It’s hard to believe that the Thirsty Buffalo has already been around for over three years. When the establishment first opened, it appeared to have a hard time shedding the image of Jimmy Macs, the building’s previous longstanding occupant. Thirsty Buffalo touted itself as a sports bar, though the masses of sports fanatics didn’t gravitate to the concept right away. In order to take the bar to the next level it needed to reinvent itself entirely.
A couple of weeks ago Thirsty Buffalo successfully shed the Jimmy Macs image. It didn’t just shed it… it shredded it to pieces. It’s amazing what can happen when you knock down an interior wall, virtually doubling the size of an establishment overnight. After opening the place up and super-sizing the number of flatscreens on the walls… presto! A real sports bar is born.
Last night the Thirsty Buffalo was packed, wall to wall, with a young crowd of people who looked to be enjoying their new digs a lot. I couldn’t get over how much the place had changed. The owners did a great job wrapping the wood bar into the new addition (a room that never really seemed to work), which must have been tricky due to the craftsmanship of the original bar (brass rails and all). Taking a look around, I noticed that there was still some seating in the original bar room, mostly off to the side and to the back, and window seating had been added along Elmwood. The glass atrium area was jamming, every seat was filled and there was a sea of people as far as the eye could see.
It looks as if Thirsty Buffalo’s significant investment in the build-out is paying off. For anyone looking for a sports bar that looks and acts like a sports bar, the place was built with you in mind.
Thirsty Buffalo (check out website for specials, food items, events, etc.)
555 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo NY 14222
716.878.0344