Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide

Alphabetical Listing of Restaurants: V

Valley Inn
Vargas
Varysburg Hotel
The View Restaurant
Viking Lobster Co.
Village Inn
Vince's Village Grille
Vineland Estates Restaurant
Vino Primo
Vino's Italian Restaurant

Key:

[—], , ,	Bill's rankings
[XXX]	recommendation from contributor whose initials are XXX
[a+]	on UB Amherst Campus (in the UB Commons)
[a]	near UB Amherst Campus (within 2 miles)
[m]	near UB Main St. Campus (within 2 miles)

(For more info on locations, see Geography)

All phone numbers are in area code 716, unless otherwise indicated.

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Valley Inn Barbecue Restaurant and Catering.
10651 Main Street, Clarence.
759-6232.

[AG, 5/03] says: "Stopped for dinner here because of the sign bragging about being voted No. 1 barbecue, and discovered the most wretched barbecue-type food offering I have ever encountered. The McRib at McDonalds puts this stuff to shame. I've eaten at One Eyed Jack's in Lockport, Kentucky Greg's Hickory Pit, Fat Bob's, and the Dinosaur in Rochester and Syracuse, not to mention numerous places in Texas, Georgia, and elsewhere. I know barbecue. This was barbecue malpractice. I paid $15 for two sandwiches to go: sliced barbecued beef and pulled pork. Here's what I got: plain sliced beef that had apparently simmered in water for some time, making it even less flavorful than standard roast beef, no smoke taste whatever, and doused with sticky barbecue sauce that had more sugar and molasses in it than usual. The pulled pork had been smoked, but was also soggy, apparently after soaking in water or other bland liquid, and it exuded so much liquid it soaked through the white bun and made a pool in the bottom of the to-go container. The meat also had soggy "skin" and strings of fat in it. The potato chips were crushed, or from the bottom of the bag; they were stale. The pickle spears were okay."

[EW, 1/04] says: "I ate at this junk food dive last week. A friend told me that she had been there and really enjoyed their pork. I could not disagree more. I totally agree with the previous review in stating that McDonald's would be better. At least at McDonald's prices you know what to expect! This place was terrible from the moment I walked in and heard one of the younger staff members yelling at a customer. I guess I should have left then, but instead I ordered a BBQ sandwich. It was greasy, soggy, and, worst of all, it left an aftertaste that could kill you in and of itself. I found the service to be terrible as well...I waited over 15 minutes for a refill of soda. It was not exceptionally busy, either. I guess most others have figured out that this place should not be patronized. Don't waste your time, energy, or money!"

[CF, 6/05] says: "Rating: Negative. It's been about a year and a half since the Valley Inn was reviewed here, and, despite their claims of three stars from Janice Okun and being voted the #1 BBQ restaurant in WNY, I found the two previous reviews to be right on the mark. We received an advertisement from the Valley Inn offering a 2nd dinner free with the purchase of one meal, and when we saw that "Kids Eat FREE ALL DAY, Every Day!" (with adult meal) we thought "why not try it? If it's not that great, at least it won't cost us too much!" We couldn't have been more disappointed. I had the pulled pork, and my wife had the BBQ ribs. Based on how quickly the platters came out of the kitchen, there's no way they were fresh. The pulled pork was soggy, and both dinners were lacking in flavor. The garlic mashed potatoes were similarly poor. The waitress forgot to serve our salads, indicative of the generally poor service. Even with the free meal coupon (and the non-free kid's meal), the bill was $25--that's with no drinks, appetizers, or desserts, and before tip. If you're looking for BBQ (and can't make it to Georgia), there's no reason to head for Clarence, and if you live in Clarence, I'd make a trip downtown to Fat Bob's".

[RMcD, 2/06] says: "After driving past the Valley Inn many times and noting the 3 1/2 stars given to the restaurant by Janice Okun [Editor [Bill]'s comment: Ah, but you should have first checked the earlier reviews in my restaurant guide :-)], my companion and I decided to give it a try. We were sent to a corner booth, and our waitress responded quickly to our arrival. After perusing the wine list, we both decided on a glass of Pinot Noir, and placed our orders when she returned with our drinks. My companion chose the ribs and chicken combo that the Valley Inn is purported to be so famous for, and I selected the New York strip steak with bleu cheese. Both of us ordered garlic mashed potatoes and salad. My companion ordered the lobster bisque, which the waitress forgot to serve. Then the "fun" began. I am not claiming to be a wine connoisseur; however, I am familiar enough with wine to know Pinot Noir when I taste it, and what we were served was not a Pinot. In fact, if I were to venture a guess, I would say it was probably the Lambrusco, which sold for a dollar a glass less. I questioned our waitress, and she assured me that it was indeed the Pinot. I think not. The waitress brought our dinners in what seemed to be record time after we finished our salads (they were mediocre). My steak and the bleu cheese melted over it was blah—I am being kind—and half of my potatoes were cold. In addition, we both agreed that they had no particular flavor, certainly not garlic. At this point, I thought that perhaps I had simply chosen the wrong item; after all, they are noted for their ribs, so I questioned my companion about her dinner. Her reply—the meat was dry, flavorless, and the sauce was poured over the meat and obviously not cooked along with the meat as it should be, and, as I said, her potatoes were unimpressive also. The waitress was prompt in asking if we wanted dessert and bringing our check. We declined!!! Our recommendation—keep driving."

