Palmer Place: Restaurant & Biergarten - La Grange

Palmer Place is located on La Grange Rd. right in the middle of downtown of La Grange, IL

The Wing Joint:

56 S. La Grange Rd. La Grange, IL

Family owned since 1983, this popular family friendly atmosphere is a great place to grab one of hundreds of beers or one of their 33 signature  burgers, including my favorite, the Inferno Burger.  The  350 person capacity biergarten is one not to miss.  Its rated one of the best in the suburbs, ranked #4 in Chicagoland by Chicago Tribune, and my person favorite.  The newly added second floor outdoor patio over looks the many tables below filled with families, friends, co-workers, and neighbors.  The restaurant slogan "where neighbors become friends" rings true.  Inside: casual dining up front, bar in the back playing all the games on their many TV's.  With a ton going on in downtown La Grange, this a great lunch spot to take that much needed break from shopping or an early dinner and beer before heading the movies, which is just few doors down.  The craft beer selection is beyond impressive, serving up local, nationwide, and seasonal brews to specialty beers from around the world.  With 20 drafts and 260 bottle and can beers, there is one for every beer drinkers taste...if your over 21 that is.  They even carry Unita Brewing Company beers, my favorite Salt Lake brewery.  Hop Nosh IPA on draft, yes please.  With the burgers being so delish, it wasn't to hard to believe that I never had the wings before, but the time has come.  I'm here for the wings, so lets order.

The Wing Review:

The Wings as they arrive.

4 wing choices offered: Honey Mustard, BBQ Style, Buffalo Spicy, and Firey General Tso's.  Before I get to the sauces lets start with the wings themselves.  Temperature was served hot but cooled quickly.  First trip, the waitress only brought out 6 wings , 2nd trip out, she brought the rest.  That's an extra 2-3 minutes they sat out.  Do I nit-pick to much?  Wing size was medium to jumbo, a mix of both.  Great crispy crunch and the tenderness was just ok.  A few of the wings seemed a little over cooked, which lowered my rating.  The sauce amount was excellent, not only did the wings come nicely coated but they came with a small cup of extra sauce on the side without even asking.  Nicely done.  Now for my favorite part of reviewing wings: the flavor and heat that each sauce brings.  I ordered 3 of the 4 choices; the menu says BBQ Style is made with homemade sauce yet the waitress said it was Sweet Baby Rays...So those are out.  Honey Mustard is one of my favorite dipping sauces.  Great with chicken tenders or nuggets, but this was my first experience on wings.  No heat and they tasted just like your everyday honey mustard sauce.  A little sweet, but for me, there's nothing wrong with that.  You know what your getting with this order.  I don't see Honey Mustard wings offered to often but I'd get them again.

Buffalo Spicy

Buffalo Spicy has a nice kick, another classic sneak heat buffalo sauce.  The kick comes after a few bites in.  For the everyday wing eater the spice is just right.  A nice balance of heat and flavor here.  A 4 star flavor and worth ordering.  What's odd is of the 3 flavors I tried, Buffalo Spicy didn't come with the extra sauce.

Firey General Tso's

When you think of General Tso's chicken, many think hot, spicy, sticky sweet and sour, packed with so much flavor and heat your taste buds are on overload.  You're often glad some water or fresh cold beer is near by, but not here.  Extremely disappointing, I saved the Firey General Tso's wings for last thinking nothing else on the table could compare to heat and flavor as the name claims...boy was I wrong.  The sticky sweet and sour sauce part was there but where's the heat?  Waiting, still waiting...Seriously?  None?  That's right, no heat at all.  The Mexican egg rolls we order had more spice and heat.  Did they forget to add the spice ingredients?  You cant have a name like Firey General Tso's wings with no heat.  Call them sweet and sour sauce wings.  These get my lowest wing rating of this early 2015 and quite possibly of the year.  What a let down.

Wing Night: None


Side Notes:
+Seriously come for the beer selection and biergarten.
+Like burgers?  Try my favorite The Inferno Burger.
-Good luck getting a table on Friday or Saturday summer nights without waiting.
-Service has been known to be slow.  Even in the January, we had to ask for our server after being seated for almost 10 minutes.

