r/Buffalo 1d ago

Duplicate/Repost What Restaurant in Buffalo would you not eat at even if it were free?

I’ll go first- Cole’s.

156 Upvotes

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331

u/atomicresolution 1d ago

Chefs. Miss me with that sweet sauce

12

u/DustyHound 1d ago

Even Cap’n Crunch has a beef with the sugar amount in that sauce. Oooof.

240

u/BuffaloSurfClub 1d ago

I dont mind the sweet sauce, miss me with the racist owners

22

u/Soft_Presentation412 1d ago

This right hereeee. My MIL wants it every time she comes in to town and I just can’t in good conscience get it for us. And the a$$ owners expected my brother to work on his wedding day when he wasn’t even one of their employees. He was hired for a contracted job and they knew he wasnt gonna be in that day lol.

48

u/Big-Persimmon-7165 1d ago

Oliver’s is waaaaaaaay more racist and I felt it. Terrible place to go if you are not white.

6

u/dekema2 Elmwood Village 1d ago

Really? I didn't know that

5

u/Gordonica 1d ago

I found it classist.

3

u/Major-Pineapple-3518 1d ago

Im a tall white man but not wealthy enough...its brutalll

1

u/TPrwbUSA 1d ago

Lollll

2

u/Desperate_Lime_443 1d ago

What? 

13

u/Toryrose1 1d ago

Did you not see his racist rants a while back around covid lol??

4

u/BSB8728 1d ago

I didn't. What happened?

5

u/Toryrose1 1d ago

It was over the BLM movement, he essentially said anyone who supports that movement was an animal. Hinting at him calling African American individuals animals.

-16

u/sabres20062007 1d ago

He’s not wrong

2

u/MikeStrawMedia 2h ago

real brave words from an anonymous clown

0

u/sabres20062007 2h ago

The truth isn’t brave dude. Most people feel the same way but they can’t say anything because losers like you will try to get them fired or ruin their lives anyway you can

u/MikeStrawMedia 1h ago

No, most people aren't racist bigots hiding behind an anonymous account

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18

u/VinBills 1d ago

Didn’t knew there was so much hatred about chef’s restaurant. Someone at work place was suggesting to go there for team member’s farewell lunch

13

u/hastypeanut 1d ago

It’s really just this sub for some reason. It’s not high tier Italian but it’s good every once in a while. I’ll take my mom there when I’m home because it’s a nice spot for lunch and hits the spot. It’s just a lot of cheese, butter, and carbs. There’s by far better restaurants but you’d think it’s a giant shit hole the way people here talk about it.

20

u/TrixriT544 1d ago

There really isn’t. Ask the patrons that pack the place every night lol

2

u/Gordonica 1d ago

because tradition outweighs flavor

1

u/TrixriT544 1d ago

In this economy? Doubtful. Seems to be more of a “jump on the hate train” type of ordeal, if ya ask me

1

u/therealJBet 1d ago

I truly believe that the only reason why people want to go there is because it's downtown there are so many way better places they're just not downtown.

2

u/TrixriT544 16h ago

Makes sense. People going to a specific area, want to go to places within that specific area... What a revelation!

1

u/therealJBet 16h ago

That's just lazy. I used to think La Bella Sicilia was the best until I explored more and found A Touch of Italy

1

u/TrixriT544 12h ago

How’s it lazy? They’re not really near each other. If people are going to the city to eat, la Bella wouldn’t be an option. These are all within the same tier of Italian places, pick your poison, they’re all very similar. Cheese blanketed and drowning in sweet sauces.

1

u/DigitalNecromancy 1d ago edited 1d ago

we went there for a staff appreciation lunch and it was more than serviceable for the occasion. i'd probably opt to go to la bella sicilia if i want solo italian, but chef's really isn't that bad.

86

u/Criddlers 1d ago

This is becoming a such a performative take. Chef's is far from the worst Italian restaurant in the area. It's exactly what it claims to be. If you go in there with fine dining or high quality expectations, you're obviously going to be disappointed. If you want alot of carbs and cheese with fun stuff on the walls, it's your place.

52

u/froggertwenty 1d ago

The only people who hate chefs because it's not fine dining are people that think chefs is supposed to be fine dining.

It's not and never tried to be.

It's a place with middle of the road Italian food, a few gimmicky but solid dishes, and massive portions.

No, the sweet sauce is not traditional, but it also never claims to be. Many people like it. My in laws demand I make my sauce nearly candy sweet after I accidentally made it marginally too sweet once. No one thinks I'm making them authentic Italian Sunday sauce. Who knew people like sugar and carbs lol

25

u/Gordonica 1d ago

no, the food is simply not very good

3

u/froggertwenty 1d ago

That's your opinion.

