Best Chicken Wing Quest - Update 6

Submitted by wcmotel t3_yw8lc0 in baltimore

Original Post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/baltimore/comments/u85jms/best_chicken_wing_quest/

A bro and I have set out on a quest to answer an extremely important question:

Who makes the absolute best wings in Baltimore?

We will judge each buffalo/hot wing order on a 5 point scale (average of the two reviewers) on the following parameters:

Appearance: Size, quality, and consistency of the wings
Taste: Overall deliciousness, heat to expectations
Sauce: Consistency, creaminess, acidity, flavor, quantity, attachment to wing
Crispiness: Crispy exterior, appropriately cooked meat pulling off the bone, not dry
Convenience/value: not weighted, used for tie-breaking
Restaurant: Look and feel of restaurant environment, not weighted, used for tie-breaking

3 locations added to this post: Cheezy Mike's Food Emporium, Wet City, Choptank (read the explainer)

​

Restaurant Appearance Taste Sauce Crispiness Convenience Restaurant **Overall**
Delia Foley 5 2.5 3 2.5 5 4 **13**
Magerks 4.5 3.5 3 4.25 5 4.5 **15.25**
Hudson St Stackhouse 4.75 4 4.25 3.5 5 3.75 **16.25**
Dont Know Tavern 4.5 4 5 5 5 5 **18.25**
iBar 4 5 5 4.5 5 4 **18.25**
Kisling 3 4 3.5 4 4 4 **13.25**
Nepenthe 4 3.75 4.5 3 4.5 4 **15.25**
Charles Village Pub 3.5 2 2 0 0 0 **7.5**
Lighthouse Tavern 4 4 4.25 3 4.5 5 **15.25**
Claddaugh 2 4 3.25 2.25 3.5 5 **11.5**
Mahaffey's 3.5 4.5 4.5 5 4.5 5 **17.5**
Smaltimore 3.5 3.25 3.5 3.25 2 5 **13.5**
Cheezy Mike's Food Emporium 3 3 2.5 1 3 2 **9.5**
Wet City 3.25 3.5 4 2.75 3 3 **13.5**
Choptank 3.25 3 2 2 5 5 **10.25**

​

**Delia Foley**: Very disappointing. Not nearly enough heat, overcooked, some horribly dry. Great scene though.

**Magerks**: These were okay. Good consistency, okay taste, not enough sauce, could have used some more heat. Good crispiness. Good scene.

**Hudson Street Stackhouse**: Really good classic buffalo flavor. Good amount of heat in an appropriate amount of sauce. Could have been a little crispier. Super convenient and high value ($10 during happy hours) but a bit of a claustrophobic ceiling. Place still is great.

**Don't Know Tavern**: Damn good wings. Very good consistency, just right in size and quality. A little mild for a hot wing, but oh boy that sauce. Perfect creaminess from the butter, sticking to the wings, and enough acid to bite the back of your tongue. Perfectly crispy. I would be remiss to mention that on Mondays and Wednesdays an order of wings is $6. Which is almost unthinkable for the quality you are getting here.

**iBar**: Also damn good wings. A little bit of variability in the size and quality of the product. Had 2 broken flats in a single order. Perfect heat for an order of hot with great creaminess and attachment. Perfect amount of sauce with just the right bite. Ordered both regular and fried hard orders. Feel like the absolute perfect crispiness is somewhere in between the 2.

**Kisling**: I live near Kislings and have eaten hundreds of wings from here. I was VERY disappointed this evening. Had 2 broken wings and varied in size, sauce was good but WAY too much of it and they were overcooked. It was also grimey, far worse than normal. Not sure I'll be back anytime soon, also forgot to photo these.

**Nepenthe**: Pretty good overall. Mostly good consistency in quality, 2 were a little too big, and the order itself only had 8 wings. There was no heat to the sauce, but the sauce was good, good consistency and creaminess. On advice of this sub, we ordered them crispy and thank god we did. Because even ordering them crispy they were not at all. Feel like they would be rubber on a normal order. Overall tasty but not executed terribly well.