Moment of Truth and Why:

Honey Mustard

Overall: 3-Star Wings 
Temperature: 3.5
Size & Texture: 3.5
Sauce: 5
Overall Heat: 3
Overall Flavor: 3
Honey Mustard: 3
Spicy Buffalo: 4
Firey General Tso's: 1




Summertime in the Biergarten

Ok here is the deal, this place is known for their awesome burgers and the summer biergarten atmosphere.  I used to live near by and can't even tell you how many times I've come for the beer selection and a burger with family or some buddies.  I love wings, obviously, but I never had 'em here before I started this Chicago Wingman project.  The wings are worth trying ,sure, but go ahead and share with a group of friends before the burgers arrive.  I wouldn't consider this a wing night spot.

Website: http://www.palmerplacebeer.com/

 

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

I'm always looking for a new wing joint, got a favorite?  Tell me about it and I'll check it out.  As always, hope this helps and enjoy.  See you at Chicago Wing Fest 2015!

The Anthem - Chicago

The Anthem is located on Division St. in West Town

The Wing Joint:

The Anthem - Chicago

The Anthem is a sports bar with a vintage saloon feel.  Step up to the old wooden bar that's serving up a great craft beer selection, making this joint a hot spot to watch a game.  That's exactly what I came to do, and the occasion?  The NFC Championship game, which became an instant classic game and glad I was surrounded by the energetic atmosphere.  But I hear the food ain't bad either.  The Anthem may be better known for the food, especially the Minnesota classic "Jucy Lucy" burger, which is a stuffed patty with Velveeta cheese.  As excellent as that burger sounds, again my initial visit it for the wings.  Nice thing about The Anthem is you can make reservations for game days, which I didn't know so we had a to wait a few minutes for a table but no big deal.  Two huge projection screens broadcast the game, along with several 65" TV's throughout the bar.  Another great craft beer selection is no surprise to this popular neighborhood hangout.  Checking out the menu, there is a ton great looking choices to from while getting settled in for the game.  Even though the place was packed, the service was great, beer was served cold and food was hot.  There isn't a bad seat in this house, which is rated "one of the best 100 bars" in Chicago 2013 and 2012 winner "best new sports bar" by Chicago Magazine.  Also seen on Chicago's Best for the "Jucy Lucy" burger and best food in sports bar 2014 by Zagat.  They even got outdoor seating when it gets nicer out.  Check out the game watching events and the specials on their website link below.  I'll be back for that Jucy Lucy burger another day.

The Wing Review:


6 Cholula Buffalo Drumettes

The drumettes come served with two choices, Cholula Buffalo or Asian BBQ with Ginger Aioli French cut wings.  Or some might call them "lollipop" wings.  I went with the Cholula Buffalo and wasn't disappointed...quite the opposite in fact.  Wings are served steaming hot.  Jumbo in size, meaty and tender with a nice crispy bite.  Nicely sauced, don't need a bath after and didn't need to ask for more.  The sauce is one of the best "buffalo sauces" I've had in awhile.  The Cholula kicks the heat up a notch.  Pretty decent kick, more that I expected.  These wings placed 2nd in the Mild category at the 2012 Chicago Wing Fest.  In my opinion, I would say the Cholula Buffalo is more than mild but not quite hot.  The sauce, flavor, and heat is just right and these are a must try for wing fans.  6 wings are $9.99 is pretty steep but for my first 5 star rating of 2015, its worth the price of admission.  I can't speak about the Asian BBQ flavored drumettes, but I see them in the near future with another review to follow.  I apologize about the picture quality. 



The bar

Wing Night: None


Side Notes:
+Takes reservations for the big game events.
+Great craft beer selection.
-The food and drinks are little pricey.
-If you didn't make a reservation for the game, you'll have to wait, so arrive early.  You wont be seated until your entire party has arrived.

Moment of Truth and Why:


Dale's Pale Ale Tallboy

Overall: 5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 5
Size & Texture: 5
Sauce: 5
Flavor: 5
Heat: 5

Jumbo wings check, flavor and heat was a perfect combination and sauced just the way I like it.  Even with a packed house on big game day, the wings were served steaming hot and quality didn't suffer.  What more is there to say?  You gotta check this place out for the game and these award winning 5 star Cholula Buffalo drumettes.

