In a few hours, Misuta Chow’s will be hosting its soft opening to the public. Last evening, some friends and family gathered at the new downtown establishment to express their well wishes, and to see the place in its full glory. Misuta Chow’s did not disappoint. When I first walked in, The Damned (band with Captain Sensible and Dave Vanian) was being piped through the speakers – an excellent sign that it was going to be a fun night. While there was no food (restaurant will be serving food in about a month’s time), the downstairs bar was pretty jammin’. The upstairs bar and arcade was also in full swing. Most of the final design details were finished. The decorative telephone poles and lines are still on their way – to mimic a Japanese alleyway (learn more), but other than that, everything else appeared to be fully functional.

The lighting in Misuta Chow’s is brilliant. From the glowing red neon lips in the back, to the ever-changing LED illumination, the place was aglow with magnificent colorful arrangements. The best part about Misuta Chow’s is the attention to detail. One of the faux alleyway windows has a beat up old air conditioner in it, adding to the authenticity of the design. The back stairwell has been painted with glitter-pink. There are ‘Hello Kitty” designs on the staircase risers (a large pink neon sign is still on the way).

Guests to Misuta Chow’s will find that there are no plastic straws handed out at the bar. Last night, proprietors Johny Chow and Christi Allen handed me a stainless steel straw as a token show of support for the environment. To me, that alone is a telltale sign that these guys are in it to win it. Not only have they recreating a Japanese yokocho alley in the heart of Downtown Buffalo, they care about their customers and the planet – that’s a win-win in my book. Another win is for Main Street. During the sneak peek affair, the 500-block was alive with people, throwing hatchets, sipping cocktails, eating ice cream… for the first time ever, I could fully envision the future of Downtown.

This evening is the soft opening of Misuta Chow’s at 521 Main Street. Do yourself a favor and check this place out as soon as you can. The reality has lived up to the hype, which rarely happens.

The three-week preview/soft opening starts at 4 p.m. on July 14, leading up to the grand opening the first weekend of August.

Misuta Chow’s | 521 Main Street | Buffalo NY | Facebook