**Charles Village Pub**: Not going to bother scoring the restaurant because its bad. Absolutely terrible. Reasonable consistency in size and quality. Terrible and broken sauce, no creaminess, no heat. The order came out cold and we sent them back. The kitchen refried the entire order, including the half eaten wing that I left on the plate. Somehow they came back still luke warm but I didn't bother eating them. The waiter was also terrible. These were the worst wings I've ever had, and that's saying something.

**Lighthouse Tavern**: The first thing you notice on these is that they have grill marks. Turns out they are baked, fried, grilled, then sauced. I'm not sure why all of that is necessary, but it adds up to a very tender and well cooked wing. If you closed your eyes it would be hard to tell the difference between these and Nepenthe with slightly better execution. A good wing, with a good consistency in sauce, could use more heat and be a bit crispier.

**Claddaugh**: I used to get beer tubes and wing platters here back in the day and remember these wings being better. The quality was not good - the size of the wings was all over the place. Some were so big they could have been turkey legs (bottom right in photo), two were broken. The sauce seemed to be Frank's with a little vinegar added and quickly broke, definitely needed more fat and better emulsification. They were not crispy at all.

**Mahaffey's**: Full Disclosure - I am a beer club member here and have eaten hundreds of wings over the years and sometimes they can be hit or miss. We went on a Wednesday, which is wing night. The consistency was a bit off, some very big, some small, some just right. But really that was the only problem. Perfect amount of sauce with great attachment with just the right heat. Amazing crispiness, and not dry at all, which was impressive considering the size disparity. Very good wings overall.

**Smaltimore**: Consistency was all over the place here as well. On the menu they advertise them as Delia Foley's wings, the sauce is definitely not Frank's based, there wasn't enough of it, and it needed more heat. They were crispy, but dry, which meant they were overcooked (as can be seen in the photo). We did not review our Delia Foley review prior to scoring Smaltimore, and they track similarly across the board, as not very good. Additionally, I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't comment on the scene here. It was "music bingo" night and it was incredibly loud. People were proudly singing Eagle Eye Cherry and Nickelback. They have like 25 TVs, and only one in the back of the bar had the World Series on. So either I'm older than I think, or kids today really love shitty music and hate sports.

**Cheezy Mike's Food Emporium**: Wings were all very big but consistently sized, however had a few broken flats in an order of 8. Taste was fine, and the garnishes of at least 2 kinds of cheeses was pretty pleasant, however I don't think this was Frank's based, it was just slightly off. It had good attachment to the wings, which was why I was very confused why they were drowning in sauce. Way too much sauce. Despite saying right on the menu these are cooked hard, these were maybe under cooked, there was absolutely zero crisp. Soggy from the sauce and then I came to find out they were baked. These are bottom tier wings. Whoever recommended we go here in my last update, you owe me $16 + tip.

**Wet City**: I used to love this place when it was called Dougherty's, and despite everyone raving about every single dish here I've always been disappointed. The wings are not an exception. Couple big wings, one broken flat. They were sauced appropriately, good creaminess, good attachment, just absolutely flat on the heat. I think a little too much vinegar, not enough chili. They were juicy because they are confit cooked then fried, but not crispy at all. I'd put these as fine if you're desperate, but avoid if other options are available.

**Choptank**: We were picking up another buddy from here, and when we walked in he had ordered us beers, so as opportunists we felt compelled to do the thing. Nothing surprising here. Marginal consistency, not great sauce, poor attachment, not enough of it, not enough heat, poor crispiness.

Photos (Mike's>Wet City>Choptank): https://imgur.com/a/2fesYNV

74

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

CheeseCurdCommunism t1_iwi8vxc wrote

Theres something beautiful about Choptank consistently getting dumped on.

20 Bucks for 8 wings is criminal.

51

instantcoffee69 t1_iwijco8 wrote

Thank you for being honest about how Kisling's wings are garbage. We can put that lie to rest, perpetrated by people who haven't eaten there is 5yrs.

24

wbruce098 t1_iwj1mz0 wrote

As someone who moved here 2 years ago… yeah that was one of the first things I learned. Kislings seems to mostly bank on their fame and location I think; they’re always busy but don’t have a good selection of beer (well, there’s always solid demand for basic macro beer I guess) and after 2 mediocre-yet-pricey batches of wings I went back to Lighthouse, where the bartenders know my name.

