Shawn has long been using an order of buffalo wings and onion rings as a standard way to measure the food quality of a new bar. Since we're now running this travel blog, it seemed like the time to finally pull the trigger on the Wings and Rings rating idea. And obviously you gotta try buffalo wings when you're in Buffalo (the first major stop on our trip).
The rating is out of 10. The wings and onion rings both account for 5 of the points. There are occasionally 0.5 points a place can gain or lose on exceptionally good/bad outside factors, but the total still maxes at 10.
I (Shawn) am looking for a traditional buffalo sauce (not just any hot sauce); it should be both spicy and buttery. The wings should be tender and moist on the inside, but crispy on the outside. I prefer blue cheese as the dip. The onion rings should be breaded with good flavor. The breading should be crispy, with the onion soft on the inside.
Upstate Bar and Grill Cooperstown, NY
Atmosphere: This place was kind of corporate. It is mostly a restaurant, with a separate bar area. It does have a very nice copper bartop. The regulars at the bar were kind of misogynistic and continually hit on the bartender 20 years their junior. Overall a negative.
-0.5
Wings:
These were very well cooked. The outside was nice and crispy outside, but the inside was still moist and tender. The individual wings were noticeably large. However, the sauce is basically non existent. It was almost a dry rub or baked into the breading, and only mildly spicy.
3/5
Rings: They did not have any. I got the steak fries as the closest available alternative, which were very well done. They are very crispy, well seasoned, and served with a nice siracha mayo.
2.5/5 (not rings, but very good)
Total: 5/10
Gabriel's Gate Buffalo, NY
Atmosphere: This place is recommended as one of the best wings in Buffalo. It's got a woody, brick pub feel. The Bills' season opener was on, and the folks seated at the bar were a great crowd. Overall, it was a very positive vibe.
Wings: The wing meat was well cooked and moist. The outside was not quite as crispy as should be; a little soft. Their medium sauce is shockingly mild, but the hot has an appropriate kick. The hot didn't quite have the buttery balance. A sauce in between those two levels would be perfect.
4/5
Rings: These were very nice and crispy. You can easily can bite through without pulling out the whole onion. They were large and thick, with a good batter. They just needed a little more salt.
4.5/5
Total: 8.5/10
Southern Tier Brewery Buffalo, NY
Atmosphere: This place has the standard industrial brewery vibe, though with a full kitchen. The actual bartop has a cool color changing bar. We were there on a Friday night and they also had some live music playing. Overall, it's a good atmosphere, and they have good beer on tap.
Wings: The wings were well cooked: moist meat on the inside, with a solid crisp on the outside. The sauce is well balanced and spicy, but there was not a lot of it on the wings. Each wing was well sized.
4.5/5
Rings: They had none, so I got fries instead. These thin cut fries were excellent. They had a crispy outside but soft inside, and were very well seasoned. They were A+ fries... but not rings.
3/5
Total: 7.5/10
Pearl Street Brewery Buffalo, NY
Atmosphere: This brewery has a really cool interior. It's sort of a mix between converted mill brick and pub wood vibes. Additionally, their fan system using a steampunk inspired belt drive, which Bryn absolutely loved, is so cool. The beer they brew is good, especially their pumpkin ale (Splashing Pumpkins) of which we got some 4 packs to go.
Wings: The meat on these was incredibly tender and moist. There was excellent flavor in the sauce, a very rich flavor while still nicely spicy. My only nitpick was that the outside was a bit soft, just not quite as crispy as an ideal buffalo wing would be. They were served with a great Bleu cheese. 4.5/5
Rings: The onions rings are beer-battered and excellent. They were very well crisped on the outside, with the onion inside wonderfully done. The flavor of the batter was great, as was the mustard it was served with. 4.5/5
Total: 9/10
O'Donovan's, Minneapolis, MN
Atmosphere: This Irish pub is right next door to the Minnesota Twins stadium. We sat outside on the patio and found it surprisingly quiet just 45 minutes before a Twins game.
Wings: The sauce on these was excellent: a great balance between buttery and spicy. The inside meat was well cooked and tender, but the skin had little crisp. It was to the point that I suspect they were baked inside of fried. They come with ranch, not blue cheese
3.5/5
Rings: Once again I had to settle for fries, not rings. This came as a surprisingly huge serving. They are thick cut and a little soft for my liking. However, they are served with a very good tangy/creamy house sauce that's almost a thousand island.
2.5/5
I partially suspect that they don't have a fryer, between the fries and the wings both being a bit soft.
Total: 6/10
Red Rock Wall, SD
Atmosphere: This small town dive was a bit of an odd experience. It has painted cement walls, a pool table, and a slight edge to the regulars. However, an actual cowboy sat next to us at the bar and the bartender was great. Overall the atmosphere was neither a plus nor minus.
Rings: The onion rings had a good crisp to the outside, but the inside onion was a bit firm. It was more likely to pull out with your bite than break. The batter was tasty. It came as a pretty small order, especially for the $10 price.
3/5
Wings: Their sauce is wonderfully spicy while still buttery, and it's pretty heavily slathered on. The inside has very tender meat but the skin only has a mild crisp. They were served without a dip.
3.5/5
Total: 6.5/10
Firehouse Brewery Rapid City, SD
Atmosphere: This is a cool spot. It is a former firehouse converted into a brewery/restaurant. They've got antique firetrucks advertising alongside I-90 for hundreds of miles. The building has exposed brick throughout. The downstairs was more of a brewpub feel, while upstairs has a sports bar area with a ton of TVs on different stations. There's also a partially outdoors area (in what looked like the old garage section). Their house brewed beer was solid.
Wings: The wings were very thickly breaded then deep fried. It had a good crisp on the breading, but the breading itself is a bit too thick. The meat is tender and moist. The sauce was more of a cayenne pepper sauce, not buffalo, and served on the side. This sauce is well spiced, but still flavorful. They are served with ranch.
3/5
Rings: The rings are thick cut, with a chunkier breading than most. It might have been Panko. They had an excellent crisp and the onion itself is thoroughly cooked and breaks off easily.
4.5/5
Bonus: The menu contains an item literally called " wings and rings". +0.5
Total: 8/10
Sturgis Brewing Company Sturgis, SD
Atmosphere: This is a newer brewery with a large space. It's got a lot of the usual industrial style with a touch more wood than a typical brewery space. A couple things seemed weirdly out of place, like the Betsy Ross Mug Club. Overall a pretty neutral atmosphere.
Wings: The sauce on these was excellent: well balanced between spicy and buttery. However, the sauce was fairly lightly applied and the wings are a bit small . They were served with no dipping blue cheese or ranch. The meat is well cooked but the outside is a bit soft.
3/5
Rings: These beer battered rings are well breaded and excellently fried. They've got the perfect blend of crispy outside but soft onion interior. They could use a touch of salt, but otherwise excellent.
4.5/5
Total: 7.5/10
