Chickie’s & Pete’s at Rowan University just opened, and the food is great. However, you can only quickly quell your hunger with crab fries and wings by going on certain days and times.

The Philadelphia-born sports bar’s latest location took longer to open than expected, but the restaurant is now finally welcoming patrons. In the first days of its opening, many Rowan students—as well as Glassboro residents—flocked to the new location to try beers and some signature crab fries.

The first time I attempted to do this review, the restaurant was so packed that the wait was over an hour long, forcing me to hold off until a later date. That first attempt was on a Friday night.

The following Thursday, I went with a group of three other friends and we got a table without a wait.

At the shiny new establishment on a corner of Rowan Boulevard, the first thing I noticed when walking in was a wide fire pit with benches outside. This space offers a pre-meal warm-up during the brutal winter months, or a social space to hang out during the summer. It is a nice feature that many establishments do not have.

My friends and I visited Chickie’s during the lunch hour, which turned out to be a convenient time to eat without having to wait or deal with loud crowds.

The dining floor was quite spacious with a large bar area. Like many sports bars, there were several conveniently located large HD televisions playing live sports. The walls were decorated with cans of different beers, some of which I’d personally never heard of. Speaking of beer, there are daily specials on draft beers and specialty drinks.

Our waitress was kind and welcoming and took our orders quickly and efficiently. We ordered the famous crab fries, and for only $5.95, we received a heaping basket that everyone at the table could share. The fries at this location weren’t as abundantly covered in Old Bay seasoning as the ones at Citizens Bank Park or other quick-hit spots like the Wells Fargo Center or Ocean City Boardwalk.

We also tried a cheese “Pete-zza.” The cheese and sauce were good, but the crust was floury, which took away from it being truly delicious.

The best part of this new location was the fact that the prices reflect their clientele; they’re much lower than at the chain’s other restaurants. (This is the first Chickie’s & Pete’s ever opened in a college town.)

Chickie’s & Pete’s is a classic sports bar, molded to feel like a gathering place for Philadelphia sports fans. The drink selection is wide and the food is cheap compared with other locations of the restaurant. Although the quality may vary depending on what you get, their famous crab fries are always a go-to treat.

If you are looking for a place to go on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night to grab a bite to eat, or if you are trying to catch a big game, be cautious as you may have to wait for a while. Weeknights, lunch hours, and non-game days offer the fastest seating and service.

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