Sure, the falls are the main attraction of any visit to Niagara Falls, but Niagara Falls restaurants have been known to wow a visitor or two, as well. Whether you’re looking for dining options on the American or Canadian side of the falls, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from, from budget-friendly eats, to splurge-worthy spots that serve up breaktaking views alongside their sumptuous cuisine. Of course, with so many excellent restaurants in Niagara Falls, NY, it can be hard to choose. So, to make it easy for you, we’ve gathered some of our favorite deals at Niagara Falls restaurants in one place, so you can enjoy a great meal and save money while taking in everything this world-renowned tourist spot has to offer.
Top-Selling Deals For Niagara Falls RestaurantsView All
It’s probably no surprise that some of the most popular restaurants in Niagara Falls NY (and Niagara Falls Canada, for that matter), are the ones that overlook the falls, presenting diners with dinner and a show, in a manner of speaking. But locals will tell you that the restaurants located away from the falls shouldn’t be ignored either, especially if you’re hoping to get a break from the long-wait times often associated with the restaurants located inside the hotels and casino, or those directly overlooking the falls.
Dinner and Entertainment in Niagara Falls View All
Watching the spectacular show put on by Mother Nature while you eat isn’t your only option for dinner entertainment in Niagara Falls (though it’s a pretty good one). On the contrary: you’ll find plenty of restaurants in Niagara Falls that offer magic shows, live music, and other fun acts to dazzle diners during dinner. And don’t make the mistake of thinking these spots only cater to families—some offer fancy prix-fixe meals in a cabaret-type setting, which make them an ideal setting for a special occasion, such as a first date or anniversary dinner.
For a dinner show that appeals to both kids and adults equally, nab tickets to see famed magician Greg Frewin perform jaw-dropping illusions, including slights of hand, levitations, and optical illusions. Known as the International Champion of Magic, Greg incorporates live tigers and exotic birds into his show, so kids will have something to excitedly relive later in the evening as you enjoy dinner at Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. The show takes place on the Canadian side of the falls, so be sure to bring your passport along, if needed.
The Niagara Falls waterfalls straddle an international border, so it seems fitting that the culinary landscape here transcends borders as well. You’ll find a plethora of ethnic restaurants sprinkled all around town, including Asian, Japanese, and Latin American eateries, but the Indian Restaurants in Niagara Falls, NY and Canada are particularly popular, with a handful of top-rated spots peppering both sides of the Niagara River.
If you’re new to Indian food, and sensitive to spice, you should know that there are distinct differences in the regional cooking styles of India. Generally speaking, Southern Indian cuisine is where you’ll find the spiciest dishes, as well as a an abundance of seafood and rice-based specialties. Northern Indian cuisine, on the other hand, is where you’ll find complexly spiced (but not necessarily spicy) tandoori dishes and oven-baked breads like naan and paratha. If this is your first foray into Indian dining, Northern Indian cooking is typically more beginner-friendly option for western palates.
Read our guide to Indian Food for Beginners to learn more about Indian cuisine and order like a pro!
Pro Tip
Hotels occupy some of the best real estate in Niagara Falls, so it stands to reason that hotel restaurants offer some of the very best views around. Luckily, these hotels have more to offer than just a standard continental breakfast: they actually serve some of the finest food in town. Most of the restaurants are open to diners even if they aren’t guests of the hotel—but if you are a guest, you may find that a complimentary meal or meal credit is included in your room rate. Lucky you!
Italian restaurants are actually some of the oldest and most-beloved dining spots in Niagara Falls. While not the oldest (or the most budget-friendly), both The Rainbow Room at the Crowne Plaza and Massimo’s Italian Fallsview Restaurant (located in the Sheraton on the Falls hotel) pair contemporary Italian cuisine with spectacular views, right on the falls. But if you’re fine with taking a break from nature for awhile, there are plenty of quality Italian restaurants in Niagara Falls that serve a mean plate of pasta or veal scallopini at bargain prices.
When it comes to Italian restaurants in Niagara Falls, it doesn’t get more old school than The Como Restaurant, which has been serving up homemade pastas and Italian comfort food classics since 1927. The restaurant is so famous, in fact, that you can buy bottles of its homemade marinara sauce at local grocery stores! As for Como’s equally-famous meatballs, one of the owner’s family members estimates the restaurant has served at least nine million of them in its 90+ years in business.
The Como Restaurant’s food might be filling, but that doesn’t mean it comes with a heavy price tag. In fact, we included it in our itinerary, which is full of other budget-friendly picks: Niagara Falls on a Budget: How to Do a Weekend for $300.
Not all of the action in Niagara Falls is centered around downtown—in fact, there are plenty of opportunities to taste local wines and beers a short drive (or less!) away from the falls. The most popular spot for wine tasting in Niagara Falls, however, is about 30-minutes outside of town in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, a community that’s home to 20 different wineries, as well as a popular icewine festival every January.
Start with whites. Wineries often offer many different varieties of wine, from crisp and light whites to full bodied reds. But if you’re planning to sample the entire lineup, adopt a sipping strategy. Specifically, you should plan to sample the lightest wines first, then make you way to the darker varietals. Sampling the tannic-heavy reds first will make it more difficult for your to taste all the subtle flavors in the lighter wines, so save those for last if you want the best experience.
Steakhouse restaurants in Niagara Falls, NY are a perfect choice for anyone wanting to splurge on a special meal during their trip. Here, you’ll find outposts of some of the most famous steakhouses in the world, such as Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, as well as local favorites like Remington’s, where during dinner the waiters famously serenade their clientele.
When you visit a steakhouse, your waiter will likely ask you how you’d like your steak cooked. But did you know there is a right and wrong answer to this question? And it doesn’t just have to do with personal preference. Fatty, marbled cuts such as prime rib and rib eye can handle a longer stint on the grill, but leaner cuts such as filet mignon cannot. To ensure the best flavor, never order your filet well-done and instead stick to rare, or medium rare at most.
