Buffalo Restaurant & Bar
1617 Miner St, Idaho Springs, CO, 80452
Buffalo Restaurant & Bar Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Idaho Springs for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Idaho Springs for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Idaho Springs for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1617 Miner St
Idaho Springs, CO, 80452 - Phone
- Website https://www.buffalorestaurant.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Rita S.
We have gone here twice in the last few months. We decided it is definatly our go to place when coming down the mountain rather than BeauJo's down the street. It's cleaner is my number one thing, and we did not have to wait for a table either time. The food was great. Both times we had guests and there was a variety of food chosen. It was all good. Service was great too. Our guests were all from different countries both times and the wait people were patient, kind, and friendly. Thanks to the skylights it has a nice sunny atmosphere. Looking forward to our next visit. Maybe next time I can fit one of those mini Boston Cream Pies in.
(4)Johnny C.
The giant burger was not giant. It also was microwaved. Not worth the price at all.
(1)Scott M.
Firstly- OVER PRICED! $9.50 for a cup of bleh french onion soup? Second- Service was terrible. They clearly could care less. Third- Food was gross. Burger was dry and over cooked. Onion rings were soggy and greasy (how does one accomplish this?). Fries were mushy and gross. Mushrooms had no taste and it wasnt quite clear if they were cooked or old. Salad was straight out of some cafeteria nightmare. Makes me sad that such a cute venue has such TERRIBLE food. They should spend more time and money on their food than all that cheap touristy souvenirs plastered all over. UGh........ will NOT return.
(1)Steve D.
They are still closed for remodeling. Appears they began remodeling 5 months ago. Missed Memorial Day-maybe ready for the 4th??
(3)Nolan M.
The food here was exquisite! They have a very selective menu with many different kinds of foods. I would recommend this restaurant to every one who comes by Idaho Springs. The service was fantastic!
(4)Roy H.
Not a bad place at all..but nothing super standout. I feel that Idaho Springs may be falling the way of the tourist trap and losing its quality. First off..the buffalo melt is really good!! But its not a prominent as a menu item as the burgers and some other things. My friends got burgers and found them to be overcooked (for medium rare) and a bit dry. Also pretty small for the price. Drink prices arent bad but would expect them to be cheaper for a mountain town... The service was pretty good. Got drinks quick and didnt wait long for food. The space has your typical mountain town saloon feel. I dont know..just for some reason I just didnt feel it..even though my sandwich was pretty good. I might go back in the future after trying some other spots I havent been to first.
(3)Russ D.
Just a brief 30 miles from Denver, in the historic mining town of Idaho Springs, housed in more-than-a century old buildings, is the Buffalo Restaurant & Bar. Their menu includes a myriad-plethora of buffalo-based foodie stuffs. They have buffalo burgers, buffalo pizza pies, buffalo Mexican food, buffalo sammiches, buffalo stew, buffalo ribs, buffalo steaks and even buffalo meatloaf. The décor is a uniquely Western atmosphere, with many antique signs adorning the walls. There is also an original 1865 New York Herald newspaper telling of President Lincoln's assassination! I am fond of buffalo meat. The buffalo Ruben is a particular favorite of mine. It's the tastiest, most delicious Ruben sandwich I have ever had. They also have a traditional beef if you do not like buffalo. If you would like to experiment with different dishes that use buffalo instead of beef in their food, head to the Buffalo Restaurant & Bar. You'll be glad you did.
(4)Rex R.
Forgettable food, poor service, and It's a bad sign when the best thing about a place is the tacky crap on the walls.
(1)Brett C.
A little history: Back in the 90's this was a banging place to go after hiking or hitting the ski slopes. The atmosphere was electric and the food was amazing! The waitstaff was young boarders and skiers trying to make some cash to do what they loved! If it was after 5pm or any Friday, Saturday or Sunday you would expect to stand there drinking beer for at least 45 minutes to get a seat at a table. Up to about the year 2000 it would have easily ranked over 5 stars. Since then almost the entire town of Idaho Springs has went into the tourist trap toilet...... Fast forward to yesterday, November 26th 2011. This is probably the second time I've eaten here in the last twelve years. It was 2o'clock in the afternoon and there were only a few tourist there and a couple of locals sitting at the bar. Dead..... Chicken Nachos $9.99. The guacamole was gray. 1 star Onion Rings $9.50. Was less than a handfull. 1 star for portion size, 2 star for quality 1/2lb Buffalo Burger $13.99 + $1.50 for the kitchen to cut it in half. 1 star I spent $37.43 for a $10.00 meal, served to me by a local. If that was a half pound burger then I have a 11" dick. Buffalo, along with BeauJo's is a perfect example of what bad management and greed will do to a town and its restaurants. My advice.... Skip Idaho Springs all together and eat where ever your skiing at or wait till you get back to Denver. If you do have the desire to stop; go in, sit at the bar, order 1 beer, and read the history of the bar table on the back of the menue, THEN LEAVE!
(1)Amy A.
We stopped at the Buffalo Restaurant only because every other restaurant in town had a 30 minute wait. I was not expecting much when the hostess said there was no wait. I was less than impressed. The food was barely average. I order a fried fish sandwich and the fish was about half the size of the bun. The fries not good, must tiny burnt pieces with no flavor. I actually left hungry because the sandwich was so small and the fries were barely edible. I would recommend skipping this restaurant if you are Idaho Springs!
