It's been about 13 years since I ate there but it was terrific! I highly recommend the steak & hope it's as good as it was 13 + years ago!

Got to eat there only once but the meal, service, wine list, ambiance were excellent. We wanted to go back , but the evening we wanted to go, they were closed because of a problem in n the kitchen. We did get lucky and found an excellent restaurant on Elmwood, Inizio. Totally different food, but of equal quality, service, ambiance and attitude. read more

Awesome food, good menu, attentive service, moderate cost, fairly small place (intimate). The only semi-negative is the place can be fairly loud at times due to exposed surfaces. Call well in advance for reservations as they're always busy. Highly recommended. The signature ravioli dish is wonderful. One of my favorite places in BFLO. read more

Where to begin, I made reservations 26 days ago for a very special Birthday celebration. The owner assured me they would have a perfect table for five at 5-5:15 pm. Upon arriving we were seat at a table (that appeared they had just added to their over crowded floor space). There was not another empty table anywhere. Despite the disappointment( I conveyed to the hostess) we were seated right by the entrance to the dining room. It took a good 30-45 minutes to order our appetizers , which at that time we also order our main entrée. Keeping in mind it was after 6:00pm. Our main courses were brought out around 7:45 pm. Four were hot the fifth was lukewarm. We all were shocked at the number of customers in this restaurant according to Covid 19 policies. If there was six feet between these tables the majority of servers would not have been walking sideways. The bathroom was an appalling little tiny hole in the wall. With really two old stalls and disgusting. With the prices of their food you would think they could have a decent bathroom. Several ladies commented on it as they waited to go in. Lastly we all set aside our feeling and made the best of our circumstances. The owner never came to apologize or explain to me what happened with my specific instructions. Our bill exceeded $300.00 dollars apparently that was not important to him. Finishing our dinners and leaving at 9:00pm. We are passing this on so no one else will be disappointed ( on a once in a lifetime event). Thank you for your time. read more

The Left Bank is always my go to for a nice night out with loved ones. I've been to this restaurant about 5 or 6 times now, and each and every time the service has been impeccable. The menu provides a vast array of pasta dishes, proteins and flat breads but if you're not in the mood for any of the regulars - they always have a very extensive specials menu. The only critique I would have (and it may not be a negative to some people) is that most of the dishes are very heavy (meaning the pastas are loaded with protein and OIL!). Still delicious though - you just have to be in the mood to splurge. Love the atmosphere, and it's even better in the summer when the backyard patio is open. Oh and dessert is always phenomenal as well (if you have room for it) ! Enjoy read more

Sunday brunch. I'll leave it at that. You'll never leave hungry or disappointed! The staff are pleasant enough and are pretty good at recognizing their regular patrons which is always a pleasant touch. Decent people watching for buffalo during their brunch and dinner times. When the weather is nice, which is rare for buffalo, they have a nice backyard/ outdoor seating which is great for the those summer cocktails. Forewarned this would be place where you'll run into a handlebar mustache and will ask yourself every time.."but why?!" read more

Have been waiting a full year to bring the hubby here since he moved to buffalo. We tried twice before, once for dinner & once for brunch and both times were ruthlessly rejected lol. Jk but seriously you def need a reservation with this place as it is a buffalo favorite and small so it fills up fast. So I was actually very surprised we got a Sunday brunch reservation with pretty short notice. So for brunch we got the the fancier French toast I'm forgetting the exact name and a Belgian eggs benny. The French toast was nbd but came with a gran marnier whip that pretty nice. The Orange cranberry sauce it came with surprised me as it sounded like something right up my ally but somehow it didn't come together quite right. Now the eggs benny was defiantly the major hit. The base of this Belgian version was these brown sugar waffles (yum!!). I'm always one to mix sweet and savory because it's the best of both worlds! I was a little hesitant with this one because it was fish but it actually paired beautifully! I liked it a lot but my husband LOVED it so he basically ended up stealing the rest of it. Smh the things we do for love am I right ladies? Oh we also got some brunch libations the morning mule and the Bellini. The Bellini was standard nothing special but the mule was outstanding. I declared the best mule Iv had and Iv had a fair share of all sorts of jazzed up mules since they became all popular. The grapefruit in this one really made the perfect refreshing summer brunch beverage. So much so we ended up ordering a second one ;) read more

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Wow!!! Everything was amazing. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was awesome, and the service was on point. Definitely impressed! *Phoenix Foodies Approved! read more

