Respect is a guiding principle in “The Godfather” and “The Sopranos” – the iconic mob movie and television show that branded the Bada Bing name. Some five years ago, Bada Bing Bar&Grill relocated from Forest Avenue to the corner of Delaware Avenue and Chippewa Street in downtown Buffalo.

This multifaceted place turned out to be a revelation. One of the better-known chefs in the region, Paul Jenkins, encouraged me to try the food and drinks at Bada Bing. “They have the best meatballs in Western New York,” proclaimed Jenkins, “and it is the official late night gastro-club for Buffalo chefs. They stay open late and bartenders Big Al and Anthony can’t do enough to please your cocktail requests.”

Sure enough when I stopped in during a Sunday afternoon with friends, the food was a pleasant surprise. Sally, Marnetta and I sat at the large bar, enjoying cosmos and dirty martinis (both $8.50), which Marnetta raved about. “This is the best dirty martini I’ve had, and I’ve had a lot of them,” she said.

Big Al’s response? “I’m blushing!”

At first glimpse, you know you’re in for a lively, fun experience. With flat-screen televisions in every nook and cranny, a bad seat in the house is as rare as a Stanley Cup in Buffalo. The lively bar and the adjoining area, with plenty of high-top tables, is filled with both regulars and visitors from the nearby hotels as well as the occasional pro athlete.

We munched on artichoke-spinach poppers accompanied by Da Bing’s ranch dipping sauce. Hot, crunchy and not at all greasy, the app was a nice complement to the cocktails we enjoyed. The three of us wrapped up a fun afternoon with sugar-rimmed shots of lemon vodka ($4) but not before head chef Dominic “Bunz” Paladino emerged from the kitchen and introduced himself. He talked with pride about his menu: homemade pasta, panini, gourmet bomber “sangwiches” and oven-fresh pizza.

As we chatted with Bunz and Al, several people relaxing at high-top tables watched games and enjoyed buckets of beer (four domestic bottles for $10). Sam, a regular at the Bing bar, said he likes the atmosphere and the fact that many restaurant people eat and drink there. “It’s a bar with an unbelievable kitchen,” he noted. “The place is spotless and they pay a lot of attention to detail here.”

On a recent weeknight, I brought my husband, Dan, to what was quickly becoming one of my go-to places. We missed Happy Hour, weekdays from 4 to 7 p. m., which features two-for-one domestic bottles and well drinks. Opting for a high-top table over a corner booth, we shared a slice of steak and hot pepper pizza, a bowl of potato leek soup and my favorite dish, the meatball salad, a creation that Bunz says began with his mom, who “hated to use extra plates.” I chose a glass of pinot noir ($6.50) while Dan enjoyed one of Big Al’s potent potables made with two types of vodka, blue curacao, sour mix and 7-Up.

As we looked around this large, welcoming place, Dan and I made plans to come back for more good cheer, creative cocktails and comfort food.

BADA BING BAR & GRILL

115 W. Chippewa St., 853-2464

Scene: Sparkling clean combination sports bar, Italian restaurant, lively joint. Friendly servers and bartenders add to appeal.

Drinks: Buckets of beer specials; plenty of spirits, creative cocktails.

Dress Code: From suits to jeans and T-shirts, twentysomethings to sixtysomethings.

Music: TouchTunes jukebox, DJ every weekend.