Vault@237 has been on my "want to try" list for a while. Finally, the opportunity came to grab dinner here with a friend, a fellow Yelp Elite, and in a few words, it was a great experience! Looking on social media (Facebook, Instagram), I read from their official channel that Vault@237 validates parking for the parking garage on 93 Pearl St., so that immediately eased my anxiety of finding a (zero-cost) parking spot in downtown Buffalo, a little bit. The 93 Pearl St. parking garage looks... dicey on the inside, but I was able to find a spot with ease on a Wednesday night, around 5:45pm. But to be honest, the parking garage was fine and was pretty secure as you need the ticket to walk back into the garage. The parking garage is super close to Vault@237, so it really is convenient. We came in around 6pm and were immediately seated at a table for two near the middle of the restaurant. As you walk in, there's a large bar that's well stocked with various spirits and some TVs playing. As I walked in, I wondered what the dress code would be like inside, and I was relieved to see it was casual - No need to "dress to the nines". The woman working behind the bar was personable. The host, and our waiter, Joshua, was excellent! Right from the start, he was friendly, personable, very accommodating; He did a great job checking on us throughout our meal and was able to hook us up with a tour of the bank vault AND the Admiral Room! Looking at Vault@237's cocktail menu, their Peach Bourbon Smash (Evan Williams Peach Bourbon, Peach Schnapps, simple syrup, ginger beer, and lime (then topped with a peach slice). Arriving in a Moscow Mule copper cup, this was a great "sipper", simply delicious! Once we had our waters and my cocktail, we placed our dinner orders, then sat and caught up for about 20-25 minutes, which I thought was reasonable for what we ordered. What did I order for dinner? I went with the Vault Burger, which is a short rib & brisket blend burger (cooked medium) topped with aged cheddar cheese, maple pepper bacon, roasted tomato, and chipotle aioli, with a big piece of green, crisp lettuce and a few pickle slices, which seemed homemade, hand-sliced to me, and a generous portion of hand-cut fries! To put it simply, the burger was awesome! The burger was cooked perfectly, there was a nice touch of pink in the center, and the meat was incredibly tender and juicy! I appreciated that it wasn't a smash-style burger patty like so many restaurants have switched to. The maple pepper bacon was cooked nicely, a good balance between chewy and crispy. The roasted tomato was plentiful and added a pleasant zesty flavor. The hand-cut fries were cooked nicely with a soft and thick center and crispy on the ends. The fries had a good amount of salt and black pepper on top, so if you're sensitive to salt, you may want to ask them to go lighter here. Now, the price of this meal is certainly on the higher end, but I think for the quality and quantity of food, it makes sense. The burger on its own is easily one of the better burgers I've had in quite some time. Between my meal and my friend's meal, it's easy to see the chef really cares about the food coming out of the kitchen and has a great amount of pride in what they do! As a bonus, the chef himself gave a handful of us a tour of the original bank vault in the basement, as well as the Admiral Room, a gorgeous ballroom, upstairs! The architecture and history are fascinating, so articulate! The chef was an excellent guide and did a wonderful job showcasing these beautiful spaces. Vault@237 was a wonderful dining experience! The staff, the food, the space are great! I will not hesitate to come back for another Peach Bourbon Smash and Vault Burger, or perhaps I'll order their Pork Belly Meatloaf; That sounded excellent, came highly recommended by the chef! read more