I can't say much about the food and I guess I'll never know. Bar Bill just lost a potential customer today. Meanwhile, food truck business must be great if this restaurant won't even let a bystander sit on their chair (which is outside of the CLOSED grocery store next door to Bar Bill). Don't take your business wars out on the people. Two stars for poor customer relations.
Review Source:100% the best wings in Western New York. Should I even continue?
I consider myself to be a fair critic. Â I like to try all sorts of things. Â And I also like to find the best of something I enjoy. Â So let's just say since moving to Buffalo I have been in search of finding my favorite wing joint. Â This place just knocked it out of the park. Â I wish I could say that this was the best in Buffalo but I guess it's a little out of the range. Â But don't let that stop you from venturing out for a day to see what else life has to offer in Buffalo sauce goodness. Â This cash-only establishment makes their own delightful sauce that's full of distinguishing flavors that set themselves apart from your typical Frank's taste. Â The wings also come out super crispy! Whammy. Â Not only do the offer your ranges of hotness but they even have other flavors. Â We tried the Hot (which were actually hot) and the Sicilian (not my preference but still damn good) and left there supeerrr happy. Â I have been itching for a return to try the cajun or hot BBQ flavors and will let you all know when I do!
PS The big guy of the place also cuts up fresh roast beef right in front of your face to order for you Buffalonians that love a good roast beef (or how you guys call it "beef on weck") sandwich. Â Awesome!
Best wings in Western New York. Â Can't really say Buffalo because the bar is about 25 minutes outside of the city. Â Their definition of "hot wing" equals my definition of "hot wing". Â I am usually accustomed to ordering "hot wings" and getting something that would fall between mild and medium. Â If they opened one of these on Elmwood, Allen or Hertel, my belly would be delighted.
Review Source:Okay- so I am finally writing a review about my favorite place! My husband and I usually go to the bar bill every other week or so. Our favorite thing to do is to get there on a Sunday at noon, right when they first open and grab a couple stools at the bar and just eat and drink and enjoy the afternoon.
We usually start with the mozzaluna. They are half moon shaped breaded mozzarella, that are deep fried to perfection, and served with marinara. 3 to an order which is perfect, b/c you want to save room for beef and wings. The beef: whether you get just a beef on weck or the Bar Bill Special (which is my husbands fav, rye toast with roast beef, ham and cheese) it is ALWAYS tender. NEVER any fat or grizzle. The Wings: my fav are the honey butter BBQ. The Sicilian wings are good too if your in the mood for something different.
The bar tenders and all the staff are very friendly and very welcoming. I think what makes the Bar Bill so amazing is the consistency. You never have to ask for your wings xtra crispy, they are done to perfection every time. It is pretty small and get busy very quick. So go when you are not in a hurry, and just enjoy the Bar Bill experience.
Just came here last night with 3 friends after reading how great the wings were supposed to be. After trying Duff's and Anchor Bar multiple times, I was skeptical whether somewhere could be better. I was also tired of only getting buffalo and barbecue flavored wings (the only flavors offered by Duff's and Anchor Bar).
We called in advance to see if tables were available, which they were. Then we decided to make the 25 minute trek from Buffalo to East Aurora. Braving snow and wind, we questioned whether the food could possibly be worth the trip. We were able to get a table as soon as we walked in. It was small, but not overly packed (the snow may have been a factor) and we were comfortable. We were quickly greeted by a server and asked what we would like to drink. We perused the menu and decided to get 60 wings and an order of waffle fries. Each order is technically 20 wings and can be split for 10 of one flavor and 10 of another (though you can get a smaller order of less than 20 also). The wait for food was not overly long; a huge HD tv showing the Sabres game helped the time pass. The food arrived and looked amazing; our table surface was covered with platters of wings.
This is when the magic happens. These wings were far superior to either "competitor". The variety of sauces includes any flavor one could really desire. We ordered medium, sicilian, Â Zesty honey pepper, Honey butter BBQ, and hot and spicy BBQ. Every flavor was absolutely delicious and I plan to come back to try the others. The wings themselves are huge; I would say larger than either Anchor Bar or Duff's, perfectly crispy on the outside and super juicy and meaty on the inside. The fries were also very tasty. The wings are no smothered in sauce, but rather have the perfect amount to balance with the flavor of the chicken. Additionally, every wing platter (we had 5 total since one was 20 wings) comes with a good amount of celery and a good load of bleu cheese. This is one overlooked area in which many wing places may "skimp" you, but not here.
