Through these tough economic times, Buffalonians can still party in a dizzying array of establishments—especially when one considers the city’s relatively small size. There are bars that cater to every strata of our community—from upscale salons to downscale saloons—where you can tilt highballs with highbrows, lowbrows, and everyone in between.

If you’re only here for the beer, five places stand out according to our readers, including Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, Cole’s, Alternative Brews, Buffalo Brew Pub, and Mister Goodbar. Since Cole’s and Goodbar are right next door to one another, one wonders what percentage of beer connoisseurs are concentrated on that little section of Elmwood south of Forest on any given night.

Voelker's Bowling Alley (photo by Rose Mattrey)

The Essex Street Pub shows up along with The Pink in our top five Best Dive Bars, as well as Best Jukebox category. The Pink also landed a spot in our top five Best Hookup Joints, so, according to our readers, this means The Pink ranks high as an unpretentious place where you can listen to great tunes before you hook up, which makes it a triple threat.

After analyzing our data, it is perhaps interesting to note that none of the Best Upscale Bars chosen by our readers promise similar outcomes to a night out, although Mother’s places in the top five Best Wine List, along with Just Vino, Wine Thief, Bacchus, and Shango.

And how less cosmopolitan would Buffalo be were it not for the nightlife that centers around bars and clubs that cater, not exclusively, to our LGBT community? For our top five, our readers selected Club Marcella, Fugazi, Roxy’s, Q, and Cathode Ray. Q and Roxy’s also landed in the top five karaoke bars, along with the Tudor Lounge, Garden Park, and Klub Karaoke.

You like to hear live music when you go to a bar? You’re in luck in Buffalo. No surprises this year, as our readers point to Nietzsche’s, the Sportsmen’s Tavern, Mohawk Place, Town Ballroom, and the Tudor Lounge—all great joints that continue to offer live great live bands from around the area and around the world.

This year, we introduced another sort of venue into our Nightlife category: Best Strip Club. Well, how were we to know the controversy that could pop up at these places? Our readers singled out the Colonie, Tiffany’s, Pharaoh’s, Mademoiselle, and Rick’s Tally Ho—which, according to published reports, has not only done away with alcohol, but also with every last shred of their dancers’ outfits. Look out, Canada.

—buck quigley

Finalists are listed in no particular order. Winners to be announced April 26, 6-9pm, at Town Ballroom.

...and the nominees are: Introduction • Food & Drink Shops & Services • Nightlife Nominees • The Fine Arts People Power • Our Fair City The 2010 Best of Buffalo Winners List