Went here for the first time earlier last year. Our reservation was for right when they opened so it was pretty empty and quiet with only two other tables besides ours. Indoor was very much reminiscent of a typical bar area on one side and then regular table seating on the other side. The day we went the weather was warm enough for their big doors to open up on to the patio seating out front. The bread and butter they served was delicious and we appreciated being able to try different breads. The shrimp and grits were delicious and they use really big sumptuous shrimp. I actually got pretty filled up and couldn't finish my seafood stew so ended up bringing half of it home. So portion sizes here are definitely big and everything tasted fresh! Their seafood stew is very generous with the seafood and the bread for dipping was delicious as well. Will definitely be adding this to our rotation here in Buffalo! read more

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I had the fried shrimp po' boy. I liked it very much. The crunch of the shrimp and the surprising kick from the Tabasco sauce, a very nice, tasty sandwich. The sides are sweet potato fries, drizzled with honey and Coleslaw. The fries were generous and still hot when my entree was served. What was disappointing was the Coleslaw. It looked like it was vinegary; it was not. It was close to flavorless. The worst part of dinner was sitting on the hard wooden bench in the booth. A few booths have cushions, but all of the chairs are also unpadded wood. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Fried shrimp po' boy with sides of Coleslaw and sweet potato fries. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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We made reservations online at the restaurant's website after reading reviews and viewing photos that this might be a cozier sized restaurant. Mind you this place is located near UB South, on Main Street so traffic can get tricky if you don't know what you're doing or where you're going. There is street parking, but during peak hours you might be hard pressed to find a spot. We walked in after parking on the street, and the door was propped open and the garage style window was open bringing a nice breeze into the restaurant. The entry way is accessible as it is a small incline walk in which is great for those who are using wheelchairs/canes/walkers. We went to the hostess booth and informed we had a reservation and were promptly sat near the patio window area so we definitely could people watch. Our waitress was patient and sweet while we tried to decide what we wanted of all the delicious options to be had. The restaurant does have a specials menu that may rotate out on the day, they'll post the specials on their website before opening is my understanding. Drinks: We both had water, I got a blackberry smash, and he had two grapefruit flavored beer (which was delicious and I'm not a beer person superbly). My blackberry smash was pretty strong and tasty- it lasted past the meal which is a good sign in my book to savor it. Dinner: He got the shrimp po boy (fried shrimp,Tabasco garlic sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, blue cheese crumble), on a roll and it comes with sweet potato fries. The shrimp was beautifully cooked and crispy with a well appropriately coated. The sweet potato fries were tangy and delicious. I got the blackened halibut kabobs (coconut rice, pineapple salsa, soy-sesame glaze). And a side of the rosemary Mac and cheese. The kabobs were so delicious- the halibut fell apart and was tender. Coconut rice was on point with the pineapple salsa, it was like a meal and a dessert at the same time. There were some peppers that had a kick so I gave them to him to eat and he loved them. I didn't even get to the Mac and cheese because the halibut was so filling! He had some Mac and cheese though and really enjoyed it. I had it boxed up for me to have a nice snack. This was a very pleasant surprise. Tangy and delicious and hit the nail on head for taste and service. read more

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My first visit and it didn't disappoint. I tried the Po'Bob blackened catfish. It was very good and well seasoned. Maybe a titch too salty, but the flavor was great and had a little zing. It was a generous fish serving, the roll wasn't big enough. It was served with sweet potato fries with honey. Sticky but very good. The Cole slaw was okay, missed flavor. Our server was good, attentive but not too present. 2 small comments: the benches are hard, very hard. I suggest some cushions. The big front door of the restaurant was open because of the nice weather. Great, but it also brought in a lot of traffic noise from Main Street. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I highly recommend Shango. Not easy to fine a good Cajun restaurant in Buffalo NY. They have limited hours and days they are open, but well worth the time . read more

