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Karl R. Josker | all galleries >> Buffalo >> The Bars Of Buffalo > Merlin's
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20-APR-2004 Karl R. Josker

Merlin's

Elmwood and Breckenridge, Buffalo

Back in my bar crawling days, I think this used to be "Brink's." Anyone remember?


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The captain 17-Jan-2019 00:32
Free pizza Wednesday night ,sound booth hanging from the ceiling
Art Whitten 10-May-2018 17:37
Went there a lot 1968 1969 1970 50 cents for a glass of Bali Hai or Boone's Farm played pool in the loft upstairs at the back of the bar met a lot of cute girls anyone remember Bob Lanier he came in one night and had to duck down to get through the front door good times
Cate 30-Mar-2017 19:23
I used to play a lot of pool there back when it was Brink's, early 70's. Buffalo's best band (in my opinion)was Spoon and the Houserockers, they played Brink's frequently, such a great band. I remember that when it was closing time the dj (up in a little loft in the bar area) would play the Stones Sweet Virginia, and that's when you knew it was time to get the hell out.
Paul Dufficy 14-Aug-2015 14:03
Went to Buff State in the late 60's . Frequented this place when it was Brinks . Made a great Beef and Wec
Chris Schlichte 30-Aug-2011 04:15
I remember when this place was Brink's, then Merlin's and Patty Abalone opened....I knew
Patty from his Mulligan's days, (then I left Buffalo to live and work, and go to school in Washington,D.C.....and from there on to Pittsburgh for more school) I was gone from 1972 to 1978,when I returned to Buffalo. One day I'm walking down Elmwood Avenue, and as I was passing by Merlin's, Patty Abalone came walking out of the bar,and upon seeing me he immediately said "Chris how are you ? Where the hell have you been?" After not seeing hide nor hair of me for 5 or 6 years, he remembered my name....I must say I was very impressed by that !!
oldbflohippie 16-Aug-2011 03:41
Ah yes, Brink's bar was located on Elmwood at Breckenridge. They had a famous pool table upstairs in the '60s. Long-haired, eye-patch-wearing, nasty-looking players sporting peace symbols and hearts of gold. A dive bar stereotypical of that era.
Guest 28-May-2011 17:31
Still there and going strong. Got a great new facelift!
Guest 12-May-2011 21:16
thisnbisbwhere my bar life started when it was Brinks. I was 18 and the Bouncer/Barback. I learned about girls drugs and booze there. It was where all the cool peole hung out. I then progressed to Mr.Goodbar when it was owned by Uncle Phil Alliota. Was the head doorman there and also Binky Browns on Grant and Granny Goodness. These bars had people working for them that were unforgetable, Like Inky, Bobby Bender,Billy Knox, Hollywood Huge,Yipes,Beetle And Patty just to name a few. This was the time of OV and Rolling Rock splits sold by the case,50 cent tequila shots, screwdrivers for a dollar,Blue Nun, Bali Hi and Boones Fram Apple wine, Its was a time when you went out at 10pm and partied until 4am to the Rolling Stones,Beatles,Jethro Tull,Rod Stewart,Dave Mason,Yes, Mountain and everother rock band you can name. You never went home alone and it truly was the time of sex, drugs and rock and roll, Remember breakfast at Your Host@ 4am or a little Greek Breakfast @ Town restaurant, a Munhies enduced craving for a Mighty Taco or a little Italian @ Pinaroson the West Side ....AHHHH thise were the days
Kathy 21-Aug-2010 01:45
Brink's is where it was happining in 1970. I lived across the street at 750 Elmwood also but in 1969. Didn't stay long, too many rats. Didn't have far to stumble home. What memories, met my now ex husband there. I remember Turney Jones, Bobby Gorman, Kevin and Joe, the bartenders.
Guest 02-Jul-2010 15:32
All the great memories of this place, Now the yuppies have taken it over.
shermanb 07-Apr-2010 17:41
I hear now that it is closed and gutted? Greg what happened?
Gayl Nye 17-Sep-2009 22:42
Funny, I was in Buffalo for my nephew's wedding (he wasn't even born when I was bartending there in the 70's) and I rode my bike from Kenmore to Merlins. I was outside taking a photo of the building when the door popped open and I heard my name yelled "Gayl!" It was Sparky! I had a beer with him and we reminisced. I had to tell the girl bartender that she wasn't even born yet when I was working there. I don't think she cared. I called Pat in Florida on the spot and told him where I was. He was pretty amused by that.
