate. My partner and I started on the crème brûlée and it was solid - just what you'd expect. They ended up bringing my dessert, and they brought cheesecake! I was frustrated and finally said to not bother with the dessert and just take it off the bill. They did of course but I feel like something else should have been done. A comp'd drink or my partner's dessert should have been comp'd. That's what you do when you mess up multiple times. I was very disappointed. $300 later... I probably will go elsewhere for a steak dinner until they've had time to work out the kinks. I really hope they succeed! read more

Quite literally one of the best and most exciting things to ever happen in Buffalo's restaurant scene!! Our dining experience at Reserve was genuinely flawless (which was no surprise to us whatsoever, because we know exactly what to expect from Chef Darian and his amazing team!!) Everything was so elevated, classy, unique, perfectly cooked, flavorful, delicious, innovative, & nuanced. The ambiance was truly fabulous- ideal for date nights, birthdays, celebratory events, or just a night out to treat yourself! The staff was WONDERFUL- so welcoming & professional! Buffalo is so unbelievably lucky to have Chef Darian & Jessica, and they have once again created something so truly special. I cannot recommend it highly enough!! We loved every single thing that we ordered (and we ordered a LOT!!), but my favorites are as follows: Starters: *Seafood Tower: East Coast Oysters, Snow Crab Claws, Shrimp, & Maine Lobster Tails *Amur Kaluga Black Gold Caviar with Chives, Bilinis, Egg Yolk, Shallots, & Crème Fraîche Entreees: *45-Day Dry-Aged Prime Ribeye with Black Truffle Butter *Prime NY Strip "On Weck" Diamond-Cut, Yeasted Butter, Horseradish Foam, & Kimmelweck Au Jus *Chef Darian's Steak Au Poivre: 8oz Prime Tenderloin, Wild Peppercorn Blend, & Next Level Brandy *Caramelized Miso Sea Bass with Beurre Blanc & Wasabi Shiso Oil Sides: *Lobster Mac & Cheese with Béchamel & Parmesan *Truffle Steakhouse Fries with Black Truffle Oil, Parmesan, & Chives *Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Dijon, Balsamic, & Bacon Desserts: *Bruleed Cheesecake: New York Cheesecake, Crisp Bruleed Top, & Seasonal Fruit Compote *Tiramisu: Espresso-Soaked Ladyfingers, Mascarpone Cream, & Cocoa read more

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TLDR: good steaks, bad sides, ok service, horrendous entry way, overpriced. Edit to add: apparently our friends who had the steak au poive both got sick that night... so I think it's only fair that I take another star off for that. Normally we steer clear of any new spots until several months later when they've worked out all the kinks, but our friends wanted to go so we checked it out last Friday (holiday weekend). The space was pretty, although the view out the windows weren't exactly great to look at (it's the building where Bratt's Hill is). Our server was friendly but a little weird - when I ordered I said "We (pointing at my husband) will split the dry aged rib eye", she said "what do you mean by that?" I didn't know how else to further explain that so I just said "just give him the rib eye and I'll have the goat cheese salad", which she happily obliged. But, WTH? Our friends got the steak Au poive and they both liked it, though felt it wasn't anything "special". Our dry aged rib eye was very good, though I'm not sure whether it was worth $130 with no sides. Speaking of sides, they had very little gluten free options and one of them (Brussel sprouts) sold out at 6pm on a Friday night. We got mashed potatoes x2 and creamed greens - all were so extremely salty even for the salt lovers of the group, we had to send the creamed greens back because even if it wasn't disgustingly salty, it just wasn't good. It was mostly béchamel and barely any greens. When I told the server about the saltiness of all the sides her immediate response was "we're still trying to figure things out since we just opened". I'm sorry, but for the prices you're charging in BUFFALO, these are not the kind of things you still need to figure out a couple of weeks after opening. The taste of food should never be "worked out" after you open. Drinks were very tiny in portion which I guess is the norm these days, but still annoying especially when everything else was blah. Now, onto the worst part... as we were leaving and standing in front of the entrance waiting for the valet to bring our car, we were all downwind from the huge kitchen exhaust right up front. None of us could breathe and we all stunk like all the food they were cooking. Needless to say, we will not be returning. To be honest, I'm not sure if chef Darian winning that food show was a good thing. Seems like Bratt's Hill also went "down the hill" as of late. read more

