Bham Places Where Chicken Wings Fly: Want wings? Try these

“Man cannot live by bread alone; and sure as hell, not by burgers, alone.” I said that, in case you were wondering (and if I see it on a t-shirt soon, please remember that a free blog likely lacks any significant retirement plan for its writer). But to take it a step more, no one should live without other foods in their lives.

And what I mean is, chicken wings.

Nothing will take the place of the burger. It’s iconic and satisfying in numerous way. But let me wax poetic for a moment about the beauty of the chicken wing. For years, the wing was the chicken cut of last resort, the throw-in to give you two pieces with a chicken breast. And then the wing went to Buffalo, and flew to new heights.

But Birmingham is a mite fer bit from chilly Buffalo. And the quality of the wings in this city reflects it’s obsession with barbecue, and football and well, things other than delicious wings. But we have some diamonds, some delicious wings (even if they are housed in places that drive me batty).

I may decide (if there is ample cheering on from the gallery) to add wing reviews to the blog, but until that happens, I want to give you a list of the top wing places in Birmingham (no order) — and a couple places that I don’t recommend.

Bob Baumhauser’s

Baumhauer’s has wings the way I want them. They are typically extra crispy. For their hot wings, the sauce is good, thin and gives the ring around your mouth like it should. After some nearly 30 years, the place continues to make good wings, and I’ve always been a fan of their curly fries (even when they tried to take them off the menu 15 years ago, and I joined the resistance to get them back).

However, there always seems to a price to pay to go there. For as long as I’ve been going to Baumhauer’s (and regardless of where it is), you can pretty much count on the service and front-end of the restaurant to be whack. They cook a mean wing … that you may wait a long time to get, with minimul beers and attention paid to you. I wish I could say that this was a one-time experience, but alas… It’s happened dozens of times to me, and in a recent unscientific, survey with a few other fans of the place, magically, each of us had the same frustration with them — poor service choreography.

But I still like their wings a lot… and I’ll go back.

Saw’s (any of them)

I’ve reviewed Saw’s Soul Kitchen’s burger a few months ago; and expressed my general belief that they could do better. When it comes to wings, however, I think they are near barbeque/smoked perfection.

Saw’s does not fry their wings, and these are not hot/buffalo flavor. But if you like wings and you appreciate something done well, these wings are. The wings are smoked similarly to the other cuts of meat there, and that gives them one of the best smoky flavors for wings in the city. Then they finish it with drizzled white sauce, regular sauce, and it has a slight kick to it.

My advice: gets some wings from Saw’s in Avondale and an order of Pork and Greens (Saw’s signature dish of cheese grits, greens and pork barbeque) and go next door and sit in the backyard of Avondale Brewery (I’d suggest a Mrs. Fancy’s Tripel or Avondale Saison). You won’t regret it.

My local wing troika – Billy’s Sports Grill (English Village in Mt. Brook), Otey’s (Crestline Village in Mt. Brook) and Rojo (Highland Ave., Bham)

I’m touching on each of these three because they represent something important in my wing cravings – my go-to places that are close. Each of them has an excellent wing, and each of them does them slightly differently. But they are all consistently good and they are all consistently close … and that’s a big deal … you don’t see me writing about how convenient it is to go to Buffalo for a wing, do you?

Billy’s touts itself as an award-winning wing provider, but what I give them is having an excellent sauce and correctly using large, jumbo wings. Many times, the jumbo wing is a big/jumbo mistake because the wing ends up being a goopy, over breaded mess that’s not cooked consistently. But not at Billy’s.

Otey‘s also claims to have award-winning wings, though I’ve gotten to the place where I think it’s equivalent to the “Best Cup of Coffee” in Elf … Anyway, Otey’s has a tasty wing that they will double fry and cover in a nice Buffalo sauce. The wings are cooked to perfection, and I’m a fan of the fries there.

You probably weren’t expecting Rojo, but they do a good job with their wings. Expect to wait a bit longer, because they cook them to order, and I’d suggest asking for them to be double fried, to ensure crispiness. Their sauce is also good, though I don’t know if they make it or not. But to their credit, it’s a good quality sauce, not too much oil and doesn’t over-soak the wings when applied. If they ever have the spicy, BBQ wings back on the menu, they are tasty, too.

El Cazador (Montclair Road, Bham)

I know. I know. I’m breaking a cardinal rule of restaurants; stay in the swim lanes. But we stumbled on these in a wing craving, and OMG. The sauce isn’t a traditional Buffalo sauce, but it is a nice blend of it and several other smoky, tex-mex ones that just works. It’s got a nice heat to it, with some other more tex-mex hints that don’t typically come on a wing. If you want to try them, order them first, like an appetizer (or when you walk in the door); they take much longer to prep and serve than other quickie Mexican stuff. But you won’t regret it. And what’s wrong with wings and margaritas?