My boyfriend and I picked this restaurant for date night and I was very happy with everything from the service to the meal. We had a reservation for 630, wanted to come in earlier and it wasn't a problem. Seated right away and everyone was very polite. The place isn't huge but the space is used perfectly. The bar was far enough away from the dining area and didn't interrupt my night out. The menu had a good variety and the food was amazing, perfectly cooked. Will definitely be going back. read more

The Left Bank - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

One of my favorite restaurants, what happened!! Service was terrible, menu was the same, but not as good as every other time I have been there , I won't be back anytime soon , but will give it another chance down the road ! read more

First time in over 10 years to visit the Left Bank. Started with Lynchburg Lemonade, served in a martini glass. It was just ok. Next drink was the cocktail with vanilla vodka peach purée and tea. Heavy on the spirits. Not a fan of any of their cocktails; they were too strong, & not unique. On to the food. We got the portabella mushroom with a Demi glaze that knocked it out of the park. I also ordered the mushroom barley soup, which was a thicker cream soup but very flavorful. I ordered the scallops which were cooked perfectly, with a nice sear and flavor. My girlfriend ordered the New York strip, which was tender, juicy and fabulous. The mashed potatoes were buttery and fluffy. Wonderful evening, thank you left bank, and Lisa, our server, who was helpful, friendly and attentive! The expediters and bussers were sweet, too! One thing that surprised me, with a fancy place like left bank, I was disappointed to see they did not serve bread with our meal... read more

The Left Bank - Lynchburg Lemonade - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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This is our second time visiting The Left Bank. We were again impressed by the high level of service and details of the restaurant and the meal. We started with a round of drinks at the bar. They were made well and the bartender was friendly and engaging. We were then kindly taken to our table. The atmosphere and ambiance is warm and friendly while still being intimate. The tables are quite close together but space is slightly limited. We started our dinner with two appetizers, a tuna tartine and a portobello stuffed mushroom. Both were a good shareable portion for four people. Our next course was Caesar salads. They were fresh and the dressing was rich and bold without being overtly anchovy-ish. For our main course the gentlemen ordered the Delmonico special topped with gorgonzola and fresh vegetables. The ladies had a pesto linguine with a seafood medley and a strip steak with lobster and Monterey Jack cheese. We ordered two different bottles of win during dinner. The list is not huge but there is a great selection to pick from. Everything from our server to the atmosphere and food was perfect. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and could not have asked for more. We are planning a return visit already. read more

Fantastic food. It is a little pricy, but the location is easy to find with good parking, and a great spot on the West Side.

What can be said about The Left Bank that hasn't already been said? This place is, in my humble opinion, a Buffalo institution. Everything on this menu is delicious and well executed. Always. Even on a Tuesday. From specials to 'regular' menu standbys, you can trust that anything you order out of this kitchen will be delicious. Ambiance in this place is awesome but tends to get a little loud. Not loud enough to keep me from coming back but it's worth noting. Service is always excellent and regardless of the great quality this place is one of the more affordable 'high end' dining options in Buffalo. Be warned, this place is tiny so reservations are a necessity and don't even bother calling the week of (unless you like eating at 9:30). Have you been here before? Good. Go back. You haven't been here before? That's sad. Go now. read more

It was very dark inside we couldn't see our food. Their lemon drop martinis were bomb! The food was ok not great. My mom ordered the ravioli she loved it. I ordered the steak it was very mid. My sister ordered pasta and a few other things but nothing was worth ordering again. read more

Just visited for the first time and I already cannot wait to go back!!! I love the dividers they must've added due to covid; they made the dining experience feel more private and cozy/intimate. Romantic place with delicious food and drinks. I cannot wait to return very soon!! I recommend the ravioli (it's one big ravioli with contents that constantly changes!!!) read more

Having been here several times in the past for brunch, we came here after several unsuccessful attempts to try several new spots in Buffalo, for a pre-Anniversary date night. We were so impressed! Service was prompt despite a good crowd. We enjoyed stuffed hot peppers and the Fondue for two. The peppers weren't too spicy and the fondue was so delicious- the cheese was creamy but with enough bite. The tenderloin pieces were 'melt in your mouth' perfection. I am partial to asparagus and they had body; not over cooked. There were deep-fried mushroom sticks and toast points, as well. The staff were most accommodating and friendly, which always makes an experience enjoyable. We will be returning here soon, with friends! read more

Best food in buffalo. If you go you NEED to get their homemade ravioli. This place is outstanding.

