CLUB WATCH
Metzger’s Pub: A West Seneca mainstay for more than 50 years
Published: January 29, 2010, 1:32 pm
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Jeff and I took a serpentine trip down the length of Seneca Street and doubled back before finding the last available spot in front of Metzger’s Pub. We headed in around 7:30 on a Thursday night and two things were immediately clear: There were no open spots at the bar and the food smelled incredible. Jeff squeezed in at a corner of the weathered black wooden bar and a friendly brunette bartender spotted us. We ordered a pitcher of Michelob Light with two chilled pint glasses and a double of Dewar’s scotch on the rocks for $14.
With no available stools front and center, we sat at a raised green table next to a free popcorn machine in front of an electronic dartboard. A row of wooden columns accented the front of the bar and a light marble tile ran the length of the floor. A rack of mismatched steins and wine glasses hung from a ceiling rack behind the bar. A vast sunken dining room to the right of us was partially full with families and older couples eating out.
After settling in, Jeff and I agreed that the atmosphere was extremely calm, quiet and relaxing for such a busy bar area. While most drinking establishments with a full house tend to get loud, raucous and occasionally obnoxious, the crowd at Metzger’s was well-behaved, softspoken and courteous.
After spotting a scratch-off ticket machine, Jeff spent (and lost) $5 in the span of a few minutes. Three older guys talked shop about home improvements while an adjacent couple whispered sweet nothings to each other. After seeing (and smelling) the multitude of dishes coming from the kitchen, we broke down and ordered a single order of chicken wings half-suicide hot, half-barbecue ($5.50). The suicide half was heavily spiced, mouthwatering and atomic, and the barbecue wings were crispy and delicious.
I grabbed a smoke outdoors and peered at the row of apartments lining the second floor. A red brick facade decorated the front of the building. After a quick trip to a clean white-tiled bathroom, we decided to take our leave.
According to its Web site (www.mymetzgerspub.com), Metzger’s has been a family-owned and operated business since 1955. For a town where most new bars are lucky to survive a decade, Metzger’s has surpassed the 50-year milestone with affordable meals, sensible drink prices and a pub attendance without the subsequent mob cacophony. It’s a local bar that doesn’t make first-time visitors feel alienated, and that’s a rare quality. •
Metzger’s Pub
4135 Seneca St., West Seneca
674-9897
Scene: A decades-old neighborhood bar and restaurant with a great crowd minus the noise.
Drinks: Four beers on tap including Michelob Light, Labatt Blue, Blue Moon and Yuengling. Daily drink specials and a basic hard liquor selection.
Dress Code: Comfort casual. Throw on your favorite pair of jeans, sweatshirt or flannels.
Music: Open Mic from 10 p. m. to 2 a. m. on Fridays. Live bands on the weekends.
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