Buffalo’s Newest And Only Romantic Horror-Themed Bar

If you love Halloween, this horror-themed bar is sure to be a scream.

The Merry Shelley is Buffalo’s newest and only romantic horror bar, and it is a literary-themed, Gothic horror experience. It is inspired by the novel written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 200 years ago, and you should expect to be spooked like nowhere else. 

The Merry Shelley holds nothing back with its “spooky szn” vibes, decorated with fake bats and cobwebs everywhere. It is a library bar, so it is quieter than the typical rowdy bar that you might be used to. 

The bar is not very big either, seating about 40 people, but there is patio seating outside that fits an additional 13 people. However, you shouldn’t expect to find screwdrivers or martinis on the menu at the Merry Shelley. The drink options at this horror-themed bar are unique to the theme.

Some of the drink options include beer (of course), non-alcoholic drinks, and the bar’s specialty, which is absinthe.

If you have never heard of absinthe, it is a beverage that is highly concentrated with alcohol and it is made with a variety of distilled herbs. It would be difficult to describe the taste of absinthe because it is entirely depending on what region the recipe is from. The Merry Shelley’s absinthe is locally sourced from Brooklyn as well as a few European forms of the beverage. 

But don’t be fooled -- the beer is just as good! 

Upon walking into the Merry Shelley, you will find a large collection of horror books lined on coffin-shaped bookshelves in candle lighting. Each table in the indoor dining section has a few electric candles to add more of a spooky feel. 

And you have to have a little bit of Frankenstein in a horror-themed bar named after the book’s author -- that’s why the Merry Shelley is completed with a Frankenstein-themed mural. 

The Merry Shelley is open Thursday-Saturday, and you can find the hours here.