You asked for it, we delivered - pictures are included in this weeks Wingsday review - a special thanks to Mike for photographing the event.  This week, Ale Gator’s, the newest occupant of the old Red Lobster building on Lake Parker.  I’ve heard that this was the first Red Lobster ever; I wonder if that’s true.  On to the reviews!

“With a name like Ale Gators I really had no expectations (especially as it relates to wings) so I just went along with the flow. When we walked in I believe we were all pleasantly surprised as the staff was well dressed, friendly, and the restaurant was clean. We sat down at a seizure inducing table caused by a ceiling fan running under a light in the ceiling. This caused somewhat of a strobe affect on the entire table and was quickly resolved by turning the fan off. I ordered 10 of their hot wings and a side of fries. It wasn’t long before the food arrived and they looked good but were a bit on the small side. They were cooked well and had a really good buffalo style taste but I’m not sure I’d classify them as hot (more of a mild) (Trav: I couldn’t agree more!). I tried a few of the Bourbon wings that one of the other guys ordered and I liked those as well, they tasted pretty much like what you’d expect bourbon chicken to taste like. The fries were also tasty and helped complete the meal. There were a few things that we didn’t like though which included not having a bowl to put our eaten wings in (we probably should have just asked for some) (We have pretty high standards) and the price was a little high compared to some of the other establishments that we’ve visited. In all it was a very enjoyable experience and I’d say that it rates 3rd on my list overall so I give it 4 out 5 stars.”
–Shawn

This is a picture of wings /\

“Ale Gators is one of those places that I never knew existed prior to our arrangements to host Wingsday there. Regardless, wings are on the menu, and wings are what we do. (Trav:  Way to keep it real, Scottie)

Before I go into detail, allow me to stress that over the past several Wingsday outings, the other Wingmen have dubbed me a “Wing Snob.” I’m completely okay with this title; reviews need to be objective and thorough. I’m looking for the best, not just “good.” (Scottie is the very definition of a wing snob.  “I’m not sure these wings have the appropriate bouquet” - “could I see your wine list” - “do you have any grey poupon I could dip my wings in?” - okay, I made most of that up; but that’s what a wing snob is in my mind)

I ordered 10 “Buffalo Hot” wings. Measly-sized, but decent flavor. Nothing special to report on; they were your typical vinegary-hot wings. Breaded. Smothered in Sauce. Covered in scallions for some unknown reason. Were they bad? By no means. Were they good? Let me answer that question with another: Can anyone truly “mess up” a chicken wing? Exactly. (I think Mike may disagree with you)

I also tried the bourbon (tastes like: Cheap Whiskey + Gelatin = Bourbon Sauce) and the BBQ (tastes like: KC Masterpiece + Elmer’s Glue = BBQ Sauce). That’s all I have to say about those.

The place advertises that dipping sauces are included, “unlike our competitors!” Yeah, true. But your competitor’s don’t make my bill to be 14 bucks and change (plus tip) when I order 10 wings, fries, and a drink, either. (I didn’t completely get the “dipping sauces” thing - were the dipping sauces, like, ranch or something?  ‘Cause, if that’s the case, most of their competitor’s don’t charge for them.  Or maybe they’re not competing with those places.  I digress)

Places like Decisions or Kau’s would have me return solely for the pleasure of eating wings. Places like Kazbor’s would have me return solely for value. I would consider returning to Ale Gator’s for free pool and ping-pong, their assortment of various other barroom games, or the pleasant and open atmosphere – would I order wings? Sure, but I wouldn’t be expecting Culinary Delicacies.  (I’m loving this review.  I may just take Scott’s name off and put my name on it)

Wings: 2.5 Stars – breaded, small, decent flavor; but nothing exciting.

Value: 2 Stars – small wings/portions, $17.00 w/ tip for “okay” food.

