The Left Bank

I used to love this restaurant but I took my wife and son there a few weeks ago and it didn’t feel as though the menu had changed for several years. None of us were impressed with our meals.

Ok so I am not going to lie I come to The Left Bank as much as I possibly can. This is probably my favorite restaurant in Buffalo.
The atmosphere and the ambiance of the restaurant is so comforting I could sit at the bar or at my table all night and be comfortable. Every time I bring friends here they absolutely fall in love with it as much as I did when my friend brought me here.
I would call and make reservations a few days before you go if you want something around dinner time but if you can hold out until after 9 usually you can get a table for 2 – 4 with out too much of a problem if it is not a holiday.
There is 2 things that I always get when I come to The Left Bank and that is what ever soup they have on the menu that day and the Fondue for Two $ 14 (shared of course). These two things will fill you up before your dinner even starts but it is well worth it. The various bruschettas they have on the menu are also absolutely amazing (salmon asparagus being the best thing ever).
For my meal I love to get and usual do every time i go The Daily Ravioli (price varies)! The ravioli is easily the size of the menu they give you and is stuffed with cheeses and peppers and depending on the day chicken, pork, and even meatballs. I don’t care too much for pork but if that is what is in it on the day I got I get it anyway because it is that good.
The Cheese Tortellini $ 16 they have on the menu is amazing too. You get easily half a pound of pasta and they do not go easy on the cream sauce. I like to save some of the bread you get at the beginning of the meal to dip because the sauce is so good.
I normally do not do desserts when I got out because I enjoy the food too much but here you have to get something! Every dessert is made fresh daily and to die for. The number 1 dessert they have in my opinion is Tart! Layered with caramel, chocolate, and macadamia nuts this is a very rich dessert but well worth it at the end of the meal!
Be prepared to bring home half of your meal the portions are that big and make sure you are in good company because once you get in you are not going to want to go anywhere any time soon. This is a must visit place if you come to the area and if you live hear and have not gone yet what are waiting for!

I visited Left bank with my husband to celebrate out two years of togetherness… Both of us were amazed and loved the place so much. It is so good but it needs prior reservations. We ordered some drinks, shrimp pasta and focaccia. I must say everything that we ordered was just amazing and we were not disappointed at all. Everything was so perfectly cooked. Service is incredible and staffs are really friendly. Atmosphere is incredible! This is probably one of the best restaurants in Buffalo and I can’t wait to visit this place again :)

Absolutely delicious food, attentive servers, and great cocktails! The fondue for two is a must and we were delighted with our entrees. He got the filet mignon and I got the carrot papardella. Both were fantastic! We will definitely be back!

I went there for my birthday and enjoyed it!!! Their bruschetta is very filling and juicy, I had chicken linguine and it just so amazing! I’d come back here again and again !!!

My boyfriend and I made reservations on a Friday night of Valentines Day weekend. They did not have a fixed «holiday» menu so I was very happy about that. I heard great things about this restaurant so I was very excited to try it. We both ordered the strip steak with a garlic spinach cheese and poached lobster topping, set in a kind of wine sauce I believe. There were 2 pieces (bites) of lobster on the steak, so it was slightly disappointing. The steak was cooked how we wanted, but lacked a lot of flavor/​seasoning regardless of the «toppings». With those there wasn’t much flavor to the steak at all. The service was average, sometimes were waiting a bit for a drink refill. Very cute and intimate inside, perfect for a date.

