| *Restaurants are listed in alphabetical order. |  |
| All Star Wings and Ribs |
| While torontwings.com may be stretching its scope a little to squeeze these guys in, 'All Star Wings & Ribs' deserves it. These guys are so serious about wings it nearly brought the delegate we sent to perform the review to tears of joy. That's not an easy thing to do. This guys is about 6'2", 215 lbs, shaves his head once a week. At his stag they nearly took out a well known biker gang. Okay we're getting off track. So, how did All Star do it? They have about 90 flavors of wings. Let me repeat that - 90! But it's not just about levels of heat, it's about flavors. The cofounders, owners, and managers, Tom Anastopoulos and Steve Costidis, explain that every single sauce is 100% homemade (at most wingeries Frank's Red Hot is the usual suspect). Here are a few selections from their menu; Black Widow, Hot Blond, The "H" Bomb, Scorpion Kiss, Killer Bee, Nero's Epilogue, Bubba's Backfire, Snake Bite, Caesar Does Texas, Pandora's Box, Mesquite, Pineapple Curry, and the list just goes on and on. The flavors are amazing, but be advised that some of the sauces are quite rich. I highly recommend their Suicide sauce, which is precision spiced and will make your mouth happy, but unlike many lesser wing joints it will not blow your head off. If you want to bend the envelope, they can help there too. It's called 'Armageddon' (sounds like we could have a little rivalry with our #1 ranked spot, Duff's, who also call their hottest sauce by that very name). Before you can order this wing, you have to sign a waiver. It's not a marketing thing, but a real legal document. The Scoville units are in excess of 1,000,000. However, if you get through 11 of these bad boys in 30 minutes or less, you get your picture on the All Star WALL OF FLAME and website + an ARMAGEDDON Survivor T-shirt. It may be a little out of the way, but it's worth the drive to All Star. working. |
| Allens 143 Danforth (East of Broadview) |
| The joint is a jumpin'. Situated on the
fringe of the bustling Danforth area of Toronto, Allen's has what no other pub
in the area can offer, a fantastic selection of draft/bottled beer from around
the world, an enviable assortment of single malt scotches and in this
torontowing.com's expert opinion, the best wings around! Considered one of the largest chicken wings in the city, Allen's offers a somewhat sweet yet savory style of sauce reminiscent of a flavourful clash between the classic HP steak sauce and a savory peppercorn mixture. Their wings are served piping hot with real chunks of blue cheese in the dipping sauce. Although you can only order them in sets of 10 wings, you won't be disappointed in the way the moist chicken wing meat just rolls of the bone. Give Allen's wings a try, you won't be disappointed. Allen's wings can be enjoyed on their impressive 80 foot bar or for you patio lovers on the enclosed and extremely quaint patio area that is blanketed above by the branches of an enormous weeping willow. Whether it's a booze-up with the boys and the necessary fuel to tackle a rough night on the town. Allen's has what it takes to cleanse the pallet and keep you coming back for more! |
| The Armadillo 146 Front W |
| A favorite among sports event goers, the armadillo is a Texan's dream. It's motto boasts "Ten gallon servings and 32-ounce steaks"...that's a lot of food. Everything they serve seems to come in a big, cast iron pans (that also serve useful in bar-fights). The Corona chandeliers and the rustic southern atmosphere will give you a hankering for a juicy steak and some chili. The wings are easy. Three flavours and sizes from small to huge. They are a decent size and are cooked nice and juicy. The only problem is that the hot is not hot. I am assuming that they made it easy by making the hot wings mild and the suicide wings hot. To me, it sounds backwards but who am I to judge...wait, I am the judge. The Maple wings (equivalent to a Honey Garlic but made with maple syrup) are tasty for those who do not like the spicy side but don't order them in front of your friends to avoid embarrassment. |