I have always loved The Left Bank and used to come quite frequently but hadn't been since pre-COVID. My good friend is in her 9th month of pregnancy and lives nearby so we decided it would be a good place to catch up a couple of weeks ago. Since we didn't have a reservation and I had my one year old with me, we showed up right when they open at 4:30pm. They only had a table by the bar available which is understandable for Saturday evening. The hostess then advised us that they would not seat anyone until 5:00pm. So we waited and awkwardly stood at the bar - me trying to hold onto my squirming baby and my very pregnant friend who would've loved to get off of her feet. Other patrons with reservations were occupying the bar space and didn't care to give up a seat for her (not LB's fault). The bartender was visibly annoyed by our presence. She reluctantly took our drink order. I'm not sure why we couldn't just sit down to get the baby settled since the table was set and ready to go... We felt very unwelcome and almost decided to leave but ended up having a nice time. Our server was so friendly and the bruschetta was excellent. read more

I stopped here to meet some colleagues to discuss some work items and the bartender made us all order appetizers (even if we were on the same tab) because she "wouldn't make any money otherwise." This was Tuesday at 5 pm with a completely empty bar. Really rubbed me the wrong way. My coworker asked if a salad would work and she said no. which just isn't true. I don't mind the "Cuomo cracker" rule except when it's used to exploit people. So many businesses are accommodating with this rule but not here. Well, except for the regular who sat down after us and seemed to order no food. read more

If you mention The Left Bank in the Buffalo region you can watch people's eyes light up instantly. This is because the food and beverages are AMAZING. I've been here twice and both experiences were great. This most recent dining experience I arrived earlier than my party and sat at the bar. I ordered a Scottish lavender (Hendricks gin, lavender bitters, lemon juice and soda) I'm going to have to make this cocktail at my next party along with the Mexican Moscow (tequila, ginger beer and lime juice) I had after my meal. I ordered the mushroom and truffle soup off the specials menu for my appetizer and I can honestly say it was the best soup I've ever had. I'm a huge fan of truffle oil as it is, but mixed with the creamy mushroom soup...it was to die for! I would return just for that alone. Tip: do not reserve a table online. The online reservations are strictly for the NYC location. read more

One of my favorite place to eat in buffalo.. Friendly staff and always room at the bar if you didnt call ahead to make a reservation. The specials are always delicious and will place every palette. The chicken Cutlets and Calamari are the best in Buffalo. Great parking. Call ahead and plan a nice evening out. read more

Loved it!!! Great artsy meets industrial meets pub feel to the space and decor. Service was prompt, friendly and obviously knew her stuff. Menu options were plentiful. Loved the tomato and herb dipping oil that came with our house bread. My starter - a bowl of gumbo - had the richest broth I've ever tasted in this dish, anywhere, along with ample shrimp, chorizo, okra, rice, etc. Good to the last drop, which was scooped up with my bread. My date was equally impressed with his black bean and chicken soup and rice'n'beans with chorizo (which he got as his entree). My entree was a carrot parpadelle - wide, linguini-ish noodles, shreds of sweet carrot, chunks of lobster and crab in a shellfish cream sauce. HEAVENLY. Maybe my new favorite pasta'n'seafood dish. I also enjoyed one of the best desserts I've ever sampled - a chocolate caramel macadamia tart with a side of house-made whipped cream. Portions were very ample for a fine dining restaurant and the prices were not obscene. I felt comfortable in casual (not slummy) dress, but I did see someone in sweat pants walking out so... DEFINITELY make a reservation. We still had to wait a tiny bit even with one, and whilst there watch the hostess tell couple after couple that they would have to wait at least an hour to have a table. read more

I'm sorry, but I was NOT impressed with Left bank. I haven't lived in Buffalo for almost 5 years now and upon my recent arrival I posted a facebook status asking what was an upscale restaurant to visit during my stay. Soooooo many people suggested Left Bank so I decided to give it a try with my family and one of my girlfriends. I was told that I would love the "ambiance" of Left bank. When I arrived, I was extremely surprised. What the hell kind of ambiance was everyone raving about? You walk into a bar where everyone turns around and looks at who's walking in (awkward). I felt like taking a bow or something. Then the hostess isn't at the stand so of course you kind of stand around like an idiot until someone comes up to greet you. Then you are seated in this teeny tiny room with like 20 tables. The server came over and was very friendly but in us taking more than 10 seconds to give her our drink orders she promptly said "I'll give you more time" and walked away. We didn't need more time? Then she came back and took our drink order. We were ready by the time that she brought the drinks and she announced the specials. Since there were 6 people, again, we took some time to get our orders out but wanted to order right away as we were very hungry. We were unable to do so as again she quickly said "I'll give you more time" and walked away. I was a little aggravated at this point because before she even got "time" out of her mouth she turned and walked away. Finally, we ordered our meals. When they arrived, they were all at separate times. I can understand this in an asian fusion type restaurant but not a restaurant where it's not an appetizer friendly menu. The meals were SO heavy and EXTREMELY HUGE portions. I have never seen such portions in my entire life. If I had eaten the entire meal, I would have without a doubt died of a heart attack on the spot (joking but could possibly happen). Maybe my standards are too high as I live in Miami but I dined at Rue Franklin the next day and absolutely LOVED it. I didn't quite understand what the hype was all about at Left Bank but if everyone enjoys it (can tell by the reviews), then I guess don't take my word for it! read more

