R&L Lounge

Intro: We showed the East side some love tonight by grabbing dinner at R&L Lounge on Mill Street. It is one of the highest rated polish restaurants in Buffalo and the third restaurant of 52 that we will be reviewing this year.
Setting: A true hole in the wall with polish flair and pictures of Ronnie and Lottie in the 1950’s spread across the walls.
Menu: When we asked Ronnie for the menu, he replied «You’re looking at it.». We knew we were in for a treat and ordered the combination plate that he recommended– Gołąbki and pierogis with a slice of rye bread. We washed it down with a bottle of Polish beer (Tyskie) from a brewery that has been in existence since the 1600’s. It was the first time I’ve had Polish.
Food: The Gołąbki was one of the most flavorful dishes I have had in a long time. The sauce was slightly sweet and oh-​so scrumptious. The cabbage rolls were great and the Lottie-​style pierogies topped it all off. The plates were $ 8 a piece and left us full.
Overall: Awesome experience. Ronnie and Lottie made for a memorable night and the food was just as enjoyable as the company. Ronnie told us about his life as a child in Poland and early years in America and the story about how he ended up working at the lounge. Lottie brought me back in time to my Polish grandmother’s kitchen with her stories of youth and sledding at the central terminal. We will definitely be coming back the next time we are looking for authentic food and our new polish friends! Overall score: A–

An absolute treasure! R&L is a wonderful combination of a classic Buffalo neighborhood tavern and a trip to my favorite aunt’s house for dinner! As the other reviews state, the real gems here are Ronnie and Lottie. They are genuine examples of the folks who make Buffalo the city of good neighbors. Warm, genuine people who are instant friends, who offer great conversation, and delicious home made food. Out last visit was on a Wednesday, so the menu consisted of the «Polish Platter», two pirogi and 2 golabki. The cabbage rolls were stuffed with seasoned ground beef and rice, and the cabbage wrapper was perfect thickness and very tender. The tomato sauce was spot on, and the leftover sauce was made to pour over the pirogi. A perfect portion for lunch. A shot of Krupnik (Polish honey liquor) finished off lunch nicely! Don’t miss this place. Mills Street is almost directly across the street from the Broadway Market. You can see the Market from the front steps of R&L. If you have a soft spot for «old school Buffalo» don’t miss the R&L!

This place is super awesome. You’ll be treated to stories from Ronnie and Lottie all night in a way that seems long gone from restaurant and pub owners.
You’ll also be treated to some of the most delicate (albeit a little nontraditional) pierogi you’ve ever had. Same with the fish — delicate and tasty.
Ok, so I’m not giving them 5 stars. It’s not without its downfalls (limited menu, slow or no service if it’s busy — which is rare anyways) but you should check it out anyways, its a gem of Buffalo that will be lost, at least in some part, when Ronnie and Lottie finally retire… so get in there while you can!

R and L Lounge on the Eastside of Buffalo is a wonderful place to dine. Great food, service, and amazing prices make this a must visit any time not just for Fish Fry. When I visited with my parents, Lottie one of the owners had me move over in the booth we were in and started talking to all of us. This place gets full fast so come as early as you can since when the Fish runs out it is gone for the rest of the day. Truly a hidden gem that needs to be explored. I’m glad I did and will be returning tomorrow!

This place is fantastic. We had been meaning to stop in for a while now after reading about R&L on Buffalo Rising. It looks like you might expect an old tavern to look– wood paneling, old tin ceiling, funky Easter decorations. Lottie and her daughter welcome you like an old friend.
The fish fry is great and CHEAP. $ 7! If you’ve got kids, bring ‘em along. Lottie is a treasure– she’s spunky and smart and wears pirogie earrings. Can’t top that. As the previous reviewer noted, the her quotes are fantastic. Towards the end of our meal, three people came in wanting fish frys. They were running low on salads, but Lottie assured them, «I’ll give you some pirogies. Whatever you eat, you’ll like. Sit down.»

No kidding. As the star ratings say: «As good as it gets.» Lottie and her pirogi are fantastic. Her real, huge, old jukebox is frozen in about 1983. Polkas and Elvis and Rodney Crowell is what we played the day I went with visiting friends who have lived in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, so they know their Polish beer and pirogi places. We had the cabbage roll «golabki» and pirogi plate. Two golabki, two pirogi. Perfect, it leaves room for a couple of Polish beers. The pirogi come unadorned — no fried onions, no sour cream. It’s OK. They taste like the sour cream is in the potato mash already. I’ve never seen pirogi wide and flat before, but they’re great — not gummy and fat like so many can be. Lottie herself is everything you could hope for in a bartender, cook, hostess, grandmother. She’s funny, she’s good at what she does and clearly is happy, she’s interested in what’s up with you, she’s welcoming. She gave my visiting godson cereal box race cars to amuse himself with while we ate. He liked them but loved the juke box. It was a like a crazy ancient space ship to him.
My favorite Lottie quote comes from a Buffalo News story by Andrew Z. Galarneau which was written in May 2010: «People call and say, will you sell me a dozen (pirogi)? I say NO. You have to come in and have a drink… eat it here.» Go there, gather your own quotes. I couldn’t, I was too busy having a fun time to write anything down.