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Pano's has gotten fancy schmancy since the remodel. It's one of the best places to go to get a good steak at a good price. BUT, there are some strict rules:
1. Don't expect anything special before 4:00 PM. If it's 3:59 PM, you are out of luck to get yourself a dinner roll because the bread is in a time-lock safe until 4 PM.
2. Getting real butter for your bread involves a 2-step process. First, you get margarine (even if you said butter). Second, you must plead your case for real butter to the waitress. Don't be afraid to feign special dietary needs. It helps to have an elderly person in your party to say something like "Grandma is very set in her ways and that's why we need the butter."
3. Pano's reserves the right to not allow soup to be substituted for a salad with an entree depending upon the position of the moon and your astrological sign.
4. You can ask for more bread if you eat all of your first basket, but it will NOT be warm and toasted like the first.
Other than being temperamental and strict, the food is good, the prices are decent, and the place is always bustling.
Consistently good food. In fact, I ordered steak at Mother's (upscale) and then at Pano's a week later, and I sincerely liked the steak at Pano's better. So did my boyfriend and he can be a real critic.
The only negative I can give is that I miss the old, crappy Pano's atmosphere. It felt like home to me, and my friends and I ate there connnstantly.
Now it kind of looks like a chain restaurant, and every time I go in there, its all elderly people and families, and I suddenly feel like I have to speak quietly and censor myself, haha.
Whatever, its still good eats and when I go there I feel like I'm at Cheers, where everyone knows my name.
You better get here early because apparently everyone in Buffalo thinks highly of Pano's. Be prepared to wait before getting called for a table.
My friends and I came here for breakfast before heading back to DC. Their breakfast selection were diversed. I had the steak and eggs. Even though it was so delicious, I just could not finish my meal.
Be sure to take a moment to enjoy the decor at Pano's, including the table settings. Nothing elegant but nothing simple. Just...different enough to be noticed.
And the bathroom...impressively clean!
The waitstaff...friendly and attentive!
Pano's is delicious. It offers one of the better and juicier Souvlakis in town, even though it's a little pricey these days. Order their Chicken Souvlaki. It's one of the things that puts Buffalo on the map.
However, the best Souvlaki in town is in Cheektowaga, at Alton's - and it's cheaper too. Pano's is open late, but Alton's is 24 hours. We thoroughly recommend Alton's with all of our hearts.
But if you do end up at Pano's on Elmwood, don't worry, because the food is excellent, the service is ok, and the souvlaki is definitely worth coming for.
This is not your grandfather's Pano's. If you remember the days of visiting a late night diner while in a drunken stupor, you'll be pleasantly surprised that Pano's has grown up to become a respectable establishment.
I remember Pano's from way back, but never visited the original incarnation, but I'm glad we visited the 'new and improved' Pano's. The place has been nicely redecorated and expanded. A great enhancement to the Elmwood area.
Since they've been traditionally known for its Greek fare, I started with some Hummus and moved on to a Chicken Souvlaki for a main course. Both were quite good. As a matter of fact, everyone seemed to enjoy their meals very much. Next time I go though, I think I'm going to try the Sweet Potato Salmon. The folks at the table next to us ordered it and it looked great!!
The portions are quite large, so plan on having leftovers for lunch the next day. The service was quite attentive, without being overbearing. Off-street parking is a bit limited (but at least they have some) and it seems to fill up quickly, so plan ahead if you can. It's worth the trip.
I wish it still had only 3 tables and 2.99 steak & eggs.
We went to Pano's last night for dinner - what a treat! I remember Pano's from way back when as a greasy spoon that had food best eaten when drunk. When my father-in-law suggested it and raved about the food, I was a little surprised but off we went. Wow has the place changed, no more greasy spoon, now a respectable, somewhat upscale eatery.
I had the pork tenderloin w/ gruyere cheese which was one of the specials - it was probably some of the best pork that I have had when eating out! The accompanying sweet potato fries were a little too sweet for my taste but I'm sure many would love them. Grilled asparagus topped things off. The chicken souvlaki was also tasty (got to steal a bit from the hubby) and the hummus appetizer was excellent.
It's a whole different place than it once was so don't expect the old diner, go in with an open mind for the new place and I think you'll like it!