Not recommended

Buffalo Wild Wings – I will eat them, if someone else drives. If someone else pays. But I’m just as likely to eat something else on the menu. The wings are overpriced, too often goopy (their Buffalo sauce has too much butter in it) and rarely crisp.

On Tap – Beyond the fact that they closed the one in B’ham’s Lakeview district, I’ve never been a huge fan of their wings. They are almost exactly like Wild Wings on the bad side, but with slower service and fewer servers running around to confuse you on who’s bringing your stuff.

Zaxby’s – In another world, in another place and time, Zaxby’s could wear the crown of best wings available at a chainy-fast food place. Wait, that’s exactly the crown they do wear … I think I’ll just go for the fingers and fries, instead.

Parting bits

Blue cheese … every time. Blue cheese is for closers.

Other flavors than Buffalo; are there other flavors? With the frequency of lunar eclipses, possibly teriyaki, asian-type zing or lemon pepper.

Wing places that sprout up in old Waffle Houses, strip malls, gas stations, condemned mausoleums or the like — I recognize that your uncle’s or third-cousin’s “Wing it up and ring it up,” or whatever, may actually have life-changing food, but I count myself as preferring a scout party go first. If they come back intact, you and/or your guardian can procure me a sample, and then we’ll talk.

How hot? Let’s get real; if it’s too hot to enjoy, why eat it? Who are you trying to prove something to? No date ever said, “Seeing you eat the ‘nuclear fusion meltdown’ sauce TURNS ME ON!” A nice, hot sauce that leaves skin on your lips and brain intact, please.

https://www.facebook.com/BillysSportsGrill?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/OteysTavern

https://www.facebook.com/rojobham

https://www.facebook.com/baumhowers?fref=ts

 

 

 

 

Drake’s Court House Café: Behind the security gate, deliciousness awaits

The greatest dangers that face the over-indulgent burger yearner are usually self-inflicted. Associated health concerns. Costs. Slipping on greasy floors. Having to provide an alibi for your sister’s uncontrollable Hummel habit … But sometimes, it’s worth it. Not just in the burger, but because you discover the burger in the proverbial haystack (without the hay … or the bugs).

If you can get past the fact that to get this burger, you should be ready for a full-on metal detector trip, x-ray and possibly more, then you will be rewarded … at Drake’s Court House Café.

Drake’s is located inside the Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse at 1729 5th Avenue North in downtown Birmingham. It’s on the ground floor, near the entrances to the courtrooms and security. Yes, you’ll have to pass through security to get to it!

And in a world where so many who call Alabama home would ascribe to the mantra that “government has never made anything better,” the burger at Drake’s is as good as I’ve found in downtown Birmingham. And like I’ve found, the quality of the burger is only enhanced by the quality of the people who run the place.

Michael (right) and Marcus Drake of Drakes Court House Cafe.

Before I get to the meal, let me tell you some things about Marcus Drake, the primary Drake of Drake’s. He started this place around 2010, but he was there at the cafe’s beginnings (when the original owner opened). After the original owner’s efforts didn’t pan out (less than year into it), Marcus stepped in and started what you see today – a tasty, short-order grill that produces prodigious burgers and quick lunches.

Drake’s offers something that often gets lost in the millennial-and hipster-craze for faux-authenticity and local-tomfoolery – a delicious meal, tastily prepared by someone who just loves what they do and is more concerned about you being satisfied than if the arugula was washed in Perrier…

Drake’s ain’t complicated, and that’s exactly why it’s so good. When I ordered my burger, Michael Drake, possible relative and definite other employee, asked me what I wanted on my cheeseburger, and proceeded to list off what it had (the usuals). When we got to the onion (it’s always the onion), I asked if they were raw; his reaction set the tone: “Do you want them raw … we can grill them if you want.”

I went for the grilled.

The burger came to me as perfect as I’ve had in 20+ years of eating downtown. Wrapped. Hot. Cooked at the nearly unattainable balance between medium and medium well. The cheese was melty, and he didn’t shy away from the mayo. The lettuce and tomato were adequate, and the grilled onions (not normally on it) were an excellent touch. And coming off my recent epiphany that the sometimes too-sweet Hawaiian roll is trying to silently take over the burger world, Drake’s use of a regular, sesame seeded bun was a non-sweet relief.

As for the fries, the crinkled potato was offered. Clearly, Mr. Drake places his culinary focus on making a great burger (they were fine, unusually under-seasoned). A fellow lunch-timer had hand-cut, sweet potato fries … and I was a little jealous. But Drake’s isn’t the kind of place you want to be dueling over sides, what with all firearms around.

I’d put his burger up against Tonys and Sammys. It’s easily one of the best downtown, and while I like Paramount and its owners, Drake’s is more traditional and a more authentic burger experience. And you won’t find one this good, this cheap — $8 for the combo. Bottom line: you want to root for a place like this – homey, family-like and with positive, people running it.