Restaurants are "rated" on the
overall dining experience based on two or more visits.
Factors in order of importance are: Food quality, service (including
attention to detail,
promptness, friendliness, competence & appearance of wait staff) ambiance
(including how reality compares to the establishment's advertised image or category,
background
music, view, furnishings, unique features, and ability or desire to control disruptive
patrons),
and choice (including availability of drinks, vegetarian offerings, desserts, and
menu variety).
A=Excellent, B=Good, C=Average, Ratings Below "C" are Not
Published
For more information go to: Restaurant
Reviews FAQ
Danny
Sheehan's Steak House (A-) Especially Recommended.
491 West Avenue. Dinners daily except Mondays.
Garlocks's Restaurant (A) Especially Recommended.
35 South Transit St. Open nightly for dinner.
Shamus Restaurant
(A) Especially Recommended.
98 West Avenue. Open Monday thru Saturday for lunch and dinners.
Thaxton's
Dinner House (B+) General American fare.
5959 Campbell Blvd. at Lockport Road, west of
the city. Open daily for dinner except Mondays.
Belliveau's (C+) Hot dog stand has expanded into
inside eating area with bigger menu.
5091 Day Road, east side of Town of Lockport. Open daily starting at lunch.
Braccettos (B+) Italian, about 18
months old. Rating is still tentative, review is pending.
6612 Lincoln Avenue, east end of Lockport. Open Mon-Sun for lunch and dinner.
Dinner on Sundays.
Cammarata's Restaurant (B) Early bird dinner specials
are best bet. Italian and more.
6336 Robinson Road (Rt. 93), Town of Lockport. Open
daily for dinner.
DeFlippo's Restaurant (B+) - Italian! Popular
gathering spot.
326 West Avenue (Rt. 31). Dinners daily except Mondays
DiCenso's Ristorante (C) Italian specialties has small, interesting
interior.
436 West Avenue. Open for lunch and dinner daily except
Monday.
LaPort's Pine Restaurant (C+) No pretenses here. A downtown
"institution." Homemade pies.
48 Pine Street, downtown. Open daily for breakfast,
lunch, and dinner.
(New) Main Moon Buffet (C) Chinese food. Eat in or take out.
52-56 Main Street, downtown. Lunches and dinners daily.
One-Eyed Jack's
Smokehouse Grill (A) - Real "pit" barbecue!
5983 S. Transit Road, just north of Dysinger.
Lunch and dinners daily.
Spices. (C+) Caribbean
Cuisine in the former Outwater Park hot dog stand. Only 7 tables. Different.
135 Charlotte Street. Open for lunch through 9PM daily.
Village Eatery (B+) Has recently undergone expansion
and some changes. Pasta and more. Smoke-free.
429 Davison Road. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
Wagner's (B-) The
name has a long history. The tradition here is "beef 'n beer."
246 Park Avenue. Lunch and dinners daily.
Anderson's (C) A superior alternative to
"Arby's" plus ice cream and custard.
6231 Robinson Road, Town of Lockport. Open daily beginning at 11 a.m.
Chet's Dog House (C) - Since 1938! A downtown tradition. Diner
also dishes up local chatter.
14 Main Street, downtown. Monday thru Fridays 6 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturdays 6
a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cousin's Cafe (B-) Very informal atmosphere. Look for the dolls on the walls
and specials on the board.
Main floor of downtown Bewley Building. Pass the elevators to the rear. Monday
through Saturday for breakfast and lunch.
Reid's (C) - Lockport tradition! Hot dogs, shakes, etc. Is it the
way you remember it in the 50's?
Lake Avenue at Clinton Street. Open for lunchtime and evenings daily.
Sugar Shack (C) - West end meeting spot. Couldn't
find listing in telephone books!
West Avenue at Crosby. Breakfast and lunches.
Ted's (C) -A popular WNY hot dog stand turned eat-in
restaurant. Hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.
Shimer Road at Snyder. In the town, across from Lockport Mall.
Lunchtime and evenings daily.
Tom's Diner (C+) - Fifties theme with interesting artwork on the walls,
decent chow on the plate.
11 Main Street, downtown. Open for breakfast and lunch and early dinner.
Widewaters Drive In (C) - Hot dog stand and
more. Nice outdoor picnic benches across from marina.
Lower Market Street at Widewaters on canal. Open daily warm
weather months only. Lunchtime and evenings.