Visited Pano's with friends while in Buffalo, NY. Was very impressed.
Terrific atmosphere, attentive & very nice service, and everyone in my party thoroughly enjoyed their food. I tried the crunchy sesame falafel wrap with yogurt tahini sauce with a side salad with feta cheese and Greek dressing -- and it was really delicious. A friend tried the spicy chorizo sandwich and said it was really tasty.
I really enjoyed Pano's!
Service is lacking. Should have spent money on hiring a decent staff.
The food is soooooooooo delicious here!!!! And well worth the wait, which is always around 15 to 30 minutes. But, when the weather isn't too bitter Elmwood is a great place to wander. I think Talking Leaves Bookstore is a couple blocks down, which is a good place to kill time. Awesome!!
I recommend the bruschetta--the best I've ever had!! & I love bruschetta. Their spinach and artichokem dip is yummy, too. For entrees, I recommend their pasta entrees that are ginormous and delicious!! Or for a healthier choice, I'd get their salads that are very fresh and delicious.
Some controversy lingers over the expansion of this restaurant, which entailed demolishing a stately old home. However, the improvement has made this establishment a real boost to the Elmwood area. It is the only large eatery on the upper part of the strip with both ethnic and plain ol' American cooking to suit every taste. The new Pano's is a big draw for the upper Elmwood strip, and a nice perch from which to admire what remains of the graceful older buildings (though several of the ones directly across the street are eyesores of the "students-just-dragged-a-sofa-out-on-the-front-por ch" variety.
The food is meticulous and generous for the price range. I recommend the brunch menu, which can be had until 3pm on weekends, but omelettes and brekkie-foods are always available. I had a brunch special, a sundried-tomato omelette, and though it was a trifle salty and could have used more tomatoes, it was huge and had lots of tasty cheese. They do hash browns right, too. I'll be back to try their fabled Greek specialties.
The decor is attractive, the servers friendly and caring. You can tell the owners take pride, which makes Pano's the pride of the upper Elmwood strip.
Dear Pano's,
What the hell happened to you? You're not what I remember from years ago and Im sure I speak for many others when I say you have turned a classic busy Greek-American diner into a total disappintment. You went from looking inviting and inexpensive to phony and upscale. What a shame.
I used to live directly across from Pano's on Elmwood. Those were the good old days- Pano's was open all night and you could go in here as drunk as you wanted to be and get two eggs, two toasts and two pancakes. Those were glory days.
Pano's had it good. Everyone knew the food was mediocre but they'd go back anyway. it wasn't trying to be anything other than a diner.
...and then something happened. They decided they didn't want to business of drunk College Students. they started closing early, and they renovated. don't get me wrong- the renovation is very nice. They've classed up the place and expanded parking without making a mockery of the Elmwood strip.
however, despite all of the exterior changes, and the price increases one thing hasn't changed: it's still late night diner food with shoddy service, and I'm no longer too drunk to look the other way.
I'm sorry Pano- you can dress it up all you want but it doesn't disguise the mediocre food and inattentive service.
I'm going to add another sad note that I miss the old Pano's. I feel like every time I come home, it's gotten even more monstrous. Yesterday I encountered a LOVELY reproduction of some Renaissance painting underneath a contemporary abstract work which hung next to some strange hanging chandelier thing while on the wall next to it there was an entirely unnecessary and not particularly attractive shelving arrangement.
The grammar of that sentence explains how confused I was by the entire thing.
However, the food at Pano's has stayed consistently the same. And while it's no five star dining, it's quality, it's cheap, and it will fill you up. Yesterday a couple friends and I went for breakfast. I got a ham and cheese omelette with their AMAZING potato hash brown things. Seriously, they do potatoes better than anywhere else I go. The boys complained a bit that the steak that accompanied their steak and eggs was smaller than normal, but the taste was the same as always - delicious!
Really, no matter what meal you go to Pano's for, the food will be good. Just be prepared to wait at busy times and expect the decor to get more and more over the top with every visit.
I moved to Buffalo a little over four-years ago, but this is the first time I've ever eaten at Pano's. Unlike previous reviewers, I have no idea what the food or atmosphere of this Elmwood landmark were like a few years ago. However, the meal I had tonight was good, and I will definitely be eating there again.
