Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.
Despite the popular belief held by my friends and family, particularly my husband, I actually do look forward to the start of football season. The game itself I could take or leave, but I love any excuse to head out for hot wings, host a get-together, or just hang out on the couch while a pot of my favorite chili recipe simmers on the stove. Plus, it’s another opportunity to dress Boo up in some adorable team-themed apparel (thanks, Auntie Abby!).
And with the start of the season imminent, I thought it was time to scope out a perfect place to catch the big game (or some of it anyway) with our littlest fans.
Hubby had been angling for a visit to the NEW Buffalo Wild Wings out in Manchester, Connecticut since before it even opened this past April. But recently, he’s really figured out how to use this blog to his advantage (“But I think it would make a great Tiny Diner post, don’t you?” Hint, hint.). So when we found ourselves out near Buckland Hills one Sunday at lunchtime, hubby made his play. Of course, no one really has to try that hard to convince me to check out a place with boneless wings and fries on the menu. Yum.
This location of Buffalo Wild Wings is located just off I-84 in Manchester. You can’t miss the tall sign.
There’s a great big parking lot, and some outdoor seating if you need to wait for a table (there’s also a big waiting area indoors too).
We got there pretty early, so we didn’t have to wait. We got set up with a high chair for Boo. We also got some crayons and a fun kiddie worksheet. Boo is really loving crayons these days, so that was super.
Of course, this is what happens when we stop paying attention for two minutes. Yikes.
You can hardly blame our lack of supervision though, when you see the size of these TVs they’ve got on every wall. Check out this one.
And that’s not even the really big one. Are you ready for this?
We took a look at the kids’ menu and ordered Boo the Cheeseburger Slammer. Cheese, bread, and hamburger. He likes all these things separately, so I was hoping he might be ready to try them together 🙂
Then it was time to pick out our wings. We went with Honey BBQ (our old standby), Asian Zing (a little different), and Mango Habanero (the wildcard).
Of course we asked for Boo’s food to come out ASAP. Mmmm. I was a little jealous.
Fortunately, our food arrived shortly, and I didn’t give Boo’s meal another look 🙂
I particularly like that the wings came with baby carrots since I am not a fan of celery.
Surprisingly, our “wildcard” wing pick turned out to be our favorite one. They definitely had a kick to them though, so not for little mouths and tummies 🙂
Boo surprised me by actually trying a bite of his cheeseburger (the kid will not even touch fries though; so odd). However, as I suspected, he was more willing to eat it when it was reduced to the three separate components that he enjoys: bread, burger, cheese. Whatever works, right?
As for hubby and I, we had way more food than we could eat in the timespan that Boo would allow us to sit still (those plates of wings are definitely sized for munching through a game). We were able to draw things out a bit by letting Boo play with his new favorite toy: daddy’s sunglasses.
But in the end, we surrendered to the to-go box.
Before we headed out, I scoped out the restroom. Changing station? Check!
We had a pretty speedy lunch, but I imagine this place gets very crowded, especially when there’s a popular sporting event on TV. Still, with a yummy kids’ menu, plenty of roomy tables and booths, crayons and paper, high chairs and changing stations, and a friendly staff that’s happy to accommodate your wee one(s), it’s an exceptionally kid-friendly place as far as sports bars go. That’s a score in my book 🙂
112 Buckland Street, Manchester, Connecticut
(860) 649-9464
Visit them on Facebook.
Other CT locations include Windsor, Waterbury, and North Haven.
Get directions to the Manchester location here:
Hours:
Sunday to Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to midnight; Thursday to Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Hours may change, so please call (860) 649-9464 for the most up-to-date information. (The hours are not currently listed on their website, but a staff member told me that they should be soon.)
Tips & Things to Bring:
- I expect that this place can get pretty crowded, especially on weekends, so I suggest showing up there right when the doors open at 11:30 (or on the early side for dinner) to minimize your wait time.
- There is some room to stash a stroller in the waiting area, but you might not be able to keep an eye on it from your table.
- High chairs available.
- Crayons and a kiddie worksheet available.
- Click here to see the menu, including kids’ meals.
- Kids’ meals include your choice of fries, fruit cup, or carrots, and a soft drink or milk.
- Need to do a little shopping? You’re right by The Shoppes at Buckland Hills with its brand new kiddie play area.
- Want to get outside? Head down the road to Nevers Park and the amazing Boundless Playground there.
COMING UP:
If Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of Summer, then Labor Day Weekend is the unofficial start of Fall. Check back tomorrow for a Wordless Wednesday filled with ideas for Fall fun!
Then on Thursday, Mandy is rounding up August with our monthly summary. It’s a great opportunity to catch up on the outings you’ve missed and start your planning for September.
Want to keep up with all our Out and About Mom adventures?
Check back every Tuesday and Thursday as we dish up more Momsense for getting out and about with your little ones. Don’t have time to check back in? Let us send you an automatic notification of new posts straight to your email inbox by signing up here. Also, you can like us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest posts and get some extra tidbits we share only through those sites.
