Elite Event – Mobster and Moll Party – Canvas@1206

Cool joint, sweet jazz, great food and better drinks… a hot place on Hertel

What a great event! Loved the food, the ambiance, and absolutely loved the owner and his pride and enthusiasm for his restaurant.
The food and presentation was just perfect, with stations spread throughout the restaurant (it was a small space, so several stations were helpful so that you didn’t feel the need to fight the crowd or wait in long lines). By far my favorite sample was the Chicken Pot Pie, what a pleasant surprise! It was packed with large chicken chunks, carrots/​veg, a tasty sauce, and topped with a pastry puff. delish! The only things that turned me off were the crappy Hertel Ave parking (to be expected– but worth the hassle for certain places) and the crowded feeling by 4 top tables in a small space, again worth it if the food and service off-​set it, in my opinion (and could have been a special event arrangement?). All of the servers/​bartenders/​kitchen staff were smiley and super pleasing to deal with. It was so refreshing to see an owner who seemingly truly appreciates all of their hard work and it was awesome to see that he was so diligent in making sure EVERYONE received credit for what they did.
Good find Alex, well done!

Another great Unilocal Elite event!
It was a fun theme and I liked the excuse for us to dress up and be a little silly… that’s always fun to do every once in a while! The band was the perfect way to set the mood while still giving us the right atmosphere to chat and catch up with each other.
I also liked the opportunity to check out a new place so close to its (re)opening and meet the owner (so nice) and staff — the bartenders were very good, btw — professional, attentive, and just the right amount of friendly!
I thought the food was really delicious and the drinks were, too (a little sweet for my taste, but good concepts and flavors)… my ONLY complaint of the night was the food was a little difficult to eat/​share… it was a awkward grabbing off plates that were plated for one person and not 30. It’s clear by the place that Canvas@1206 is not exactly designed for banquets so I’m certainly not upset, it just would have been nice to try a little bit of everything instead of random amounts (like an entire slice of pizza and then 2 sweet potato fries) of half the things!
The flavors of what I did taste were spot on, though, and I will absolutely be visiting Canvas very soon. I love that Unilocal gave me a coupon to do so (it’s not only a nice incentive, but a good way to remind me to go back)!!

The food was great. I am in love with the fried ravioli. I usually don’t do mixed drinks but dang these things were awesome. I don’t want to spoil it for people who have never been here but, I LUV the art on the wall and the live Jazz is a sick addition to already sweet event.
Bill was an amazing host and I have no doubt that we will return here again in the future. This was another hit Elite event. Alex, keep up the great work. Buffalo has so much to offer and you keep finding some gems.

As with any of my other reviews, this review is superrr overdue.
So HANDS DOWN, best Unilocal elite event that I’ve been to. Come on, how often am I able to dress like a gangster? But seriously, amazing, amazing time was had. I’m going to jump on the Bill is amazing train because Bill is amazing. I ran into him without knowing that he was the owner because I kept getting in the way. Super sweet guy who obviously cares about the restaurant and the workers and the food. Such dedication makes my heart melt.
There was an overabundance of food to the point that I really wanted to unbutton my stretchy pants, but gangsters just don’t do that. Most of the food was really good although they were a bit greasy, but who doesn’t enjoy greasy good once in a while? As others have pointed out, the sweet chili calamari was super delicious and the turkey sandwich was SO SO SO GOOD. I’d eat that any day every day for all meals! And the dessert was really good too!
I don’t quite spend a lot of time on Hertel since it’s quite far from where I live, but I honestly think that I’d go back to try different foods on the menu because you can see from the sparkle in BIll’s eye that he loves everything about his restaurant and his love is contagious! :)

What a fantastic event at such a wonderful venue! Thanks so much to Bill, the Chef at Canvas@1206 and to everyone at Unilocal that made this night so enjoyable.
The food was so amazingly good as was the live dinner jazz. I have not stopped telling my friends and family about how excited I am that Canvas has reopened under new management. I can’t wait to come back soon for a full evening of food and music.
Buffalo is extremely fortunate to have a gem like Canvas@1206 to enjoy. Good luck!