All in all, easily the best wings in Buffalo or the Buffalo area. The price was definitely fair for the amount and quality of food we got. I am looking forward to returning soon to try the beef on weck and the other flavors of wings. I was thoroughly satisfied with my experience at Bar Bill, so satisfied that I felt the need to write this review. People need to know how damn good these wings are!
Great food, The best wings and Beef, if the place is packed and you are not from East Aurora, dont expect to get a table and dont expect good service. The fat guy with red hair is completley rude, he acts like he owns the place. Bottom line, I love the hot wings, they are the best in the land, and if i have to put up with that fat ass to eat those wings, so be it.
Review Source:The beef on weck was beyond good. Â The sandwich was piled high with flavorful and tender roast beef and accented perfectly with excellent horseradish. Â
The wings were crispy and painted (yes, painted--watch the staff in the kitchen) with sauce. Â I'm a wimp so the medium hot was a bit too hot for me, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the wings.
The place is small and you will probably have to wait--but the food is worth it.
If you go to this place and give it less than five stars you need to reexamine your scale. This place has character and great food. Â It is what it is billed to be, a great local tavern with excellent food. Â What's up with crying about no take out. Â Same people would give three stars for slow service if they had to wait. Pro tip. Â Try the Birch Beer. Â Like Root Beer, but better.
Review Source:The suicide wings here are very hot but they lack the taste of the ones at Duff's. Â All I could taste was the bitter bite of ghost pepper extract. Â The beef on weck was simply outstanding! Â It was piled so high and was so tender. Â The fresh horseradish they have at the table provides an extra kick. Â I would skip the wings and go with the weck. Â Looks like I have a new must visit place on my trips back to Buffalo.
Only downside was the wait time to sit because the place has limited seating.
Going into Bar Bill this was the score for wings: wife prefers Anchor Bar, I prefer Duff's. Â After Bar Bill we were in complete agreement: this place is better than either.
The problems: cash only, small bar means a likely wait to sit down in a cramped environment.
Beer selection is ok. Â They usually have either Great Lakes of Flying Bison on tap, a Sam Adams seasonal. Â It doesn't really sate my beer snobbery, but it'll do to wash down some wings.
These wings are crispy, not doused in sauce. Â The sauce is applied with a paintbrush (yes, really, look into the kitchen, you'll see the cooks dutifully painting each wing with love and sauce). Â Usually I'd just order hot and go on with my day, but the specialty flavors here are really really good. Â The cajun, honey butter bbq, teriyaki, red pepper, sicilian... all good. Â All worthwhile. Â Whenever we're with a group we aim to have as many wing flavors on the table as there are people. Â
The beef for the beef on weck is carved by an artist behind the bar. Â Sorry Subway, this guy is really a sandwich artist. Â You've never seen a human slice meat by hand with such precision and efficiency as this guy, it's really something to behold. Â Also, I love horseradish, and the prepped in-house horseradish they provide is sinus-clearing perfection. Â The "mini" weck is an average sized sandwich. Â The small is somewhat above average, and the regular is plenty of beef for any appetite.
Taking my in-laws here I was nervous when the FIL ordered a shrimp cocktail as an appetizer. Â We were here for wings, WHAT in God's name was he doing? Â Shockingly, the shrimp were pretty massive, fresh, and the cocktail sauce had the horseradishy goodness I'd expect from Bar Bill. Â Way to not blow it with what has to be one of the least popular menu items.
In general I don't care for sweet potato fries, but they get them right here, crispy, dusted with vanilla sugar: delightful.
Also, even though it's always packed, I just love the small town tavern feel of the place. Â It's always the same few people working, and I hope for the day that I'm enough of a regular to get a mug with my name on it behind the bar.
People who know a good chicken wing or a good beef on weck when they have them would all agree that there is no place, literally NO PLACE better for either than the Bar Bill Tavern of East Aurora. Â I have been going to the Bar Bill for years whenever I have a hankering for either offering, and have never once been given anything but the best.
New customers should know that the tavern is pretty small (less so in the summer when the patio is open) so it is common to walk in and wait for a table. Â If you aren't prepared to wait for 15-30 minutes (or more, sometimes), then try again on a day you have more time. Â It's absolutely worth the wait!