Website: http://www.theanthemchicago.com/menu/

 

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

Always looking for a new wing joint, got a favorite wing joint?  Tell me about and I'll check it out.  Hope this helps and enjoy.  See you at 2015 Chicago Wing Fest!

Crosstown Pub and Grill - Naperville

Located on Ogden Ave. in Naperville.

The Wing Joint:

Open on Christmas!

Crosstown Pub has the neighborhood bar feeling on a busy Ogden Ave. loaded with strip malls and chain stores.  Walk in and your right at the bar area and it was packed with co-workers and friends meeting after work for a beer and a bite.  Luckily there is a dinning area you don't even see until you turn the corner.  There's even an out door patio.  Because of the location, a ton of daily specials to keep you coming back, and the well known wing menu this place is usually crowded.  I also went on trivia night, so I'm sure that contributed.  Dinning area was very noisy.  They had a verity of sports the wall mounted TV's to watch while I think about the extensive craft beer list of 20 drafts, 24 craft bottles, and 15 cans.  Can never go wrong with a Revolution Anti-Hero draft.  Did I mention this place was noisy?  Crosstown Pub has been nationally and locally recognized for their food, especially their wings.  I read some online reviews before coming in and many patrons say this is their favorite wing joint.  Rated #1 wings by ABC and have "They hottest wing challenge ever" that's been seen on the Travel Channel and Chicago's Best.  They use pure Ghost Pepper Extract & Ghost Pepper Power with their own Devil's Sweat.  I like my wings hot and spicy, but hot damn that sounds hot.  Also an events page on their website with golf outing and charity events.  New location coming to Batavia at the end of January.  Hey look, open Christmas Day!

The Wing Review:


Jalapeno Dry Garlic Buffalo Sauce & Shut Up Sauce

This will be one of my longer reviews, so lets get to it.  There are 21 sauces and 21 dry rubs with 7 dipping sauces and if that wasn't enough to think about, now choose having them cooked naked, breaded, or grilled.  I do wish they had a list of popular combinations on the menu, otherwise your wing order could be a gamble.  I went with a friend and ordered 4 different combinations.  You can split the order of 10 and try more flavors that way or get the 5 sauce sampler.  Its all about the sauce and flavor here but lets start with the wings themselves.  Temperature served was good, this was a better hurry up and eat because they will get cold quick temperature.  Wing size was medium to jumbo.  Meaty and tender and depending on how you order them the crispy level varies.  Now lets talk the sauce and dry rubs.
Here is the order:
5 naked Jalapeno dry rub with buffalo garlic sauce.
5 grilled Shut Up Sauce (a whiskey bbq)
5 naked cool ranch dry rub
5 naked buffalo sauce.
I tried not to get to crazy with the combinations but it would be easy to do so.  Jalapeno dry rub and garlic buffalo had a ton flavor as one can imagine.  Extra jalapenos came on top of the wings and in the sauce to spice it up.  Heat sneaks up on you after a few bites and by far the best of our order.
The Shut Up sauce grilled is like I said a Whiskey BBQ.  Usually not a big  BBQ wing fan but with a name like Shut Up sauce, I gotta try it and it tasted like a very average BBQ sauce. Not spicy not hot, just average, actually a little disappointed.  Spice these up or something, make this sauce stand out like the name indicates.


Buffalo Sauce and Cool Ranch Dry

My friend ordered 5 naked cool ranch and this tastes just like you think...Cool Ranch Doritos but on a wing.  Very tasty, I could eat an entire order of just Cool Ranch.  Also 5 of the buffalo sauce wings were pretty average as well, not spicy but just Buffalo.  Nothing wrong with that but mix this up with a dry rub and you could have one Huelva flavor.  The great thing about this place is if your favorite sauce is just average, you can mix it up a little each trip.  I'll be back for that 5 sauce sampler.  Oh and get the waffle fries, there's an amazing salty seasoning on them, worth it and a nice compliment.  You're Welcome.

Wing Night: Thursday wings are 1/2 priced.  Sauces and dry rubs extra.

Side Notes:
+A new wing month every month!
+Seemingly endless combination of wings to keep you coming back, I know I will be.
-Parking is kind of a pain.
-I said this place is noisy, right?

