Excellent music every day with a friendly staff. Fairly priced drinks but no food available. Bring your own pretzels or candy. This is where the locals go.

Delightful Nietzche's Halloween party. 🎃

Live jam was cool! Loved the ambiance

I am in love with this artsy bar in the historic Allentown neighborhood. The bar is cash only, but the drinks are cheap and the bartenders are friendly. It seems like there is always something going on at Neitzche's.

If u love music this place is it. Open mic on Monday's... Love it here. Drinks are over priced so drink before u come. Cash only no atm.

Really nice bar and good live music at later hours run in there at 6pm because of Hearing nice Irish Style Volk music in the streets....we also enjoyed this ,,older music " Part. All in all i would recommend this place

Nice dive bar for locals, we were visiting Buffalo, I stopped in to hear a quartet, enjoyed an ale. Hope to come back and see you there.

Sadly there ain't a lot of places like this anymore... Full of character, live jazz on a Thursday night, and a cozy and cool small space in the back.

A Buffalo landmark (even Anthony Bourdain stopped in on his show)! Best place to live music, open mic, comedy, and burlesque shows. Bartenders are very quick great beer selection too. Atmosphere is chill and relaxed.

Super chill spot. Drinks are good, staff are great and its a cool place to go to with friends and if you like live music

I love Nietzsches!! A great bar that has music every damn night! The staff is awesome. Stop down and support a local music venue and legend

Stopped here on a roadtrip with friends on a Tuesday after labor day. In the space of a few hours we were treated to live music, stand up comedy and a burlesque show, all in company of interesting patrons and amiable staff. Can't imagine what the place looks like on the weekend but I wish I'd come back to Buffalo just to see! Must stop if you visit the area.

This is by far one of the top 3 bars in buffalo. Live music all the time, burlesque, and a unique atmosphere where you'll run into new experiences depending on the day! It's cash only, which makes the experience better in my opinion. There is an ATM near by, though, and the drinks are reasonably priced. Definitely a must see in Buffalo!

A real blast from the past. Went to hear the Irish band, they were great!

Live music every night featuring artists around WNY (which is reason enough to give 5 stars.) Bartenders are great as is the beer! Enjoy the unique decor while listening to some local tunes!

It still smells like it did last week like it did when I was there 20 years ago-like good staff serving good drinks with good conversation, mixed with good live music, allowing not your average talent to play and the audience Nietzsche's is there for it. Also its unique for its seating, stickers, history, and you gotta go to see performance on that near epic stage, host to so many performers. Thanks for having us, we hope to play there again!!

I have loved this place for more than 30 years. Had a great time listening to AL Ljjujopi0kk9m mo oil Mm n Band Named Sue on the first Friday and having some nice, cold PBR drafts. And don't worry about the construction on Allen St., just drive around and there is plenty of parking on the other side.

Cool music venue with lots of music history. It's a must stop while in the the WNY area

Cool dive bar with live music, but the atmosphere depends largely on who’s playing. Get a good band in there and it’s sure to be a great night! As others mentioned, cash only at the bar.

Nice selection of beer and whiskey, but that's not the main reason I go there. It is the leader in original music in WNY for well over 30 years, maybe 40 years now. It's hard to say how important Nietzsche's has been to music in the region but unless you're seeking out pure pop, or metal, you will possibly hear what you want on a given night. Look at the calendar on their website, see what appeals to you, go and enjoy yourself.

I love this bar. It was closed for so long I forgot how much I feel at home there. Always a smiling bartender with a cold beer. Good music always going. Much of it live. I had a very enjoyable Time. Life without music would be a mistake.

This is a good place to see some live music. You can see all different types of music depending on who's playing that night. The place is small and usually crowded on weekends. There is a main stage in the back and a improvised "stage" in the front.

Went here to hear a band I'd been wanting to see. Great location in the heart of Allentown district of Buffalo, NY. Wonderful atmosphere - great place to see live music. I believe they have live music every day of the week. The only real drawback to going here can be parking. This is a cool area of the city that is well attended. If you plan on going out on a Friday or Saturday night, you'd be smart to take an Uber, Lyft or taxi because it's very unlikely you'll find a parking spot. Hope you have fun when you go! It's a great place with an awesome vibe.

Great place, has its own unique eclectic feel. Live music and and good selection of beers on tap! Recently went to and hasn't changed since the 80s. Highly recommend!!