While they serve great food here, it absolutely is a bar. Â While other people do it, I wouldn't necessarily recommend you bring young children in there. Â But I'm the type of person that wouldn't bring kids into ANY bar, not just this one in particular, so take that with a grain of salt. Â
The staff is friendly, and is good at recognizing repeat customers. Â If they've never seen you before, they WILL caution you if you attempt to order wings hotter than Medium. Â This is good, as the Bar Bill wing scale is different (and hotter) than any other place you'll go.
The rest of the menu is full of quality food, but if you're coming to Bar Bill for the first time and get something other than wings or beef, you're cheating yourself. Â If you just want to pull up a stool and catch whatever prime-time sporting event is on, or if you come in for food and/or drinks with a few friends, you cannot go wrong at Bar Bill.
If the beef on weck here is really THAT good, then it's got to be the only thing that saves this bar, food-wise. Â
Though Bar Bill is a hike from where I was staying, I committed to the cause of driving (er...riding) all the way there to get this famous beef on weck before I left Buffalo forever (exaggeration for emphasis). Â I scoured the Yelp reviews for clues on what this place is all about, so of course I was prepared for the cash-only stipulation and the seedy atmosphere. Â What I WASN'T prepared for, however, is the tiny little oft-overlooked fact that, oh yeah, they stop serving beef on weck at 9:00pm. Â That information is up there in importance with learning that a place is cash-only. Â Don't make the same mistake I did, people - come before 9 or you're not getting what must be the only good thing on the menu.
Why do I keep repeating that last fact? Â Well, we were there, we were hungry, we had passed up a Memorial Day picnic's worth of delicious treats and Puerto Rican rice (cooked in bacon fat, no less) to save our appetites for this sandwich. Â By the time we drove there, sat down, and got ready to eat, we were so hungry that, despite the fact they wouldn't serve us beef on weck, we had to have something. Â Instead, we ended up ordering waffle fries, beer battered fries, chicken wings (hot), and a fried chicken sandwich (on the bartender/waiter's recommendation).
The breakdown:
Fries were decent. However, my inner fat kid is so disgusting that she loves ALL fries. Â Even the Ore Ida kind from the freezer and the ones that all low-budget snack carts get pre-made and frozen from a large food distributor. Â Therefore, I am not entirely certain I am the best judge of fried potatoes.
Chicken sandwich was one of those pre-made, breaded, pressed patties on a bulkie roll with lettuce and tomato. Â Completely forgettable.
Chicken wings were OK but certainly not my favorite throughout my Buffalo experience. Â What i did love, however, is after we ordered them "hot", the server responded with "have you had our HOT wings before? Â They're too hot for most people. Â You may want to get MEDIUM - it's like everyone else's HOT". Â OK so here's a question: Â If your HOT is too hot for MOST PEOPLE, then why don't you make the HOT wings a normal-hotness (because that's obviously what people expect) and call the really hot wings something else? Â This way, people will get what they're expecting to have ordered, and the servers don't have to remember to tell everyone who comes in that their MEDIUM is every other place's HOT?
Help me understand how that choice doesn't make everything infinitely more confusing. Â Please.
Regardless, i've been known to hang with a ghost chili or two (without ending up on the floor of the Rattlesnake bathroom clutching my stomach and contemplating drinking from the toilet *cough**Dave**Art**cough*). What's even better is that one of my dinner companions, yet again, assumed he can go spice-for-spice with me, so he was on-board with ordering the wings "HOT".
You know how this ends.
The wings were good, definitely really hot, and stayed true to their word that they are most certainly hotter than the HOT wings anywhere else. Â They were certainly too hot to be enjoyable, but i found them edible and nibbled away slowly. Â My dinner companion was adamant that the wings were not that good, and he'd had better elsewhere. Â It was only later that I learned that when I got up to use the bathroom, he had a physical meltdown and told his sister they were too hot for him to eat but he did not want to get shown up...so he was pretending they weren't that hot and instead insisted he wasn't eating them because they weren't that tasty.
Moral of the story? Â They're hot. Â REALLY hot. Â Please-listen-to-your-server-sort-of-hot. Â Also, men, we always know what's really going on. Â If you try to pull one over on us, you'll just end up looking silly in a Yelp review. Â Your funeral.
SO, maybe the beef on weck is this magical thing that Bar Bill just hits out of the park every time...but if that's the case, why isn't the rest of the food better?
What should you take away from this experience?