| The Bank Note 665 King Street West |
| This is a relatively new establishment (around two years old) which came on the scene to go head to head with the stronghold that is the Wheatsheaf Tavern directly across the road. It is an old bank building converted into a relatively decent pub that plays annoying music and serves a decent menu of great tasting pub food. While the portions are nice and I particularly enjoy the hearty breakfasts with a couple of tasty night-after Caesars, the wings fall miserably short in the realm of the rest of the menu. Wee Man Wings! The hot wings are close to satisfyingly hot, with a little after burner that keeps your head in the game. Unfortunately, the wings themselves are miniscule- a mere shadow of a real wing. They are cooked crispy and always require a side of hot sauce to bring the heat and sauciness up to acceptable levels. The Sheafer need not worry about wing competition here. The Bank Note might be a place you may get stuck eating the wings if you are looking for a place to bring your girlfriend so she can have something good off the menu too. But, if you end up in this situation you probably aren't a real wing enthusiast anyway. |
| The Black Sheep Yonge Street, just north of Sheppard |
| Looking to centralize? How about pool tables, darts, video games, pinball, wide screen TV, beer, wings, & much more under one roof? The answer is The Black Sheep. Essentially, this bar is broken down into two sections - a vintage pub & a games room. One look at the aged exterior and you'll know that this is no fancy pants Becks or Sapporo venue. With dark wood, red velvet chairs, and Guinness on tap, the inside has some serious character. In the summer the games room has a garage door that opens up on to Yonge street. While quite crowded in the evenings, 8 of us found we had the entire place to our selves one Saturday afternoon. The wings are a decent size, fried, and then rolled in a Louisiana hot sauce style product. They are not out of the ordinary, but simply a very good standard wing. Give it a try and be sure to tell Pipa the bartender that TorontoWings.com sent you! |
| Charlies Restaurant 529 King W. |
| Another in a developing line of great King St. wing havens is this comfy neighbourhood bar – Charlies Restaurant. As is becoming the norm, the torontowings.com panel stopped in on a Saturday afternoon following a tip from a friend. At first glance, Charlies seems like any old pub – tables and booths, big screen TV, pool table, collection of beer signs and posters, salt and pepper, ketchup bottles, loud guys in the corner (but enough about us). Sampling an order of their hot wings sets it apart from many others. Nothing fancy, no exotic spices or ingredients, just a good Buffalo-style chicken wing. Although it is a distinct possibility that the panel hadn’t eaten for about two days, these babies were inhaled in near record time. It took all our will not to order a second round-- but we had another venue to visit. Chris, the owner/operator is a true wing enthusiast and could prove valuable as a wing professor should Ryerson heed our demands. Although he would not divulge his secret recipe, as he knows better, he would say that he uses a dry rub for the wings. The wings aren’t deep fried and then drizzled with hot sauce; they are attended to well before the baking process. Charlies uses the best chicken wings available (the name escapes me); above average in size and very juicy in taste. Also, it’s evident that Charlies is a popular joint with beer junkies, a wide selection of beers on tap, very fresh and cold. Chris said his mom would be “proud” to find his wings well reviewed on our site. And they are – a definite top 10!! |
| Duffs Bayiew (south of Eglinton) |