Always have a fun time here! Tons of live music and performances. Even when it's busy you can usually find somewhere to sit if you want. Welcoming to all - show up in sweatpants or a ball gown, either way you will fit in, judgement free zone. Very reasonable prices.

Slow night, but the patrons there and the staff made the best of it. Great live music too.

+4

Music was awesome! Carry enough cash, this place doesn't take cards. Cool atmosphere, love the decor!

Amazing live music and great vibes.

This place is AMAZING! We went for an open mic on Monday and it left us speachless. So many good musicians. Very friendly stuff and guests inside. Open for conversations and to other people. Atmosphere is just great. Absolutely fantastic. Hidden gem. We felt in love and we want to come back to Buffalo just because of this bar :) For real!

It's a very interesting niche establishment. The music and talent is great! Please remember it's cash only!!

My favorite bar on Allen! Live music, cheap drinks, good service, pretty good crowd, LGBTQ+ friendly - what’s not to love?? Glad the renovations happened, too!

It's really enjoyable place 😉 makes everyone happy 😊.

Great place to experience amazing bands in a intimate and unique setting. Bathroom upgrades were nice too. A hidden Buffalo Treasure

Truly a special place. Unlike any other bar. Bartender was friendly and chatted us up. Open mic night was fun and it’s clearly an institution-full of regulars and the fact that we didn’t feel unwelcome was nice. Worth a visit just to check out what decades of people adding art and memorabilia on the walls can create.

Awesome, awesome place. Saw a few live bands. No Vacancy Third and Center were amazing and very talented.

Edit: recently renovated. Great spot. Takes cards now. Gogogogogo Everyone was ranting and raving about this place. I don't get it. Personally, it's not my kind of ho-down. It's a huge space and I've seen a crazy amount of different kinds of things there from acoustic acts to huge bands. For entertainment, the place is great. But the bar is a tad bit inconvenient. It's a cash only bar and there's no ATM. So, you need to walk to the convenience store if you're only carrying a card. The drinks are made okay and the decor is definitely on the trendier side. I don't hate the place and I've gone there a few times now. And maybe catering to the customers might ruin some of it's charm that attracts so many. But, it's not my kind of place.

Thanks to Joe Rubino, Nietzsche's will forever be the most legendary bar in Buffalo. The Celtic Sessions - See movie: The Banshees of Innershirin. Tues night strip club not Nietzsche's vibe

Awesome. I played in an Irish session there not knowing anybody. Welcoming staff and a really supportive crowd. If I lived in Buffalo, this would be my hang.

Haven't been here in atleast 10 years. Same atmosphere, which is rare on Allen. Went to watch a friend's band play. Sound was great. My bartender was attentive and funny to boot. Kept my glass full through the evening. I tend to get a bit give me and mine all the drinks the further on in the night I go. He didn't mind at all. My friend was freezing and asked him if she could just have hot water. Without even a confused look he made her a pot and tended to her as if she was paying for it. Cover was only $5.00. Door man was a peach. Happy to be back after visiting one of my old watering holes.

Great place..... have performed there...been hanging there for 30 years

Had an awesome time hanging out on Monday for Open Mic night! Really great energy from the crowd and the vibe is a mix of folk-punk, indie, R&B, and 90’s rock with a touch of new wave. Space is a bit tight but with a small audience it’s not bad.

Great spot to have a some drinks and have fun. Enjoyed it very much!

Very unique bar at the end of Allen Street. Funky decor. Great music. Good crowd.

+1

Jazz jams on a Sunday evening in March and a Shamrock in my Guinness… good vibez!

Lovely place for live music. We had a great time! Thank you!

Trevor Min-Ryan

Great chill bar, very kind and friendly staff, but what really made the bar was the Celtic Session group. It was so fun, amazing vibes, they are here every Saturday, it's a must in my opinion! One song, about the tragedy of war brought me to tears, especially given current events. Do not miss out on this!

Folkfaces

A beautiful funky dive bar. Low red light and cool art everywhere. A friendly place where everyone is welcome! Lots of artists and musicians hanging around. Kind faces and wacky fun characters. Incredible eclectic genre spanning live music everyday. Cheap beer and mixed drinks. Tasty nachos, paninis and snacks! A staple of the Buffalo music scene!

Matt zebroski

I love playing at Nietzsche's. Their staff is super friendly. The upstairs green room is comfortable. They hire great sound staff. The house drums are actually really cool. Old gretch blue kit. Old pawn shop style snare that sounds great. I think it might be Japanese. Great atmosphere. The people that hangout there are friendly. I played there a couple times the last month. Thanks Amen (sp?)