Moment of Truth and Why:

Overall: 4 Star Wings 
Temperature: 3
Size & Texture: 4
Heat: 3.5
Flavor Overall: 4
Sauce Overall: 4
Jalapeno dry rub with buffalo garlic sauce: 5
Shut Up Sauce (Whiskey BBQ): 2
Cool Ranch dry rub: 4
Buffalo Sauce: 3

Life if full of wonderful decisions

With the amount of combinations, see picture menu to the left, you're bound to find one with right amount heat and flavor, it just may take a few tries.  The Jalapeno dry with Buffalo Garlic was excellent.  Cool Ranch isn't bad by itself either.  The wing menu is overwhelming the first time you lay eyes on it.  I can't even tell you how many times I changed my mind on a combo, came up with a new combo to try or even forgot a what my final order would even be.  Crosstown Pub if you read this, please come up with a list of popular combinations, my brain was hurting by the time I ordered...but let me know I can always help with that list too.  Overall the wings are great and I'll be back to try another combination soon.

Website: http://crosstownpub-grill.com/

 

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

Always looking for a new wing joint, got a favorite ?  Tell me about and I'll check it out.  Hope this helps and enjoy.  Eat more wings!

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Rt. 66 Willowbrook

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket located on historic Route 66 which opened in the summer 1946.

The Wing Joint:
Once a gas station lunch counter, this award winning diner is well known throughout Chicago for its delicious fried chicken.  My family and I have been coming here for many years, whether for a birthday celebration or just for a basket of their famous fried chicken.  Before getting their wings recently, I never even ordered anything else beside the "Chicken Basket" which comes with 4 pieces of freshly cooked fried chicken and fries.  With a diner on one side of the building and the Blue Rooster Lounge on the other, there is usually always a table ready when you walk in.  Decorated with chicken décor on the shelves, walls, and even all the way down to the chicken curtains.  Fresh salad bar located right outside the kitchen and a large fire place, burning all winter long, on their opposite end of the diner.  There is always a daily drink special and Monday - Friday 3-7pm $ .50 wings.  Yes, you heard right.  Wing night every night.  They also have a Route 66 Roadhouse Red Ale on tap, which goes great with dinner.  Recently featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket is right off I-55 and easy to find.  So if you're looking for awesome fried chicken, a chicken pot pie or the award winning wings this you're place, its been my families chicken place for years.

The Wing Review:

Buffalo Wings

I cant say enough about the fried chicken but this time its all about the wings.  There is 5 sauces: Vesuvio, Spicy BBQ, Jamaican Jerk, and the two I had Buffalo and Chef Patrick's Wings.  Their menu says the Buffalo wings are made famous by Guy Fieri and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives so its time to put them to the test.  More on Chef Patrick's Wings later.  The temperature as steaming hot, wings are jumbo and meaty.  Buffalo wings had that deep fried crispy crunch and the Chefs wings that nice char grilled taste, but not to much, so done just right.  So far so good.
First lets talk the made famous buffalo wings.  Seasoned and lightly floured then deep fried and tossed in the buffalo sauce.  As for the buffalo sauce and flavor...it was anything but famous.  Don't get my wrong, its not bad, but sauce was a little too buttery, oily, greasy...can't put my finger on it, maybe all of the above but its flavor was little off.  What's weird is, I took a few wings home, and they actually tasted better reheated then.  The sauce does offer a nice kick to spice it up.

Chef Patrick's Wings

Lets talk the winner of the night, Chef Patrick's Wings.  The wings are deep fried naked, sauced in the secret Chef Patrick's sauce, then char grilled.  These waitress favorite wings are loaded with flavor.  The bite is a little sweet then comes the heat.  The sauce is like a sweet Asian zingy mango flavor with a kick it up notch heat.  Delicious.  All I wanted,  was more wings and what's is in the sauce?  Must try.

Wing Night: Every week night! M-F 3-7pm 50 cent wings!

Side Notes:
+Attention fried chicken lovers, must try
+Nightly drink special and events in the Blue Rooster Lounge like trivia and karaoke.
-The room temperature in the winter can be cold, sit by the fire place.
-We have sent back the chicken pot pie for being cold more than once in the past.  Very good, but temperature served is hot or miss.



