Leading the herd

By Patricia Nugent

Of all the ingredients that inspire success and longevity in a restaurant—outstanding food, stellar service, welcoming ambiance—for Harry Buffalo, which has been a Cleveland institution since opening in 1996, the foundation is and always will be food.

“So many other restaurants have come and gone,” says Dave DeRosa, who is managing partner of the Harry Buffalo in Parma Heights. “Whether it’s a family night out, a date night, a sporting event or a business meeting, we seem to fit what people are looking for.”

The menu has similarly evolved to offer something for everyone, from meat lovers to health foodies, vegetarians and those with an adventurous palate.

An obsession with authenticity and high quality is a signature in many of the dishes on the eclectic menu, most notably the Bison Burgers.

“You can’t find bison burgers at many places in town,” he says. “We thought it was a great fit for Clevelanders, who love their burgers, and health-conscious folks, who appreciate a meal with a fraction of the fat and calories, yet enjoy great taste. The mix is a hit. No one serves more bison meat in the Midwest than Harry Buffalo.”

For ethnic-inspired fare, tacos and rice bowls are fan favorites, as well as the sharables section of the menu, perfect for scrumptious social grazing.

When Harry Met Henny
True confession? I do not like fried chicken.

But when Dave locked me in a steely gaze, warmly and insistently telling me, “you’ve got to try our Henny Chicken,” I just couldn’t say no. (After all, I was sitting smack dab in the home of “The Fried Chicken Addiction.”)

Each bite was a delight, from the delicate crunchy coating to the savory, juicy meat. And in through the back door came a sneaky kicker of heat I cannot stop thinking about.

Dave reports that trips to Nashville to take a grand tour of the very best southern fried chicken places helped in creating and defining their own signature style.

While he cannot disclose the secret recipe, he will confess the reason the chicken is so melt-in-your-mouth delicious is because they marinate the meat up to 24 hours to capture its unique flavor when most fried chicken places rely on the breading for its taste.

Harry Buffalo serves every succulent breast, thigh, leg and wing with warm, cayenne-scented hot honey sauce on the side. Each Henny order includes two JoJo potatoes, which are fried with the chicken.  

“We’re not kidding about the addiction,” says Dave. “There are literally customers who come in two to three times a week to get their Henny fix.”

At the end of the meal, don’t miss the giant chocolate chip cookie or brownie, served in an adorable little skillet and topped with vanilla ice cream.

Drink specials on everything from draft beers, wines and cocktails abound on a weekly basis and during game nights.

Destination March Madness
Whether you want to catch a game or two of NCAA college basketball, or actually plan to spend most of the days sitting on a barstool glued to one of the 20 big-screen televisions indoors and eight outdoors, Harry Buffalo is Destination March Madness.

“Since so many of our regulars are hooked all tourney long, we decided to take our bracket challenge to the next level this year,” says Dave. “After Sunday, March 12, you can submit your bracket directly from our website or at the restaurant for a chance to receive a cruise for two with the winning bracket.”

The gaming doesn’t stop with national sports teams. All arcade games—from Mortal Kombat to NBA Jam and NFL Blitz—are free, and provide endless bragging rights for local glory.

In addition to March Madness, don’t miss the St. Patrick’s Day party here, with specials on corned beef and wee buckets o’ beer.

Patio Perfect
With the first hints of springtime nearly here, people are already asking to sit on the patio, which is skirted by evergreens and wrought iron fencing.

Garage doors that open to bring the outdoors in lift to give a better glimpse of the stone fireplace and gracious cabanas, just waiting for nicer weather. For now, when all you can do is look, there are heaters to chase away the chill.

Fam-Friendly Festivities
Not only do they practically give away food to the little guys every Wednesday with 99¢ kids’ meals, they even bring in a clown to perform a bevy of tricks.

Harry Buffalo also earnestly reaches out to the community in support, whether it’s hosting fundraisers or sponsoring sports teams or school events.    

Harry Buffalo is located at 6425 Pearl Road, just south of Stumph Road, in Parma Heights. Hours are every day, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Call 440-885-2833 or visit HarryBuffalo.com/locations/parma-heights-4 or check out their Facebook page for specials. There are nine locations: Parma Heights, Lakewood, Elyria, North Olmsted, Highland Heights, Painesville, Westerville, downtown Cleveland and Orlando, Florida.