Duff's - Buffalo, NY

Posted By Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle on April 12, 2008 12:08 PM

In the Buffalo world of wings, there's Anchor Bar, which everyone in America knows about, there's Duff's, which everyone in Buffalo knows about, and then there's just about every other restaurant and bar in the city (where most Buffalo wings are actually consumed).

Duff's is often touted as the in-the-know alternative to over-the-hill Anchor. In our experience, Anchor is king-of-the-hill, not over it, serving the best chicken wings we've ever had. Duff's is good, too, but the two places couldn't be more different. While Anchor is an old tavern in an old downtown neighborhood, Duff's is about sauce and scene, and pitchers of brew, served in a wing-dedicated eatery in the suburban northeast.

Duff's sauce is legendary, with good reason. The viscous orange substance is hot, tart, and salty, and it clings to the wings in thick billows. This is good stuff. The house motto/warning, worn on the back of every waitress' shirt, is "Medium Is HOT, Medium Hot Is VERY HOT, Hot Is VERY, VERY HOT".

The wings are nicely fried, but with all that sauce poured over them, the crust tends to soften, and the taste of the chicken gets lost in a flavor tidal wave of pepper and vinegar. These wings are a vehicle for consuming great sauce. We find the medium hot to be about right, heat-wise, but a lower heat level (with presumably less sauce) might help bring the chicken/sauce ratio back into balance. Perhaps ordering the sauce on the side is another good approach. We saw one customer eating the wings sauceless, and they looked terrific.

The place is not big, and there is often a wait for a table. The waiting area has access to the bar, and to some electronic games and a TV to pass the time. The noise can be almost deafening, so be forewarned. Duff's is very popular with college-age and younger customers, who can often be seen hanging around outside (it's not clear if they're waiting for a table, or just enjoying the scene). The other food we've tried has been ordinary at best. Stick to the wings.

Note: There are also two Duff's branches, both located in Toronto.

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Posted By Dwight Hatcher on April 14, 2011 7:28 PM

Best wings. Anchor Bar is a solid second. Anchor has better atmosphere, but Duff's is the king of the wing. Hot, spicy, crispy. More a suburban family spot than Anchor, but I do believe that both need to be visited. The best part for me was discovering that Buffalo does make the best wings, just like Philly and the whole cheesesteak deal.

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Posted By Frank Percival on March 3, 2007 7:48 AM

We recently moved back to Buffalo after living in Florida for over two years, and not once did we find a chicken wing that even resembled those from Duff's in Buffalo, New York. Even so, every wing place down there claimed to be a Buffalo chicken wing. Duffs is the only place we have found with not only the absolute very best Buffalo chicken wings, but also great atmosphere, and you get your food within minutes of ordering.

When you first walk into the restaurant, the smell of the sauce is what grabs you first. Your mouth will begin to water immediately with anticipation. When your order arrives at your table you are delighted with the steam coming off of the wings, tantalizing your senses. The food looks great too. We always order medium wings and I am impressed with how gorgeous they look with the bright red color next to the crisp fresh green of the celery.

We missed Duff's more than we missed some family members. I have to say that the weather does not keep us in Buffalo, but Duff's is one of the best reasons we can think of to stay. Thanks for the great food and the great service.

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