Gerties

Had a very nice dinner here recently. A nice little spot in downtown Clarence Center.
We started with some of the salads on the menu. I had a beet salad. It was good but not great the beets lacked any real distinct flavor and the goat cheese was a little sparse. What made the difference from bad to good was the balsamic glaze that added a very nice touch.
My dining companions had a Margherita pizza and the chicken schnitzel respectively. Both showed up hot and fresh. The pizza was very good. Lots of fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.
The chicken schnitzel was outstanding. Nice breaded I. What looked to be panko. It was hot and delicious with a nice garlic aioli.
I decided on the Chicago beef sandwich. It is a great simple sandwich. With a nice simple slaw and some hot and spicy giardiennia.
Overall, a good spot in little Clarence Center.

Went for their Tuesday burger special, and although the burger was really top notch the deal was non existent. $ 14 for a burger just doesn’t seem right, and the beer we ordered wasn’t included in the deal but the server brought it anyways without checking if we wanted it. Our meal was $ 35, seems terribly steep for two burgers and a beer. The burger really was delicious though, perfectly seasoned, and cooked just as i asked. It came with a half cup of greasy but delicious root veggies; and a little dish of their homemade slaw. Noticed the other prices seemed steep too. $ 38 for sea bass, $ 28 something for a basic chicken dish. Those price’s will keep me away.

By far my favorite place to go when I am home! May I recommend the Jambalaya… its sweet and spicy, all the ingredients fit nicely! Its a bit pricey, but definitely worth it! The restaurant is located in the Village of Clarence, a pretty location to walk around after dinner as well. In the summer time they have a patio opened for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Sort of a middle of the road experience at dinner there last night. Beautiful old building, with a very nice bar and a surprisingly contemporary and inviting dining area. We were seated at a great table in the bay window.
Service was unfortunately sort of spotty all night. We stood at the hostesses desk for an unusually long time waiting to be seated and had several employees walk by and ignore us. The waitress was fast and efficient but not really friendly. They obviously had no concern for pacing of the meal. Our entrees came out about 2 mins after our soup/​salad, before we’d hardly had a moment to taste them. No apology offered. I wouldn’t think anything of it in a diner or something, but in a restaurant where I’m paying $ 80 for dinner for two I think it’s reasonable to expect better.
The menu is quite interesting and they have a nice, albeit small wine list. Unfortunately, the wine was served too warm and not in the proper glassware. Again, perfectly excusable in a less expensive restaurant. The house salad would have been just fine if not for the «house dressing» which tasted suspiciously like wishbone Italian straight from the bottle. My wife said her clam chowder was excellent.
For entrees, again my wife really enjoyed the chicken schnitzel. I ordered the jambalaya Arabiatta, which was a strange dish. Ziti in a very spicy marinara with dots of fresh mozzarella. This was pretty good in and of itself, but the addition of andouille (I guess this was the jambalaya part) made a really odd combination that to my taste, just didn’t work. It was served with a very good garlic bread and in their defense the menu accurately described what the dish contained so I guess I ordered poorly.
I think I’d come back here for lunch and check out their pizza or burgers. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to do dinner again. Just feels like a good burger joint that’s trying to be «upscale» and not quite hitting the mark.

Food at this place is amazing and I would have given it 5 stars if it was at all possible to have a conversation with the person next to you. It is SOOOO loud here, forget talking to the person across the table.

Nice place to grab dinner on a warm summer night. We sat outside in their small courtyard on 2 separate visits and enjoyed both dinners. They have a nice mix of different European-​styled dishes. We had some great appetizer specials and I had the Wasabi Crusted Salmon — both were very good. Second time I had the Chicken Mars — also good but not as good as the Salmon. And to top it off, they can make a good martini. We live nearby and walked there for dinner. As we left, we walked quite a ways down Goodrich when we heard our waitress running after us to give us a pair of glasses one of our friends left at the table. That was really appreciated.

