My friend and I wanted to catch up over dinner - we figured North Buffalo would be the ideal spot. When it comes to Hertel Avenue, there are surprisingly non-bar options for dinner, including upscale restaurants, which I wish there were more of. We decided on SZND, which I did not realize has been around for a couple of years. I always enjoy trying new restaurants! We had no problem grabbing a table at the last minute (on a Thursday evening). The space is not that large but it seems just right. There is a small patio outside which whey use in the warmer months. Inside, there is a beautiful bar with comfortable-appearing chairs, a large selection of spirits, and plenty of tables. I really liked the ambience. We were greeted by a waitress and were quickly seated. The menu has a decent selection of options, including delicious appetizers. My friend and I split the artichoke appetizer (solid!) which was a great decision. For the entrees, our waitress mentioned some of her favorite dishes...which just happened to be the ones we were both interested in! We couldn't make up our minds. I ended up going with the Haddock and my friend ordered the Salmon dish. The portion sizes were definitely adequate and the presentation was quite nice. Our meals were delicious (enough said). We then hung out for a bit longer since we enjoyed the atmosphere and needed to catch up. Our waitress told us to take our time since she was waiting on another table that arrived after us. We will definitely be back. It's a nice spot for dill alllll an upscale dinner with friends or a date. I'm sure they could accommodate a large group if given enough notice. I'll definitely come back this summer when the patio opens up! read more

Omg I'm speechless finally good food proper food in Buffalo wow wow wow. Come see this you will be elevated to other places. read more

SZND - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Quaint atmosphere. Excellent food! Great service. If you want something different, this is the place to try. We've been there a few times and can't wait to go back again! read more

Great food and service. The restaurant is beautifully decorated. A great place to eat just for the ambiance.

One of my favorite restaurants. You can either dine and or outdoors on the patio. I like the fact that the menu changes so there is always a different option every time I go. The food is very flavorful. This last visit I got the berry salad and the sea bass. Delicious! read more

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First - they take reservations. So be aware of that if you plan to go. Make a res. We didn't have one, but they were able to seat us outside. I wish this place great success. But I think they have some work to do. Our waiter was friendly and trying hard. Our food - artichoke app (oddly has crab meat?), the pea dip thing, a pizza and something else I forgot - came in reasonable timeframes. The owner came and said hello. He was very casual. I don't know, probably me, but a place at this price point should have a more refined host I think. I'd go back, make reservations for inside, and try them again. read more

Made reservations...which seem to be necessary bc there aren't that many tables inside... there is an outside patio area when the weather permits. Entrance is on Norwalk. When we arrived they didn't seat us right away. We hung out at the bar for only about 15 min and had a drink which was no big deal but then we were seated at one of the tables that had remained empty the entire time we waited. Not that serious. Just odd. The menu has small plates/pizza/regular sized plates. To start we ordered the blackened artichokes to share (small plate)...thankfully the couple sitting next to us warned us(namely me) that it was an extremely spicy dish (I cant tolerate all that much heat so these details were much appreciated). I just removed some of the visible spices on the artichokes and then piled all the delicious crab, microgreens, and green goddess dressing atop which was a very nice balance to the heat....SO DELICIOUS!!! The flavor combination was really great. Ordered the Cubano...which came with a super refreshing and delicious corn salad. The sandwich was obviously made with quality and fresh ingredients. My only complaint was that the dijon was a bit off putting. I typically like dijon but this one was not to my taste. Let's get to this Carbonara....WOW. WOW. WOW. I could literally eat this dish every day!!!!!!!!! And the pasta is homemade!! read more

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We have been driving by this cutie little place for a while and decided to have dinner there with a couple of friends. Unfortunately, it was such a disappointment. While their decor and service were top-notch, their food definitely left you longing. First the tartare: severely missing acid and seasoning. Vegetable ravioli: this was the best dish we ordered all evening The fish dish with "udon": it was supposed to have a quail egg and udon noddles, but didn't have both. The quail egg was replaced with chicken egg and it was spaghetti rather than udon. Lastly, the cheesecake: don't bother ordering it. It was dry and had a funky "left in the fridge for a few days" smell to it. I would honestly give this place another shot only because the ambience is great. But maybe I'll just get drinks there next time. read more

