Reviews: How We Rate Wings

Several elements go into a great wing, and when they all work together, the wing is the ultimate food.  Okay, that may be a bit much, but you get the point.  The chicken needs to be cooked just right, a balance juicy meat with a crispy skin. Fried, grilled, or baked, however you cook them we don't care, so long as they achieve that perfect balance of crispy yet juicy, you're cooking them right! The wings should be a good size, not so small that you're done in two bites, but not so big that it's some sort of freak of nature.  Sauces should be bold!  Whether it's spicy or not, the sauce should punch you in the mouth with flavor!  Nothing worse than ordering a few flavors of wings that all kind of taste the same.  Sauce variety is great, but not mandatory, I'd rather have a few great sauces than than twenty-five mediocre ones!  Good accompaniments (bleu cheese or ranch, carrots, celery, etc) add a nice touch but aren't make or break. Getting a good value is also an added bonus, but, I'll happily pay a bit more for some really good wings.

MilwaukeeWings Awards:

Hall of Fame. The highest honor we can give. Places that get this award really know their wings and serve up the best in the area. If you have a wing bucket list, you need to make sure to include the winners of this coveted badge! Seriously, these are not to be missed!

Certified Wing Joint, the second highest honor we give out. These are given to makers of damn good wings, but there may just be a few small things they could do better, or, we just need a few more visits to make sure they're Hall of Fame worthy. Definitely a place to go for a wing night with your friends knowing you'll get some fine wings!

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MilwaukeeWings Badges:

The Creativity Badge. Holders of this badge are quite the creative ones. Whether it be new flavors you won't find elsewhere, or some crazy new preparation method, they're trying new things and marching to their own beat.

The Variety Rules Badge. Anybody can offer you 5 wing flavors, that's not hard. But executing a menu with a large number of sauces encompassing multiple flavor profiles, that's something special. Perhaps they can prepare wings multiple ways too. Either way, holders of this badge may overwhelm you with choices!

The Heat Seeker Badge. Holders of this badge have something ridiculously spicy on their menu. Better yet if they have multiple spicy sauces! If you're a spicy wing aficionado, keep an eye out for this one!

The Great Value Badge. Who doesn't like getting a good deal? This badge is given to places where you can get wings on the cheap. Whether that's a great regular menu price or offering up a killer weekly wing night special. Look for this one to potentially save yourself a few bucks!

The Great Beer Badge. Does anything go better with wings than beer? No, I don't think so. Recipients of this badge have a killer beer selection. Keep your eyes peeled for this one if you like having a beer or three with your wings.

The Fun Times Badge. Regardless of the wings, this is awarded to places that are just fun to hang around in. Whether that's some fun bar games, arcade cabinets, or plentiful TVs, eating wings at these places just seem a bit more fun!

The Hidden Gem Badge. A lot of the places we visit show up on many "best of " lists are often talked about as having the best wings in town. This badge is awarded for the exact opposite. This badge is for those bars/restaurants that you might not hear a lot about, but serve up some great wings!