Atmosphere: 4.5 Stars – plenty of TVs, pool tables, games, and ping pong! Family-Friendly (in daylight hours at least), plus a great view of Lake Parker.”
–Scott

This is a another picture of wings! /\

“Ale Gators on Lake Parker was the mark this week for our wing delight. Upon arrival I was greeted by ample empty parking right up front and was excited to pull in, only to notice upon closer inspection that the many empty spaces were reserved for motorcycle gangs. We 4-wheel drivers needed to proceed to the side or back lot to park. In total I counted zero motorcycles present for lunch. Puzzling. (We’re a third of the way through Steve’s review, and he’s still hung up on the parking) Anyway, the atmosphere was nice. I last recall the days that this building housed the first ever Red Lobster restaurant. An upscale seafood experience back in its hay day. On to the chicken wings. (Appreciate you working that in) The menu was brief. Buffalo, Buffalo Hot, Bourbon, & BBQ. I had the bourbon wings since everyone else seemed to migrate towards the hot buffalo wings. I likened the taste to a Asian Chao Chinese style bourbon chicken. The sauce was dripping off the wing. Saucy. They were a bit too sweet for my taste and had to really power through to eat all ten. Honey may be less sweet than these wings. Service was fast and friendly from our referee. I also tried the hot wings which were a strong performer. I give them a solid “good” rating. Ale Gators was overall a strong performer. I’d go surely go back and possibly venture off the wings to try some gator fare.”
–Steve

“Ale Gator’s. Hmm…what to say? Low class Hooter’s? Maybe. The only way I can describe this place is that it would be like having the opportunity to go to a high class strip bar, only to drive past it and pull in at Wild Charlie’s Truck Stop, Lube Center, and Live Nudes (this place doesn’t exist). (At one point, I was like - is this too harsh - but that line, the name of that truck stop - sheer brilliance - Mike, I applaud your blunt honesty)The food was mediocre at best. I ordered the hot wings and fries. The fries were unseasoned from what I could tell. The wings were tiny little things, smothered in pure vinegar. The water, however, was good. I would not go back…unless Travis is paying.”
–Mike

“I was immediately greeted by at least seven members of the friendly, staff who wore referee uniforms (can I pause here and say most of the waitresses were pretty - it’s like, we’re tap dancing around the fact that they hire attractive waitresses; a couple may have even been hot - just trying to be fair and just in our reporting), appropriate for the ambiance of a clean sports bar with TV, full liquor, games, Karaoke and music. We chose a round table that comfortably seated six. A bright light shined through the moving blades of the ceiling fan, creating a strobe effect, amplified by the inside of the shiny menus. Once the fan stopped, we regained our vision. Readers, you can simulate this by blinking rapidly, yes Wingsday is interactive.  (Greatest line ever!)

The wings are only available breaded. I ordered 10 barbecue wings and received a 3:7 wing to drum ratio and a salad of cut scallions on top. The amount of sauce glued to these wings would make anyone from NASA reconsider the method they use to stick the heat tiles to the space shuttle (This line may be better - Mike D. might be new, but he’s funny).  They were so overwhelming that I could not eat them all, and I shared two. The bourbon wings are good and taste like Asian Chao bourbon chicken at the mall. I did not try the hot wings today.

My tea was never empty and the management came by at least twice to ask us if everything was good. I thought $14.95 was a tad steep for ten wings, fries and tea, but Mondays .41 cent wings and two for one Margaritas is a head turner. I rate 3 of 5 stars with weight on the excellent service.”  (Word!) (can I still say “Word!”?)
–Mike D.

A bunch of diversity in the reviews this week.  It was a ton of fun.

If you’re a wing afficianado, and think you know of the best wings around, drop us a line - maybe the Wingsday crew will come eat with you!

Have a great weekend!

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This week, Kazbor’s Grille. First off, I’m sorry the review is being posted so late, but, well, I was lazy this weekend . . .

I walked into Kazbor’s not expecting much. I’d heard less than stellar feedback from folks who’d eaten at their other locations. What we found was a pleasant surprise:

“Rock the Kazbor’s! – (Editor’s note: It’s only by grace that I let you keep that headline) Yes, it’s lame, and a stretch… but The Clash played on repeat in my head during my entire dining experience. Regardless, I apparently did not share my fellow Wingmen’s sentiments for the fare we sampled.

In short:
1. The Hot wings were… not that hot. –2 Stars.
2. The Garlic Buffalo were very tasty, and a touch hotter than the “hot.” –3 Stars.
3. It was hard for me to get an accurate sampling of the Caribbean Jerk wings because my taste buds were dulled. I would say they were halfway decent. –3 Stars. (The reason they were fried is because before that I tried:
4. The Wicked Hot wings… they aren’t lying at Kazbor’s. Wicked-Freakin’-Hot [insert a Bostonian accent here]. — 4 Stars, for truly serving a HOT wing that still held is habanera-esque flavor.

Lastly, Our waiter was friendly and attentive, but he reminded me a bit too much of Brian, the flair-wearing, over-enthusiastic Chotchkie’s waiter from Office Space.

