Though I’ve had a yen for wings of late, I’m not all that familiar with Buffalo Wild Wings, which before last week I’d visited exactly once, for this.
I can’t say that I’m biased against it because it’s a chain, nor can I say I’ve actively avoided it in any way. The fact of the matter is simply that Milwaukee has so many great wings places that I’ve just never passed those up to go to BW3.
But last week, flying solo for dinner with the kids, I was in the mood for wings and whether or not it’s possible, I decided I wasn’t going to bring them to McGinn’s or Leff’s or Club Garibaldi for dinner.
But, we weren’t far from the Mayfair Road BW3, so we stopped in. Here are a few things I learned during that experience as a chain wings newbie...
- BW3 is extremely kid-friendly. There are eight items on the kids menu – including two wings options – that run from $3.99 to $4.39 and are a good value.
- BW3 is extremely kid-friendly, part two. When we arrived, the kids were offered coloring sheets and crayons. No surprise. They were also offered game-filled tablets. Big surprise and one that kept the kids happy during the meal.
- BW3 apparently serves a lot more than wings, but, honestly, I didn’t go there for a salad.
- The wings are fairly meaty, though by no means the meatiest I’ve had in Milwaukee. I’d rate them "average."
- There are nearly two dozen sauces and seasonings for wings at BW3. In terms of sheer variety, it’s pretty much got everyone beaten.
- I’ll come back for the salt and vinegar dry wings and the classic buffalo is pretty good, too, but the honey mustard had a pedestrian flavor that didn’t really do it for me. I admit there are about 18-20 more I need to try.
- Anecdotally speaking and without having done a careful, scientific price comparison across all purveyors, the wings at BW3 seemed expensive to me, clocking in at a bit over a buck apiece. But that could be explained by my knack for showing up to most places on wing night.
- If I’m out with adults looking for great wings, BW3 wouldn’t be among my top four or five choices. But next time I’m with the kids and craving wings, I’d definitely go back.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