Yep, now 4-​stars. A Mother’s Day hit. 5 for breakfast and a round of Mmmmimosa’s ($ 7) and Pink Grapefruit Mmmmargarita’s ($ 9) … why not? That’s not why they went to 4 –stars. It’s the friendly and efficient staff, consistent quality and delicious food offerings. The menu was very close to Easter’s menu but still working my way through it. This time I just wanted to see how a regular breakfast is and again not disappointed. I did the 3-​egg Scrambled with 3 adders of asparagus, ham and pepper cheddar (other adders are available) and with rye toast ($ 9.50). This, as with many of their dishes, comes with a diced fried potato medley of white, red and sweet. All VG. Another hit was the Eggs Benedict Filet ($ 15.50) where the usual slice of ham is replaced with a tender slice of beef filet. This will be my choice at the next visit. And again even the coffee was delish.
We ate inside but FYI the patio is now open and ready to enjoy.
Sláinte

It’s a beautiful place with a great menu. The service, however, is sub par at best.
Two of us had dinner here tonight. I was happily surprised when I walked in and saw how warm and welcoming the place was. I was quickly brought to the table where my friend was waiting for me. Upon perusing the menu I saw so many delicious sounding choices; everything from cheese plates… to salads… to soups… to (hand-​stretched) pizzas… to burgers and sandwiches… to fish and seafood, poultry, pork, and beef entrees.
I was getting hungry and impatient as we waited for over half an hour for the waitress to come over to tell us about specials and take our orders. The restaurant was less than half full. I’m hoping a waitress or two didn’t show up this evening, because I can’t imagine how the service would be on a busy night.
I chose the «Atlantic Salmon Cakes» (served with house-​made blueberry catsup, champagne lemon saffron risotto, and fresh green beans) and my friend had the «Gertie’s Chicken Mars» (chicken marsala served over penne pasta with fresh spinach). I asked the (confused) waitress if dinners came with salad and first she said, «yes, a small one is on the side of the plate»… and then she said, «no»… so we ordered house salads just to be sure.
Bread (overly fried foccacia slivers) was brought to the table… exactly two pieces for the two of us… with neither butter nor dipping oil. The salads were huge, fresh and delicious. They were a perfect mixture of field greens and romaine lettuce, chick peas, red onion, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and shredded carrots. The house-​made vinaigrette dressing was perfectly balanced and quite tasty.
I was shocked when after waiting so long for the waitress to take our orders, our dinners were brought to the table when we were only half-​way through with our salads. And, they were plopped down without even an apology. I wolfed down my remaining salad so I could taste my entrée before it cooled.
My salmon cakes (three of them!) were panko coated, perfectly seasoned, and absolutely delicious. The blueberry catsup (thank goodness served on the side!) tasted like little more than canned blueberry pie filling thinned with a bit of balsamic vinegar. There was a bit of salad on the plate after-​all, and the green beans were perfectly steamed. The champagne lemon saffron risotto was the star of the plate. Perfectly toothy, perfectly flavored, and as creamy as could be… I could have eaten a mountain of it!
My friend’s «Gertie’s Chicken Mars» was equally yummy (yes, I had a taste). The chicken was cooked just right, the pasta was al dente, and the flavors were amazing. My friend, who stated she is not one to bring home left-​overs, happily asked for her uneaten portion to be boxed for tomorrow. The food was THAT GOOD! I only wish the service even came close.

I’m kind of mixed on this place… I’ve been there two times. The first was in the summer and we were seated on the patio. You can’t beat the ambiance out there… they have nice lighting and music. The entrées we ordered that night were good. My more recent experience was not great. The service was ok. The entrees (filet duo and jambalaya) were nothing to write home about. … The steak seemed like it had been sitting for a while and the jambalaya was bland. I’m not in a rush to go back and drop $ 125 on a subpar dinner

Lovely little lunch spot! Take mom out for a quaint afternoon– great location! There is something cozy and nostalgic about this place that makes you feel right at home. The food is interesting and packed with robust yet delicate flavors. As I’m writing this I want to go back! Yummmm!

