A Belgian Beer Bar and Beer Garden On Elmwood?

A W E S O M E ! ! !

Hell yeah! This made me so happy that I decided to register for this site so I could comment!

WoW, that was a quick fill-in for this space. Great news!!!

This article made my day! So happy about this!

Inspired by the Bier Markt please? Could be the Cleveland or Toronto version (there's no connection between the two), it doesn't matter.

awesome news.
the one i frequent has GREAT fries with your choice of 8 different kinds of mayo. the beer is great, but i go for the mayo.

I do hope that if it is going to be beer garden they will serve up a couple less common varieties of German Beer.

This made my day as well, how soon can we expect it?

This will be a Belgian Beer Bar with 20 or so beers on tap with the majority being Belgian. There will be a large bottle beer list as well as a diverse wine list. The menu will be beer oriented with house made frites with a large choice of flavored mayos, various mussels steamed in Belgian beer, gourmet burgers & an assortment of salads. We look forward to serving the Elmwood Community for years to come.
BlueMonk

Huzzah! This is the best news I've heard regarding the Buffalo restaurant/bar scene in a long time. I'm in.

F'n sweet!

why do restaurants feel the need to list something in a foreign language? Is it just to make it sound fancier or more exotic? Call them what they are fries not frites, this isn't france or belgium. It's like that alleged "tapas" bar on elmwood. If it really was "tapas" it wouldn't cost so much to eat there. In Spain the tapas (basically in english finger food) are either free with a drink, mainly wine, or they cost practically nothing more.

Although I liked Merlins, a beer garden is long overdue. Buffalo has a strong American brewing history that has disappeared. I think Beer gardens making a comeback - to the days when Schlitz, Miller, Pabst, et al duked it out for the grandest gardens - is an idea that should be wildly successful.

why do restaurants feel the need to list something in a foreign language? Is it just to make it sound fancier or more exotic? Call them what they are fries not frites, this isn't france or belgium. It's like that alleged "tapas" bar on elmwood. If it really was "tapas" it wouldn't cost so much to eat there. In Spain the tapas (basically in english finger food) are either free with a drink, mainly wine, or they cost practically nothing more.

Very exciting, however, I hope Mike hires some knowledgeable bartenders and updates the beer lists unlike at Coles.

sweet.

HOLY FCUK! A Belgian Beer bar would be AWESOME. My day was going fine, but this just kicked it up a notch.

Fabulous!!! This sounds like my dream bar. Can I live there please?

This should make a great addition to Elmwood.
Anyone know what's happening in the location where Firebrand used to be?

BRILLIANT!

Left, right or center, even city or suburb we all can agree, beer is good.

This is an exciting addition to the area.
On a different subject --if you look to the right of this page under "classifieds" - someone is attempting to sell animals on this site. I hope that BR isn't going to allow this (I have seen previous ads here).
The abuse of breeding and selling animals is well documented.

I already want a beer.

Merlin's had to have been one of the biggest dives on Elmwood. The place looked rough-hewn and surly and the barkeep, former 60s radical that he was, made for some... um... interesting conversations that I don't care to experience ever again.

And there's a Belgian beer place in the city I live in right now. I have a feeling the Elmwood place won't be as nice as the one I currently enjoy.

i do not like beer at all...not a bit and even i think that this is fantastic news. i was hoping that it would be a halfway decent bar and this is so much more. what a boon for that section of elmwood.

Beer... it's what's for dinner.

I'm thrilled to see a place like this going in even if I'm not a huge fan of Belgian beer. This is a block and a half away from my house and anything will be better that Merlins. For all the character that it had it was still a dump. Good to see some money and effort going into the building. Can't wait to stop in for a beer once it opens.

If anyone needs to work here it's Alec who used to work for Harpoon and more recently at Essex. I know he has talked about doing a place like this for years in this city and would be a great addition to any bar.

yay! I used to love going to merlins strictly because of their patio seating in the summer. I am glad someone has a great idea to utilize this great space...

Orval all day. Chimay all night.

Tom Peters' and Fergus Carey's pub "Monk's Tavern" in Philadelphia is perhaps the finest on earth. Use them for inspiration. (and make sure to serve sour red ale)
http://www.monkscafe.com/

I don't like beer. But I love ale. I'm hoping they have some of the fabulous ales that are at Coles.

American Microbeers & local breweries (Flying Bison, Ellicottville & Southern Tier) will be well represented as well. I will work on Wittekerke. Also heading to Philly next week to check out Monk's Cafe

♫ oooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhh i can't wait i can't wait i can't wait i can't wait i can't wait i can't wait i can't wait i can't wait ♫

Rock on! Hopefully it comes to fruition. Cole's, while pricey and usually overcrowded, maintains standards, and would do well to apply those standards to the hole of an un-kept-up building that was Merlin's. And having food there again (since the clams moved away) would be great for the immediate neighborhood, and given the character of Belgian beer and cuisine, should act as a draw from outside the EV.

You can keep all of your "visionaries" working on Canalslide, Mike Shatzel is the true prophet of Buffalo.

Dude - bring on the Belgians! May I also suggest the Ommegang Belgians of Cooperstown.

How much for a plate of wings?

Chef Dino DeBell, one of Buffalo's unsung culinary heroes, is working on this project with Mike. We are excited to include Dino in this year's Nickel City Chef challenges (beginning Feb. 21). You can see the full schedule here:

http://nickelcitychef.com/schedule/

I'll be there!

as much excitement as i have about trying a wide variety of Belgian styles and brands, nothing will make me happier than an endless supply of Hoegaarden on tap... i know it common and easy, but man that stuff is good.

Didn't care for Merlins - avoided the place. Looking forward to this place opening - a 3 block walk up Elmwood. Love Belgian Whites, but beer drinkers appreciate variety, since the choice is often affected by mood and weather. Hard to find any place in WNY that serves Old Speckled Hen - a very nice English Pale Ale.

The beer list will be heavy on Belgians but Germans(hefe, dunkles, dopplebocks, etc.) English, Scottish, French Biere de Gardes, Danish beers will be amply represented. I'm a hophead so IPA, Imperial IPA's & Pale Ales will be abundant. Pretty much every style of beer will be available on a daily basis

i cant wait. sour reds on a warm evening on the patio...bikes out front, laughter in the back.

when i read this my mind shot to the fun we had at the Haufbrau Hous down in Northern Kentucky, right across the river from Cincinasty...wife and I have dreamed of copying that idea up here ever since. Huge, long wood tables, steins the size of your head, real German food and live music...it was pure heaven.

BlueMonk - Visit Monk's Pub in Ballyvaughan, County Clare too.

Great news and congrats to mike! i have one request... Being a Belgiam bar I have to believe I will be able to get my two favorite authentic belgium beers, STELLA and Hoegarden! Please mak sure these are available all the time. There is nothing like a nice, cold, smooth draft Stell in one of those glasses! I will certainly be there day one to hoist that first STELLA! Good luck Mike!

I'd be happier if watery pilsner styles were not even offered. Anyone can go anywhere to get a bud, heiny, or stella. Don't dumb down the selection to meet the market, rather educate and create an audience (with the help of a well trained staff.)
Make sure you get a copy of "The Beer Bible" while at Monk's in Philly. Go during the afternoon to chat, the evenings will be too packed to be able to spend any time with the hosts and staff.
/Nice that you mentioned French Biere de Gardes as well as some other styles.

A beer garden five blocks from my house? Goodbye liver, it was nice knowin' ya.