EBC West

If you want to have a tasty and reasonably priced brunch/​lunch on Mother’s Day, and don’t want to slog over an all-​you-​can-​eat buffet, your best bet is to go to a gastropub. EBC West fit the bill for our Mother’s Day lunch.
I was impressed by the atmosphere at EBC West — lots of dark wood, a long bar and a separate eating area upstairs with lots of light. The downstairs was a bit noisy, so we sat upstairs with my in-​laws.
All of the reviews that I read on Unilocal prior to our visit indicated that the Spicy Peanut Soup was a MUST try. I made peanut soup once from an African cookbook, but it was a bit on the peanut buttery side because I couldn’t be my hands on good Piri Piri peppers. It was the first thing I looked at on the menu and the first thing I ordered, followed by the Bean & Veggie burger (I thought that would be a killer combo).
My in-​laws had ordered bruschetta before we arrived and it came to the table just as we sat down with them. Wow, what an amazing bruschetta — warm with shaved parmesan and tangy balsamic vinegar. I could have eaten that all afternoon! Definitely a go-​to app on the menu.
Unfortunately, 10 minutes after I ordered my soup and veggie burger, the waiter advised that they were out of the soup. Whhaaattt?! I drove all the way from Buffalo for the soup! He offered French Onion as a substitute, but I couldn’t pull the trigger on it, I was too disappointed on missing out on the peanut soup. Another 15 minutes passed before our food came (everyone else ordered salads, so not sure what took so long).
Everyone enjoyed their salads, one with very generous portions of shrimp on the caesar salad. My veggie and bean burger was good, but the provolone cheese on top was melted beyond reasonable recognition. Hand cut fries were warm and salty (and they had malt vinegar, woohoo!).
My wife and I have started making crème brûlée at home since my brother gave us a finishing torch as a wedding gift. So, we always order it when we are out, you know, just to compare :) The brûlée at EBC West was good — lightly crunchy on top, with thick custard underneath and served with a bourbon or rum whipped cream (we asked the waiter, but he didn’t know what it was).
Couple of areas of improvement for EBC West to work on (make more of the signature soup!) but decent food and pleasant atmosphere for sure.

The selection of beers is pretty top notch (duh).
The food is above average but not spectacular. I have been here a few times and on my last visit I ordered a Reuben (for $ 15 dollars). It was OK. Not 15 dollars OK. I really don’t know how describe it other than that. Best to come for the beer or if a coworker is paying.

If you find yourself in Fredonia on a Sunday evening, EBC West is a great spot to catch some Sunday Night Football while enjoying a blueberry wheat beer and some African Peanut Soup. The past two Sundays I’ve been in Fredonia and did exactly that. There aren’t too many dining options in this college town, let alone ones open on a Sunday night. EBC West has great service and a decent menu selection, both in terms of beers and food. In addition to all the Ellicottville Brewing Company beers, EBC West also has the new One Buffalo beer on tap from the Southern Tier Brewing Company. All in all, this is a great destination is a tiny town!

This was a quaint place. The beer flights had a range of variety. Typical bar/​pub food. Standard all around. Nothing spectacular. The staff were very nice and well educated. Overall a clean place with some serious potential. Definitely worth a look if you’re in town. Enjoy

This was my second time to grab dinner at EBC West. Both dinners were great. On the most recent occasion, my husband and I joined our son, who is attending SUNY-​Fredonia. We were greeted and seated promptly. We were left alone for perhaps a bit too long, but after about 10 minutes a waitress appeared and took our drink and food orders at the same time. I opted for the Two Brothers IPA, which I enjoyed. A bit hoppy, but not over the top. I ordered the feature, a Cajun Andouille Pasta with sausage and chicken. It was a huge portion and came with two big crunch breadsticks. The dish was creamy and spicy all at once — the sausage was delicious. I managed to eat only about a third of this. My husband ordered the Fish and Chips which he enjoyed while my son opted for the Steak Frites — also a winner. The food appears to be consistently solid here, although a bit pricey — $ 92.00 for dinner for three, however that included drinks. My only other complaint was that no ketchup came with the dinner (where two people ordered fries) and once the food came, we did not get a checkback to order a second drink for quite some time. All that aside this is a comfortable, clean and classy setting to enjoy delicious, high quality food.

So, we were camping at nearby Lake Erie State Park, and I knew this place was on the way to the park, so we made plans specifically to visit here, so I could check off EBC off of my brewery checklist.
It looks tiny from the outside, but it’s much larger inside. The restoration of the place is very nice, with lots of clean wood and brass and other nice touches. We were shown to a table, and ordered some beer. I really enjoy EBC’s beer, and they had a nice selection on tap, with old favorites as well as some seasonals.
I decided to order Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, and Lee ordered Steak Frites, which has been a thing he’s been ordering lately. The M&C was really great, not too heavy, with a nice helping of chicken served on top that was even better when I folded it into the pasta.
Lee was happy with his steak frites, and I stole a few fries and they were crispy and delicious.
The server was really nice, knowledgable about the beer and food, and this place was altogether awesome, a place you should stop at while you’re in Fredonia.

The reviews for EBC in regards to prices are pretty spot on. The food is good but overpriced by quite a bit. For a town like Fredonia they do very well as a restaurant and it is somewhat surprising that they do.
Like I said, the food is good though. I ordered the Buffalo Mac and Cheese and the portion was big and the dish was very good. Again though, it was overpriced at $ 17. Had the dish cost about $ 12 then I would say I would absolutely be back for the dish but it wasn’t.
What will bring me back are the beers. I ordered a flight (6 tasters at 4 ounces a piece) that cost only $ 7.50, which was a great deal. The beer was excellent and they had a bunch of stuff on tap that I had not seen in bottles before so that was a nice surprise.
The bar/​restaurant itself is nice so I will be back for the beers but probably not the food.

