The menu at Ruzzine’s Rock Bottom is not shy. The stuffed banana peppers at $8.99 are, it says, “Absolutely the best in town,” and about the Rock Bottom Mussels ($9.99), it crows, “You haven’t had the best till you have tried these.”

We like confidence, but we weren’t in the mood for either peppers or mussels. So we sampled from other parts of the menu and found that, yes, they have some pretty good stuff here.

The last time we were inside Rock Bottom it was years ago, when it was Lily Langtry’s, and it retains the same old-fashioned-house charm. A happy crowd filled the bar to watch the Bills play, and we were ushered up a couple of steps into a sunny yellow dining room, where a big-screen TV over the mantel made it feel like home. The three other rooms, including what was once a porch, held large family groups.

We started with a cup of beans and greens soup ($2.89), a delightfully hearty choice on a chilly day. The tall cup was mostly filled with vegetables, both the namesake beans and greens along with carrot, celery and possibly onion, and no doubt some bacon or ham, which lent a complex, smoky flavor to the broth.

Although we were drawn by the description of “The Transit Road,” a wrap containing roasted garlic pepper chicken, pesto mayo, cheddar cheese, roasted red peppers and mesclun greens for $8.59, we were in the mood for beef.

The burgers came in two sizes, 7 ounces for $5.49 and 12 ounces for $6.49, with Cajun and barbecue preparations extra. We chose the larger Cajun-made burger for $6.99. It was hand-formed, much superior to the compacted, once-frozen patties a lot of places serve. And while the Cajun seasoning was subtle at first, by the end of the sandwich it was kicking in, adding some flavor without being overpowering. The roll was soft and fresh. The burger came with chips, but we added fries for 99 cents—well worth the extra, they were crispy and steaming.

A beef on weck ($6.99) was served on a roll liberally studded with both salt and caraway seeds. It was extremely tender, slightly pink and just a tiny bit dry. A dab of horseradish took care of that.

The kitchen at Ruzzine’s Rock Bottom opens at 11:30 a. m. six days a week and closes at 10 p. m. Monday through Friday, and at 11 p. m. on Friday. Kitchen hours on Sunday are 4:30 to 10 p. m. There is a ramp outside and a few steps inside to the dining room.