CRaVing Restaurant in Buffalo
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Buffalo, Erie County, New York, US
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Site: http://www.cravingbuffalo.com/
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:5–9PM
- Thursday:5–9PM
- Friday:5–9PM
- Saturday:5–9PM
- Sunday:Closed
I like this place very much. The only reason I dont give it 5 stars is that I reserve that for the restaurants with the best interior design. Yet this place is stylish and beautiful in its own way. You could dress up and go there very classy, or be casual. Anyway, the atmosphere is modern and moody, the food is fantastic, good cocktails. Servers are friendly, young, not formal yet neat and polite. I love that they get many ingredients locally, including their meats and mushrooms, as well as other produce. I really liked my dish of Meatloaf, mushrooms, and entire roasted onion, and purple potatoes. Everything on the menu sounds good, and they seem to prepare everything well. I would go many times again.
Great variety of food and it is locally sourced, which is amazing all around, great service, their staff treated us like we were special guests and great wine, beer, and liquor selections! Craving is a treasure on Hertel and while no restaurant will please everyone, this gem is always pushing the boundaries to make their menu not only interesting but relevant in fine cuisine.
Had to wait 10 minutes for the waitress to even acknowledge us, and that was after I said something. Biscuits and gravy were not good. Biscuits were super dry and the gravy was pretty much just sausage soup. They werent very busy but our waitress disappeared quite a bit. Wont go back. The people I was with enjoyed their meals.
Local restaurant week so I decided to try some different places. I am very happy with the choices I made. I had the beef short ribs with a sweet potato hash. I was not disappointed. The meat was done to perfection and the flavor was delicious. I will be back in the future.
I really cant say enough about good things about this place. While this review is in response to the job they did catering our wedding last summer, the five star rating applies equally to our frequent visits for dinner and other catering experiences that weve had since the wedding.While searching for a wedding caterer we were looking for a restaurant that had not only great food but also would be somewhat flexible, had interesting and unique items, was reasonably priced, and ideally one that emphasized local ingredients. Craving was not yet on our radar but we had it narrowed down to a few good options and were leaning heavily towards one restaurant in particular. Then a chef friend of mine recommended that I check out Craving before we made a final choice.So we did. Craving compared well to our other option in terms of their menu, prices, etc. but we were still leaning towards the other restaurant because we sort of had momentum heading in that direction. But then we starting interacting with Cravings general manager, Katelyn, and that changed things.Our contact at the other restaurant was great but Katelyn went above and beyond and set up a meeting with our venue so that she could understand any limitations that may exist and figure out how to accommodate everything we were looking for ahead of time. She put together some suggested options with owner/chef Adam and we came in to chat with them about everything. Adam has a ton of experience catering large events and after talking to them we didnt even feel the need to schedule a tasting. We agreed on general items and prices and just trusted that theyd make it happen.During the wedding (~125 guests) Katelyn ran the service operation and Adam ran the makeshift kitchen (since we picked a difficult venue for them that didnt have one). We knew that they had everything under control and so we never once had to worry about the catering. Beyond that, Katelyn acted almost like a wedding planner for us - handling the set up and breakdown of the tables and chairs, decorations, and she even made time to handle things outside of her domain like addressing some facilities issues we encountered. Honestly, it was the best customer experience Ive ever had and it couldnt have come on a more important day.The food was amazing, they had ample bar staff to ensure there was never a long wait for drinks, and my wife and I were able to just enjoy ourselves and focus on the moment.Since the wedding we try and make it into Craving as often as we can for dinner and have used them for other catering events. Nick the bar manager makes the only Pisco Sour that my Chilean wife has ever approved of outside of Chile, they always have good beer on tap, and the food menu is always changing based on the ingredients theyre sourcing from local growers. Its apparent that the kitchen staff takes pride in the food that theyre putting out and the wait staff is always friendly and knowledgeable.Everyone seems to really enjoy working with one another and that translates to a great experience for the customer. Whether youre catering an important event or looking for an awesome meal, they wont let you down.
Although it was extremely busy the day we went, the staff was helpful and courteous. We didnt wait long for our food. The food was very good. Best potatoes Ive tasted in a long time. I love the look of my neighbors pancake order. Thats what Im getting next time I go there.