Danny Sheehan's has been one of Lockport's leading restaurants for decades. Many folks who don't dine out often, or who return to Lockport infrequently, choose Sheehan's today because of their memories of yesterday's dining experiences. It has remained one of Lockport's best restaurants. Mr. and Mrs. Sheehan recently sold the restaurant to Mike Ennis, who started with the restaurant when he was 15. Mr. Ennis helped the Sheehans when they came back out of retirement to take over the restaurant from previous owners. With emphasis on customer service the place has made a remarkable comeback. Danny and Betty Sheehan are staying on for an transition period so you may still see them there from time to time.
The setting is comfortable with fresh linen on neat table settings. A memorable mural of old Lockport's Main Street is along the north wall. Background music is low and appropriate. Service, is good, as you'd expect at a place in this price range. The wait staff is well experienced. Regretfully there is inadequate separation between smoking and non-smoking sections, a consideration that seems to deserve more attention today than in past years. A problem for the handicapped could be access to rest rooms, which are tiny. Parking in a lot right at the door is adequate to provide for the seating capacity.
Food here is very good. A tenderloin steak was excellent and since the Sheehan's return, the vegetables taste fresh and delicious. Besides the top-of-line steak dinners (expensive) there are usually "specials" of modest pricing. One such special sampled was the "Sirloin Tips with egg noodles" in a wonderful mushroom sauce, the best this reviewer has ever had, and at under $10! On Fridays the specials are "Fish Fry Friday Night" offerings. This is a very popular dining destination on the usual popular nights so expect to wait for seating.
Sheehan's is famous for its outstanding steaks, a mural of old downtown, and…tradition. It's great to see it making a comeback!
Rating: A-
September 1997
Revised (again); rating raised 3/99
Garlock's is a Lockport tradition in fine dining. Back in the
forties, the restaurant was located on Gooding Street and was nationally recognized as the
only eatery in Lockport to be "recommended by Duncan Hines." The Duncan Hines
recommendation was the national standard for dining excellence in those days. That name is
relegated mostly to packaged bake mixes today and does not carry the same ring; it has
faded out of the fine dining spotlight along with the time that was its heyday. Garlock's
had faded a bit too but recent management has brought it back to the top of Lockport fine
dining establishments.
The Gooding Street location is long gone. The restaurant has been at its present South
Transit Street location, near the Triway Bridge, for as long as most residents under 40
can remember. "Gig" Garlock passed away a couple years ago, the facility now run
by the Long family.
Décor is interesting and includes assorted memorabilia from the "old days" hung
along walls and shelves. There are some fine paintings. Seating is close, and because Garlock's
is usually well patronized, the background noise could make it a poor choice for a
romantic dinner or a business conference. You may often have to SPEAK UP quite loudly to
be heard across a table
Garlock's still offers the best steaks in town. There is a adequate variety of
fish, fowl, and "specials" on the menu and all meals are of high quality and
tasteful presentation. Drinks (even ice tea) are products of excellent preparation.
Service is professional and attentive---as one might expect in a restaurant of its (high) price class. The small bar is an interesting place to stop and linger before or after dinner. The handicapped may have some difficulties here.
Decorum can be risky to predict because of the close seating. Most
recently it was encouraging to note a tasteful sign dictating a "dress code"
indicating "no baseball caps." Garlock's has attracted more than a few
ill-mannered but payday rich individuals and we applaud the efforts of management to
improve dining decorum. Poor dress often has poor decorum as a companion. If you have
enough money to dine at Garlocks, you have enough money to "dress." Your
reviewer has endured some most annoying behavior at times and this latest attempt by
management to "raise the bar" on the dress and comportment of patrons is most
appreciated.
Folks around town still like to brag that they've "been to Garlock's."
The latest efforts by management to attend to decor and decorum have caused us to raise
its rating twice in the past two years.
Rating: A
Revised March 1999
Let us get right to the point. This is Lockport's best restaurant. It
receives high marks in all the criteria used to evaluate fine dining.
The food is superior thanks to chef, Robert Beaulieu who has brought to Lockport his
experience from big city fine dining establishments in New England. His wife, Ann Murphy
Beaulieu, is the Lockport Irish connection responsible for friendly hospitality, the
excellent service by experienced wait staff, and pleasant dining atmosphere.
Shamus is Irish, but the menu does not usually reflect this except on St. Patrick's Day.
Around the small bar, one notes the traditional local Lockport Irish flavor. But out in
the dining areas it's "lace curtain" Irish. The right touch in background music,
solid old furnishings, a tasteful decorating scheme and…decorum. Maintaining
restaurant decorum today has to be one of the most difficult challenges in the business.
With so many inconsiderate but well paid and hungry patrons (always, it seems, with kid
cut-ups, floor crawlers, shriekers, and food tossers) it is no easy task to maintain the
"fine dining" atmosphere. Shamus seems to succeed without using sky high pricing
as a tool.
