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In 1989, young entrepreneur Adam Lippin had a craving for red-hot, scorching-piquant chicken wings but couldn’t find a decent sample south of Buffalo, N.Y. So he headed to the source to learn the intricate secret recipe at two Buffalo institutions, Duff’s and the Anchor Bar. Upon his return, Lippin opened Atomic Wings, and its winning combination of sports, beer, and grub for hungry happy-hour patrons has become a fiery neighborhood favorite. Wings come in six degrees of spicy: If you’re sane, get them mild, medium, or hot; if you’re adventurous or plain crazy, order the abusive, nuclear, or suicidal. As Lippin’s wing-munching regulars become evermore moneyed, he dressed up the menu with a decent Caesar salad and fresh gazpacho and opened a swanky Tribeca outpost in the spring of 2007, in a stylish Thad Hayes design. But don’t let the sleek décor and fancy artisanal beers fool you. Atomic’s greatest success lies in the foolproof wings and reliable service: Food arrives within twenty minutes of ordering—hot, spicy, and always messy. — Jessica Romm

Chicken littles, $7.99; Buffalo chicken wings, $7.99; chicken Caesar salad, $9.95

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