Buffalo Wings

[durwoodx]

I got addicted to Buffalo Wings back in my college days and still have a hankering for them on a pretty regular basis. Problem is the ones I have sampled in the DC area have been pretty much in the marginal to crappy range - usually either way too fatty or weak scrawny little things with no meat on them.

Anyone know where to get some good ones? While finding a really spot-on Buffalo style wing would be super, I am open to alternate sauces but the wing itself needs to stand up on it's own.

Thanks in advance

durwoodx

[DonRocks]

Here's a Chicken Wings thread.

---

Buffalo Wild Wings (goodeats)

[zoramargolis]

On 2/1/2010 at 11:03 AM, durwoodx said:

I got addicted to Buffalo Wings back in my college days and still have a hankering for them on a pretty regular basis. Problem is the ones I have sampled in the DC area have been pretty much in the marginal to crappy range - usually either way too fatty or weak scrawny little things with no meat on them.

Anyone know where to get some good ones? While finding a really spot-on Buffalo style wing would be super, I am open to alternate sauces but the wing itself needs to stand up on it's own.

Oohs and Ahhs. U Street.

[Waitman]

The wings situation in DC is dire. I'm currently in a deep, deep funk because I may be starting a new job next door to Union Station, and the last good wing place in DC is no longer there. Wingo's, in Georgetown, puts out an edible product, as does the Looking Glass Lounge. Otherwise, the pickings range from third- to fifth-rate, as far as I can tell. If you find anything -- and someone reliable needs to check out the Hooters in Chinatown -- let me know.

[synaesthesia]

On 2/1/2010 at 11:26 AM, Waitman said:

as does the Looking Glass Lounge. Otherwise, the pickings range from third- to fifth-rate, as far as I can tell. If you find anything -- and someone reliable needs to check out the Hooters in Chinatown -- let me know.

I don't know if I am reliable, but allegedly Hooters is better known for their dredged wings. And in my opinion dredged wings suck. Their non-dredged are disgusting. Flaccid and with a pretty ineffectual sauce. The one time I went to that Hooters I walked out feeling like I needed a shower. Not because of smut, but because the air feels thick with grease.

I believe Looking Glass only sells their wings on Sundays and Mondays now... or maybe it was Mondays and Tuesdays. Regardless, of my travails they are the best. I like the sauce at the Big Hunt, and at 20 (25?) cents/wing at HH they're well worth it.

[Sthitch]

While I would not call them great, I have enjoyed the wings at Duffy's, and they are quite cheap during happy hour.

[DaRiv18]

The Green Turtle has decent wings. Mad for Chicken is similar to buffalo wings.

[Heather]

The Quarryhouse in downtown Silver Spring has respectable chicken wings.

[Banco]

I like the wings at Mr. Henry's--just deep fried and sauced a la mode traditionelle

[durwoodx]

Thanks for all the ideas. Alas, they are all a pretty healthy hike away from me. Any ideas for Alexandria/Arlington?

Also, Hooters wings absolutely do not count. God those things (both versions) are fricking disgusting.

[Sthitch]

Thanks for all the ideas. Alas, they are all a pretty healthy hike away from me. Any ideas for Alexandria/Arlington?

Ironstomach schlepped his butt all the way to Buffalo just for wings... so a hop on the Metro to go across town should to assuage a craving not be too much trouble.

[Rovers2000]

In terms of Arlington wings I actually don't mind Carpool (in Ballston). And I believe on Wed they're 25 cents each.

I also like the wings at Cleveland Park Bar and Grill.

I made the trek up to Buffalo, NY (the gf's hometown) this past summer and really enjoyed my trip to the Anchor Bar (I too now have a few bottles of their sauce in my kitchen). That said, she contends that the wings at another place called Duff's are actually even better and are made in the (I assume) same way, no breading/fried/cayene and butter sauced. When I head back up that way this spring I will have to check Duff's out and report back.

[KMango]

On 2/1/2010 at 3:53 PM, durwoodx said:

Thanks for all the ideas. Alas, they are all a pretty healthy hike away from me. Any ideas for Alexandria/Arlington?..

I've had flippin' amazing buffalo wings at the bar in Food Matters. The menu changes monthly, so they are not always available for ordering. But I think they appear on the Saturday late-night menu.

