I was happy to find out that the Archie Moore’s in New Haven is only five blocks from my house, so I didn’t have to travel far to find it.

Built in 1898 by Archibald Moore himself, this bar and restaurant is the original, with others in places such as Milford and Derby, just to name a couple.

When we walked in, my guest and I sat ourselves at the bar because, for a Thursday night in the middle of Yale, the tables were packed. We were nicely greeted by probably the coolest bartender in the world. We then ordered some drinks and grabbed some menus.

There were a large variety of choices, but we first decided on the chips and salsa. Since we were at the bar, we wanted to order some bar food. When the chips arrived, they weren’t the best I’d ever had, but they were okay. The salsa really didn’t speak to me so I decided I needed to order something else to give them another chance.

The bartender, after talking to us for the longest time, told me about their hot and spicy chicken wing reputation. I’m obsessed with wings so I decided to order a batch of those. All I can say is, “wow.” Archie Moore’s has won many awards for their hot and spicy chicken wings and I’m here to confirm that they deserved every single one of them. The sauce was thick and nice and hot, and the chicken was fried to the exact right temperature. With some spice and crunch, Archie Moore did a great job deciding on a perfecting this recipe.

Now, when I say this restaurant is old I mean it. There are vintage Coca-Cola signs everywhere (probably collected from over the last century) and the bar is made with the most beautiful mahogany wood I’ve ever seen. I was most impressed with the hidden fridges, and the trap door to the basement. The older look of this place gives it its personality, along with its staff.

While talking to the bartender (see, I told you he was cool!), I found out that most of their employees have been there for a long time. One waitress has even been there for almost 20 years. Don’t you love it when people love their jobs? I really enjoyed myself sitting at the bar with my friend because time flew by while we were socializing with the people who worked there.

I left this restaurant with a smile on my face and so will you. They have huge TVs, football, wings and beer and everyone knows everyone (kind of like Cheers!) so it’s always a good time. If you want a night out for some beer and hot wings, skip Hooters and pick Archie Moore’s in New Haven. There aren’t as many boobs but there are definitely less stomachaches.