Rt. 66 Roadhouse Red Ale

Moment of Truth and Why:
Overall: 4.5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 5
Size & Texture: 4.5
Sauce: 4
Heat: 3
Flavor Overall: 4
Buffalo: 3
Chef Patrick's: 5

Seriously good wings.  Wings are served steaming hot, jumbo in size, meaty, tender, and crispy, basically everything I look for.  Wings don't have much sauce on them, could use a bit more, but the flavor is cooked right into the wings.  Buffalo flavor was a little disappointing because of the hype.  The Chef Patrick Wings, saved the day and was the favorite of the night.  Being so close to home and 50 cent wing night every night, you know I'll be back soon.  Order the Chef Patrick wings and those Jamaican Jerk also sound pretty appetizing.


Chicken nick nak's galore

Yes, chicken curtains

Website: http://chickenbasket.com
 

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

Always looking for a new wing joint, got a favorite wing joint?  Tell me about and I'll check it out.  Hope this helps and enjoy.  Eat more wings!

Buffalo Joe's - Evanston

Buffalo Joe's has 3 locations just north of Chicago, this is the Clark St. in Evanston, IL

The Wing Joint:

Buffalo Joe's - Evanston

Most Chicago wing lovers know about Buffalo Joe's, this place is no joint.  Many say the wings are the best in Chicago, some say the best in America.  The Clark St. location is where I went, which is right downtown Evanston.  Its a small place, walk in and order, had a sample of homemade ham and potato soup while I wait, get my wings and sit down.  A few classic arcade games separate the counter and the dinning area that have a couple of TV's and about a dozen tables.  3 draft beers available.  They do have other menu items like burgers and beef sandwiches, but I'm here for wings.  So did everyone else in the joint as I looked around.  I went in around noon, during lunch hour, and noticed men and women in suits, tradesmen, an elderly couple, and even a young family were all eating these famous Buffalo Joe's Wings...if you have never been, it is must for all wing fans.

The Wing Review:

Spicy Wings

From Buffalo, New York, Buffalo Joe has created 4 wing sauces to choose: mild, spicy, suicide, and bbq.  Only 4 you might say, compared to some of the wing chains, but these sauces have been perfected.  Temperature was perfect, wings are cooked to order and come out steaming.  They are tender and crispy, just the way I love it.  I ordered the spicy and wow what a sauce.  A little tangy with great heat, the perfect amount for the everyday wing eater.  If you look closely you can see little bits of the pepper flakes.  As I started on my notes post meal, I could still feel the heat on my lips.  Hey, with this amazing taste of buttery tangy spicy wing sauce, I don't mind.  One negative, if you can even call it that, is the wing size.  The average wing size is small to medium.  In the picture to the right, there are 12 wings in my single order.  To be fully satisfied I could easily put down a half dozen more.  Celery served on ice is nice touch.  I've said it before and I'll say it again all wing fans need to go here.  One of my all time Top 5 wing joints for 2015 already.

Wing Night: None

Side Notes:
+ I hear the burgers and buffalo chips are a great choice if you are winged out.
- The location.  Whether coming from downtown or the burbs its not an easy place to get too.  The trip is always worth it, however.

Spicy flavor with a Miller Lite

Moment of Truth and Why:

Overall: 4.5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 5
Size & Texture: 4
Sauce: 5
Flavor: 5
Heat: 4.5

Not your average buffalo sauce, lots spice and flavor.  Spicy flavor and heat is just right for the average wing eater, as I mentioned before.  My only negative was the size of the wings.  A little more meat on these wings and this is 5 star wings.  Dare I try the Suicide on my next visit?

Website: http://buffalojoesevanston.com/

Wing It!

 

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I'm always looking and listening for a new wing joint, got a favorite?  Tell me about and I'll check it out.  Hope this helps and enjoy.  Eat more wings!

