Press 195

Press 195

40-11 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, Queens 11360

718-281-1950

www.press195.com

Maps and Directions

It was the Monday before the National Buffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo NY, and Jody and I needed to get together to discuss details about travel, itinerary and iPod playlists for the drive up.  Instead of just meeting at one of our homes, we decided to make it a working review... which is kind of like saying we were doing work while we worked.  A bit redundant, but it was just that.  So we met at Press 195 in Bayside, NY, ordered a couple of Allagash White beers and took a look at the menu.

Press 195 has two flavors; buffalo and BBQ.  We decided quickly that BBQ was not happening and went with the large order of buffalo wings.  For $8.00 you get a normal order and for $15, you get a large order.  The large had about 16 wings, making them just under a dollar per wing.  We also placed ordered up some french fries.  Press has amazing french fries and they have homemade dipping sauces as well.  More on that later.

Large order of wings... about a buck a wing.

The wings came out and smelled delicious.  The sauce did not disappoint.  It was a very well concocted version of the traditional buffalo wing sauce which includes butter and hot sauce.  Jody, on his trip to the little boy's room, a bottle of Frank's Red Hot sauce in the kitchen, making this sauce as traditional as it gets. Press 195 did add a nice amount of heat to these wings, I am assuming cayenne pepper was their weapon of choice since it seems to be the standard for spicing up the traditional buffalo sauce.

So, if they smelled good and the sauce was good, what was wrong with them?  Well, they were a bit inconsistent in size, making them a bit inconsistent in how well they were cooked.  The larger wings had a nice crisp on the outside, but juicy on the inside, making them delicious. The smaller wings, on the other hand, which probably cooked just as long as the large wings, were a bit overcooked which robbed them of their juicy cores.  Having about eight wings each, we may have had 2 or 3 over cooked wings each, which is not horrible, but not great either.

Let's rearrange the alphabet and put 
U and I together. Oh yeah!

As you can see by the above picture, the sure do make some good looking Belgian fries.  I mean, if I were at a bar and saw those fries, I'd do a shot, walk up to the bar, order the fries a drink and do my best to get their number.  I'd probably strike out, but hell, just telling my buddies that I tried with something that hot and failed, now that would be a great story.  They taste better than they look too.  Hand cut, double cooked, seasoned perfectly and served with your choice of dipping sauces ($.75 each), these were worth the trip alone.  I took the picture before we threw the ketchup out.  Who needs ketchup when you have Chipotle Jalapeno Mayo (not pictured) and Traphagen's Honey Jalapeno Mustard?  Both sauces were amazing compliments to the fries and both had a nice spicy kick to them.  Try the fries when you go!

Press 195 is first and foremost a sandwich joint.  With 40 hot sandwiches, a bunch of cold sandwiches and burgers on the menu, Press will impress you with their gourmet selection.  I suggest getting fries every time you go, they are just that good.  The wings were not too bad either and I have to say, I would order them again.  They also have a very large selection of beer and they keep a lot of micro brewed beers on tap and bottled in stock, so step out of your comfort zone and try an Allagash or Magic Hat or even an Arrogant Bastard Ale.  Last thing I'll say is that the atmosphere is pretty cool as well.  It is not a sports bar and can seem a bit yuppie-ish from the paintings on the wall and modern feel, but they have a few TV's with the games of the evening playing, a very nice staff that is also very helpful and Elvis Costello on the radio and any place that plays "Veronica" is ok by me.

It is safe to say that Press 195 is Wingmen Approved!

This is why fruit-ing the beer is ok.  
This fry lived to see another day.

The Brews Brothers

40-09 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11361

http://thebrewsbrosny.com/

Map and Directions

Ok... so I guess I pick up where Steve left off in the last post. If you haven't read about the first half of the night, click here and read up. I'll wait.

So by now you know we had a pretty rocky start but were able to salvage the night by visiting Bourbon Street. I really liked these wings because of the cajun spice that was dusted on top of them. It really gave them a unique flavor and set them apart from the rest of the pack. It's not that they were necessarily better, just more memorable than the dozens upon dozens of traditional Buffalo wings we've had. I guess we could have stopped there, but we instead decided to push our luck. With such a tough start to this wing expedition, we wanted to finish strong and get another location in. So we settled up and headed directly across Bell Blvd. to Brews Brothers, right next door to the infamous Johnny Famous.

