Budget Friendly Eats in Niagara Falls, NY??

[strmtroopr96]

We are heading to Niagara Falls (just the NY side this trip) and looking for some budget friendly places mainly for dinner? Anyplace with good food but also not so pricey either?

How do the fast food/chain types of places compare price wise to any your local ones? Like McD's, Wendy's, Denny's, etc? Are their prices much higher or similar? Just trying to figure out a budget and stick to it! LOL

 

[Lucky4me]

Offerings are very skimpy an the American side, near the falls anyway.
Go across the bridge to Canada and I could give you half a dozen really great restaurants.

We usually eat at the casino on the American side- Three Sisters or Thunder Falls buffet, but I wouldn't call those budget unless you played the slots and got points on your players club card for free food.
Here's a list of restaurants- a lot of them have websites, I imagine with menus on them.

If I was going there on a budget, I'd bring breakfast and lunch food with me in coolers and have some picnics in the park. The park there is beautiful!

http://www.niagara-usa.com/niagara-falls-restaurants_3_restaurants.html#Falls Region

 

[strmtroopr96]

Offerings are very skimpy an the American side, near the falls anyway.
Go across the bridge to Canada and I could give you half a dozen really great restaurants.

We usually eat at the casino on the American side- Three Sisters or Thunder Falls buffet, but I wouldn't call those budget unless you played the slots and got points on your players club card for free food.
Here's a list of restaurants- a lot of them have websites, I imagine with menus on them.

If I was going there on a budget, I'd bring breakfast and lunch food with me in coolers and have some picnics in the park. The park there is beautiful!

http://www.niagara-usa.com/niagara-falls-restaurants_3_restaurants.html#Falls Region

Thanks! We normally go over to Canada too but none of us have passports or the new ID's so we are stuck with just the NY side.

We have done the casino buffet before and enjoyed it but it has been a few years since we have been so I wonder how good it has been recently? Although not budget, I have been thinking we might go so we all find something to eat and shouldn't leave hungry. LOL

 

[brytorlyn]

When we were more budget conscious we used to go to Old Country Buffett near Niagara Falls NY. Food was plentiful and cheap....Good??? Well some selections were tasty. Did I mention all you can eat and cheap?!?

 

[buffalogirl]

Thanks! We normally go over to Canada too but none of us have passports or the new ID's so we are stuck with just the NY side.

We have done the casino buffet before and enjoyed it but it has been a few years since we have been so I wonder how good it has been recently? Although not budget, I have been thinking we might go so we all find something to eat and shouldn't leave hungry. LOL

We live in Western New York, not far from Niagara Falls. We were at the Seneca Niagara Casino buffet with our kids earlier this month. It is very good! I think it's only $9.99 for kids ages 6-12. Another option, if you're going to be near the outlet mall- there's Applebee's, Bob Evans, Chili's and all the typical fast food places. The prices at the chain restaurants in Niagara Falls, NY are really decent, not any different from their other locations in western NY. On the Canadian side you would be paying the "tourist" prices.

Have a great trip!

When we were more budget conscious we used to go to Old Country Buffett near Niagara Falls NY. Food was plentiful and cheap....Good??? Well some selections were tasty. Did I mention all you can eat and cheap?!?

OCB closed at that location , we liked it there, too. It has since reopened under a different name, but we haven't tried it yet.

 

[Shleedogg]

Check out the area near the outlet mall. There are restaurants over there. And if all else fails, there's stuff inside. I would take the 30 min drive and go into Buffalo. If you're done visiting the park for the day, head in there. There area ton of restaurants there. If you go to tripadvisor.com and get the top rated restaurants then check for certificates on restaurants.com. They almost always have 80% off coupons so you can get them for $2. There are some great, inexpensive restaurants in Buffalo!

One I can think of off the top of my head is Duffs. They have GREAT wings and aren't expensive at all. I went to college in Fredonia (45 min west of Buffalo) and my Buffalo friends took me there one night and said their wings are much better than Anchor Bar (although I still want to go there too!).

The only restaurant I can think of on the American side is Hard Rock, it's near the wax museum. I would imagine if you wing it and drive around you'll find some family diners, probably not gourmet, but cheap.

 

[strmtroopr96]

Thanks everybody for all of the suggestions! I'm sure we'll be able to find something with all of the suggestions. I think it's been about 5 years since we've been to Niagara Falls. My brother went to school in Buffalo and lived out there for a few years so we went every few months. Now that he has moved back home, we haven't been back. Every other trip, my parents or brother chose the meals and we just went with the flow. LOL Now it's up to me to find a few places.

 

[Mom2m&k]

You must go to Honey's! We moved away about 2 years ago to I forget how to get there from the falls but I'm sure you can find it. It is in with some outlets in Niagara. They have the best wings! The honey-garlic are to die for!! It will be worth the hassel to find it I promise!

 

[dancin Disney style]

You must go to Honey's! We moved away about 2 years ago to I forget how to get there from the falls but I'm sure you can find it. It is in with some outlets in Niagara. They have the best wings! The honey-garlic are to die for!! It will be worth the hassel to find it I promise!

Honey's in at the Prime Outlet on Military Rd.

At that same location there is also Applebee's. Across the street is Perkins and Chili's. Just a little down the road there is McD'd, Arby's, Ponderosa, Tim Horton's, Wendy's and a bunch more. If you drive about 20 minutes along Niagara Falls Blvd., towards Amherst, there is a Carrabbas that is really great. Down in that area there are also a ton of places.

 

[strmtroopr96]

Thanks again everyone!