They change their menu items seasonally other than their staple menus, such as the handkerchief pasta. The pesto on this pasta tastes freshly made. Our server also told us that they make their raviolis and pasta noodles at the restaurant. Considering that they make everything there, I feel that their price is very reasonable.
I have visiting CRaVing 3 times this summer, and every time the food has been absolutely amazing, resulting in a quick jump to one of my favorites. Because it is a farm-to-table restaurant, the menu is slightly different each time, but whatever I order is always lick-your-plate good. I recommend the ricotta gnocchi, cavatelli, tomato plate, and the tomato salad. The cocktails are also great. I dont think you can go wrong with visiting CRaVing for any occasion.
I had such a great time here. Our waitress was excellent at explaining the menu, and we fell in love with the fact that all the meat and produce were organic and grass fed.Their menu changes daily so it felt really special to be there that day because they were offering oysters and beets which are some of my favorite things to eat. I cant wait to go back, thank you.
Ive come here with many different groups of people for different reasons, and wether its a friend visiting, a birthday, or just a family outing, its always lovely. To start, servers are always very pleasant, and its easy to make a reservation. We once left a credit card there, and luckily I had called to reserve a table, and they still had my number to tell us they had it. Second, the food is unique, and delicious always. Squash gnocchi, to beet and goat cheese sandwich, everything I have tried has been amazing! Third, they have a lovely, and stylish atmosphere, that always impresses. I come as much as possible, and everyone enjoys it.
One of the best dinners Ive ever had in Buffalo! All the choices were phenomenal, with seasonally rotating dishes. Everyone in our party found something they loved. Plate sizes also come in small and large, excellent if you arent looking for that Buffalo sized dinner.
Service was superb. Appreciate that the food is locally sourced. The food was pretty good but not a slam dunk for us. Dates and fried chicken apps were good. I missed spiciness/saltiness of the chorizo/bacon. Truffle honey on the chicken was a bit overwhelming. Handk pasta wasnt to our liking but meatloaf was good.
This is a farm to table restaurant. It was delicious. We had a gnocchi, a beer salad and the special of the day which was a cheeseburger pizza. It ended up being a little on the sweet side with the ketchup and banana peppers. Extensive beer list as well with a number of items on tap.
We visited CraVing on a Saturday night before a play. The restaurant features farm to table cuisine with the purveyors listed on the menu. The menu changes daily based on availability. We had Lamb t-bone, short ribs and salmon, each accompanied by a root vegetable has that was to die for. The salads are generous. Try the arugula salad with a most interesting dressing. Every dish was first class. The service was exceptional with at least three people converging on the table. Full bar and a small public parking lot next door make CraVing worth your time and effort
Excellent menu and really outstanding service. We arrived with reservations and had a terrific dinner. The conversation at our table went on for some time as we were visiting family wed not seen in a year and there was no sense from the server that we needed to move on. We appreciated the old world style patience and respect for patrons.
I made reservations for this restaurant for my friends 40th birthday. The person who took my call was very kind and accommodating, as we had a large group. When the date came we had extra people to add on to the reservation. The manager gladly helped me out to find room in her restaurant. Upon arrival the staff was kind not to mention the food was amazing! The fried chicken appetizer was so good! Thank you Craving for a great birthday celebration with great food!
I have been to Craving several times including brunch, lunch, and dinner and have never been disappointed. The food is great and the service is outstanding. On my most recent visit, Scott in particular was an exemplary server. We could not have asked for a better dining experience.
I feel bad writing this because I have had a few great experiences at Craving for dinner. I was excited to come for lunch as I just starting a new job close by.When we walked in there were two other tables and an empty bar. It was 15 minutes until the server came over to get our drink order... just waters and two cocktails for a table of 6. We waited another 15 minutes for all drinks to come back to the table. Mind you we only have an hour for lunch, which we mentioned after placing the drink order in the first place.The server was unapologetic and seemed to be in la la land the entire time. His name was Gabe I think. Probably the worst service Ive ever experienced in Buffalo.When he finally took our food order we had 15 minutes in our break left and asked him to just put everything in to go boxes. While we were waiting for our food, the manager comes over and asks how we are doing. We said not good, weve been here for almost an hour with nothing to show for it. She gave a half-hearted apology and said that they werent used to having this many tables come at once... they are open for lunch daily and there were 5 tables max in the place with two servers and a manager.I wont be back for a while as I have a bad taste in my mouth, and Im sad because I know the chef is very talented. But, the service needs some SERIOUS work.