Does anyone remember when we knocked out the wall upstairs and had the fireplace? Gotta say, the place is pretty dumpy now. Maybe it was back then also and I just didn't know it because it was always filled with people!
Guest 11-Jul-2009 02:13
Brinks! It was quite a dive in the late '60s/early '70s, but exceedingly popular and not too particular about whether or not you had a sheriff's card. In high school we'd sometimes pop over there for lunch, have a few pops and shoot pool with the rummies who were there in the daylight hours.
Guest 08-Jan-2009 07:11
My older brothers used to go to Merlin's park me in front of the Pong machine while they drank- I was six years old! This was 1978.
MELODY SMITH 02-Nov-2007 21:25
WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO PARTY! WE WOULD FREQUENT THIS ESTABLISHMENT ALOT AND HANG OUT WITH THE BISON'S FARM TEAM FOR THE PIRATES I DATED JAKE THE BOUNCER ANYBODY KNOW WHAT HIS IS UP TO THESE DAYS? FREMO WAS MY FRIENDS COUSIN HE ROCKED GOD REST HIS SOUL. SO MANY GOOD MEMORYS. MELODY ALSO HUNG OUT AT MERLINS IN SARASOTA WHERE I MET MY EX HUSBAND!
Guest 01-Sep-2007 17:33
I lived at 666 W. Ferry (when there was a real house there, not condos) around the corner when I was a little kid in the 60's. In the late 70's when I was 17 we used to go to Merlin's to play backgammon in the wee hours of the morning. One night around 3am some non-regular wanted to play and got pissed off when he was soundly beaten by a good friend of mine who was crippled with bad legs. The loser started a fight with my friend so I had to defend him and we ended up with broken glasses and blood all over our backgammon board. We all got tossed out and they were going to call the police until I informed them that they didn't want to do that as I was only 17 and they might suffer more than I. Fortunately I turned 18 later that summer so I didn't have to stay out of there for too long! I think my aunt Tudi's long time boyfriend Mott Merkel (IIRC) built their bar out of a slab of bowling alley. I also remember Fremo. R.I.P indeed. We continued to use that blood stained backgammon board for quite a while :)
Guest 30-Aug-2007 02:14
R.I.P. Fremo!!!
Guest 16-Apr-2007 19:08
Yipes , Talk about a trip down memory lane! This used to be Brinks .One of the many Brinkworth legends . It's back being Merlin's thanks to my old lead guitar player and roust about friend Greg Giambra . Steve has the best clams casino I ever ate. And I ran a award wining seafood restaurant for 5 years~! I remember when I lived across the street when I was a kid behind food town , now some kind of boutique store . The music would blare out the door in the summertime and the road vultures mc used to hang there . later when pat owned it (like gayl said " Hi gayl!" ) John Valby would play there .They would prop open the door and the vile tunes would spill out on to the street like a wave of slime!
Deb 14-Apr-2007 07:47
Pat sold Mulligans some years back and now has a bistro called 'Patrick's' on St Pete Beach. He's also selling Real Estate!
Guest 17-Jan-2007 20:51
I used to live across the street from here @ 750 Elmwood (the old Gray House) '90- '92 and had many great memories.
This was defintelt a great place to start a night in Buffalo.
Gayl Nye 19-Nov-2005 16:57
I have so many memores that revolve around Merlins. I dated the owner, Pat Abulone, for several years, lived with him above the bar, and when the fish fries started on fridays, I helped roll out the first night,which was a huge success. I still have some minor memorabilia of Merlins, such as bottle openers and pins, maybe a couple of t shirts. It was one of the first bars i drank in when I was only sixteen years old. I just last year threw away my old navy blue merlins wool baseball jacket that Pat had made for a group of us. When Pat moved to Florida to open Merlins in Sarasota, I went along and continued the legend with he and Eddie. What a great place! Unfortunately when Eddie died, the bar closed sometime after that. Pat is now living in the St Pete area and has a bar called Mulligans, if you can believe that.
j 28-Oct-2005 13:12
I remember going there when I went to Buff State College when I was younger. Also, I sat in with with Lana and Mike from Black Widow there once.
Guest 17-Sep-2005 21:11
Right - Kevin Brinkworth owned it and it was called Brinks
Amir FaSaad 24-Apr-2005 13:08
Yep. One of the many Brinkworth establishments.