| Duff's takes the top spot! The wing preparation is clearly a product of exacting science in that the quality is unwaveringly consistent (results based on a consumption of approximately 720 wings by the 6 members of TorontoWings.com over 6 visits - we are not armatures). While the sauce is a highly kept secret, the base has a noticeable resemblance to the popular 'Louisianan Hot Sauce'. Never fatty, never burnt, the wings are always cooked to perfection. 9 levels of heat provide a myriad of choice; no sauce, mild, mild-medium, medium, medium-hot, hot, super hot, Death, and Armageddon. Note that Duff's confuses matters by stipulating that mild is medium, medium is hot, etc.. Order Death and be warned! They ring a large brass bell as they deliver these wings. The TorontoWings.com VP, Corporate Affairs, Pete West, once tested a dozen Death wings - extra saucy. Upon leaving Duff's he is said to have experienced mild hallucinations, including a purple sky. Armageddon is new. We have not tested this product yet, however one of the two owners (yes there are 2 - they are identical twins) advises us that they alert the crowd with a blow horn! You have not experienced Toronto wings until you've experienced Duff's. Note they were not awarded bonus points for the striking Simpson's reference in the name. |
| The Duke of Richmond Queen West (By the Eaton Center) |
| Duke of Richmond is runner up! The Duke has 2 secret weapons. Raj and Rajah. Others may work in the kitchen, but these two are top of their class. Some even consider Rajah to be The Wing Guru. If Rajah could be cloned or simply work 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, the Duke would seriously challenge Duff's. Unfortunately, Rajah's requirement to sleep prevents this. In an unauthorized interview in the kitchen with Rajah, he claims that, 'I don't know what you want, but please be leaving my kitchen'. The hot wings seem to have some sort of dry rub worked into the sauce, which weaves an extremely complex yet subtle undertone of eastern flavor through the experience. The suicide sauce uses the same base, but chili's (a.k.a. burners) are added to kick it up. While reservations are not the norm, we do recommend calling ahead to determine when Rajah or Raj are working. |
| Elephant & Castle King W. & Simcoe |
| Elephant & Castle – 2 locations King / Simcoe, Yonge / Gerrard Stevie B. here with another review of one of the fine wing establishments in this great city of ours, so without further delay, I give you the Elephant & Castle. The Elephant & Castle King Street West location is a pleasant pub / restaurant that specializes in making you feeling British. Bangers & Mash, Roast Beef Yorkshire, Fish & Chips and others are standards on the menu - they find themselves on many of the tables throughout the spacious eatery. Other types of food are also found on the menu, for those who want a little bit of flavour when they eat. One of the pleasant surprises on the menu is the wings. Good sized, lots of sauce, nicely flavoured, extremely moist, but with a little special extra that I couldn’t put my finger on until I was half through the wings… they tasted a little bit like KFC chicken. Okay I know what everyone is thinking, but before I go on and get angry letters and messages about the ‘dirty bird’ it was the good taste that you get out of KFC – everyone knows what I’m talking about, that little something in the skin, the only thing that keeps you going back besides the smell. But I digress. The wings were a joy to scarf back and I’d definitely suggest them to anyone. When ordering the E&C wing make sure you get at least hot with some suicide on the side… you know the British they can’t stand the heat, but for us here at TOowings, the hotter the better. A very nice selection of beers awaits you at Elephant & Castle – the largest seller of Steam Whistle in Toronto – so everyone can find a beer of choice. Definitely give the wings a try if you are looking for a place to go before a game or a show, you’ll be happy you did. |
| Hooters Adelaide and John |
| “Delightfully Tacky, Yet Unrefined” boast the skin-tight, white t-shirts that adorn the backs of servers at this internationally known “neighbourhood” eatery.