Ive been here numerous times and was generally pleased. Last night, however, I was very turned off by my experience. We arrive and were seated promptly. Drinks and appetizers were fine...so far so good. Entrees come out and they look delicious. My wife and I ordered the same thing (smoked ribeye special). I love ribeye, possibly my favorite cut of beef. This one was pretty bad though. There was an insane amount of fat on and in it. I was left with a large mound of fat. I know ribeye is supposed to be fattier and marbled but this was not just marbled, it was hard to eat. I had to try and find little pea-sized pieces of beef within all the fat. I couldnt believe it, but I knew I had to say something. I told the person who cleared our plates (we hadnt seen our waiter in quite some time) that the beef was way too fatty and that they may want to trim the pieces better or find better cuts. She responded with I know theyre supposed to have fat, but thanks Ill let the chef know. I made sure my criticism was constructive and not just a complaint since I liked the rest of the meal. After that, we were not treated very well. They all acted like we personally attacked the staff and virtually ignored us. We had wanted to order dessert but since no one came back to our table for a while, when the waiter finally did we just asked for the check.Final thought is no restaurant is going to be perfect all the time, as far as food goes, but its how they handle those situations that would make me go back or not. Since they didnt handle it well, we will not be going back. There are too many restaurants in this area to deal with a place that doesnt treat their customers with respect when they have legitimate criticisms.
Stopped by on a bike ride randomly and Im glad that I did. The place has beautiful decor, delicious food, a refreshing drinks menu and great staff. The patio outside is great for sunny days and taking in the happening scene that is a resurgent Hertel Ave. I highly recommend a visit.
To whom who may concernThe sole purpose of this letter is to complaint one hostess (Jen) and one female server with dark hair on the night of May 9, 2015.These girls were rude, obnoxious and unhelpful, we waited for 50 minutes for a table of 6 (30 minutes after the reservation time). My party and I did not mind the wait, but the attitude problem of these two girls should not be tolerated.1) Jen, the hostess had no smile, she was impatient and had no intension to follow up with customers that are already waiting by the bar. You just have to wait for a table to get up, she said.2) The female server with dark hair was even worst; when I proceed to inquire about the 30 minute wait after my reservation time, she blamed it on my entire party for not have arrived, and therefore the majority of the party could not be seated. As a constant returning customer, this idea was never brought to my attention, and was never mentioned when we have first arrived. It was only brought up when I complained about the long wait, and clearly this girl just wanted to win in the conversation.The wait was not a problem, the terrible customer service of these two girls were. We understand that it was a busy night, and the long wait was understandable - a friendly apology for the wait was all we asked for, instead these girls ALMOST WANTED TO START A VERBAL FIGHT.Having a friendly hostess/server should not be option, especially for an evening dinner which we spent over $300.- for. As a matter of fact, I have decided to put this review on Yelp and Google, and I am asking restaurant management to take actions on such awful attitudes on these two girls, a follow-up would be appreciated regarding this matter.If you have any questions please feel free to contact me through email.Thank you.
Having recently gone back to CRaV, to reassess my first trip this was also an underwhelming visit. The food was ok, but rather overpriced for what we had (aside from $1 oysters which is super reasonable). The pizzas were disappointingly small, and the oysters came out at room temperature (not served on ice). Ill never say never, but it seems unlikely that I would eat here again.
Was a very good experience until one of our friends kids had an allergic reaction to the pesto which had walnuts in it which was not mentioned on the menu. They handled it well and ran to the wallgreens down the road to get children’s Benadryl. They should ask before every meal and have warning labels on the menu.
