The Joy of Food: Wild Wing Café

wild wing cafe ol smokey wings

by Serenity Joy Miller

On Labor Day, I decided to have dinner at Wild Wing Café. I seated myself at the bar, as I often do when dining alone. The bartender, Julie, was quick to greet me and provide a glass of ice water. Throughout the meal, she was friendly and attentive, even when the bar was busy. A college football rematch between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Virginia Tech Hokies was featured on many of the TVs throughout the restaurant, so the bar crowd was fun and energetic. I ordered a Samuel Adams OctoberFest and mentioned that I was writing a review about their wings. Julie was very helpful, recommending her favorite and the most popular wing choices.

In the past, I ordered a 4 Wings & 4 Boneless Combo as an appetizer. At that time, I tried the Medium Buffalo wings, which were crispy with an enjoyable kick of heat, and the zesty, piquant Lemon Pepper boneless wings. Both sauces were scrumptious, and I would order them again. On each visit, the chicken wings have been high quality, pretty lean, moist, and well-cooked.

On this trip to Wild Wing Café, I decided to order 2 of the 4 Wings & 4 Boneless Combos, each providing two flavors, one dip, and celery. So, I was able to sample 4 different wing flavors, 2 housemade dips, and plenty of celery for just over $15, which is a great deal for the ultimate wing connoisseur who wants to try several different wing options and not break the bank.

wild wing cafe garlic wingsFor the first 4 Wings & 4 Boneless Combo, I ordered the Garlic! Garlic! Garlic! wings, which were crisp and savory. I love garlic, so I asked for a side of minced garlic to spread on the wings to add a little more texture and authentic garlic flavor. Even though the wings were tasty without the addition, the minced garlic brought them up to a new level of excellence for me. Along with the garlic wings, I ordered the boneless Colorado Coppers, which were extra saucy with a delightfully sweet honey barbecue flavor. The Colorado Coppers were my favorite wings of the night, offering a perfect balance between the pleasant, rich honey and the tangy barbecue sauce.

For the second 4 Wings & 4 Boneless Combo, I ordered the Honey Lime Sriracha wings and the boneless Ol’ Smokey (pictured at the top of the story). The 2014 Battle of the Bones Champion, the Honey Lime Sriracha wings had a fiery kick with a nice, refreshing hint of citrus. Generally, I opt for flavorful foods ranging from mild to just about medium spiciness, so they were a touch too hot for my taste. However, these wings did have a delicious, complex flavor, and dipping them in honey or ranch brought down the heat just enough for me. The boneless Ol’ Smokey barbecue wings provided a slightly sweet, slightly peppery mesquite taste, which rounded out the wing flavors I chose nicely. The creamy, housemade Bleu Cheese and Ranch dressings made the ideal condiments for dipping.

Vote for Best Wings in Williamson County

After I ordered, I ran into friends who suggested the Ginger, Thai, Wild West, and Ranchilada wing flavors, which I look forward to trying on my next visit. Wild Wing Café offers over 30 different wing sauces and styles, as well as a wide variety of appetizers, salads, flatbreads, sides, sandwiches, sliders, and one of the best burgers in Franklin – the Bacon, Egg, & Cheeseburger.

Wild Wing Café is located at 545 Cool Springs Boulevard, #195, Franklin, TN 37067 in the Thoroughbred Village Shopping Center near Bed Bath & Beyond, GNC, and TJ Maxx. You can also check out the restaurant online at wildwingcafecoolsprings.com to find out about their specials and upcoming events and to peruse their menu. Wild Wing Café is open from 11 AM to 11 PM Sunday through Thursday and from 11 AM to 1 AM on Friday and Saturday.