Brian Gerbracht

I don't know the person complaining about the bouncer, but I've known the bouncer for years. He is the ultimate professional and treats all decent people appropriately. I have never had one negative incident with him. My guess is that you're leaving out some of the story. If he was refusing you entry, then you must have been in the wrong.

Thomas Sieracki

Absolutely love this place! Nietzches is a Buffalo staple if there ever was one. Love how this place is just full of local talent musicians/dancers/comedians etc. Special shout out to the staff especially to the doormen Miles and Don they are saints and keep the place feeling safe and friendly

Rebecca Harding

I love this place! Such an eclectic environment where everyone is welcome. No judgement. It’s a highlight of the city, a place to come where everyone knows your name. The hummus was amazing. I’ll be back.

Jon Battison

I didn't have food but it was an option so I'll rate the beer instead... I love the back area stage. There are seats on platforms on both sides of the dance floor. Really nice setup... Go see a show here.

Sherry Panunto

Didn't eat. Just went for drinks and to listen to the band which was fabulous. Great bartender. Had fun. We were passing through from out of town for the night.

Madeline Anderson-Balmer

We went in on a freezing cold Saturday for the Irish Sessions. Fantastic musicians, people from the crowd stepped up to share a story or a song. Kid friendly, and the Irish sessions are weekly, 4-6 pm. The bartender even makes a shamrock in your Guinness foam!

+2

Tom A

ICONIC. A classic eclectic place to chill with good drink specials and friendly, down-to-earth bartenders: shout-out to Amin! Plus a nice variety of local talented musicians that perform there weekly.

Jesse

Went hear for an open mic. Staff was super chill. Host was cool. Venue was interesting. Def worth checking out

Veronika Iurkova

It’s not fair that so authentic and with own deep dark vibe spot hasn’t so many visitors as expected. We had been on jazz concert, nice and friendly stuff who will advise you with a flavor of beer in what your mood is today. Extravagant pictures and masks on the ceiling. Easy and cozy vibe. Highly recommend this lovely place.

Had a great time listening to A Boy Named Sue there. Met a nice group of friendly people and am planning to go see the band again.

The staff and patrons are very friendly here. It's much larger on the inside than it looks from outside. There's a large performance space in the back and smaller musical acts play upfront. They don't serve food but there are a few restaurants nearby.

Bartender was very nice. Interesting and welcoming crowd. Beer selection (draught) was not great. They have live music almost every night. Large space and very local.

We went for a fundraiser, service was great, very friendly staff, clean restroom, good music. Not a lot of places to sit. Still looks like it did when I was there 25 yrs. Ago.

Always a cool show going on at Nietzsche's, although there is typically a cover. Bar is also cash-only so plan on bringing some bucks or stopping at an ATM. Getting to a show extra early will give you access to the limited seating on the sides of the floor where there are raised spaces to sit above head level.

Cool spot! Live music every night but their beer list needs to be updated. Servers were very friendly and helpful!

awesome live venue for conversational jazz (saw a banjo/clarinet duo) and more than sufficient array of beers on draft in comfortable digs. my kind of place.

Definitely a chaotic place In the sense that it's always a lively crowd and there's a lot to take in scenery wise. Beer is cheap, service is friendly and the atmosphere is fun dive bar. Only downside is cash only hence not a full 5 stars, in this day and age with transactions being electronic or card friendly, it's odd they haven't moved in that direction. So hit an ATM

CASH ONLY. Great bar with fun, casual vibe and live music. Great selection of draft and bottled drinks and everyone in the joint is so friendly. Love music was also very good. Great spot for a fun night out.

If you like weird stuff good drinks/drinks and random music this is the place for you.

Wow, this place was highly recommended, but when we got there, it was not what we expected. It's different. Let's put it that way.

First time, very cool entertainment place. Music was great had lots of fun. Very well priced just a great night out.

+2

Old school dive bar. This place hasn't changed in decades! Great musical acts!

Cool venue with many local bands playing music. Food is basically bags of chips , which is why I did not rate the food. Bar service is excellent. You should go and check it out. Please be aware that there usually is a cover charge 5 to 10 bucks.

I do really like nietzches. have had a lot of great nights there. it can sometimes get a little out of control but maybe I'm just old. I honestly think their best vibe is for like a late afternoon drink but either way, now that the pink is gone it's the closest in the area. vibes are just kinda all over the place, but that's the point. I like the punk nights best ♡

Cool bar! Live music and bar tender was fine.