Was there this weekend. Draft beer selections included Oskar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils and Founder's Porter. I tried to talk them into getting the Breakfast Stout on tap, so if you go, echo my request.

(if i see the taps change, i'll owe you a brew)

(if you enjoy the wings, you'll owe me a brew)

(if i worked for wf, i'd be losing my discount along about now)

[durwoodx]

Ironstomach schlepped his butt all the way to Buffalo just for wings... so a hop on the Metro to go across town should to assuage a craving not be too much trouble.

You make an excellent point, and I have no problem making a trek for some winged perfection, but a go to place in striking distance for a regular fix would be a very nice thing.

I've had flippin' amazing buffalo wings at the bar in Food Matters.

I tried to talk them into getting the Breakfast Stout on tap, so if you go, echo my request.

(if i see the taps change, i'll owe you a brew)

(if you enjoy the wings, you'll owe me a brew)

(if i worked for wf, i'd be losing my discount along about now)

Great idea - I love that place. And I have no problem trying to get some more yummy Founder's on tap. More Founder's is ALWAYS a good thing.

[synaesthesia]

Well if you read the other thread, Hard Times is a decent option with a location in Clarendon. I do enjoy them finished on the grill. I concur with Heather that Quarry House does some decent ones though I wish they had a little bit more sauce (which I imagine is remedied by asking for it).

[Waitman]

They're actually not that hard to make at home, if you don't mind stinking up the place a little. It goes against every instinct most of us have to use margarine instead of butter, but this is the key to a successful batch.

[thistle]

I am not a wing afficionado, but my son (who, as a teenager, has eaten more wings in his short life, than I have ever, in my considerably longer life) likes Wingstop-Rt. 1, Alexandria, south, near Ft. Belvoir. My daughter liked them, too, before she became a vegetarian...

[Heather]

I concur with Heather that Quarry House does some decent ones though I wish they had a little bit more sauce (which I imagine is remedied by asking for it).

They will bring extra on the side if you ask for it.

[Sthitch]

They're actually not that hard to make at home, if you don't mind stinking up the place a little. It goes against every instinct most of us have to use margarine instead of butter, but this is the key to a successful batch.

Making wing sauce is the only reason why I have that non-butter stuff whose name is never uttered in the house, it took quite a bit for this Wisconsin native to believe it, but I never found a way to keep the butter from breaking when it hit the hot wings.

[DaRiv18]

While finding a really spot-on Buffalo style wing would be super, I am open to alternate sauces but the wing itself needs to stand up on it's own.

Mad for Chicken is similar to buffalo wings.

Nothing against MfC, but they are in no way similar to Buffalo wings.

I was attempting to answer within the parameters of the original question. I agree that MfC is in no way similar to Buffalo wings, except that they are made with similar Buffalo wings chicken and are similarly a spicy dish, if ordered so.

Keep in mind anything meant to "improve" the wings automatically disqualifies them -- fancy sauces, finishing them on the grill, whatever. We're looking for sheer deep-fried, belly-burning goodness. . . We want to feel bad about ourselves in the morning.

Oh yeah, all that too.

[ol_ironstomach]

I was attempting to answer within the parameters of the original question. I agree that MfC is in no way similar to Buffalo wings, except that they are made with similar Buffalo wings chicken and are similarly a spicy dish, if ordered so.

What on earth are you talking about?

Let's try to keep this focused on local places for Buffalo-style wings. Not other-style wings (which posts really belong in the aforementioned chicken wing thread), but specifically Buffalo-style wings.

FWIW, it wasn't a big detour to stop at the Anchor Bar, since we were enroute from the Jell-O Museum (in LeRoy) to Niagara Falls...all part of a lengthy trip that I never finished writing up. Watch for bits and pieces in the Intrepid Traveler forum, scattered through the NY and Ontario threads. Next time in Buffalo though, I'll check out Duff's.

[DaRiv18]

Sorry, got confused as to what question I should pay attention to here!

[durwoodx]

Oh no, my willingness to compromise has created board tension! I should have stayed true in purist fashion.

