As you drive down Dixie Highway in Fairfield, Ohio you’ve probably seen their big red sign. Buffalo Joe’s Family Restaurant is on Ohio 4 near the 275 Bypass. Although the sign clearly states that it’s a family restaurant how family, budget and taste friendly is Buffalo Joe’s?
Walking into Buffalo Joe’s you instantly get the vibe that it’s a local hangout. The wall dividing the bar from the family seating is lined with pictures of Fairfield High School athletes. However, as we tried to find a table to seat ourselves the vibe quickly turned from down-home friendly to truck stop. We passed 4 dirty tables before we were able to sit at a clean one. As soon as we did sit, our friendly waitress appeared. Throughout our meal she made sure our glasses were full and that we were comfortable. Our food arrived soon after ordering.
Buffalo Joe’s has much to choose from on their menu. There are appetizers, soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, burgers, dinners and of course wings. There is also a list of lunch specials.
The Jalapeno Poppers are served with honey mustard for a surprisingly sweet and delicious appetizer. We also ordered fried shrimp which arrived luke warm and limp. The tuna melt fared much the same. Although it was tasty with the swiss cheese melted in it was hard to get past the fact that it was room temperature and starting to get soggy. Although the Bison Burger arrived hot, the 1/3 lb patty didn’t even fill the bun. McDonald’s 1/4 pounder is bigger, cheaper and tastes better. Buffalo Joe’s doesn’t use fresh cut fries, but for a small additional cost you can have real cheese melted on top.
The real disappointment came with the check. A meal for 3 people with no alcohol came to $40 with tip. For mediocre to low quality food this seems outrageous. If you are looking for a delicious or affordable meal, steer clear of Buffalo Joe’s.
I think the real action at Buffalo Joe’s lies on the other side of the divider. The bar seemed well stocked. There were several TVs available so you could come in to watch your favorite game. The lighting stayed low so you could bask in the glow of the neon signs and television lights. The staff conversed with the patrons like old friends.
So what’s the final verdict? For similar prices you can go to an Apple-bee’s and get better food and atmosphere. I don’t see Buffalo Joe’s as a particularly good restaurant. However, if you want to grab a beer and an order of yummy Jalapeno Poppers while you watch your favorite game then head on over to Buffalo Joe’s!