For those of you in the area, do you know if any of the Wendy's have discount coupons for Fantasy Island? We are trying to decide if we want to go or not and I saw on their website that on Wednesdays you can get a 4 pack of tix for about $45 with a coupon from Wendy's.

Wondering if I will be able to find one of these coupons and is it worth going to? We just went our county fair on Thursday and are headed to the State Fair the following week so wonder if it will be too similar or just not worth the $$? Our girls are 10 and 4. Thanks!

 

[MonkersMama]

Hi! I live here (NF, NY).

Here are our favorite local restaurants:
LaGalera (Niagara Falls Blvd/190) - family owned, authentic Mexican, really REALLY great food. You'll be a bit...hmmm...are you SURE this is the right place...when you walk up to it (it's attached to a shady looking hotel), but I guarantee you it's the best!

Justin Tyme (Buffalo Ave) - American food, race car themed, family owned.

Serafim's/Sam's (River Road) - Greek food, yum. You can also get a gift cert from Restaurant.com for this place, we do that all the time. Punch in zip code 14304. Good breakfasts.

Wegmans (yes, the grocery store) (Military Road) - great subs.

Just Pizza (Niagara Falls Blvd/Military Road intersection) - yummy pizza

 

[strmtroopr96]

Hi! I live here (NF, NY).

Here are our favorite local restaurants:
LaGalera (Niagara Falls Blvd/190) - family owned, authentic Mexican, really REALLY great food. You'll be a bit...hmmm...are you SURE this is the right place...when you walk up to it (it's attached to a shady looking hotel), but I guarantee you it's the best!

Justin Tyme (Buffalo Ave) - American food, race car themed, family owned.

Serafim's/Sam's (River Road) - Greek food, yum. You can also get a gift cert from Restaurant.com for this place, we do that all the time. Punch in zip code 14304. Good breakfasts.

Wegmans (yes, the grocery store) (Military Road) - great subs.

Just Pizza (Niagara Falls Blvd/Military Road intersection) - yummy pizza

Thanks! LOL about Wegman's. Our closest one is about an hour away in Syracuse but I have eaten lunch there before and yum! I don't think my hubby has ever been so maybe we will have to find one for lunch.

 

[Leader of the Club]

This is cool! We are going in late September. Thanks OP and everyone for the tips!

We are planning to stay at the hotel just outside the falls. Can't remember the name. Also plan on lunching one day at the Top of the Falls restaurant.

We don't have passports, so we are only visiting the American side.

 

[buffalogirl]

Thanks again everyone!

For those of you in the area, do you know if any of the Wendy's have discount coupons for Fantasy Island? We are trying to decide if we want to go or not and I saw on their website that on Wednesdays you can get a 4 pack of tix for about $45 with a coupon from Wendy's.

Wondering if I will be able to find one of these coupons and is it worth going to? We just went our county fair on Thursday and are headed to the State Fair the following week so wonder if it will be too similar or just not worth the $$? Our girls are 10 and 4. Thanks!

Regarding the Wendy's coupon, it's for "Family Fridays" at Martins Fantasy Island... $44.95 all day Friday for a family of 4. I would think all the local Wendy's would have these. There are a couple of Wendy's in NF and there's also one on Grand Island, very close to Fantasy Island.
I don't think I'd pay full price for admission, but for $45 I think it's a great deal. If it's a hot day, bring your bathing suits for the water park.

 

[mrsklamc]

OK I am hijacking this old thread because obviously the folks here know about the NY side.

Every time I ask about the NY side people say 'Oh you have to go to the Canada side, it's where all the 'stuff' is.' But if we don't care about the 'stuff' and just want to see the beauty of the falls, are we still missing out on the view if we stay in the states? (We don't have passports either.)

 

[disneybound31]

Any restaurants that have a great view of Falls, besides Top of the Falls?

 

[poochie]

OK I am hijacking this old thread because obviously the folks here know about the NY side.

Every time I ask about the NY side people say 'Oh you have to go to the Canada side, it's where all the 'stuff' is.' But if we don't care about the 'stuff' and just want to see the beauty of the falls, are we still missing out on the view if we stay in the states? (We don't have passports either.)

I tend to disagree with them. I prefer the natural side of the falls in the states. The parks are beautiful more natural like they were meant to be. In fact you are actually standing on top of the falls looking over here is where you really appreciate the power. Also walk over the small bridge connecting goat island for another view of the falls you will be walking along the rivers edge both sides. Simply breath taking. You will not be disappointed. This is the best view.

 

[dancin Disney style]

OK I am hijacking this old thread because obviously the folks here know about the NY side.

Every time I ask about the NY side people say 'Oh you have to go to the Canada side, it's where all the 'stuff' is.' But if we don't care about the 'stuff' and just want to see the beauty of the falls, are we still missing out on the view if we stay in the states? (We don't have passports either.)

If you don't have passports you can not cross....so that makes the choice for you.


Anyway...yes the CDN side does have all the stuff. It's very touristy with lots of shops, restaruants, attractions and casinos. Plus, many, many hotels.

I really can't say about the view of the falls from the US side but I can tell you that there are several hotels on the CDN side that have outstanding views of the falls.

 

[mrsklamc]

If you don't have passports you can not cross....so that makes the choice for you.

Well, if people said we would really miss out then we would consider getting passports.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Well, if people said we would really miss out then we would consider getting passports.

1000% not worth the cost of passports just to see the view.

If you only want the view get a room at the Marriot on Fallsview....be at least on the 12th floor. Stunning view of the falls from there plus a really nice hotel with a great pool area.

There are a couple of other hotels right there as well and I'm sure they also have great views but I've been in the Marriot and it was fab.