While walking down Elmwood Avenue you may see a hole in the earth called Mr. Goodbar, so just keep on walking. Right next door is Cole’s. The warm, inviting atmosphere, ample bar room, and human decency await you here. Steve and Daryl will greet you on your way in. They’re nice to you while keeping out all the buzzkills. Step through the door, look around at the pub-like ambiance and feel the air of good humor. Everything should always be this comfortable before settling in for a good night. Now, order yourself a brew.

Cole’s draft list is quite long compared to those of the rest of the bars in Buffalo, ranging from Guiness, Bass, and Blue Moon, right through to Magic Hat, Stone India Pale Ale (IPA), and Rogue Dead Guy Ale. Do not forget to try Delirium Tremens; this golden Belgian beer is thick with a sweet aftertaste, and at an 8.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) it will start your night out proper.

And while you’re here, why not support your local economy. There are six drafts that are received from various New York microbrewers. Some are from the Queen City of Buffalo (Flying Bison) and others that come from all throughout the state and right down to Long Island (Blue Point’s Toasted Lager).

But the draft list isn’t the only place to find a good beer; there are plenty of bottles to drink from. Three World Champion beers are nestled within Cole’s coolers, one of those being Samuel Smith’s Taddy Porter. For real beer enthusiasts, this is the best beer known to man. But that doesn’t mean you should stop with a bottle of Sammy’s. Try sipping on Sea Dog Blueberry Wheat Ale. This refreshing summer ale from Portland, Maine has the flavor blueberry and goes down as easy as apple juice. Still in the mood to drink a longneck, the 90-minute IPA from Dogfish Head Craft Brewing is definitely something to try. It has been the winner of realbeer.com’s Battle of the Beers for three straight years and is even featured in Esquire magazine as “perhaps the best IPA in America.” That’s not all either. This baby packs a 9.0% ABV punch to make sure you feel that much better about drinking it. And if your home town wasn’t on the draft list there’re three bottled beers from New York too.

Don’t drink beer? Cole’s has a huge selection of liquor and the bartenders know how to make it all. From rusty nails to boiler-makers, it’s all here and ready to be made if you’re ready to drink it.

Cole’s also offers their own beer club. Try enough different beers and collect your stamps to get things like glasses or T-shirts. It’s like back when you were a kid and you ate all those cereals and sent in for bowls through the mail. But this time you’re a grown-up and there’s no waiting three to four weeks for shipping. Plus, drinking late is a lot more fun than waking up early for breakfast. Also every few months at Cole’s there are beer tasting events. This past Saturday was Octoberfest, and coming this winter will be Winterfest.

So, stop into Cole’s when on Elmwood and you’ll find that there’s no reason to leave. All the beers are here and it’s the perfect place to hang for the night. And if by chance you finally get the motivation to leave when they close, say hello to Big Mike: he’s always there to keep you happy and keep everything in line.