Hooters Reviewed by First-Timers

2017-12-02T14:25:00.000Z

Hooters is the most famous "breastaurant" in America.
As two Hooters dilettantes, we went in expecting to be disappointed.
Instead, we found a pleasant atmosphere, good wings — and even some tasty oysters.

As two 20-somethings who had made it this long without ever visiting Hooters, we were both at peace with perhaps never dining at said establishment.

But as chain restaurant reporters and connoisseurs, we knew the omission of the nation's most famous "breastaurant" would not stand.

Since its founding in 1983, Hooters has become something of a pop culture icon synonymous with buxom waitresses and... wings. There's a "bro-culture" vibe attached to the brand; in our minds, it seemed to have the stench of toxic masculinity, even from afar.

However, what we found upon venturing inside the chain was vastly different from our preconceived notion. Here's why everyone should give Hooters a chance.

The only Hooters in Manhattan is located mere minutes from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden — a prime locale for a wings-oriented sports bar.

The chain is vaguely beachy, fitting with its slogan, "Life's a beach." Hooters started in Clearwater, Florida, as something of a joke; the founders weren't very confident about their odds of survival.

But today, there are over 430 locations in 28 countries worldwide. And this location was reasonably busy, especially for a midday Friday in an area traveled by commuters.

But, we were somewhat surprised to see the actual customers were far more diverse than the bro-fest we anticipated. Couples, women, and families were all eating wings together in harmony. Excited to witness such community, Kate ordered a "Big Daddy"-sized beer.

We decided to get more than just wings; after all, Hooters is known for more than its wings. We also ordered the self-proclaimed famous oysters and the Hooters version of a Cobb salad.

The bone-in wings are remarkably large. They're nearly twice as large as Wingstop's and Buffalo Wild Wings', and they are shockingly well-endowed with meat. The classic Hooters' barbecue sauce is sweet but not saccharine, and it's applied with ample coverage.

The boneless wings are some of the best you'll find in the city, in our humble opinions. They're large, tender, and perfectly dressed when ordered with the "Hot" sauce, which is a simple Buffalo sauce.

The chicken quality is clear: unlike many a boneless wing, you will be hard pressed to find a dry or stringy one here. And, of course, the ranch or bleu cheese dips are the perfect complement to the vinegary heat.

A considerate touch: at every table, a roll of paper towels takes the place of regular napkins — which are on the wayside, anyway. In general, the waitstaff was attentive and cheerful, which only added to our unexpectedly pleasant dining experience.

Source: Business Insider

The menu declared the oysters to be a famous Hooters original dish, and curiosity got the best of us. And yet, it paid off. The oysters were chilled and tasted adequately fresh to our palates.

Crowned with a dollop of cocktail sauce and horseradish, they're a refreshing and divinely beachy treat that is a welcome respite from the saucy, rich wings.

The salad is certainly large. The Hooters classic is essentially a Cobb salad. The abundance of iceberg lettuce is a bit disappointing, but an understandable choice to pair with the sauce-laden wings.

After finishing our shockingly satisfying meal, we wandered upstairs, where we stumbled upon a Hooters gift shop, as well as a second, equally busy dining area, which was peppered with even more senior citizens and families.

The Hooters brand is as much about sexualizing women's bodies as it is about eating wings — which was the biggest reason we were reticent about visiting the chain in the first place.

Hollis Johnson

Hooters' cleavage-centric marketing flew under the radar for most of our dining experience, which was nice. We had expected to feel discomfort in the den of aggressively sexualized wings and breasts ... and we aren't just talking about the chicken.

Instead, this facet of the brand showed up mostly in merchandise. Even then, it was in a tongue-in-cheek manner that defanged and neutralized the potentially offensive undertones.

Hollis Johnson

Part of that may be due to the recent decline of the bust's cultural capital in American culture. While other breastaurant chains have responded by pushing the envelope of modesty, Hooters has instead focused on '80s nostalgia — and, of course, wings.

Source: Business Insider

Hooters is banking on its reputation and people's fond feelings towards it as a brand, instead of trying to entice customers with scantily clad waitresses or aggressively sexualized marketing.

