Gator's Wing Shack - Palatine

Gator's Wing Shack Grill & Pizzeria is located on Rand Rd. in Palatine, IL

The Wing Joint:


1719 Rand Rd. Palatine, IL

Coming off yet another win in the mild wing category at the 2015 Chicago Wing Fest, Gator's slogan says it all, "All you need is wings."  I don't get up north to Palatine, IL very often, but on my way home from a snowboarding trip to Alpine Valley, Wisconsin, it was "conveniently" on the way home.  Gator's has faired very well in past Chicago Wing Fests, taking home 14 first place awards and a 4 time winner of best of festival since 2001.  This place was high on my list of wing joints to check out and after a cold day on the slopes, some hot wings would really hit the spot.  Do you smell that?  The smell of garlic is in the air, literally.  You can smell the garlic wings before even walking in the door.  The wing joint itself is simple, tables are close quarters but comfortable.  As you walk in, the bar to the right, dining room tables to the left.  Chicago sports memorabilia covers the walls of this popular, busy Saturday night wing joint.  Its all about the wings here and as we are being seated, that's all I see.  Wings!  Wings everywhere.  Everyone here is eating wings.  Even the birthday party gathering a few tables away, besides a few sides dishes, they ordered easily over 100 wings.  I'm surrounded by wings and wing eaters, is this heaven?  Now that I've caught a glimpse of my next meal, my mouth begins to water, so lets get to it.

The Wing Review: 

Garlic Buffalo

Gator's offers 12 sauces or get 'em plain.  My selection: 10 Garlic Buffalo and 10 Jalapeño Buffalo.  As usual lets start with the wings themselves.  Mainly jumbo in size, as you can see by the picture, wing tips included.  Why do some places still include the wing tip?  Is there any bigger waste sauce?  anyway, the temperature was hot and cooked to order but not quite the steam rising  hot I look for.   With jumbo wings comes the meat, which is tender and juicy.  Wings are drenched in sauce but careful, slippery when wet.  You can order more for a dollar extra.  With the amount of garlic and jalapeno's in the sauce, each bite gives you a tasty, meaty, saucy bite.  I've been plenty of places that coat only one side of the wing, here it's nice distributed over the wing.  The only thing really missing is that crispy crunch, but there's more positives to make up for the lack or crispiness, like the sauce.

Garlic buffalo flavor is one of the more popular sauces.  You can even buy it by the jar; available in local grocery stores or online.  Little bits of garlic soaked in the near perfect mild buffalo sauce.  First thoughts, with that much garlic, will it be a bit over powering?  I mean since the whole places smells like garlic.  However, it was just right, nicely spread over the wings so it wasn't to much.  Is there is such a thing as to much garlic?  Yes and the garlic wings Gators brought to Chicago Wing Fest, had a little too much garlic, even for me.  A little under cooked too, but in the restaurant they are nicely done.  Award winning flavor, in my opinion, earning 5 star flavor.

Jalapeno Buffalo is nicely covered with diced jalapeno's mixed again with the award winning buffalo sauce.  Looks good right?  Yes, these wings are as tasty as it looks.  I did expect a bigger blast of heat which never arrived.  A friend of mine, who cant handle much heat at all, ate one with no problem.  Maybe the jalapeno pepper just doesn't warm me up like it did in my early hot wing eating days.  A bit disappointing, but again with the award winning mild sauce helping, its still not bad.

Wing Night: None


Side Notes:
+Award winning sauce is also available in local grocery stores or on Gator's website.
+Even on Saturday night, walked in and got a table.
-$1.49 extra for celery?  Yes, seriously.
-Also ordered an Italian beef sandwich and fries which is average.  Stick with the wings.

Moment of Truth and Why:


Jalapeno Buffalo

Overall: 4.5 Star Wings
Temperature: 4
Size & Texture: 4.5
Sauce: 4.5
Flavor: 5
Heat: 3

Individual Sauces:
Garlic Buffalo: 5
Jalapeno Buffalo: 3

I've had gator's wings twice in February.  Once at the restaurant and once at Wing Fest, in which I went back to Gator's booth twice.  These wings are good, I don't live close but it was worth the trip.  Garlic Buffalo was better than most garlic buffalo sauces I've had.  Jalapeno Buffalo was a little disappointing.  Gator's needs to work on a buffalo hot sauce.  I didn't try the Mexican Hot Buffalo, so maybe that has the heat I seek.  There's always next time, and yes there will be a next time.  The mixture their awarding winning mild sauce with the garlic and jalapeno's, make both my wing choices delicious.  See you soon Gator's and congrats on another win at the 2015 Chicago Wing Fest.  The Italian beef sandwich and fries aren't bad either.