(2)Travis R.
Stopped with the family on the way back to Denver. Hand cut fries, homemade chips, bison burgers all delicious. The kids loved the full size buffalo and all the old signs. Definitely a great place to stop.
(5)Trimta B.
After another visit I do not believe that I will be going back anytime soon or giving a personal recommendation... I could tell you all about it but suffice it to say that it is over priced and underwhelming.
(2)Mike D.
Stopped in for lunch. Sat there for 50 minutes with one glass of water as they apparently dropped our food and would have it ready in 10 minutes. 20 minutes later I walked out. Not so much as an a apology or concern. Will not be visiting again.
(1)Denise G.
Growing up in Tucson, you didn't get buffalo as an option very often. In Colorado, buffalo is everywhere. And I love it! We stopped in to The Buffalo Restaurant in Idaho Springs, on our way up to Breckenridge for the weekend. I wanted to try something different than the typical buffalo burger, so I went with the buffalo reuben. It was mouth watering delicious. I love reubens and this was a great treat for me. The thousand island dressing was served on the side, making it perfect for dipping. The meat was tender and very flavorful. I would put it in my top 3 favorite reubens of all time. Brian went with a buffalo burger with bbq sauce on it, cheese and a side of fries. The burger was very tasty and very tender. Both were amazing sandwiches. This cute joint is a must try if you are in the Idaho Springs area!
(5)Lori H.
Great spot for a burger. I don't eat buffalo, but most of the other 12 people in our party did. We had just ridden down from Mt. Evans in the rain and needed a place for lunch and to dry off. Since we were a large group, our wait was a big longer then we wished since the staff made an effort to get us seated all together. From there, we got our waters and the staff took our order. Food came out quickly considering it was quite busy at the time. I had the beef burger which just as good as I remembered from 2 years ago. My hubby had the buffalo burger. We both got a salad on the side. One member of our group got the onion ring appetizer and I swear, they were as big as my head! And good too... not heavily breaded and not too greasy. The staff was nice and pleasant. Our server does need to update her skills. When she brought water she didn't walk around the table to hand out each glass, instead she set her tray down and handed it out, sometimes reaching right in front of someone's face which I found quite rude. Other then that, pretty darn good!
(4)Shaun S.
This is an average overpriced tourist trap with microwaved food. I was going to give it 2 Stars until I accidentally stumbled upon the PEEP SHOW MACHINE outside of the bathrooms. For a dime, you can watch an old fashioned peep show. That is worthy of an extra star. If you see a young boy, give him a dime!!!
(3)Food Brain Y.
I should've said, "no" once our friend suggested going here, then added that the food was "decent." In my brain, I thought, he eats out here a lot, if this is decent and he is recommending it, it's probably the best here. So very sad. I read the reviews of this place and it seems to get good reviews only by visitors. So, if you live here, it's probably safe to say you won't like it either. Plus someone gave it a good rating for the beer (I mean, you do realize they didn't make that?). Bottom line, nothing my husband and I ate had any seasoning. NONE, not even salt (which is a seasoning, I am aware). The huge piece of baked chicken, smothered in green chili, was boring, and the plating was sloppy. It came with lots of tasteless rice, and the black beans...well lets just say VERY unappealing. The salad I got came in one of those ugly round bowls that they used to use in the 70's. I don't understand why. Are plates really that expensive, that you can't EVER upgrade them? The waitress was busy, but attentive as much as she could be. I wouldn't go there again. The prices were high for the quality. Someone needs to inspire the chef, a good dose of, "make better food or else" may help. LOL *sigh
(2)Laura C.
Good nachos. Beef burgers had really thin patties. They asked how you like your burger cooked when you ordered, but they all came out like McDonald patties - thin and overcooked. Fries were served cold and stale. Not a repeat
(2)Jennifer R.
Stopped here with my parents visiting from San Diego and it was recommended. I had the buffalo meatloaf sandwich. Very good! Perfect texture great bread. Just all around very good sandwich. Dad had the petite buffalo burger. He said it was the perfect size for lunch. Very simple burger, tomato, onion, lettuce (comes on side so you can decide if you want it on) also has cheese. Excellent taste. Mom had the buffalo chili. It was very good. I chose the homemade fries. They were very good, could use a little seasoning, but once I salted them they were fine. Dad had the homemade chips. They needed lots more seasoning and were a bit dried. However, I appreciate the homemade quality. If you are in the area and looking for a great restaurant that is unique, I would recommend them!
(4)Nicole A.
We stopped here after our hot springs reservation. We were hungry for a quick lunch and that's what we got. Yes the prices are a bit high however the meat and the amount for what you get is good. The burgers were sooo tasty that I believe if we were there again we would definitely stop by. It has a good family feel yet it still has a bar. It's a great place to stop by for a country atmosphere and our waiter was very courteous of our time since we had to hurry to catch our flight. Soo yummi! Wish we woulda took a couple burgers home :) Experienced Around: 11/13/2011
(4)Henry H.