Overall, the fact that it was AYCE Wings for 9.95 with a side, coupled with a family-friendly atmosphere ALMOST made up for the no-more-than-mediocre wings. Great Value, “Ehh” Wings.”
–Scott

“I already had a preconceived notion of filth and poor food/environment even before I stepped foot into Kazbor’s. I had never actually heard anything about the one in Lakeland, since its practically brand new, but I had heard things about other restaurant sites. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in. The food smelled good, the atmosphere was clean. The only concern I had was that the place was small. Like, my chair kept bumping the guy’s chair behind me, small. Our server was very nice and attentive, but not overly attentive, which I like. My thoughts were something along the lines of, “All you can eat wings…how good can they be?” They were good, especially for 10 bucks. I started off with the hot. These were very good. Nice flavor. Nice wetness. No thick breading. I’m already a fan. For my reorder I got the garlic buffalo. OMG!!! I’m going to say it. Many won’t agree…the garlic buffalo have moved into my number one spot, out ranking Decisions. There, I said it. (Editor’s note: You’re right. I don’t agree. In fact, it’s only based on journalistic integrity that I resisted editing your review)

Stay away from the “wicked hot” unless you want to feel your taste buds melt off your tongue. The name doesn’t lie. It wasn’t exactly a buffalo style hot either - more of “lets just soak these things in habanero juice for a week to see what happens.” They were fun though. I ate one, it made me feel like a man. Overall I was very pleased with my experience. The wing may not be quite as large as Decisions, but you know how I feel, there is no need to say it again and anger the people around me (Editor’s note: Too late!). I think they are being paid off (Editor’s note: Yeah, that’s why I’m rolling around in an 8 year old car with 200k miles). You should check out campfire anthems sometime to really get the truth. I’m out.”
–Mike

“This week for wingsday we went to Kazbor’s Grille. We broke tradition and went to Wingsday on a Thursday but it was OK because Kazbor’s had all you can eat wings for $9.95. I’m not sure who recommended this place but it was a pretty good find. (Editor’s note: It was Trish, from Project Management, who left a menu on my desk). The restaurant itself was really nice and everything seemed really clean. I started my order of unlimited wings with 10 hot wings which came with a side (the experience just kept getting better). It wasn’t long before the wings arrived at the table and we dove right in. We went ahead and put in our order for more wings right after the first set arrived, this time I went the wicked hot (more on that below). The wings are about medium in size, non-breaded, and had a good consistency. The hot wings are pretty close to what I would normally expect and they really tasted good. After about 4 to 5 hot wings the wicked hot wings came out, geez they aren’t kidding. Just a word of advice you might want take something before to prepare your stomach and/or invest in some Tuck’s medicated pads afterwards if you decide to partake in more than one of these wings or maybe just one may do it (Editor’s note: I recommend putting the toilet paper in the freezer). I’ve never seen so many red faces, sweat beading on foreheads, and gasps for air (it was hot enough to take you breath away) from a group of grown men in my life. The wicked hot wings still tasted good you just couldn’t stand to have more than 1 or 2. I also sampled some of the Caribbean Jerk wings which were also really good and had a very distinct flavor without going overboard. In all I rate Kozbor’s 2nd only to Decisions ,which has been the front runner in most everyone’s book for quite some time. To sum it up I’d give the whole experience 4.2 out 5 stars.”
–Shawn

“This was my first wingsday and it was very amusing. We went to Kozbor’s Grille which was nice and clean. Some even commented that it was too chilly inside, but I found the place quite comfortable overall. I ordered the mild wings because unlike the others at the table, I had to share my food with my one year old daughter and I am pretty sure she would not have appreciated anything hotter. The service was a little slow and I think that had more to do with the kitchen staff rather than our waiter. The wings did finally come, but I had to wait till they brought out my ranch sauce before I could begin eating. I quickly noticed that I was the only one at the table that dipped my wings. I am not sure if I am an oddity or if the others just don’t know that your supposed to dip your wings in ranch or blue cheese (Editor’s note: Maybe it’s just that we’re purists, lady!). Either way, the wings were good even though I prefer batter fried over naked wings. My daughter was not impressed with the wings and pretty much ignored the pieces of chicken I gave her (Editor’s note: She’s like, 1. My one year old wouldn’t eat deep fried chocolate covered in peanut butter). Unfortunately, I was unable to finish my first set, so I did not partake in a re-order to sample any other flavors. I must admit, though, the most enjoyable part of this wingsday was watching the others try the wicked hot wings. There was a lot of sweating, tearing up and fire-breathing, coupled with predictions of utilizing the conference center once they got back to work. Since this was the first wingsday I was invited to, I had nothing to compare this dining experience with. With that said, I did enjoy food and the restaurant, and I will rate it 4 out of 5 stars. I am also pretty sure I now know why they keep the place so chilly.”
–Natalie (guest reviewer)

