Balloons Restaurant & Night Club — Restaurant in Town of Ellicottville

There are basically only three places to hear live music in Ellicottville and this is one of them. I've been eating, drinking, and dancing here for 25 years. My 7 and 10 year old daughters have been eating dinner and dancing to live music since they were old enough to walk. So that is the lens through which I now view Balloons.

The last few years have brought some changes. Some good and some not so good. My review is precipitated on my evening out at Balloons during the weekend of the Ellicottville Jazz Festival.

They've rearranged the bar layout to make it more band friendly and that's a good thing. The tables around the bar are elevated so that even on the other side of the room you have good views of the band (even with a full house). They put an addition on the back for dining away from the bar and it is really nice. It's a great layout with a really comfortable feel. On most weekends, if you want to dance to top 40, this is the place to go after 9pm. Before 9 on a typical Saturday night, you'll get a classic rock cover band. Occasionally a decent blues band. This being Jazz & Blues weekend, we were here for the music ....and dinner.

It was suggested by the waitress that we might be more comfortable in the back on the patio "with the kids and all". We took the hint. Partially because we kind of wanted to check out the new space anyways and figured we could come hang out with music afterwards.

Our waitress was busting her butt, but there were only two of them and the place was basically at 100% full. No bus staff.

We ordered drinks. The first three beers we asked for were out. ...seriously. Phin and Matts, Sam Adams, and something else that I can't remember right now. All out.

Before the new ownership took over a few years ago, Balloons was known for their gumbo. Today I would definitely not recommend it. It is not made with the care that gumbo requires. They no longer serve it with corn bread and the sweet potato fries are offered with catsup instead of the honey and butter concoction they use to serve (although you can get plain honey if you ask for it).

I ordered the Angus Burger which I swear was kind of like eating a hockey puck. My daughters grilled cheese was not even browned and the cheese was not melted. The fries were tough and dense (almost like they'd been microwaved). If you want honey on your sweet potato fries, you have to ask. In the last two years it has never been offered. What else would you put on sweet potato fries? My other daughter had no complaints about her ruben. And my wife's salad apparently was acceptable.

There was a silver haired group of folks sitting near us around the fire pit. They had asked for service and were told that it would be a minute. They asked a second time, and then easily more than an hour later a third time. This time the manager (openly muttering under his breath as he walked past our table) told them that there was no service at the fire pit!

The waitress asked how everything was. I told her (with my honest to God best smile face) that she was wonderful but the food left something to be desired. She looked at my mostly empty plate and said, "well it looks like it must have been terrible". I told her that I wasn't worried about my because I was starving, but my daughter wouldn't eat her meal.

Anyhow she credited me for the sandwich, we paid and went out front to watch the music. We lucked out by finding a comfortable spot right up in front. The gentlemen next to me at the bar, gave my daughter his seat. My wife and daughters immediately took to the open dance floor.

We were just into the third song when that short miserable manager (who might be the owner) approached my wife to tell her that they really don't allow kids in the bar after 9pm. Up until then it had not occurred to me that we just spent 2 1/2 hours to get our dinner. But that was it. He had just told us that after all these years, we were not welcome in his...

Dude, let me lay it down for you about this one epic night at Balloons. So, me and my squad, we’re all about hitting the slopes by day and tearing it up by night, you know? This one time, after shredding some gnar powder all day, we were just buzzing with that adrenaline rush and looking for a place to crash into the night with. That’s when we thought, "Balloons, man, that's the spot."

We rolled in, and the vibe? It was just electric. The place was packed with fellow ski bums and snow bunnies, all just vibing and grooving to this killer band on stage. The air was thick with excitement, and you could literally feel the bass pulsating through the floor. We made our way to the bar, elbows out, ready to dive into the night.

The bartender, this cool cat with a smirk that said he’d seen it all, hooked us up with the first round of beers. They hit the spot, man, like that first breath of mountain air when you hit the peak at dawn. We were there to party till the doors closed, and that’s exactly what we did. The night was a blur of laughter, dance moves that should probably stay in the dark, and more rounds of drinks than I care to count.

We owned the dance floor, moving like we were born for nightlife, just as much as we were born for the slopes. The band? Man, they were on fire, playing like it was their last gig on earth, and we were soaking up every note. It felt like we were all part of this big, pulsating heart, beating in unison to the rhythm of the night.

As the hours slipped by, our energy never waned. It was like we were fueled by the spirit of the mountain, the thrill of the slopes carried with us into the night. And when they finally called last call, and the lights started to flicker on, signaling the end of the magic, we were drenched in sweat, our voices hoarse from shouting over the music, but our spirits? They were soaring, man.

Stumbling out into the crisp night air, the dawn just starting to peek over the horizon, we knew we had just lived a night that would go down in the annals of our college days. Balloons had been more than just a venue; it had been our playground, our arena. We walked away, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, already reminiscing about the night, laughing at the mishaps, and vowing to do it all over again.

Because that’s what life’s about, right? Catching those moments of pure joy, riding them till the wheels come off, and then, finding the next ride. And Balloons? It was one...

We were out for a birthday and were in from Buffalo so we were having a great time in a new area laughing, drinking and interacting with people that were there. I’m very outgoing and so when I was talking to a couple out enjoying themselves I saw they had ordered soup. They told me what it was then offered it to me to eat, as well as some chicken wings. After I had gathered the food and returned to my table , a security guard comes up to me and tells me “stop stealing food off people table or we’re going to have to ask you to leave” the server saw our interaction and she decided to take it upon herself to go tell security I was bothering them and taking their food. HAVING NEVER SPOKEN TO THE TABLE TO SEE IF THATS THE CASE. Of course I went back over to the table to offer my apologies and offered $20 for the 6 wings and soup I was given. THEY WERE SHOCKED AND DISGUSTED BY HER ACTIONS AND THE SECURITY GUARDS. Not only did they not say anything but now my girlfriend is crying because of the employees actions and this caused the couple to try and consul her and tell her that everything was ok. We finished our food and left right away. Food was good, Drinks were good. But if you’re looking to have a good time with friends and with the community at large this isn’t the place for you. Unless someone actually complains you should mind your business. Super disrespectful and disgusting actions. 0 out of 5 stars for the treatment of...