Wing Chains

Didn't realize that a fast food category had emerged in Buffalo Wings until I caught this article in the Dallas Morning News Guide section -> http://www.guidelive.com/feature/159/?cslink=cs_generic_2_0

Never one to pass up a food that involves hot and spicy, I tried the Wingstop chain near my folks house in Dallas. Excellent and definitely spicy on the original hot wings, though next time I will try the Atomic ones.

So what is everyone favorite wing place and where are the most spicy and tasty in the country? I travel everywhere, so I'm itchin to try the best!

In CT, there is a chain called Archie Moore's that makes great wings (the rest of its food is only so-so, but that doesn't really matter when the wings are so good).
Other good wing spots include Wings to Go (don't know the exact area, but I know there some in the Pennsylvania-New Jesey are) and BW3 in the mid-west.

In Brooklyn on Flatbush Ave. and 7th Ave., there's a really good one called Wing Wagon. You can request how hot you want them. Comes with fried vegetables.

I haven't found a decent wing outside the "rust belt" I used to get great wings when I was living in Pittsburgh. The wings in Rhode Island make me yaach Although the locals would probably kill me if I expressed my sentiments. I have to travel all the way to Albany to find decent wings

Seattle has a local multi-unit chain, Wingdome. Great wings - I can't tell you how many Tums I've consumed to put out the fire.

Avoid the location in the University District at all costs; one especially memorable evenng ended with us walking out, having left payment for the portion of the food that we had received to that point, being chased down the street by the supervisor, who was yelling "There's no law against bad service!"

That said, the location in Greenwood is excellent, and the non-wings menu items well-prepared. I usually get half-and-half Four Alarm buffalo-style and teriyaki.

The only chain wing place I can recall visiting is Buffalo Wild Wings, which has several locations in the Midwest. I went to the Lincoln Park (Chicago neighborhood) location with some friends; they promised a great beer selection and great wings for cheap. Well, cheap was about the only part of the promise that was close, and I've had cheaper. It wasn't terrible, but it's basically a huge loud sports bar with a menu you've seen a hundred times; and the beer selection, at least at this location, has been cut back heavily in the past year our incompetent waitress informed us. Skip it.

But Chicago has some great wing joints, or barbecue joints with good wings. My favorite personally, and the fast-food place I've patronized more than all others, is Buffalo Joes in Evanston just north of the city. Great burger/dog/wing place right next to Northwestern University's campus; 3 flavors of wings (mild,spicy,suicide), top-notch burgers and the best polish sausages I've ever had. Mostly NU college kids. Well worth the stop or even special trip, the wings are meaty, fresh and the sauce is pungent, spicy, reasonably greasy without being disgusting and not too sweet. Great "buffalo chips" (waffle-cut fries) as well.

For wings, for me the best is Hooters. Some of my female friends will even suggest meeting there for the wings, which cause other female friends to go, "huh?".

there are no good wing chains in my opinion , I have been sadly disappointed many a time trying wings when I am away from home (upstate NY)

Not only aren't there any chains that do wings properly, you really get get wings that are authentic outside the Buffalo area. Indeed, the wings that one gets in places as nearby as Rochester are not really what they should be.

In this regard, wings are like a good Philly cheesesteak. There are approximations obtainable in many locations, but the real deal is not in larger circulation.

I can't claim to have made as detailed a study as the subject warrants, but I suspect that the far side of Batavia marks the extreme eastern edge of the wings zone; to the west, it may extend as far as Fredonia (but proceed with caution).

quote:

Originally posted by outside counsel

Not only aren't there any chains that do wings properly, you really get get wings that are authentic outside the Buffalo area. Indeed, the wings that one gets in places as nearby as Rochester are not really what they should be.

In this regard, wings are like a good Philly cheesesteak. There are approximations obtainable in many locations, but the real deal is not in larger circulation.

I can't claim to have made as detailed a study as the subject warrants, but I suspect that the far side of Batavia marks the extreme eastern edge of the wings zone; to the west, it may extend as far as Fredonia (but proceed with caution).

I agree, to an extent. I have had wings in Pittsburgh and Albany NY that were certainly edible if not good. In fact Pittsburgh takes its wings rather seriously. However I have had wings here in Rhode Island and in Seattle that were horrendous. However the worst of all has to be Hooters...Bar none, they shouldn't even deserve to be called wings

Well, the following is slowly becoming a chain of sorts in South Jersey...http://www.pjwhelihanspub.com
My family, friends and I have been enjoying their wings for years (or so it seems). To be frank, I've only ever eaten their honey-hot wings, because those, to me, are the true heart and soul of PJ's, and were immediately addicting. They are truly worth the trip to whichever location, but there seems to be a slightly different, tastier version of them in the Washington Township (next to Kennedy Hospital)location.

Wings to Go, as someone said above, offers some pretty authentic wings -- I think they're in southeastern PA, S. Jersey and into Delaware.

I grew up in western NY, so I'm pretty disgusted at most things places try to pass off as Buffalo wings, 'specially since I worked a summer at a place called Wing King.

Had Wings to Go at a football party, and liked em, not too big, meaty and crispy (most places who try and fail make the wings too wet). Went to our nearest location, saw they used Frank's Hot Sauce (also sold as Durkee's Red Hot), butter, pepper, salt and touch of vinegar in the sauce and knew that's why they were so tasty. Then I waited to see how they did 'em ... straight from the fry basket into a steel bowl, small measure of sauce, cover the bowl and swirl and shake.

