Elite Event – Savoys Great Gatsby Soirée

I always look forward to Elite events, because they are so fun and I get to meet people who share the same interest as me. I was happy when this event landed on the day that I did not have to work, because I have missed a lot of previous events. This is now my third Elite event, and every time I run into new people. Which is a good thing, we start out as stranger then we converse, by the end of the day we become friends.
As long as I have lived in Buffalo, I never knew this place existed. Savoy is a great place with great customer service. I don’t know if it was because we were there because of our event, or if they are usually just friendly. Anyways, I loved the service they provided for us. Although, I did not like how small the place was and a majority of us had to stand which made it a bit weird to talk to other people who were sitting.
I started the night with the Lemon Blossom, which Carley had introduced me to, and it was my drink for the rest of the night. I am a sucker for lemon flavored drinks, so that made my night. From all the bits of food we got to taste, I would that my favorite was the raspberry jam over turkey mini sandwich. I think I will come back for that, and also the little bread (Crostini) with the deviled eggs.
The arrangement of the place could’ve been better. As much as I loved the dancers being there, I felt like that space could’ve been used for more sitting or rather a place there they placed the food. Also, I wasn’t so happy about their not being any names on the food, so it was kind of difficult trying to ask for someone to pass you something. I really loved «The Jon Lehring Duo,» they really did a good job with the music. However, it was a bit too loud and it was difficult to communicate with others, even if you were close to one another.
Overall, I enjoyed myself at the event even though I was not in a 1920’s gear. I did wear the hat that was out on the table as a prop. Loved mingling with a few of the Unilocalers, and was excited to see Ryan. Even we couldn’t have dinner at Savoy, it was great to stay in the area and get food with a few of the Unilocalers that I met that day. So I am definitely looking forward to the next event. Thanks Alex, and you looked very sharp in your silver suit.

I really enjoyed the Great Gatsby Soirée, it was probably one of the best Unilocal events i’ve been to so far. From the live music to the dancers and the venue, it all meshed very well together. It was awesome to see so many people dressed up! I’ve always wanted to check out Savoy and I was not disappointed. The interior is amazing; a classy venue for a classy party. The cocktails were superb and did anyone check out the hot bartender making them? Bonus! The appetizers were delicious, especially the pesto, ricotta & fig crostini. Mmmm mmmm I met some pretty awesome people too, and would definitely go back there for a late night cocktail. Win, win!

Another great Unilocal Elite event! The lower rating is simply because I’ve begun comparing the Elite events to each other, and I think this one was not as wonderful as some past events for a few reasons.
But first — the good! I enjoyed the music (although it was a little too loud in such a small space) and the dancers (again, though — they took up lots of room in a small space).
It was awesome seeing Ryan again, and great to meet Breana! And great seeing some regular Elite faces and meeting a few new ones.
The sandwiches were delicious — but I felt bad stealing the insides and leaving the gluten-​filled bread behind, I felt so wasteful! The deviled eggs were fabulous and I had my fill of cheese. The drinks were interesting but all too sweet for me — luckily the bartenders happily obliged to my requests to remove the sugary ingredients from the drink (s) I ordered. I’d love to see «weaker» or NA options in the future — it was so hot I had to stop myself from having 3 martinis :)
The portions and presentation of food this time was great — easy to grab, easy to eat with nothing but a napkin, and easy to share with the room.
I agree with lots of people on a few things, though — two 20’s themes in a row was a little weird, I wasn’t as into the theme as last time. And it was VERY warm inside the building — I thought for a minute that perhaps they aren’t used to so many people being in there at once, but every time I’ve strolled by it’s been pretty crowded, so I think they just need to adjust to what summer will be like in Buffalo.
I also agree that mingling was difficult and I found myself more «planted» than usual because the space was an odd shape and so hot. Even people that were standing ended up sticking to their spot longer than usual.
I do love our Buffalo Elite events though, and I always look forward to them! I’d love to see a (shaded!) outdoor event this summer like the one at Nickle City Cheese :)

We had a lovely time at Savoy. The place was cozy, with a beautiful, antique-​looking wooden bar. I liked the natural light, which made it very bright inside. They were serving some toasted baguettes, which came with the most delicious jam-​like dips.
These two cocktails were particularly delightful:
COMMODORE
Tennessee Whiskey, Disaronno Amaretto, Fresh Sour Mix, Splash of Soda
AURORA
Grey Goose Pear Vodka, St. Germaine, Cranberry Juice, Soda
The first was almost too good — the type of drink you could accidentally guzzle too much of. The Aurora tasted a little stronger and a lot less sweet, but it was still delicious b/​c of the pear.
Savoy seems like it would be a nice place to grab a drink on a night out.

Great event and people turnout. The saxophone was a bit loud at times but added a classy touch… I would have settled for just the pianist. Holy cow was that Commodore drink good.

