I'm a fan of Buffalo Wild Wings (or B-Dubs as the hip types call it). I like being able to watch the game, I think all the wings I've had are good (as are the sandwiches and fries) and I've always had good service. Plus the one here in Mesa is part of Restaurant Rewards!

Here's the scoop on the boneless wings:

‘Boneless’ Wings, the Cheaper Bite

*shrug* I didn’t write the menu, I just cooked the food.

I had a less-than-savory kitchen crew under me, so names on the menu were really the least of my concern. I was far more worried about the “ex” meth dealer on parole we hired at one point. :rolleyes:

Glad that’s all behind me and I’m in a cushy academia gig now. :D

I went to a BW3 once about 4 years ago with my brother-in-law. Chicken wings were horrible and served in disposable "baskets" like a fast food joint, which I thought was pretty cheap. The service was fine, but what killed me was that they served my Sam Adams in a frosted glass.:(

If I really want Buffalo wings, BWW is not the place I go to (OT, but my personal favorite is actually Fat Head's in Pittsburgh). I am, however, a fan of the boneless "wings" at BWW. Yes, they're really "chicken tenders", but they're tasty, and it's fun to get some friends together, order draft beers, a mountain of boneless wings, and about half a dozen different sauces. YMMV :D

I actually like the wings at BWW better than most others, but that's because I am not a huge fan of traditional buffalo sauce. I go there and eat the Spicy Garlic sauce. I used to love the Smoky Southwestern sauce till they discontinued it.

And their potato wedges are quite tasty as well.

Nothing there is exactly gourmet, but come on, it's a sports bar.

This mentality is fading fast. Cheap drinks will only keep people coming back for so long when they are getting mediocre food and poor service.

These days, gastropubs are becoming more and more popular. Full bar, "real" servers, and the typical bar food kicked up a few notches. Places like BWW are going to have to rethink their strategy.

Are you sure? Cheap drinks, average food, and lots of TV's have, for a long time, shown no signs of fading when it comes to bringing people back.

If I'm heading to a sports bar, the fact that it's maybe not "gastro" enough really isn't a consideration. I'll get my gastro at another time and place...

I had a hiatus from BW-3 (Like 'nerd", I still use the old name) on two occasions after moving to cities which didn't have any franchises. My closest one is 20 miles away and near a Hooters. I go there for the beer since I love the frosted 23 oz. glass and get a wrap; Hooters for the wings if I have a craving.

Their concept is simple and consistent regardless on where you go. The dry seasonings are new and not that bad.

One of the Chicagoland locations still has not upgraded to HD. For shame.

Cheap drinks, average food, and lots of TV's are mainly what make any sports bar successful. No argument there. But when the food isn't good and the service is even worse, it doesn't really matter how cheap the beer is.

People will go elsewhere. And when a restaurant/bar is trying to gain a solid customer base, ultimately, good service and good food will keep people coming back. Beer is beer, no matter where you go.

Duly noted - but as with everything YMMV as the BWWs we have been to in the area actually have really good service. As for the food, again, it's bar food which you can find anywhere. I don't spend a lot of time eating that kind of food, but sometimes all that really matters is the game that's on. If I want a great meal, I go out for a great meal - sometimes, all I want is entertainment. I won't eat someplace with truly bad food, but I don't think BWW has bad food - just greasy bar food, which has its place in life, but everything in moderation.

(And in the case of my DH and I, the available wifi is the kicker. I'm the sports fan in the family, so we go to BWW so he can surf and I can watch the game).

Why are you assuming bad service? That's really
over-generalizing.

Staff work for tips just like everyone, and like all places, service can be great, or it can suck.

Ever been to Wings Suds & Spuds in Moon Township right by PIT? :D


Go figure, I always thought boneless wings were made from thighs.

Sadly, no...I only lived in Pittsburgh during college, and any time we ventured in that direction it was to go for all-you-can-eat at Quaker Steak and Lube :D

True. My experiences at this particular location probably don't reflect those at every other location. Working in the industry, I tend to be more critical than the average customer. However, this also enables me to empathize with servers...to a certain extent. I am much more aware of why it takes so long to get my drink when I look over at the service bartender who has 20 orders all coming in at once, for example.

From my experience, though, I have encountered the worst service from the (non-tipped) managers. And consequently, their poor attitude, unprofessional behavior, and lack of any common sense, trickle down to all the employees below them. They set the tone for how things run, and if a company is willing to have these people running their restaurants then I am not surprised when I hear so many other people complaining..