The menu is wide and varied with nightly specials. The vegetables and soups are consistent
improvements on even the better restaurant offerings. There are superior menu items at
Shamus to satisfy most any diet or appetite. To give representative examples of the dining
delights here would take many pages.
The restaurant is a favorite location for business lunches, within a short walk of the
center city business district. In a charming old house, it is on the edge of the
court/county government district, across from West Avenue Park. A few steps may be a
problem for the handicapped. An upstairs, private dining room is available for groups up
to 40. In the summer, outside dining is available in the courtyard, weather permitting. A
small restaurant with a big reputation can sell out quickly. Reservations are recommended.
Please consider dressing upscale from a T-shirt and a baseball cap. Open for lunch and
dinners Monday through Saturday.
Rating: A
June 1997
Thaxton's has been under steady improvement for the past few years and has
just moved into the "top four" ranking of "recommended" Lockport
restaurants. The décor and ambiance is tasteful, pleasant, and a bit out of the ordinary.
Of special note is the small but cozy bar area that especially invites before or after
dinner cocktails. The candlelight, coffee table, and living room setting…set it apart
from what is available elsewhere in Lockport. Also available off the main dining area is a
small area partitioned for groups and dinner meetings.
The menu has a good variety with early bird specials available. Daily specials also offer
exceptional value. The Ozark BBQ ribs a house specialty, is served in a generous portion
and loaded with meat. Both a prime rib and a modestly priced steak offering were very
tasty and tender. Soups are homemade and excellent. Most all food is of good quality but
be aware that some of the lower priced offerings (e.g. Chicken Kiev) may be pre-frozen and
prepared off site for fast cooking and serving on site. Better ask. Service here is very
good; the wait staff is well informed and experienced.
Thaxton's is worth the drive out of the city on the southwest. It is a couple miles west
of South Transit off Lockport Road. The location at the corner where Campbell Blvd.
crosses offers plenty of parking on a spacious lot. Easy handicap access for most areas.
Restrooms here are a welcome improvement over what's available most places. Pricing is
reasonable but at an elevation expected for better dining. The establishment honors some
2-for-1-type discount cards so regular menu items may be priced a bit high for the single
diner or for those without discount privileges. No "booster seats" were in plain
view; this is an adult dining establishment, not suitable for young children.
Rating: B+
July 1997
Not only the best Italian restaurant in Lockport, DeFlippo's ranks as one of the most interesting Italian eateries on the Niagara Frontier. The extensive selection of Italian specialties is fulfilling but there is such a large menu that all tastes can be satisfied. Then, there is the unique atmosphere.
Jerry, Joan, and son Dominick DeFlippo carry on a family tradition that goes back to 1946. The interesting old (Circa 1870) Hotel still has accommodations upstairs for bed and breakfast residents. The downstairs restaurant and bar is quite interesting. Baseball, sports, and Lockport memorabilia are in several displays. Tasteful art is on exhibition, and some local art for sale. The atmosphere is cozy Italian complete with red and white checked table covers. Some soft Italian music as background would be a nice touch --- but the aural backdrop is usually more mainstream with sounds of political talk, personalities, and parties. DeFlippo's is more than a restaurant---it is a reflection of part of Lockport culture.
Early week dinner specials are excellent values. The Fish Fry on Friday usually means a wait unless you're there early at 4:30. Five items are available from a low-fat menu and yes, even a "children's menu" provides for financial relief for those who wish to take the kids into the restaurant dining experience. The pasta, pizza (also available for take-out & delivery) steaks, chicken, and seafood are all consistently good. The salads offer more excitement than one would expect and attractive appetizer specials (including mini portions of pizza) are posted nightly. A snack menu is for those who wish to come in later in the evening, perhaps after a meeting, and have conversation and drinks up until nearly Midnight. The service of the experienced wait staff is good.
For those with a hunger for privacy as well as good food, reservations can be made for a somewhat secluded area off the main entry. Here, savvy Lockportians covertly observe patrons as they come in, and may arise from their table to pop out and great old friends if they so choose. A room for small parties and meetings is also available.
The handicapped may find difficulty with steps at the entrance. Although signs indicate various credit cards are accepted, this is not always the case. When the check came, your reviewer attempted to use a MasterCard and was told he did not spend enough money for the establishment to honor the card. This can be an unsettling experience after dinner. Lucky for me I checked my wallet to find $14 there. This variation of the advertised acceptance of the credit cards could be a problem for travelers alone on business who don't have big expense accounts or who don't carry large sums of cash. Best to check with waiter when ordering.