It was great to meet some of my other Buffalo Unilocalers at this, event, my first as a Unilocal Elite member. I cannot tell you how much fun I had in preparing to go, in the little thrill I felt as I nigh ran from the subway to the site. (Yes, I took the subway. Yes, it does run on Sundays. No, I am not crazy.) I am not ungrateful whatsoever for the opportunity to visit Savoy Sunday evening, but I would like to provide some honest feedback. (And I do have a whole bunch of thoughts on Savoy I am still trying to arrange properly in my head)
1) The essential narrowness of the space forestalled organic mingling. With such a slight gap between bar and tables, walking to and fro, or stopping to talk to someone either seated on a bench or at the bar was incredibly awkward. As I stood the entire time, I can’t count the number of times I was jostled, pushed, shoved, run into, and so on. Were it not for the fact that the tables were essential for holding the food platters, I would have suggested removing them from the space altogether. Another option might have been pushing them as far against the benches/​walls as possible, indeed preventing anyone from sitting but providing far more space for walking, talking, greeting, and so forth.
2) The live music was absolutely lovely, a welcome addition to the space of the place and a beautiful compliment to the theme. Unfortunately, the dynamics of the venue resulted in an absolute cacophony. Merely talking across a table to a seated Unilocaler required shouting, required far too much, «What?» «Say what?» Unavoidable, if you’re going to have live music in a space like Savoy, I suppose. But you pay a price for live music. Similarly, the dancers were fantastic performers. But you pay a price for the free space for them: space at the front others might use for conversation.
3) The four drink specials looked very thoughtfully put together. Unfortunately, looking at them, viewing their ingredients, I realized that I couldn’t try them. Sweet drinks, even the margaritas, cosmos, and etc. that so many love, cause me a great deal of grief. My personal preference, of course, is for something a bit bitter or else more layered. If opting for liquor at all, I prefer an old fashioned (which may have been a great option for a ‘20s-​themed party like this) or else a good drink neat. I found myself ordering off the conventional menu. Perusing it resulted in a bunch of thoughts that will find their way into that other review.
I was delighted see such a good turnout, and I look forward to reading the reviews of a few folks that I couldn’t place from the site. As the event wound down, a few fellow Unilocalers and I each found ourselves incredibly hungry, and we strolled off for a meal a bit down the way. Therein lies the real success of an event like this. Five virtual strangers of all ages from widely different backgrounds and perspectives hailing from different parts of the country shooting the breeze while patronizing a local dive? Yep, that’s the purpose of Unilocal right there.

This was only my second Unilocal Elite event and I was honored to be invited.
Savoy did a great job making everyone feel welcome. The space was very small and I appreciated the dancers but thought the layout could have been set up differently to make mingling among the guests easier.
The food was good. I was hesitant to try several things since nothing was labeled. I had to ask for menus (which helped to identify some of the samplings) and was actually given a menu that had dried on food stuck to it — Yuck.
The air conditioning seemed non-​existent and the sun was pretty bright, even inside. I made a mental note to find out if they had outdoor seating because I imagine the inside would be unbearable on an actual summer evening unless they crank the air conditioning up significantly.
I will go back and see Savoy in it’s natural setting, without the crowd of Unilocalers and the nervous staff. I appreciate the introduction because I think this could be a really great place.