Went for Mother's Day brunch. Chef Jim always provides a wonderful dining experience throughout the years read more

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Food was good, vibe, kinda cool and drinks were decent. I had the fried chicken and greens. Good quality greens but chicken had a ton of batter which made it pretty crispy yet greasy. read more

Truly a hidden gem. I used to live in this neighborhood but never knew this place existed. I came here with my friend when they first opened over the weekend. It was pretty empty. There is a small bar when you first walk in. I ordered a blackened catfish po'boy which came with the sandwich, sweet potato fries covered with some sort of honey glaze, as well as slaw. The portion was large but overall, delish. Wish they toned a bit back on the spices on the fish but the fries and slaw were a nice touch. The restaurant got pretty busy quick afterwards. Would def recommend! read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

My rating is 3.5 stars! The place was very busy as it was the Sunday before Mardi Gras and being a New Orleans styled bistro everyone was here to celebrate. We sat at the bar for brunch and t read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Duck breast special on jambalaya! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The food is very good here! Fun unique menu with both small and large plate options. We tried the grilled broccoli- unique and tasty although I doubt we would order again, crab and artichoke toast- unique take on the dip version of this app and enjoyed it, pork belly app- the pork belly itself was cooked to perfection, I'm not sure I love the bbq sauce as I feel like they could elevate this dish with a different sauce but would still order this again, side of Mac and cheese- nice homemade Mac, just a solid good option, and then tried a cup of the gumbo which was nice and spicy. Overall this was a good food spot and reasonable prices for their wine bottles and we had a great cab sav out of Napa that we loved! The restaurant itself can be updated, crakes and darker grout tiles, weird seated with these church like rows and less than ideal "curtains" between tables. I think a mini makeover would take the ambience to a 5/5 truly. Overall don't sleep on this spot, we will absolutely be back. Planning to try the friend chicken as we saw it pass us and looked amazing. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Artichoke crab toast and grilled broccoli small plates - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Add a former resident of the French Quarter I give this place a solid two thumbs up. From the amazing service to the intentionally put together dishes, it's a must try. I had the buttermilk chicken, husband for the pork. We were both super pleased. At the end, even though we were really full, we got their version of beignets, which are not traditional but sure were delicious! Or waitress was too notch from beginning to end and we loved the vibe the place had overall. Overall: A+ A yes to anyone that loves good food, especially if you live N'Awlins vibes. read more

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Always impressed by Shango. Great service and great food! The gumbo is the best you will have! Hearty and delicious! The salmon is my go to entree. Today's had shrimp, scallops and crab ball. The fig smash drink was very good. I also always get some gumbo to go! read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Salmon with shrimp, scallops and crab ball. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Shango is the most underrated restaurant in Buffalo and I can't understand why. The food is spectacular, and the service is outstanding. My boyfriend and I came here mid-week with another couple. We ordered a bunch of small plates to start. The fried calamari was very good and was brought up a notch with stuffed olives dispersed throughout the dish and tomato sauce. The seared pork belly was off the hook. The combination of flavors in the dish were amazing and complimented each other so well. There were fried mac and cheese bites, pickles, corn maque choux and barbecue glaze. Order this! The crab hushpuppies were out of this world too. It escalated normal hushpuppies and created this delicious appetizer. Each couple also ordered an entree that we split with our partner. Our friends got the meatloaf and they enjoyed it. We split the blackened flat iron steak. It was amazing. It came with a barbecue apple sauce surrounding the steak. It was a unique flavor that I really enjoyed. Cajun fries were also part of the dish, and they had good flavoring. The steak I enjoyed. The main attraction on this entree though was the Oles Farm creamed corn. My goodness. I'm a big fan of creamed corn, but it usually comes out of a can. I tasted this creamed corn, clearly not from a can, and sourced locally, and fell hard for it. It tasted like mac and cheese, but it was creamed corn. It was absolute heaven. I would just want a couple cups of this to dine on. Chef's kiss. The kitchen has an amazing and imaginative culinary take on dishes. read more