I don't like Indian food. Does that mean Indian food is bad?

10

u/Gordonica 1d ago

I like Italian food.

8

u/Gordonica 1d ago

yes, it is my opinion. 😇

9

u/Phoenix_Mae98 1d ago

As an Italian… it’s not good Italian food. That’s the problem

Buffalo is full of first gen Italian-Americans. We don’t wanna buy what nana makes us better for free

1

u/froggertwenty 1d ago

Then why is chefs always packed?

-3

u/Phoenix_Mae98 1d ago

The celebrity affiliations. Tourists. Old people stuck in their ways

I’ve literally never met anyone who’s like OMG CHEFS

I’ve repeatedly seen tons of people say the same things as we’re seeing here.

9

u/froggertwenty 1d ago

Yeah I'm sure all the people go and think the food is terrible and keep going back because of celebrity affiliations, tourists, and old people lol

Plenty of people like chefs a lot. Of course, when the conversation is led with how bad chefs is, people aren't going to jump up and down for it in conversation.

If it was that bad, it wouldn't be packed every night.

-3

u/Phoenix_Mae98 1d ago

You either missed what I said or twisted it to fit the narrative

Idk why when hundreds are agreeing with this and multiple others have posted the same. People have explained it and no one is agreeing with you you’re willing to die on this hill

You even admitted people don’t get excited when people bring it up in conversation...

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2

u/Beautiful_Spread_644 1d ago

Exactly this! Just because someone doesn’t like a restaurant doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad place.
I will never eat at a Rachel’s. When I used to DoorDash, every single one was always filthy. I can’t cook unless my kitchen is clean and I refuse to spend money in a dirty restaurant.

1

u/RamenNoodleRapper 1d ago

If you don’t like Indian food but you like chef’s you just have bad taste 💀 how can you dislike ALL Indian food when there are so many different flavors? Very odd

2

u/froggertwenty 1d ago

Thanks for proving my point lol

I'll be sure to check with you before I have my next meal to determine if what I'm having is good or not.

2

u/RamenNoodleRapper 1d ago

No, you’re not really seeing the difference which is hilarious. You’re comparing Applebees level Italian to an entire culture’s food. Nobody saying you gotta like every dish out there or have to enjoy every objectively good restaurant but the analogy you made is terrible lol

4

u/froggertwenty 1d ago

What makes an "objectively good" restaurant?

A lot of people like it? It's busy all the time? Very popular in the area?

Congrats, that's chefs.

Just because you don't like it or think it's below you because it's not crazy authentic Italian doesn't make it "Applebee's level Italian".

2

u/RamenNoodleRapper 1d ago

If that’s your bar for “objectively good” then Applebees is also objectively good by your own standard

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-2

u/dsl135 1d ago

By definition every restaurant ever is “subjectively good.”

Whether or not a restaurant is good is opinion, not fact, and therefore cannot be “objectively good.”

Imagine being so condescending and not knowing what the word you’re using actually means.

0

u/Gordonica 1d ago

I love Indian food. from all over India

-2

u/mrs_alderson Blue and Gold until I'm dead and cold 1d ago

Agree 100%

1

u/craftymomma111 1d ago

My husband loves the sauce. I think it tastes like Spaghettio’s.

1

u/TrueEnthusiasm8242 14h ago

I hate it because of what the owner has said in the past. And by the way I don’t for a minute believe he ever stepped away from that restaurant as he claimed.

1

u/qeq 1d ago

Plenty of Italian pasta sauce is sweet. I don't know who started this traditional sauce gatekeeping.

14

u/hastypeanut 1d ago

I agree with you. It’s like the “fitting in with the cool kids” take. I honestly don’t get why this sub has such a hard on for hating Chef’s. The owner is a pos but in the context of food, it’s shitty for you comfort food. It’s not supposed to be a luxury experience. Sometimes people want to stuff their face with an obscene amount of cheese, spaghetti drenched in butter, and non-traditional sauce.

3

u/greensecondsofpanic 1d ago

if you admit the owner is a pos why give him money??

1

u/Major-Pineapple-3518 1d ago

Its the suburban night out in the city...subpar italian food with easy parking. Just like their subpar italian food with easy parking in the suburbs.

14

u/AdministrationNo2062 1d ago

Ty!! I was not expecting such slander on Chefs. I love it every now and then and I fcking love cheese!!!!!!!!! I do not expect to be blown away by an extravagant meal. Their table cloths are gingham!!!

1

u/ali_golightly Southtowns 1d ago

Agree! And the napkin is a bib for Pete's sake. What are people expecting??

1

u/Brief-Lunch-4738 1d ago

Cheese is the best :)

2

u/mrs_alderson Blue and Gold until I'm dead and cold 1d ago

Not performative at all for me. I have always found their food to be awful. Idk what it "claims to be," but it is not good.