All in all, I don’t think any of us could complain about the aesthetics of the place - plenty of TV’s, viewable from every angle, a full bar, video games for the kids. It was, like Mike mentioned, a little cramped, but it was the kind of place I’d go back to just for the environment. I thought the wings were in my top 3 (off the top of my head, behind Decision’s and Beef’s). Since Kazbor’s is new, we’ll have to check back in a few months to make sure they’ve maintained the bar they’ve set.

Have a great week!

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This week, the Wingsday crew took on “The Winner’s Circle,” which is a nice little sports bar on South Florida Avenue. I’ll let the reviewers give you their take before I give you mine:

“I was left numb after tasting 9 distinct chicken wing flavors in one lunch this week. I could not even muster up the words to review them until Thursday. To generalize a bit, I thought all the chicken wings were a bit soggy but overall good quality and value. The breading absorbed lots of the wing sauce leaving all candidates feeling a tad pasty. The sweet tea was undrinkable here. Antifreeze would have quenched thirst better. For the sake of brevity, I’m going to employ 5 word reviews for each flavor sampled:

Hot - medium heat hint of sweetness
Bourbon - very sweet would eat again
Taco - best of show meaty goodness
Roasted garlic - super strength garlic birth control
Parmesan - fork and knife Italian meal
Chippy - chipotle soul sweet heat delicious
Vegas - lemon lime tequila unexpected surpriseCajun - pass, not your mamma’s jambalaya
Caribbean jerk - Simon & Garfunkel reminiscent, Scarborough Fair  

”
–Steve

“I’ve been to Winners Circle a few times but never ordered any food so I wasn’t sure what to expect. They’ve also recently relocated which was a good move because the new place seems quite a bit larger and cleaner. You can order 20 wings form $9.95 which is one of the best deals we’ve run across. Since the price was right and we were all in the mood for variety we ordered a total of 100 wings in 9 different flavors. Here’s a break down of how I rated each wing:
Hot (2.5 out of 5 stars) – This wing had a sweet taste but was very deceiving. Once you actually swallowed it left a burning sensation in your mouth that was intriguing. After about 4 consecutive hot wings you start to sweat and look for your favorite beverage. I wasn’t super impressed with the overall flavor so they ranked a little lower on my list.
Parmesan (4 out of 5 stars) – Wings had marinara sauce with some parmesan cheese. They tasted a lot like chicken parmesan and were quite tasty.
Vegas (1.5 out of 5 stars) – Wings were described as having a citrus flavor and seemed to have a hint of lime. Most of the group raved about how good these were, however I wasn’t impressed they tasted a little stale to me.
Taco (3.5 out 5 stars) – Wings had taco seasoning on them and tasted pretty good.
Chippy (Chipolte)/Cajun/Caribbean Jerk (2 out of 5 stars) – For me all these wings tasted like they were doused with a bunch of different grill mate seasonings (a little overboard) and I didn’t really get anything from them. Some of them tasted OK but none of them stuck out for me as tasting good.
Bourbon (2 out of 5 stars) - I was expecting something like you get from a Chinese restaurant just in a chicken wing. I was disappointed as I thought the flavor of these wings was somewhat sour and didn’t taste anything like what I expected.
Roasted Garlic (4 out of 5 stars) – We had a choice to go with Garlic or Roasted Garlic and we all decided that the Roasted Garlic sounded much more appetizing.