The Left Bank is one of the best restaurants in Buffalo and anyone who says otherwise needs to check for a pulse or stop spending the weekend home alone with the cats. I lived in Buffalo for nearly ten years and this was always my go-to spot for a consistently well-executed meal and overall stellar dining experience. I recently returned for dinner during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and I'm pleased to report that this place is still a pillar of culinary delight in a sea of mundanity. Food: The Left Bank served American Continental cuisine before it was in vogue. The menu hasn't really changed much over the years, but surprisingly, the offerings never grow tiring or outdated. My favorite appetizer is the hot banana peppers, which are baked in San Marzano stance and topped with asiago cheese - the peppers are massive and the flavor is impeccable. For an entree, I always go with the panko breaded chicken, which consists of two heaping chicken breasts topped with a fresh argula, avocado, cucumber, and gorgonzola cheese. I've ordered the dish well over a dozen times and have never been disappointed. Service: The service at Left Bank is by no means the epitome of expedience, but I never seem to mind considering that I typically dine here with good company that I'm happy to catch up with during the wait. Irrespective of the glacial pace, the staff have always been cordial, knowledgable about the menu, and eager to please. Atmosphere: This interior of this place is mildly reminiscent of what you'd expect from a quaint Manhattan bistro - the space is cramped and the acoustics are abominable, but the ambience is trendy and the clientele are an echelon above the norm. The restaurant is divided into two halves - the left portion is devoted to the bar area, while the right houses the dining room. Cost: Expensive by Buffalo standards, but appropriate for the quality and quantity of the food offerings. Appetizers are $8-$14, entrees are $18-$30. Wines by the glass are only about $7, so it's a perfect excuse to splurge for an entire bottle, most of which are less than $30. Other: Reservations are a must - if you arrive without one, the hostess will either laugh in your face or offer a 9PM seating. The restaurant is predominately open during the evening. Hours are Monday-Thursday, 5PM-11PM, Friday-Saturday, 5PM-12AM, and Sunday, 4PM-10PM. Brunch is served on Sunday from 11:30AM-2:00PM. Parking is available in the small lot to the right of the front entrance; however, additional parking is also available in the lot at the corner of Rhode Island and Chenago Streets. read more

Left Bank is overrated. If the food was consistent for all visits, I would agree that Left Bank is amazing. The first time was good - the ravioli and bruschetta was out of this world delicious. And enough to bring home for another meal. For Valentine's Day, they changed their menu. We had some stuffed pepper with cheese and I don't know what, but it was like gluey and tasted weird. The boyfriend and I almost had to play rock, paper, scissor to see who would eat the third pepper so it didn't go to waste. I'm not a big pasta girl, but I wanted pasta for some odd reason so I had linguini with scallops. It was a big plop of linguini in the bowl and nice and shiny and oily and cheesy and overcooked and everything I didn't like. Actually, I didn't really like the scallops either and they're my favorite seafood by far. Ah, and service. I must look poor cause they consistently give us bad service. Ok fine, given the first time, we were all wearing scrubs from school, but that doesn't mean that we won't tip you well. Doesn't mean that you can give us an attitude and not fill our order and not nicely place our plates on the table. Doesn't mean that you can not come over to the table and ask us how our dinner is going when you're obviously chatting up the other tables. Hi, I'm human too. Second time was no better. Stuck up pooheads. read more

