About Matinee
We’ve been friends since Hutch Tech, and we opened Matinee on April 26, 2016. Ten years later you’ll still find us behind the bar.
We left the sad mask off the window. Two smiles, one for each of us, drawn by our friend Devin before we opened.
Between touring with a band and bartending in South Buffalo, we’d spent a lot of time in small rooms where you could just show up, grab a drink and talk to people. Buffalo needed more of those. So when the coffee shop on the ground floor of the building where we rehearsed came open, it was too perfect to pass up.
We built the bar ourselves out of salvaged wood, with old stage plots sealed into the top. The curtain behind it and a lot of what’s on the walls came from the old Studio Arena. People tell us it feels like they’ve been here before, even on their first visit, which is exactly what we were going for.
Grabbing a drink before a show? We’ll tell you when to start walking so you’re not late. Coming back after? Sometimes the cast does too. Good times and great vibes no matter when you stop by.
We’re here to make your experience as good as it can be. Tell us what you usually drink and we’ll find you something new. There’s always an old movie on the wall, the beer list never gets stale, and these days there’s pizza, cocktails, and bourbon too, things we used to dream about offering.
