Mystery Diner: Mike and Denise's offers lively atmosphere – and delicious pizza and wings

To the Mystery Diner, "eating out" doesn't always have to mean a quiet dinner for two.

I'm always on the lookout for establishments to watch a big game, or catch up with a handful of friends. There's no better food for those communal occasions than pizza – and this week I sampled an area favorite.

The Mystery Diner was first introduced to Mike and Denise's original location, on Farnsworth Avenue in Aurora, at a friend's wedding rehearsal dinner 14 years ago. It's been a family-owned fixture in the Fox Valley area since 1991.

I've added a few gray hairs since then – and Mike and Denise's happily added a Yorkville location in 2013 on Veterans Parkway on the east entrance of town.

We tried it on a warm Monday evening in July, and we weren't alone.

The Mystery Diner and his companions walked into a lively atmosphere in a packed dining room surrounded by a bank of TVs broadcasting a range of sports events, the perfect backdrop for our latest adventure. Mike and Denise's feels like a classic sports bar, but with spacious seating it's also ideal for families.

Mike and Denise's offers several nightly specials, including the $5 hamburger or cheeseburger served with chips on Monday, half-price pizza on Tuesdays, Friday fish fry, and Saturday night prime rib and crab legs.

After sampling one of Mike and Denise's 18 beers on tap, the Mystery Diner was ready to indulge his appetite.

Mike and Denise's touts a host of starters, from nachos grande to chicken quesadillas to osh kosh cheese cubes.

That said, a friend some time ago recommended Mike and Denise's wing ding chicken wings. She couldn't have been more spot on.

Breaded and perfectly-seasoned with meat falling off the bone – and, unlike too many wings I've tried, not a bit greasy – they met the Mystery Diner's seal of approval. We enjoyed them with a side of ranch dressing, but the wings could easily stand on their own. Truly some of the best around.

Mike and Denise's, of course, is known for its pizza – and that's what we came for.

A host of options are on the menu from meatlovers to Mike and Denise veggie to Hawaiian to taco to margarita. They're available in thin crust, double dough, pan, stuffed – even gluten-free crust.

We went with a classic, a double dough sausage. We weren't disappointed.

With plenty of flaky, doughy crust, gooey cheese and Italian sausage, Mike and Denise's edition can rival any pizzeria. Pizza, I've found, is an ideal food to take home for leftovers, but not on this occasion – not a crumb remained.

For those not in the mood for pizza, Mike and Denise's also offers a large menu of entrees from burgers and ribs to jumbo shrimp. A companion sampled the large gulf shrimp, butterflied and deep fried – and gave it two thumbs up.

Noting Mike and Denise's outdoor patio area, we looked forward to a return visit.

For those in the Kendall County area looking for a lively night out to watch the big game, host a party or just enjoy a great meal with friends and family, you can't go wrong with Mike and Denise's.

• The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at the Record Newspapers. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal. The Mystery Diner visits a restaurant and then reports on the experience. The Mystery Diner is not intended to be a restaurant critic but does highlight the parts of a dining experience that he/she can recommend.

If you go

What: Mike and Denise's

Where: 728 E. Veterans Parkway, Yorkville

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Information: Call 630-882-9072 or go to www.mikeanddenises.com