Mug Shotz Sports Bar & Grill

This place is a hidden gem.  If you can get past the dark parking lot and through the doors you will find a sports pub with dart boards, big screen T.V.s and Calgary Flames swag on every wall.  I have lived in Calgary all my life, and have never heard of this place until a friend ate there and just could not stop raving about the food.  After verifying his testimony against the reviews found on one of my favourite websites www.hotwings.ca, the ratings alone convinced me that it was worth a try.  I was forewarned that this place was a hole in the wall hidden deep within Calgary's industrial area, but I knew from experience that the best dishes can be found in places where you least expect.

Mug Shotz, without a doubt lived up to it's name for their wings. Fried to perfection, the flavours were not only in the sauce but embedded in each bite of the chicken wing.  Every flavour we tried was unique on it's own.  My favourite was the Mug Shots salt and pepper which consists of an exquisite combination of flavours resembling Chinese salt and pepper squid.  Everything from onions and chilli flakes to julienne red and green peppers, a definite must-try for your first time. They have been rated the best wings in Calgary for a reason, try it out, you won't regret it.

Tipperary's Pub

This was a great place to go on a Thursday night to catch the game.  No matter where you sit there seemed to be a good view of one of the many TV's in the venue.  It was an upbeat environment with a traditional yet modern Irish pub theme.

We ordered a variety of the $2 basket of dry rib special, fries and a side of rich, savoury and flavourful gravy that resembled KFC gravy.  For the price and the 13 flavours of ribs to choose from, you really can't go wrong.  This time around the ribs were juicy and plump, not dry and chewy like many other places.

I read the reviews on this place and was surprised at the mediocre response since I had such a good experience. But I guess the success of a pub is based on how consistently they can bring customers back in and consistency is based on so many factors. The cooks, the service, as well as the number of orders running through the kitchen at one time are only a few of the factors that can make these cheap rib or wing nights a hit or a miss. From my experience working as a cook in a fast paced pub environment, just a few extra minutes in the fryer can change any food item from juicy and crispy to dry and crunchy.

I can't speak for all the food items on the menu, but as far as what we ordered, everything turned out really well.  I would recommend trying out Tipperary's, especially on a Thursday.