Cocktail Bar
Unclaimed profileBuffalo Traders Lounge
Grand Rapids, MI · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Buffalo Traders Lounge pairs a sharp happy hour—$8 House Old Fashioned, highballs, teeny martinis, and The Spritz—with a deep spirits list spanning bourbon, rye, Irish, Japanese, Scotch, and more. The seasonal New Feelings cocktail earns customer praise for its spicy edge. Wine and beer stay simple, but the backbar and cocktail craft carry the room.
- What should I order?
- Start with the House Old Fashioned at $8 during happy hour, a bourbon, simple, and Angostura bitters classic. For something lighter, The Spritz at $10 offers a choice of white wine, Aperol, Campari, Montenegro, or Cynar. The seasonal New Feelings cocktail has drawn customer praise for its spicy flavor.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Cocktail enthusiasts will appreciate the affordable happy hour classics and the creative seasonal options. Spirits collectors have a wide field to explore, from Angel's Envy Bourbon to Yamazaki 12 Year. The bartenders' skill in crafting personalized drinks stands out repeatedly.
- When should I go?
- Wednesdays feature the Burgs & Bubbs special: $10 any bottle of wine with a burger from Black Napkin.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Happy hour is a bargain: cocktails and highballs at $8, The Spritz at $10, house wine at $7, and draft beer at $4. For premium spirits, pours range from $15 for Angel's Envy Bourbon up to $150 for Heaven Hill 20 Year and $203 for Bhakta 50 Year Morgan.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The venue bills itself as providing 'the art of cocktail culture,' and the menu reflects that with a happy hour that balances classics and creative options. The spirits list is notably deep, spanning bourbon, rye, Irish, Japanese, Scotch, brandy, gin, rum, and agave, with prices reaching into the hundreds.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Happy hour delivers a compact but varied lineup: House Old Fashioned, highballs, teeny martinis, and The Spritz. A recent seasonal cocktail, New Feelings, drew praise for its spicy character, and the venue touts 'the art of cocktail culture' as its ethos.
Menu strengths
- — Happy hour offers a variety of classic and creative cocktails at accessible prices.
Standout selections
- — House Old Fashioned: bourbon, simple, angostura bitters, $8
- — The Spritz: choice of white wine, Aperol, Campari, Montenegro or Cynar, $10
- — New Feelings: seasonal cocktail praised for spicy flavor
Pricing: $8 happy hour cocktails; $10 The Spritz
Wine
The wine program is straightforward: house red, white, or bubbles by the glass during happy hour, plus a Wednesday bottle deal when paired with a burger. No specific varietals or producers are listed, but the low prices and bottle special offer easy value.
Menu strengths
- — House wine is available by the glass at $7 during happy hour.
- — Wednesday special pairs any bottle of wine with a burger from Black Napkin for $10.
Standout selections
- — House Wine: red, white, or bubbles, $7; Bottle of Wine: $10 any bottle with burger purchase on Wednesdays
Pricing: $7 house wine; $10 bottle special on Wednesdays
Beer
Beer is a simple, rotating draft selection offered at $4 during happy hour.; All draft beer priced at $4 during happy hour.
Menu strengths
- — All draft beer priced at $4 during happy hour.
- — Rotating draft selection provides variety at a low price.
Standout selections
- — Happy hour offers all draft beer at $4 with rotating drafts.
Pricing: $4 all draft beer during happy hour
Spirits
The spirits list is extensive, covering bourbon, rye, Irish, Japanese, Scotch, brandy/cognac, gin, rum, and agave. Named pours range from accessible to rare, with prices up to $203 for a 2oz pour of Bhakta 50 Year Morgan.
Menu strengths
- — Extensive and diverse spirits list spanning multiple categories.
- — Price range accommodates both everyday pours and rare indulgences, from $6 Raynal VSOP to $203 Bhakta 50 Year.
Standout selections
- — Angel's Envy Bourbon: $15; Heaven Hill 20 Yr: $150
- — Redbreast 12 Yr: $20; Yamazaki 12 Yr: $50
- — Ardbeg Uigeadail: $28; Hine Rare VSOP: $17; Monkey 47: $19
Pricing: Pours from $6 to $203; examples include $15 Angel's Envy, $50 Yamazaki 12
How it sits with the food
The Wednesday bottle special pairs any bottle of wine with a burger from Black Napkin for $10, suggesting a casual food-and-wine match. Happy hour drink prices are low enough to pair with bar snacks, though specific food pairings are not detailed on the beverage menu.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
Community reviews
Anyone with a free Inebrious account can rate the drinks here. Community ratings are kept entirely separate from the Inebrious editorial score above.
No community reviews yet. Be the first to write one.