8

DeliMcPickles t1_iwj90gg wrote

I was there 4 weeks ago and i like their wings. Granted I eat wings probably 8 times a year. But I really think the Kislings hate is a little overblown.

8

schnebly5 t1_iwk62c7 wrote

I slept with one of the bartenders then she ghosted me. Never going back there

−3

Natty-Bones t1_iwid0w1 wrote

Try Turps in Mount Vernon. They also have the best Nachos in the city.

8

wcmotel OP t1_iwjzwz7 wrote

Yo, nachos is in the discussion for next quest.

9

lexabear t1_iwnlze9 wrote

I'm on a nacho quest with a co-worker! We've had fun with it so far.

1

wcmotel OP t1_iwpkaxz wrote

Did you post anything? What are the scoring criteria?

1

lexabear t1_iwpyrml wrote

I didn't develop a point-based scoring system, but following your posts made me wish I had. I just have an overall descriptive rating. Likewise, no formal categories, but I think about things like size, quality of chips, quality of cheese, variety of toppings, and distribution of toppings. My findings so far have been that even mediocre nachos are still nachos, so no major disappointments this far.

So far our favorite has been El Buffalo in Canton. Looking forward to trying more nachos.

1

alaskanbullworm3 t1_iwijwb1 wrote

Not shocked at all about Choptank. Besides ibar and maybe Hudson st, I’ve had a hard time finding a wing around the area that has enough heat as well as a good amount of buf sauce. I’ve tried everywhere in Canton and I’m still on the hunt. Claddaghs can be good but it is so hit or miss. I’ll occasionally hit Canton local on Wednesdays because their wings are decent and they’re 75 cents which are definitely cheapest around.

8

WarmSquare8969 t1_iwlgde3 wrote

I eat wings from Rocket to venus at least twice a month. Price is insane these days but I always enjoy the wings. Havent had undercooked wings there in years. I got to get back to ibar

4

[deleted] t1_iwinyqw wrote

Swallow at the Hollow has great wings!

5

dildobro t1_iwj8nnu wrote

Second! Would love to see how they stack up in this list

3

munchboy t1_iwjgzru wrote

And zen wests next door are pretty great too

3

trymypi t1_iwi8g3v wrote

I recently had at Claddagh and they were pretty good. Really crispy and saucy.

Edit: Claddagh (not Looney's)

4

TonyDanza888 t1_iwj2zg7 wrote

I'm a Claddagh truther for wings and was always telling OP to go there. Looks like he got a bad batch though. I've been disappointed with a couple batches.

4

absolut696 t1_iwj84vq wrote

I’m a wing snob and I would rate Claddaghs as some of the best in the city, I always order them extra crispy and they are good to great 90% of the time. Nothing crazy from a heat-perspective (I like super hot wings) but their sauce is very solid.

The issue I have with OP’s ratings is they are one and done and don’t take into account a sub-par batch. The inconvenient truth about wings is that consistency is a huge factor. For example, kislings at their best are some of the best in the city, but every once in a while I would get a disappointing batch that would put me off them for a while. I’ve found myself hitting the places that consistently give me a solid 8/10 wing (like claddagh’s) rather than a place that flex between 5 and 9 (like Delia’s).

Not really expecting OP to hit a place multiple times, but I think this system is subjective and kind of flawed. I’ve eaten wings at almost all of the places OP has multiple times and have some disagreements/question marks, but whatever it’s a decent foundation and at worse maybe a cook will see this and remember how important it is to try and be consistent with their wings.

A better way to do this would be to crowdsource experiences over time to try and come up with more accurate ratings taking into account quality variances. I know I trust my experiences eating at some of these places for 10+ years over someone who had only been once, no offense to OP.

−3

wcmotel OP t1_iwk0dx6 wrote

You’re shitting me right? One of the easiest dishes on earth to replicate should be evaluated multiple times? Marco Pierre White says if you are good once you should be good a thousand times. I genuinely don’t care if you think this is flawed. It’s not.

