Nestled on Walden Avenue along the Cheektowaga/Buffalo border, AJ’s Lounge is one of Western New York’s true hidden gems. AJ’s is also a rarity in that it’s the only known drinking establishment in the area that offers both a complimentary jukebox and pool table for its patrons to enjoy.
That’s right… Only at AJ’s Lounge can you come in for a drink or bite to eat, load up the jukebox with your favorite Billy Joel, Elvis Presley and Journey songs before heading to the back and enjoying a game of billiards— for free!
If you’re hungry, AJ’s is a great place to enjoy a bite to eat. The kitchen stays open until late in the night and features all the goodies you’ll see at most places of its kind; including chicken wings, chicken fingers, pizza sticks, mozzarella sticks as well as hamburgers or hot dogs from the grill.
If you’re part of a sports team and searching for a bar to call your home base, AJ’s Lounge owner Dick Thompson sponsors a variety of sports teams. Softball, volleyball, darts, pool and even puck bowling teams are often found representing the bar in the WNY sports and recreation world.
Among those teams, the “Horsemen” are one of the areas best-known softball teams. A four-time Cheektowaga men’s softball league champion, the squad has been a mainstay at AJ’s throughout the past decade.
Thompson stresses that participation and fun is the measure of a successful team, not just the wins and losses.
“We have sponsored teams of all skill levels,” Thompson said. “Winning is always fun, but so is participating and being part of a team. We’ve had teams that have won their leagues and others that have finished dead last. It doesn’t matter. What matters is getting out, having fun and getting to spend time with your teammates and friends in a fun environment. We also have drink and food specials for all of our teams.”
Beyond the playing field, if you enjoy games of chance, the bar has Quick Draw available with a pair of high definition televisions to watch the results on. There’s also a wide assortment of instant lottery scratch off tickets available in its own machine for your gaming convenience.
Finally, there’s always happy hour and nightly drink specials to take advantage of.
All in all, AJ’s Lounge is one of the best bars in Western New York that you’ve probably never heard about. An experienced and courteous bar staff caters to a variety of different crowds, ranging from the happy hour locals that enjoy watching “Jeopardy” on weeknights, to the party crowd looking to live it up until the wee hours of the morning.
AJ’s Lounge is located at 1028 Walden Avenue on the Cheektowaga/Buffalo border, near Pine Ridge. The phone number is 891-5934. The bar is open at 8am daily, except on Sundays and remains open up until 4am nightly.