Hollis Johnson

It was an eye-opening experience for us Hooters virgins. We expected a semi-hostile, grungy sports bar that wasn't for us. Instead, we found a pleasant, welcoming restaurant with delicious wings and surprisingly passable oysters.

We may still be Hooters newbies, but we wouldn't mind becoming regulars. With plans to expand and a new fast-casual chain with fully-clothed waiters on the way, we're rooting for Hooters to stay abreast of the restaurant recession.

Source: Business Insider

We visited America's most famous 'breastaurant' for the first time — and what we found shocked us

The only Hooters in Manhattan is located mere minutes from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden — a prime locale for a wings-oriented sports bar.

The chain is vaguely beachy, fitting with its slogan, "Life's a beach." Hooters started in Clearwater, Florida, as something of a joke; the founders weren't very confident about their odds of survival.

But today, there are over 430 locations in 28 countries worldwide. And this location was reasonably busy, especially for a midday Friday in an area traveled by commuters.

There are TVs as far as the eye can see, each tuned to some sports program or something sports-related. The targeted demographic is clear: sports lovers.

But, we were somewhat surprised to see the actual customers were far more diverse than the bro-fest we anticipated. Couples, women, and families were all eating wings together in harmony. Excited to witness such community, Kate ordered a "Big Daddy"-sized beer.

We decided to get more than just wings; after all, Hooters is known for more than its wings. We also ordered the self-proclaimed famous oysters and the Hooters version of a Cobb salad.

The bone-in wings are remarkably large. They're nearly twice as large as Wingstop's and Buffalo Wild Wings', and they are shockingly well-endowed with meat. The classic Hooters' barbecue sauce is sweet but not saccharine, and it's applied with ample coverage.

The boneless wings are some of the best you'll find in the city, in our humble opinions. They're large, tender, and perfectly dressed when ordered with the "Hot" sauce, which is a simple Buffalo sauce.

The chicken quality is clear: unlike many a boneless wing, you will be hard pressed to find a dry or stringy one here. And, of course, the ranch or bleu cheese dips are the perfect complement to the vinegary heat.

A considerate touch: at every table, a roll of paper towels takes the place of regular napkins — which are on the wayside, anyway. In general, the waitstaff was attentive and cheerful, which only added to our unexpectedly pleasant dining experience.

The menu declared the oysters to be a famous Hooters original dish, and curiosity got the best of us. And yet, it paid off. The oysters were chilled and tasted adequately fresh to our palates.

Crowned with a dollop of cocktail sauce and horseradish, they're a refreshing and divinely beachy treat that is a welcome respite from the saucy, rich wings.

The salad is certainly large. The Hooters classic is essentially a Cobb salad. The abundance of iceberg lettuce is a bit disappointing, but an understandable choice to pair with the sauce-laden wings.

After finishing our shockingly satisfying meal, we wandered upstairs, where we stumbled upon a Hooters gift shop, as well as a second, equally busy dining area, which was peppered with even more senior citizens and families.

The Hooters brand is as much about sexualizing women's bodies as it is about eating wings — which was the biggest reason we were reticent about visiting the chain in the first place.

Hooters' cleavage-centric marketing flew under the radar for most of our dining experience, which was nice. We had expected to feel discomfort in the den of aggressively sexualized wings and breasts ... and we aren't just talking about the chicken.

Instead, this facet of the brand showed up mostly in merchandise. Even then, it was in a tongue-in-cheek manner that defanged and neutralized the potentially offensive undertones.

Part of that may be due to the recent decline of the bust's cultural capital in American culture. While other breastaurant chains have responded by pushing the envelope of modesty, Hooters has instead focused on '80s nostalgia — and, of course, wings.

Hooters is banking on its reputation and people's fond feelings towards it as a brand, instead of trying to entice customers with scantily clad waitresses or aggressively sexualized marketing.

It was an eye-opening experience for us Hooters virgins. We expected a semi-hostile, grungy sports bar that wasn't for us. Instead, we found a pleasant, welcoming restaurant with delicious wings and surprisingly passable oysters.

We may still be Hooters newbies, but we wouldn't mind becoming regulars. With plans to expand and a new fast-casual chain with fully-clothed waiters on the way, we're rooting for Hooters to stay abreast of the restaurant recession.

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