SZND — Restaurant in Buffalo

We chose SZND for our tenth anniversary dinner after several days of debating whether to try something new or stick with one of our tried-and-true favorites. The glowing reviews and upscale reputation eventually swayed us - unfortunately, it turned out to be a decision we regret.

To begin with, we noted our anniversary in the reservation - 10 years is an important milestone. We didn’t even get a simple “Happy Anniversary.” There was zero recognition of the occasion. Not a word.

That said, the atmosphere is charming, and our server was friendly and attentive. Cocktails were good enough, and the appetizers (crispy wontons and blackened artichoke hearts) were really nothing earth-shattering, but we did enjoy them. We started off hopeful.

But once the entrées arrived, things took a nosedive.

My dish - the short rib ragu — looked sparse and sad on arrival. It took up about one-quarter of the plate, with the rest of the plate smeared in some kind of unappetizing combination of sauce and grease. The gnocchi were practically inedible - hard, dense, and dry, instead of the light, pillowy texture they should have. For $34, I expected a satisfying, flavorful dish. I’ve had far better short ribs at Hilltop Restaurant and Bar, where the portions are generous, the meat is tender, and the price is much more reasonable.

My wife’s dish - halibut with puttanesca - was no better. While she enjoyed the sauce, the fish itself was overcooked and bone-dry. Honestly, she makes it better at home using frozen halibut from Sam’s Club, which is not something you expect to say after dropping this kind of money at a so-called upscale restaurant.

We expressed our disappointment, and to their credit, the staff offered to remake the meals. But at that point, it was already late, our plates were mostly untouched, and the moment was ruined. We weren’t interested in waiting around for another 20 to 30 minutes to maybe receive a better version of what we’d already lost confidence in. That simply isn’t a viable solution when the evening was meant to be special and relaxing.

Instead of a meaningful gesture or comping one of the unsatisfying entrées, they offered to take two cocktails off the bill or give us dessert. That felt like a token effort, not true hospitality. And bafflingly, they didn’t even offer to pack up our meals. Ok, sure, we didn’t love them, but why should we have to pay full price and not even be offered our leftovers?

In the end, SZND looked good on the surface and we had high hopes, but beyond the cute decor and solid starters, it was a huge letdown, especially for such a special night. We left feeling frustrated, hungry, and wishing we’d gone somewhere that values both food quality and customer experience. We...

We go out to eat often. This place is the best place we’ve been to in several years. Four of us went out. We got appetizers, mains and desserts, and two drinks each for about $100 per person. Loved the artichokes and the bison ribs. The blue cheese on the bison ribs was next level. We all tasted each plate. The halibut with puttanesca sauce was my order. I both enjoyed it more and fell less nutritional guilt for it than most dining out options. The putanesca had a delicious tang without too much acid. Very well balanced flavor. My husband had the sea bass. It was perfectly cooked with a crisp outer coating, cooked through but still moist. Our friends had the chicken and the shrimp risotto. Again perfectly cooked with well balanced flavors. Desserts… again not cloyingly sweet but spot on with rich delightful flavors. We sampled several of the cocktails which were again… well balanced and delightful. It is clear that attention to flavor balance prevailed throughout the entire experience. This place is aptly named. It is worth noting that the service was also excellent and attentive. No stress about needing some gluten free options. Silverware replaced between courses and music at a volume that was atmospheric without making conversation difficult. I didn’t feel the tension that often comes from trying to talk over the ambient noise of a restaurant. 5 stars plus bonus. Don’t...

Excellent. Decided to dine at this restaurant with my family and fiancé to celebrate a promotion at work. I am a huge Buffalo foodie and have dined at almost every restaurant in the area. This was one of the best experiences I have ever had at a restaurant. I was nervous at first because of the size of the dining area, I thought it might get too noisy to hear my family. It was not at all. The waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. She gave her recommendations when asked what dishes she enjoyed on the menu. Her recommendations were wonderful and we loved everything we ordered. The food was incredible. For our main entrees we had the lobster risotto, sea bass, ragu pasta, and the skirt steak. I couldn’t decide which one was at the top of the list. The menu selection is a bit small and there are no nightly specials so keep that in mind when trying out this restaurant. The one downside was that there is no decaf coffee available for dessert. I think this would be an excellent addition to offer guests. Overall the experience was great and the food was even better. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and I will be back to dine in the future! (I apologize the picture quality isn’t great. I usually take lots of pictures but the food was so good I forgot! Pictured below is the shrimp app, sea bass, and...