[NS, 11/06] says: "This was the worst lunch I've ever had. I went with a business college, only to find us both returning our BBQ chicken sandwiches. The chicken was hard rubber, and we couldn't even bite into our sandwiches—with some sort of freezer-type burn. After returning the chicken sandwiches, we were then both served the second set of poor lunches. My roast beef sandwhich was green throughout—I pointed this out to the waiter, who was embarrassed, but yet admitted that he, too, saw all green/aquamarine coloring. My colleague sent back the pulled pork—describing it as a "peculiar" taste of either freezer burn—or who knows what. What a waste of time. How can this operate as a restaurant? Not the cleanest of places. Hey, if you want to have a bar and only a bar, then don't bother serving food that nobody seems to care what they throw on the customer's table."

On the other hand, [JBo, 2/07] says: "I ate here the other day with my family and cannot believe the reviews on your site. I had the fish fry (beer battered); it was cooked perfectly, came with slaw, mac salad, and choice of potato. My husband had ribs; he said they fell off the bone and were delicious, and he enjoyed his garlic mashed potatoes. My children both had the pulled pork platters (the house favorite) and ate everything. We shared an apple cobbler and peanut butter pie for dessert; great finish to our meal. The server, a young man, was excellent and very attentive. Sorry to hear you had such bad experiences, but I feel you should try them again. We had a wonderful time and will be sure to return."

Vargas
272 Hudson St. (West Side), Buffalo. 881-6296.

[MEL, 5/99] said of its former location on Connecticut St.: "A simple Puerto Rican storefront sandwich shop that happens to be very good. Known for its pork sandwiches, though it also has octopus and chicken and beef."

[AG, 11/06] says: "The venerable Vargas has relocated from his former Connecticut Street storefront to a place lower on the West Side. The reason to go here is still the pernil roast pork sandwiches, plus various fried Puerto Rican snack offerings. The pernil sandwich ($5), anointed with mojo from one of the motley collection of bottles on this storefront's tables, is a beautiful thing. Not the greatest neighborhood; don't go after dark if corner boys make you nervous. Tables but no table service. Bring cash."

Varysburg Hotel.
2486 Route 20a (about 1/2-way between East Aurora and Warsaw, south of Attica), Varysburg.
585-535-7692.

[DwH, 2/07] says: "Travelling to Buffalo almost weekly since February and wanted to pass along some impressions: Best fish fry on the planet. The go-withs are so-so, but the fish is magnificent: perfect and perfectly browned crust, tender, moist, flaky fish. Totally brilliant and the folks are great."

Victoria Park Restaurant.
Niagara Parkway (opposite the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls), Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.
877-642-7275 (toll free), 905-371-0254

[MER], our son, and I ate here for the first time [8/00] and were very pleasantly surprised. I had always thought that this was merely a tourist trap provided by the Canadian government. Well, maybe, but our meal was wonderful, and the setting (overlooking the Falls, at sunset) was superb. We were there when they had numerous specials with peaches, since they were in season, but the regular menu looked great, too. We began with a nice salad with peaches and a tomato vinaigrette. I had a seafood-stuffed trout in a Riesling-and-peach-scented cream sauce, accompanied by string beans, cauliflower, and roasted potatoes. [MER] had a chicken supreme with cranberry-rice stuffing. We will definitely go back.

The View Restaurant.
4041 Locust Lane (at Eastdell Estates winery), Beamsville, ON, CANADA.
905-563-9463.

[WHN, 8/06] says: "Returning from Toronto, we had lunch at what used to be the Bench Bistro, but is now called The View. We had been there two or three years ago, before the name change. The restaurant overlooks their vineyards, with Lake Ontario in the distance. At lunchtime, the menu consists mostly of sandwiches, with a few entrees like steak, pasta, and a fish of the day. I had a sandwich of beef tenderloin tips on sourdough bread, with caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, and a creamy sauce. My wife had curried chicken with spinach, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella in a pita, with mango chutney on the side. Both were delicious. It's relatively inexpensive compared to other winery restaurants in the Niagara region. With two glasses of wine and coffee, the total including tax and gratuity was just under C$60, including tax and tip."