This is a beautiful restaurant serving beautiful food and located in a beautiful town. Wash it all down with a beautiful beer.
This place is a huge part of my college experience, and I can’t wait to see it again next week! The veggie burger is great (it actually holds together and is well-​seared) and every single one of their beers is delicious. Try the Blueberry Wheat (let the berries marinate a bit, then fish them out of the bottom of your glass) or if you’re into something richer, try the Pantius Droppus or the Black Jack Oatmeal Stout. They also make a mean Manhattan. Finally, in terms of ambience, you can’t go wrong with one of the few coveted window seats. I also love the rooftop patio late at night.
This place was the backdrop to a lot of my most wonderful times at Fredonia. I hope you have a great time, too!

A solid estabishment. Honest gastropub and micro-​brewery at honest prices. Ambiance rivals any place in major cities. You will not be dissapointed.

Completely, meh. Which is a disappointment given how beautiful the building is. Sub par wait staff, pretty food done at an average quality with a nice selection of beers that the bartenders know little to nothing about.

Exposed brick, local WNY beer selection, and menu with what looks like a list of someone’s favorite foods. The African soup is amazing, if I’m back in Fredonia I know where I’ll be eating!

Great burger, perfectly cooked and juicy. Staff was so friendly. I have some food allergies and the server was very thorough and made me super comfortable. Love that the fries are done in peanut oil. Salad was fresh as well. Best stop off the road from Erie to Buffalo!

Been here several times and have always been very impressed. The menu is a cut above typical bar food. There are several different Ellicottville beers on tap, with detailed descriptions in the menu. The service is friendly and efficient, even on busy weekends like «Fredfest». I always try to work in a stop here when I come to Fredonia.

It’s tragic how an experience can be completely ruined by a single terrible component. Ruining experiences has become the new trend for EBC. Last time their [previously amazing] African Peanut Soup was very poor. Today their special drink of the month, the whiskey slush was the culprit.
We made the unfortunate decision to start with the tasty sounding whiskey slush (being fans of Mint Juleps we figured this would be right up our alleys.) What we received would best be described as VERY watered-​down whiskey sours — at first I wasn’t even certain that there was any whiskey in the drink (if there was, it was half a shot to a shot for an entire pint glass.)
The beer cheese pretzels are decent pretzels with some cheese that was admittedly tasty. The French Onion soup was good. The St. Jacob’s Oak Aged Stout was absolutely amazing — I’m going to find out where I can get this in a 6 pack. The Chai Saison (collaboration between Hamburg Brewery and EBC) was interesting and good.
=======HERE’S THE KICKER========
For the high prices EBC charges, I expect near perfection. The past two experiences have been ruined by extremely poor components. Not OK.

The food was perfect. I love the fish and chips. The service was outstanding. The place could a little bit warmer in the wintertime. I like the way the place was lighted up.

EBC in Fredonia is a staple for dinning out for people of any age. The craft beer selection has regulars with some that exchange according to season. The food is good if not a little salty but if you accompany it with a good bitter beer or an IPA it’s perfect. So why four stars? EBC becomes pretty selective after certain hours. As a partial restaurant you would think they’d have a system to help decipher who can drink and who can’t. If you want to go to their trivia night don’t bother inviting friends that are underage… If that’s the case wait and go to trivia on Thursday at Wing City. Otherwise you’re in for a good meal and great drinks!

The African Peanut soup is something I dream about…
A lot of really great menu items, and great craft beers. For what it is, just a little too expensive… That being said, considering your options in the area I would definitely recommend.

It’s a micro brewery with a selection of other beers. The food is above average bar food. Two floors of seating with above average ambiance.

The moment we walked through the door, the host was extremely friendly and attentive. Our waitress literally ran up and down the stairs several times to attend to her tables. They were very busy with an upstairs party, yet we were never neglected. In fact, she took the time to give us some great tips about walking along Lake Erie at Point Gratiot, as well as where to get the cheapest gas!
The food was great. Do not pass up the fish & chips (but bring your appetite — it’s huge!). The batter is light and crispy — made with panko crumbs. The Kobe burger with Parmesan truffle fries were amazing. And this may seem like a small thing, but their home made come slaw is the best I’ve ever had. So fresh!
We tried sample flights of their beers. The Black Hops was incredible (and well balanced with the malt, so actually not too hoppy. The stout was a bit lackluster, though. Several others were good as well. The beer is very reasonably priced, to boot!
Don’t miss this place!

A brewpub in Fredonia? Sometimes the best finds are in unlikely places. Ellicottville Brewing West (EBW) is located on Main Street near plenty of other bars and restaurants. Ample seating and much larger than what you would expect judging from outside. Overall casual atmosphere but with some class. Beautiful interior. Brick walls, dark wood, two huge wooden stairwells heading to additional seating upstairs and an outdoor patio.
The food here is a sophisticated take on pub favorites. I especially love their Bavarian pretzels and beer cheese. It’s crazy good. I also recommend their Kobe style burger with truffle fries. Very good portions. You will not leave hungry. Oh and great news for parents. They have a children’s menu and highchairs. Don’t fret about coming here with well behaved kids.
The beer at EBW is top notch too. My favorite is the Pantius Droppus, their take on an Imperil Pale Ale. The Blackjack Oatmeal Stout is also a winner. My wife loves the Blueberry Wheat which they serve with real blueberries. Definitely try a flight to sample what they have.
We love EBW. The service is always great — Fast, friendly and attentive. The environment is spacious and comfortable. Food and beer is outstanding. Whenever we drive through the area we stop here. You should too.