It’s possible I went on a bad night, but after seeing all the 4 and 5 star reviews I didn’t feel like I had anything close to a 5 star experience. I called a month in advance to get a reservation because I know how Valentine’s Day is a big deal and was able to get a 6:15 reservation. When we arrived our table was tiny in the middle of the restaurant where I had to shuffle my chair to avoid getting hit by people passing by. The waitress asked for drink orders but didn’t go over the specials or anything. I got a gin drink with lavender bitters that tasted like pink lemonade. Our appetizer was scallops which was good but a bit small for the price. Our entrees didn’t arrive until an hour after our appetizer. I got the special pasta of the night which was farfalle with prosciutto and lobster in a lemon cream sauce. There was so much lemon in my dish that I couldn’t eat more than a few bites. I enjoy lemon based sauces so I didn’t think too much lemon was possible. The waitress did not apologize for the lateness and for most of the night was absent.
Considering the price of the entrees and the high ratings on Unilocal,we were very disappointed. There are better places in buffalo that are cheaper and don’t need reservations far in advance. We will probably not be eating here again.

My Favorite Restaurant! If you have not been here you need to. I prefer the daily ravioli, but everything is great. The only downside is you need reservations! Reservations open up 6 weeks out and you need to call as soon as you can. I have tried 3 weeks out and it was full.
Great place for a date or small groups. Very intimate setting.

One of my absolute FAVORITE places in Buffalo. Always have a wonderful meal there.
Their brunch is great. Dinner gets packed, so you will need to make reservations in advance.
If the weather is nice, sit outside. Great patio.

Loved it here. Staff was attentive and seated us quickly. Food was excellent, especially the house ravioli and brochette. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a classy but relaxed night out.

One of my favorite restaurants in Buffalo. I try to get something new every time, but it is hard to deviate from my favorites, such as the fondue for two. This restaurant is a must for any celebration and or occasion. Amazing food. Definitely call ahead for reservations!

My favorite restaurant in Buffalo! The atmosphere is inviting and intimate with dim lights, and candles setting the mood for a wonderful evening. I have dined both at the bar and in the dining room. The bartenders and servers are super friendly, attentive, and deliver nothing but outstanding social graces. The bar has lots to offer from their choice wine selection to perfectly made cocktails to several of local beers on tap. The menu is quite extensive, suitable for any palate. Along with the regular menu there is a daily separate menu with special delights devised by the Chef himself. Take the time to savor every bite of every course as the food is exceptional!

If you mention The Left Bank in the Buffalo region you can watch people’s eyes light up instantly. This is because the food and beverages are AMAZING. I’ve been here twice and both experiences were great. This most recent dining experience I arrived earlier than my party and sat at the bar. I ordered a Scottish lavender (Hendricks gin, lavender bitters, lemon juice and soda) I’m going to have to make this cocktail at my next party along with the Mexican Moscow (tequila, ginger beer and lime juice) I had after my meal.
I ordered the mushroom and truffle soup off the specials menu for my appetizer and I can honestly say it was the best soup I’ve ever had. I’m a huge fan of truffle oil as it is, but mixed with the creamy mushroom soup… it was to die for! I would return just for that alone.
Tip: do not reserve a table online. The online reservations are strictly for the NYC location.

My daughter chose The Left Bank for her birthday dinner this year. She really likes this place. You’d probably think from the name its a French restaurant but their menu is mainly Italian, go figure. It is an inviting place, more so than I expected. I got the last parking spot near the door, lucky me! Service wasn’t the quickest but it wasn’t bad either so no complaint really. After all it was busy this day before Thanksgiving. I had the broiled pork tenderloin with cranberry glaze and mashed potatoes and veggies. It was a large helping, delicious, and it really hit the spot, so much so I took some home. The bread for the table is real bakery bread, not factory crap. That is a small thing that is important to me. The meals are also substantial and reasonably priced for an above average restaurant, which makes a place like this appealing to me. They have linen tablecloths, polite staff who aren’t lost, and everything! If I came to this place not wearing something nice I would feel awkward. $ 200+ tip for 7 adults wasn’t half bad either! For a birthday, anniversary, a date, or some fine dining without dropping a fortune, The Left Bank is a good call, just don’t expect pâté du fois gras!