Well theres a guy there that wears CB4s, who makes the best pasta around, another guy that works there is always smoking something delicious, and one more guy, who only wears free T-shirts whips up an outstanding pizza. That guy also shucks a mean oyster! Stop in and say hi to these three Stooges
Total reviews rating 4.5
173 Reviews for CRaVing Restaurant 2023:
Review №1
2017-03-26I am new to the North Buffalo area, and am exploring the local restaurants this wonderful area has to offer. Because of this I decided to take my husband to CRaVing for his birthday. I am very happy with my decision as the dinner could not have been more perfect.Situated in the Heart of Hertel, CRaVing offers dinners a unique experience by providing fresh local foods farm to table. This week they purchased a whole cow, so their menu is catered around the animal using all the animal.The atmosphere, was very warm, intimate and the server named Tom was nothing less then outstanding. He was attentive to us as well as the other patrons in the establishment during a busy time.We started our meal with a wonderful Bone Marrow, that is roasted and topped with a mushroom duxelle, and served with house focaccia. The bone marrow was prepared and presented beautifully, the Chef in this establishment has great skills at balancing flavors especially between the rich bone marrow and pairing it with the mushroom duxelle. In addition, we decided to have the Stuffed Dates that were bacon wrapped after being stuffed with chorizo, served on a bed of romesco sauce, this again was balanced well and due to the richness of the dish I decided to pair it with a bottle of Champagne, which worked perfectly.For our entrée, we both had a Root Beer Braised Short Rib served with a local vegetable hash with spinach and garlic. The entrée size was more than adequate and the meat just needed a gentle tug to full off the bone. The vegetable hash, was packed with flavor and again as in previous courses/ dishes complimented the short rib very well providing a much-needed contrast of flavor.Overall, I hope to visit this place quite often and am impressed with the quality and size of the portions. I will say that I would take advantage of reserving a table online, because of the intimate setting seating is limited and you really do not want to miss out on this gem.
Review №2
2020-03-21Croque Monsieur and BLT was awesome also scored a double batch of Manhattans and Honey Lavender martini !! Food and beverages absolutely delicious!! Support local restaurants !!
Review №3
2019-06-09The food was oh Soo good! Super fresh and cooked perfectly. The bartender Aron, Alex, cant remember but he made me feel like I was home. It a must visit if your in North buffalo. Or in Buffalo period doesnt take long to get there very worth it. And ask for this after your meal.
Review №4
2021-07-23Where to begin with this beautiful gem. First time in Buffalo and I stumbled across this place. To start, the staff was incredibly Swift helpful and kind. Probably the best service I’ve seen in a couple of months. big shout out to the chef and culinary team responsible for the farm to table experience and incredible execution. I wish I just had more time to try the menu item since the menu changes on a daily basis almost. Even the simpler items were blowing me away like the arcini and the barbecue pizza. I praise them on every aspect of dining, affordable pricing and sizable portions.
Review №5
2021-05-07My favorite restaurant! I love coming here for their rotating menu. Everything is always in season and fresh, especially the veggies. The dishes are well balanced and simple, and so good. A cozy atmosphere well suited for anything from afternoon cocktails to a nice dinner.
Review №6
2019-05-04Excellent, knowledgeable, and skilled bartenders. Creative, passionate, and customer pleasing chefs. Why would you spend your time, money and memories anywhere else. Public parking is right next door. Come in and taste the experience of hertel avenue.
Review №7
2020-01-13Great food , I really liked the duck liver on toast bread with mushrooms & Berry’s kinda pricey but service and food worth it ! The manager of the place she’s amazing , she care about the place and the customers , will definitely recommend to go there , sorry no pictures , I eat the food before I had the chance to take a picture.. ( i got the picture in the end)
Review №8
2021-10-30Delicious food great flavors. we had the fried green tomatoes and the flavor was great but the rim was a little hard. Kind and excellence staff. Would highly recommend
Review №9
2021-08-07Highly recommend this restaurant! The staff is so friendly, the atmosphere is so fun, and the food (the most important part) is incredible!! You will not be disappointed with their unique menu... its a hidden gem!
Review №10
2021-07-10Service was rushed, ordered the pork and it was over cooked and chewy. My date had salmon which was really pretty good! Two because prices are high for a meal and you are hoping that the meal will be out of this world. Worst pork dish I have had in a while.