Website: http://www.gatorswingshack.com/

 

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

I'm 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!

Italian Beef Sandwich with Fries

Tap House Grill - Westmomt

The Tap House Grill has 9 Chicagoland locations; I went to the Westmont location.

The Wing Joint:
The Tap House Grill; Addictive Food and Creative Brew is the slogan you'll find on the cover of this typical bar menu.  I hope its true, because the bar itself isn't much to look at.  That doesn't stop the family diners who take most of the tables tonight.  Must be about the food.  This laid back bar does try and class it up; a fireplace surrounded with couches and a wall mounted TV highlights the center of the dining area.  Large comfy booths along the wall with some small lamps and plants around to give it somewhat that homey feel.  Maybe I'm just trying to be nice.  Anyway, they have a ton of beer options and a even a beer club.  The beer of the month, Laginitus IPA on tap for $3.75, yes please.  In total, 36 draft beers, 8 bottles and 26 can options.  For $1 you can sample any of their draft choices too, except their featured drafts.  The menu is your typical bar fare filled with burgers, sandwiches, wraps, appetizers, and several side options including 4 types of fries.  But lets get to the only thing that brought me in, the wings.  With the 2015 Chicago Wing Fest right around the corner and there Sriracha Sweet Chili wings taking the crown in 2013 for best of festival and best exotic wing category, I had to try 'em...so lets order.

The Wing Review: 

Exotic (Sriracha Sweet Chili)

There are 4 wing choices: Samual Adams BBQ, Mild, Buffalo Hot, and Exotic (Sriracha sweet chili sauce).  So I went with Buffalo Hot and Exotic.  The plate of wings presentation looks delish and can't wait to dive in.  As always, the wings first.  The crispy breaded chicken wings are jumbo, meaty, and tender.  Nice and moist.  Temperature served was of course hot and right out of the kitchen, but not the steaming hot I like.  The sauce was coated on the wings nicely but that was all, hardly a drop of extra sauce on the plate, especially the Buffalo Hot.  More sauce please.  I would have asked for more, but the service was slow and didn't feel like eating cold wings.  Now for the flavors/sauce.  The Buffalo Hot is nice flavor and that's generous.  Its a little different then the average sauce and Ill give it an extra 1/2 star for going outside the norm.  The heat is low for a "hot" wing.  Sure the heat is there, but is it enough to be considered hot?  Not really.  Lets call them medium.  Additionally, all the tables do have Tap House Grill hot sauce you can add, but I didn't try it.  Maybe I should have, but I don't know, when the bottle looks sticky and like its been sitting on the table for awhile, doesn't look all that appetizing.  Moving on, to

Buffalo Hot

the award winning Exotic flavor is different.  The description is a Sriracha Sweet Chili sauce, its not to shabby.  I would describe it as a sweet mango sticky with a little bit of spicy.  The little spicy makes this a better wing flavor.  Not sure I would call these award winning but they are good.  I think if I ever came back, it would be for the Buffalo Hot.
Oh yeah, we also ordered boneless Mild sauce and its very average, but do yourself a favor and don't even order the boneless.  It was all breading and little meat.  Stick with traditional wings here.

Wing Night: Monday nights: Wings-Suds-Spuds 10 wings and fries for $5.00!


Side Notes:
+Another location with a great craft beer selection.
+Join the beer club for discounts.
- Service is a bit slow, had to ask 3 times for water and bill took awhile to arrive
-If a customer has had to much to drink, stumbling, talking obnoxiously loud and knocking his bar stool over multiple times, you may want to call him a cab and not serve him another drink.

Moment of Truth and Why:

Wing Order: Buffalo Hot (left), Exotic (right)

Overall: 3.5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 4
Size & Texture: 4.5
Sauce: 3
Overall Flavor: 3.5
Overall Heat: 3.5
Individual Sauces:
Buffalo Hot: 4
Exotic (Sriracha Sweet Chili): 3.5


There was a lot of hype walking to this joint, a previous Chicago Wing Fest winner for the Exotic wings, I expected something great.  Quite frankly I left a little disappointed.    If I was in a jury room, I can tell you these wings wouldn't walk away winning anything.  Wings clearly look great, but "don't judge a wing by the picture."  Buffalo Hot is the way to go.  Its not that the exotic was terrible, but does live up its award winning past.  I didn't have a chance to order the BBQ, perhaps next visit.  I live near by the Westmont location and drive by all the time, and this was still my first visit.  Does that say something about the appearance of a dark average looking bar on the outside?  Maybe...but like I said the only reason I came, was the wings.  Next time I'm on my way home from work and get the sudden wing craving, I would stop by again.  Sure, if I was on right street in the town of Westmont on Monday for wing night.  Hint hint, it would take a lot of circumstances for me to come back.  To harsh?  Let me know what you thing.