Brought my beau here for his birthday dinner. Major pro of the Left Bank is that they’re open on Monday nights. None of the other fine dining establishments in Buffalo seem to be so the night was already off to a win. The décor was cozy and intimate, great for a date night. Our server was friendly and inviting which immediately put us at ease.
We arrived at 7:30 and were seated immediately. We started off with a cocktail, a Manhattan for me and some soft of lavender/​gin drink for him. We decided to order the double calamari for starters. Once it came out we realized a single would have been more than enough. The tomato sauce it was served with was very zesty and had some heat to it. All in all it was OK… But nothing to write home about. We were most excited for the entrée selection anyways. I had the ravioli special which was made with grilled chicken, hot peppers and a Romano cream sauce which was to die for. My boyfriend had the pasta special served with crap, spinach, and tomatoes. The food was incredibly delicious. We ordered another drink, and then split a piece of key lime pie for dessert.
All in all, the bill came to $ 110, and I was pleasantly surprised. Very reasonable for a higher end restaurant in Buffalo in my opinion. We will definitely be back!

I love left bank. The food is always great. The service is great. No complaints really.
For appetizers I’ve had the:
–Calamari– Tasted good. Dipping sauce was a simple cocktail sauce. Only criticism is that they were large and I like them cut smaller but that’s personal preference.
–Caesar salad-​Homemade dressing. Homemade croutons. Fresh.
–Roasted Beet and Crispy Goat Cheese Wonton Salad– Really good! This could be an entrée with a small side of something else. The goat cheese wontons are genius and beets are tender.
–Scallops– You get a few with some drizzle of two sauces and some black rice. Very good. I wouldn’t get if your getting a seafood entrée because then it’s just too much.
–Wild Mushroom Soup– My favorite. Seasonal. Chunky but puréed. Touch of white truffle drizzle which makes it. And I know people hate the stuff but this is phenomenal.
–Fondue for 2– Delicious. Beef, fried portobello mushroom strips, bread and other dippers come along your Gorgonzola melted cheese fondue. Great to share.
My entrée selection is more limited. Although the entrees all look good, I always find myself either getting a few apps or sticking to my favorite which is the Carrot Pappardelle. The pasta is thick and surrounded in a delicious cream sauce that has thin strips of carrot running through. It contains fresh lobster, crab meat, and shrimp. It really is comfort food to me. I absolutely love. I don’t take the leftover home because i don’t like the taste of second day seafood.
My accompaniment always gets the tortellini that is also swimming in a beautiful cream sauce or something off the specials menu. He has had the steaks which he liked and last night he tried the giant ravioli. The giant ravioli is a long sheet of pasta filled with a special mix for that day with a special sauce that day. Yesterday it was meatball, banana pepper, and Italian cheese filled topped with their San Marzano tomato sauce. The presentation was great but he didn’t love it. The cheese resembled the cheese you would find on pizza– really think and googy. He said it was too much cheese which is strange for anyone to say too much cheese. He said the sauce and meatballs that were inside were good though. He wouldn’t get it again.
The deserts are always good. When my family went (5 of us) we got four deserts and just shared them all. It’s worth it.