The wings certainly had enough garlic on them and they tasted really good.All of the wings were cooked well and they were probably medium in size. 40 to 50 minutes must have passed between the time that we ordered and when the wings started coming out to the table, which seems a little long. When I take the wings, service, and overall atmosphere into consideration I give the whole experience 3.75 out 5 stars.”
–Shawn

“Winner’s Circle is another place I’ve been to a few times before, but without such a discerning tongue. The easiest way to ramble through the cornucopia of flavors we sampled is to just go one at a time:
Hot: Halfway decent. More of a “sweet” hot than the traditional “vinegar” hot… but personally I don’t prefer hot/sweet. These’ll sneak up on ya… the hot takes about 45 seconds to hit. 3 Stars.
Roasted Garlic: Overdone. Unfortunately for my wife, I’m still belching garlic, hours later, after only two wings. Tasty, but too heavy on the minced garlic. 2 Stars.
Taco: Holy Frijoles! These tasted more like warm ground beef than chicken — very delicious. All it needed was some cheese and sour cream. A must-try wing for the curious! 4.5 Stars.
Vegas: Very tasty, but wing-to-wing, the flavor varied a bit to me. There’s a citrusy undertone… well, it was an undertone on the first Vegas I tried… and an overtone on the second. I think the latter wing was covered in more sauce, sitting at the bottom of the pile. Either way, not a bad wing. 4 Stars
Jerk: The key to this wing was the fresh Rosemary that was sprinkled on the wing. Tasted like biting into a fresh herb garden — delicious, different than traditional “jerk” recipes, but packs a ton of good flavor. 4.25 Stars.
Parmesan: Again, a must-try for the person who must try everything. Red marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese… on a wing! The Winggods have smiled upon me with this one. 4.5 Stars
Cajun: Typical. Spicy. Tasty, but nothing to write home about. You can find these wings in dozens of bars. 2.5 Stars.
Chippy: (Chipotle) Not my cup of tea. Probably the worst wing I’ve had in a while. -1 Star.
Bourbon: Again, not for me. I love whiskey… but not in my food. 1.5 Stars.Overall, the place was friendly and inviting, with lots of TVs adorning the walls and plenty o’ darts. The waitress seemed somewhat disinterested in us, and the food took quite a while to appear. However, for the money, the wait was worth it. Some of the least expensive wings we’ve seen. The wings themselves were somewhat tiny and a bit over-breaded, but the sheer quantity of flavors available makes this a must-visit… However, I wouldn’t say they’re in the Winner’s Circle, by any means.”
–Scott

“I graced good old Winners Circle with my presence once or twice back in my college days, but hadn’t been to their new location located within the Dixie Land area of Lakeland. I must say that I was happily surprised when I walked in. Cleanliness that the old Winners would have never had. ::side bar:: I use to take my wife to this same exact building when it was a little Italian restaurant for lobster ravioli. ::end side bar:: Anywho, I sit down with my friends (I’m the last one there as usual) and find out that we all ordered 20 wings, split into 2 flavors of 10 wings. Now right here, at any other establishment, I would have freaked out about the cost of 20 wings, but I was promptly informed that 20 wings was only 10 bucks. WOW! What a super deal!

We are now waiting. And waiting some more. We talked a bit, continued to wait. Finally, after a gut wrenching half hour the first set of wings arrives. Over the course of maybe 5 minutes all our platters of wings arrive and we begin our duty. Remember that word right there. Duty. I decided to go round robin on today’s event. I started with the Vegas wings. How delicious. The Vegas wings had a nice hint of citrus to them, almost like a tequila lime or something. Right from the start I was impressed. This was a very good wing. Next, I moved around the circle to Taco wings. I kid you not, these things smelled like tacos, and even tasted more like beef than chicken. Scary thing was that once again this piece of chickeny goodness was delectable. Ok, 3rd was “chippy,” which to a normal person was chipotle. These were ok. They had a nice flavor to them, and just enough kick for a good spice factor. Then garlic, bourbon, and cajun. Don’t kiss your wife aftereating garlic…although very good flavor, cajun was just ok, and I wasn’t a fan of the bourbon. They tasted like I was eating them out of a Jack Daniels bottle.

The hot wings were something to write home about. They were very good. They were also just like Jerry. They snuck right up on you. Initially they were sweet, and no matter how long the meat was in your mouth it was sweet. as soon as you swallowed, however, pull the fire hose out ’cause these things scorched. They were good but not as good as the hot wings from Kau Kau Koner. I also was able to partake in the jerk wing. It had a nice level of heat, along with some herbs and island flavorings. Lastly was the parmesean wing. This was very much like eating chicken parmesean at an Italian joint. With the grated cheese and marinara sauce, I half expected these to be served with side order of angel hair pasta.

