Some buildings, and businesses, can change hands as the years pass never seeing a real lull or drop in clientele, even with changing the menu or style of food offered. Some people just seem so attached to certain spaces, almost something akin to muscle memory, you just keep it as a part of your routine because you’ve enjoyed doing it for so long. Things just keep moving forward, business as usual.
Yet, sadly, more and more these days, in an ever expanding and increasingly over saturated local restaurant market there are all too often openings and closings that seem to pass us right by. Many of us never allowing the opportunity to settle into a potential new favorite spot, or check out the latest incarnation of an old beloved haunt. Or even worse, you think to yourself, “Oh, I’ll get there to check it out one day,” and then before you know it, that space has yet again become something entirely new.
Well 153 Elmwood Avenue seems to have been pretty comfortable sitting in this latter category for the past several years. Having gone through many transformations since the days of Cozumel, finally an established and reputable business has taken over, just opening this past September. Though, unfortunately, when a building suffers a fate such as this, that has experienced a revolving door of sorts, I feel that can hinder much of the local clientele and their sense of adventure, or commitment, when choosing their nightly spreads.
Yet, Teton Kitchen has continuously blown me away, meal after meal, and experience after experience. They offer so much to our neighborhood, where quite frankly there has become a dearth of options when it comes to consistently reliable food, served late, open seven days a week, with a clean and relaxed atmosphere. Now, one might not think to associate American professional sports with an Asian kitchen, but Teton offers some of the most competitive specials that I’ve come across during every NHL and NFL game aired. Whether it’s a $4 draft beer, $5 cocktail, $2 well shot, or $6.99 for a plate of ginger garlic chicken wings (lead image – special also includes red curry, and teryaki) – they offer up some of the best deals in town, and some of the best wings to boot.
Add to that, that Teton Kitchen is open 365 days per year so you can always rest assured they are there in a pinch, with their kitchen also staying open to 11pm most nights of the week. And if that’s not enough to count on from your local watering hole, they even offer two happy hours, one from 3pm-6pm and the other 9pm-midnight. There is also ample parking for those that care, and the staff could not be more attentive to your every need – it’s a breath of fresh air to be surrounded by such a team that cares so much about your experience while under their roof.
And the food speaks for itself. The quality, and sheer breadth, of their sushi program is reason alone to pop by (be sure to try the dragon roll – see here). Add to that tried and true Japanese and Thai classics done in a remarkably authentic and refreshingly delightful fashion, and one can easily see how this restaurant’s original location became WNY’s number one restaurant back in 2015.
A couple of our current favorites are Thai tom yam soup – Thai hot and sour soup. Order it spice level #4 and a side of rice, also choosing your soup protein, and this becomes an instantly satisfying light, spicy, and awakening winter meal. The bowl of red curry with beef and veggies is also a warming, satiating winter favorite, however be forewarned out of a spice level system of 1-5, ordering anything above 3 and you need to be able to handle some serious heat.
If you’ve been hesitant passing by, but unsure of their hours, or if this incarnation is even open for business – rest assured, Teton Kitchen is alive and well, and truly knocking it out of the park with some of the most enjoyable fare, valuable specials, and gracious wait staff that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in quite some time. Sometimes it’s the slow and steady that win the race, and have the most staying power. I hope that that is the case with Teton Kitchen.
Teton Kitchen | 153 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo, NY 14201 | 716-405-2599
Mon-Thurs: 11am-11pm
Fri: 11am-1am
Sat: 12pm-1am
Sun: 12pm-11pm