This event was just absolute awesomeness! Bill, the owner, was a gracious and friendly host, making the rounds chatting it up with everyone. And the food, oh my, the food just kept coming out. I don’t even remember everything I sampled but I do know that Canvas is serving up THE best spinach & artichoke dip in town. And that’s my signature dish that my family insists I bring to every event so I am rarely impressed with others. I got to try calamari for the first time too! The cocktails were strong and spectacular. The band created the perfect ambiance for the scene and the costumes were great. I had so much fun. And then to top of the night, samplings of chocolate lava cake with fresh strawberries. Pure decadence!

This was my first Elite Unilocal event and I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity! Thank you so much to Alex, Rebecca, Unilocal and Bill (the owner of Canvas) and Chef for putting together a great event!
I discovered Canvas the day they closed under the old ownership and I was SO disappointed. I loved the idea of great live music and good food and the existence of Canvas (even closed) encouraged me to search out other Buffalo venues that might offer the same sort of dining experience.
Walking into Canvas, I was impressed with the layout, setup and general atmosphere that the new owner has created here. It reminds me of a (appropriately themed) 20’s supper club and I felt transported to a more elegant time.
I am looking forward to coming back to Canvas for a proper dinner so that I can enjoy the full experience as the owner and chef intended it.
Come join me!

Cool venue. Nice vibe. Live music. Great food.

A great night from Canvas@1206 and Unilocal.Good Food, Especially enjoyed the Banada. Good Drinks, First time I tried the Soft Bulletin from Community Beer Works, a delicious Dark Saison. Good Music, thanks to the Mark Filsinger Jazz Trio, and Good People in the Unilocal Elite. What more could you ask for.
Thanks again to Canvas@1206 for the night, the place itself is cool and should hopefully thrive under new ownership. Bill and his staff did a great job keeping the food and drinks going. Actually recommend the place to someone later that night while at Blue Monk already.

This event was great! I was able to discover a fantastic little restaurant that I may not have visited otherwise. The appetizers were delicious and the owner is so nice! I also have to give props to the bartenders who did a fantastic job taking care of all the guests. I will definitely be back!
And thanks to Unilocal for putting on such a great event! I thought the concept of the event was cool and a great way to meet people outside your typical circle. Very cool.

Nice to see allot of new faces there. Those of you who missed it… you missed a good one! (Kudos to Alex) Thank you Bill for opening your doors and providing such great food and hospitality. I’ve been looking for somewhere to eat, drink, relax and enjoy some lite jazz and I think I found it. Everything was great, the costumes, the music, the food, the drinks, the venue and even the clean plates provided by Nick! Thank you all.

Hey ya’ll.
I’m a newbie to elite status and I’d like to echo something that Alex said at the event. You’re all beautiful people — wow, great costumes and everything!
Canvas and Community Beer Works, thanks for making this like going into another world. Not so much time-​historical kind of travel, but more of an energy and feel. Very impressive. i very much loooooved the art in the space and can’t wait to go back to see it. And delicious food, indeed.
And though I didn’t get to talk with the sexy-​accented photographer, he looked like he was doing a great job — getting authentic experiences but also not terrifying ‘candid’ shots of people with food in their mouth. People were always laughing and poised, so he must have a great charisma and eye.
Thanks a bunch everyone — this was a great first event and I’m looking forward to more! Let’s head out and Unilocal all over this town. (Does that sound alright?)

Wow! What a GREAT event! The food! The music! The people (especially Bill, the delightful owner of «Canvas@1206»)! I can’t remember the last time I’ve had such a wonderful evening!
There were over 50 of us «Yelp Elites» and plus-​ones at this beautiful restaurant. The jazz trio played amazing music. The drinks flowed freely. And the food (THE FOOD!) kept on coming. House-​made pita chips and spinach artichoke dip, mini turkey sandwiches, calamari, toasted ravioli, rigatoni, sweet potato fries, empanadas, and my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE… chicken pot pie… Super, SUPER yum!!!
Thank you friends old and new for your warmth and great conversation. Thank you « Unilocal» for giving me these wonderful experiences. And, thank you Bill for introducing me to your WONDERFUL restaurant. I can’t wait to come back!