My father used to take me here in the mid-90s. It seemed so cool when I was a tween. We'd sit at the bar and share focaccia pizzas. This place was an institution and (seemingly) like the rest of Buffalo, I considered it the best restaurant in the city. But it only took some travel and years of eating at Buffalo's growing list of legitimately fantastic restaurants to realize that this place is pretty subpar. It's been 18 years since my first visit to Left Bank and the menu is still exactly the same. To make matters worse, they don't offer specials. Things do not change seasonally. In 2014, a seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients should be the norm at this kind of restaurant. You lose big points, Left Bank. The food is okay. I mean, it's not bad. It's just not good or great. Portions are gigantic. Maybe that's why people like it so much here? But nobody--especially in Buffalo--needs to eat this much food in one sitting. Left Bank gets points for the interior, which has held its own for quite some time. And the service is always really nice. But Yelp's two-star description "Meh. I've experienced better." sums it up perfectly. read more

It's giant size portions of mediocre food. I was looking forward to coming here based on the reviews. The atmosphere was great. It felt very roomy and casual. But also romantic with candles and a dimly lit dining room. You could tell there were couples on dates. But the food. It was not good. The bruschetta was fine but none of the entrees were memorable. The pork chop I ordered was dry and bland and the portions are shockingly huge. You definitely get your moneys worth here. But I would have much preferred quality over quantity. read more

This is one of my favorite Buffalo restaurants. I'm going with 5 star mostly because of just that. A couple of snafu 's nothing major that would stop me from going back. We had a drink at the bar first, I did not find the bartenders both female to be friendly or overly welcoming. I'm big on customer service, so please just smile even. Ate on patio for the first time. I never knew it was there!! Was just lovely. For the first time ever, we waited an unusually long time for our food even just to get our salads. BUT food was excellent and our server was very friendly. read more

We planned a couples holiday dinner here about two months in advance. We go out as a group, monthly to different restaurants all over WNY. This one in particular, everyone was extra excited about. Instead of doing a cheesy gift exchange, or 'ugly Christmas sweater' party, we wanted to dress to the nines and spent a couple hundred dollars indulging in delicious wine and scrumptious food. Well, when you have all that in mind, there really are only a couple options that come to mind, and Left Bank was number one our list. We were able to get a couple of drinks at the bar and take a couple of pictures with the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, before we were escorted to our intimate table, located on the "upper level". I am updating my review because there were a couple of things I was left disappointed with, that I will briefly touch base on. The first thing was the length of time it took for our waitress to come over and greet our table upon being seated. The dining area is not that big, and there aren't THAT many tables (compared to other restaurants) that need to be attended to. We were a party of 8 that was seated at the only table located steps above the others. Clearly, it wasn't as though we were seated unnoticed. Let's just put it this way, by the time we were greeted by the waitress, all eight of us knew what we wanted to drink, order as an app, and order as an entrée. The next thing would be the hot banana pepper appetizer. This was my first time having them here, but others at the table had them before and noted they were definitely different than what they consumed in the past. The three peppers were served on a plate smothered with red sauce, gently topped with cheese. The peppers were completely empty. The whole table was disappointed with empty peppers covered in sauce. The app was really uninspiring, and as we consumed them, everyone started identifying their restaurant of choice that had hot peppers MUCH better. (They were also not spicy at all). The (almost) last disappointment of the night was with my entrée. I ordered the 'Twin filet mignon beef tornadoes with a rich mushroom ragout", upon many recommendations. It was accompanied with mashed potatoes and carrots. I was unhappy with the "rich mushroom ragout". It covered the entire plate. The mushrooms and carrots were swimming in what tasted like barbeque sauce. ICK! After I scraped away the sauce, and was able to actually taste the seasoned filet, it was delicious. Thumbs up for the carrots, which were perfectly seasoned with a good amount of garlic (wish I had more of those). Last but not least, it was VERY loud. You could only really hear the 2 or 3 people in direct view of you. The waitress also had to speak 3 separate times: once for the far end of the table, the middle group, and my end (and there were only 8 of us, remember). Our table was extremely pleased with the calamari, homemade ravioli, fondue for two, and the papardella. One last thought: Will Left Bank ever change their menu?! read more

The Left Bank - Linguine and fresh seafood entrée - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I've been here a few times for dinner and every experience has been wonderful. I've had dinner both inside and out on the patio during the summer. The patio is small, but beautiful at night and surrounded by flowers and lights. I recommended making reservations on the weekends and you'll be seated promptly to your table. The servers are always attentive and friendly. Last time I had the grilled tiger shrimp to start. The shrimp came on a bed of goat cheese and the balsamic dressing gave it a lot of flavor. My girlfriend had the pan seared sea scallops, which were flavored in the lemon aioli and she loved them! For my meal I had the oven roasted filet of salmon and I can honestly say it was some of the best salmon I've ever had. It tasted fresh and it was topped with toasted bread crumbs. Amazing! I hear they have great brunch on the weekends that I am dying to try. I recommend grabbing a seat on the patio in the summer. It provides a romantic atmosphere that makes it a great date spot! One of my Buffalo favorites! read more