1. beef on weck before 9pm
2. don't try to order other food if you're looking for a tasty meal
3. HOT wings are ridiculously hot. Don't try and be macho or power through it.
4. bring more cash than you think you'll need - for a cash-only place, Bar Bill isn't super-cheap
The Bar Bill Tavern is an East Aurora staple. Anyone who loves wings will tell you to check this place out to compare it to other notable wing joints like Duff's, et cetera. Their menu has a section referring to "things they're famous for" which include their Beef on Weck (never had it), their wings, and a couple of other items.
I don't have a problem with them being a cash-only establishment. They seem to be staffed by only a small number of people, and consequently they can't be indulging 5-tops or 6-tops, each of them carrying a card and wanting the bill split up at the end of the meal. This is a practice that, by the way, seems almost universally hated by restaurant staff, at least the people I know.
They also don't take reservations, and it is a very small place, so I would advise you to get their early and pray if you would like to get a table quickly. If you don't, you can hang out at the bar for a little bit and enjoy a beer. They had a Sam Adams, as well as a locally made IPA for people like myself in addition to local favorites like Labatt and Molson.
Other things that caught my eye: A framed photograph of Tim Russert enjoying a Bar Bill wing (NICE). A poster of a scantily clad young woman brandishing Ol' Glory, entitled "America the Beautiful". The "Bar Bill Tavern" mugs and glassware.
Onward. Let's talk about the wings.
They make their wings crispy. I like mine made with a little less time in the fryer and a little more sauce. These aren't my favorite. That's just my taste. Others may disagree. One really great thing they have going for them is that the sauce doesn't taste like buttery, Frank-y Buffalo status quo. You can taste the peppers in the sauce as well as the heat. They don't BS you on the heat either. Medium-Hot has a creeping heat that definitely will have the average eater reaching for that IPA after 5 or 6 wings. I thought the Honey BBQ was pretty tasty.
It has to be said that their employees do work hard, but there are far too few of them. One waitress working the outside tables. The bartender working the bar and trying to handle the inside tables. Two guys seemingly trying to cook and pitch in with clearing tables and getting beers out. Service was way too slow.
Whereas Duff's is a well-oiled machine, the Bar Bill took far too long to get our order out to us. We all finished our beers well before the wings came, and nobody came by for quite a while to ask about refills. In fact, that didn't happen until well after we were into our wings.
I think they need maybe one more person in there working the tables on a busy night to help keep everything running smoothly. For my taste, they need to make the wings a little less crispy and with a little more sauce. This is a charming, unique joint that I like, and I will be back, but with some small improvements they could be crowned King. A-OK just about fits the bill.
Tiny!!!! Be prepared to wait...
Got the Sicilian wings- pretty tasty. I heard the honey BBQ wings were supposed to be pretty good as well.
Got the beef on weck- Eh, I don't get what all the hype is about. The meat was juicy though
Not a lot of food options cuz it's a bar, but the wings are worth returning for
First, I would never return to Bar Bill's. Ever. There are way too many decent places to get a great roast beef on weck in Western New York on a Friday night. With great service and great atmosphere!
If you're looking to hang out with your buddies, there's way more room in the parking lot on the side of this building than inside this place. Navigate your way around the outdoor structure, and watch out for that 4-inch step UP into the place, not good for the clumsy, challenged or distracted patron. Put your hands out in front of you while you're at it, it's dark inside, with lots of obstacles. If you reach left, you're touching the wall, right, you're touching someone sitting at the bar. That's it. But it did not seem to deter anyone inside, there were plenty of smiles, laughter and drinking going on; bowls of popcorn too.
If you are there for the roast beef on weck, well, use your outdoor voice to nab the attention of one of the servers at the bar and hope for the best; these guys make the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld look like a nice guy. No sir, no "service with a smile" around here.
The sandwich WAS good, served in one of those plastic, oval baskets lined with a piece of waxy paper, potato chips and a pickle wedge. Picture perfect, really.
Bring cash, you know, paper money? This is a cash-only joint, no debit card or credit cards. There is an ATM in there, taking up valuable real estate if you ask me. It conveniently has a jack for (I am not making this up) earphones, though.
I'd say Bar Bill's is a place for locals who are exclusive and knowing if someone's walking in for the first time; reminiscent of the old East Aurora, the time before it became a chichi little boutiquey town.
Know the drill as outlined above and see for yourself if you must.
Warning: Bar Bill is a bar first and a restaurant second. Don't come here expecting a quiet dinner. Some friends and I came here after hearing amazing things about the wings and the beef on weck. While the food did not disappoint, the service did. It's a tiny bar with not a lot of room.