I have enjoyed some non-traditional wing sauces in the past (in particular I have memories of some crazy good Thai peanut-sauce wings from somewhere in South Carolina at one point) but finding a passable traditional Buffalo wing would be the ideal. Sorry to sow dissension through lack of clarity (or something)

[Anna Phor]

My husband is a native Buffalonian; in B'lo, we like the Swannee House for wings. In DC, the Big Hunt does a solidly consistent wing.Tuesday night is wing night. Ask for extra crispy.

[goodeats]

In terms of Arlington wings I actually don't mind Carpool (in Ballston). And I believe on Wed they're 25 cents each.

They got smaller last time I tried them and it was okay - I guess it depends on the night. I really like my Buffalo Wild Wings even though they are a chain...

[DaRiv18]

Oh no, my willingness to compromise has created board tension!

Eh, I'm the one being ornery, no need for you to apologize. Maybe I was too dismissive of the mystique that is the Buffalo wing, always seemed to be just a waste of napkins to me. Never really had true Buffalo wings before, so I'll shut up and try them. Thanks for the recipe suggestions, I'll buy some margarine tonight . . .

[Sthitch]

Eh, I'm the one being ornery, no need for you to apologize. Maybe I was too dismissive of the mystique that is the Buffalo wing, always seemed to be just a waste of napkins to me. Never really had true Buffalo wings before, so I'll shut up and try them. Thanks for the recipe suggestions, I'll buy some margarine tonight . . .

And I am perpetually ornery... if you have the Dean and Deluca cookbook, I would recommend giving the recipe for the Buffalo sauce a try, it tastes very similar to the Anchor Bar sauce.

[DPop]

Marshall's in Foggy Bottom makes a passable version, and only 25 cents for HH. The Hot sauce is spicy, so careful if you're sensitive about those things.

Also, Donald, don't let me hear you speak ill of Anchor Bar wings again. Sure, the wings are not what they were 20 years ago, but that place is an Insti-fucking-tution and responsible for the single best bar snack this country has ever produced. Lets give it the respect it deserves.

[dinwiddie]

I'm a big fan of the wings at Urban BBQ in Rockville, MD.

[DonRocks]

Here's a Chicken Wings thread.

[Gang,

I consider Buffalo Wings - true Buffalo Wings - a subset of Chicken Wings. Can someone help me out ferreting through this thread, and figuring out which of these posts truly belong here? The others will be moved into the Chicken Wings thread - and even THAT thread is supposed to be DC-specific, as opposed to waxing poetic about Stroud's, etc.

Running this website can be vexing - just when I think I'm starting a fairly specific thread with "Chicken Wings" ... a couple years later, it gets more specific still.

I regret, for example, having a "New York City" thread within Intrepid Traveler, when we should have it broken down by neighborhood, or at least by Borough, long ago.

There's so much to do here that it's daunting.

Venture capitalists, are you out there? This can all be done quite nicely and neatly - but it can't be done for free.

Leleboo with her rapid-fire organizational skills is wonderful, but she needs to be paid, and I have nothing to pay her with. I've said the same thing in the past about mktye and hillvalley.

Sorry for the 4 AM ramble - I'm pretty tired. There's so much wonderful content in this website, but sometimes the sheer weight of it makes me think it's all hopeless. I've got fully 13 relatively new threads just in the Restaurants and Dining forum that I have to title correctly, and then reorganize in the Dining Guide. No, I'm not going off to sleep now; I'm going to be turning my attention to them and make sure they get classified appropriately. That's my life. And then tomorrow morning, it will be validating new members, pruning inactive ones, and trying to finish revamping the Virginia Guide before moving onto the Maryland Guide, and then the Multiple Locations Guide. And I guess this post is my Personal Pity Party. God I work hard. And there's no end in sight.]

[leleboo]

[Gang,

I consider Buffalo Wings - true Buffalo Wings - a subset of Chicken Wings. Can someone help me out ferreting through this thread, and figuring out which of these posts truly belong here? The others will be moved into the Chicken Wings thread]

Done. And there's now a thread on Buffalo, NY, anchored by ... um ... posts about the Anchor Bar.

No, I cannot resist an organizational task.