My experience at Left Bank was pretty close to perfect. It’s been on my places to try list for about two years now so I was thrilled to finally have the opportunity to dine here. Parking can be tricky as there are multiple restaurants in the vicinity. Came in around 8 on a Monday night and hoped there would be a table available for two. There was a 25 minute wait so we headed to the bar to have a drink. There was nobody behind the bar, but the bar was filled with guests. After a short wait, we noticed the bartender come out from the kitchen with plates. Once she noticed us, we grabbed a wine list and ordered a bottle of the Super Tuscan they had by the glass as well. The bartender was really cool and friendly, continued pouring the bottle for us until it was gone. The 25 minute wait turned into more like 45 minutes and when the hostess told us our table was ready we ended up deciding to stay at the bar. My dinner partner and I were having a heated debate we needed room for hand gestures and thought the intimate setting in the dining room would have caused some potential stares and eye rolls. I enjoyed the feel of this restaurant; usually I am not in favor of a wall separating the dining room from the bar but it felt right here. The lighting was dark and the dining room lit up with white lights, very romantic and elegant.
The menu was surprisingly large and there was a supplemental special menu too. We decided we were going to slowly order dish by dish one at a time until we were full and the bartender was completely on board. We began with the tuna tartare which had sriracha aioli, cilantro and ginger finished with a soy glaze. The tuna was atop white rice and we asked for the aioli on the side, they happily accommodated our request. I thought the portion was really large for what I usually receive elsewhere when I get tuna tartare. The menu online however states it costs $ 14, but it’s actually $ 16 on the restaurant menu. The tuna was very fresh, it was a great choice. Our final dish was the grilled asparagus salad. It was phenomenal, one of the best salads I have ever had. The asparagus was perfectly cooked, wrapped in smoked salmon, so delicious. The salad was a mix of mesclun greens and it was dressed appropriately with a creamy wasabi dressing. There were pieces of avocado sitting on tomatoes that tasted unbelievably good. The salad was big and everything in it was so fresh. These two choices, although listed as appetizers or smaller plates were very filling. I am looking forward to coming back here to eat in the dining room and explore more of their menu.

I invited my colleague here for a dinner after seeing so many nice review. The place is pretty especially in the fall scene. There are some little nice park and planting around the place, I stood outside while waiting for my friends coming in, and was very enjoying the view and environment.
After we all got together, we settled in. The place was crowded around 7, every table was filled even in a weekday. Amazing!
We ordered their signature calamari, ravioli to share, the homemade ravioli is delicious, even our international guest enjoyed very much. For the main course, I picked seafood pasta, the dish has all kinds of seafood, clam, shrimp, salmon, white fish, etc. I ate all the seafood, didn’t really touch the pasta as the sauce was too salty and strong flavor. We also ordered the nut tart and cheese cake to share, both are quite tasty!
Will revisit with my family next time.

My husband and I chose to celebrate our 30^th Wedding Anniversary with a nice quiet dinner at the Left Bank.
We had a lovely table on the back platform near the kitchen.
We first ordered a bottle of Riesling, to toast our 30 years of marriage.
We continued with the «Left Bank» fried calamari as our appetizer.
For our dinners, my husband ordered the Pork Tenderloin, cheese, garlic Ravioli of the day, smoothered with a light sauce.
I ordered the Grilled CAB Center Cut NY Strip Steak, topped with butter-​poached lobster, garlicky greens, and Monterey Jack. This was served with herb roasted fingerling potatoes.
Our appetizer and meals were made to perfection.
We finished off our meals with on dessert to split which was a Pumpkin Pecan Pie. Scrumptuos!
Our whole experience would have been wonderful, except that right down the two stairs was a table with three woman, one man and a small girl.
We didn’t feel that this was the place for a small child that didn’t know restaurant manners. This little girl was running up and down from the table, and was very loud.
This spoiled our experience, which would have been a wonderful one.

The best meal I had in 2015 in Buffalo.
Quality, price, & portions were perfect.
The restaurant was packed on a Wednesday night & now I know why.
I will be back!!!