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It's patio SZN, so what better place to go to than SZND of course! (see what i did there) ok enough of that. My friend and i were searching high and low for a new spot and i stumbled across SZND on Yelp, and let me tell you i left extremely satisfied and wanting more! You walk in and it was so.. posh. These beautiful blues and greys for their color scheme, a gorgeous wrap around lounge area with so many pillows (i was in all my glory, because we all know women like an unnecessary amount of pillows) So we sat at the bar to enjoy a bevvy. I started with the... i can't remember the name, but i can tell you it was some spicy jalapeño tequila drink and it was spectacular. Just enough spice and everything nice Moving on to food. We did 3 small plates; Blackened Artichokes, Wonton, & Ahi Tuna Ceviche. We then proceeded to split an the Cubano. The Ahi Tuna was so incredibly fresh, and the wontons were delicious as well (needed more sauce) the artichokes were also phenomenal.. two guests had suggested we order them and I'm so glad we listened. My friend enjoyed the cubano i was far too full at that point. It is said that it's family owned, and the mother hand makes the desserts. I'm so disappointed to say we didn't save room for dessert BUT that just means i have another reason to go back sooner rather than later. I'm in love with this spot and continue to tell everyone about it. Go head, make a rezzy! read more

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Super friendly staff! Visited on a busy Friday night and the they were so apologetic for our wait. We ended up eating at the bar, which is pretty much my favorite way to eat dinner in a restaurant. Especially the SZND bar because it's quite wide and great view. The menu is good and the wine list is pretty ample. The beet salad was great, the pasta special was amazing and the pizza is the best on Hertel IMO. Try the Loganberry sorbet on the dessert menu. It's good. read more

SZND - SZND patio - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Nice little place with an interesting menu that is spot on. They also have a very nice cocktail menu. Don't miss this little gem.

Buffalo has proven once again that it's home to some of the best cuisine in the country. I've had the pleasure of working with many entrepreneurs over the years from all over the country. I believe that small business owners are essential for the prosperity and economic growth of a city, and I've dedicated my time helping aspiring entrepreneurs turn their passion into a profession, by developing ways to innovate their ideas, captivate customers, and motivate new business. SZND Dining represents the next wave of entrepreneurship in America. I'm inspired to finally see my generation making their mark in the world, by bending the rules to coincide with their integrity, and not customary traditions put in place by past generations. The friendly staff and inviting atmosphere welcomes customers to a casual, fine dining experience without the pretentiousness often associated with quality cuisine. They are focused on serving up great food, not looks. Clean plates coming back to the kitchen is more important to them than pleated pants walking through the front door. As it should be. To the outside world we have been known as, "The City of Good Neighbors." But, SZND dining proved to me that this city has the recipe for greatness. Your friends and family will love & care for you, but nobody will support you like a stranger. Fortunately for us, we live in a place that's known for lending a helping hand. read more

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Ambiance is great, service was great--I wanted to love it. But, the food was very disappointing. Warm bree in phyllo--not hot or even very soft, SZND salad was excellent, I liked the flavor of the calamari sauce--but calamari wasn't great, but others liked it. Braised beef with gnocchi was a huge disappointment. read more

Wonder food! Very chic and great service! This son and mom team make everything feel just right! read more

Great food. Sat outside. Nice evening. Cocktails average. Surprised more people not there