Now if only the blue cheese were a little better ...

Speaking of buffalo or hot wings.
Has anyone here tried Tyson's frozen hot wings?
I've been tempted to try them but I am reluctant.

Any comments?

Fair.

Calico Jacks. Go for the "nuclear". Beef O'Brady's are pretty good as well.

My local favorite is a chain called Wings and Rings.....excellent and messy, and they do a 25 cent-a-wing day once a week.

It was a sad day in my life 20 years ago when the original Hooters opened here in Clearwater, FL. The thought of someone having the nerve to CHARGE for chicken wings. For me Happy Hour was ruined forever.

quote:

Originally posted by qkrdfx

It was a sad day in my life 20 years ago when the original Hooters opened here in Clearwater, FL. The thought of someone having the nerve to CHARGE for chicken wings. For me Happy Hour was ruined forever.

Yeah, but the view is pretty good!

I usually make a pilgrimage to the Anchor Bar whenever I get down to Buffalo.
In Toronto, there is a chain called St. Louis Bar & Grill which makes excellent wings. They just branched out in the past year or so from a single long-standing location and seem to have maintained their quality.
The most important thing about a good wing place is that they are consistent. I've gone to places that were great one time, then mediocre the next.

I agree with the PJ Wheelihan's comments... the Hot and Honey wings are great! They have 2 locations in the Allentown area as well as the one that was mentioned in NJ.

In a college town like gainesville florida we have an over abundance of Wing chains:
Hooters
Wingin It
Wing Stop
Cluck You
Zaxbys
Wing zone
California Chicken Grill
Crunchies and Munchies

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

My local favorite is a chain called Wings and Rings.....excellent and messy, and they do a 25 cent-a-wing day once a week.

Buffalo Wings & Rings was our favorite wing place. I preferred the extra hot extra wet garlic wings. Always wanted to try the "blue plate special" -- a double large order of wings and a bottle of Dom Perignon.

Haven't eaten there in a long while, TJ...The one in Batavia -- near Clermont Mercy? -- was shut down by the health department after repeated warnings. It's made me wary of the other five or six ever since.....

Some of the original W&R locations have since become "Buffalo Bob's" but appear to be serving the exact same fod and etc....no idea exactly what happened, possibly a schism among the ownership.

The wings are still wonderful at the ones that remain open....I *believe* the closest to you would be on Beechmont next to Graeters or possibly the one in "downtown" Milford in the vacated Pizza Hut location.

I think the wing day price is either 30 or 35 cents a wing now.

There is a small chain of tap rooms in SoCal called the Yardhouse. The beer would be outstanding if they would pay a bit more attention to cleaning the lines. They have "Firecracker Wings," made with a hot plum sauce and covered with sesame seeds. We're not in Buffalo anymore, Dorothy, but they sure are tasty.

BW3 in Akron, Ohio has wings to die for!

quote:

Originally posted by TJ Jackson

Some of the original W&R locations have since become "Buffalo Bob's" but appear to be serving the exact same fod and etc....no idea exactly what happened, possibly a schism among the ownership.

The wings are still wonderful at the ones that remain open....I *believe* the closest to you would be on Beechmont next to Graeters or possibly the one in "downtown" Milford in the vacated Pizza Hut location.

I think the wing day price is either 30 or 35 cents a wing now.

Yeah. We're about equidistant; we live off of old SR 74, North of 32....

We'll have to go back; we loved that place....

Here in my part of SC, we have Zaxbys. I think they're actually pretty good although the last time I went there the service was pretty atrocious.

Of course, their wings cannot compare to the wings we serve at the restaurant I work in, Michael's Pizzeria in Easley, SC. Our wings are so delicious I could eat them every day. In fact, I usually do.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

Calico Jacks. Go for the "nuclear". Beef O'Brady's are pretty good as well.

I'd like to renig on this post. Went last Friday to CJ's. The wing sauces have changed and they are all too sweet. I got hot wings, with some nuclear sauce on the side. Just not the same...in Gainesville anyway.

The chain I go to for wings in Columbus, OH is BW-3 or Buffalo Wild Wings as they are now called (I guess the people around here could never figure out what a weck was so they changed the name). Their wings aren't bad though they are kind of small. The sauce is pretty decent and at least they tend to get them crispy. Nothing is worse than ordering some wings and when they come out you realize they were baked.

I'll have to agree with wanderingjew about Hooters wings. I'm not a big fan. Though I am intrigued by the fact that we now have Hooters Air flying in and out of Rickenbacker airport in Columbus. They promise Hooters girls on every flight.

As for my favorite wings, I think I like the ones I make at home the best. I got a deep fryer last Christmas and I get tons of compliments on my wings. Usually about 13 minutes at 360 does the trick to make them crispy. For the sauce, I just use Franks, a little tobasco, some butter, some cider vinegar and a little spoonful of brown sugar. Might have to make them for the Superbowl next week.

If anyone is planning a trip to the Tampa Bay area and is looking for some wings, you may want to read this article:

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/01/28/Taste/Championship_wings___.shtml

Surprise! The best wings in the taste test don't come from some little local hole in the wall wing joint. The testers found the very best wings are at a place that many folks don't know serve wings.

I'm not a huge wing fan per se, but it does sound like good Super Bowl food.