Jim Kleinsmith

Live original music! How cool! Where else can you do that in 716?

P S

Great bands, ample seating, it is loud so if you are sensitive bring earplugs. Service was fine the bartender wasn't actively rude but the only words she said to me was the price of my drinks so not super kind either. Beer was expensive, paid 7 bucks for a bottle of corona. Rum and coke from the well was 8 bucks. Had to park far it was a 15 minute walk and parking was 14 bucks so be prepared to pay and walk there's really nothing close. The neighborhood was fine I felt safe walking back to my car at midnight.

The Wyck

The Wyck Recommendation: Nietzsche’s Buffalo Rating: 4.4/5 Where Buffalo Finds Its Weird About the Neighborhood Allentown is Buffalo’s scrappy rainbow painted art district. Pride flags wave from tattoo shops. Murals peel off old brick like they are tired of holding secrets. One bar sits boarded up while the next is packed shoulder to shoulder. You will spot a couple in suits trying to see the real Buffalo while a punk kid plays banjo on the curb. It is funky and frayed and when you hit the right night you know you are standing inside the city’s honest soul. Vibe and Atmosphere A chaotic dive bar cathedral with ceiling graffiti chainmail mannequins and body casts wedged into old brick. Over the tiny stage paper trees hang like a DIY forest canopy. It is surreal a bit grimy but alive in a way you cannot design. Every sticker sketch and scribble says the same thing. This place is not polished. It is loved. Food and Drink Forget mixology. Here it is PBR tallboys local drafts plastic cups and a whiskey pour if you know how to ask without acting fancy. Beer is cheap and ice cold always. Warm PBR is the only sin they do not tolerate. The real menu is the bands and whatever your bartender decides you need next. Service and Staff Zero pretense. Our bartender was the kind of legend you wish every dive bar had. Fast pours dry jokes and he knows your face before you remember your tab. He told us about Dave the ghost who tips in cigarette butts and never leaves. When someone in a suit asked where to go next he just shrugged and said stay here. This is it. Audience and Crowd Buffalo’s true cocktail. Punks bluegrass pickers off shift bartenders artists swapping sketches for beers and a few downtown suits trying to pass the vibe check. Some guy offered to trade us his harmonica for a shot. We said no so he played it anyway. Strangers talk like old conspirators. You walk in alone and leave with a ghost story and five bad ideas you will never follow through on. Hits and Misses ✓ Live music every night bluegrass punk indie chaos ✓ Decor is an accidental art piece layered in signatures and stories ✓ Bartenders who make you feel like you belong fast real no fake smiles ✓ All weirdos welcome Pride flags cheap beer open arms ✗ Floors sticky enough to rip your sneakers off before the encore ✗ Bathrooms feel like a punk encore happened last night bring your own soap and do not expect working stall locks ✗ Some nights your tap card gets you an eye roll bring cash and be ready for old school bar math Final Word Nietzsche’s proves music keeps life from being a mistake and a good bartender makes sure you do not forget it. Come for the chaos stay for the soul and trust me you will want to come back. It is on my Buffalo list as the best bar I hit. If you do not leave with an ice cold beer buzz a ghost story and someone’s number you will never text you did not do Buffalo right.

+22

M. Klein

Nietzsche's has been a live music staple in Buffalo for what seems like forever. Stepping inside is truly a step back in time. It is not super clean, fancy or high-end, but rather a darker, intimate, historic music venue. All of the pictures on the walls by the stage tell the story of all the great acts who have passed through those walls. Live music every night, often with multiple acts. Expect a cover. Drink prices reasonable.

+1

A staple of Buffalo's live music scene, but it could use some updates. Namely, the bar is cash only which is inconvenient, and the whole place could use a deep cleaning. I think there might be cobwebs from the 90's in there. Overall, it's fun playing there, and the sound is usually decent when seeing bands play.

Great music, scuzzy atmosphere. I've seen LEGENDS perform here for five bucks at the door...But I wouldn't touch any. thing. in the place. It has got to be at least a few decades since any kind of a cleaning crew has been through there. I can tell, because the smoke grime is still coating everything from when smoking was allowed in bars, way back when. Don't use the bathrooms, if you can get away with it. It's just plain frightening. And if you do absolutely need to use the loo, at least you have decades of bathroom graffiti to read, which can distract you from the walls that are covered in decades of every type of bodily fluid. However, they have Guinness on tap, and when the music is good, I wear a depends and hop on over there. They have about 12 parking spaces that are quickly taken. Parking around there is very tricky on a busy weekend night. Be ready to navigate one way streets to find parking within a few blocks. Many people just park at an easy spot a few blocks away and get an Uber to Allen St.