I knew we had to try SZND (pronounced Seasoned) after reading the review of a Yelp friend. I'm so glad that we did as we were not disappointed. Upon entering we found it to be very tastefully decorated and clean. As I was trying to come up with a way to describe the atmosphere my wife suggested "cozy." That fits, as the tables line a pillow covered bench along the wall with very comfortable chairs on the opposite side of the tables. While we didn't try them the bar stools looked quite comfortable too. The decor was well thought out. The backs of the chairs were a close match to the wallpaper at the end of the room. I got the impression that someone had put a great deal of thought in the decor. For drinks my wife had a glass of Pinot Noir and I went with a Blackberry & Mint Spritzer. I do recommend and liked the spritzer but have to say that if you don't like a sweet beverage you should probably pass on this. It was full of freshly mulled blackberries and mint. As an appetizer we chose the mussels with andouille sausage in a white wine broth with crostini. The mussels tasted fresh and we both enjoyed this dish, especially dipping the crostini in the broth. For an entree my wife went with a bass which was being substituted for their black cod. It came with black rice. She enjoyed it and I tasted it too and found it to be quite good. The fish was plump and flaky with a slightly sweet tone to it. I went with the skirt steak. It was marinated and cooked medium rare exactly as I requested it. It was very good and plentifully portioned. I especially enjoyed the parsnip puree that came with it. It almost had the consistency and appearance of mashed potatoes. I don't recall ever eating parsnips previously but plan on looking for them soon and hoping they taste similar. The dishes were artfully plated and very appealing to the eye. Since our meal was so good we decided to try dessert also. We usually share a dessert but with their choices sounding so good, we indulged and each went with our favorites. My wife went with the crème brûlée and myself a chocolate mousse cake with a salted caramel gelato (chocolate is one of my weaknesses.) They were both very good and portioned so that we could have easily shared one dessert. I'm not a coffee drinker but my wife is. She usually avoids coffee after noon but after smelling them brewing a fresh pot she broke down and ordered a cup with her dessert. It must be good smelling coffee as I was quite surprised she ordered it so late in the day. Our server was Andrew and I believe he is also the owner. He was very attentive but not intrusive, provided excellent descriptions when necessary and good conversation when appropriate. I would recommend dining here and would return. read more

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SZND (pronounced 'seasoned') is a new eatery a few steps off of the Hertel strip. I can't even begin to explain in mere words how wonderful this eatery is. The creative flair they apply to all their dishes is simply memorable. Did I mention dessert? read more

SZND - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Parking is a pain, but if you get in early enough you can park in the Bank of America lot across the street. Everything on the menu is great. Cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of sauce to compliment. The dishes have a surprise twist to a familiar menu item and they do a great job with presentation. Great to see a new vibe in the greater park side area and it will do well for sure. Seating on the inside is chic modern but I would recommend a reservation, as there isn't a lot of tables inside. The patio is covered and even has heating lamps. Small leached pets are welcome. This will be a new frequent spot for myself. Enjoy. read more

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I loved the scallop fettuccini. The scallops were cooked and seasoned perfectly and the pasta had a slight lemon taste to it that was delicious and not too overbearing. My husband ordered the New York strip and thought it was good but wish it had a bit more flavor and was priced more reasonably for what it was. Service was great and so was the ambiance! read more

SZND - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Excellent. Decided to dine at this restaurant with my family and fiancé to celebrate a promotion at work. I am a huge Buffalo foodie and have dined at almost every restaurant in the area. This was one of the best experiences I have ever had at a restaurant. I was nervous at first because of the size of the dining area, I thought it might get too noisy to hear my family. It was not at all. The waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. She gave her recommendations when asked what dishes she enjoyed on the menu. Her recommendations were wonderful and we loved everything we ordered. The food was incredible. For our main entrees we had the lobster risotto, sea bass, ragu pasta, and the skirt steak. I couldn't decide which one was at the top of the list. The menu selection is a bit small and there are no nightly specials so keep that in mind when trying out this restaurant. The one downside was that there is no decaf coffee available for dessert. I think this would be an excellent addition to offer guests. Overall the experience was great and the food was even better. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and I will be back to dine in the future! (I apologize the picture quality isn't great. I usually take lots of pictures but the food was so good I forgot! Pictured below is the shrimp app, sea bass, and lobster risotto) read more

