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Note to the reader: I apologize for my absence in the last two weeks. I simply have not dedicated enough of my time to loyal readers like you. I can and will do better. Love- The Juan and Only
For those that know me, you know I could eat chicken wings for almost every meal. I don't care how they're served to me, but for those wondering, here's my general order of preference:
- Fried and coated in sauce
- Grilled
- Oven Baked
- Deep fried and Breaded (like KFC)
- Smoked
Perhaps my favorite thing about wings, though, is that no matter where I go in the country, I know I can find drive just down the road for a good plate of chicken. For this visit, I, along with friends and family, set out to find the best wings in the Boston area and decided to go to a restaurant recommended by people we trust: Buff's Pub in Newton.
The Ambiance : 8/10
The inside of the pub feels like most American sports bars: Loud, full of TVs, and booth seating for all ages. Personally, I like that because I know they aren't focused on making the space look the best; they're focused on good food. Given we went during prime dinner time, we had to settle for outdoor seating. Nothing too crazy to write home about, but we were certainly comfortable.
The Food : Wings: 9/10; Sides: 6/10
Major shout-out to our waitress here. When I asked "What is your spiciest sauce?", she offered up a "Chef's Special" made up of their Extra Hot along with the chef's creativity with peppers to give it an extra umph. I would recommend all my viewers to try this sauce!
The wings themselves were remarkable. The fried crunch of the chicken, the juiciness on the bone, and the spiciness of the sauce all made for a wonderful sensation in my mouth. I was particularly partial towards the Xtra Hot sauce I ordered (Though I could only handle 3 wings), but found the Nashville Hot and the Mild generally enjoyable. What I found really good was that their bone-in wings were just as good as their boneless. I personally prefer the juiciness you get from bone-in but everyone can enjoy them how they like.
In terms of sides, I have mixed feelings. The fries felt ordinary and were honestly a little soggy. I always need my entrees complimented by a good, crunchy, side and so this was a personal let-down. Kate ordered the salad, which included boneless chicken tenders, and found the lemon garlic sauce to be underwhelming. Anna, my future sister-in-law, had the onion rings and said "They're the best onion rings I've had."
The Value: 6/10
By now, you should know that I care a lot about the value of my meal. I'm not going to recommend a place that isn't accessible to everyone out there. In this regard, I would rate Buff's Pub as a "so-so." On one end, the food is delicious. On the other, I just feel that paying $14 for 5-6 wings feels excessive, especially when they don't come with any fries. While I would certainly come back, I'm not jumping at every opportunity to do so and spend what we spent.
The Juan and Only Score: 7/10
This is going to be a hot take: As good as these wings were, I still would rather spend my night at a Buffalo Wild Wings and enjoy a wide selection of delicious wings along with their crispy fries. Buff's was very satisfying. The crunch on the bite was fantastic and completed the juiciness that you get from the perfect frying. The 'chef's special' sauce was certainly one of my favorite sauces I've had in a long time. Where it fell short was in 1) I didn't really like the other flavors on the table. If I am going to give a place a 10, I need everything to fall into place, including sides. Still, would recommend you try this place on your next visit to Newton!