This used to be an awesome burger with great hand cut fries! The atmosphere is great fun. A place you could enjoy with your wife or with the whole family. Today the buffalo burgers were ordered medium and medium rare. They came well done and almost too done. The French fries were just ok. The waitress did just enough to be mediocre. No one said thanks for coming like they use too. We have eaten here for years since its just out of Denver on the way to Vail. We might try it one more time because it used to be so good. Another day like today and we will start looking for a replacement! Alas, so sad when a place cheapens their delivery and service chasing the almighty dollar! Maybe they had a bad day! We'll see!
(2)Meredith G.
After a 4 hour hike I want a lot of food and fast. I was not disappointed with my large buffalo burger. The fries could've been a little hotter, but I was to hungry to ask them to be re-fried. I also got a marg, which was not the best I've ever had. It was made with mix, so it was overly sugary. Friendly staff here too.
(3)Seth F.
This was another place in the Idaho Springs town I mentioned in my Buffalo Restaurant & Bar review. The short of it is: if you find yourself driving from Denver to a ski resort and there's traffic, do yourself a favor and take one of the Idaho Springs exits and head here or Buffalo Bar and Grill. That's what we did and when we got back on the road, it was free and clear. However Beau Jo's Pizza is where we stopped on the way back from the mountains, to meet a friend of my girlfriend who lived there. He took us to Beau Jo's and at first I was skeptical. I am lactose intolerant and the last thing I want before boarding a flight is to eat something that'll f with my stomach. But Beau Jo's offers a wide array of options, tons of which will satisfy a number of specialty diets. Apparently the owner is gluten free, so there's options for that, but also dairy free cheese. The claim to fame is the Western pie, which apparently the locals eschew in a similar fashion to deep dish in Chicago, but I thought its thick crust was amazing. They give you some honey to dip it in, which was an excellent way to top off the meal.
(4)Rick S.
Good - not great and expensive for what it is. I think the 3 stars is a good reflection of what to expect.
(3)M P.
I bought a groupon and hadn't used in over a year, since every time I suggested this place everyone in our party (or my wife) nixed it based on the outside appearance. Once we actually tried it and walked through the door we realized we had made a mistake. Food and service was good and fast-we will be back
(4)Daniel J.
Fun environment. I really liked the pork green chili, and Bloody Mary. My fiancé and I both ordered the bison burger. She ordered hers medium well, I ordered medium rare and they both came out the exact same. Mine did not have any pink; I felt it was over cooked. Overall I thought it was over priced. I will try something else next time we are driving through town.
(3)Angela H.
We were visiting Denver and my son wanted to have buffalo. On our way down from Mt. Evans we saw this restaurant. It was awesome. The food was really good. We of course got buffalo burgers and buffalo Reuben's. Definitely recommend both. The service was amazing. The were such nice people. We loved the atmosphere. It reminded us of an old saloon. Try this restaurant if you are in the area. You will truly feel like you stepped back into Wild West.
(5)Nancy D.
My family and I stopped in the Buffalo on our way back to Denver after a mountain drive. My husband suggested it because he had eaten there before when he and his work crews did some work on I-70. We couldn't be more disappointed. First of all, we were seated in a secondary room although there were plenty of tables in the main room where the college bowl games were being shown. Our server was friendly and attentive but the food was way over-priced and of mediocre quality at best. My son ordered a ribeye ($38!) which was fatty, definitely not top quality. His hand-cut fries were thin and limp. My daughter's pizza was good but $22 for a 12" pie is outrageous. My husband had a small buffalo burger with a small chili, and I had a small chili and side salad. The salads were extremely small. We all drank sodas and our bill was more than $100 for a lunch for four! For $100, the drinks are in plastic cups; the food in plastic baskets. The decor is old and dusty, the windows were dirty, and the taxidermied buffalo is falling apart and in disrepair. We will not be back.
(1)Marin B.
Very pleased with the service. Our waitress was personable and attentive. Ordered the petit buffalo burger (5 oz) and was very satisfied with it. Fries were average which isn't a bad thing. Restaurant was not crowded on a Saturday at 3pm, where several of the others in town had wait times.
(5)Tim D.
Went in thinking this would be a nice historic building and a friendly staff, I was wrong. Upon arriving we waited 10 minutes to be acknowledged " I made reservations". We finally got sat in the back, ordered a drink then carried on a twenty minute conversation with my girlfriend and the drinks never came. Decided to call tommy knockers to see what their wait was.in 5 minutes we had drinks and appetizers in front of us at a fraction of the cost. Save your time and money. Walk up the street to tommy knockers, worst case scenerio at least they clean daily.
(1)Matthew S.
We happened to stop in because BeaoJo's (the more well-known and touristy place to eat in Idaho Springs) is almost always packed with a waiting time. We walked right in to Buffalo and were seated, had pleasant service that went the "extra mile", had amazing stuffed mushrooms and buffalo burgers and homemade fries that were delicious. Not to mention Colorado craft beers including Tommyknocker from down the street. I will be a repeat customer - I look forward to stopping by Buffalo again any time I'm in Idaho Springs.
(5)Melissa K.