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I wanted to be blown away by SZND (pronounced seasoned), so here are the highlights: Blood orange mule was divine. Sweet, cold, and fantastic. The fried chicken appetizer was great - the breading was next level. We loved the pickled peppers on top, cucumber and corn salad, plus the aioli gave it a great punch. Really large pieces of chicken - filled the two of us up. The jambalaya left a lot to be desired - it was watery and the rice tasted undercooked. The fettuccine with scallops was way over salted, but it was cooked well and there was plenty to take home. All in all, $115 felt steep for the taste palate, but we were pleased to support a local business during covid. The service was prompt and we will try SZND again. read more

I did a takeout order for Father's Day, the food was ready promptly on time and the staff did observe social distancing. The food was above and beyond. We got the salmon dish, the skirt steak, the beef sandwich, and the chocolate caramel tart. Also a salad that came with pears and a very interesting and unique dressing. Everything was well worth the price and I would absolutely order takeout from SZND again! read more

When you feel like some good food, a bottle of wine, this is the spot. Come to think of it, I should go back soon!

In our estimation SZND is the best restaurant in the city. Andrew and his staff provide an amazing dining experience with innovative tasty dishes and excellent libations. read more

Showed up without a reservation and were told we could sit at one table due to the reservations so we sat at the bar. Not one other person showed up for dinner at any table or bar spot. I believe the owners were with their drunk friends who were extremely loud and clapped a lot for some reason. Sooooooooooo the food experience....... I literally sat at the bar with a DIRECT view of the kitchen. I witnessed with my own eyeballs the girl preparing our food and others perform the following: I am only going to tell the 2 things she did with our meals. The wonton appetizers she prepared with her bare fingers. As she poured the dipping sauce it got on her fingers. She stuck her sauce covered fingers inside her mouth. She sucked and licked the sauce off and then continued to prepare without any washing of the hands. She plated and put the products back where she got them from. I ordered the steak which was half cooked the way I wanted it. It was good and my wife asked if I wanted the other sent back to be cooked longer and I said no I will take it home and feed it to the dogs. I told her after we left that this same girl picked up the rubber floor matts with her bare hands off of the floor. She staged them in the corner behind her workspace next to the fridge. She cleans her hand with the white towel that's on her waistline. Does not wash her hands but does not matter. She preps my meal and recognizes that some got on the edge of my plate. She takes her white towel and wipes the edge of my plate before Andrew brings it out to us. I could be totally wrong but I eat out a lot and I feel like the health department would have a big issue with just the 2 things I'm saying I noticed with our order. If the owners I believe Andrew and the woman sitting with the table that was obnoxiously loud have cameras on the girl making our food I highly recommend they watch it so it validates exactly what I said along with others I did not mention. I definitely would never eat here again read more

A Friend and I came in for a weeknight dinner together, and we were really impressed with how nice the place looked. It's definitely small but they made good use of what room they do have. I recommend a reservation, especially on a weekend. There's also substantial bar space for a little building. We did quickly notice that they cheaped out on furniture, as chairs at the bar were literally falling apart before our eyes. They won major points for creative Flavor parings, spices and seasonings, living up to their name. We had the small plate artichokes, the small plate ravioli, the main dish carbonara, and the main dish airline chicken I loved each dish, but don't go in expecting a traditional carbonara - there's is a bit of a twist but very creamy and good. I thought the items were a bit pricey, although I do understand that they make everything fresh in house, but our bill with tip was $96 for two of us and we didn't even have anything to drink besides water! read more

SZND - Ravioli - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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Wanted to try a new local restaurant and SZND did not disappoint! My boyfriend and I ordered the wontons as an appetizer which were crisp and delicious. For dinner he ordered the sea bass and I ordered the salmon and they were both mouth watering and perfect. Food presentation and atmosphere on point. Already recommended to friends and family and would most definitely dine here again! read more

SZND - Wonton - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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The food was very good. The atmosphere was very welcoming and the staff was friendly. I would recommend paying them a visit. We started with the won-tons which were very good and had a very nice presentation. I look forward to trying the artichokes in the future. My wife had the daily fish selection which looked as good as it tasted. I had the filet, the black garlic butter added nicely to the delicious flavor of the steak. I think the side dishes lacked though, the potato hash was nothing more than home fried potatoes and green onions and the entree was not served with a vegetable. Considering the price point and the fact the menu didn't include additional vegetable offerings, vegetables should have been included. read more

