Nietzsche's

Saw my friend play here. It definitely gets crowded. The old bartender lady stole my smuggled drink. They had a girl playing acoustic in the front, while the back was playing some other rock music. The clash of music was annoying. Had to pay a cover. I don't really see the need for that when the bands aren't getting any money and we're buying drinks. I did buy drinks before I had my smuggled one. Cash only.. that's annoying.

Almost anything and everything happens at Nietzsche's.  Do you want to listen to a talented band on a given night? Do you want to see the up and coming local comics performing stand up? Do you want to relax with a beer, chat with a friend while listening to an acoustic session? Craving a burlesque show? Well you're in luck, because on any given night, at least one of these events is occurring at Nietzsche's.

My cousin is in a local band (The Albright's) and they have played here many, many times over the years, which is what originally brought me in here.  At first I was a skeptic of the place.  There are no 'frills and thrills' when it comes to Nietzsche's.  It's the epitome of a grungy, dive, hipster bar located in prime Allentown.  For a newbie, the exterior deems an unapproachable vibe.  Had my cousin and other family members/friends not been inside on my initial trip (5 or so years ago), I would have probably ran in the opposite direction.  It may be a little dark, it may be a little scary, and you may have no clue what you're going to get inside, but do it - show your ID, pay a cover, and get inside! There is real, local, talent beyond that grungy door.

What keeps me coming back from time to time is my favorite event that happens at Nietzsche's:  Tuesday Night Comedy.  For a small fee ($5) you can see 10-15 different comedy acts on stage for about 5 minutes each.  Some are brand new and can use a little more experience, but some are good, REALLY good.  As in I go back to see them because they are so funny.  The headliner of the night is always a hit.  If you arrive early enough, you can grab a seat on the upper balcony area.  It's something different and something you rarely find throughout Buffalo.

On my latest trip this past Tuesday, I was able to catch 3 of the aforementioned entertainment acts.  It started with comedy at 8-8:30pm and then when that ended, Joe Donahue had an acoustic set up front near the bar.  I thought the entertainment was over, until the bartender made a last call and cleared the bar off.  Then before my eyes, half naked women were walking on top of the bar for a burlesque show (The Strip teasers).  Who knew you could catch this entertainment outside of a strip club? I left shortly after so I'm not sure if there was anymore entertainment after that.  Needless to say, there is something at Nietzsche's for everyone.

FYI:
-CASH ONLY
-Takes a little while to get a drink
-Bathrooms - ick!
-Remember to not go in with high expectations and you won't be disappointed.  This is not Vera folks; if you're here it is for the entertainment within those walls, forget everything else.

And lastly, my 4 stars are a reflection of what this place delivers entertainment wise - so don't jump down my throat for giving a place of this caliber 4 stars!!

Nietzsche's is a classic Buffalo bar, with great live music on two stages and a decent beer selection (cash only). The crowd is as eclectic as the decor in this turn-of-the-century building with decades of graffiti, band stickers, and found objects covering every inch of the walls and up across the entire 15-foot ceiling. There's live music almost every night, featuring a mix of local, regional, and national bands--mostly in the Americana/jam/world genres but punctuated with some good, solid rock, punk, and blues.