[Waitman]

[Gang,

I consider Buffalo Wings - true Buffalo Wings - a subset of Chicken Wings. Can someone help me out ferreting through this thread, and figuring out which of these posts truly belong here? The others will be moved into the Chicken Wings thread - and even THAT thread is supposed to be DC-specific, as opposed to waxing poetic about Stroud's, etc.

True Buffalo wings are indeed a subset of Chicken Wings, just as Bell's Beer, cask beer and Bitter Truth Bitters are subsets of beer -- and yet earn their own threads. Buffalo wings, however, are the dominant subset and those posting about it bring a focused and intense passion to the subject. If anyone has started a thread called "Ginger Teriyaki Wings: my holy quest" I didn't notice it. While people who seek out "smokey barbecue wings" or "lemon pepper" or "southern style" chicken wings -- or perhaps a variety pack for a hungry crowd during March Madness -- seem to be somewhat catholic in their tastes, Buffalo aficionados tend to be focused in a way that may not be altogether healthy, and to find hints about other types of wings annoying.

Given a respectable 30 posts and the enthusiasm (or depression, in my case) of the posters, Buffalo wings have surely earned their own thread. And, I'd suggest that one would no more banish the fond memories of some posters for far off taverns anymore than you'd banish a post about California Merlot that discussed the wondrous Right Bank Bordeaux on someone's last trip to France. Be the Big Tent Board, I beg of you.

But, any post where the focus is not almost entirely on the Wings of Buffalo -- as defined by DOC-type characteristics -- should be banished henceforth to...well, nobody really cares.

I will happily serve as arbiter in this regard, out of deference to your sleep schedule and Leleboo's search for more lucrative -- if not more rewarding -- part-time labor.

[Dlukovsky]

DC has a surprisingly poor selection of wings - especially considering it is a big football town. It also lacks variety of styles and preparations. One place that has fairly tolerable wings is the Irish Pub at the Red Roof Inn in Chinatown.

[Dave Pressley]

DC has a surprisingly poor selection of wings - especially considering it is a big football town.

????

[deangold]

????

Are you questioning the wings or the football part of the statement. I seem to recall that at one time DC had a pretty good professional football team. I wonder what ever happened to it. I think Brooklynites feel the same way about professional baseball.

[Dave Pressley]

Are you questioning the wings or the football part of the statement. I seem to recall that at one time DC had a pretty good professional football team. I wonder what ever happened to it. I think Brooklynites feel the same way about professional baseball.

I just wondered why being a football town has anything to do with having a good place to get wings...and yeah, I'm not a Redskins fan either, so I guess I question the whole thing.

[Pat]

I just wondered why being a football town has anything to do with having a good place to get wings...and yeah, I'm not a Redskins fan either, so I guess I question the whole thing.

I took it to mean that people who sit in bars/sports bars watching football eat a lot of chicken wings. There would be a demand for good wings in a town with a lot of football fans. I didn't figure it just meant the Redskins but also fans of college football, local and otherwise.

[DanielK]

As long as we're digressing, this town's football/food obsession is much more geared towards parking lot tailgates than sitting in bars eating wings.

[DonRocks]

As long as we're digressing, this town's football/food obsession is much more geared towards parking lot tailgates than sitting in bars eating wings.

[Let's not digress too much further, however. ]

[Ootek1]

As someone else noted, Hard Times does have surprisingly good buffalo wings. I'm pretty sure the best buffalo wings I've had around DC, though, were the ones at Rhodeside Grill in Arlington. They also have some tasty honey-pepper wings, but the buffalo wings seem pretty worthwhile to me. I should probably point out that I am not in any way a Buffalonian (Buffaloon?).

[monavano]

Southside 815's wings are pretty good. I like the skin to be crispy, not flabby, not breaded. Meaty too. The HH deal is fantastic too.

Chadwick's-very meaty and crisp.

[liz2041]

As someone else noted, Hard Times does have surprisingly good buffalo wings. I'm pretty sure the best buffalo wings I've had around DC, though, were the ones at Rhodeside Grill in Arlington. They also have some tasty honey-pepper wings, but the buffalo wings seem pretty worthwhile to me. I should probably point out that I am not in any way a Buffalonian (Buffaloon?).

+1 on the Rhodeside vote. The honey-pepper wings are really good.