Very nice atmosphere great fresh cooked to order food would highly recommend for a fancy night out

Nice little neighborhood place in north Buffalo, recently went there for my first visit and was not disappointed, we got the charred artichokes which were delicious and the carbonara which was great as well...I do wish they would've crisped up the pork belly a bit more, but it was still a tasty dish read more

SZND - CHARRED LEEKS Tiger shrimp, ramps, lemongrass oil, Marcona almond...photo by @phil_eatsfood - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

You get what you pay for is how I would describe this restaurant. If you usually go to restaurants that cost a bit less and think this might be too much. It's not, the value is there. The dishes we had were delicious, every flavor was distinguishable from the next on your pallet. The ingredients were clearly fresh and the presentation was good. The drinks were delicious as well. The ambiance was fresh and inviting. The staff were polite and welcoming. This was a great restaurant experience. We will be returning. Don't ask if you have enough room for dessert just get dessert. Take it home if you have too. read more

Love the food, the ambiance and the team there! I always have a fabulous time with great food.

All around high quality. Food was fantastic, staff were very attentive. A couple of us had the octopus, others had the new addition to the menu, wahoo fish and we rounded it out with the halibut. No complaints from anyone on the food or ambiance. read more

Ironically, pretty bland food. Seemed like risotto was bought from wegmans, then a little sauce dropped on top. Calamari tasted like cardboard, lobster was over-cooked. Ok - but more like an Applebees than a higher end spot. Plenty of better places in town. The cocktails on the other hand were exceptional but if they will compete they need to hire a much better chef. read more

My husband and I went there for dinner and after living in Buffalo for 5 years he said it was the best meals he'd ever had here! We started with the Baked Bree after the couple next to us told us we needed to try it. It was amazing and gigantic. The Bree was the size of a softball and had great sides to go with it. It could and likely should feed 4-6 people easily however my husband and I nearly finished it. I got the fettuccine which is supposed to come with scallops but I have a seafood allergy so they graciously substituted it for chicken. It was fantastic. The pasta was light and fresh, the sauce was rich but not too rich. As someone who eats a lot of pasta it was one of the best fettuccines I've ever had. My husband got the braised short rib ragu which he LOVED. It was cooked to perfection and flavors were amazing. We asked the server what his favorite dessert was and I believe it was a chocolate mouse cake again it was delicious! We're already made two more reservations for the upcoming weeks. Thank you so much for an absolutely perfect meal! read more

New casual establishment in town. The food here is decent. There are some good dishes, some meh dishes. Food is definitely "seasoned" so it lives up to its name. The service was incredibly slow and took about 40 minutes between our appetizers and main courses. This would be a better spot if the restaurant was more visually upscale as it currently sits at a rather bland street corner, has a lackluster outdoor patio with simple dining tables/chairs and rather unfortunate houses in the background. read more

Found this place just walking by, has both inside and outside seating. We sat outside and enjoyed the atmosphere and people. The halibut special was awesome and the blackened artichoke small plate was incredible. Highly recommend this place. read more

SZND - Drinks and coffee - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I wanted to love this restaurant so much but it fell short. The ambience is fantastic - and it is cozy and truly a great environment however the food leaves much to be desired. The steak was completely without flavor and the mussels were average. Drinks weren't anything special either. Service was pleasant but also nothing memorable. A lot of potential with some menu changes & service training. read more

Food was fabulous! We had wonton, blackened artichokes, market fish dinner and cubano dinner. Drinks and homemade peanut butter pie were delicious as well. Cute place & great service! read more

SZND - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Great spot in the neighborhoods of Buffalo with great food and friendly service. Our very hard working server (Andrew) suggested the Duck along with the Seafood Risotto which were very well made and delicious. If you're in the neighborhood you should stop by SZND. read more

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