That’s right, Hooters, the Atlanta-based operator and franchiser of over 280 Hooters locations around the world, characterizes itself as a typical, good ol’ fashioned neighbourhood place. The casual beach-theme establishments feature `50s & `60s jukebox music, sports on television, and a menu that includes seafood, sandwiches, salads and spicy chicken wings. We’ll get to the wings later, first one cannot help but comment on the obvious attributes and charm of the Hooters serving staff, better known as the Hooters Girls. For anyone who has yet to experience a Hooters restaurant, the element of female sex appeal is obvious, and the company believes the Hooters Girl is as socially acceptable as a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, or Radio City Rockette. That said, more than 70-percent of all customers who walk through the doors are males, and most are between the ages of 25-54. Coincidence; I think not. Thankfully, the Hooters Girl gives customers something to ponder other than the restaurant’s self-proclaimed “Nearly World Famous” chicken wings that are available mild, medium, hot, 911 or with Three-Mile Island sauce. For the true connoisseur, there’s even a Gourmet Chicken Wing Dinner on the menu for $199.01 that includes 20 wings & a bottle of Moet Chandon. The Hooters chicken wing is truly unique. Unlike most establishments who separate the wing into two pieces – the drumstick and the other part with meet between two thin bones – Hooters serves the wing whole with the upper, middle and wing-tip all intact. The wings are coated in a thick breading/batter and then deep-fried to golden brown – think southern fried chicken on a stick. Then the sauce of choice is added. On this night, we ask Alice, our chesty server, for a sample of Three-Mile Island (of course) to which all present declared, “Is that it?” The sauce was neither all that hot nor all that good. The wing itself was very greasy, fatty and inconsistent not only from wing to wing, but also from bite to bite. All in all, quite disappointing. Even worse, the time spent later that night bowing before the porcelain throne as I relived the Hooters wing experience. I’m not claiming the wings made me sick (for obvious legal reasons), but I am claiming that the damn things tasted no better coming up than they did going down. Hooters is, despite their shortcomings in the wing department, a great place. The atmosphere and décor give it a familiar feel – like your parents 1970’s wood-paneled basement. With sports on the tube, cold beer on tap and an abundance of eye-candy to gaze at without having to lie to your significant other about where you’ve been, Hooters gets a PG-13 rating for all to enjoy. |
| Jack Astors Bar and Grill 939 Lawrence Avenue East |
| A classic case of “good news” and “bad news” from this outpost of the Jack Astor’s franchise. The good news: An order of Jack’s one-pound of wings produces eight of the largest and juiciest chicken wings this critic has ever sampled. Now for the bad news: An order of “hot” wings does not even merit its label; a “mild to medium” label would be more appropriate. The problem is that Jack’s uses what we believe to be a basting or marinating sauce only; the wings are ignored following the oven baking method. In this method, some flavour soaks in and keeps the wing very moist and succulent but is paid no attention to before being dumped on the plate to meet its maker. Come on people, this is a “chicken wing” not “fettuccine”. Let’s try a little hot sauce, just to amuse the hot wing commandos. At Duff’s (see #1) we grab for and clutch our cold beers, today I was dashing for Frank’s Red Hot. Hey Management! A little food for thought: There is a direct correlation between wings and beer sales. On the topic of atmosphere, Jack’s is known for their cool mix of lighting and ornamentation. However, for those of us with short attention spans, this place is pure eye candy. It looks like Mardi gras – EVERY DAY! (Which would explain the skittish behaviour of some of the wait staff). Side note: Jack Astor’s offers a dish called Buffalo Style Chicken Fingers. Now I know that we cannot review/sample anything outside of chicken wings, but this dish makes up for the inadequacies of their wings. It’s saucy, spicy and worth a try.. |
| Mad Monty's
(Yonge St. - just south of Sporting Life) |
| Mad Monty's is definitely the hidden gem in the crown of fine wing establishments around the city! We were pleasantly surprised by the cozy environment (downstairs seating is limited to about 30 people) and the wide assortment of beers at our disposal. I must admit, the wings at Mad Monty's are HUGE and prepared to almost perfection. By almost perfection I mean they have really nailed the size, texture and a nice balance between moist and crispy perfection - the only drawback is the unfortunate lack of SPICY KICK baby! As usual, being the wing connoisseurs we are, the only way to order wings is HOT!!!!! (as noted on our home page anything less than hot is unacceptable by our very discerning standards). If Monty's can get the temperature gauge dialed-up on their wings we would have a very close contender to Duffs. Monty's is definitely worth the visit as you will have a tough time finding a better wing anywhere in the city (as of March 4/02). Before I finish my review I must leave you with one thought - the wings are heavenly and so is the service! We can't speak enough for the great wait staff and their extremely hospitable demeanor. We all give Monty's a very enthusiastic thumbs-up and encourage or faithful wing eating comrades to pay them a visit. Tell them Torontowings.com sent ya! |
| The Madison 14 Madison Ave. |
| Ah, the Madison…A Toronto Institution! All the beer you can imagine, and all the University women you could dream of! I wasted many a Thursday night staggering home from this fine establishment during my University days. The Madison is a true landmark in Toronto. The place is huge, you could get lost just wandering around the many floors and buildings. It has a weird eclectic crowd, from Frat boys to 50 year old U of T alumni. Now, the wings…usually they are great. In fact this place would have been top 10, but they had a bit of trouble fully cooking a batch of wings on the particular day we were there. You see, when chicken isn’t fully cooked (aka, red and bloody), it has a tendency to make you violently sick! End of review….. |
| Magic Oven Broadview (North of Danforth) |
| How can a place that specializes in Pizza
make such great wings you ask yourself? Well, that is the same question I asked.
