Visiting WNY over Christmas for the first time in many years and targeting the Dec 23rd game against Phoenix with Mom watching the grandkids down in Jamestown and getting a hotel for my wife and me in Buffalo. So my questions are:
-Would like to be up close to the glass in the end where the Sabres shoot twice. Which section is best? Have never been to FNC. Last home game was nose bleeds at the Aud.
- recommendations for where to stay within cab distance from FNC?
- best activity to spend a few hours before the game with my wife? Which restaurants, what to check out?
- Anywhere to go local after the game?
- Any recommendations for breakfast joints for the next morning?
There's a growing number of hotels in downtown Buffalo that should suit any budget. One of the nice things about Buffalo is that there's a rapid transit line running down Main Street that is free for the above ground sections - along which many of the hotels are near. You just hop on the rapid transit car and head down Main St to the FNC. The hotels are all within a short cab ride of FNC as well.
Top of the line - The Lafayette. The Lafayette in particular is newly renovated - so some online reviews might be out of date. The place is now spectacular. There's an expensive steak house (Mike A's) and a reasonably priced restaurant called the Pan American Grill.
Also Top of the line - The Mansion on Delaware - The Mansion is within walking distance of some really nice restaurants - Tempo, Mothers, Merge, Scarlet, Fat Bobs, La Cantina, Don Tequila, Gabriels Gate and more. You can look them up on the net. Each is very nice in its own right.
Very Nice - Embassy Suites. Located in a newly renovated building called the Avante. Super cool and modern. Has a nice restaurant on premises. Near Chippewa aka the Chip Strip - which is more youthful oriented, occasion. Bacchus Wine Bar and restaurant is first class, though. Papaya too. You can walk there from the hotel. Also near the restaurants mentioned for the Mansion. Mother's has a consistently good menu and a very cosmopolitan atmosphere. I proposed to my then girlfriend there. Fat Bobs is a BBQ joint. Papaya is Pacific Rim. Check 'em out on the net.
Okay - Hyatt. A great old buliding that was converted to a hotel about 20 years ago. Showing its age from what I hear - but I'd stay there. Very good steak house on premises - EB Greens.
Also okay - Adam's Mark. This might be the closest to the arena. Built about 25 years ago. Decent from what I've read. I'd stay there. Walking distance to the arena. Near Pearl St Grill/Brewery
Comfort Suites - Right on Main and the rapid transit line. Has a TGI Fridays on premises. Hey - It's a Comfort Suites. I stay in places like this all the time. They are clean and convenient. And reasonably priced.
Places to go:
Before or after the game - Any one of the restaurants I've mentioned if you want to eat/drink near your hotel. If you want to be part of the game day action I'd suggest Pearl St Grill/Brewery or Lagerhaus 95. Both are within walking distance of the arena and are PACKED on game nights. Near Lagerhaus 95 are Prohibition - which is kind of a dive bar atmosphere - but nice in it's own way and Helium - a comedy club.
Attractions - Alright Knox is a great, world class art museum featuring a great collection of abstract expressionism. But - there really is something for everyone there including a nice impressionist/post impressionist grouping. Right across the street from there is the Burchfield Penney Art Gallery - which has a nice collection of Charles Burchfield art plus lots of other stuff. I'm not a fan of Burchfield myself, but many love his water colors that were painted right in the area. While you're at those museums you could walk over to the Buffalo Psychiatric Center and walk the grounds. It's a beautiful HH Richardson building/complex that is undergoing restoration and re-purposing. Right across the street is Coles - a venerable Buffalo bar where you can grab some pub food.
I'd also strongly consider the Darwin Martin House and complex - a great Frank Lloyd Wright restoration.
If you are not into the cultural stuff like the art gallery or Frank Lloyd Wright - you could head over to the Elmwood village - not far from any of the hotels I mentioned and walk the streets. Plenty of really nice shops and tons of restaurants. Blue Monk comes to mind. It's a great pub/restaurant with lots of great Belgian (and other) beers. There's also Cafe Aroma, Vera Pizzeria, Tapas. Just google any of those to get a general location, drive there, find a parking spot and walk. Always interesting and fun.
For brunch the next morning, all I can think of are Cecilia's on Elmwood - in the Elmwood Village area and The Left Bank - for what many might consider to be the best brunch in Buffalo/ The Left Bank is not far from downtown Buffalo, depending on how you get there, you might have to go through a rather rough neighborhood - but it's worth it. Brunch or not, the Left Bank is one of Buffalo's best restaurants. If you take the right route, you might pass by Kleinhan's Music Hall - an Eilel and Eero Saarinen masterpiece. Eero Saarinen designed the Gateway to the West in St Louis, FWIW. Make a reservation. Hope you have a Garmin (or similar)
