Putting the Wing in Wingwoman

Molly and I are back with another round of food reviews! After our nacho tour, it only felt right to continue the reviews with wings… our second favorite food group. We traveled to 13 different restaurants across Connecticut to find the best chicken wing and it was a cluckin’ good time! There are a lot of “award winning” wings in our state and *spoiler alert* most of them are not that great…

The Groggy Frogg

• Location: Southington, CT
• Menu description: Award-Winning Wings
• Awards:
  • 16th Annual Wing Fest Southington Chamber of Commerce Voted 2022 Best Overall Wings
• Price: $9.25 for 5
• Sauce options: Here
• Wet naps? Yes
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 2/5
  • Flavor: 1/5
  • Size: 2/5
• Overall score: 5/15
• Comments: It was the last stop of a very long wing tour so we were pretty “groggy” but they were… our least favorite to put it nicely. We ordered the Hollywood flavor which was subpar and a little weird. They were tiny and barely crispy. We don’t agree that the wings should be award-winning. Would not recommend.

Blarney’s Cafe

• Location: Willimantic, CT
• Menu description: “Chicken Wings Always a favorite!”
• Price: $12 (10 wings), $23 (20 wings), $33 (30 wings)
• Sauce options: BBQ, Blarney’s Special Sauce, Buffalo Bleu Cheese, Carolina Gold Chipotle, Dry Garlic Parmesan, Dry Cajun, Golden BBQ, Dry Jamaican Jerk, Dry Ranch, Sweet Asian Chili, Honey BBQ, Honey Mustard, Honey Mustard Horseradish, Lemon Pepper, Naked Parmesan, Spicy BBQ, Sweet & Sour, Teriyaki, Teriyaki BBQ, Teriyaki Ranch, Wet Parmesan, Wet Ranch or Classic Buffalo, pick the heat: Medium, Hot, Very Hot, Insanity, Murder
• Wet naps? No
• Carrots and celery? No
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 3/5
  • Flavor: 1/5
  • Size: 2/5
• Overall score: 6/15
• Comments: Our plan was to go to Willibrew but silly us didn’t realize it’s closed (on Mondays and Tuesdays). We still wanted to persist on our wing journey and since Blarney’s is supposed to be known for their wings, we walked over for some wings and cider. We ordered 10 dry garlic parmesan wings because we figured the dry rub would guarantee crispiness versus getting a sauce that sometimes leads to sogginess. We wish we got a sauce because they were small, dry, and not very flavorful. We were not allowed to get two flavors for the 10 wings so that was a little annoying but we get it. Bottom line: Blarney’s bone-in wings are nothing special. And if you’re not an ESCU student, we highly recommend not going to Blarneys… especially while the sun is still up.

Spare Time Entertainment

• Location: Vernon, CT
• Menu description: Fresh bone-in chicken wings, tossed with your choice. of any signature sauce. Served with ranch dressing, carrot & celery sticks.
• Price: $11.50 for 6, $18.75 for 12
• Sauce options: Buffalo, classic BBQ, sweet heat, sweet Thai chili, teriyaki, garlic parmesan
• Wet naps? No
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 2/5
  • Flavor: 4/5
  • Size: 3/5
• Overall score: 8/15
• Comments: They are nothing special. We felt obligated to try them because of our history with Spare Time. But I knew they wouldn’t be good because in my nine years of working there, I’d never ordered them. However, their boneless wings are UNMATCHED! I highly recommend ordering their boneless wings tossed in sweat heat.