My boyfriend and I love The Left Bank! We actually come here every year for Valentine’s Day (5 years now) and we still aren’t sick of it. Everything about left bank is amazing, whether you’re having a few drinks at the bar, enjoying a nice dinner, or coming for brunch on sunday morning. They have a very vide variety on their menu, which is nice because it doesn’t restrict you to just steak or just seafood. The waiters are so professional and can literally recite every single special in detail without looking at anything. That’s impressive when you ask me! The fried calamari, hot banana peppers, and pan seared sea scallops for appetizers are to die for. I’ve only gotten steak once here (it was a surf and turf special on their v-​day menu) and it was amazing! Every other time i’ve come here however, i’ve gotten pasta (and that’s saying a lot because i’m a steak girl.) Their carrot papardella pasta dish is so good i just can’t steer away from it. I have literally gotten it every single time, other than that once. It amazing, i don’t know how else to describe it. It comes with lobster, crab meat, and shrimp in it… so if you’re not a seafood person, then i suggest you steer clear from it. But if you like seafood and pasta, then this is the dish for you!
Not only do i love the food, but i love the décor. It is so romantic on the inside with dim lighting and cozy little tables. The paintings on the walls are beautiful and for some reason i appreciate that it’s as small as it is. It makes it intimate, which normally i hate, but this i don’t mind at all. If you’ve never been to Left Bank, you’re missing out. Can’t wait to be back again in February!

The hostess has been curt and snappy every time we’ve come here (the servers are not much better).The bar is constantly crowded and every time we have been here the wait times have been +1 hour for a party of two. The menu has a lot going on and is basically a hot mess but the ravioli of the day is a safe choice. It’s pretty overrated in terms of food and the service is very «like it or leave it».
Wouldn’t go out of my way to come here.

I live around the corner from The Left Bank and am definitely a fan for dinner. However, I recently went for brunch and I was shocked at how underwhelming it was. You can read and be the judge.
The Left Bank is a cute little restaurant with a full bar. It has exposed brick with the romantic dim lighting (but sometimes I wish it was a tad brighter so I can see what I’m eating). It’s great for dates or small groups in general. I recommend calling ahead for tables but it’s not required. There is a small lot next to the restaurant, but also plenty of street parking as well! Just make sure you read the signs!
I’ve gone here for dinners dozens of times and have tried most of the menu. There isn’t a dish I didn’t like. My all time favorite and go-​to is the carrot pappardella. It is a plate of deliciousness that you’ll just want to gobble up! :) Their portions for the pastas are very generous and I almost always end up taking half of it home with me for the next day!
Sunday brunch was a different story. Firstly, they have live jazzy music which is definitely a plus. I called ahead and was seated right away. However, that’s when things turned downhill. It was super busy that day and the crowd was very lively. I’m not a particularly morning person to begin with, and although I was ok with the music, the overall noise just killed the ambiance. I could barely hear my friend across from the table!
It took about 20 minutes before our waitress took our order for food, and another hour before our food came out. Although we were given fresh bread to nibble on, it was not enough to hold us over for the wait. We ordered the seafood benedict, croque madame, and oak smoked salmon salad.
The seafood benedict was average, it was good but nothing not memorable. Croque madame was just like a large grilled ham and cheese with a fried egg on top. Very salty and heavy in my opinion. Both dishes came with delicious home fries and slivers of fruit. The oak smoked salmon salad was ok, however, I feel that there was a lot more salad than salmon.
All in all, 5 stars for dinner, 2 for brunch making it 3.5 overall as an establishment in my book. But since I love it for dinner so much, I’ll round up.

I maintain a principled objection to brunch because I hate eggs. And bunch menus are littered with eggs like a house pelted by drunk teens at 2am. This place was no exception. But they do have jazz brunch. Pair that with a mimosa, and you feel classy as that Monopoly top hat. My group numbered eleven, and we came at 1pm after carousing until 4 early that morning. You can imagine what sort of state we were in. The seating was timely, waitress attentive, and portions ample – as one wants when one is hungover. Still the lighting was weird: the dining room dark with large windows streetside, resulting in a glarey haze for those like my who faced the windows. But I’d «brunch» here again, in spite of the eggs.
NB: I consider three stars a very good place and resist the practice of star-​inflation.

Two words: carrot papardella. It took me years to finally try this place out and I’m regretful that I didn’t come here sooner. It doesn’t matter if you dine in or take out this place is just divine. Sure the menu seems like a typical American place with your pastas and everything but it’s not. Its so much more. The ingredients they use are always fresh, and the amount you get is alway plentiful.
I never thought I could find a place to actually eat all this yummieness. Don’t wait, go now!

