Monday, March 11, 2013

Wings Of Victory: Where Do You Go?

Kloby's wings
Wings.  I had meant to ask for suggestions before the Super Bowl, but things got crazy.

We've already proven that championships are won if you eat Town Grille's blackberry-chipotle wings.  But one kitchen can't feed us all, so the question come back to where you find the best wings in Howard County?

I asked the same question two years ago, and dozens of people chimed in from Jilly's to the River Hill Sports Bar, from Looney's to "make your own."  I have heard about Royal Pizza.  I have enjoyed Second Chance Saloon's.

I'm open to all the suggestions, but my answer remains Kloby's Smokehouse on Johns Hopkins Road.  They're huge, meaty wings.  They come as whole wings -- drumstick and two-bone pieces.  The "dirty and old" come fried and spiced, just a little char and crisp on the outside.  Then real pieces of chicken inside.  They're my go-to for a takeout dinner or a bar snack.

Where do you recommend the wings?  Why?  Any unique flavors?  Give us all advice.

11 comments:

greg6833 said...

I used to get excellent wings at Kelsey's in EC-spicy (but not too), and meaty. Haven't had them for awhile but I bet they are still good. Clyde's has good wings. Hey, if you are ever in a pinch for wings, get some from Papa John's but have them run them through the oven three times. After three times they are somewhat burnt and crispy; not bad at all!

Wendy said...

Bon Chon - hands down

Mike Sapp said...

So, I do like Kloby's wings quite a lot, but I am also very much an fan of the very traditional Buffalo wing, as created and perfected by the Anchor Bar in the wing's namesake city. My vote for the best version replicating that experience goes to the Trolley Stop in Oella. Honorable mentions go to Clyde's and the newcomer Twist and Turn Tavern. In the non-traditional variety I do like Bon Chon (although I suppose they really are a completely different thing - more like a fried chicken variant, not a wing) and I very much enjoy the Chipotle wing at Kelsey's. If you want to drive a little, the absolute best wing in the region, without driving the 9 hours or so to get to the Anchor Bar can be found at Stoney's on P street in NW DC. Totally worth it. Get them with one of their gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.

Alicyn DelZoppo said...

Shannon's on Route 40 has great traditional Buffalo Wings. My favorite wings are at Clyde's if you order them "Chevy Chase Style". Looney's and River Hill Grill have pretty good "Honey Old Bay" wings, though they're not the meatiest.

kevlar51 said...

Hard question. There are so many bad wings in Howard County. I'd say "my own," but since I technically live in AA county, those don't qualify either.

I'll go ahead and agree with Bon Chon, though I do prefer more traditional wings. For the area, I think Bill Bateman's has the best. There's a bunch of locations close to HoCo, and all you can eat on Monday nights isn't bad.

Heading down to DC, I really enjoyed the teriyaki wings at Wingos in Georgetown--not the meatiest wings, but the flavor and crispiness are out of this world.

I was also really happy with the wings at Rhino Bar, also in Georgetown.

All that being said, my memories of those DC joints are 10 years old. I've had Batemans recently, and they're still good, but probably not as good as they were 14 years ago.

MarkM said...

Bon Chon is good, but very expensive. Daniels' in Elkridge has tasty wings as does the Woodstock Inn. Get off the beaten path and you will be amazed at what you find.

Jessie Newburn said...

I've been making some Foursquare lists, .e.g https://foursquare.com/jessiex/list/12-price-burgers-in-howard-county-maryland Perhaps a "Best Wings in Howard County, MD" list is an appealing project to someone. :)

Omar said...

Does Judge's Bench have decent wings? I think I've heard some rumblings about their stuff.

Royal Pizza is where I normally go. The wings are super meaty and filling, though the sauce is hit or miss generally. They're good in the cheap, dirty, messy sense. Which is sometimes all you want.

CrunchDaddy said...

For traditional Buffalo Wings, you can't beat Bippy's Pub in Ellicott City...

K8teebug said...

Said it before and I'll say it again. Judge's Bench has the best wings around. Friends have said they're better than the Anchor Bar (where they were invented). They are as close as I've ever tasted to Clancy's in Keyser, WV who also makes amazing wings.

Anonymous said...

Try Wings sports cafe/bar on Route 1 in Jessup. The wings are huge and delicious!