Stopped in for a quick pint after cooking in the nearby Indian Hot Springs. Most things were closed (at 10:30pm) on this little strip in Idaho Springs, but they were still serving drinks. I tried the Tommyknocker's Pick Axe Pale Ale, and was wonderfully satisfied. There was a line up at the bar catching a baseball game. It was funny to see those flat screen TV's tucked into such a historic building.
(4)Taiwan M.
Stay Away from this place. I ordered a burger and fries. The natural beef burger was very good, but the fresh fries were old, cold, and just plain bad. The fish and chips , like the fries, was not at all flavorful. This place was a high priced letdown. I have had better meals everywhere I have eaten. If you think this place is worthy of more than 2 stars, try having a happy meal, it will blow your mind.
(1)Andrea P.
Now this place isn't awesome, but it wasn't terrible, I think ok is the perfect way to describe it. We got there right after opening and no one greeted us for awhile and then service continued to be slow after that. Food was pretty decent but not worth the price tag I thought, but I hear the pizza was very good.
(3)Allison H.
The decor in this place was fun and so was the food. I ordered the Miners French Onion Soup and had no room for anything else -- well, that's not true. I managed to chow down on the Boston Creme Pie too. Both were delicious, so I will definitely be back for something a bit more substantial next time.
(4)Linda V.
Overpriced burgers, rude and sloppy waitress, establishment not very clean, we won't go back. For a family of 7, and none of us had anything more that a burger, fries and soda....$135 of course they told us when they dropped the check that they had included the gratuity... thought that was for 8 or more... I certainly wouldn't have tipped $21 had it been my choice, I have NEVER had a server argue when the order was incorrect. I have been an event planner for years and was left speechless over and over again.... I certainly won't recommend to any of my clients either.
(1)Scott L.
Sadly I didn't read the reviews until I'd been sat on my table. But I was visiting, driving from Denver to Breckenridge and a guy at the airport had recommended this place and it sounded better than stopping at a drive thru for lunch. To be honest this Buffalo isn't dreadful, it's just what is: a touristy restuarant decorated in kitsch. I stopped in on a Saturday afternoon, was seated quickly, and my service was everything you'd want: friendly, prompt, and attentive. Yes, the interior is hung with a lot of old stuff but very little of it seems particular unique to Colorado or the area and could have been ordered from any period decor specialty shop. My order of a 1/2 lb buffalo burger arrived hot. The home made potato chips were really good but I was disappointed in the burger. I've had buffalo meals before and I've paid such prices for burgers before so I really wanted something with more spice or flavor than feeling a frozen buffalo burger patty had been thawed, cooked on flat fryer and placed on a plain bun. Because that's what I recieved.
(2)B H.
Not bad. I was disappointed in the buffalo. It was a little overcooked and dried out. Neat building and atmosphere.
(3)Tina M.
Service is a bit slow tables are sticky. Decor is neat, a bit of history a bit modern. Onion rings are huge and very good! We ordered a small plate of them it was still a lot. Cooked very well. Husband got the burger, it was okay tasted frozen though. I got the buffalo Philly, got to say pretty decent. Over all I'd say 7 out of 10. However the steaks are very pricy, considering the buffalo farm is up the street.
(3)M W.
Pathetic and overly priced food in a gritty setting. The BBQ buffalo was shoe leather quality; the "green" salad was all white romaine lettuce spines (I counted only three pencil eraser sized wilted bits of green); "onion rings" comprised three scrawny and greasy rings. A neighboring table was sword-playing with wilted romaine lettuce leaves that were used to "dress up" their plate. I guess that's where my salad greenery went. The overall feel is a place that hasn't received a good cleaning in a long, long time. I don't like spending hard earned bucks on dumpster diver fare.
(1)Melissa H.
Always a good place to stop when you're coming home from the mountains and are in the mood for some buffalo. Buffalo rib eye, buffalo chili, buffalo burrito, buffalo brisket reuben sandwich, the list goes on... Several local beers on tap at their small bar and a spacious dining area in your typical old west type theme. The BBQ bacon cheeseburger is a solid choice with a side of their crispy onion rings.
(3)R G.
Very much a tourist trap, and no reason to really have good quality. Pizza not much better than frozen, dry burgers and overly sweet chili. Prices pretty outrageous and food not great quality . Used to be MUCH better many years ago . I do not recommend at all.
(2)John W.
I originally posted the following review on google, but after looking through several of the 5-star reviews presented there, it appears that the current management, together with that of a nearby restaurant (2 Brothers Deli), have been reviewing themselves using multiple accounts on several websites! To name a few accounts they used: john from LA, eatoutmoreoftenplease, newyorkfan, skibunny, thefamilycolorado, buffalorestaurant. Was going to give a 2-star for the acceptable food quality of my bison stroganoff, but I have to lower it to 1 for deceptive business practice The bison was bison good (i.e. good just because it's bison), but the soup was salty, I mean REALLY salty. Our main waitress was nice, but a waiter from another table literally came through and grabbed one of our chairs, without asking, while we were eating. The menu needs more clarification on the ingredients. They no longer have just steak, all their steaks are now marinated with worcestershire sauce, which contains soy that my friend is highly allergic to. In addition, they do not have olive oil in stock. Instead, they only use vegetable oil that also contains soy. When trying to figure out what my friend actually can eat, the waiter (not our main waitress, probably a supervisor) expressed very minimal knowledge of the ingredients or the kitchen or the source of their food (Do you know their trouts are not local?). Our experience at that place just went downhill from there... My friend ended up just sitting there without food while I tried to eat as fast as I can. Did I mention the trough in the back men's bathroom? Far from charming, shall I say... Seek elsewhere for a truly local and unique experience.