Wingstop - Multiple Locations

The Wing Joint:
This was my first trip to a Wingstop location and its time to see if all the good things I'd heard were true.  Most locations are simple and small, I counted 10 tables and the restaurant chain is usually found in a strip mall store front.  I went to the Oak Brook Terrace location and found that most people take orders to go and Wingstop make it easy with online ordering.  For me, I need my wings served hot and ready to eat on the spot.  The friendly staff greeted me with a smile, as indicated on the "sandwich paper".  The place was clean and they had several TV's with a college bowl game on one and the Bulls game with the sound on another.  I ordered, food came out quickly, hot, and ready to eat.  Order a combo meal, 10 wings with choice of 2 different sauces, comes with seasoned fresh cut fries and drink.  No beer, no problem.  Don't let the store front strip mall food category fool you, Wingstop takes their wings and sauce seriously.

The Wing Review:


Original Hot

Wingstop has 11 sauces to choose from.  I went with Original Hot and Garlic Parmesan.  The wings came out hot and ready to eat, as I mentioned.  Medium in size.  Meaty and the right amount of crispiness I look for.  The Original Hot was your average wing sauce, with just a little bit of heat, it could use a good kick.  The Cajun flavor claims to fill that void...next time.  I was also eyeing the Atomic for that 5 star heat I like before I even finished my Original Hot.  Anyway, the Garlic Parm. was very flavorful and delicious.  The amount of parmesan shredded cheese is a little over bearing, they lay it on thick on one side of the wing.  Wing side down was almost naked.  Maybe I'm nit picking a little bit, but with the amount of parmesan that falls off the wing when you take a bite, there is plenty left on the plate to coat the naked side with.  I would recommend the garlic parmesan, next trip the Mango Habanero and Cajun for that added heat are calling my name.


Garlic Parmesan

Wing Night: No advertised wing special, but its nothing but wings!

Side Note:
+ TV's with sports and the sound on!
+ Franchise is growing, more convenient locations coming.
- No beer, no problem...but I do enjoy a good beer with wings.
- Only wings, boneless wings, and chicken strips on the menu.  Why is it a bad thing you ask?  Its not, I just hope everyone you're with wants wings too.

Moment of Truth and Why:

Overall: 4 Star Wings 
Temperature: 5
Size & Texture: 4
Sauce: 5
Flavor: 4
Heat: 3
Garlic Parmesan: 4
Original Hot: 3



Fresh cut fries!

Temperature hot and wings meaty?  Yes.  Crispy?  Check.  Wing size was medium.  Lots of sauce choices and I look forward to my next trip to try the others.  The Original Hot was average flavor and heat was lower than expected, so that lost a few points.  Looking forward to trying that Cajun sauce to raise that heat rating.  Seasoned fresh cut fries are a nice compliment to your wing order.

Website: http://www.wingstop.com/

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

Always looking for a new wing joint, got a favorite wing joint?  Tell me about and I'll check it out.  Hope this helps and enjoy.  Eat more wings!


Holiday Season Wing Tour 2014

      The holiday season is filled with family, catching up with old friends, Christmas parties, and of course food.  Its been a busy holiday season for myself, but I didn't stop me from going out for wings, in fact I ate more than usual.  During this holiday season I went to 6 wing joints, 1 grocery store for take home wings, enjoyed Mom's homemade wings, and worked on a few of my own homemade sauce recipes, including my attempt at the recipe of the original buffalo wing sauce by Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY.

      My reviews on Hooters, Wingstop, Another Round in Downers Grove, Buffalo Joe's in Evanston, Crosstown Pub in Naperville, Division Ale House in Chicago, Brookhaven Market take home wings will be coming out all January long so continue to check back.  Ill even review my own mothers wings and tell you about making my own buffalo wing sauce, which needs a little work.  In the mean time, here are the wing joints I checked out with a few mouth watering pictures.  Enjoy and eat more wings!



Divison Ale House - Chicago

 



Division Ale House - Buffalo Sauce





3 Mile Island Wings

Hooters
 



Another Round - Zesty Garlic

Another Round - Downers Grove

Wingstop - Original Hot

Wingstop - Parmesan Garlic 




Jalapeño Dry rub with Spicy Garlic Sauce & Shut Up BBQ

Buffalo Joe's - Spicy

Crosstown Pub - Naperville

Sauce Mom uses

Crosstown Pub - Buffalo Sauce and Cool Ranch Dry Rub

Homemade using Anchor Bar recipe