There are very few things that go so well together in this world that when one is not combined with the other it should be considered blasphemy. Some examples of these culinary matches made in heaven are Peanut Butter and Jelly, Pasta with Tomato Sauce, a bucket of popcorn while watching a movie, and, of course, Beer, Wings, and Football.  As the football season hurdles at us faster than a running back dashing down the sideline, one must start to think where they will be on Sunday and Monday nights.  

Sunday’s at my house during football season are quite special; Zoe and I invite a plethora of friends over for craft beer, slow-cooked food, and, of course, football.  Football Sundays are an all-day event at our house and can be rather exhausting, so when Monday Night Football comes around we choose to go out on the town to watch the game.    

Just because we choose to go out does not mean we forego our golden rule of football, which clearly states it must be enjoyed with good friends, good food, and cold beers (Hard Cider in Zoe’s case). This standard football mantra brings me to a small bar in Haledon damn near every Monday to not only watch the game, but also to devour some of the area’s best wings. This magnificent establishment is called The Underdog Bar & Grill and it is located at 4 Church St., Haledon NJ  07508.

Now, for all the foodies that are reading this and thinking to themselves, The Blue Collar Foodie has finally lost it, wings at a bar are the farthest thing away from foodie cuisine that he has ever reviewed. To those people that think that way, I must implore you to never throw your nose up in the air at any food. Remember in the 18^th century, bacon was the food of paupers and now the Bacon Foodie movement is stronger than ever. I believe that anything edible can be gastronomy when prepared properly.   

Furthermore, I am sure that there are another contingent of my readers that instantly thought of their favorite wingery when I mentioned the words, best and wings in the same sentence. I can hear your chants of hatred bouncing around my skull as you think of new and exciting ways to torture me for my sacrilegious comments.  To these fanatical foodies, I first commend your passion for food, for I too love my local eateries, hell I devote hours of my days writing and reviewing them, so I understand your urge to defend your local beloved restaurants.  But, I ask, “Can you ever have too many spots that serve fantastic food?“ Even if your wings, in your mind are the best of the best, should you close your mouth and mind to other wings that may be equally as delectable. I appeal to your foodie nature, and propose that you join me in trying what I believe to be some of the finest wings in the state.

One of the main reasons Zoe and I venture to The Underdog Bar & Grill as opposed to any of the number of sports bars in the Fair Lawn area to watch Monday Night Football, is we love variety. Sure I have been to places that make excellent hot wings, but sometimes I am not in the mood for the humdrum standards of mild, medium or hot. Sometimes I want the selection that The Underdog offers; such as Hot, Medium, Mild, BBQ, Thai Chili, Hot Garlic, Fire Ranch, Drunken (Jack Daniels Honey Bourbon with BBQ sauce), Teriyaki and Texas Thai. It is diversity like this that keeps Zoe and I driving up 208 North to find a barstool at The Underdog each and every week. These robust tastes cover the large meaty chicken wings from top to bottom, creating a whirlwind of flavor that will leave your taste buds dancing.   

Furthermore, I would not be the Blue Collar Foodie if I was not always looking for great value in combination with phenomenal food. Have no fear my fellow foodies, The Underdog Bar & Grill offers a fantastic deal every Monday, which is Buy 1 Get 1 wings. That is right, you heard me! If you venture to The Underdog on Mondays you will not only get to try one amazing flavor of these extraordinary wings for $6.95 but you will get another style for free. Not to mention, the Underdog offers a fully stocked bar with well-trained bartenders that will whip you up whatever adult beverage happens to be your fancy.

If all this talk about their succulent and flavorful wings were not enough to get your butt off your couch and onto one of the Underdog’s barstools to watch the Monday Night Game, they also offer a full menu of classic bar treats as well as some off-the-wall concoctions. They serve the standard bar fare such as Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken Fingers, French Fries and Nachos, but also throw in some appetizers that are not usually found on normal bar menus such as breaded fried artichoke hearts, Thai shrimp and Chicken Teriyaki Potstickers.  As for entrees, The UL offers spectacular hamburgers with a myriad of toppings, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches, Salads, and Pub Rolls which are unique versions of sushi roll-like snacks stuffed with a variety of yumminess.

If football is not your cup of tea, or pint of beer in this case, The Underdog also has outstanding specials on almost every other night of the week as well.   Tuesdays at the Dog features $1 tacos, hard or soft, and drink specials to boot; Wednesdays you can get $2 Buds; and Thursday offers $1 mugs and $1 hot dogs. 

On top of great food and affordable drinks The Underdog has a surplus of Televisions that are always tuned to the best that the sports world has to offer and a digital juke box that is constantly playing some of the best music from 1960s to the current day. The Underdog also offers a pool table as well as three dart boards, if bar sports is what you are looking for.  As if that were not enough, they added an outdoor patio area that allows you to drink your beer and smoke your cigarettes at the same time, which as an ex-smoker I can truly appreciate.

With all that said, if you decide to visit The Underdog Bar & Grill you should remember this establishment is a bar first and a restaurant second. This means that it could be loud and it might be crowded when you arrive. This is not the type of place to bring your grandmother and your kids, this is the type of place that you enter knowing full well a profound conversation about theoretical physics will not be able to be had. But if cheap drinks and noteworthy blue collar food is what you’re after, a trip to The Underdog Bar & Grill will satisfy your needs.