This restaurant makes me sad. Here’s why.
This place is super cute and romantic with all of the candles and fresh flowers and dim lights. Attentive staff. A perfect place for a date.
Drinks are made well so another point for left bank.
Now the food :(just don’t.
Bread is cakey and bland. Pretty sure focaccia is supposed to be made from a high hydration, high gluten dough. The bread served here is soft and quickly risen. There is some attempt to make it taste better with use of olive oil and seeds but really… Meh… Not offensive but also not really worth the calories.
To start, I shared a fondue for two. It was basically a ball of melted Boursin with Brie mixed in. Pretty good value for $ 14 served with beef, «focaccia», asparagus, and deed fried mushrooms. Cute presentation but nothing really to write home about.
Entrees were disastrous. I’m not the biggest fan of their «ravioli» which is basically a $ 21 burrito… Their fresh pasta is pretty lame, filling is super salty and flavors were off. Honestly the filling tasted like it was made days ago and reheated. I seriously found crunchy pieces of ground beef in my ravioli. The only redeeming thing about this dish was the sauce which was a roasted pepper based sauce.
The pork tenderloin was also salty and off. The potatoes were over salted and the flavor of the Boursin/​cheap chèvre did not play well with the cranberry based sauce. Buttered string beans were great.
Dessert. I regret this decision so much. I got their «red velvet cake». There is so much wrong with this. First of all, cake arrived with condensation all over it like it had been sitting in the fridge for a while. Very firm and cold. And it was served with the weirdest mix of flavors. The icing was cinnamon based which was really not my thing, but then it was also served with a raspberry sauce and unsweetened whipped cream (was this a mistake??) and strawberries. I’m not sure whose idea this was. I am not a fan. Anyway, didn’t finish the cake.
I have mixed feelings about this place. Ambiance was great and drinks were spot on but the food is trying too hard. Food does not live up to the price tag. Neither the ingredients nor the execution of the dishes call for the prices they charge here.
This isn’t a place that’s horrid but I honestly wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.

The Left Bank has been on my «try» list for quite a while. Somehow, I’ve never had the opportunity to enjoy a meal here. Recently I was given the task of choosing where to have a business dinner with some colleagues and a vendor. Finally a chance to see what all the fuss was about.
For a fine dining experience there are some oddities about Left Bank. First, the curb appeal is limited. The place looks somewhat like a dive bar from the outside. Strange. This is the intimate dining experience I’ve heard people rave about? Second, the prices here are pretty stellar for fine dining. $ 15-​$ 20 entrees? Wow. You can easily have a dinner for two here for under $ 100.
Onto the atmosphere. Left Bank is fairly small. It’s also loud. If you we’re thinking about coming here for an intimate anniversary dinner this may not be the experience you were looking for. Décor-​wise the place is alright. Brick, dark woods, warm, and comfortable.
Food is stellar! We started out by sharing three appetizers — Bruschetta with Beef, Portobello Mushroom with Artichoke Stuffing, and the Hot Banana Peppers. I passed on the mushroom but very much enjoyed the bruschetta and banana peppers. Nice flavor, terrific seasoning. Each appetizer was under $ 10. Astounding value for the quality that what was served.
For my entrée I had the Grilled Cab Center NY Strip Steak served with butter poached lobster and fingerling potatoes. Wow. Absolutely delicious. The steak was perfect. Cooked medium with a nice char. Seasoned well. The lobster was delicious and presented on top of the steak. A nice surf and turf combination. 5 stars for the food.
Service was attentive as would be expected in a place of this caliper. Our waitress was knowledgeable of the menu and was quick to offer good suggestions on food and wine pairings.
Overall, a wonderful experience. 5 stars on the food, but subtract some points for atmosphere. If this is fine dining then the target is somewhat missed. Come here for a delicious dinning experience, not the ambiance.