Join their beer club

Website: www.taphousegrills.com

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

Find me on the Untappd App "Chicago's Wingman to see what beers I'm drinking to wash down the wings I'm eating.

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 Wing Fest 2015.

Another Round Bar & Grill - Downers Grove Super Bowl Sunday

Another Round is located on Main St. in downtown Downers Grove

The Wing Joint:

Another Round 5141 Main St. Downer Grove, IL

Most people like going to a party or their favorite bar on Super Bowl Sunday, and I'm no different.  Another Round Bar & Grill in Downers Grove is one of my favorite spots in the suburbs.  Even during the blizzard with  19" of snow falling I managed to make it out for Super Bowl XLVI.  Another Round was actually one of WGN's Chicago's Best Top 10 places for Super Bowl Sunday.  The bar is also known as the "Madhouse on Main St."  This official Chicago Blackhawks bar is great to come for drinks after getting off the train in Downers Grove, the 19th hole, or for any game your looking for; the bartender will put it on for you.  Enjoy one of their 20 beers on tap, craft bottle and can selections on the patio, weather permitting.  Just like most, tons of TV's and several projection screens throughout, so there isn't a bad seat in the house.  Rent out their private party room with a separate bar for your party.  This a great place to bring your family for dinner, too.  The menu is loaded with more than just your typical bar selection.  Serving up thin, pan, specialty, and stuffed pizza's, taco's, pasta's, salads, sandwiches, a great selection of appetizers, burgers, and of course wings.  Seriously if you don't find something for you, then what do you eat?  I know what your thinking; this sounds like a typical bar menu...but does your bar have a cheezy Italian beef burger or Italian beef quesadillas?  Yes, Italian beef on a burger topped with mozzarella cheese is one of favorite menu items.  Check out the menu on the website link.   Come hungry.  Now for the wings....

The Wing Review:

My Favorite, Zesty Garlic

So I might be a little bias, because I love their wings and have 'em multiple times.  So lets start with the wings themselves.  Medium to jumbo in size, not quite 5 star in size but an order of 10 will fill you up.  Temperature served is steaming hot, just the way I like 'em.  The sauced wings are very meaty and tender with a crispy crunch.  Looking for that extra crunch, the Dry Rub is for you; although a few can end up a little over cooked but you won't even notice after the spice lights up your taste buds.  I would like to see a little more sauce covering the wings.  I haven't had all the sauce flavors but I'll tell you a little about the sauces/flavors I have had. 
From hottest on down, in order: Hot, Sweet Heat Asian, Zesty Garlic, Dry Rub, Medium, and Garlic Parm.  The Hot sauce is the 2nd hottest they offer, and yes they are hot but there isn't much flavor.  Very bland tasting just leaves your mouth burning; very average taste.  Sweet Heat Asian sauce was better than average, but the heat has gone missing.  These wings lack the heat for being rated 3rd hottest on the menu.  Sweet, flavorful, and tasty?  Yes to all, but heat was disappointing.  Zesty Garlic is my favorite.  Buffalo sauce with a great amount of heat and it's that garlic flavor that makes every bite a party in your mouth, 5 star flavor.  The Dry Rub I already mentioned; these are rated 6th hottest on the menu yet has more heat than Sweet Heat Asian and Zesty Garlic.  Move these up the thermometer.  Medium is a great buffalo tasting sauce with a little heat, perfect for the everyday wing eater who wants a little heat with big flavor.  Much better than most medium/mild buffalo wing sauces out there.  Finally...the Garlic Parm is all about the flavor.  Perfect for that wing craving but not necessarily feeling like the heat.  A nice blend of the garlic and parmesan make a great wing option.  Can you ever go wrong with a garlic parm wing?  Most of the wings flavors and sauces have a lot of flavor.  The Hot has been the only disappointment.