Sadly, Brews Bros and Johnny Famous shared more than just an adjoining wall. There were actually a lot of similarities between the two bars. First, they are probably the only two bars on Bell Blvd. with ropes out front and bouncers checking ID's. Like I said in the Johnny Famous review, this isn't the Meatpacking District... it's Bayside. There are no lines to get into these bars. Lose the ropes. No need. They even stamped our hand on the way in. Really? There were like 6 people in the bar. What's the stamp for? Now, in their defense, I did read an article that says they were shut down for a little while for serving alcohol to minors. So I guess we need to give them the benefit of the doubt here. They're probably just abiding by the ol' CYA rule. Whatever. We made fun of it for a second and got over it. We made our way over to the bar, checked out their extensive beer selection (they don't have a shelf of bottles displaying their beers, they have a whole wall) and ordered some wings. This is where the similarities continued.

I haven't had my hand stamped since college.

The wings came out and we got down to business. They were breaded, which isn't traditional but I have to say, it's growing on me. But the flavor, not unlike Johnny's, was another one of these ketchup based sauces. Booooo. What is with this? This is like the third or fourth place we've been where the sauce tastes ketchup based. I just don't get it. Are there people out there that like it this way? Seriously, if any of you know the taste I'm talking about... have had it on wings... and like it, let me know. I'm honestly curious. I mean, it's pretty straight forward right? We're not talking about a complicated recipe... just mix some hot sauce with some butter and you're off to a great start. You can improve on it from there, but the hot sauce and butter alone is a totally acceptable recipe. At this point, Buffalo wings are so mainstream that I'm sure you can just buy it by the jug at any restaurant supply store. There's no need to go with this sweet ketchup nonsense. I wonder if they asked Johnny Famous for advice. Hey Brews Bros., I'll give you some advice: Ask someone else. Go across the street to Bourbon Street, or down the block to Dempsey's or any of the other myriad bars within a 5 block radius.

They looked promising...

It wasn't all bad though, there were a few redeeming qualities. They were pretty meaty and nice and plump. They were crispy on the outside and, even though we ordered mild (they come in hot, mild and BBQ), they had a nice amount of heat to them.

Maybe the highlight of the night though, was when Steve dropped a wing on his freshly pressed slacks. It was one of those things that seemed to happen in slow motion. He raises the wing to his mouth to take a bite, bobbles... bobbles... tries to recover... it slips... rotates in the air... bounces off his crotch (leaving a nice stain)... and finally lands on the floor. Always sad to waste a wing.

Click the pic for a larger view.

It's been an up and down kind of night up until this point - a real roller coaster of emotions - so we couldn't end on these wings. We wanted to finish off strong. Being so close to Dempsey's, which was our regular wing spot up until we started this blog, it was tough to fight the urge to go back. We hadn't been there since we started blogging about wings, you know, for variety's sake. What a perfect way to end the night. Bartender: check please.

By the time we got to Dempsey's, we were already getting pretty full. But we needed to rid our palates of that sweet, ketchup-y excuse of a sauce. We needed an order of teriyaki wings. They did the trick. What better to get a sweet taste out of your mouth than an overload of salt? And Dempsey's does it right every time. There's a nice reservoir of sauce at the bottom of the bowl to roll your wings around in, making sure they get a nice, full coat. Always nice to head back to the ol' standby... we missed you.

So, overall, it was a pretty good wing adventure. We got a little lost and ate a few bad wings, but we also had some really good ones too. Most importantly though, we had a bunch of laughs and a good time. And that's what it's all about, right?

Bourbon Street Cafe

Bourbon Street Cafe

40-12 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11361

718-224-2200
http://www.bourbonstreetny.com/
Maps and Directions

Jody and I set out on what we though would be an early Wednesday evening. We started at 6:30 and had plans of hitting two bars that serve wings, giving us two reviews and be home no later than 10 or 10:30 PM. Jeremy was stuck at work, so he couldn't join us. We had a location too, we were going to hit Brian Dempsey's in Little Neck. Some of you may remember Brian Dempsey's from our first review almost a year ago, but that one is in Bayside. This one is a few miles away, but owned by the same folks.