Viking Lobster Co..
366 Tonawanda St. (in the Black Rock area, on the West Side, near Austin St.), Buffalo.
873-1079.

[CJ, 1/06] says: "The food was unbelievable!!!! I had the steak, and my friend had lobster. Wow!!!!! It was out of this world. The owner, Jeff, was great. In fact, after talking with him, he took us back to see the holding tanks. It looked like 4 swimming pools! I will definitely be back to see him again!!! Great job, Jeff!!!!!!!!!"

[MZ, 5/06] says: "The Viking restaurant has nothing to do with its website. It serves basically nothing: the day I was there, a fish fry, which, however, was better than most, but I came there wanting the plethora of choices on their lying website menu. The place doesn't have a liquor license and isn't worth dragging yourself to a neighborhood (Black Rock) that died 75 years ago. I come to Buffalo maybe 4 times a year to take my mother out to a good meal. Thanks a lot for nothing. (the only saving grace for her was that she grew up in this neighborhood, so she loved seeing her past, driving her around.) The review you have for this dump needs to be deleted. It's an out and out lie."

In response to [MZ]'s review above, the owner informs me by email that "our web site is inaccurate as to all the items indicated and the prices but is being corrected. The items missing are fresh shell fish which recently due to harvesting conditions we didn't feel comfortable offering. As to pricing the site didn't reflect adjustments due to fuel surcharges or the inflated prices which are now being passed on to us from the producers." And he suggests visiting the following websites for further information: Buffalo Rising and Buffalo Bar Fly. My [Bill's] only question is this: If the website is inaccurate, why not shut it down until an accurate one can be posted?

Village Inn.
Ridge Road (Rt. 104, at the junction with Rt. 98), Childs.
589-9151.

[MER] and I stopped here for lunch [7/01] on our way back from the wonderful Ridge Road Station toy/train/Christmas store in Holley. We were pleasantly surprised. The food is plain American (seafood, steaks, chicken, lamb, etc.), but the menu is quite large. I had sole almondine, which was surprisingly good, accompanied by rice pilaf; [MER] had veal parmesan, which she thought was as good as that at Carmine's. For dessert, I had a blueberry pie. (They also feature "Eli's Kosher[!] Cheese Cake", imported from Chicago.)

Vince's Village Grille.
3189 Delaware Ave. (at E. Girard, across from Paddock Chevrolet), Kenmore.
876-4687.

[ABi, 5/06] says: "Texas hots are like operas: You already know whether or not you like them, and the quality of the offering won't change that. So, my review of the Village Grille is necessarily aimed not at those too dainty and/or sophisticated for them but rather only at aficionados of the food that competes with kummelweck sandwiches and the charred version of hot dogs for our second-most famous contribution to the culinary universe. Vince and his workers do a splendid job of cooking dogs sans charcoal, and the hearty souls who enjoy this type of cuisine, the ones with stomachs the dimensions and strength of footballs and battleship steel, respectively, will enjoy their Texas hots. The sauce is rich, thick, and beefy, with hot dogs that are just tender enough laid in soft, chewy rolls. The only way they could be improved would be if they were a tad spicier, as I find myself salting them more than I typically would, but it's a relatively small quibble that doesn't keep me from eating these in quantity. The Grille also features a decent-sized, diner-type menu including sandwiches, wings, Greek-style offerings, and the like, and the neon sign in the window advertises "breakfast anytime", which means you can have the most important meal of the day all day. The Village Grille is a fine choice not only for those in the Ken-Ton area who have been jonesing for Texas hots ever since Louie's headed south to North Buffalo but also for anyone craving a dose of delicious sloppiness in a bun."

Vineland Estates Restaurant.
3620 Moyer Rd. (off exit 57 on the QEW), Vineland, ON, CANADA.
1-888-846-3526.

[WHN, 11/05] says: "In our opinion, this is one of the best restaurants on the Niagara Peninsula. We've eaten lunch here at least once a year for several years, usually on the deck in summer, when the view of the vineyards and Lake Ontario is wonderful, but the food is just as good in fall and winter, the view is the same from the now-enclosed deck, albeit not as colorful, and the crowds are smaller. In addition to their à la carte menu, there's a three-course fixed price lunch for C$35, which, on our visit, included pumpkin bisque to start, a main course choice of mushroom fettuccine or venison, and apple strudel for dessert. My wife ordered the fettuccine, and I had the venison, and we shared some of each. Everything is made with seasonal Niagara Region and Canadian produce, meats, seafood, with wines from their own vineyard and other local ones. All the food was excellent, as was the service. (Except for the waiter "pushing" a C$70 bottle of Vineland Reserve Chardonnay.) For dinner, which we have not yet tried, they offer a C$70 five-course dinner (C$100 with wine pairings), as well as many à la carte choices."

