It’s bright. It’s modern. There’s a big, beautiful window at the front of the restaurant that fills the whole space with light. It’s a genuinely comfortable place to sit down and eat a cheeseburger. But there are no crazy frills, no gimmicks, no sense that the restaurant is performing for you. Buffalo Bros just shows up, does the work, and lets the food speak. That restraint is rarer than it sounds, and I think it’s a big part of what puts them in my top five smashburgers in all of New York.
How It Started: The Scheffler
My first visit was a couple of years back, right around Masters week. Buffalo Bros had put a special on the menu — a pimento smashburger they called “The Scheffler,” named after golfer Scottie Scheffler. I tried it, loved it, and that was that. I was hooked.
On this return trip, because Buffalo Bros is participating in Eat Local New York Restaurant Week — running April 13 through 26, presented by our friends at Summit Federal Credit Union — I decided to go back to the burger that started it all. The one that made me fall in love with this place.
The Pimento Cheeseburger
On the surface, this burger looks simple. And in a way, it is — but that’s the point. A double smash, built on a base layer of candied jalapeños, topped with a thick, generous spread of pimento cheese. That’s the whole thing.
And yet it hits every note. The candied jalapeños bring sweetness and heat in the same bite. The smash patties bring that caramelized, salty, meaty depth that only comes from a properly executed smash. And then the pimento cheese comes in and ties everything together — smoky, creamy, rich, a little funky. Sweet and spicy and cheesy and meaty, all at once. It seems like it shouldn’t be as good as it is. But it absolutely is.
The Detail That Sets Them Apart
Here’s the thing about Buffalo Bros that I don’t think gets talked about enough: they keep things classy. Even in a smashburger format — which can easily tip into greasy excess — they show real restraint. Nothing is over-buttered. The buns are dry toasted, not soaked. You’re not left with that heavy, sluggish feeling that can sometimes come with a rich double smash.
It sounds like a small detail, but it changes the whole experience. It’s the difference between a burger that’s indulgent and one that’s just heavy. Buffalo Bros lands on the right side of that line every time. Call it a sophisticated smashburger if you want — I think that’s exactly what it is.
Get Out to Hamburg
Four visits in and Buffalo Bros Burgers hasn’t slipped once. That kind of consistency is what separates a great burger spot from a good one. If you’re in the Hamburg area — or even if you’re not — this one is worth making the trip.
And if you want to go during Restaurant Week, you’ve got April 13 through 26 to make it happen. Presented by Summit Federal Credit Union, it’s a great excuse to finally check them out — or, like me, to go back for the fourth time and remember why you loved it in the first place.
📍1080 Buffalo St., Hamburg, NY
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