When you arrive at Bar Bill, be sure to immediately ask the bartender for a seat. There are no formal "waiters" and there is no "host". It's up to the patron to communicate with the staff. When we showed up, it was unclear what the seating arrangements were.
Unfortunately, after arriving at 9:30pm we were informed that they don't serve beef after 9:00pm. So we did not get a chance to order the beef on weck.
Our party ordered the chicken wings and onion rings and they were delicious. The onion rings were fried in a tempura-like batter, and the wings were meaty and served with a delicious sauce. The regular wings rivaled those from Duff's and the breaded chicken wings tasted like the best fried chicken I've ever had.
The worst part of our experience was waiting to get the check. After about 20 minutes of waiting, we had to get up ourselves to get the bill. Our server never returned to our table. This would have been fine, except it was super busy and was a pain to weave through the drunk crowd. Also, they don't accept credit cards, so be prepared to pay with cash.
It would been a better experience if it had been less crowded. Bar Bill isn't a big place, but regardless, the staff don't pay any attention to your needs. If you MUST come here for the food, come here for lunch when it's less busy, noisy, and crowded.
In summary: The food was great, the service was not. Three stars ONLY because the food was delicious and portions were fair.
Listen, Before I get berated for my one lonely star, understand that I grew up a couple blocks from this place. Â Bar Bill Wings are a staple in my diet. Â They always will be. Â I'm going to give an honest review of the place as a whole, and not be starstruck by the food.
The place DOES NOT take reservations, and they will allow anyone with a drink to sit by themselves at a table for 6 while you wait for hours to eat. Â This is truth, it's happened to me more times than I can count.
They do not accept credit cards. Â Why? Â I have no idea. Â It's ridiculous at this day in age. Â It's not charming, it's damn inconvenient to your customers.
The inside is cramped, dark, and loud.
The service is horrendous. Â You have to practically stand on your table and shout to get the attention of the server.
THAT BEING SAID...
The wings are amazing, and the beef on weck is absolutely to die for. Â My recommendation? Â Call in your order, and get it to go. Â Just make sure you bring cash.
Bar Bill's the kind of Buffalo sports bar into which light refuses to penetrate, even on the sunniest of days. It may not be the prettiest place to take a date or host a Sunday brunch, but inside this dark cubbyhole, you'll find friendly servers, excellent fries, and most importantly, wings that can easily contend for the best in Buffalo.
Whether you're ordering medium hot or honey-butter BBQ, the wing artists in back will carefully hand-paint your poultry for you with Bar Bill's housemade sauces, til they're gleaming, smoky, buttery, and messy as hell. Then, they'll carefully arrange your order (in increments of 10 wings) in a basket lined with checkered paper, served with the customary bleu cheese and a handful of celery sticks. Fries are extra, and if you're going with anything spicier than mild, beverages are necessary (beer is preferable). Â Service is understandably slow, but in the meantime, you can grab a bowl of free popcorn and watch the game.
If you're a Buffalocal, there's no excuse for not doing a day-trip to East Aurora that involves this Southtowns gem. And if you're from out of town, it's still worthwhile: here in this charming farming town, you'll meet the kind of salt-of-the-earth folks and eat the kind of fried-but-honest food that makes Western New York so special.
Listen. I grew up in Buffalo. Hot sauce was in my bottle as a baby. The 'hot' wings at Bar Bill are way too hot for you. Bring it back to medjum.
We had a 4 hour wait but the 7 pitchers made it go by drunker then I anticipated.
Bar Bill is great, just get there early if you're not in the mood to wait 3 hours for a table of 4. I guess there's a good reason why Bar Bill has been there for many years and will continue to be a destination easily accessible in East Aurora via the 400 for many years.
This review comes with caveats. At the risk of being stoned, I have a confession. My name is Meghan M., I live in WNY, and I don't like wings. There, I said it. Sorry to disappoint.
I confirmed my meh-ness for wings by eating "the best in Buffalo" at Bar Bill. They were good, but I'm just not a wing-er. We had the Cajun spice medium and Italian. Cajun spice were good and the medium heat was a noticeable but fleeting heat. The Italian were my preference, but they are total bar food since they seem to be simply drenched in bottled Italian dressing, sprinkled with Parmesan, and then deemed "Italian."
