Buffalo has two main bar zones: the Chippewa Street entertainment strip near downtown, which gets loud and crowded with nightclub crowds on weekends, and the more interesting neighbourhood bars along Elmwood Avenue and Allen Street to the north. The Elmwood stretch has better variety — craft beer bars, music venues, and coffee shops with genuine character.
Buffalo has a solid craft brewing scene; Flying Bison and Community Beer Works are the most established local names, with several taprooms around the city.