A Review of Buffalo Wild Wings: Coming Soon to the Crystal Mall

In just a few short weeks, the restaurant and bar chain Buffalo Wild Wings will be opening its first Eastern Connecticut location inside Waterford's Crystal Mall.

Despite an anticipated summer opening, which got delayed, the restaurant's opening coincides with the $10 million mall renovation project aimed to give it a fresh look with new and upgraded amenities. The mall's crystal chandelier will remain.

To provide folks a sneak preview of what they can expect, this blogger took the trek to the next closest Buffalo Wild Wings located in an enclosed shopping mall, the Westfield Connecticut Post Mall in Milford, roughly 60 miles away from Montville.

One of the first things you will notice is the many big-screen televisions with every sport imaginable. Anywhere you sit, you can see at least three or four televisions. Usually there is a board that lists the big games of the day and their start times.

The Waterford location will have 50 plasma televisions, Chuck Kwon, franchisee owner, told theWaterford Patch, adding that there will be 30 beers on tap.

For those trivia and poker buffs, there is more good news.

The restaurant subscribes to the Buzztime Network. Customers can use wireless keyboards or their smartphones to answer trivia questions or play virtual poker at no charge. They can compete with each other within the same restaurant or with other customers in restaurants and bars throughout the country.

Speaking of games, don't forget to try out the restaurant's various arcade games, and the video juke box.

All this action and fun will make you hungry so don't forget to try out the traditional and boneless wings which come in a variety of flavors and seasonings.

My favorite flavors include Sweet BBQ, Teriyaki, Asian Zing, Mango Habanero. The menu shows the varying degrees of "hotness" ranging from "smilin'" to "sizzling" and "screamin".

If you'd rather get a seasoning, you can choose from Salt and Vinegar, Chipotle BBQ, Buffalo, or Dessert Heat. My personal favorite is the Buffalo.

The restaurant usually has different wing specials during the week such as 50 cent Wing Tuesdays and 60 cent Boneless Wing Thursdays.

Your favorite sauce or seasoning can be added to the naked grilled tenders, the crispy chicken tenders, pulled pork sandwich, chicken wrap, cheeseburger, or steak burger.

If you're looking for a good side; you can't go wrong with their natural-cut fries, beer-battered onion rings, buffalo chips, potato wedges and for the health-conscious, the Veggie Boat with celery and carrot sticks with a side of fat-free Ranch dressing.

If you're looking for other delicious options, don't forget to try the ribs, popcorn shrimp, flatbread sandwiches, burgers, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and nachos.

Kids 12 and under can order off a special kids menu.

To finish your meal, don't forget to try their tasty desserts which include ice cream and chocolate fudge cake.

The 7,191-square-foot restaurant will open in the former Charley's Eating and Drinking Saloon on the mall's upper level near Sears. Charley's closed early last year .

Buffalo Wild Wings will consist of a main dining room, lounge dining area, bar seating, a party room, an outdoor patio, and a separate take-out area.

Folks can enter the restaurant from the mall or from the adjacent parking lot.

About 100 people will work at this restaurant, which will be the only sit-down full-service restaurant inside the mall.

When Buffalo Wild Wings opens, it will be the fourth full-service chain restaurant/bar to open along the Route 85 corridor in Waterford.

Buffalo Wild Wings was founded in 1982 in Kent, Ohio, near the Ohio State University campus, and has transformed into a chain with 726 locations in 44 states.

In Connecticut, the chain will soon be opening a restaurant in North Haven and currently has locations in Windsor, New Haven, Danbury, and Stamford. A location in Manchester is being contemplated.