This was also the site of my first beef on Weck. I thought it was very good and very affordable (I'm not sure what Fox E. was talking about with the overpriced comments). The rolls were good, the meat was piled high and cut to order. I did have total food envy when I saw and smelled the sweet potato fries...whiffs of vanilla and syrup sweetness had me yearning. I can't wait to try them next time and see if my nose was right! Â
As for booze, I was hoping for a bigger beer selection, but they have 4-5 beers on tap (several cheapies and a few decents). If that ain't working then there are bottles and liquor too.
We arrived at 3pm on a Saturday, and this place was crowded. It was a fun stop in E.Aurora to grab a beer, food, and (drunk) people watch. Also, I was impressed by our service. It's no fancy bar, and we didn't have an official server, yet we were visited by every single staff member in the place. They seemed to have this unspoken communication between each other, and they all took turns checking on us. Plus, even though they were crowded, they made recommendations, chatted, and made us feel welcomed. Five star service!
And yes, it's CASH ONLY!
A little pricey so expect your "Bar Bill" to be higher than you thought it would be. Get it... Bill... get it... no.
Excellent wings (not typical Buffalo style, more peppery and cayenney but very good), and very good Beef on Weck too.
I absolutely love Bar Bill, which is why it hurts to give it a 4/5. The wings are something really special, and they're also unique. I have tasted wings like them before (in Washington, PA among other places), they're not too similar to what is commonly known in Buffalo as "Buffalo Wings", however they are very delicious, with some kind of cayenne pepper kick to them.
I think their Beef On Weck sandwich was good, I liked it but I can't really remember what it was like so it can't have been too earth-shattering. I would usually never mark a place down for price, but in a relatively poor area (Western New York) with an abundance of delicious wing options, Bar Bill doesn't help itself by charging so much for a single order of wings. So given that, for me, this place is borderline between 4 and 5, that's what keeps it down as a 4. However if you're going to try 5 different places in WNY for wings, I would recommend this be one of them.
Also, they serve food a little later than most local places do, which is a bonus. They're kind of in the middle of nowhere (unless you live in the Southtowns), but well worth the trip down there.
Dinner time this place is usually packed to the roof and the smell of wings can make waiting for a a little while almost unbearable. This time around we traveled out there for lunch. Much small crowd, heated outdoor patio and covered on three sides.
The homemade kummelweck rolls were perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of caraway seeds and kosher salt. The fresh ground horseradish can clear out any blocked sinuses, and the au jus was just that right amount of flavor without being too salty.
Lets talk about the roast beef! Nothing less than amazing. Aged beef is slow roasted to rare/medium rare perfection, sliced only when ordered. Then just melts in your mouth.
Their chicken wings are double baked for a nice crispy skin and then each one is brushed with the sauce as not to make them soggy.
Seats were a little bit uncomfortable but the smell of deliciousness more then made up for the slight discomfort.
Used to be a soda fountain. You know what makes for a great frappe? Chicken. Chicken or beef. So as the times they were a-changin', it was an obvious transition from jerk factory to wings and weck. Let's begin.
The space is a dark, dark hug lined with etched glass of the muggers' club, a digital juke, coat hooks and a sprinkling of flat screens for the Bills' resurgence. There's also a heated, plastic-wrapped patio for the 10 months a year nobody should sit outside.
It's only 6 or 7 tables, so be prepped for stool-squatting to kill time. Or just leave the kids at home at eat at the bar - there are just as many seats. Servers are family to all who walk through the door, and the front&back menu stresses two things you need to eat: wings and beef on weck.
Big and meaties come in a plethora of flavors, with the dry-rubbed Cajun earning surprise preference over buffalo style and teriyaki. Disclaimer: I ate with spice with wussies, so I'm only gauging off the mild. Crispy skin, juicy bird and a truckload of celery per plate. 10-10-10 will do you right.
And the beef on weck? If you've never had one, it's cow, salt and seeds. And here, it's a gigantic, hand-carved work of art. Au jus and a smear of horseradish available at every table sends this sandwich next level. Just don't look the rookie and spread the horse with the baby spoon. Cross-contamination is so 2007.
Ten minutes in this place, you'll be craving loganberry and calling soda, "pop." Go 'flo!
We were driving to te AGS Conference in Maine adn stopped here for dinner. We had planned this as we were looking, specifically for Beef on Wek. It was incredibly good.
