Wings - The perfect sports bar

Do you like chicken wings? Are you a fan of “pub” fare?  Are you looking for a bar that serves great food along with the drinks, all at a good price? If the answer to any of these is “yes,” then Wings is right up your alley.  A love letter to wings, it makes for a great night out and a good place to catch the Olympics with a big crowd.

About the restaurant: Wings functions less as a “restaurant” and more as a “bar that serves as a restaurant.” There are plenty of tables, but quite a lot of them have lounge seating vs. booths or tables, so be prepared to perch on a few high stools during busy periods. The main area is dominated by a large bar with a well stocked selection of alcohol, and large flatscreen TVs hang at strategic places all over the interior to ensure all patrons can get a good view of the sports broadcast. Indeed, Wings markets itself as a sports bar that meets “casual family dining,” so expect the place to be crowded with sports fans come the Olympics. One downside to this is that the restaurant is often quite noisy; don’t expect to have quiet or intimate conversations with your companions in this atmosphere.

A note for out-of-towners: Wings is attached to the Howard Johnson hotel on Granville Street, making it a perfect place for guests to grab their meals. It’s also near several other hotels, so if you’re staying in the area near Granville and Davies, check it out.

Taken from user Sherman on Urbanspoon

The food: As the name would suggest, the main focus of Wings is on, well, wings. A whole page of their menu is taken up with a long list of the available flavors, some of which are very esoteric. While classics like honey garlic and Texas dry rub are present, there are also unusual things like Maui Lime, Sicilian Butter, English Salt and Vinegar, and the Original Westcoaster (lemon peel and cracked pepper). There are also some very spicy wings that are clearly marked in the menu; the Bobby Wing and Wings of Fire are so hot that the restaurant actually dissuades people from ordering them unless they’re absolutely sure, and requires you to sign a release form if you do insist! Obviously, these should be approached with extreme caution. As for the rest of the wings, some flavors are better than others (my friends and I aren’t great fans of the Westcoaster), but all of them feature juicy, well done chicken meat and a distinct taste to each kind of wing. Some are sweet and sticky, others are dry and salty, and all of them are of excellent quality; it just remains to be seen which type you prefer and which you dislike.

There are non-wing dishes on the menu as well, albeit not very many of them. Most of the other entrees are basic, common things like soup, sandwiches, pasta and steaks. There’s an acceptable selection of each – there are quite a few different and unusual sandwiches to choose from, like lamb burger – but not as varied as the wings. To be honest, I’ve had very little opportunity to sample it since I usually gravitate to the chicken. However, the appetizer section is very robust and offers lots of finger food that easily matches the wings in quality; my friends and I particularly enjoy the veggie spring rolls as well as yam fries and the veggie platter.

My favourites:  English Salt and Vinegar wings, Heavenly Honey Garlic wings, Very Veggie Spring Rolls, Texas Dry Rub wings, Tora Tora Tokyo wings.

Cost:  Reasonable at peak hours but potentially very cheap on off hours. At lunch and dinner time, a pound of wings costs just over $7; usually a group will order a pound per person. However, between 2 and 5 PM on Sundays, wings cost only $3.99 per pound, making it a great place to head if you want to get an early dinner and catch an Olympic event (note; no take out for this deal). The rest of the entrees are quite cheap and perfect for a budget; the most expensive meal, a rib dinner, is about $16. On the other hand, as a bar, Wings makes a lot of money from its drink menu; expect $8 for a martini, $5 for a bottled beer, and so on.

Take-out?:  Yes. Menu available here.

Delivery?:  No.

Licensed?:  Yes. Wings is a full bar with plenty of beer, wine, and cocktails for everyone.

Location(s): The Vancouver branch is Granville Street, just north of the bridge and attached to the Howard Johnson. Link to Google Maps.

Website and menus: Here.

Summary: With the Olympics in full swing, a sports bar is perfect for many guests and locals to take in the excitement. Wings stands out not only for its drinks but for its great-tasting and unusual wings.