I won’t comment this week on the weight staff. (my mom always said that if you don’t have something nice, don’t say anything at all) All in all I would seriously recommend this place for a good order of wings. Is it the best in town? It’s hard to say. I guess we’ll just have to keep atit next week.”
–Mike

To summarize, the “niche” wings (taco, parmesan, jerk) were so far to the ‘nth degree on the flavor scale that they became too much; I equated it to eating jelly belly gourmet jelly beans: the taco tasted like a ground beef taco. If I want a ground beef taco, why on earth would I order wings? The prices were excellent, and the quality of the food was good, if the service was a bit slow. I’d say I’d go to Winner’s Circle again; however, if I wanted wings, I’d go to Beef’s or Decisions . . .

See you next Wingsday!

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This weeks adventure took us to downtown Lakeland, home to Palace Pizza and the Black and Brew and Harry’s. It’s a neat environment, clean and walker-friendly, and that’s where we found, The Gym. I’ve probably been past it a hundred times and never noticed it. Actually, maybe I did notice it and thought it was a gym. I’m not that smart. Anyway, the Gym is a sports bar, with plenty of TV’s and excellent viewing angles for watching (in this case) the tip-off of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. On to the reviews:

“I have been to The Gym many times, but never for wings. First of all I love the atmosphere. Its a very clean, t.v. infested sports bar. The staff is always pleasant and fun to just chat around with. The Gym is owned by Molly McHugh’s, and is located directly across from it in downtown Lakeland. I ordered 10 hot wings, which the waitress told us weren’t hot enough. She was brutally honest, but very accurate. The wings themselves were alright. They had a good flavor, consisting of more sweetness than heat. I was definitely disappointed in the size of
the wing, but its hard to find a good sized wing once you’ve been to Decisions. I’d give them 2 stars out of 5 and I’d definitely go back…but probably not solely for wing consumption.”
–Mike

“The Gym in downtown Lakeland provided decent wings in an excellent environment. The service was relaxed and slow but very friendly and honest. The chicken wings were not hot at all here. I sampled the blackened wings as well as the hot wings. We watched the tip off of the NCAA basketball tournament on several of the TVs that surround the room, including two big screens in the front. They offer sidewalk dinning — great for people watching in Lakeland’s bustling downtown. The blackened wings were quite good. They reminded me of grandma’s home-style fried chicken. They may have even used some Old Bay seasoning on them. The standard hot wings were nothing to write about. I’d surely go back, but probably stick with the blackened wings, and avoid the sweet tea and curly fries. As with all downtown eats, good luck with parking on weekdays at lunchtime.”
–Steve

“I’ve been a semi-regular at The Gym since my college days. I started coming here when I “outgrew” the Kau’s life and wanted to just relax and have a drink, rather than get swarmed by 1,382 intoxicated college freshmen.

Many a night I’ve dined on their loaded fries while watching a game and enjoying a brew, but until today I had never sampled their wings.

Let me start with the things that were better than average: Cleanliness of the establishment. TV-to-table ratio. Openness and ample seating. Attentive, friendly, TRUTHFUL waitstaff.

The waitress was dead-honest… steering us clear of the opened 2-liter bottles of Nestea they pawned off as “sweet tea” in your glass and warning us about the mildness of the “hot” wings. Points for that. Those are really all the great things I can say about today’s experience.

I ordered 10 “Blackened” wings, and sampled a few of the “hot” wings. Neither were truly up to my ever-rising standards. The “Blackened” wings (Yes, I just lifted my hands from the keyboard to use air quotes) were not really blackened at all… merely a dry-rub concoction of possibly Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, Old Bay, and Garlic Powder. Again, I stress these wings weren’t black at all – they were whiter than a Welshman. They tasted a staggering “OK” on my personal scale. However, they were served piping hot and they were very crispy.

The again-air-quoted “Hot” wings were… not. Mike pointed out a slightly sweet taste to them, and I couldn’t agree more. These were probably the mildest hot wings to date. With the sauce, they were noticeably soggier than the dry-rub blackened wings. The caliber of the wings coupled with the small size of the chicken and the high prices for “add ons” ($3.00 for fries?!) left a somewhat bad taste in my mouth.

Overall, the dining experience itself was pleasant… but the food was par at best.

At least the celery and bleu cheese comes free here.”
–Scottie

All in all, we agreed that this was a decent sports bar, worthy of watching a game. But, as a wing establishment, the Gym leaves a lot to be desired!

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Due to circumstances beyond our control (read: my daughters Easter party at school), Wingsday has been postponed until today.  I apologize for screwing with your calendars.  Stay tuned for our review of another Lakeland landmark!

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