Rating: B+
Revised May 1998
Now well settled in at their new location on Lockport's south side and becoming sort of a local institution, this is an extensively remodeled roadside eatery that has evolved into the place to go for barbecue on the Niagara Frontier. There are daily specials and a limited menu for lunch and dinner.
A variety of beers to go with eats (a sign proclaims, "Beer---So Much More Than Just A Breakfast Drink".) Barbecue is the specialty here and it is mighty fine---one of the best in upstate New York in our opinion. Recommended is chicken, and especially ribs and pork.
Some pictures of old Lockport are good for gazing at while waiting for chow delivery. There are a few stools at a bar for those who just want to drink. Don't expect decorum or refined atmosphere here. Patrons and behavior cover a wide range. The establishment's name sets the mood. Enjoy it for what it is. Take-out available and encouraged. If you wish, eat outside during the summer months.
One-Eyed Jacks does have a desert menu but don't expect to get any ice cream. They are prohibited from serving it due to a clause in their lease. Can you believe this? Their landlord runs a little ice cream stand out of a gun store nearby and apparently wants folks who desire ice cream to walk over to his place!
Rating: A
This little piggy was the featured attraction at the 4th Birthday
Party at One-Eyed Jacks on May 18, 2002.
About 200 turned out for an all-you-can-eat "pig out" that showcased the
eatery's line of barbecue and smokehouse offerings.
Revised 6/02
Wagner's Tavern has been a fixture in Lockport for over fifty years. Back when your reviewer was in high school, Wagner's was on Pine Street, downtown. When many classmates in the junior and senior years would play hooky they'd end up by mid-afternoon at Wagner's…for a "beef and a beer." That's something that probably couldn't be repeated today.
Wagner's isn't downtown anymore and ownership has changed, but it is still famous for its Beef on Wick sandwich. It tastes even better with a cold one from the tap. Fifty years later…it survives on reputation. Chicken wings are another specialty. The restaurant does offer a varied menu but you need to understand this: Wagner's made their name on "beef" and that's still the recommended order here although it's not the same quality that made the name a local legend.
On Park Avenue now for many years, Wagner's has recently undergone remodeling. It's moving away from its traditional tavern image and putting more emphasis on the dining room operation. Old timers may sigh, "too bad." The remodeled facility has the 90's appointments…handicap access, child seats, and smoking/non-smoking areas. But it lacks atmosphere. Don't go to Wagner's and expect quiet dining. That has never been part of the image here. Today, however, a diner may find the salty sounds from the bar stools competing with the banging sound of a pre-school tot in a child seat. Of course, this is not the place to bring toddlers at dinnertime. Nevertheless, it's the 90's and Wagner's has many patrons who think nothing of bringing baby along while Mom and Dad have a Beef on Wick with a brewski.
Wagner's is great for lunch…good for dinner. Food is generally of good quality and value. There are at least five items on a vegetarian menu. There is limited on-street parking and in a lot across the street.
If you're going to spend more than a couple weeks in Lockport, do take in Wagner's for lunch or dinner. When Lockport expatriates gather most anywhere in the world the conversation likely will eventually turn to the query, "Have you ever been to Wagner's?' You'll want to say "yes" and be a contributor to that conversation.
Rating: C+
August 1997; Revised: October 2001,October 2005
Spices (C+) opened at 135 Charlotte Street (the old hot dog stand at the east end of the park) in late October 2002. It's a tiny little eatery with lots of Jamaican spice. Short menu of Caribbean Cuisine. Daily specials. Proprietor Basil Davis greets you and serves you. Don't expect to order a cheeseburger. The Ginger Beer is potent. The Curry Chicken is delicious and not overspiced. Something quite different and interesting for Lockport. (11/23/02)
The Lockport Page photographer ventured
into the windowless old hot dog stand a bit cautiously. Inside a pleasant surprise!
There's a take-out menu and business that's handled at the front check-out.
Tiny sit-down dining area.
A short menu features the like of: Chicken, Fish, Subs, Salads, Rasta-Bobs,
and Vegetarian items. Caribbean drinks and Pepsi.
Remember coming to this same building for clams after a PONY League (baseball) game
of the Lockport Reds?