Went here on a Saturday night for dinner. The set up is a little strange as you walk into the bar and the hostess stand is a high top. The décor was nice and made the restaurant feel really home like. As for the menu it needs some improvements and more variety. The dishes are over priced and not worth what you get. I had a pizza and it tasted bland and the crust was hard. Also it says it’s suitable for kids yet they don’t offer a kids menu. I wouldn’t go back based on the type of food offered and prices.

Stopped by the other day for lunch, after wandering around for a while trying to find someplace that wasn’t primarily a bar to eat at. Saw lots of cars here, so we went inside. First of all, let me explain the strange layout: you enter through one storefront, and then they take you through a pass-​through to the next-​door storefront, which is where the dining is. Hopefully you won’t be seated in the back where everybody going too and from the deck will brush up against your table.
My partner ordered the quiche, which he said was quite good, as was the little side salad that came with it. I ordered the hummus wrap (one of the few non-​meat dishes), and was really quite disappointed by it. It was supposed to be ‘pan fried hummus patties’, but was more like ‘hummus from a bucket thrown on the grill for a minute to warm it up’. It was, for the most part, the consitency of library paste as servred.
The promised tzatziki and tahini sauces (what, BOTH at the same time?) were essentially M.I.A. The vinagarette slaw was nice, and the ‘a little something extra’ promised was… potato chips, and commercial ones at that! Frankly, I could’ve made essentially the same thing at home with a tub of Tops hummus, a few condiments, and a wrap. Very disappointing, especially for $ 10.50! Pita Pit would make it bigger for $ 6.
We ordered the Pellegrino limonata, which turned out to be a dinky 6 o.z. bottle, and a glass of ice. For $ 2 each. What a gyp! Parking was a nightmare around there, and, guys, let me tell you ahead of time, their lunch clientele is about 90% female, with the majority of them being 50+. The interior practically screams «pretentious» (as do the overly bejeweled suburban mavens who frequent this place), but the food does not live up to it’s promise. Art work on the wall (which was for sale, I might add) looked like something that Billy Fucillo would have in his estate. Crass and flashy…
So, one left essentially happy, and one disappointed. I wouldn’t want to risk this place for dinner, not at those prices. Perhaps they should reconsider, since they seem to have everything they need to become a ‘cougar bar’?

We’ve gone here a couple times for dinner, the service was friendly, swift, and inviting. The food was delicious. Love the ambiance & décor. Can’t complain about anything. Love to support a local business, & this one is well-​deserving. Will be back to try breakfast & lunch :)

Nice place, great warm colors, excellent service. Had the seafood Diablo.
Chunks of wild fresh north Atlantic lobster tail, bay scallops, fresh gulf shrimp and hot peppers sautéed in a spicy marinara sauce and served over angel hair pasta and garlic bread. This dinner was great but my guest had the salmon which was good but the salmon was kind of dry. But wait… let me catch my breath… DESSERTS! The most spectacular desserts. We had the chocolate cake, laden with cognac which was possibly the best chocolate I have ever eaten, we also shared a meringue dessert with silky whipped cream covered in fresh berries, I’m not sure if I’ll go back for dinner but I WILL DEF BE BACK FOR DESSERT SOON!