Vino Primo.
67 St. Paul St., St. Catharine's, ON, CANADA.
905-688-4479.

[2/06] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

Vino's Italian Restaurant.
1652 Elmwood Ave. (between Amherst St. & Great Arrow Ave.), Buffalo.
332-2166.

[LFo, 4/08] says: "I've wanted to go to Vino's for a while and finally got to go there with three other people last weekend. It's a small restaurant with white tablecloths, although you can dress casual. Reservations are recommended, but we got there right when they opened at 5:00 and had no problem getting a table. Everything on their menu is reasonably priced, and everbody liked their meal. I had ziti with their homemade red sauce, and two of the other people I was with had their homemade ravioli. The fourth person had their special—a filet mignon and a pasta salad that he really enjoyed. He also got a side of spaghetti. The lady behind the bar was one of the owners, and her husband is the chef. She was very friendly and answered a few questions that we had. She made us feel like we were at home. She makes the desserts herself, so of course we had to try a couple of her cakes, which were sitting right on the bar. We tried the rum cake and a banana walnut cake. Both were delicious, and you could tell they were homemade. All four of us would go back there again. It is a welcoming, clean atmosphere, and the owners make you feel as if you are part of their family. The food was fresh and homemade, and the service was perfect. I highly recommend this place to anyone."

[] Vullo's Restaurant and Veal House.
2953 E. Lake Rd. (Rt. 430), Jamestown (actually, Greenhurst).
487-9568.

[Bill, 12/05] says: Having just bought a vacation home in Greenhurst (2 miles outside of Jamestown on Lake Chautauqua), [MER] and I have been trying the local restaurants. This one, around the corner from our house, was a wonderfully pleasant surprise. It's not a world-class gourmet restaurant like Jamestown's MacDuff's or Forte, but it is an excellent, homey place with one of the largest menus I've seen anywhere, and with terrific, friendly service. I began with a delicious, clearly homemade, chicken-rice soup that was chock full of both chicken and rice; [MER] had a French onion soup that she declared the best she had had in a long time. I had Veal Anna: scallops of veal with snow peas in a lemon wine sauce, accompanied (for $1 extra, in lieu of potatoes) by a sweet acorn squash. [MER] had chicken with vegetables: a sauteed chicken breast with a side of--instead of veggies, [MER] requested and got a huge amount of--artichokes. We both had the house salad: iceberg lettuce, but spruced up a bit with peas, carrots, corn, and tomatoes; I had a lemon mustard dressing. Desserts are homemade: [MER] had a strawberry trifle with Grand Marnier; I had a panettone eggnog bread pudding; we loved both of them. Kids eat free on Wednesdays (or, at least, they did on the Wednesday we were there, with my 10-year-old son and his friend, both of whom ordered from the kids' menu: my son had chicken fingers; his friend had a dozen mini-tacos). They also cater. We'll definitely be back. [2/06] And indeed we have. [MER] has been back several times and has always had a good meal. I [Bill] was back most recently in [2/06]. This time, I began with the Mediterranean seafood soup, essentially a slightly spicy Manhattan clam chowder, but tasty nonetheless. For the main course, I had a huge haddock Bismarck--a baked haddock filet with shrimp, loads of artichoke hearts and mushrooms, in a Bearnaise sauce; delicious. Dessert? Again the strawberry shortcake trifle (how could I resist?). Companions that evening had the roast beef, the veal Oscar, and the veal marsala; all agreed that the food was excellent. [MER] and I ate here several times while on vacation [4/06]; all meals were excellent. I've had their cream of mushroom soup: creamy and not too thick, with huge mushrooms; marinated artichoke hearts as an appetizer (a bit too vinegary for my tastes, but that's a matter of taste); baked haddock in a lemon pepper sauce (a bit bland, but what did I expect?), with excellent asparagus on the side, and, for dessert, raspberry "Shubert": raspberry sherbet in Godiva white chocolate liqueur, with sticks of white chocolate poking out of it—wonderful! Another time I had their "15 shrimp Caribbean" in spices and vegetable oil: very spicy (at least to my taste, but I've long ago learned that one person's spicy is another's bland), but excellent, and with lots of veggies: carrots, white string beans, broccoli, mushrooms, and onions. Another excellent dessert is spumoni over Godiva chocolate liqueur. Yet another time, I had their veal Chautauqua: veal scallops pan sauteed in lemon wine sauce, with artichokes, broccoli, and crabmeat—also excellent. Most recently [7/06], I had their homemade ravioli with seafood stuffing in a very light Alfredo sauce; it was exquisite. Returned [5/07] and had a new menu item, shrimp tortellini Audrina: shrimp and multi-colored tortellini in garlic and olive oil, with tomatoes, broccoli, and mushrooms—exquisite.