Return to THE COPPER MUG - Tillsonburg ON

There's just something about going back to your old haunts. I was back in my hometown of Tillsonburg, visiting my good friend Jason. His birthday was just a few days before and I wanted to take him out for dinner to celebrate and catch up a bit. When I asked where he wanted to go, he pointed out I probably haven't been to 'The Mug' in a while, and I was totally up for that. 

The Copper Mug, or as everyone calls it, "The Mug", was a staple of my early wing years. In high school this was our go-to hang-out place. The food was always good, but the wings were something special. So many good memories here, and quite frankly, not much has changed. I checked the blog to see my previous reviews, but the only review on here is from 2007! But I've only been back maybe a handful of times since then. I wasn't planning on doing a review, but then I decided mid menu I would.

Jason and I were chatting and catching up, but I couldn't help but look around and marvel at how the place was still the same. The free popcorn machine in the corner, the same pub trivia game on the screens we used to play all the time, even the Kramer and George Costanza paintings were still hanging on the wall. Heck, our waitress that night was the same from our time in the late 1990's! She didn't recognize me, but to be fair, a lot of people have been through this pub.

There was no question that I was getting the wings. The prices have definitely changed in recent years. Wings used to be sold by the pound, and they've added a Thai sauce. Otherwise seemed the same.

The Mug was also great because they had two wing nights, Tuesdays and Thursdays. What I didn't realize when I ordered was that this was a Thursday. My waitress never said anything and it wasn't until after I ordered that I heard another waitress at another table about wing night. I could have had more wings! Oh well.

Jason, rocking a massive beard (but is not as big as the photo looks due to the shadow) got the All Canadian Burger: a charbroiled quarter pound burger with grilled strip bacon and Canadian cheddar. He got it with a side of rice. It was a good looking burger and he said he enjoyed it.

We got a side of Garlic Bread with Cheese. It was three slices of French loaf, with butter and lots of cheese. It was tasty, soft, buttery, and cheesy.

Of course, I was most excited to see another old friend, Mug wings.

The wings come in multiples of 8: 8, 16, 24. I got an order of 8, and they were half flats and half drums. Normally the wings come with veggies and blue cheese, but on wing night there was no such side. For clean-up, they gave napkins and wetnaps.

The size of the wings were medium in length, and about a medium in meatiness. They've never been large, and are certainly not the "Jumbo, meaty, plump" wings the menu advertised.

The wings were, and usually are very crispy. They are deep fried with no coating, but the skin is always crispy and the meat was tender. The skin always holds up nicely to the sauce so you don't get soggy wings.

On this visit, my wings were not very wet. There was sauce, I got Hot, but the wings were not well covered and usually there is a plethora sauce at the bottom. But no deal this time. They also served my side of Suicide in a small styrofoam cup instead of the usual ramekin.

HOT

Hot is simple, tasty, hot flavoured pub wings. There's something about these wings that taste better than just Frank's hot on them, but that's probably what it is.

SUICIDE

The suicide at The Mug has always been a favourite. It's bright red, it's full of chili flakes, and it's a sauce I always found flavourful, but had a bite. I mean it's not killer heat, but it's a good starter suicide sauce for folks.

I was headed to the bathroom and walked past the kitchen. I saw one of the cooks stepping out for a second, so I took the opportunity to ask him what was in the suicide sauce. He thought about it, and said it was chili flakes in Frank's. That's it? That's it. It can't be. There's more flavour in there?! It can't be, can it?!

FINAL SCORE:

Well, the wings were still good, but they weren't as good as they used to be. Mainly I was disappointed in the lack of sauce. The wings aren't big, but they are crispy and the chicken is tasty. I like the hot, but love the suicide. And surprise 1/2 price wings was also great. The garlic cheese toast was good, and the burger seemed good. The best part was the chance to hang out with Jason. It's a great place to just hang out. Aww I love The Mug.  10/15

The Copper Mug
79 Broadway Street, Tillsonburg ON
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