As usual, I’m always SUPER grateful to be invited to the Elite events with Unilocal.I mean seriously, complimentary food, drink, and entertainment once a month in exchange for writing my opinions on places that I visit? How much better does it get?!
The Great Gatsby Soirée at Savoy was lovely. I’m hoping though, for the next event, we can finally get out of the 1920’s and explore another theme, since the last event had a 1920’s spin on it too. Haha!
When my sister and I pulled up to Savoy (after we had driven past it first though), we found a rock star parking spot right in front of the building! Yippee! Despite the red Unilocal sign and table being out front, I didn’t see a name on the building at all. After we got out of the car and I looked for it, I noticed it was etched on the front door glass in gold lettering. Kind of hard to see… I thought that about the last event too! Maybe these 1920’s type of bars want to be secretive, even though prohibition left the building a long time ago!
We were greeted by the lovely Breana, Rochester’s CM. Man, they are lucky to have her! I thought it was great that she made it out for the Buffalo event! Alex greeted us next in his silver suit! It’s not just a jacket! Awesome Alex! LOL!
Anyway, we headed inside, to a VERY warm space in direct sunlight (you know how you can cook a bug in direct sunlight under a microscope… yeah like that!), right into the dancing ensemble of Nancy Hughes and Scott Slocum. I was totally confused at first and thought they were guests being extra festive until Alex enlightened me. They were very expressive, but I thought the physical space of Savoy was a bit on the tight side to accommodate dancers. The «band» was good too, The Jon Lehring Duo. Very talented duo. Reminded me of several guys I graduated high school and college with who were jazzers. I hope this kid (Jon, he was baby faced!) gets some good gigs. He did a GREAT job!
Headed straight to the bar, to a list of really interesting sounding cocktails. I sampled the Commodore (basically an amped up whiskey sour) and after a couple of sips had a buzz (I’m a cheap date), after a couple more my sister and I were giggling like school girls at a Bieber concert over the cute bartender in green. Haha! But the direct sun, cocktail, and lack of (??) air conditioning, plus having to shout over the music, made me sweat like it was my job. Yikes!
We took a seat at one of the tables on the wall opposite the bar. My one criticism of the seating is that the tables seem too wide for the space. They were huge and impeded on the spaces between the tables and the bar. I was grateful when a huge basket of bread and spreads was put in front of us, but if I were there just to hang out, I’d think it was sort of awkward space.
Now the food… First off, where were the napkins??? There was a major napkin shortage after a few minutes of the food being out! Alex has long warned people that these events provide more of a snack than a full meal. At Canvas last month, the food was abundant and amazing. Like several meals-​worth per person. And TONS of options to choose from, which were labeled well. Here at Savoy, they offered small bites, which seems consistent with their menu. They don’t serve dinner per se, they serve small bites.
Okay, so that being said, the small bites were tasty! I love that they offer a couple of different options of deviled eggs– I believe we had a bacon and chive variety, as well as perhaps a Buffalo-​style egg. BUT, I don’t know because the food wasn’t really labeled, the place was so loud that I couldn’t hear Jasmine explain what was in front of us, and the menu didn’t describe the eggs. But I love deviled eggs, and not surprisingly the Buffalo-​style (hot sauce & blue cheese??) was my favorite. It had an awesome spicy bite. The little breads (crostini) and spreads were good too… There was an artichoke pesto (eh), sun-​dried tomato (VERY concentrated tomato flavor– love me some lycopene!), an herbed cream cheese (tasted like sage– like Thanksgiving stuffing!), and a sweet fig spread too. All tasty! But nothing I felt like sampling for a second time sadly.
The sandwiches were good too, though again, trying 4 different types was enough. Not because I was full, just because eh. And the baguette was kind of hard to bite through and sloppy. I think I liked the turkey the best. I also sampled the meatloaf, portabella, and prosciutto.
So overall, the food was good for being a small bites menu. The cocktails were strong and purposeful. HAHA! I wish I would have known that some involved a show of burning an orange peel, etc. so I could have paid attention. The music was great but LOUD in such a small space. The dancers were interesting and made me want to learn more about their studio, what they teach, etc. The lack of temperature control at first was not good. And the company of course was great as always!
I’m going to give this one 4-​stars! I was a fan! YAY!

As always this was another spectacular Elite event. Savoy is an excellent addition to the Allentown area. Very, clean, elegant and intimate! Amazing service. Awesome dancers. Drinks were unique. Although I would have liked to see some beer options. As they do have a good selection. Food was a nice surprise as the menu is limited to soups, salads and sandwiches. The baguettes were filling and tasted as good as they looked.
If you are looking for a new place to have an office party or small gathering this is the perfect location. I think it would also be a hit for smaller private parties of about 20 – 50 people. We plan to definitely visit Savoy in the future.

Wonderful place, atmosphere, and crowd.
Drinks were superb, food was fun times, and I want to point out that the music was very fitting and the dancing was absolutely awesome. Contact Improv, what the dancers were performing, is an extremely versatile and exciting type of dance to perform and watch. They do monthly jams to teach people and then ‘jam’ for a while. It was an excellent addition to liven a space up.
Everyone looked fabulous — wonderful dresses that I hate to call costumes, just because no one was over the top in a any artificial way. Woohoo!
And lastly, the drinks were wonderful as well as the servers. Kind, quick, and not at all showing that stress that a big group can do to a small staff. The Lemon drink was just like drinking some kind of decadent sorbet, without the sugar. Great job and I hope we all tipped a ton!

I love the atmosphere of this place! I think it also gives me an excuse to dress in theme with my most beloved era.
Exceptional bar service! Not to ignore the wine and beer list, my favorite cocktail was the COMMODORE: Tennessee Whiskey, Disaronno Amaretto, Fresh Sour Mix, Splash of Soda.
There are a lot of tasty snacks here to compliment your beverages including creative, gourmet deviled eggs, Crostini with a variety of delicious spreads and toasted baguettes. My favorites were the ROASTED TURKEY with Brie, Arugula and Raspberry Onion Jam and the SMOKED CHICKEN with Caramelized Onions and Cremini Mushrooms with Goat Cheese and Fresh Sage.
I can’t wait to be back!

Great event! The venue is a very aesthetic space, located on Elmwood right next to the former Cozumel bar. Dubbed by the ownership as a Prohibition style martini bar, Savoy mixes a balanced blend of high quality, specialty drinks and gourmet appetizers. Perfect for before, or after events downtown — or go both before and after!
The Elite event made full use of this venue, and Savoy did not disappoint, providing a wide variety of delicious appetizers and drinks. The music of the Jon Lehning Duo was lively, and the free-​style dance of Nancy Hughes and Scott Slocum kept everyone on their toes!
Well played. Well played, indeed!