BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo is known for our wings. One South Buffalo man is known for his devotion to serving that beloved staple, with his special recipe, day-in and day-out for forty years.
Mark Gress was the man behind Nine-Eleven Tavern, a workingman's tavern in South Buffalo. Since 1981, the tavern has been catering to South Buffalo's blue-collar workers looking for a drink and a good plate of wings after a long day at work. Gress passed away on August 16.
Nine-Eleven has been an iconic part of Buffalo's wing culture and last year was designated as "People's Choice" on the Buffalo Wing Trail.
Gress was known for making every plate of wings himself, and on the days he wasn't there, the tavern wasn't open. His recipe was a secret he carefully guarded, according to Visit Buffalo Niagara.
This week, Buffalonians have been remembering the hardworking man Gress was and the business he built over four decades.
In 2016, 2 On Your Side visited Gress and learned about the wings he devoted much of his time to as part of our Unique Eats series, which you can watch here:
