Archie Moore's Bar & Restaurant

Great neighborhood place. Excellent wings (seriously, the best). My boyfriend and I like to go on quite weekdays to grab a casual bite and a pint of something familiar.

Me and my family loved Archie Moores until
Today.   Goes to show how one nasty experience can change everything.  For almost
20 yrs of  meeting up with coworkers every week and dropping over $200 to
Ordering out or going in to eat, even my 12 yr old loves archie wings but after this past sunday when we ordered $54 worth of
Food, two quesadillas chicken was burnt, one
Of them half didnt have chicken, buffalo tenders
Didnt have sauce, i made my husband call
To make them aware, we didnt want to bother with going back, the
Manager on shift Justin couldnt stop thanking him for calling,  that it was the second call of the night for burnt food, he offers to make the food again and we said no because we didnt wanna go back, he then says I am  here Tuesday please call
In your order so I can give it to u free, soooo here it is tues
We call it in and he turns and tells my husband Oh I didnt know its to whole
Order I will Give it to you half off!  Excuse me, was this the same manager that said call tues to get it free be cuz they messed it up? Well my husband reminds  him, u told
Me it was free cuz the whole order sunday was ruined, the Manager  Justin says fine
You better not complain this time.  WHAT?  I called back myself
And told him  keep your order, I could not trust eating their food today  after that, I will
Come by and tell the Owner myself what you did.  How
Poor management can bring business down, thats messed up, I would not want any Justins managing my business That way. You recognize there is a problem in  d kitchen, make a promise to the customer and then when its time to fulfill
That promise you say, you better not complain this time!  After all
The money over the years and people I sent to them, I am still in shock, I
Hope the owner gets to hear how Justin manages the place when he isnt there.

I have been thinking about Archie's a lot recently.  I love this place.  I might consider myself a regular even.  So from 2006 when I moved to New Haven until now I have eaten there between 3 - 8 times a month. Lately I have been trying to put my finger on exactly why.  It isn't the closest restaurant or bar to my house but I always end up walking the extra blocks to go there.
 The food is ok.  I eat it a lot and typically leave feeling full and satisfied.  I wish there were more fresh options on the menu.  Less open bag drop in fryer cooking. I would love specials that were a touch more labor intensive like a simple sauté of sausage with fresh peppers and onions.  I wish they used more salt on the burgers or used fresh Avocado instead of the pre done bagged stuff.  Otherwise I would call it decent pub food.  It has never made me sick and that means something to me.
  I like that my two favorite drinks, Smithwicks and Jamison, are always available. I like that whenever all the other restaurants and bars are closed I can count on Archie's to be open.
 I like the servers plenty but must confess that the majority of my visits have been at the bar.  However, when I watch the servers work I am impressed.  They seem to really care about the customers and each other.  They seem to understand that the people they are serving are largely locals and they treat them accordingly.  It is a sense of caring that I notice.  If I sat at the bar less I am sure I would know their names and I am sorry that I don't.  I can say that the guy with the beard and three of the female servers always seem to stand out.  If I start eating in the dining room more I will be sure to amend this review with names to give them the credit they are due.  
   None of this is enough to make me a regular.  So why do I love this bar so much?  
I can only really come to one conclusion.  It is the feel.  It feels like I am having a beer at "Cheers".  In many ways Archie's is the "Cheers" of New Haven.  The bar guests are all regulars.  They all know each other and their bartenders.  I always hope that my favorite bartenders are working when I go in because I know that I will be treated well and all the customers around me will be happy.  There are two standouts in this as well.  Archie's own Sam Malone is Greg and Coach is Carl.  Two of the best bartenders I have ever encountered.  They are not doing fancy mixology or juggling like Tom Cruise in "Cocktail".  They are doing something far more important.  These guys are making their guests feel welcome and appreciated.  Something that seems small yet makes such a difference.  Archie's is a place I can go and feel relaxed and at home.  I am grateful to Greg and Carl for their rolls in creating that type of atmosphere.  It is the work that they do that keeps me coming back.