We were there on a Sunday and it was crowded. Â was glad they were open, so a little crowd was fine. The wait was not bad, maybe 20 minutes ane we passed teh time with a beer. While waiting I did notice that the beef was hand sliced, more on that later.
I noticed that everyone else was having wings, EVERYONE I wasnt to empasize that point at least seemed to be eating wings. They must be good. I suspect eveything here is good. we starte out with this appitizer special, Banana Pepper Popper, which were  excellent and a creative dish, Corest me if I am wrong on this, they are banana peppers stuffed with maybe cheese and Italian sausage and breaded and lightly fried served with a good sauce, I regreted only getting one order, there were three of us.... if you are there and these are on the menu, indulge youself.
We all had Beef on Wek. We drove from Chicago to have this and we were not disappointed. he beef is tender and sliced incredibly thin. My friend said "Oh, they have a slicing machine/" and i paointed out the guy caring by hand and after getting up to see him commented "He is an artist." really, it was a joy to watch him hand assemble a perfect sandwhich. It was very meaty, and satisfying. The meat was perfectly done and I have to admit I slathered it with the great horseradish they have at the tables. But the are juicy and teh delicious rolls do not fall apart in the eating process. I don't like sandwhiches to fall apart... we all agreed, Best Roast Beef Sandwhich. We had them with onion rings which are also very good!
I think we will stop again on the wayto the 2012 conference, and I really can't wait.
I grew up in the Buffalo area during the 60's & 70's. The local dinner tradition back then was fish fry on Fridays (Catholic tradition but everybody did it regardless of faith) and beef on weck for Saturday dinner. The weather in Buffalo is rightously famous for being cold & humid, and as such the locals constantly have stuffed up sinuses. So a beef on weck sandwich with a good healthy layer of fresh ground horseradish was the perfect cure on a Saturday evening to to our sniffeling and runny noses so that the preacher on Sunday morning didn't have to compete with a congregation full of buck snortin' sinners.
Back during that era, the #1 hands down best place in Buffalo for a beef on weck sandwich was Bailo's restaurant at the corner of Bailey & Lovejoy. They were the standard to which all other restaurants and bars/gin mills/taverns throughout the area tried to emulate. Yes they were THAT good. It was a sad, sad day in Buffalo when Bailo's burned down.
Through the years many of the local haunts that served up the traditional beef on weck sandwich have gone by the wayside, and many of the places that do still have this local Buffalo delicacy on their menu have bent over and spread their cheeks to the corporate bean counters by using prepared beef roasts and kummelwecks made with baking powder instead of yeast in the dough.
On a recent vacation in B-Lo to visit relatives I found myself in the perfect position to seek out the perfect beef on weck sandwich that lives up to the standards set long ago by Bailo's. I had almost 2 weeks in town sans wife. This allowed me to stop where I pleased whenever I pleased to eat as I pleased. By the time I left Buffalo I had probably consummed 20 beef on weck sandwiches from 19 different venues.
The one and only establishment that served up a beef on weck sandwich worthy of bowing to and ordering a second sandwich was Bar Bill Tavern. This place has absolutely attained the position of exalted Grand Puba of Beef on Weck, and is the perfect replacement for those wanting a sandwich ala Bailo's. The yeast based homemade kummelweck rolls are perfectly seasoned with a generous amount of caraway (Kummel) seeds and kosher salt. The fresh ground horseradish can clear out an elephants trunk, and the au jus is wonderfully flavorful without being too salty. And the roast beef??? Nothing less than perfection. The properly aged beef is slow roasted to rare/medium rare perfection and only sliced as needed to fill an order. This beef just absolutely melts in your mouth.
Every resident and tourist to the B-Lo area should be required by law to eat at least one beef on weck sandwich from Bar Bill Tavern so that when they die they can say that they have tasted heaven on earth.
Bar Bill Tavern came recommended by my friend who puts hot sauce on everything. Â I was not disappointed. Â
We ordered the hot, but was told we should get half med-hot and hot...because they were hotter than the average hot. Â We did...and the group was not disappointed with either heat level. Â
I also ordered my first beef-on-weck...I was not disappointed - the sandwich was awesome.
Would have given 5 stars...but the wings could have used more sauce, there were too many flys in the outdoor seating...and they hesitated when we placed a to-go order...apparently if the kitchen is too busy you can not get takeout.
Debatable if Duffs or Bar Bill is better...I will have to make another trip to Buffalo soon to try them both again.
iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii absolutely love this place. Â It is our Moe's Tavern. Â But with better food and clean beer glasses.