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i got the chicken and waffle which was 10/10. i can never find actual spicy food here so i was pleasantly surprised with the red pepper slices they gave that were, actually spicy!! the veggie that came with the waffle was sour and i am personally not a fan :( my sour tooth was satisfied with the tabasco sauce that came with, so the veggies were a bit over powering and not the best complimentary dish in my opinion. the dessert was amazinggggg, and well presented. overall a pretty satisfactory meal but i can't say i'm impressed by any other dishes we ordered than my chicken (just the chicken and sauce portion of the dish). they had limited outdoor seating next to the street, and abundant indoor seating which was dim. service was nice and they let us enjoy the happy hour drink deal despite not sitting at the bar! read more

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Wow sooo good. I hadn't been here in like 7 8 9 years so long ago. But dang was that a mistake. I met my mom and we had a bunch of shared plates. We got bread, we got mussels, we got shrimp and grits, we got truffle fries and we got seared pork belly(honestly we went a little crazy)! The mussels and grits were my top contenders. The freaking broth with the mussels!! We could not get enough of it (hence the bread basket!) Honestly everything was so good. Highly recommend it all. One thing I ordered the jalapeño mule and it was soo spicy I couldn't drink it. It was one step too spicy because I love a spicy margarita and I could not drink it. But I got a glass of wine and that was perfect. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Pan Seared Pork Belly ,in the front and truffle fries in the back ou and their house pickled small plate. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Never disappoints. Quality food, wine and cocktail choices, professional service and comfortable atmosphere. Very affordable

I have never had a bad meal here and I don't get here often enough. It's so good. Do not miss it. Get anything and everything on the menu. On top of the food, the drinks are excellent (mocktails as well!) and the service is outstanding. I need to make it here more often, and you should, too. read more

Shango is a cozy spot to have some appetizers and drinks at the bar. Our bartender was Will and he was wonderful. We enjoyed some cocktails and appetizers. the tapas were amazing! read more

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Seriously delicious food /service. In my opinion one of the Top 5 best restaurants in Buffalo . Even if you are not a huge fan of Creole/Cajun cuisine , there is something on the menu for everyone . The spring rolls I ordered as an appetizer were crispy and served with two delicious dipping sauces . Then the Mac and cheese with Andouille sausage I ordered for my dinner , Oh my Goodness! A huge portion of creamy goodness that could easily feed a family of 4 . Adding the sausage was a great idea, it gave the entree a balanced heat factor . Everyone else's entrees in our party looked extraordinary as well . I wish I saved room for dessert , I guess it's just more reason to return! read more

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My husband and I love going to Shango at least once a year. I say that only because it's a little on the pricier side, so it's definitely a "treat yourself" type of restaurant. I highly recommend making a reservation because it does get really busy here. The service is so prompt, it's always very clean, and you can always expect the food to be fresh, delicious and the quality is always consistent. I've attached some photos for you to check out as well! I love a restaurant that offers a complimentary snack before your dinner and Shango does! You get a nice little assortment of breads with a a yummy olive oil mix as well as some pickled peppers. If you've not been to Shango, it's a must - and if you haven't been in a while, it's about time for you to book your reservation! read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Lobster Cakes - so delicious! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Group of 8 and everything we ate was on point! This included the apps (shrimp and grits, eggrolls, gumbo) and the main courses (mac and cheese, salmon, steak poboy, and chicken and waffles). Great drinks and service. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Buttermilk chicken was flavorless. Appeared as if it was friend in old grease . Too expensive for the food to not be good. Service was ok. I've been to New Orleans and the food is nothing like what's served here. We wanted to like it so bad read more

What a little gem!!!! I loved this place so much, the food was absolutely great! We loved every bit! Ordered a bunch of smaller plates and we were so satisfied with the taste, quality and everything. I'd for sure go back!!! read more