But the answer lies in the proof, the Wings. Magic oven is a tiny little pizza joint that makes great pizza, sandwiches and most importantly, wings. You can eat your wings in their dining room, or take them out with you...Hell, they will even deliver them to your house for you!!! Now that is service! Their hot wings have some good kick to them, but they are not "piss your pants, give you a nose bleed and forget who you are for a week" hot. They still keep there flavor. The wings are nice and saucey, never dry. They also use a unique blend of spices on the wings to give them a distinctive taste. The wings are not cheap, and they don't have the selection of fancy beer some may desire, but you won't be disapointed!. |
| Scallywags St. Clair, just West of Yonge |
|
Scallywags is located on St. Clair Ave, just west of Yonge. On any given
day it is filled with sports enthusiasts of the old world. Rugby players
and soccer fans make up the clientele, especially on the weekend, where you
may experience a line at 9 am for those eagerly anticipating the weekly
Premiership match or World Cup Qualifying game. The atmosphere is always lively and the punters enjoy the many beers on tap. Unfortunately, even though most of their customers were raised on deep fried foods - fish, chips, Mars bars... the Scallywag wing leaves something to be desired. Average on all accounts - sauce, cooking, size - the wing was also a tad bit too fatty. Additional hot sauce and blue cheese dressing was required and the suicide wings were on the medium side, not sweat, no water needed. Scallywags is a fantastic place to go with friends to have some great imported beer and to see Arsenal take on Tottenham, but it's not the best place for wings. Do yourself a favour, have a Guinness and the Rugby Breakfast Special - you will be happy you did!! |
| Shoeless Joe's 861 York Mills |
| Following a tip that Shoeless Joe’s gets high marks for their chicken wings, a member critic and a couple of rookies (normal friends) decided to stop into one of their newer locations. There is no doubt that Shoeless Joe’s has a great overall menu, good sports bar atmosphere and attentive staff, but wing experts they’re NOT. I don’t think a wing chicken would be pleased to find out that every one of its eight wings was treated to this unfortunate outcome. Speaking of chickens, aren’t they making them bigger these days? Are our geneticists asleep at the wheel? I dare not mention the price, but eight wings were priced like Jack Astor’s but were only half the size. They offer the standard mild, medium, hot and suicide levels of wingtitude (short for wing ATTITUDE) but it is evident that mild is probably no sauce, hot was a little of Frank’s Red Hot and suicide might award you with a little dash of something out of a chilli bottle. Obviously for the non-wing eater, hot wings should be reserved for the office hotshot trying to impress his non-wing eating coworkers. Wow, he is sooooo crazy!! Spare me. We’ll offer to Shoeless Joe’s the advice of an old proverb: “If you can’t do something right -- try, try again ‘cause the early chicken gets the worm!?”! |
| The Toad in the Hole 525 King W. |
| This quaint little pub located on King West is a pleasant retreat from everyday Toronto hustle and bustle. With the exception of the religious rhetoric of a slightly crazed (and unwelcome) patron, there is an atmosphere of European charm. Ask the bartender and owner about his title. He is far more scholastic than you might think...how much did you pay for the letters behind your name? Now for the wings...definitely a popular item, there was a consensus that these were quality morsels. The size of these wings was definitely generous and they were cooked to perfection to give a crisp outer shell and a juicy interior. The sauces were tasty, with a hint of chili pepper, but we would have liked a little more bite from the Hot sauce. The suicide sauce was full of real dried chili peppers that taste good going in, but are hot coming out! Definitely good eats and good entertainment at this fine establishment.. |
| Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant
99 Blue Jays Way (Peter St.) |
| There was no question that Wayne Gretzky's would make our top 10. For the