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When we arrived we were ushered to the bar area to await our table. $45 for a coke, kettle one lemon drop and an Aperol spritz. The hospitality was amazing! Chef Darian waved to us from the service window at the bar. His wife Jessica even stopped over and chatted a bit. Just lovely. Once seated we started with the homemade bread, which was actually four soft pillowy rolls with a nice butter. Our table ordered 3 steak frites and one pork chop as our entrees. The pork chop came with the meat removed from the bone and I regret not taking a photo of the presentation. The sin-laws got a side of the pommes purée that looked tasty and they enjoyed them. All three of us were impressed by the large 12 oz. steak. We've never had the Teres Major cut and we all enjoyed it. The cafe de Paris butter was complex and perhaps had a tiny bit of spice to it? The fries fell a bit flat for me, as they were not crispy even though they were so nice and thin. As mentioned in other reviews the wait for non water refills was a bit long. When we asked as our water was replenished he ran and got the waitress. Perhaps allow the person who fills water to jot down drink requests as well to be more efficient? Maybe they are still finding their groove. I would come back to eat the deliciously generous steak frites at the bar and order my frites crispy with a glass of wine. In checking the price of my last steak frites $38 is the going rate and I prefer this cut. Thank you for a nice night out to celebrate my boyfriend's mother's birthday. read more

Reserve Steakhouse - Steak frites - Steakhouses Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Reserve Steakhouse by Chef Darian Bryan is, without question, one of the best dining experiences I've had in Buffalo. There were three of us, and we all started with the French onion soup. It was hands down the best French onion soup I've ever had. For our entrées, we ordered the chicken, the steak frites, and the steak au poivre. We shared all three dishes, and honestly, we couldn't pick a favorite because every single one was outstanding. The corn soufflé was absolutely to die for. The frites were perfectly crisp with just the right amount of seasoning, and the espresso martini was delicious. The service matched the incredible food. Our server, Dylan, and his assistant, Kody, were attentive, friendly, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. Manager Jordan also stopped by to ensure everything was perfect, which really showed how much they care about their guests' experience. A huge congratulations to Chef Darian Bryan and his wife, Jessica, on creating such an incredible restaurant. And a special shoutout to Chef Steve and the entire kitchen team...they absolutely outdid themselves. The food was exceptional, the service was outstanding, and the restaurant itself is beautiful. We can't wait to come back! read more

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Very cool vibe with over the top service. The food was not as good as I expected. The appetizers were great we had oysters and a shrimp coctail. For the main course we had scallops and I had a steak. The scallops were so salty,almost uneatable (great sear though). My medium rare steak was beyond "well done", too bad because it looked like a great cut. I did mention that to our server and we promptly got a visit from the hostess/manager. She could not appologize enough and comped our beverages and offered to make a new steak for me, I declined. When you pay top dollar for a coctail and it is served in a plastic glass (albiet a nice one), that is a bit of a turn off for me. As an outsider they appear to have too many workers that get in each other's way. All in all it was a good experience, just not a great one. read more

Great job considering they've only been open a week. Entire staff was courteous and focused on me having the best experience. I stopped in to look around and stayed for a drink and the burger at the bar. Jessica told me about the restaurant and Lauren mixed a delicious Old Fashioned. Definitely coming back! read more

Reserve Steakhouse - Most amazing Wagyu burger! - Steakhouses Near Me - Buffalo, New York

We visited Reserve Steakhouse on the second Saturday after it opened. We chose it as a late anniversary celebration and kept our expectations level due to it just having opened the week prior. Unfortunately even with this mindset we were still greatly disappointed. When you first walk in the space is grand, beautiful, and warm. The staff is friendly and inviting, and the hostess happily invited us to the bar to enjoy a cocktail before being seated at our table. The bar itself is a great space, centrally located, and provided a nice start to the evening. We were seated in a timely manner and our server was very friendly as well as relatable. We were given champagne for our anniversary, a very nice gesture. The rolls and French onion were delicious. Unfortunately that's about where the compliments end. 1. We ordered a bottle of wine which took a lengthy time to arrive and was placed on our table unopened for about 10-15 minutes before our server came back. This was odd and uncomfortable. 2. The tuna "crudo" we ordered was actually a tuna tartare, and it was so salty it was inedible. The server took it back and replaced it with a new one which was much more palatable but still nothing special. 3. Our server took our entree order after we had eaten ALL of our appetizers, leading us to wait 55 minutes until entrees came out. 4. The corn soufflé as well as pomme puree were bland but most notably COLD to the touch, including the skillets they resided in. 5. The ($70) steaks were mediocre. The filet was cooked well but I found it overpowered by peppercorn, and the strip steak was supposed to be a riff on a "beef on weck" with horseradish foam which was actually a piece of steak sliding around in watery jus and foam which was scarce and already melted. 6. Service was unimpressive with long wait times as well as a noticeable absence due to how many other tables our server had to take care of. 7. We were also told that one of the chefs had "walked out of the kitchen" that night, which pretty much summed up our evening. Our bill was over $300, and the quality of food and service we received did not even deserve half of that amount. The space is big and bold but the flavors were mundane and repetitive. We were excited to see what our Buffalo next level chef had in store for us, but he wasn't even in the building. Cold food is never excusable and the service needs a lot of work. Second week jitters? Sure. Unfortunately with that kind of price tag, we likely won't be back. read more

