Audrey Lieurance is a junior and a reporter for the Fishers Tiger Times. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper. 

When gameday parties’ approach, so do the chicken wings. The question is, do you take hours to make them at home or just get some to go?  

    As a 17-year-old, my cooking skills are not quite at the level of making good wings. I would love to, but the marinating and seasoning combined with the raw meat give me the ick. With this, I often resort to dining out when I crave wings (and I crave wings a lot).  

    About once a week, I go out and buy wings. Sometimes it is more often, other times it is less. I have tried a lot of different spots because of this, so let me introduce you to some of my favorites as well as least favorites. 

The not so great 

Wing Stop 

    Wing Stop is not a horrible place to get your wings. They have a variety of seasoning and sauce options. The problem I have with this place, though, is that it is lacking in flavor and quality. Perhaps I thought this because my local Wing Stop has 2.1 out of 5 stars on Yelp, but once I tried it for myself, I was sure it was not great. 

    The wings are very moist in a way that is not appetizing. They have an almost slimy texture as well as a gooey exterior. This spot is not preferrable when looking for wings, but perhaps their chicken tenders or fries will do you justice.  

Chain Pizza Restaurants 

    Wings require a bit of perfection and specialized equipment to be good. This makes wings from chain pizza restaurants less than preferable. Pizza Hut in particular does a sub-par job at making wings. These Pizza Hut wings often come with less seasoning options than Wing Stop and have the same slimy texture.  

    On the other hand, non-chain pizza restaurants have a chance to make better wings. One example of this nearby is Passione, a pizza restaurant with some decently flavored wings and 4.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp. Their sauce options and wood-fired cooking style add to the wing’s appeal. 

The best and brightest 

Buffalo Wild Wings 

    Buffalo Wild Wings (or B Dubs) is one of the few chain restaurants that presents some quality wings. This is probably because it is their specialty, and it is evident in the sauce selection. 

     Further options for sauces are listed on the company’s website. Here, viewers can find around 22 sauces available for wings along with five dry rubs, one of which being desert heat. These options help elevate Buffalo Wild Wing’s already decent wings to a higher level. Their customization can hardly be outdone. As someone who has a high tolerance for hot sauce, though, I find that the sauces are a bit mild in spice. 

    If you are looking for a place with a lot of options, I suggest visiting B Dubs. The restaurant has some good fries to go along with the wings as well as other food options for those not interested. Make sure to avoid the Greencastle, Indiana location, though, because it currently has 1.8 out of 5 stars on Yelp. 

City Barbeque 

    This option may or may not come as a surprise since it is not mainly focused on wings, but it is my favorite spot for wings. This is where I often visit for my weekly wings, and I must say, it is phenomenal. They do not have the wings tossed in a sauce, but they do have a sort of dry rub. The flavor on this is incredible as well as mouth-watering. The wings also are smoked, which removes that gooey gunk that is common in the ‘not so good’ wings. This also makes the skin on the wings paper thin and crunchy in a sort.  

    I also recommend pairing these wings with a pint of pickles, which may sound strange, but it is delectable! I normally order these items to go from the Fishers, Indiana, location and eat them at home with my favorite hot sauce; Franks Red Hot.  

    Important to note, though, is the fact that City Barbeque is a bit pricey. The 12 count of wings come out around $18 with taxes, but I promise they are worth it. This can also be further combatted with a loyalty account—where you earn special offers and rewards. You can sign up for this on the City Barbeque app.  

Honorable Mentions 

    While City Barbeque and Buffalo Wild Wings are the most exceptional options, there are a couple of other notable places that offer quality wings. 

Ale Emporium 

    Ale Emporium is a restaurant with a couple of different locations near Fishers, Indiana. This spot is best known for its unique wing flavors, titled “Herman sauces.” Two of them, Hermenaki and Hermaican, include teriyaki and Caribbean jerk seasoning. The location in Fishers, Indiana, has 4.2 out of 5 stars on Yelp and offers takeout as well as sports entertainment. 

BuffaLouie’s 

    This restaurant has two locations in Indiana and specializes in wings and burgers. It has a popular location in Bloomington, Indiana, and also a newly opened one in Carmel, Indiana. BuffaLouie’s is well known for a lot of different sauce options. My personal favorite is TNT, which is spicier, but there are many more to choose from. Check these options out on their website. 

    Be a wing-er and choose one of these quality locations for your next dining experience. They will be sure to satisfy your chicken cravings.