1. Just who reviews the restaurants? What are their qualifications?
Restaurants are reviewed by one or more of three individuals who shall remain anonymous. Anonymity is desirable because Lockport is not a big city and a reviewer doesn't want an establishment to "go on alert" every time he/she enters the place. The majority of establishments are reviewed by one individual who dines out over 300 times a year in every type of eatery, in communities all over the state and the nation. One of our reviewers is a very good cook. One "studied under" two very successful restaurateurs. All have different tastes and favorites. For an establishment to get an "A" rating or to be rated so low we do not publish, at least two different reviews are sought. In every case, meals are paid for by the reviewer. This latter condition gives assurance to those reading the review that they are getting information they can depend on---not just some fluff piece to satisfy an advertising department. The restaurant review you see published may be a composite of more than one review and it may be edited.
2. How are restaurants selected for review?
Almost every
restaurant, eatery, diner, bar, etc. in the greater Lockport area has been in some fashion
"reviewed." However, only certain restaurant reviews are published.
National chain restaurants with operations in this area are not
reviewed for publication since most people are personally familiar with what to expect.
Our reviews are intended to help the newcomer in town, the tourist, the business
traveler, and those who wish to "try something new" (new to them, perhaps). Establishments
with a rating lower than "C" do not have published reviews.
"C" means "average" and average can be pretty good around
Lockport. We feel there is no need to bring "below average" establishments
to anyone's attention nor is there any reason to publish the honest criticism or warnings,
these establishments would receive.
At the time of this writing we believe every restaurant in the area has
been reviewed, although many have not been published. There is often an up-to
several month delay in the review of a new restaurant.
3. I notice the date on many of the reviews is quite some time ago.
Yes, we made an effort to review most establishments in our second year of web publishing. However, the establishments are continually revisited but a new exercise in writing is not undertaken unless there have been significant changes. Even a minor "rating" change often doesn't warrant a new written report. Sometimes, an establishment closes and the review remains for a while. We appreciate it if readers bring this to our attention. The restaurants usually don't.
4. Please further elaborate on your "rating system."
First, please re-read the information at the very top of this page in the header. The A, B, C, system means what it says. Therefore, it should be no surprise that most establishments get a rating of C or C+. After all, this is the "average." And we mean "average" for the "greater Lockport area." "Average" means, of course, there are also establishments "below average." They may, or may not be "bad" but their reviews or ratings are not published. Lockport has an unusually large number of good restaurants compared with other communities of the same size.
5. What are the most important things you consider in "rating" a restaurant.
There are four areas of
interest as outlined in the header at the top of this page. Of course, taste
is most important. However, reviews here differ from even honest reviews published
elsewhere in that we place rating value on many other factors.
When an establishment gets a couple "bad" reports from the
Niagara County Health Department inspection team, for example, that is considered a major
rating depressant, regardless of food taste. Food poisoning is serious business.
Ask those who have gone through the experience. Prevention, usually, is a
matter of attending consistently to "details." We're always looking
for the little "details" at the places we review. Since we can't "inspect
kitchens" as do the government officials, we look for details in plain view that
indicate..."attention to detail."
Because dining out is a somewhat costly experience as compared with
eating at home, we feel the diner is entitled to a certain decorum maintained by the
restaurant. Mis-behaving children (and adults) can be a real irritant to many
diners. How does restaurant management handle this? You say they have no
control? No, they do (or should) have control. The control process starts long
before a patron arrives and is too complex to detail here. It is, indeed, a major
challenge for the experienced, professional restaurateurs who attempt it. Sadly,
many others don't make the attempt.
We place weight on how well the restaurant conforms to the
"image" it projects or advertises. If it projects an image of a
"roadhouse" then we're much more forgiving when it comes to decorum in the
rating process. If it purports to be fine dining (and has higher prices) then the
rating standard is raised. The rating standard is thus different for each of the
three categories.
6. Do you take comments from the public for restaurant reviews?
Public input is especially welcome. "Tips," complaints, compliments are all considered. However, nothing can be published here that we do not have first hand knowledge of. That means, please do send us your comments and, if they differ from our appraisal, we'll go out again and re-check the dining experience. Just remember we have four (4) areas of concern. If you've been to a new place and don't see a review, let us know.
7. Do you get complaints from restaurants about the reviews?
Yes, and sometimes even threats. It is easy to understand how newspapers, being so dependent on advertisers, usually dare not tell it like it is. A complaint from a restaurant will result in a prompt check of the review. Sometimes hours change, menu items change, etc. and these can be routinely taken care of by e-mail. Sometimes they just don't like our writing style. But usually a prompt re-visit results. All complaints are seen by the reviewer.
8. I don't see several well-known pizza places and bars on your review list. Is there something wrong?
It is very difficult for a place with a very limited menu to score enough points under our system to be rated. Perhaps we'll start a separate category for Pizza places. Food at bars is often not even secondary in priorities, sometimes not even prepared on site.