Try the Dry Rub

Wing Night: None

Side Notes:
+Outdoor patio
+Awesome menu items; Cheesy Italian Beef Burger is intense.
-Check the Hawks schedule, won't likely get a table if you show up after a game starts.
-Avoid the nachos; ordered during SB XLVI and they were not good.




Moment of Truth and Why:

The Wing Menu

Overall: 4.5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 5
Size & Texture: 4
Sauce amount: 3.5
Overall Flavor: 4.5
Overall Heat: 3.5
Individual Flavors/Sauces:
Hot: 2
Sweet Heat Asian: 3
Zesty Garlic: 5
Dry Rub: 4.5
Medium: 4
Garlic Parm: 4

Sweet Heat Asian

For the most part, these wings won't disappoint.  They fall just short of a 5 star wing joint because of the heat ratings and descriptions.  The Hot needs more flavor and Sweet Heat Asian needs more heat.  If I could redo their heat rating Dry Rub would be switched with Sweet Heat Asian.  My favorites again are Zesty Garlic and the Dry Rub.  I don't find to many dry rub flavored wings I would order twice.  On Super Bowl Sunday these are the two flavors are just what I was looking forward too.  I even tried to recruit Another Round to participate in 2015 Chicago Wing Fest.  We'll see what happens.  Another early favorite for my 2015 Top 10 wings list and 2015 Top 5 wing joint, coming in December.



Website: http://anotherroundbarandgrill.com/

 

Follow me on twitter @chicagowingman

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

Popeye's - Ghost Pepper Wings

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen has locations throughout the United States.

The Wing Joint:

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen has been bringing you the New Orleans authentic spicy and mild cripy fried chicken and seafood for over 40 years.  Since I usually take this time to describe the atmosphere of whatever bar or restaurant I am checking out, and Popeye's is your typical fast food restaurant,  I decided to give you a brief history of the famous chicken joint.  Popeye's started in 1972 by Alvin C. Copeland Sr., he wanted to sell spicy New Orleans style chicken after his first venture of selling only southern fried chicken had failed.  According the history page on Popeye's website, it was named after Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, a fictional character portrayed by actor Gene Hackman in the films The French Connection in 1971.  In 1983 the buttermilk biscuit was created which is still a staple menu item and in 1985 opened their 500th location.  So lets fast forward to 2014-15, when Popeye's long time spokesperson "Annie" was in a commercial adverting the taste the mystery of Ghost Pepper campaign for their new wings.  I have a Popeye's about a mile away, so here we go.

The Wing Review:

6 Ghost Pepper Wings

The Ghost Pepper wings must be popular; the first time I tried to get the wings they were sold out.  People must be as curious as I am of  the heat hype.  Picking up wings from a drive thru, my first question is how long have these wings been sitting under the heat lamp?  However, I had to wait 4 minutes for a fresh batch, temperature is steaming hot still when I get home, good start.  The wings are medium in size, are marinated then battered, breaded, and deep-fried.  No sauce rating on these wings, the flavor is all in the breading which was flaky and with a satisfying crunch, and the meat, was nice and juicy.
Now for the Ghost Pepper spice.  Popeye's says the wings are marinated 12 hours in "an exotic blend of peppers" including ghost peppers.  The Ghost Pepper is one of the, if not the hottest pepper on the planet.  With over 1 million Scoville unit, a true ghost pepper wing would set your mouth on fire.  Are Popeye's wings are hot and spicy?  Yes.  But Ghost Pepper hot?  Well, no and not even close.  The heat is above average and sticks on your lips awhile, but still I expected a little more heat for the name.  For the everyday wing eater, these would be more than enough spice.

Wing Night: None


Side Notes:
+Get a side of Cajun mashed potato's.
-My first attempt to order the wings, they were sold out for the day and I have to come back the following night.

Moment of Truth and Why:

Overall: 3.5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 5
Size & Texture: 3
Sauce: 0
Flavor: 3.5
Heat: 3.5

These wings get a better than average rating, but not because of the advertised heat.  Greasy, crispy wings that a lot of heat, don't get me wrong, they're hot, but these wings don't live up the hype of Ghost Pepper wings, but should you be surprised?  A fast food fried chicken joint claiming to have wings using  one of the hottest peppers on the planet?  I'm sure there is a small dash of the spice mixed in with their usual Cajun spices but hey stop by and take some home.  Nice for the price.  Being a self proclaimed wing connoisseur, these were a must try as soon as I saw the commercial, but I tried them so you don't have to go out of your way to do so.



Website: http://popeyes.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.  See you 2015 Chicago Wing Fest.