It pains me to say that this may be just another WNY restaurant that totally makes the mark when it comes to interior and exterior appearance and ambiance but kills it all with sub par food, service, and WAY overpriced menu.
Picture it, dinner with the ladies– 5 adults, 1 three year old on an early Friday evening. We had a table for 6 in the back of the restaurant. When we «checked in» at the counter, the hostesses/​waitresses all acted confused and were scrambling around to find our reservation. Hmmm… When the front of the house isn’t on top of it, it usually means (to me) that the rest of the place won’t be too on top of it either.
We were seated and served by an okay waitress. Seemed cold to me and was very absent with asking of we needed refills on drinks, etc. Gertie’s for dinner is EXPENSIVE. Think of a dish you’d order at any other restaurant and add about $ 10 to the price. The dinner selections themselves range from $ 18.99 (for MEATLOAF?!) to $ 30+ for chilean sea bass. Pasta is in the $ 20-​range. Even the burger I ordered was $ 12.99, and a simple flat bread pizza $ 13.50?!
For these prices, how about making everything from organic or locally sourced ingredients (a la The Kitchen in Boulder, CO)? Or even offering a larger sandwich/​small dish pasta/​lighter fare section of the menu? The cost to portion ratio was a real turn off. Plus there’s no kids menu, so I wouldn’t recommend bringing a child here.
I ordered the blue burger, medium, no american cheese (american cheese and blue cheese? eww). It actually sucked. SUCKED. The meat was tough and flavorless aside from the strong char flavor on it since it had been overcooked on the outside. Even the bacon on the burger was WAY overdone. I usually like well done bacon but this was so over done it just tasted old and burnt. The blue cheese was sparse and flavorless as well. EPIC FAIL on the burger. There are at least 3 other places I can think of within a few miles of Gertie’s that offer outstanding burgers for much less than $ 12.99. I usually clean my plate, even on meals that are just okay. I did not clean my plate on this visit and left nearly half of the burger on the plate, along with a few potatoes. Some of the potatoes on the plate were cooked nicely, others were still hard. Unacceptable.
I tasted the meatloaf and cajun chicken pasta. The meatloaf was actually REALLY tasty. It was beef mixed with stuffing and had a really nice taste. But $ 18.99 for a semi-​small portion, a loaf that was like half bread, 4 small steamed potatoes, and some super bitter broccoli rabe? GIRL PLEASE. The pasta was good, but again nothing that you couldn’t get elsewhere for like $ 10 or $ 12.
The worst part came at the end when we were in the process of wrapping up… The owner actually walked back to our table with a bussing tub (I don’t know the technical term) and a bus boy for back up, and started cleaning up while we were STILL SITTING saying they needed the table. Ummmm, really!!!
There were at least 3 open tables in the dining area and entrance, and as we walked out we noticed there was NO ONE WAITING. We were on our way out, but why push us? Poor service.
Would I come back to Gertie’s for dinner? NEVER. Lunch? Possibly, but it’d have to be really convenient and every other place in town would have to be closed! Sorry Gertie’s. Glad I tried, but I won’t be back until changes are made!

Gertie’s has updated its menu and its hours are expanded somewhat. There is less of an emphasis on burgers and similar fare, and an entire page of proper entrees is now on offer. Dinner is served Thursday — Saturday, and it’s now open Sundays for breakfast/​brunch. They also do ½ price wine bottle specials on selected nights, and occasional German specials.
The only one of the new entrees we tried was the penne in a gorgonzola cream sauce. It’s comfort food to the nth degree, and the sharp cheese was crumbled on top of the dish, which was brought piping hot — after a few moments, the cheese melted into the sauce and the whole dish was brimming with green cheesy goodness.
The release of the new menu brings a new round of things to try — I’m especially eager to give the deep dish pizza a shot. We’re very lucky to have this place in the 4 corners.

Went here with my honey for Sunday lunch recently and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of food and the atmosphere! We started with the olive tapenade — it was fabulous, and the portion was generous. I got a turkey, bacon, avocado sandwich. The turkey was not cold cuts! Instead it was thick slices of oven roasted turkey, yum! The avocado was ripe and the bacon was crispy and smokey. It was served on house-​baked oatmeal bread which was delicious! The accompaning slaw and sweet potato chips were top notch! My husband got the chicken slovaki salad. This was large enough to share (unless you’re really hungry). Everything was super fresh, and it was topped with lots of feta! We will definitely return! Note the hours of operation as they close at 2:30 most days. For our lunch of 1 appetizer, 2 entries, & drinks the total came to $ 37 (before tip).
My inlaws went for breakfast and highly recommend the breakfast wrap and scones. Again the portions were generous and high quality ingredients were used.