Delicious food, but the service leaves something to be desired. Food: Slow to arrive, but tasty. I have never had a disappointing dish at Left Bank. The drinks that the waitress brought from the bar were slow to come. My friends who had the Irish Coffee and Bloody Marys said that they were disappointing. The mimosas were just okay. Service: I feel that if you work in the service industry, it is important to at least pretend not to hate your job. Our waitress really brought down the mood of our brunch crew. We waited a long time for everything and she just seemed grumpy, short and made faces. Her mood didn't turn around until she realized that she forgot one person's food. Although, it was nice to suddenly have an improvement in service, by the time the missing food came, the rest of us were about finished eating. We have decided that we will do brunch monthly now, but we will not go back to Left Bank based on yesterday's experience. read more

We chose to go to Left Bank late on a Saturday night for dinner. When we arrived, we drank and waited for a table- as we came in without making a reservation. Upon being seated, we ordered some food and waited for our dinner to arrive. Our waitress' name was Amanda, I believe. My fiance ordered a fish special, and i ordered soup and a salad. Upon ordering, my waitress rolled her eyes after asking what i wanted for my main dish and i Insisted that the soup and salad would be just fine. It gets better, as our dinner goes on and i sat with an empty glass, not being asked if i wanted another drink, and we had servers and barbacks taking plates or asking if we were done with something every 2 minutes. For the amount we paid for our average meal (my fiance actually got sick from the fish), i was completely underwhelmed and annoyed by our experience. The Restaurant was still open, bar was still booming, but i would assume our waitress was in a rush to leave. I work in the service industry, as does my fiance- a simple "hey, im closing out if we can settle" totally would have worked. Not going back here anytime soon, for sure. read more

Stopped in for Sunday brunch after a friend raved about their egg's benedict. My first impression was that it was very noisy and dark. They have a person playing guitar and bass cello which creates a lot of back ground noise which made it difficult. The hostess took us to the dining area which was so dark that you could barely see the people sitting next to you. the waitress asked us if we wanted any drinks, when we asked for drink menu, she simply replied "the bar has everything" and left it at that. as we were reviewing the menu, the food that was brought out to the other tables looked very promising. generous servings of home fries and fruit, etc. we ordered the juevos rancheros, one regular eggs benedict, and an eggs benedict that had crab cakes. however when our food arrived, it was quite disappointing. the servings we received were a fraction of what the other tables had gotten. my juevos rancheros were essentially scrambled eggs in a taco shell bowl with some chorizo (very disappointing). nothing really set the eggs benedict apart from ones you can get at any other restaurant. I hear their meals at dinner time are better, which it may be. however I feel that the brunch is definitely lacking and does not live up to the reputation that left bank has. definitely will be looking elsewhere for my brunches. read more

Overrated food, the majority of the menu is pasta dishes, we have had dinner here before, and we enjoyed it. Not this time, it was my finances birthday and we ended up not even ordering an entree, we ordered a few appetizers, the calamari was decent, the ahi tuna was horrible ( the waitress took it off of the bill) warm tuna on a hunk of rice, the complimentary bread was served with a chunk of cold butter that you couldn't even spread on your bread. We felt rushed as the server kept asking when we were ready to order, she was doing that as we ordered our appetizers, give us a minute to enjoy our appetizers first! Overrated!! Not a recommendation. read more

The Left Bank - New American Near Me - Buffalo, New York

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If you ask for a recommendation for a date-night restaurant, this is most likely the #1 restaurant suggested by Buffalo residents. And for good reason. Not only is the ambiance one of the most romantic in the city (muted lights, excellent use of a small space, candles, ample space between tables which enables private conversation), but the food is out of this world. From the appetizers, to the entrees, to the desserts, every item is worthy of 5 stars. The tuna tare tare and the calamari are two of my favorites. For my entree the last time I ordered their homemade ravioli which changes on a daily basis. Cheese, chicken, spinach with one half cream sauce and one half tomato sauce - it was out of this world and large enough for 3 people to split. It made for excellent leftovers. One thing I appreciate about this place is that despite the high quality of food, ambiance and service, the prices are on par with almost every other restaurant in Buffalo. Dinner for two (appetizer, 2 entrees and a bottle of wine) came to about $100 - I fully expect to pay this at most area restaurants and yet some other restaurants don't serve food of this high caliber. Even further, there is nothing snobby about this place. You can go in wearing a dress or a tie, or just jeans and a nice shirt ... it's all good! No one will look at you like you don't belong. read more