It's so tiny... but it just adds to that original appeal and small-town charm that only places like East Aurora can offer. Â We were in town up from DC where we live to visit my mother who lives in East Aurora. Â These are hands down the best wings you will most likely ever have in your life.
Tasty. Â Tender. Â Meaty. Â And don't forget that little-bit-of-crisp they manage to cook in to the exterior. Â Oh how I love your wings, Bar Bill. Â Oh how I loathe the sad wimpy excuses for wings that DC has to offer.
And the beef on weck. Â My god, you are a tiny piece of heaven sent forth by God Himself. Â What's that you say? Â $3.75 for a "mini" weck that's larger than most 8-dollar sandwiches you can get elsewhere? Â AND they cut the meat right out on a special cutting board at the bar?! Â Yes. Â Delicious.
The bartenders and staff are always nice. Â There is usually an eclectic mix of older and younger patrons. Â If you're claustrophobic I don't recommend going. Â If you're in the Buffalo area, you NEED to give this place a try. Â You won't regret it.
Nothing makes the gloomy snowy land that is Western New York brighter than Bar Bill, your Friendly Neighborhood Hole-in-the-Wall.
I wish I could write a fuller review of the Bar Bill. Â But I can't. Â You see, I dipped my chicken tender in someone else's hot sauce, and I think it knocked me unconscious. Â There was a searing of tongue, and I saw a bright light, and the world just sort of faded away.
No really, I mean it. Â When I say that the hot sauce knocked this unsuspecting Boston gal on her ass, I'm not exaggerating much. Â Those Western New Yorkers aren't kidding about their sauce. Â It's a science in those parts.
Oh, here's a tip - make sure you have an actual beverage near you if you try this place's hot sauce. Â I only had whiskey nearby, which didn't help the inferno blazing in my mouth and throat.
My lunch (from what I could taste) was very good, and the rest of the group seemed mighty pleased with their orders. Â Service bordered on iffy though, and the place was stuffed with hungry people.
Overall, worth the trip.
East Aurora, New York is my hometown, yet I had never stepped into the Bar Bill until the day after Christmas, just a couple of weeks ago. Â As a wing nut, I had to try them, and I used this insanely busy day as an excuse to visit the Bar Bill. Â My mother, who has many memories of this place, took us there and sat us down for what I thought would be mediocre wings and some beef on weck. Â Boy was I wrong. Â These have got to be almost the best chicken wings I've ever had. Â Their medium-hot sauce is not for the timid and just full of flavor. Â The service was awesome despite the place being absolutely mobbed during the day, and I can't wait to go back again. Â If you love your wings (really, who doesn't?), and want some of the tastiest, best made ones ever, check out The Bar Bill.
The room isn't the biggest, and it is very informal, but I liked that part. Â Def. worth a trip to E. A.
If you think Buffalo is famous only for wings ...you're missing out on beef on weck. Â If you've never had beef on weck, you need to go here.
I think even trying to review a place that's been around for decades is a tad of a waste of time, given that it's clearly already stood the test of thousands of customers.... Â but I will say...
They changed ownership a few years ago and since then we've had a few experiences where they were just plain jerks. Â I've been here prior to the new ownership and post... The first time I went here was prior to the new ownership.. .the lady was sweet as could be. Â ohhh those were the days.
They don't accept reservations, but money talks... If you're a Fisher Price wheeler and dealer, apparently all you have to do is call them up and you can have half the restaurant sit empty while they wait for your tables to show up. Â We've been turned away because the tables were reserved for them at least once or twice now... and they were pretty rude in their attitude towards it from what I remember.
We also got a really sarcastic reply once when we tried getting dinner from them once and they were filled to capacity... the guy laughed at us when we asked if they did takeout.
My last visit here a few weeks ago we were the only ones there eating when we first went in... Â we ordered wings and weck and way too much food all around (their menu doesn't seem to indicate it, but you get chips with sandwiches... so if you order fries and onion rings in addition you're in for a lot of food!). Â the service was a bit slowwww, they probably could turn a lot more tables if they just had better service.
Beef on weck is pretty great here though. Â Â They have 3 sizes "mini" "small" and "large" ... small (or is that regular?) is the most normal size and more than enough... especially if you're wanting wings. Â if you're not really hungry and wanting wings, get small...
Wings are good too.
Cash only, they have an ATM. Â No reservations, no takeout.
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