BY JIMMY GILLIGAN | The Statesman Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Price: 5/5
Service: 3/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Who knew the world of chicken wings began and ended in Superior, Wisconsin?
Recently voted the “King of Wings” in the Northland, Wide World of Wings lives up to its name—at least in terms of its wing selection
Considering the building itself, their “world” is pretty small. It’s a tiny brick building situated a long way down Tower Avenue in Superior—at least a twenty minute drive from campus. It’d be easy to miss if it weren’t for the large illuminated sign featuring a friendly-looking chicken mascot that appears happy to sacrifice himself for your nourishment.
Unsurprisingly, Wide World of Wings caters to the sports fan. Nearly a dozen TVs line the walls and bar area. Their Facebook page boasts $1.25 beer deals during big sporting events. (Keep in mind Minnesota Vikings fans that this is Packer country.)
Of course, there are a number of bars on Tower Avenue. This is not one of them. They don’t have any beer taps, nor do they have any liquor. However, they do have a decent bottled beer selection. Here, Wide World of Wings stays true to its name.
So let’s get to the wings. There are 26 different flavors, from Sweet & Tangy Plum to Pure Evil, a flavor with so much heat you’ll have to sign a waiver to eat them. We did not.
We did try seven different flavors. Chipotle Ranch, Kickin’ Bourbon and Zesty Orange (think Chinese takeout) certainly impressed.
The allure of Wide World of Wings is that it’s what it sounds like: a house of worship for what has become the quintessential meal for sports fans.
The small kitchen, homey feel and “no-frills” attitude at Wide World of Wings seems to scoff at chains like Buffalo Wild Wings. Here, it’s really all about the wings. While they may not have the edge on B-dubs in terms of televisions or jersey-style uniforms for their waiters, they do have unique flavors to interest any chicken wing enthusiast.
Like any wing place, there are some unbelievable deals every day of the week. On Tuesday, boneless wings are 60 cents. The same deal goes for traditional wings on Thursdays.
That being said, the name “Wide World of Wings” is somewhat misleading. Perhaps it should be called the “Fried World of Wings (and other foods).”
From deep-fried brownie bites to ham and cheese poppers, this is heaven for fried food lovers.
Surprisingly enough, however, they do have some healthier options. These include a handful of pita wraps and sandwich options: from The Packer and The Viking Pita Wraps, to the Badger and the “Crabby Patty” burger.
Keep in mind this is not the place for those interested in eating healthy.
But if you like chicken wings, the occasional sporting event and don’t mind driving a short distance to enjoy both, I’d like to introduce you to the Wide World of Wings. They’re the “King of Wings” in the Northland, and for a good reason!