One of the best restaurants in Buffalo. This is the one place in my restaurant strata where you need to call way in advance to get a res at a decent hour. Of course, recently my life is structured in such a way that I had to call just a few days in advance and got a 9:30 reservation on Friday for my girlfriend and I. We walked to the restaurant and arrived right on time, maybe even two or three minutes early. It was absolutely packed, even at the bar where we saw a few folks munching on some delicious looking bruschetta. We got a glass of wine and waited for our table. I was annoyed by the long wait, I thought it was unreasonable as a reservation time means nada, but my girlfriend said not to be concerned so I let it go and drank my Pinot Noir. If you look around, this place sets a great tone. It seems women love this restaurant. I wondered why that is the case. It is just an anecdote, but we saw a few girls nights out at the restaurant. Men, take note, women love this place because it is honestly one of the most cozy and romantic places around. This is a date night restaurant that should be in your rotation. On to the food! We got the appetizer with two grilled shrimp on artichoke bottoms filled with goat cheese, served on a platter with citrus vinaigrette and balsamic syrup. This was absolutely delicious!! I would have licked the plate if it were socially acceptable. At this time we ordered a bottle of wine, some Napa cabernet I can't recall very well. They have a decent wine list here, plenty of variety, and you can go really big here but you can also spend 30-something dollars and get something tasty (note, I am not a wine person, much more so a beer nerd so look for yourself). We were then presented with some fresh salads to go with our entrees, served with a balsamic vinaigrette. I am NOT a balsamic fan. My girlfriend is. I don't understand the fascination. I would 9 times out of 10 choose anything else, but this was sweet and delicious, as evidenced by the lack of even a molecule of salad after I had my way with it. Ah, then the entrees came out! She ordered a pasta dish, I believe a seafood linguine special with a cream sauce that came out smelling amaaaazing. It had shrimps and scallops in it with some fresh herbs. I swore I wasn't going to go out and order steak, yet again, but they had a special going with a 12oz Angus Reserve steak topped with greens, lobster (!!!) and melted Fontina cheese, with a side of chevre mashed potato. What carnivore is going to resist that? Not this guy. Sorry! Just kidding, I'm not sorry. This was unreal. Just unreal. Damn, I'm still thinking about that dish. Perfect medium rare, juicy delicious steak, with lobster!! The entrees here are quite sizeable. Everyone we saw had a carry out container as they left. Expect to be really full. On the whole, I have to say the food is high quality. Everything is great at this place. They have GIANT, plate-sized ravioli with various fillings on rotation. Also the house bruschetta is very good. On the menu they have paninis that are outstanding as well. Service is prompt and professional. No complaints at all in that area. Sigh, now the cons/nitpicks/whatever you want to call them: - I don't think I've ever been in a louder restaurant. It was positively deafening in there, way louder than Hutch's, and as someone who has a slight hearing disability it was very difficult to have a conversation with my girlfriend. Every other word out of my mouth was "Huh?" or "What?". I felt awful that I had to ask her to repeat herself so many times. This is enough for me to only come once in a great while. - I don't believe the prices on the web site are at all accurate. It is good value for money here, but when I got to the restaurant I noted that overall the web site showed different prices. So don't get the wrong idea and think you're going to get an entree with an uber-reasonable Bistro Europa price tag. - What's with all the pasta dishes? They do these very well, okay, and they're great, but that's pretty much what you're going to get. Sure, they have a handful of other dishes, and my special was awesome but I wish they would change it up. Specials menu is very small. I had to do it and give a fair review. Overall this is a fantastic place, wonderful, one of the best around especially for a date. Check it out for a special occasion!! You won't regret it, I promise! read more