Edit: I’ve lived here for 17 goddamn years and most of these places are not new to me. You couldn’t be more wrong.

6

absolut696 t1_iwk8jm6 wrote

Not shitting you at all. Considering how many shitty wings are being served out there I don’t see how you can say they are one of the easiest recipes on the planet. I eat wings all over and it’s rare to find a place who is consistent on how they come out, except for maybe Ibar. The fact that you don’t see this makes my comment even more valid. My friends and I who all eat a lot of wings go so far as to discuss consistency when judging places.

You’re more than welcome to disagree, but I stand by my original comment. Don’t take it personally, but the fact that you think going somewhere once and being some arbiter of wing rankings and then getting upset when someone disagrees is low key hilarious.

0

wcmotel OP t1_iwktueq wrote

There is a big difference between executing correctly and replicating consistently and that’s why you’re wrong. If you think claddaugh is great, why do they get a pass for a night where they are objectively terrible? Shouldn’t their internal standard be great? It’s hilarious that you’re just willing to chalk up lack of standards as an off night.

I’m glad for you that you eat a lot of wings. Do a ranking of your own please.

2

absolut696 t1_iwl7v0p wrote

Claddagh's wings are not objectively terrible though, they are considered by many people that I know as having good to great wings -- what you received does not sound like par for the course. and their sauce is not really how you described it. I don't work for, or have any connection to them, but I just think it's showing that your small sample size is problematic. You even said you remember them being better.

These are bars pushing out wings that you are reviewing, not michelin star restaurants, the cooks often change, have an off-night, or due to volume or other factors they can vary in quality as you should know (but apparently don't understand) since you eat enough wings. It goes back to my original comments that when it comes to wings you are going to get a variance when it comes to things like crispiness or how well sauced they are. I am a regular at Don't Know and have eaten their wings for the last 10+ years and have had many an off-night there, yet you praise them. If you had gone on an off-night you would have dumped on them. The fact that you don't even see this reinforces my point.

It's hilarious how defensive you are getting over my light criticism of your ranking methodology, maybe you should review Snickers' because you sure could use one.

−1

wcmotel OP t1_iwlvzh6 wrote

I find it hilarious you are writing novels. Make your own quest and set your own boundaries pal. Kindly stop reading if you don’t like my methods.

0

absolut696 t1_iwlwk1k wrote

I’m just commenting on a public forum, you’re the one who became defensive when I made an observation about my experience eating wings in the city. I didn’t personally attack your mother. I even said in my original comment that I didn’t expect you to make repeat visits, you just chose to latch on to other parts of my comment.

2

wcmotel OP t1_iwlwuoe wrote

I also commented on a public forum that I think standards of quality matter and I don’t actually give a shit what you say.

0

absolut696 t1_iwlx2cd wrote

Damn dude why are you so hostile lmao, chill out.

3

wcmotel OP t1_iwlxs1c wrote

Dude, piss off already! Conversation is over.

1

26thandsouth t1_iwlfhz5 wrote

Claddaghs wings might have the most underrated wings in the city, especially with their football Sunday 30 for $30 deal (which used to be like $20-25 prior to pandemic).

2

absolut696 t1_iwlj23x wrote

I agree, and OP got super defensive when I pointed this out.

2

alaskanbullworm3 t1_iwmpwvc wrote

Agree- have done the Sunday deal quite a few times recently. Couple sub par batches, but most of the time they slap.

1

AnthonyApasta t1_iwjj7ky wrote

FWIW, iBar gets my vote for best wings

4

Killbot_Wants_Hug t1_iwk64k0 wrote

I always tell people that iBar is pretty consistently rated as the best wings in Baltimore, and I tend to agree.

2

AreWeCowabunga t1_iwl7pq6 wrote

I eat a lot of wings and it’s not even close.

2

AnthonyApasta t1_iwlb91r wrote

I agree! If I'm feeling wings no other spot even comes to mind, it's iBar every time

2

[deleted] t1_iwia0u5 wrote

[deleted]

3

wcmotel OP t1_iwk0ok9 wrote

I worked with an imbecile to format this.

