Visiting Buffalo? Just moved here? New to the bar scene? Check out our day-by-day Buffalo Bar Guide. Keep in mind, these are the places we tend to go, and seem to attract the biggest crowds. That said, you’ll be hard pressed to find a bar in Buffalo that doesn’t have patrons any day of the week.
A few tips:
- Buffalonians generally don’t go out before 11 p.m. (exception: happy hour 5-7)
- Our bars are open until 4 a.m.
- Our drinks are not measured (thank God), and the gay bars are famous for heavy pours.
- Most bars DO NOT have coat checks. During the winter months, it’s common to leave your coat in your vehicle, or toss it in an undisturbed corner of the bar.
- Saturday night attracts the biggest crowds
- On Friday and especially Saturday nights, bars are busy at different hours based on what we call “the circuit.” Currently, the most commonly traveled circuit is Fugazi, Cathode, Marcella’s, and the Underground. It’s the order in which many gay men spend their evening, bar hoping from one to the next. Though there are other bars people go to, these four tend to be the most frequented – oh, and did I mention I’m there? BAM!
Sunday:
Club Marcella
For most Sunday would be a casual night in, but if you have a hankering for a beer, or want to buy me a gin and tonic, Marcella’s has an entertaining drag show at 11:30p and 1:30am. The crowd isn’t huge, but if you’re game for a drink, it’s worth stopping by.
Best hours: 11:30-2am
Crowd: Light, but decent for a Sunday (especially if Monday is a holiday)
Reason to go: Drag Show
Scene: Casual, twinky, clubbers
For a full list of events see Marcella’s website here.
Fugazi
While the drink specials don’t necessarily bring patrons in on Sunday nights, the popular Broadway to South Park evening does. Anything musical is fair game as the bar’s video screens become filled with the best and worst of singing and dancing favorites.
Best hours: 11-1am
Crowd: Light but surprisingly well attended by weekend stretchers.
Reason to go: Musicals and more musicals.
Scene: business casual to casual
Monday:
Cathode Ray
Monday night is world famous Big Ass Drink Night at Cathode Ray. A surprisingly large crowd makes it out on a school night for what can only be described as your grandmother’s canning jar filled to the brim with alcohol.
So, more precisely what is Big Ass Drink Night? Well, it’s about the best bang for your buck you can get anywhere, gay or straight. BADN consist of a quart-sized mason jar filled with liquor, and a wee-bit of a mixer, for FIVE dollars. In a word, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Oh, and I should mention it only takes one to arrive at Hammertown. Two? Straight to Blackoutville, so drink responsibly kids!
Best Hours: 11-1:30am (on Monday)
Crowd: Full
Reason to go: Big Ass Drink for $5
Scene: Blue collar, casual, business casual if you’re Michael
(Note: Big Ass Drink Night is now duplicated on Thursday, but it is not as nearly well-attended.)
Underground
After you’ve slurped down a Big Ass you can make your merry way to Underground to get your karaoke on. This nightclub has a small dance floor and a hit or miss crowd on Monday nights. But trust me, once you’ve completed your Big Ass Drink from Cathode Ray it doesn’t matter if there are 10 or 50 people out, fun will totes be had.
Best Hours: 1:30am – 3am (on Monday)
Crowd: Small-Med.
Reason to go: Karaoke
Thursday:
Fugazi
Emulating an upscale city bar, and proving that Buffalonian’s know how to relax even before the workweek is over, Fugazi’s draws a full house on Thursday nights. Don’t worry, classy Buffalo is not like snoby New York, and true to our blue collar roots, and love of alcohol, all wells are $1.50, as well as all domestic beers (includes Labatt Blue and Blue Light).
Best hours: 11-1am
Crowd: Full
Reason to go: $1.50 wells and domestic beers
Scene: business casual to casual
Roxy’s (predominantly lesbian)
A casual lesbian bar, Roxy’s spices up on Thursday nights for a sexy burlesque show.
Open Thursday – Saturday from 8p-4am, Roxy’s is a casual lesbian bar that offers great DJ mixing in what used to be an old Buffalo mansion. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, the crowd diverse (definitely an lgbt mix), and the dance floor is always rockin’.
Best hours: 11:30-1:30a
Crowd: Medium
Reason to go: Sexy-burlesquey! (Say hi to Jamie for me!)
Scene: Casual, dykey, wonderful!
Friday & Saturday:
Hit up the circuit, or find your own niche and check out one of the many other gay bars in Buffalo.
Full Gay Bar List (alphabetical):
Adonia’s – Neighborhood pub
http://www.myspace.com/adoniasbuffalo
Patrons: Older, 21+ (both gay and lesbian)
Hours: Mon-Thurs 3-2 Fri-Sat 3-4 Sun 12-2
20 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
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Cathode Ray – Neighborhood pub
http://www.cathoderaybuffalo.com/
Patrons: Mixed, 21+
Hours: Mon. – Sat. 1p – 4a, Sun. 7a – 4a
Best Nights: Monday, Friday, Saturday
26 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
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Fugazi – Neighborhood martini bar
Patrons: Mixed, 21+
Hours: Tue-Sun ‘til 2am
Best Nights: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
503 Franklin Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
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Club Marcella’s – Nightclub
http://www.marcellashowclub.com/
Description: (If you like getting your dance on and believe in “the art of drag, “ Club Marcella is the venue for you. The club features female impersonators on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Every night has live DJ’s that fill the large dance floor and outdoor patio (though they don’t play nearly enough Beyonce, Whitney or Mariah uhmm!).
Patrons: Mixed, 18+ (cover charge, more expensive for under 21)
Best Nights: Thursday – Sunday
Hours: Wed-Sunday 10pm-4am
622 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14202-1914
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Q – Neighborhood pub
Patrons: Predominantly older
44 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
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Roxy’s – Half bar, half nightclub
Patrons: Mixed, 21+ (predominantly lesbian)
Hours: Thurs – Sat 8p – 4a
884 Main St.
Buffalo, NY 14224
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The Underground – Nightclub
Patrons: Mixed, 21+ (cover charge most nights)
Hours: M-Sun: Noon – 4am
Best Nights: Monday, Friday, Saturday
274 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14201
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