(1)Johnny C.
Love the interior, it has lots of local heritage stuff to look at and most of the memorabilia looks like it was actually part of the building and not just bought at flea market to create a historical look. I had the buffalo meat Reuban it was good and tasted like cow meat but whatever. It did sit really heavy in my gut the rest of the day but I suppose thats buffalo fer ya. You can freely roam around and admire all the junk which is good if you have young ones. I'll never go to Beau Jos again now that I've tried this place.
(5)Uriel A.
Best restaurant in Idaho Springs. Good Americana. I normally go to Tommyknocker for a beer and here to eat.
(5)Jeff S.
We went to the buffalo bar on a Friday night for dinner -- late (around 830). Upon arriving, no one greeted us (or any guests for some time). In fact, they flat out ignored everyone in the waiting area (wait staff and hostesses would walk by and not acknowledge anyone)- despite having open tables. Once seated, we were not acknowledged for another lengthy period of time and left. The wait staff, bartender and other employees were not courteous -- nor even friendly. As a basis of comparison, we ate a significantly more crowded breakfast place in the mtns on Sunday and the entire staff was apologetic to everyone about the wait -- even bringing everyone coffee, etc. In the case of the buffalo restaurant, simply put, don't do them a favor by dining there.
(1)Kyle M.
I took my family here on a day trip to Idaho Springs. The place is all about buffalo and I thought it would be a good place to have lunch. We walked in, up to the "wait to be seated" sign, but it took quite a bit of time for us to get noticed. It looked empty even though it was lunch time... and now that I read other reviews here on Yelp, I know why. I only wish I would've come here to Yelp first before taking a chance. I have to agree with other reviewers on the poor service from that woman that looks pissed off all the time. My dad needed some time to decide what he wanted and the waitress had zero patience and little interest in suggesting anything. I ordered a split plate buffalo burger. I was expecting a burger cut in half, like we had asked it to be presented, but no... I just got the bottom bun, no top bun, and some lettuce off to the side. I'm not sure what the lettuce is for if I can't put it between the burger. I didn't bother mentioning this to the waitress because I she already looked pissed off. I've had a buffalo burger before, and even though my burger tasted okay, it didn't taste like buffalo, so I question the quality and integrity of the ingredients. I will not patronize this establishment again and will not recommend it to anyone.
(1)Alexandra A.
Great burgers, homemade worchester sauce, and fab onion rings. Oh yes...good rich bloody Marys. Interior is an old western bar scene!
(5)Graham K.
Friendly bartender, and that's where the goodness ends. I have never had a meal here that was anything better than "passable", the place is just kind of dirty inside and out - I'd hate to see the kitchen. The service here ranges from OK to terrible. Spend your money elsewhere. This place is either resting on a reputation that they do not deserve, or they have just given up - can't tell which.
(1)John S.
Coming back from a day skiing a friend suggested we stop in the Springs and hit this place for dinner. It was a Saturday night, so it was a bit busy, our quoted 15 minute wait was closer to 30, but that gave us the excuse to indulge in some of the pricey, but scrumptious hot chocolate and coffee drinks at the bar. The Milky Way was one of the most delicious indulgences any of us had ever tried...and it had a kick to boot. This place is about Buffalo and more Buffalo, from the heads on the wall to the mural across half the interior. If you don't like or want Buffalo, skip this stop. First - the bad: We got a server who seemed to be having a really bad night and wanted to share her misery. Ironically, our friend who had insisted we go there, was so annoyed with her I thought he was going to smack her. Instead we got a five minute tirade from him about the declining state of restaurant service in Colorado. In any event...our server was utterly useless regarding recommendations or description of menu items. She also failed to provide silverware until we went looking for it from the hostess. The good - the food...some of it. Our friend's Buffalo steak was so good he was prepared to make peace with the world after one bite. My pulled Buffalo BBQ sandwich was delicious, the sauce was a wonderful, tangy, sweet nectar. The Denver cheese steak (buffalo) was light on the cheese. We are guessing the Chef has never been to Philadelphia. The onion rings were terrible, half cooked, soggy, over priced, if we were not afraid to incur the wrath of Brunhilda the terrible, we would have bitched like heck. The salads were very blah, at the price point of this place the greens should be crisp and appetizing. Conclusion - Get a Milky Way and Buffalo steak. Hope you get one of the pleasant waitresses. Enjoy the beautiful old building.
(3)Kris L.
They have good onion rings and buffalo was yummy. The beer selection was ok. It was busy when we stopped in but cleared out quickly.
(3)Maggee O.
On our way home from an awesome day of Spring snowboarding, my boyfriend, roommate and I stopped at the Buffalo for a late lunch. We ordered chili cheese fries and the green chili is AWESOME!!! We also all shared the 16" BBQ Buffalo Brisket pizza and that too was AMAZING!! The boys loved their hot sauce too! There are tons of great antiques and signage to look at throughout the entire restaurant. We will definitely be back again to try more this summer :)
(4)Brandon W.