My boyfriend and I started off with an appetizer of stuffed banana peppers. There were three banana peppers stuffed with a mixture of three cheeses, served with two slices of bread, and garnished with some mixed vegetables and balsamic vinegar. The peppers were a bit spicy, but the cheese cooled the heat. The bread was perfect for soaking up the vinegar and extra cheese left on the dish.
The salads that came with our meal were delicious, and the greek dressing was very good (my guess is that it's a balsamic vinegar base with a bit of olive oil and seasonings). There was plenty of feta cheese on it (my whole plate was WHITE!), and they use spring mix instead of lettuce (yay!).
For meals, we ordered sweet potato crusted salmon with cranberry butter and a pasta dish with penne pasta, artichokes, tomatoes, and cheese (the name of the dish escapes me). The salmon was cooked perfectly, and the cranberry butter was perfect for cutting through the sweetness of the potatoes. There were some roasted potatoes served with the salmon, however, they were a bit overcooked and it was a bit too much starch on one plate. Also, there was another balsamic vinegar drizzle on my plate. The pasta was average. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't memorable. My boyfriend wishes he ordered the chicken souvlaki instead.
By the time we finished our dinners, my boyfriend and I were very full and satisfied with the overall experience. The restaurant looked very clean and sophisticated, and what we paid for our meals was worth the money. We will be back to Pano's, but next time we'll make sure to order the chicken souvlaki (it looked really good!) and hopefully find some dishes with less balsamic vinaigrette.
Every time I've gone here, the service and food gets worse and worse. Because of that I haven't visited since sometime in mid 2007. That will be the last time I enter Pano's.
I know he demolished an ancient house neighboring his property to make room for parking and a possible expansion....but until August of this year I hadn't noticed that he's renovating his restaurant to LOOK EXACTLY LIKE another multiple-story dining establishment run by a Greek restaurateur on Hertel Avenue.
Strike one: Your service sucks
Strike two: Your food sucks
Strike three: You're a copy-cat. And a bad one, at that.
People, save yourself some time wasted and go to Betty's.
The last time I was in Pano's, an especially plump woman intruded on my supper to point out how "delicious" my eggs looked. "Oh, doesn't that look yummy," she said.
I can assure you, gentle readers, two things: 1) that I hated this woman with all of my cold, cold heart, and that, 2) she was completely wrong about my eggs: they were lousy--suitable only for the worst kind of bottom-feeder: suitable for the kind of woman that brings her son to a baseball game and leaves him in the bleachers while she copulates with the concession stand manager in the latrine. Suffice to say, my breakfast was undercooked and slightly over-priced.
Over-priced seems to be the consensus on Pano's. It's not terrible, but do you want to pay 7 big ones for vegetarian bean salad? Oh, and about the vegetarian bean salad: it's just a plate of beans. It's not salad at all. Plate O' bland beans = - 7 dollars + tax. That's 7 dollars you could have spent taking your son to see "The Mummy 3: Curse of the Dragon Emperor!"
The only redeeming qualities about Pano's are that, 1) they have very fancy ceiling fans and, 2) they excel at demolishing historical architecture to serve yuppie scum 7 dollar plates of beans. Are these redeeming qualities? They may be, but I think i'll stick with Towne, Kosta's, or Dave and Buster's.
Great place to grab some food after hitting the bars or even breakfast with the fam.
I love all the breakfast and Greek menu items. I stop by there every year. If you are unfortunately in Buffalo, stop by this place.
*Parking can be a biyaaach at times.
I'd never been to Pano's before in my life, so I can't speak to the before-and-after of the metamorphosis from diner to restaurant. All I can say is they were wide open at 11:30pm, were still serving a full menu, and the waitress was really friendly. I got a chicken souvlaki that was pretty enormous and delicious for about 10 bucks, and both the grilled pita and salad dressing were made out of crack.
