The one and only, Bar Bill.

The Bar Bill Tavern, an eatery in the village of East Aurora, is a locally owned bar and grill.  The Bar Bill is one of the oldest establishments in town and also one of the oldest buildings standing.  The building, at 185 Main St. has stood for over 150 years.  Barb and Bill Korzelius, replacing an ice cream shop, originally opened the tavern in the 1950s, serving solely a long list of beer.  Aerospace engineer Joe Giafagilone later purchased the bar in 1977 as soon as it went on the market.

Giafagilone reinvented the tavern by starting the “Mug Club,” patrons would receive a custom-printed mug including the name of their choosing and their mug’s number.  For a small fee, one can join a unique club that will allow them to purchase beers at a discounted price of $1.  The first order of mugs consisted of just 20 mugs, now reaching over 2,500 members.  “I have been a member for 25 years now, joining the club the best $20 I have ever spent,” town resident Jeff Ramsey states.

In 1983, Giafagilone added chicken wings to the menu.  He created his now world famous sauces in the tiny kitchen as he worked, slowly developing and perfecting them.  Giafagilone turned the rugged little bar into one of the regions best eateries, which has won several awards for the “best wings.” People from every walk of life have traveled to East Aurora to see if the rumors about the wings are true and to no surprise, are impressed.  “I am visiting from Florida and every time I come to town, the Bar Bill is the first place I go,” former town resident, Joe Hesketh stated.

After a little over 35 years at the bar, Giafagilone made the decision to retire in 2011.  The buyer was his niece Katie and her husband, former village mayor, Clark Crook.  The couple runs the bar with their son John, keeping the business strictly in the family.  “The Bar Bill has been in the family for nearly 40 years and will hopefully remain in the family for the next 40,” Clark Crook said.

The Bar Bill staff appreciates its customers.  “We are a community asset, the community owns the Bar Bill.  We are a small, confined establishment, just like the town itself,” Crook said. It’s best kept secret? “Most would think that it would be our wings, but I feel that it would have to be our beef on wick, which has been roasted and trimmed to perfection for the last 30 years.”

The Bar-Bill can be an intimidating place to walk into at first, due to the commotion of overcapacity and servers carrying large trays of food that buzz right over your head, but the bar is all about comfort.  “The Bar Bill Tavern is all about coming home. You belong the minute you walk in the heavy wooden doors to when you leave your warm seat at the bar.”, says Clark Crook.  The bar seats roughly 90 people, those eating out for dinner can expect a wait up to an hour or more for a table.

They are open 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 2 a.m. Sunday.  The Bar Bill is a place that does Buffalo favorites and does them well.  The bar is also unique in that its cash only. Meaning they don’t take credit cards, but have an ATM for those who are unaware.