I've been coming here for close to twenty years and it never gets old. I've gotten most of the buffalo entrees on the menu and my favorite is still the big buffalo burger with my favorite toppings (avocado, cheddar and some BBQ sauce). The service is always pretty good and they're usually not very busy unless you come during tourist season, on the weekend and at the busiest meal times. (Hey, who's not busy at that time? Oh ya, the sucky places I've listed in my reviews. *grumble grumble*) Anyway, the buffalo is always cooked perfectly and for a side, you should just go with their homemade kettle chips. I see some reviews with bad things said about the fries. I can't say I've ever had them even though I've probably eaten my body weight in buffalo there. Oh, well. When it doubt, order what's made in-house. Anyway, super great place and I'll continue to go there and make it a traditional stop when returning from the mountains with my kids.
(5)Suzanne P.
Great food, laid back atmosphere. Plenty of TVs to watch sports. Cute little old fashioned store attached. Historic building, legendary bison dishes. BEST Boston Cream Pie in Colorado.
(4)Andrea M.
Yummy food! Love the environment. Service was fatter this time. It has been slow before, which was my only complaint in the past.
(4)Reid P.
Stepped into this restaurant (thought it was a bar) on a late weeknight, hoping for food service. The server was very friendly and helpful. Lucky us. We got great food (excellent portions) before calling it a night. They have a variety of chilis for any of the spice seekers. and do they have meat- beef, buffalo, chicken... Great menu variety.
(4)Gluten-Free From A to Z.
FYI: Z is gluten-free (which means she can't eat wheat, rye, or barley) so our reviews are all from the gluten-free perspective. We care about how many gluten-free options the restaurant has and how helpful the staff is in dealing with our concerns. When restaurants don't have very many gluten-free options or if the staff isn't helpful or knowledgeable, eating out can be difficult and frustrating when you are gluten-free. We've developed two categories for 1 Star restaurants: Gluten Gluttons and Hardly Helpfuls! If you are hungry and gluten-free, we recommend you try someplace else! The Buffalo Restaurant - GLUTEN GLUTTON & HARDLY HELPFUL!! We really like buffalo, but we had a really bad experience at The Buffalo Restaurant. Our server was downright rude when we asked if there was breadcrumbs in the meatloaf or flour in the chili. (He actually said: "I don't know - I've never made it" and literally rolled his eyes when we asked him to go to the kitchen and check!) It turned out that the meatloaf and chili were both off limits, which basically left me with nothing to order but a burger without the bun. They were unwilling to wrap the burger in lettuce and then they brought me my "cheeseburger" with no cheese at all. When I reminded them that I ordered a cheeseburger, they brought out a cold slice of cheese for me to put on top of the meat patty, which left me with a pretty unappetizing gluten-free meal. ----------------- GLUTEN GLUTTON! A restaurant receives the title of Gluten Glutton when, in our experience, the menu has extremely limited or zero gluten-free options and they can't or won't make alterations. HARDLY HELPFUL! A restaurant receives the title of Hardly Helpful when, in our experience, the staff has no idea what "gluten-free" means and they are either unable or unwilling to help you order.
(1)Evey M.
When am I going to find a good stop over place to eat in the mountains where I get quality food for a reasonable price? Now I am not saying the Buffalo Restaurant & Bar has terrible food; it doesn't. Let me be clear though that it is not worth the price. Here is a quick break down: - $5 for a Colorado beer on tap. Sorry that seems a little steep to me. - An advertised $3 Dale's Pale Ale on tap. Sorry we are out. No, that's fine that you are out but take it off the specials board that is outside luring people in. - French fries no matter how good are not worth $8 just because you put some cheese on them. Trust me! - Potato skins that cost nearly $9 and you get 4. So basically I am paying $2.25 per skin? Have you lost your minds?? The food is not terrible tasting but it's just not worth the price which is unfortunate.
(2)R. G.
This was recommended by a local person so we thought we'd try it. I had buffalo burger and my husband had the Denver Steak Sandwich. Pretty good! Neither of us had ever had buffalo before, worth trying. Service was good, food was hot...oh and check out their fries if you like the thin crispy kind!
(4)Robin B.
We were so disappointed on our recent visit to The Buffalo. We stopped in for dessert and coffee, and from start to finish it was a bad experience. The first cup of coffee brought to us was cold, and the next pour was a pot that was bitter and burnt tasting. We ordered one of each of their 3 desserts. They ranged from mediocre to inedible. Just so-so chocolate cream pie, fake tasting coconut cream pie - but the worst was the berry cobbler. It was inedible - tasted fermented like it had gone bad. When we told the waitress that it wasn't good and had an off taste, she merely shrugged. We couldn't eat it and left it sitting there. Then it was on our check and we had to have it removed, even though we had told her again that it was bad. Just left us - literally - with a bad taste in our mouths for The Buffalo Restaurant. We'll never waste our time, or calories, at this place again.
(1)Travis D.
