The Tombs

It's been a few days and I still feel vaguely guilty. A doctor's appointment earlier this week brought me to the Georgetown campus at lunch time. Seems innocent enough, but I came across The Tombs on my way back to the office, one thing led to another, and before I knew it I was at the perennial Georgetown hangout for a little afternoon delight. The reference to Clydes (below) is not incidental; I didn't know it at the time, but both locations are owned by the same folks. How would the wings compare?

Aside from being underground The Tombs bear little resemblance to actual Tombs -- unless a college bar/restaurant is your idea of a final resting place. There's a large square bar area with several TV's and an adjacent dining room in front of the kitchen. Since it was about 2pm there were only a handful of people there but I'm sure it gets more crowded during prime time. The service by bartender Brian was some of the most attentive I've ever received while eating wings, perhaps on account of the sparse crowd. The chicken bits come 11 to an order, and are discounted to $5.95 weekdays from 3-5 and every day from 10-midnight. I ordered mine extra crispy and engaged Brian and one of the chefs in wing-related conversation while I waited. Brian refilled my water.

In all fairness, alone in the middle of a hot afternoon, on my way back to the office with no beer to wash them down, makes for some of the harshest wing reviewing conditions I can imagine. Camaraderie and a cool, intoxicating beverage are, after all, integral parts of the wing experience. That being said The Tombs did good but not great. Wings came out hot and crispy with quality blue cheese, celery, and what seemed like plenty of sauce, but within a few minutes they somehow dried out -- a phenomenon that's apparently been observed before. I liked the buffalo flavor but they were not spicy at all and too salty for my taste. Overall The Tombs offer a reasonable contender, but they'd be a whole lot better accompanied by a cold one. Maybe next time I'll ask for a Cask of Amontillado.