Mixed emotions. I like the music. I like the location of the stage. I hate the rundown condition of the place. It's depressing sometimes. The bathrooms are not the greatest. But you can meet some pretty interesting people in there. You can also meet some pretty sketchy people there. I didlik the fact that they always have a cover charge anytime anyone is playing. sometimes I like to go in and check out the music before I decide if I'm going to stay. However, if you explain to them that you're just there to check out the scene, they may give you a pass at the door, but they will keep their eye on you and if you hang around, you will have to cough upthe cover charge, which is only fair, because we have to support our local musicians!

3 star for me, but if you love a dark, dank dive bar, it'll be 5 stars. It's a place you go if you want that very specific Nietzche's vibe. If you just end up there on a whim you may find yourself staying near the door and irked by their cash only policy. A Tuesday night open mic comedy session was a pleasant surprise. $6 vodka soda seemed a bit much.

A bit crowded, not too bad of a place. Fun events.

Hipster bar with trendy bands, dress code is flannel, crowds in their early 20s. Pro: live music, a hidden parking lot and Allentown anchor isn't likely to change. Con: super artsy vibe can be off putting to some.

Moose Aiken

Nice comfortable bar that was open late. When I was there they were not serving food. Very eclectic, lots of neighborhood regulars. Music was not to my liking I'm more of a hip hop / r&B vibe.

Bartenders are great! Unfortunately they don't allow dancing or moshing at their shows, even though they literally have punk bands play here. Lame as hell. The bouncers will literally stand in the center and watch people like hawks.

Great local haunt that has a ton of history and is a staple of Allentown​...but the service...ugh. The doorman doesn't know what's going on inside and he doesn't care. When I asked who is playing before paying the cover, he said "I don't really know. The band members don't tell you that anymore". This has happened a couple of times. If I'm paying a cover I'd like to know at least the genre of the music I will be listening to. Then on the inside, every time we go, the bartenders overcharge my husband for drinks (depending how slow or fast things are going) or they charge him different prices for the same drink...

The music is great but the bartenders suck. Blatantly over looking customers that have been waiting way longer. On top of that one bartender has stayed giving people dirty looks when they're asked what they want. Same bartender didn't give someone their change back.

new guy working the door i didn't recognize, bartender tried to kick me out thinking i was someone else entirely. saying i cant be in there. $10 at the door to watch this new guy try to be subtle about telling her not to even give me a free drink about making me cry. she accused me of swiping tips and bringing a dog in? i admit i acted out of character and don't expect everyone to know how my life is in shambles right now but to be treated like i was a belligerent drunk and given a water bottle and ushered out the door anyway is insane. nietzche as a person had the most bland writing anyway. allentown is falling apart.

Nick Brown

The bartender took it upon herself to add .95 cents to her tip. I attempted to confront her and she denied "doing anything extra". If she needed money that bad she should of just asked. Other then that, it's a nice little place. Enjoyed the happy hour on my first visit. Second visit wasn't as welcoming.

maikeru no

I was supposed to see Bar Italia tonight and the incompetent bouncer (who have been smoking weed the entire time) couldn't discern what a real New York State ID looks like (the guy has long dreads and is short). The same ID my wife have used in Canada, Detroit, several venues in North Carolina and recently, Syracuse- and believe me, I was with her when it was issued to her, it's real and we're almost 40 years old. Ruined my entire week because this was one of my most anticipated bands to see and now they're off to Europe again and I do not know when they'll come back. This dude even let in a girl that had a Pennsylvania ID without scanning it and several other people no issue. Our money better get refunded as promised (over $60 dollars) for the trouble of traveling from Rochester to Buffalo. Such a disgrace, let's just hope this post isn't shadow banned or anything, but this was my experience two hours ago, and hopefully it doesn't happen to you. make sure you bring your passport for additional details in case your ID checker is too high to tell what is real or not. Scumbags.

Hhult

Cool spot but bouncer is on a weird power trip with younger girls EDIT: I did have 3 forms of valid ID, your bouncer refused to check and proceeded to insult me