Hooters - Bacon Wrapped Wings

The Hooters in Aurora, IL was the only location in the Chicagoland area to serve the Bacon Wrapped Wings.

The Wing Joint:

Menu

Its Bacon Fest Week in Chicago and I thought, what better time to write my review on the Bacon Wrapped Wings Hooters offered during the Madness of March.  Congrats to Duke by the way for winning and beating my Utah Utes in the Sweet 16.  I mention this because during March Madness, I ate a ton of wings and watched even more basketball.  Hooters caught my attention actually on Twitter.  They announced for a limited time, at only select locations, they would be testing the market with bacon wrapped wings during the tournament.  Yes bacon is everywhere; seems you can get anything wrapped in bacon these days.  Its not everyday you find a place that serves bacon wrapped wings, at least not in Chicago.  Need less to say, this place jumped right to the top of my list of wings joints to review.  Love 'em or hate 'em, every wing eater out there has their own opinion about Hooters wings.  For me, Hooters was never been my go to wing spot, in fact I couldn't even tell you the last time I even went before this limited time offer was announced.
My Hooters history started when I was a young wing eater.  My first impression wasn't good.  I remember this because it was years later I gave them a second chance.  It was co-worker in 2008 that  convinced me to go back.  He raved about the Three Mile Island Sauce several times before I decided to try the wings again.  Now, Three Mile Island sauce is the only sauce for me on the rare occasion I go.

14 sauce options

Select locations indeed and believe me these bacon wrapped wings were not easy to find.  I called 3 locations closest to my house before one of the managers knew exactly which location in Chicago had them.  I must not be the only one calling.  Aurora, Illinois was the only location and it all had something to do with corporate locations verses the franchises or something, I don't know.  Anyway so off to Aurora I go.  Hooters its self, in my opinion of course, has gone down hill.  Not that its the classyiest of places to begin with but I found the Aurora location a little dirty and under staffed.  Service was slow and why in the world are they blasting club music on a Wednesday night at 6pm?  I could say more about the place itself but again, I'm here for one reason only...bacon wrapped wings.

The Wing Review:

12 Bacon Wrapped Wings w/Three Mile Island

Since this was a first for me, I was curious about the prep that goes into these wings?  So I asked.  I was told the cook wraps the naked wings the night before, only making 20 orders a day.  All drumsticks, 6 wings is considered an order, so I'm glad called ahead to make sure they had some left.  Not your typical heavily breaded and fried Hooters wings.  You do get to select any of their 14 sauces or 2 dry rubs.  Yeah Hooters does have 14 sauces now, which surprised me when I looked over the menu.  6 wings for $9.99 is pretty expensive but are they worth it?
I put in for two orders of 6.  Six wings didn't seem enough to fulfill this highly anticipated wing adventure.  The wing size is medium, not your typical jumbo sized hooters wings.  Temperature is warm, but not steaming hot, so I had better eat them quickly.  They have heat lamps for a reason.  The sauce is tastier and hotter than usual.  Maybe because their normal wings uses a lot of batter, which wings soak up what little sauce they use.
Now lets talk bacon.  The crispy bacon covered the entire wing and the meat was still tender and juicy.  Wow what bite.  Salty as hell, but the mixture of bacon, chicken, hot sauce, is literally in every bite sending my taste buds into a frenzy.  The bacon was wrapped nicely and actually stuck to the wings.  One bite didn't pull the entire piece of bacon off and didn't fall apart on the plate.  This is well crafted as far as wings go, I feel that these wings brought out the best in Hooters wings, of course for a limited time only.  Haha, I couldn't resist.  Maybe they should add the naked wing option.  I also get now why they only serve six wings in an order, these are filling!  After only 8 wings I was stuffed, but that only means I have some to take home.

Wing Night: None


Side Notes:
+14 sauces and 2 dry rubs, does that surprise anyone else?  I was.
-6 wings for 9.99.
-Hooters itself has really gone way down hill.

Moment of Truth and Why:

Close Up

Overall: 3.5 Star Wings 
Temperature: 3.5
Size & Texture: 3.5
Sauce Coverage: 2
Flavor: 5
Heat: 4

I know what your thinking...how can a chicken wing, bacon, and hot sauce combo not be a 5 star rating?  Well for one its Hooters.  Second, its very salty.  The bacon wrapped wings are good, not great.  The flavor and taste are intense for sure, but after 3 or 4, it starts slowly losing its appeal. Its not an order of wings you get every time but a tasty treat every once in awhile.  If I ordered these again, it would be to share that order of 6.  I don't think these last on the everyday menu.  I would be curious to find out how successful or unsuccessful the wings actually did at the Aurora location and across the country.  Hooters if you read this, please Tweet me and let me know.  We all know Hooters wings aren't known for being drenched in sauce, always heavily breaded and deep fried, but my suggestion to Hooters is to test the waters on naked wings.  For those I would return for.  That is all.

Website: https://www.hooters.com



Warmed up the next day

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!

Normal Hooters wing order



Another Close Up