Located in the beautifully remodeled Shea's Seneca building, Bottle Rocket is part beer store, part chilled-out, hipster-friendly watering hole pouring a constantly changing selection of craft beers. There are eight on tap at any given time, including a few local beers but emphasizing diverse and interesting selections from craft breweries around the East Coast that you won't necessarily find elsewhere in Buffalo. The centerpiece of the place is an enormous 84-inch flat-screen TV, which, when it's not tuned to the big game or blaring classic rock standards, is put to use for the video game tournaments the place hosts from time to time.
The South Buffalo satellite location of Public Espresso at the Shea's Seneca building offers basically the same sort of eating and drinking experience as the downtown one: drip and pour-over coffee made from ethically-sourced beans, bursting with nuanced natural flavors; an impressive range of baked goods crowned by Buffalo's best homemade vegan doughnuts; sandwiches, breakfast options, and other light fare. But the ambience starkly different, eschewing the trendy hipster vibes for those of a 1950s diner, with checkerboard floors, decorative neon signs, and midcentury-inspired furnishings. And feel free to direct the nostalgic Gen Xer in your crowd to the gift shop, replete with Star Wars and other 1980s throwback merch.
Mon-Fri 7AM-4PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-3PM
Its name may no longer be apropos — the place moved in 2019 from its former location on South Park Avenue (aka U.S. Route 62) to the Shea's Seneca building — but the tacos, nachos, burritos, and other classic Tex-Mex fare is still on point. Don't be fooled by a menu that seems run-of-the-mill at first blush: there are some interesting innovations to be found among the specialty tacos, such as Korean barbecue, Philly cheesesteak, and even a beef on weck taco dressed with horseradish slaw. The food is serviceably good though a bit bland, perfect for those who like Mexican cuisine but can't handle spice, and if you don't like Mexican cuisine, check out their selection of specialty mac and cheese bowls. It's all served up fast-casual style for reasonable prices in a cavernous space that gets loud when it gets crowded.
Sun-Thu 10AM-10PM, Fri Sat 10AM-midnight·$10-25
As seen on the Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Guy Fieri really liked the jalapeño tater tots). The food served at this prototypical South Buffalo Irish pub splits the difference between local standbys like beef on weck and chicken wings (both classic-recipe and Smitty-style), and Hibernian specialties such as corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie, and beer and cheddar soup. The Blackthorn is an old-school kind of place that doesn't look like much from the outside, but venture in and you'll find a friendly, welcoming ambience. However, service is often brusque, especially if you're seated at the bar rather than in the dining room.
Sun-Thu 11:30AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-11PM·$15-40