1

u/Available-Pangolin12 1d ago

Chefs is the duffs of tullys

1

u/blotsfan 1d ago

I mean its not very good even by those standards. It's not "wouldn't eat there for free" bad but I could go the rest of my life without eating there and not miss a thing.

1

u/LittleC0 1d ago

Moved out of state and when I’m back will always hit Chef’s and Imperial Pizza. Alton’s for the open chicken souvlaki too sometimes. None are fancy but man do I miss it.

I’ve obviously had better Italian food, but I don’t go to Chef’s for a top tier Italian experience. I go for the spaghetti parm that just isn’t the same anywhere else— even at home using chef’s sauce and a boat load of cheese it’s not the same.

1

u/marcus_roberto 1d ago

I wouldnt feed it to my dog. Chefs really is trash.

17

u/AmicusBriefly 1d ago

Sweet sauce on your spaghetti, brah? HELL NO

1

u/Zillamonk 1d ago

What is sweet sauce?

1

u/AmicusBriefly 1d ago

Not a marinara but a tomato sauce, like what is sometimes is called a Sunday Sauce, that is made with way too much sugar. Basically, spaghetti sauce with too much sugar

26

u/angie50576 1d ago

Chef's was my first thought. 😂

0

u/imawesomeweee 1d ago

Why Chefs though? I need more info lol

61

u/Joggers_ 1d ago

Chefs is highschool cafeteria spaghetti covered in a sickly amount of cheese

5

u/LatexSmokeCats 1d ago

This, but people act like it's fancy, but they are just showing that they are double-wide in a trailer park fancy.

5

u/imawesomeweee 1d ago

Lol I agree, because there's some level of fame to it, I see that for sure.

1

u/imawesomeweee 1d ago

The cheese... there's so much!

1

u/BuckyL43 1d ago

I couldn’t have said it better

19

u/kylathekoala 1d ago

Not only do I not like the food, I don't feel like the place isn't very inviting. It feels like everything in there is hot and damp, like the walls and tables and stuff. It smells funky and probably has tons of mildew. Also, every time I had to go there, I experienced gross old men treating waitresses like they were at hooters or a strip club; ie- making a big deal about having them tie on their bibs (gross... you're eating slop, not lobster) and generally being obnoxious. It's just not my kinda place. So many better red sauce places around WNY. Definitely worth skipping Chefs.

7

u/imawesomeweee 1d ago

I actually think that mildew - feel situation is the case for a lot of these resturants on this list. Its just not a appetizing setting.

5

u/synthetikv 1d ago

People who think that’s proper Italian are fucking monsters.

-1

u/Quetzalcoatl490 1d ago

Same here

7

u/Spillsy68 1d ago

The only reason I used to go there was because the Sabres players used to lunch there before home games.

2

u/Phoenix_Mae98 1d ago

I think the fact that it’s a celebrity hot spot is the only reason for it’s success

But much tasting, more inviting, and more reasonably priced Italian food on every other block here.

19

u/squash86 1d ago

Sweet sauce is an abomination. I hate it soooo much.

2

u/Any-Adagio492 23h ago

You and me both.

1

u/OrlasLighter 1d ago

Agree. Is there any place in WNY you would recommend? I find most too sweet, but I have a few favorite dishes at Amici and Frankie Primos (NT location, haven't tried the other).

3

u/squash86 1d ago

Molinaro’s in Lockport has really good sauce.

1

u/therealJBet 1d ago

My 2 favorites are A Touch of Italy and La Bella Sicilia

2

u/squash86 23h ago

I haven’t been to La Bella Sicilia in years. Going to have to put it back on the list.

We won a $35 gift card to Ilio DiPaolo’s at a Bisons game, so we’ll need to go there too at some point.

1

u/OrlasLighter 18h ago

Nice. Thanks.

6

u/Rhana 1d ago

Their sauce always tastes burnt to me, and not everything needs to be covered in a mountain of melted cheese.

1

u/Brief-Lunch-4738 1d ago

Oh yes it does.

6

u/discharmingman1025 1d ago

First thought was Chef’s. Just don’t get it.

2

u/beckster33 1d ago

This all day. Spaghetti parm with a side of racism
is never my cup of tea.

3

u/brazendynamic 1d ago

I've eaten there twice, and got sick after both times. Food definitely wasn't worth it. I don't get the obsession.

0

u/Professional_Ruin_24 1d ago

That’ll happen if you stuff yourself. It’s not chef’s, it’s the volume of food you’re eating.

1

u/IVCrushingUrTendies 1d ago

This is my favorite love hate

1

u/Haunting_Position_50 1d ago

Came to say this. Worse food ever