After helping Jody put an air conditioner in his bedroom window, we set out for Little Neck, found a place to park, headed into the bar and ordered a couple of drinks. We then looked around the place an noticed how much smaller it was than its Bayside counterpart. It also is not quite as nice. There is a pool table and dart board, so it has that going for it. We then noticed something else, a severe lack of menus or anything advertising food. I asked the bar tender if they have a kitchen and her response was, "we used to, but not anymore." I really wanted to know why, but I didn't ask. We closed Jody's tab after 1 drink each and headed out the door. That is what happens when you assume something... you make an Ass out of Jody and myself (since it was my idea). It is now 7:00 PM, Strike 1.

We then decided to hit a spot that we knew served wings, but still wanted to do two reviews. So we decided to hit McFadden's in Corona, NY. I knew it was near Citi Field and we headed in that direction. The GPS on my Blackberry said it was on the corner of Roosevelt and 111th Street. So we mozied in that direction. We drove around for quite a while and then decided that my GPS was wrong, which is not too uncommon. It is now just after 7:45 and we have swung at Strike 2.

Jody's GPS, which is on an iPhone, sent us to 104th street and 41st avenue. Not too far from where I tried to get us, so we went there. We drove around for a long time looking for a place to park and when we found it, we set out on foot to find this mysterious McFadden's bar. We walked for about 3 blocks when we realized that his GPS was wrong as well. We just hoped that his car would not be on cinder blocks when we got back to it. After getting back in the car, getting flipped around in the chop shop laden streets of Corona, we were quite discouraged and set off back towards Bayside. It is now 8:15 PM, we have not found wings and still have no idea where Mcfadden's is located (It is AT Citi Field, Home of the NY Mets, and just opened this season. Having gone to only a single game, I did not even know. I do now.)... Strike 3, we are out!

By just after 8:40 PM, we end up on Bell Blvd in Bayside with broken spirits and empty stomachs. What a mess of an evening. Two hours and ten minutes after we started out on this journey, we finally find a place that serves wings! Bourbon Street Cafe to the rescue and that cannot be understated. We sat at the bar, watched the Mets shut out the Tigers and ordered up some beer and their Buffalo Wings. It felt really good to just be sitting down and enjoying good cold beer... at least mine was good, Jody's Bluepoint was less than desirable, like they had not changed the keg in a very long time.

Bourbon Street, as you may be able to tell, is a bit of New Orleans in Bayside, Queens and everything about the place screams Mardi Gras. There are beads at the tables, bright mask decorations everywhere and people flashing you left and right (ok, I made the last part up, but it would be nice if they did). The place is quite big and has a nice sized bar with plenty of table seating for more private dinners. The front of the place opens to the street, so you can see the crowds moving about Bell Blvd. There is usually live music at least a few nights a week and this was true when Jody and I walked in. The solo guitarist did a good Bob Marley (complete with Rasta dreadlock hat) and a pretty bad Rob Thomas, but even Rob Thomas is a pretty bad Rob Thomas, so I won't hold it against him.

I know what you are thinking... why the eff has he not spoken about the wings? I am getting to them. We ordered the Buffalo Hot Wings and did not have to wait too long for them to make their way to the bar. They showed up piping hot, and scalding to the touch. They looked a lot like regular buffalo wings, but there was a dry spice sprinkled all over them, the celery and the plate. After tasting it alone, I recognized it as Cajun spice, similar to what I tasted on the Buffalo Grille's wings. The Cajun spice, added to the buffalo sauce, was a killer combination. They had a good amount of bite to them without being too spicy. They were large wings, well cooked to a crispy outside and juicy center. Bourbon Street makes a mean wing and I suggest trying these when you are in the Bayside area.













Look at the steam coming off those wings! Those are hot Hot Wings!