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Went for dinner tonight. We ordered the warm olives appetizer, seafood stew and lentil stew. Everything was great and were big portions. read more

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A past favorite of ours. We have not been here in a few years and we are so glad we visited again. The moment we walked in the service was impeccable. The Hostess was so nice. She was attentive to COVID-19 , she took her time to disinfect our table while we waited with a glass of wine. Our server Kelly was fantastic- engaging, funny, with a big smile. The food was as fantastic as the service. Started with the app special, spicy pierogi with blue cheese, OMG! We then had the blackened salmon over jambalaya and my favorite, Meatloaf dinner. Just as I remember from a few years ago. Ended with Bananas Foster to share. We left talking about two things, the great food and the fantastic experience we had with Kelly. She has been with Shango for 8 years and I can see why. Don't let her get away. If you haven't been to Shango, Go! If you have, keep going and support this great restaurant. read more

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A few beers, a few beignets, and a mouthwatering out of this world Catfish Po-Boy. Oh. my. gosh read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Hurricane and Cat Fish Po Boy.... omg. So delicious!!! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I was really in the mood for shango's lobster pasta so I gave this place a visit. However I was disappointed to find out that they don't have that item on the menu anymore, which I'm not sure if this is due to COVID 19. We ordered the blackened steak po boy with sweet potato fries and blackened tuna steak with jambalaya. The po boy tasted great and I would definitely recommend it but I was not too impressed with the blackened tuna. Personally, I did not think that the tuna tasted fresh and also the jambalaya did not have enough spice in it for a New Orleans style dish. Our waitress was great and very nice. Dining is closed now but when we went, she was the only person working in the front juggling between hosting, bar tending, and serving all the tables. I'm still impressed by her crazy multitasking skills, remaining so nice and calm. I will definitely be back for the po boy when the restaurant opens again. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Blackened steak po boy with sweet potato fries & coleslaw / blackened tuna steak with jambalaya - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I've been wanting to try this place for awhile and I'm glad I finally made it. The avocado spring rolls - wow I could have made a meal out of them alone! So fantastic right down to the relish, sauce and seaweed they're served with. So. Good. The carb cakes were fall-apart tender and so tasty served over corn maque and topped with a perfectly poached egg. We were also served a small plate of breads and the corn bread wasn't dry and just the right amount of sweet. Speaking of sweets we had Beignets for dessert with a berry compote - we dug in before getting a picture. They were delicious but there was not enough compote - the amount served was way too small. The server was also the hostess and the timing between starters, entree and dessert was too slow in my opinion. She also would only pour me a half of a cup of coffee at a time and I was left waiting for a refill. The coffee itself was just okay. I'd like to come back at dinner time and try the pasta. The dining room was a bit too warm as well. read more

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What I got: Penne w/ shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers and onions, Cajun cream sauce as my main dish & sweet potato fries as an appetizer. What I thought: the flavors and quantity were spectacular. They are generous with the amount of protein on your plate. You'll have enough to take out as leftovers if you grabbed an appetizer! It gave me New Orleans but in Buffalo. I asked to have my plate spicy , and yes they delivered (unlike other spots that are scared to spice things up). I'll def recommend to all my pasta lovers and spicy food lovers. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Penne - Shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers and onions, Cajun cream sauce - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Great service. Very accommodating and knowledgeable waitress. The meatloaf was delicious. The fried chicken was also delicious. Street parking. Only negative was the bathroom was not very clean. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Buttermilk Fried Chicken ,grits and pickle fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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We were very disappointed in our meals at Shango the other night. Our appetizers were very good we had the tapas and the pork belly. But it all went downhill from there. Our main meals took a very long time to come out and when they did only two of the four were brought to the table. It was another 19 minutes before the last two were served and they were not good. The steak poboy was difficult to bite into and the steak was very chewy. The fried chicken was fried very dark and underneath the crispy outer it was mushy and the chicken was very tough to chew. I'm not sure what has changed at Shango but it was not the wonderful meals we've had there in the past. We wil not be returning read more