Beachland Tavern

• Location: West Hartford, CT
• Menu description: House Made Wings
• Price: Happy hour: $12 for 10, regularly $15 for 10
• Sauce options: Mild or hot Buffalo, BBQ, sweet garlic chili, honey mustard, honey chipotle, or our kitchen sink
• Wet naps? Yes
• Carrots and celery? Just celery
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 2.5/5
  • Flavor: 3.6/5
  • Size: 2/5
• Overall score: 8.1/15
• Comments: Sweet garlic chili was delicious but the buffalo was eh. Blue cheese was not an option but they had a watery Gorgonzola substitute. People rave about them but really they’re just not that good.
• Cocktails: Peach Mule 5/5 Beachland Punch 2/5

Archie Moore’s

• Location: Wallingford, CT
• Menu description: Our famous buffalo style chicken wings. Served with celery and hearty Bleu cheese dressing.
• Price: $12.99 for 7, $23.99 for 14, $35.99 for 21, $47.99 for 28, $59.99 for 35
• Sauce options: Famous buffalo, BBQ, buff-a-que, general tso’s, garlic parmesan, peach chipotle, raspberry bourbon, Thai chili, honey hot, honey BBQ
• Wet naps? We had to ask for them
• Carrots and celery? Just carrots
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 1.5/5
  • Flavor: 3.5/5
  • Size: 4/5
• Overall score: 9/15
• Comments: They were cold when we got them which was annoying. We got their original buffalo sauce and I LOVED the flavor. Buffalo is my go-to but it’s not Molly’s so she wasn’t impressed. It’s easily one of best buffalo sauces I have ever had. But they are your typical wings, nothing special. Not crispy at all. Highlight of our Archie’s trip? The Nachos Grande. Super cheesy. Great distribution of toppings. So so good.

The Diamond Pub and Grill

• Location: Glastonbury, CT
• Menu description: Choose 2 flavors
• Price: Happy Hour $6.50 for 6 or regularly $7.50 for 6
• Sauce options: Garlic parmesan, hot, blazing, BBQ, honey BBQ, teriyaki, sweet & sour or chipotle dry rub
• Wet naps? No
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 3.6/5
  • Flavor: 3/5
  • Size: 4.5/5
• Overall score: 11.1/15
• Comments: We chose the garlic parmesan dry rub and the hot buffalo for our two flavors. The garlic parmesan wings were perfectly crispy but the buffalo wings were not very crispy and the sauce was kind of weird. Still a really good wing and we agreed we would go back.
• Cocktails: Molly ordered a Gosling’s and ginger and this was the second time someone made it with ginger beer and not ginger ale… why people!

Bidwell Tavern

• Location: Coventry, CT
• Menu description: Our award-winning wings, deep-fried & served with blue cheese dressing
• Price: $13.95 for a small order or $23.95 for a large order
• Sauce options: Here
• Wet naps? No
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 4.2/5
  • Flavor: 4/5
  • Size: 3/5
• Overall score: 11.2/15
• Comments: The dry rub was really spicy (not in a bad way) so when they tell you they’re spicy, listen to them. Overall, good experience and they were tasty. Would definitely recommend!

Willimantic Brewing Company

• Location: Willimantic, CT
• Menu description: Golden fried flats and drums
• Price: $14 for 10
• Sauce options: Korean BBQ, traditional, cajun wet, oy-vey, beerbq, teryaki, fajita dry rub, cajun dry, jerk dry rub, everything spice parmesan
• Wet naps? Yes
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 3.8/5
  • Flavor: 4.2/5
  • Size: 3.5/5
• Overall score: 11.5/15
• Comments: We ordered the Korean BBQ and the everything spice parmesan. We’ve had the everything spice before and LOVED them. This time, Molly was not a fan. She preferred the Koran BBQ. However, we stan Willibrew and we will never not get nachos.
• Cocktails: Molly (disappointed they didn’t have Gosling’s) ordered an Absolut Citron and seltzer and I had Lime Cosmo which was delicious.

J. Timothy’s Taverne

• Location: Plainville, CT
• Menu description: J. Timothy’s is the originator of ‘Dirt Wings,’ voted best Best in Connecticut year after year, named Top 5 in the country by The Food Network and 2nd Best in the country by The Daily Meal.
• Accolades: Here
• Price: $10.45 for 6, $15.95 for 10, $29.65 for 20, $53.60 for a bucket
• Sauce options: Original buffalo, honey gold BBQ, teriyaki, sweet red chili, buffalo chipotle dry rub
• Wet naps? Only one 😦
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 4/5
  • Flavor: 4.5/5
  • Size: 4.5/5
• Overall score: 13/15
• Comments: We ordered 6 sweet red chili wings dirt style, which means they are “fried, sauced, and fried & sauced again for a slightly crispier, caramelized wing.” First we went to Sliders then J. Tim’s. When I asked Molly “okay so what’s your opinion? Sliders or J. Tim’s?” Molly said “Sliders.” WHICH IS WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS.
• Cocktails: Molly had a lemon drop martini and I had a hard strawberry lemonade. Both were good!