Stopped by here for lunch on the way over to Boulder from Breckenridge. They make a big deal out of having buffalo meat, which i guess was a bigger deal a few years ago, but now seems like it's not super special. I make buffalo burgers at home quite a bit. The meat still has a full meaty flavor like beef, but is much leaner and healthier. I ordered the 1/3 pound burger with cheese and all the free toppings with fries. The burger was pretty good, but not great. Fries were pretty run of the mill too. But the food isn't what makes this places cool, its the feel of the place. Dating back to the 1860's, this place has a very small town feel to it that's pretty neat. My GF's dad used to stop here with his buddies when riding motorcycles across the country. He's a history buff, so this is really his kind of place. It was cool to stop by for lunch, but the food wasn't that great. Might come by again if i was driving by, but just to poke my head in. I'll probably be avoiding the decent but overpriced food in the future.
(3)Bryan K.
Like many, this is a place visited on the way down from the mountains, however we should have just keep driving =( The food was just average bar food, with higher prices. Atmosphere is a hodgepodge of TGIF, Bass Pro Shops, a log cabin, and a vintage sign store. That's all fine, the issue i had with this place was the staff. The hostess did not seem enthused at all, but quite the opposite. It was almost as if she was offended that we came into the restaurant, and taking our party of 4 to the table was painful for her to do. At the end of our meal, on our way out, i stopped by the bar to grab a bag for our take out boxes. I was maybe 1 foot away from a flustered manager(?) who was just staring off into a computer monitor and asked for a plastic bag. I got no answer at all, and a different person from the wait staff helped me out when he saw that i was getting no response. While waiting for this bag, a different person from the wait staff ran right into my girlfriend, and said nothing at all. No excuse me, no sorry, no nothing. Standing there amazed at this lack of service and respect, i saw another customer get brushed off as if they didn't exist and realized that this place is just in the wrong business. Def not going back, and i would recc skipping it. The pizza place right up the block is excellent!
(1)Amy F.
I would give it a 3.5 if I coud. I was in the mood for a hamburger so we stopped by the visitor center and asked. She recommended this place or tommyknockers, and I chose this place. Good food and good beer selection. My boyfriend ordered theangus beef regular cheeseburger while me the bbq bacon cheeseburger (angus beef). We got an order of the wings and unlike other reviewers, the batter it was cooked in was cripsy and perfectly done. His hamburger came out cook to his liking and mine was a little too done ( I ordered it medium and it came out well), plus the waitress thought I to ordered just the angus beef cheeseburger. What surprised me though was the waitress, instead of making a new hamburger, just brought out the bbq sauce and bacon. Seemed like the bbq was just heated up and served and the bacon was already cooked. Oh well, still a realy good hamburger. My onion rings were crispy and perfectly cooked and my boyfriends housemade chips were good. He wasn't fond of them though I loved them. For the reviewers that had a horrible experience, I'm sorry but you've all got to realize that yes Idaho Springs is not like Vail, Denver, or even Colorado Springs. It's meant to be an in and out city on your way to an even bigger and better city.
(3)Valerie M.
Tourist Trap. $15 for a Buffalo Burger. Somehow I was expecting something amazing. Not so. I also tried the Buffalo Pastrami Sandwich - $13. What a skimpy little thing, and it didnt even have a good pastrami flavor. It came with 5 stingy little onion rings. I asked if they made any of their own salad dressings and was told no. The wait for the food to come out was about 20 minutes and they were not busy.
(2)Lori S.
I'm reading some terrible reviews and I can only figure that there must be new management of this place. The food was quite good (green chili, buffalo stew, kids burger). They have homemade potato chips that were just thick enough and cooked to perfection. The burger bun seemed to extra dense and probably was homemade. We shared a giant slice of to-die-for coconut cream pie (massively creamy, not too sweet!). The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive. The prices were on the upper end of what we were after but we'd just been to Breckenridge, and, seriously folks, it was cheap compared to that. We'll stop there again!
(5)Jayme P.
Great atmosphere, and I love that you can get buffalo everything. I thought the waitstaff could have been a bit more attentive and the buffalo cheesesteak was good, not great, for the price ($12 plus another dollar for fries with it seems a bit much). I would have liked to have tried their pizza or buffalo burgers and for that, I'd go back!
(4)Rick R.
Right in the heart of Historic Downtown Idaho Springs, is an oasis of an eatery called The Buffalo Restaurant & Bar. Many of you that have followed some of my best recipes know that The Metal Chef Rocker knows Buffalo. After another long day on the trails I saw the name and had to test it out. The interior is cozy, clean and well decorated with signs from the past that will engage your table in memorable conversation that sets the stage for a professional staff that will serve you up the finest food on the eastern Colorado I-70 corridor. The buffalo dishes range from 100% buffalo burgers to fajitas, stew, BBQ and in fact they serve it up more than 20 different ways! The establishment also offers all natural beef, chicken and several mouth watering vegetarian options to choose from. Manager Dan Ebert has this place well in order and has much to be proud of as I believe it to be the hands down best in Idaho Springs. The lovely starlet Elia Hall was my server and she is simply one of the best. Ask for her when you go in and see if she will show you her awesome plate trick that she performed for exclusively for The Metal Chef Rocker. Make it a point to stop in and see the awesome staff at The Buffalo Restaurant & Bar, I promise you your taste buds will thank you, and then you can thank me by taking me to lunch??? This place with my 5 STAR Rating is.....Metal Chef Rocker approved!!!!! buffalorestaurant.com 1617 Miner Street Idaho Springs Colorado 303-567-2729 Buffalorestaurant@comcas… See this at The Scoop303.com 8-23-11
(5)Casey C.