Good Lord! Amazing food, great service, and a mellow laid back vibe. It does not get better than that. The crab and artichoke toast was an unexpected surprise - fresh crab in a superb sauce, crusted over fresh slices of crusty bread. Give me two of those for dinner next time. The salmon was to die for - perfectly prepared, still moist in the middle, on top of this ridiculous jambalaya, loaded with shrimp and bay scallops. We will definitely be back! read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - The salmon... - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Good food, excellent service. Small place atmosphere, nice bar area. Waitress was attentive and helpful with descriptions and recommendations. Reservations were handy, as the place got quite busy but not too crowded. Many specialties of New Orleans and fresh farm-to-table plates/ingredients. Park on the street or in the lot at the end of the block. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Main menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

This place has a GREAT atmosphere! I was by myself so I sat at the bar. There was live music and plenty of friendly people. I went during Mardi Gras and got the $30 special and it was WELL WORTH IT! For starters I got the gumbo: I was hot and spicy. It came in a bowl topped with white rice. There was a good amount of meat and it wasn't so spicy that it burned my face. Everyone around me smelled it and asked the bartender for a bowl. For my entree I got the crab cakes: they were soft and delicious! It came over jambalaya. People around me said they ordered the wrong thing, they should have ordered what I had. It smelled just as good as it tasted! It was also a filling amount. For desert I had the banana fosters: it was vanilla icecream, bananas, whipped cream, caramel, and cinnamon. Not too sweet and just perfect. Julia (my bartender) even waited a while to enter it in to give me enough time for my beginning meals to digest. Julia was really nice and attentive; despite the crowd. They are too close to a church to have a full bar, but their wine selection is great! They also have beer for those that are beer drinkers. Honestly, they are doing us a service by not having a full bar because the wine allows you a clear palette to actually enjoy and appreciate your food. The bathroom was clean. It's only one stall so there may be a line. This is a place you should definitely get reservations for! It's an intimate place and definitely worth the visit! I hear it's a must go spot for restaurant week! read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Mardi gras menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Sunday brunch was delicious! Love the andouille gravy. The church pew, white tablecloth, table setting ambiance is lovely and the service is friendly. (We had a great experience with Stephanie!) They serve an assortment of breads with sweet butter to start and the entree portions are massive. Everything is rich and flavorful-great comfort food. read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Parmesan pork cutlet egg sandwich - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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I've been wanted to try Shango for awhile ago and finally got to go and I chose this place for my birthday dinner. We made a reservation on a Tuesday night. Coming in, the restaurant had nice mood lighting and decor with a bar area and dining area. Our server was extremely pleasant and got us everything we needed and always kept us on top of everything. The menu offered various New Orleans/Cajun style dishes. I ordered a draft local beer and the blackened catfish po boy. I was very disappointed in the catfish po boy. It came with sweet potato fries which had a sweet drizzle which were pretty tasty. However, the catfish boy had sooooo much salt on the seasoning of the catfish I literally could not taste anything else. It left me with an awful after taste from the insane amount of salt. It didn't pair well because the sandwich was so salty, the sweet potato fries so sweet and the slaw with a bit of that sour taste. I definitely would never touch that sandwich with a ten foot poll ever again. I had a taste of the gumbo appetizer and my friends fried catfish which tasted okay. Not sure if I will be back due to the super salty catfish sandwich. I thought they are supposed to be know for Cajun food but they completely missed the mark with poor seasoning. read more