[DonRocks]

Logan Cox is making the most interesting riff on this dish I've ever had. Buffalo Guinea Hen Wings ($10) is a brand new item on the bar menu at New Heights, and is served with a Cashel Blue (*) based "sauce," and what Logan dryly refers to as "Smoked Tomato Condiment."

I wrote him and asked how he does this complex dish, and here is what he told me:

"The Cashel Blue cheese is essentially just melted with a little half and half (to make sure it doesn't break) and gelatin. While we cool it down we whip it in the Kitchen-Aid while the actual bowl is on an icebath - this way as the cheese is chilling, air is being incorportated into it. Essentially it's the Cashel whipped and held with gelatin, no fillers like egg-white or whipped cream. The smoked tomato condiment was made with tomatoes that were smoked and then cooked down with red wine vinegar, glucose, star anise, bay leaves, and salt. I think that's it."

No word from Logan on the brining and rubbing of the guinea hen itself, but these are absolutely a vital part of the dish.

(*) This was special to me for two reasons: 1) It's perhaps the most novel use of Cashel Blue I've come across, and 2) I was just at the farm where they make Cashel Blue (yes, in Tipperary, Ireland) last Monday.

Cheers,

Rocks

[zoramargolis]

(*) This was special to me for two reasons: 1) It's perhaps the most novel use of Cashel Blue I've come across, and 2) I was just at the farm where they make Cashel Blue (yes, in Tipperary, Ireland) last Monday.

Where's that "green-with-envy" emoticon when you need it? Cashel Blue is my favorite blue cheese in the world! Well, so far, anyway.

[monavano]

Don't know if I've mentioned this before in this thread, but Southside 815's wings are worthy, with a nice, thick blue cheese, a spicy, clingy sauce, and $.35 each M-F Happy Hour.

My criteria for wings are:

MUST have crispy skin, but not breaded, at least not heavily. Flabby skin leaves me drenched in sauce from picking that gross crap off.

Meaty- I want plump and juicy, thank you

Spicy sauce-Don't call if Buffalo wings and give me BBQ sauce. And, the sauce has to cling and pool a bit under the wings

Thick blue cheese sauce that has real blue cheese. Don't pour crappy salad dressing into a bowl and call it blue cheese dipping sauce.

Garnish- I like to crunch on carrots (more than celery, but that's ok, too), and they'd better be crisp, fresh and clean. I remember one of the last times that I darkened the doors of a Bennigan's restaurant. A plate of wings was put down with old, brown celery. Away it went. Who the hell serves spoiled vegetables? I can't imagine how little they care about the rest of their food.

So, for me, I like a package deal, and when it all comes together, a plate of wings has to be one of the most enjoyable things to eat. That said, I've been known to eat Domino's Chicken Kickers and enjoy them (it's the sauce).

How can you tell if a man or a woman ate those wings? A guy's plate will have nothing but ravaged bones; no meat, no skin, not even cartilage left behind. And, most of the veggies remain. I think it's because women will generally take bites, and guys, from what I've seen many times, put an entire wing it their maw and "deglove" it.

[leleboo]

Don't know if I've mentioned this before in this thread, but Southside 815's wings are worthy, with a nice, thick blue cheese, a spicy, clingy sauce, and $.35 each M-F Happy Hour.

Not in depth.

And goldenticket has mentioned them three times in the Chicken Wings thread. Kinda makes me want to try 'em!

[monavano]

Relax-this is not a sign of the Apocalypse that I'm not mentioning 815's wings!

My brother and nephew were visiting this weekend and on Sunday, we watched the Eagles game at Bugsy's (thank you ALL for your suggestions, but with the unpredictable weather and rain, and the fact that they were road-weary, we stayed close to home) and the wings were very enjoyable. And meaty...huge! We ordered the "mild", which was just fine, but I think Mr. MV and I will return to see how the hotter versions go down. $.35 a piece. Nice.

Bugsy's was overall delightful, from the historic space on the 2nd floor, to the many tv's, to the prices and service.

It was odd to be in a smoking bar in VA, but Bugsy's is one of the few....if you interested.

[Pool Boy]

A year or two ago, Hard Times in Bethesda closed. They were kind of my go to place if I wanted decent wings when I was at work. Any current suggestions for a decent wing in Bethesda?