Overview
I found love in a dive bar in Hicksville, USA, around a decade ago, and that sad-sweet yearning has never left me. Being young and naive at the time, I didn't even really know what wings were until I propped myself up at some busted saloon in North Carolina, saw a board advertising 25c Buffalo Wings and thought I would give them a go. The salacious urges these amazingly tasty morsels triggered in me had evolved into true love by the third time I revisited the bar, two days later. It was the beginning of an affair that lasts to this day.
Fortunately (since we all know long-distance relationships never work), American comfort food has become quite the trend in Brisbane now, with a number of bars and restaurants around town that offer chicken wings of a similar ilk to those available in your average yokel hangout or sports bar in the US of A. We've done the dirty work and tried-and-tested many a wing here to find the best eight joints in Brisbane.
TIPPLER'S TAP
One of those blue-coloured notes in your pocket will get you a kilogram of wings at Tippler's Tap, proving once and for all that money (even a little bit of it) can buy you happiness. A crisp, mildly spiced coating allows the succulent chicken itself to be the star of the show without the need for a Buffalo sauce covering, though the accompanying blue cheese dip is highly addictive. These are just about the best value wings around, and you know the Tap has superb brews to wash them down with.
SOUTH SIDE DINER
These guys are specialists in yank food, so you know they are going to do their wings right. The portion is hefty, while the actual pieces are quite a bit larger than your typical wings. Whether that's a good or bad thing depends on your personal taste, but it does mean there is no elegant way to eat them. You just need to make a pact with the people at your table that nobody is going to judge anybody else, roll up your sleeves and dive in. The tangy, reasonably hot Buffalo sauce is lavishly slavered, and it goes oh-so-well with the blue cheese dip. Oh, and they haven't forgotten the fresh celery sticks either, which should really be included with every serving of wings.
CAROLINA KITCHEN
Established before the current craze for American eateries kicked into full swing, Carolina Kitchen has managed to liven up a quiet Coorparoo corner by drawing in a constant stream of hungry punters with its sensational hoagies, ribs, burgers and, of course, wings. If you're not interested in dilly dallying at a bar or fancy restaurant, and just want to get stuck into some chicken right now, this might be the best choice for you. Service is quick, whether you're sitting down at one of the appropriately checked cloth-covered tables, or taking away, and the prices are excellent (and get better if you order larger quantities, which you will probably want to do). And the wings themselves? Perfect. Smeared with sticky, zesty Buffalo sauce, you are bound to find them incredibly more-ish.
YARD BIRD ALE HOUSE
Now, for those who are having disagreements with friends and loved ones about just how hot your wings should be, Yard Bird have three varieties that range all the way to the extreme end of spicy scale. The Caribbean Jerk Chicken Wings are... well, the name is pretty descriptive; they're tasty and crisp if that's what you are looking for. The standard Buffalo wings pack plenty of flavour and have a decent kick to them, but the Death Sentence Wings are, as you can imagine, itsy-bitsy servings of insanity. Think of them more as a challenge than a meal.
SUPER WHATNOT
Debate raged at our table over whether Super Whatnot's Rasta Chicken tibits really qualify as 'wings' in the traditional sense, but since they are from the right part of the chicken, and they are delicious, we're going to give them the benefit of the doubt. These dainty bites won't satisfy any epic hunger, but they are perhaps the safest option on this list if you are accompanied by someone you are trying to impress. Basically, you won't end up with sauce smeared all over your face and clothes. The crunchy coating has just the right amount of spicy flavour, and the chicken itself is gorgeously tender.
THE SMOKE BBQ
Authentic Southern-style American fare is the speciality of The Smoke BBQ and the chicken wings they serve up certainly fit that description. They have found the divine balance of flavours between the hot sauce and the blue cheese sauce, and the chicken is delectable. Y'all can choose between the regular or the blue hot varieties, with the latter particularly impressive because it still retains its tastiness while slapping you across the chops with its zing.
MIGHTY MIGHTY CUE AND BREW
They may be new on the scene, but the kids at Mighty Mighty know how to make Buffalo wings like veterans. You are going to want a generous serving of cold beer if you order the Hell Boys Wings, as they pack some serious punch. Symptoms include tears, sniffles, dancing taste buds and skyrocketing endorphin levels resulting in a feeling of euphoria. The celery in this case has controversially been added to the sauce mixture, meaning it doesn't really give you that fresh mouth cleanse that I think is supposed to be the point. So, like I said, have some beer ready.
ARCHIVE
I'd venture to say that Archive's scrumptious wings are the closest thing I've tried in Brisbane to the original American version I first fell in love with many moons ago. They may not be as economical as some of the others on this list, but they are plentiful and extremely satisfying when combined with the tempting craft beers on tap at the locale. The chicken is plump and the sauce is, well, finger-licking good.
Top image: South Side Diner