As I told Bill, the owner, it was hard for us to find Canvas@1206. We drove past it three times. It might have just been us though.
It was really nice of Bill to close down the restaurant completely for this Unilocal event! He is super friendly and put an effort to talk to everyone! Sign of a great owner!
The décor was pretty cool. I loved the lighting and pictures on the wall. The live entertainment was soothing and comforting.
I had the apple martini which was strong, yet yummy! The food that they provided were pretty delicious! I got to try the turkey sandwich, fried ravioli, Margarita pizza, pasta rigatoni, calamari, bandara, sweet potato fries, and spinach artichoke dip. I wish I could have tried the chicken pot pie, crab cakes, and the dessert. Unfortunately, I had to leave early :(I really didn’t want to! I definitely want to return to try other dishes on their menu. I love the menu’s simplicity focusing only on what they can execute well.
Thank you, Alex, for putting this event together! Loved the extra accessories that were provided! & thanks for the coupon!

What a blast we had last night! It’s always great seeing old friends and new faces alike. Just wish we had time to chat with everyone.
Everything was on the mark, and it made it that much sweeter that Bill the owner was an absolute sweetheart. He’s just one of those people that radiates good vibes and that you want to see good things happen to! You can tell how passionate and committed to his business he is, how he acknowledges the hard work of his entire staff, and how it shows in the quality of the food and experience at Canvas@1206. Thanks so much for your dedication to your wonderful business, Bill! It’s great to see an owner take such pride.
Thanks also to Alex L. and Rebecca D. for makin’ it all happen too!
The atmosphere was cool and inviting. Though there were some traffic jams between the side of the bar and tables, everyone did their best to work around it all. The band was great! Certainly set the mood!
I’m not really a sweet cocktail kinda girl (save for the occasional margarita), nor a huge beer fan (I usually opt for a vodka and soda with lime). So I can’t say that I LOVED either cocktail, but I preferred the pineapple cocktail over the apple.
The food… oh the food… was DELICIOUS!
The highlights for me: the sweet chili calamari. Reminded me a bit of bang bang shrimp at Bonefish Grill, and the calamari was perfectly cooked with a huge flavor pop from the sauce. I seriously could have eaten just that and been a VERY happy person.
I also LOVED the spinach artichoke dip (with homemade chips!!!). It was so fresh and amazing with huge tender chunks of artichoke.
And the chicken pot pie was seriously the best I’ve ever had. It had a subtle smoky herbal flavor that complimented the gravy, veggies, and big chunks of chicken, as well as the homemade pastry on top, so wonderfully! I’d order that any day. So good and comforting!
The pasta bolognese, olive empanada, fried cheese ravioli, chocolate lava cake… All were amazingly delicious. I didn’t get around to trying the stuffed pepper or sweet potato fries since I was so fixated on stuffing my yapper with the calamari.
There was a ton of food and it was all so good!
As Bill said, he wants to first be a restaurant, that happens to offer a great bar and live music. Great idea! Food makes people happy. Amazing food makes people ecstatic, and I think Bill is on the path to creating mass hysteria for his delicious food on Hertel Ave!
If you weren’t there last night, get there ASAP and check out the awesome menu. Can’t wait to get back here and to bring my jazz loving father whom I’m sure will totally dig Canvas@1206!

Great venue. Helping bring classy life back to Hertel.

Thanks for a great night Alex!
The venue and everything that went with it was top notch!
Fabulous photography and artwork adorned the walls and a jazz-​fest-​worthy group kept the mood just right! Loved seeing all the great costumes and so many people getting into the theme.
The food — presentation and taste — was 5-​stars! And what a wide variety of items! I didnt sample many of the items but the ones that I did taste were delish! The dark chocolate lava cake with strawberries and chocolate sauce was a more than perfect sweet ending.
I will definitely be dining at the new Canvas in the near future! And thanks so much for the appy discount card! Above and beyond. :)