We were excited to try Reserve Steakhouse by Chef Darian, and there were definitely some highlights. The service was outstanding, and our server, Moe, was exceptional--friendly, attentive, and professional from start to finish. The Valley Pearl oysters were fresh and absolutely delicious. Unfortunately, the steaks were disappointing. The tomahawk was ordered medium-rare with no pink, but it arrived with no pink at all, closer to well done. To their credit, the restaurant refunded the steak, which we appreciated. My filet was ordered medium but also arrived with no pink, more like well done. It still had good flavor, but it wasn't cooked as requested. Both side dishes were served cold, which was another letdown. The restaurant wasn't busy during our visit, so we expected more consistency from the kitchen. Considering the size of the bill, the overall food quality simply didn't match the price. We truly wanted to love this place because Buffalo deserves great steakhouses, and hopefully these are just opening-week growing pains. read more

Yelp for help! The food was ABSOLUTELY atrocious. The service was unremarkable. And I didn't like how one of the waitresses was looking at me. Overall this place does not align with my objectives. I didn't like it. NEVER... AND I MEAN...EVER! Coming back...! read more

Ambience was spot on, but I think they're working out some of the kinks with the service, being so new. Once greeted by our waitress, we ordered our drinks, which took a while to receive, then ordered our meals when the drinks were dropped off. Well that was the last time we saw our waitress for about 25 minutes, drinks were empty, looking for refills, which at some point while waiting for the waitress to come back, a "runner" asked us if we needed anything and I told him I'd like another drink which he told me he'd let someone know (still took a while to get someone back to the table)... On to the food, we got French onion for an appetizer. For someone that gets French onion everywhere I eat, It was probably the best French onion I've had, if not, top 3! For entrees and sides, we got the filet, pork chop and for a side, the brûlée corn bread dish. When receiving our entrees they brought me the wrong entree, which happens sometimes, but we sat with the correct entree and side dish for about 10-15 mins, so they were lukewarm by the time I got my entree corrected. The filet was excellent, sauce was on point, and like Gordon Ramsey would say "cooked beautifully", the brûlée corn, also very good, maybe could used a little butter, but that's just a taste preference. Now the pork chop, ugh, I had high hopes but just didn't hit the spot, it was cooked right, but just way too fatty, it had mustard seeds and brown butter on top, which I shoved off to the side, and the dark jus sauce was just too salty to me. Wouldn't get it again... all and all, we will go back. Hope the little fixable kinks are worked out by then, I'd go about 3.6 out of 5 stars read more

Reserve Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Buffalo, New York

WOW!!!!!! What an incredible time!!!! This was not just dinner but an experience!!!! My family took me here for Father's Day. Upon our arrival a valet attendant humbly took our vehicle with great kindness. Then multiple attendants came and opened the doors my family and I. Then upon entering the restaurant we were greeted by four hostesses each with a warm smile and friendly welcoming. Between the valet and the hostesses it was like being ambushed by an excellence of hospitality without overdoing it! The atmosphere of the restaurant was indeed impressive from the decor to the chandeliers and coffered ceiling! Jillian was our server and she was amazing!!! She was very attentive and took care of us and others without missing a step! Incredible customer service!!!! Of most importance, however - THE FOOD!!!! The food was phenomenal!!!! My wife and I had the Chef Darian award winning signature steak with the peppercorn sauce, the creamiest mash potatoes, and a dish that tasted like a crème brûlée cornbread!!!!! My tastebuds were treated like royalty! My kids had the best looking burgers that did not disappoint! They thoroughly enjoyed them! To finish the meal, I had the crème brûlée cheesecake, OH MY!!!!!!! It was incredibly good. This place just became my favorite restaurant in Buffalo! read more