hockey junky this place is an absolute must. Outside of Toronto's Hockey
Hall of Fame, you cannot find a better hockey museum in Toronto. Granted
it's all about #99, but from trophies to skates to vintage magazines &
pictures, it has it all. There's a sports bar with pool tables and plenty of TVs to catch the game of the day, a rather tasteful dining lounge, and in the summer a roof top jungle patio. For those of you who have been, they recently repainted the ambiguous doors to the men's and women's bathrooms, so the guys will no longer find themselves thinking 'that's strange - no urinals'. On that note, the matter at hand is wings and wings alone. Wayne's has the largest wings we have ever seen. They are plump, succulent, and always perfectly cooked. They use a breading and roll the wings in sauce after the fryer. The hot sauce is simply outstanding. They give suicide an extra kick by tossing in some chili pepper flakes (aka 'burners'). While the suicide is not overbearing, we recommend against drinking a cup of straight sauce. One of our members performed this test and found himself in the no urinal zone for several hours that evening. We do not consider anything less than hot, however be advised that medium and below are a little on the sweet side. Overall, my hats off to Wayne on a fine wing!. |
| The Wheat Sheaf Tavern King & Bathurst |
| Being touted as the oldest tavern in Toronto (est. 1837) should not be the
only claim to fame of this historic establishment. Over the many years of
operation, even though they haven't taken much time to consider changing
the decor, I think they have vested their interests in carefully developing
the provision of a damn fine wing! Top marks are definitely given the "The
Sheafer" for size, consistency, and sauciness. Sorry ladies, we're only
talking about wings here. Time and time again the delivery of large, crispy and succulent wings is executed from an open kitchen situated in the front of the old building. There's safety and security in the "ballsyness" of any establishment that is not afraid to expose the secrets of the wing production centre. Go ahead, shake the cook's hand for a job well done- but wash yours first, he may be cooking my wings next. The sauce of the Wheat Sheaf hot wing is tasteful, with Frank's Red Hot at its base. The beer is good, the service is friendly, and it is a great place to catch the hockey game while scarfing down some tasty wings. It's the ambience that makes it great because I think the big screens are as old as the bar. At the Sheafer you're as likely to find yourself rubbing elbows with a professional thirty-something, as with a student, or with the guy spending the last few bucks of his pogey check- but what brings you all together, to that momentary realization of the ever unatainable societal harmonization we all seek???- The enjoyment of a damn fine wing |
| Whistlers 955 Broadview |
| Whistlers is a great neighborhood bar/restaurant. It is just up the street from the hussle and bussle of the Danforth. The menu is pretty extensive and they have a good assortment of beer on tap. They offer Golden Tee golf and pool table for your entertainment. And in the summer the have a great patio with live jazz! There are tons of regulars that your will see sitting in the same bar stool almost every night. Now, onto the matter at hand…the wings. By all accounts the wings are very average…average size, average sauce, average taste. The most disappointing thing about this wing was the lack of heat in the sauce. I ordered hot wings, and was very confused by the mild/medium wings they brought to me. I had to double checked with the waitress to make sure she heard my order clearly, indeed she did…these were their attempt at a hot wing. The wings were also a little on the dry side, probably due to the lack of sauce and overcooking. If you are looking for a place to go enjoy wings, try somewhere else. But if you are looking for a place to enjoy a beer or ten on a warm summer evening, give Whistlers a try. PS…they probably have the best Cesar salad in Toronto, but this isn’t TorontoCesarSalad.com now is it!!! |
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