Wowwwwwwww, what great food. Authentic in taste and menu selection - you're guaranteed to return again and again. Usually there's a wait and the dining quarters is pretty tight...but so worth it. I recommend the chicken souvlaki. I always get an extra pita. I also recommend the Greek potatoes; they have a mustardy flavor with herb flavorings. I always end up getting extra dressing for the chicken souvlaki because I just can't stop dipping my pita in it. Good for breakfast too...a nice place to sit outside in a covered area and take in the city scene as you dine on great tasting food. A best kept secret, if you ask me.
Oh my Pano's how you have changed. No longer the divey diner that drunk co-eds go to up until 4am. I think it has lost a wee bit of it's greasey spoon charm but I understand the thinking. Lots of people in Buffalo love Pano's - why not have more seats & more parking?! I'm glad I stopped in for my lunch. It was mobbed as per everytime I'm in town to visit, but we got good quick service and the food was the same price and quality that I remember it. I love me some chicken souvlaki! It sucks he had a bulldoze a house for the new improved Pano's palace, but I'll still make an effort to stop by this low-key, delicious, Buffalo staple, every time I'm in town!
Pano's has better food than it used to, but there are a lot of places in Buffalo with better food. The thing that Pano's used to have that other places didn't and it now does not: 24 hours. Pano's midlife crisis really didn't impress me. I mean, the food is good, service decent, and they are never jerks (as long as you aren't) no matter how busy it is. However.. they lack the souls of a diner or a upscale restaurant and somehow try to mix the two.
As much as it annoys me that I cannot go late night anymore, Pano's is still an okay place during the day if you can't decide on someplace else.
Pano's is a decent neighborhood spot that everybody generally likes, and there is something for everybody here. Yes, they quit doing late night service, but the reason behind the decision were the drunken idiots filing out of the bars across the street and causing damage to his property! I can hardly blame Pano for choosing to close earlier. If you want late night sit-down eats and are even vaguely familiar with the area, you know where to find the corner of Elmwood and Allen.
The menu went through an upgrade a few years ago, but generally speaking this is a great place to go on warm Sunday mornings for honest to goodness breakfast food, coffee and a mimosa. Heather W. has their vibe pegged, but personally speaking if I'm looking for an "experience" I'll go to Shogun - Pano's is about no frills, decent quality food at reasonable prices. Decent souvlaki, but divine baklava - I think their menu is hit or miss, but the things they do well I do enjoy. There is a small bar near the front door where you can order a drink while you wait for your seat... which is a guaranteed activity during typical meal hours.
I guess I'm not as disappointed in the new Pano's as some of my fellow reviewers on here but I've always liked their souvlaki more than that of the Towne, which is more famous in the Bflo area. Anyways, Pano's isn't as upscale as it's Allentown counterpart but the food is just better.
Katie Q reminded me of a little town just northwest of us - our polar opposite: Buffalo! Tina E and I spent some time there a few years back and we found some worthy spots in the snow-belt town. One of them was Pano's. It was for us (and reportedly still is for many) our post-movie hangout for apple pie a la mode and hot chocolate with whipped cream. Oh, yes, I should add that the savory grub was good, too... although I have less recollection of that meal. This late night Greek diner has since moved further north on Elmwood to a bigger space, but still serves an amazing slice of warm baklava when every other eatery has closed for the night!
too expensive for that you get, awful service, they stop serving alcohol way too early.
the patio is nice though, and they have some pretty good omelettes.
Look, I've eaten at Pano's about 50 times. I've gone there at all hours, day and night. That said, their owner and proprietor wants to bulldoze his neighbors for more surface parking lots. So yeah, I'm docking him for that.
Hey Pano, you aren't going to need that extra space unless you go back to being open 24 hours. Until that happens again, you're just another decent diner in a city with a lot of them. Good breakfast, but you can find cheaper places with comparable food. Heather W is right about the feel of the place -- it's a Greek greasy spoon without the grease.
If you're in the mood for consistently decent diner food, this is the place for you. It probably won't be stunningly good, but it almost definitely won't be stunningly bad.
Everyone raves about this place but I used to like it when it was open all night. The waffles were good. I recently went and had a falafel wrap. It was a bit spicy and not as reasonably priced for what you get as Falafel Bar is. I recommend them over Pano's for vegetarian dishes.
Buffalo, NY
Category: Italian
Buffalo, NY
Category: Middle Eastern
Buffalo, NY
Category: American (New)
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
