The Phoenix at 269

The Phoenix, is a local neighborhood favorite. With the potential to be one of Buffalo's best go to restaurants, and here's why. They are located in Black Rock, and it is a welcomed fixture in the area. The location is off of Amherst St, which is very busy. So to have their own parking lot is great news.
The inside is small and cozy, and can be overly crowded depending on the time you come. Our reservations was for 7:30, and they were pack. I will say the seating is tight. At times other patrons have to squeeze by you, to get from and to their seats. It could get annoying, but hey it's a small place. Plus it's not like the other patrons, want to keep getting up bothering you on purpose. They do have a patio area you can be seated at as well. But this was a cooler night, so everyone opted to stay inside
The service is top notch, from the moment you step inside the restaurant and through out your dinner. Also service with a genuine smile and attention to your needs, is always appreciated. It was very easy to find something to eat from the menu. We ordered the pepper dip, fish fry, the 269 burger, and the stuffed pork chop. Now here is the part of the review that I feel, if corrected can take this place to a new level.
The menu- I love the small, simple one page menus. These types of menus, allow the cooks to dedicate time on really preparing a great meal.
The pepper dip, with the pita bread is amazing. It has a nice subtle hint of heat to it. I like that because I am not into spicey foods, especially anything with hot peppers in it. I do not want to be at my seat wiping my forehead because it's so spicey I am sweating.
The 269 burger was cook to my friends liking. The burger is a nice size burger, and you get a nice amount of fries with it. Only problem is, the fries were soggy and overly salted.
The fish fry was huge. It came with fries, macaroni salad, and cole slaw. As great looking as it looked, it just fell a little short. A few tweaks though can make it better. For one, the fish was soggy and doughy in the inside. This tends to happen when you use prebattered frozen fish. Now nothing is wrong with that, but many times the batter is thicker and needs extra time to cook. If it's not prebattered fish, batter the fish not so thick and heavy. Also the fries again was soggy, as for the sides, they we're overly salted.
The stuffed pork chop was my choice for dinner. As you can see from the picture, it was presented very well. I almost started eating it before I took the picture. Upon cutting into it, I was taken back a bit because I assumed it would be stuffed with stuffing. But it was stuffed with gooey cheese, I would rather it be with bread stuffing. I suggest they mention that on their menu. Also, even though it was cook just right. It had a weird funky taste to it. I want to say it was gamey, but pork is never gamey. It wasn't spoiled, because I didn't get sick. But something didn't seem right with the pork. I suggest they look into that, maybe it's how they prepare it whether it's the seasoning, or it was actually meat that was close to expiring.
The drink I had was great, it was called battle of black rock. The cinnamon taste was great. There was only two cocktails listed, the drink menu had a nice size amount of wines and beer. So if your into cocktails, I suggest you ask if they can make others.
Again, I think with a few fixes this restaurant will not only be around for a long time. But will be one of Buffalo's great spots to go to.

Yummy food. Good specials! Softball meatball is to die for!

Great food and drinks! Friendly staff! Warm cozy atmosphere!

Delicious Shepard's pie at a bargain price. Friendly service and cozy atmosphere. We had a delightful time.

What a gem this spot on Amherst Street is! It has its own parking lot which is unusual in the city. The owners are warm and welcoming and the atmosphere is lovely. The food is outstanding. Well worth a visit!