Las Vegas Weekly

I have been going to the Buffalo for about 20 years. Some times only a few times a year and more recently weekly. I went to High School and College in Reno, NV and the Buffalo was the first gay bar I went to in 1988.

When I relocated to Las Vegas a few years ago, the Buffalo was the first bar I took my partner to for a celebration drink. Over the years, I have made an effort to get to know the bartenders, always saying hello and being friendly. I remember a few of them working at the Buffalo for decades, and it is always great to see a friendly face. My partner speaks several languages and has enjoyed tossing German phrases back and forth with one of the bartenders.

More recently, I have gone to the Buffalo for the Smoke-Out, Hairy Bear contests and random afternoons and nights when I just wanted to hang-out with my friends and play some pool. I was even there Monday (May 4, 2009) at 5:00pm when one of the bartenders was conversing with a French customer"we also started tossing around our French and made new friends.

Last night was my Birthday and after a great dinner my partner decided to take me to the Buffalo for a drink. When the bartender took my drink order I mentioned that I was at the Buffalo when he was speaking to the French guy. He got real mad at me, saying that it was not him. He ripped out his wallet and shoved his ID me. Saying "I'm George, NOT Carl".I'm George NOT Carl. My friend thought he was kidding because they have similarities, style of dress etc. He also thought that he was the bartender who could speak other languages. This got him really mad and he did the same thing to him"pulling out his wallet and yelling, walking away and rolling his eyes at us to other guests a the bar, saying things about us under his breath. I tried to cover up the mistake by saying that I have come to the Buffalo for 20 years, and know that they are two different bartenders. He responded by yelling back at me from the cash register "IF you have been coming here for 20 years how come you don't know me!"

Embarrassed and angry"we put our drinks on the bar and walked out of the Buffalo. I will never go back.

Most of us locals who choose to go and spend a little money at local businesses are in the hospitality industry and bust our asses taking care of our customers. Business is slow, the economy is tanking and the gay businesses in Las Vegas are suffering, and closing.

The bar had eight people in it, and I got my ass chewed out by the bartender, who doesn't even recognize me after 20 years? Good luck Buffalo~

Ratings: Food: 1/10  Vibe: 1/10  Service: 1/10  Value: 1/10  Overall: 1/10

Posted by: emmett5678 on 5/7/09 at 2:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)