Harrie’s Jailhouse

• Location: Middletown, CT
• Menu description: 8 jumbo crispy wings tossed in your choice of: buffalo, pepper relish bbq, honey sriracha, lemon pepper, or double trouble. served with bleu cheese or buttermilk ranch.
• Price: $15 for 8
• Sauce options: Listed above ^^
• Wet naps? No
• Carrots and celery? No
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 4.4/5
  • Flavor: 4.1/5
  • Size: 5/5
• Overall score: 13.5/15
• Comments: We ordered double trouble because we always try to get whatever the signature sauce is. They were surprisingly delicious! This place is a must-visit, whether you order the wings or not.

The Flying Monkey

• Location: Newington, CT
• Menu description: Flying Monkey Wings No monkey-ing around with these wings! House-made with our secret monkey rub, baked then fried crispy.
• Price: $14 for 8, $28 for 16 -$1 extra sauce, $1.50 for carrots & celery
• Sauce options: BBQ, buffalo, garlic parmesan, honey mustard, spicy monkey (House Favorite), honey soy garlic, Thai peanut, bourbon, Drunken’ Grubin’ or chili lime rub
• Wet naps? Yes
• Carrots and celery? No
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 4.4/5
  • Flavor: 4.3/5
  • Size: 4.9/5
• Overall score: 13.6/15
• Comments: We chose the spicy monkey flavor since it is the homemade sauce they are known for. It’s absolutely delicious. Although the sauce was pretty sticky, the wings were still super crispy. They were meaty and flavorful and we didn’t even need the ranch or blue cheese. However, not cool that carrots and celery are not included.
• Cocktails: Berry Mojito ($11) and Harvest Sangria with white wine ($11) – Both were absolutely delicious!

Sliders

• Location: Plainville, CT
• Menu description: Famous Wings served with carrots, celery & blue cheese, ranch or jalapeno ranch
• Price: $10.50 for 6 or Happy Hour $6 for 4
• Sauce options: See here
• Wet naps? Yes
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 4.5/5
  • Flavor: 5/5
  • Size: 5/5
• Overall score: 14.5/15
• Comments: We were there for happy hour so we got 8 wings for $12. They were incredible. Molly said at one point “I’m speechless.” We ordered buffalo parmesan, which we always get, and cajun dry rub and got them both well done. Both were outstanding. Absolutely delicious. Crispy. Thicc. Amazing.
• Cocktails: Molly ordered the Skinny Margarita and I ordered the Warm Up Margarita. Both were 5/5!

Dew Drop Inn

• Location: Derby, CT
• Menu description: “Always Fresh, Never Frozen! Cooked to Crispy Perfection! All orders served with one side of Blue Cheese & Celery”
• Awards:
  • Winner Esquire Magazine Best Wings in the State 2021
  • Winner Connecticut Magazine Reader’s Choice & Expert Picks Best Wings in Connecticut 2018
• Price: 6 for $10.99, 10 for $17.99, 18 for $29.99
• Sauce options: Check them out here (too many to list)
• Wet naps? Yes and paper bowls for your bones!
• Carrots and celery? Yes
• Rating:
  • Crispiness: 5/5 (would’ve given a 6 if we could)
  • Flavor: 5/5
  • Size: 5/5
• Overall score: 15/15
• Comments: We got Spicy Asian Glaze and Pink Peppercorn Lemon Thyme dry rub. Holy shit. They were SO good. So crispy. So flavorful. Crispy even with the sticky Asian sauce. You know they know what they’re doing when they have a separate menu just for wings. We will definitely go back. They get bonus points for providing a paper bowl for the leftover bones.