For me, "Left Bank" brings on a wave of nostalgia because it was one of the first restaurants in which I tried modern cooking. In 90s/early 00s Buffalo options were limited, and Left Bank was something of a turning point for me foodwise. I'd gather it's the same for many people and this restaurant, along with Hutch's and Mother's, (at the time) probably did a lot for the food culture of the city. Fast forward 12 years. Me and the GF are visiting Buffalo and looking for someplace to eat. We don't want standard Buffalo fare (pizza, subs or wings), we want something nice, so we decide to give the Left Bank a spin. They said the wait wasn't too bad so we grabbed a cocktail and sat down, starving. We looked in trepidation at the meal of a woman sitting next to us - some kind of Asian fusiony bean sprout spaghetti concoction. We should've got up the minute we saw that dish. An hour later (they said 15 minutes), we were shown to a table in the fairly empty restaurant. To my dismay, opening the menu revealed that the restaurant has hardly changed a thing in 12 years! In fact, I remembered 2/3 of the dishes. (I guess this explains the Asian fusion dish we saw at the bar - very ten years ago). Despite our misgivings, we ordered. We got some kind of salad, an order of calamari from their meager appetizers list, and a filet mignon, medium rare. Now, I'm not a filet mignon fan, but how can you screw up a steak? It should have been a safe bet. An hour later, our unimpressive salad came out., some kind of beet/goat cheese thing (that I'd had 12 years ago.) This was the best part of the meal. This is a dish I distinctly remember eating in 2000/2001. It was a favorite at the time. It was a little overdressed, but it was fine. Nothing special. You could get better on every block in New York. Then came the calamari. What kind of modern restaurant serves calamari? Whatever, we got it, so our fault for ordering. It came with cocktail sauce. Cocktail sauce is usually intended for cold dishes. Calamari is generally accompanied by tomato sauce. So, yeah, fine, but like really not what you'd expect from a decent restaurant (and not at all what you'd get from an innovative one). An hour later and our steak came out. It was covered in some blah cheese and drowning in some kind of ragout. So many conflicting flavors here, mostly to disguise that the meat tasted like a tire. It was also very well done (remember, we asked for medium rare) and barely edible. So yeah, I guess THIS is the kind of restaurant that screws up steak. But then again, why would you put all that stuff on a decent piece of steak? About an hour later, our check came. In summary, the menu has never been changed or expanded, the place is pretentious in all the wrong ways, and calling the service "slow" is a massive understatement. If you want a not very good, glacially-paced meal at NYC prices, Left Bank's the place to go. read more

I go to Left Bank so often I almost feel guilty writing this review for when you first arrive (and each time you go back) you feel like an old friend. First things first: make a reservation if you want to eat dinner at a table BUT if you can't get a reservation, they'll serve you at the bar presuming it's not too busy. The food is phenomenal. I have never had a lack luster appetizer, soup, salad, entree or dessert. I think I've tried everything on their menu at least once. I LOVE the Grand Marnier Pork with chevre mashed potatoes, the Carrot Parpadelle in lobster sauce, the Portabella fries with fondue "for two", all of their focaccia pizzas, and especially their daily soup special(s). Their brunch is the best I've had. I used to say that about Norma's in Manhattan until I had the absolute pleasure of brunching it at LB. They provide live music (think jazz-inspired trio or quartet.) My favorite dish is their Crab Cakes Benedict. MY GOD! Mmmm. Assuming you do have a reservation (think two weeks ahead of time for a Friday or Saturday evening), get there early for a cocktail. The bartenders are GREAT! Try one of their many beer/wine options or ask for an extravagant concoction. The prices are reasonable enough that you could and should order an appetizer or soup, an entree for sure, and maybe a desert to share. They also have an espresso bar. Their patio, as other reviewers mentioned, is a great place to hang out on a nice evening. In the warm seasons they will also serve your meal outside. They have two free lots on the same block, same side of the street. It's easily located near the corner of Richmond Avenue and Rhode Island street. If you live in Buffalo and haven't been here previously, you MUST go. If you're visiting, you MUST go. If you had no prior reason to visit Buffalo, you DO NOW. I've been told that they don't do paid advertising...and it's clear to see why. They're always full due to their great menu and consistency. Their service (contrary to on review on here) is spot on: who wants to go to a nice restaurant and be rushed? Certainly not me! The service is attentive and professional without being stuffy or rude. Love them. In a word: GO. In two words: GO NOW! read more

My first experience here was a couple months ago and I really enjoyed it. The fodue is amazing as an appetizer and I really enjoyed the carrot papardella that everyone was raveing about. The fondue comes with tenderloin (cooked perfectly medium rare), Asparagus and deep fried portabella mushrooms. All dipped in the gorgozola fondue. Very good I highly recommend trying this app. We also had the calimari which was amazing as well, also give this a try if you're in the mood. They have specialty cocktails that are nicely crafted and presented very well. I had the house manhatan on Valentine's day, it was quite good. Last night we had the 14oz strip steak covered in mushrooms and onions. With truffle fries. The steak was cooked medium rare and very good. She got the ahi tuna which is served rare with avocado and a bunch of other greens. I tried it, it was good, but not my cup of tea. Private parking Make reservations Great for a date night if you havnt been. Highly recommend read more