Overall a nice little local joint. The food was priced about right for a tourist town and the food was pretty good. I can't say the decor or atmosphere was real worthwhile, felt a little dirty and unkempt. That said, give the Taco Salad a whirl!
(4)Chris L.
Well a local recommended that we go here, I don't know if he gets a commision if he sends people there lol. but anyways so we check this place out it has all the feel of a old building with a modern day restaraunt/bar. Now heres the thing 12.50 for a buffalo sandwich???? Thats a little expensive to me and I eat out alot in diffrent places. It was ok but cmon 12.50 for that and 6 onion rings?? Also word of advice keep your condiments on the table. In the 21st century we shouldnt have to ask for ketchup, hot sauce and mustard. it should be on the table already.
(3)Eddie G.
Worth stopping in at least once for a burger and to see the unique inside. Especially if your in Idaho Springs after skiing or a trip up to Mt. Evans or so. Prices and service could be a bit better and you constantly get the feeling that everything about the place is set up exactly for tourists though.
(2)David C.
Great atmosphere. Try the buffalo stew.
(3)Rebecca P.
I love this place! My favorite place to stop on the way down from a day of boarding! I love buffalo meat, so the menu is always an excitment! Good beer, good service and it has a local feel.
(5)Troy T.
This Place is awesome. I am obsessed with buffalo since coming here. i went here once when i was 14 on a family reunion trip in breckenridge. Then during a roadtrip last year we stopped here both ways. my friend who is a chef/baker loved it as much as i did. i wish i had a place in santa cruz, ca that served buffalo.
(5)Dave S.
Incredibly expensive for pretty average to crappy food. Total tourist trap - the buffalo stew was very watery and not too tasty, and had maybe 4 pieces of meat in it which was kind of chewy. For about $15.00. Really bad deal. We were treated like tourists - the wait staff was very curt and the prices were very high. But, then again, Idaho Springs is pretty much a tourist town, at least along the main drag (not the part with all the trailer parks). I would suggest going to Beau Jo's Pizza, which is where every one goes in Idaho Springs. Actually, I would recommend just skipping this town all together, unless you are totally starving and need a serious carb load after climbing a 14er or whatever causes you to get an appetite. But really, if you can wait until you get to Denver, there are lots of better places.
(1)Cass D.
The staff here seems very overburdened by the influx of travelers both times I've been. The food isn't horrible, but for the cost it isn't exceptional either. The wait for a table was long, even when it seemed there were plenty open.
(2)Diana W.
It seems like a bit of a shame that I'm the first one to write about this place, seeing as I live nowhere near Idaho Springs, CO. As a matter of fact, I'm proud of myself for remembering the name of a town close enough to come up with a search result. This is one of my favorite places to eat when I visit the family. Where else can you eat with 15 of your closest friends under the looming stare of a real stuffed buffalo, hair thinned by years of little (and big) hands. If I were a local, I just know if I ordered 'the usual' I would get my beer, buffalo cheesesteak with extra cheese and no onions or peppers with a side salad instead of the fries and a glass of water without having to say another word. Oh and did I mention the beer? Local brews are awesome, like they're made just to go with buffalo. I guess in Colorado that's not a completely unrealistic idea. And, of course, you can order any beef dish with buffalo instead. Burgers, steaks, salads, it's all available. And come on, everyone knows I'm a sucker for an interesting cheesesteak, as long as it doesn't involve avocados.
(4)Becky S.
I rolled in this place when I stayed in Idaho Springs for a night - and met some interesting characters. The locals had just played a softball game and all joined up for a brew afterwards. Let's just say with a couple of beers in me and lots of one-of-a-kind stories, I moved on to the next bar but I'd give this place another try for food sometime. It was a pleasing experience.
(4)Megan B.
Good food, fast service. Got a spot in the bar and service was good on a Sunday afternoon coming back from Mary Jane. Large portions so split something and grab a beer.
(4)Jen K.
Serving a wide variety of foods involving buffalo (and some without), this place is a solid casual dining experience. With all the memorabilia and kitchy gift shop, I would potentially guide visitors here. Our food was only okay - I had the buffalo stroganoff, which was tasty and HUGE, but my BF ordered the hangar steak and the plating was pretty bad - the NASTIEST baked potato (crusty inside with a gap between potato and skin) and none of the promised Tatonka sauce for the otherwise flavor-less (but very tender) steak. Can't win every time - I may stick to buffalo burgers and chili here.
(3)Julie L.
Mmmm, this is probably my favorite place to go have a burger. The staff is always so welcoming and friendly. The burgers, whether you get the buffalo or beef, are always fresh and soooooo tasty. The onion rings are to die for, although a bit pricey (works out to be a $1 a ring with your burger!) Very rustic, and mountain like inside, friendly and cozy.
(4)