Where are the best wings in the Milwaukee area?

[brwrsfan]

For about the last 10 years or so, myself and 3-5 other buddies have had a weekly tradition of going out for wings (and beer) on Thursday nights. For the longest time we almost always went to BW3's, as it was right by where we lived, with the occasional trip to Hooters. About six months or so ago, we decided to change it up and have since started trying various bars and restaurants trying to find the best wings in the city. We've been all over the place, but we're starting to run out of ideas. Here is the list of places we've tried, in order of how I would rank the wings.

 

Tomkens

Johnny Hammers

Points East

Leff's

Colonel Harts

Geribaldi's

Aris Pub

Red Rooster

Painted Parrot

Big Dawgs

 

Might be missing one or two, but that's all I can remember. I figure with as many people on this board that like sports (and presumably wings), that this would be a great place to get some recommendations for some hidden gems and great wings!!!

 

Anyone have any other suggestions?? Like to stay in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas if possible. Thursday wing specials would be a huge plus, but certainly not required. I'd be happy to give you my thoughts on the above places too if anyone cares

[Baldkin]

Red Rock's on Water st has some solid wings. Brewski's on 76th and Bluemound also has some darn good wings.

 

Quaker Steak and Lube blows BW3 out of the water for my money for a chain place to watch a game at, and their wings are large, and delicious, instead of tiny and mediocre.

[RobDeer 45]

Are you including the suburbs? I will consult my friend, who is like the Tom Colicchio of chicken wing goodness in the area! A true connoisseur.

[brwrsfan]

Suburbs are fine, yeah. Nothing too far out, I would say Waukesha is probably about as far west as we'd go. Anything in that range is perfectly fine.

 

Forgot about Quaker Steak, been there. Decent wings though I found it hard to watch sporting events personally.

[JimH5]

I know one of the guys behind this site:

 

http://www.awingthing.com/

 

Lots and lots and lots of reviews of Milwaukee area chicken wing providers.

 

I think Wing Stop on Miller Park Way (south of the stadium) is a fine place with a variety of flavors. I'm not a big fan of their sugar/salt mixture that they put on their fries, but you can request them plain, and then salt your own.

 

I don't really like Quaker Steak or Buffalo Wild Wings, but they're both pretty popular, so it's probably just a matter of taste.

[paul253]

For about the last 10 years or so, myself and 3-5 other buddies have had a weekly tradition of going out for wings (and beer) on Thursday nights.

 

Every Thursday for 10 years? Holy cow. That's a lot of wings. BW3 has got to be the most overrated wing place in the city. I can name probably 10 places I'd rather go than them. But my vote for #1 is the Pizza Shuttle on Farwell. Champion Chicken and Muzak's also have good wings but I think they are carry out only.

[FVBrewerFan]

Don't live in Milw are anymore, so can't help. It is interesting though how opinions vary. I wanted to give thumbs up to BWW, I actually like their wings. (Don't like Hooters.) Do they have Tilted Kilt in the Milw area yet? That's a good place to watch a game, good food too- including wings.

 

Personally, I like my wings very well done- probably over done. BWW ususally makes them that way pretty consistently. That's the biggest problem I run into at a lot of local places. They may be bigger, they have good flavor...but if there's a layer of blubber I can't eat it.

[brwrsfan]

It started roughly ten years ago. We've probably hit 90% of the Thursdays since then. It certainly has been an awful lot of wings, but I love them!!!

 

We usually only go to BW3 these days if there is a specific game we want to watch. It's pretty easy to watch a game there and the beer is relatively cheap. The food has definitely gotten worse over the years though. Same with Hooters.

 

For those in the area, I'd definitely try Tomkens and Johnny Hammers. Both exceptionally good wings, though they are small places and sometimes there is a wait. But definitely worth it.

[Menotti80]

Its been about 10 years, I will second the vote for pizza shuttle. I also think champion chicken has good wings as well.

[Raw Biz]

Spitfire's on State. I think better than Points East. I believe the wings are fried and grilled like Points East but come in a variety of flavors.

[DocLuna7]

I will second one of the above posters who thinks BW3's is overrated. I am not much of a generic chain-type guy myself, but got really turned off BW3's after biting into a feather tip one time. Anyways, since you mention being willing to go as far west as Waukesha I would suggest Fuzzy's on Main St. a bit east of the downtown area. That place is amazing, and I've never been disappointed with anything I've ordered. Cheap as well, and they also have wing night specials. (Can't remember off-hand if it's Thursdays).

[chadomac]

Points East Pub and it's not really even close. I fancy myself a wing expert as well, but I'm really picky about them. I think that most of them aren't that great. But I sure do love a good wing when I find it.