6

jwalker3181 t1_iwizuum wrote

Try Zen West

3

YoYoMoMa t1_iwl0d5w wrote

I have never had anything that was above average there, despite my desire to like the place.

1

wbruce098 t1_iwj0i9u wrote

Nice to see Lighthouse get some love around here! I’ve been a fan of their wings for a while now, some of the best on the east side IMHO.

3

absolut696 t1_iwj8r3u wrote

Hit up City Limits, I recommend you get the Original and the Buffalo Garlic. Also highly recommend getting a side of their Xtra hot for dipping, it has some serious heat. They also use great blue cheese. I would argue they are the best in Sobo most of the time, although as always with wings, it’s possible to get a subpar batch. I usually try and mitigate that by ordering extra crispy.

2

YoYoMoMa t1_iwl0iis wrote

Great update. I haven't been to Wet City in a few years. Bummed to hear their food has fallen off.

I was thinking about you when I went to Joe Squared on Saturday. Good wings cooked well but they sauce appeared to just be slopped on after.

2

wcmotel OP t1_iwl0st9 wrote

Maybe I’m wrong. But I’ve never liked anything at Wet City. I have tried very hard to like it.

We will hit Joe squared at some point I think.

2

YoYoMoMa t1_iwl1bcq wrote

I thought they had a good burger and fries back in the day. And the hot chicken.

1

abslte23 t1_iwiojka wrote

Damn Bruce Lee wings closed!?. Sorry moved from the area awhile ago. Well if you're in York, PA try Quaker Steak and Lube

1

Proteus617 t1_iwiwyoh wrote

Bruce Lee's wings were fantastic and singular. Cross between General Tso's chicken and buffalo wings.

3

Sm3llmys0x t1_ix9s918 wrote

I suggested Cheezy Mike's. Your experience doesn't align with mine, aside from the obnoxious sauce pool - which is something I welcome. It's a bummer that they're not consistently pumping out a good product. I genuinely thought you would enjoy those wings, based on what I remember from my summer 2021 visit. As far as the $16+tip, let's do it this way: you recommend a wing spot I should try that, in your opinion, is on par with Cheezy Mike's. Then I'll go waste my money at the place you recommend, and you get a little redemption. Eye for an eye, if you will.

1

wcmotel OP t1_ix9tbfx wrote

LOL! Never! They were really bad. We ended up tossing half the order in the trash and moved on to Wet City!

1

stinkbugking86 t1_iwjzehx wrote

CM CHICKEN!!!!

0

wcmotel OP t1_iwkvvye wrote

This appears to be Korean fried chicken.

1

stinkbugking86 t1_iwokzo2 wrote

They have incredible wings!! Is there something that I’m missing that makes these not relevant?

0

wcmotel OP t1_iwpkfxn wrote

This is a Buffalo only contest. I’ve detailed why previously and extensively.

Basically it’s not an apples to apples comparison.

1

26thandsouth t1_iwlf6ue wrote

Great breakdown... However you made the classic mistake of going with the standard/sloppy/soggy choice of a wet Buffalo sauce... Rather than the far superior old bay dry rub with Buffalo dipping sauce on the side.

−2

Ghoghogol t1_iwi9518 wrote

No Hip Hop Fish and Chicken? No NY Fried Chicken?

−7

Scrilla_Gorilla_ t1_iwil0si wrote

He’s bar hot wings, not a chicken box. Best chicken box is Chicken Paul on Loch Raven. Technically the county but it’s inside the beltway.

3

justinbreaux t1_iwixaos wrote

Are they still good?! I used to go there all the time as a high schooler and have fond memories. They changed ownership during the time I was going but the wings remained excellent.

0

Scrilla_Gorilla_ t1_iwj0ano wrote

Not a thing has changed since I’ve started going there five years ago, it’s almost hard for me to imagine them changing ownership. It’s an old Asian lady everyone affectionately calls mom who pretends she doesn’t speak a lick of English, and her husband.

I always get a four piece chicken box with one of the fry varieties, and it never disappoints. Just deep fried wings, drum and flat still connecten, so really four wings is eight, and they have western, seasoned, and regular fries. Hot sauce packets for the chicken. The wings are always big and rarely broken. Still only $7-8.

2