Today my friends and I went to brunch at Shango. It's tucked away on Main st. Near UB south and so I thought it was going to be a long wait because college students take up a lot of space. But my friends and I were seated right away and greeted by our friendly server. I was excited to try the creole twist on a brunch classic: eggs Benedict. This meal was more like an eggs Benedict crossed with biscuits and gravy. While it wasn't bad... it wasn't the best I've had. The biscuits were over kneeded and so they were not as fluffy as expected. The andouille sausage gravy is what made this delightful! The coffee is served in tiny cups and is a steep price at $4.00- however that does include free refills, so I guess it evens out depending on how much coffee you drink. Overall, the service was great and the food was goo! read more

Shango New Orleans Bistro / Wine Bar - Eggs Benedict - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Omg, love this place! One of the fine dining places in Buffalo that definitely is worthy checking out! Love the atmosphere, design and service! Super jazzy, friendly, and of course very New Orleansy!! As for the food, this is one of those places that you can tell people treating their cooking and dishes as art pieces! Seafood is very on point, must try! read more

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Always looking for a different restaurant to try and after reading a few reviews from some trusted Yelp friends (thank you Esh for your always thorough reviews), I decided to try Shango. Shango is located in the vibrant area of the university district of Buffalo on Main St between Elmwood & Heath. I didn't see any dedicated parking but we were easily able to find a spot almost in front of the restaurant. Upon arriving we were promptly greeted by a very friendly hostess. We were early so she offered us a seat at the bar to wait. The bartender was very outgoing and immediately provided us with options that fit the current restrictions on consuming alcohol at a bar. We were very happy with how they addressed the matter and staying in compliance. When our table was ready we were seated in a very cozy booth. The east wall is lined with booths that are divided by cloth partitions that extend above the backs of the booth seats. My wife and I both agreed that the table was awesome and you felt like you were in your own little socially distanced area. The menu was quite tempting and it got the best of us as we probably ordered more than we should have. We started with the Cheesy crab and artichoke toast, seasonal salad and a bread basket. While I'm usually not fond of restaurants that charge for bread, with costs increasing this will probably be more common. This however was not just bread. There were multiple types of bread, including a favorite of mine, corn bread and served in a very generous quantity. It was very well worth the nominal cost. The salad was very good and more than just greens, it contained apples, nuts, crasians, red onions and more. It was quite an enjoyable item and ample enough for us to share. The cheesy artichoke toast was the jewel of the appetizers. We were provided with three pieces and each is a substantial serving. With all three of the items we ordered being so good there was little room left for our entrees. We did however make a decent attempt at eating as much of them as we could as they too were excellent. My wife ordered the seafood stew. It was stocked full of things like scallops, mussels, shrimp, salmon, catfish and potatoes. I ordered the blackened salmon. This was a huge salmon fillet served with seafood jambalaya, mussels, scallops and other delicious items. Along with these we shared an order of truffle fries. Like everything else, these were delicious. With all we ordered and the generous portions of our entrees we easily have dinner for the next night. Unfortunately there was no room for dessert. One thing I noticed was that of the two servers taking care of the area I could see, both attended to our needs. I think it is awesome when a restaurant's servers work as a team helping each other and at the same time insuring patrons needs are always addressed. The staff here along with the delicious food and ambiance insured for a wonderful dinner. We'll be back and I recommend others try dining here too. read more

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Great Restaurant! We have been trying new restaurants on our Friday date nights. Last week we went to Shango on Main Street in Buffalo. We arrived early so Our table was not ready. we enjoyed a glass of wine at the vey nice and divided bar while we waited. After a short time we were seated and promptly greeted by our server. We started with the baked bread basket followed by the cheesy crab and artichoke toast. OMG! The toast was delicious. We shared a salad, definitely enough for two. For our main courses I had the seafood stew. This was delicious and loaded with salmon. catfish, scallops muscles, shrimp and potatoes. Enough to bring leftovers home. My husband had the blackened salmon with with seafood jambalaya, crab stuffed peppers and lemon dill tarter sauce. This was delicious and the salmon was cooked to perfection. We also couldn't resist the truffle fries. Dinning at Shango is a wonderful experience. read more

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