 

Also good: Magoo's in West Allis, Red Rock on Water St (love the Confessor), Barnacle Bud's, and Paulie's in 'Stallis serves Legend Larry's wings, which are pretty good too.

 

Points East are a dry wing, whereas most of the others noted are wet. They're expensive everywhere, which is very annoying to me.

 

I personally think Garibaldi is the most overrated wing place in the city. They were small, not very crisp, and oversalted last time I had them.

 

I live across the street from Pizza Shuttle and find their food mostly disgusting... but you guys are making me want to give their wings a chance.

 

I do the yelp thing, and I have a list:

http://www.yelp.com/list/a-wing-a-ding-ding-milwaukee

[radman12484]

From my Wing experiences in and around Milwaukee County. My top 2 places I enjoy going are Leff's Lucky Town and Bougey's in Brookfield. I'm in Sheboygan now, and the place to go here is Legend Larry's.

[hurricanecrush]

I'll second Spitfires on State. Their wings are dry, which I prefer, and they have a nice assortment of favors.

[Bikeage77]

I used to like Leff's wings a lot, used to go there every Tuesday about 8 years ago. Then their wings went up rapidly and now Tuesday night isn't even a deal. I like Points East wings a lot, and Stenny's are also pretty good. I'd check those out. Shuttle's wings can be descent, as are O'Lydia's.

 

I also like Brothers if you can get over there while the Brewers are on the west coast. 15 cent wings and buck fifty High Lifes. The special starts at 9, but get there around 8 or a bit earlier. You'll be in line for an hour or so no matter what, so might as well get in early and find a good table to get yer wings by first pitch. Prolly not as good as the places above, but worth it for sure, especially at that price.

[Lilrebel724]

I enjoy Turner Halls wings downtown. I'm by no means a connoisseur of wings but I think they're good.

[TURBO]

Is it against the rules to list chains?

 

I'm a big fan of Buffalo Wild Wings. Love the boneless variety.

[chadomac]

As a wing and overall food snob, I reject your Buffalo Wild Wings recommendation.

 

And to take my snobbery a step further... boneless wings are not wings, they are chicken tenders for adults.

 

I am truly insufferable.

 

Can someone also tell me why they call it BW3's? That makes no sense. Maybe I should post that in the "What's Buggin' You?" thread...

[sveumrules]

I emailed BW3 years ago inquiring about the third W in a shameless attempt at getting a gift certificate/voucher and apparently it stands for "Weck", which is some kind of beef sandwich popular in the Buffalo area.

 

Not sure if it counts as the Milwaukee area, but I will throw out Buckets Pub in Racine as a destination for hard core wingers.

[homer]

When BW3 opened in Madison they told me Weck was the type of bun they used for the burgers.

[patrickgpe]

major goolsbys, expensive, but i find them the best

[hawing]

When BW3 opened in Madison they told me Weck was the type of bun they used for the burgers.

I remember when BW3 entered the Madison market. The full name at the time was Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck. Wikipedia backs this up.

[rwa12]

Yep, I've taken a few trips to Syracuse now to finish my Masters, and the "beef on weck" sandwich is popular in the area. It's basically a bun topped with salt and caraway (?) seeds, I believe. Pretty tasty, comparable to a french dip.

[brwrsfan]

Went to Johnny Hammers again last night...great wings. It's a hole in the wall bar and the wait is a bit long to get food, but man are they good. Lots of flavors to choose from and they offer grilled, breaded or naked. For those in the area, it's definitely worth a trip. They have $.50 wings on Thursday, but even their normal price of 6 wings for 4.25 is pretty reasonable as well.

 

One place I went recently that I would never return to is Biggs Roadhouse. It's near Mayfair on HWY 100. Horrible service, small, tasteless wings and really poor nachos. Definitely the bottom of my wing ranking list.

[Baldkin]

Went to Johnny Hammers again last night...great wings. It's a hole in the wall bar and the wait is a bit long to get food, but man are they good. Lots of flavors to choose from and they offer grilled, breaded or naked. For those in the area, it's definitely worth a trip. They have $.50 wings on Thursday, but even their normal price of 6 wings for 4.25 is pretty reasonable as well.

 

One place I went recently that I would never return to is Biggs Roadhouse. It's near Mayfair on HWY 100. Horrible service, small, tasteless wings and really poor nachos. Definitely the bottom of my wing ranking list.

 

 

I've been to Biggs a bunch (they sponsor one of our Ultimate Frisbee leagues), and the only thing I've had there that was overly tasty, was their pizzas and their rib tip appetizer.