Bourbon Street also is decently priced. The wings cost $7.95 for about 15 and the beer didn't cost too much either. The wings and four beers ran about $30.00 plus tip. You can do a lot worse in Queens. So after failing to find food at Dempsey's in Little Neck, failing to find McFadden's in Corona and losing 2 hours of the evening, Bourbon Street Cafe replenished our energy and Wingmen spirit. We then moved on to Brews Brothers Bar, and Jody will fill you in on how the rest of the night went.

Local Bar and Grill

39-24 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11361

C.J. Sullivan's

213-10 41st Ave.

Bayside, NY 11361

Johnny Famous

Johnny Famous

40-05 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11361

I was skeptical of this bar from the very beginning. While they were building it, I thought it felt too gimmicky for a bar in Bayside (it has a Western theme and a mechanical bull). When it opened, they had velvet ropes lined up (no people to coral, just the ropes) and bouncers in black suits and ear pieces. Again, this bar is in Bayside - not the meat packing district - but blue collar, small-town-feeling Bayside. Strike 1.

However, there was a sign outside advertising 10 cent wings (1/2 the price of Dempsey's on the same night) and bikini bull riding. Obviously this sounded like a job for the Wingmen. Jeremy, Steve and I found a spot at the bar, ordered some beer and promptly looked for the menu. They promoted their latest hot wing sauce which they dubbed "Red Stag". Sounds impressive, we'll take 30 - hot. The wings came out pretty quickly, were steaming and looked very appetizing. They emitted a great smell that burned my nose hairs a bit - however, they'd get mixed reviews.

The plus: I thought they were perfectly cooked. They had a nice amount of crisp on the outside, but weren't over cooked on the inside. They were also very big and meaty - well worth 10 cents apiece.

The minus: The Red Stag sauce. It was very different from the usual hot sauce and butter concoction of a typical wing. It tasted tomato based, maybe made with ketchup. At first I was intrigued. I wasn't sure if I liked it or not. About ten wings later I decided it was too much tomato for me and I wasn't a big fan...especially when I realized that all that great heat that I smelled was nonexistent in my mouth. There was no kick whatsoever, and we ordered them hot.

Overall, the combination of the velvet ropes, black suited bouncers, and loud club music added to the less than stellar wings is enough to keep me away from Johnny Famous for a round 2 - even at 10 cents per wing. We went there, tried them and checked the place off our long list...but I think it's safe to say that none of the Wingmen will be back. Oh, and we left before the tops came off!

Overall Rating

Taste/Flavor: The "Red Stag" sauce did not live up to its billing. Tasted too much like ketchup and not enough like a wing sauce. All in all, the flavor was bad.

Heat: We ordered them hot and they were barely mild. They smelled like they would be hot and just did not live up to the aroma.

Price: $.10 per wing on Wednesday night is a great deal for good wings, but if they were free next wednesday, I still would not go back.

Service: The bartender that helped us was O.K., nothing to write home about. She seemed to ignore our side of the bar, which irritated some people next to us. We received our wings and drinks in a relatively timely manner.

Specials: How can you go wrong with with $.10 wings, $2.00 Domestic Pints and Bikini Bull Riding at 10:00PM on Wednesday nights? Serve horrible wings and by 11:00 PM still have had no one ride the bull.

Rating: 1 out of 5 stars. The bad "Red Stag" sauce and horrible atmosphere of Johnny Famous completely overshadowed that the wings were large and cooked well. Sorry Johnny Famous, but the Wingmen are not fans.

Brain Dempsey's

Brian Dempsey's

American Ale House

39-31 Bell Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11361

The first place we decided to go to and kick off this blog was never even in question.  It had to be Dempsey's on Bell Blvd. in Bayside, Queens.  We've been going there on wednesday nights for wing and draft specials for years, so it only made sense to start there.  I met up with my fellow wingmen, Steve and Jeremy, where we scarfed down 15 hot wings, 15 teriyaki wings and 15 BBQ wings.  

Here's what I thought:

The wings themselves were very small.  Sometimes when we go there, we joke around and rate the wings at what we perceive to be their monetary value.  It used to be 10 cents for a wing but, after the economy tanked, they were forced to raise - no, double - their prices to 20 cents per wing...still not a bad deal when you couple it with their $3 domestic drafts.  So some nights we say we're getting a 10 cent wing, some nights we're lucky enough to get 20 cent wings and sometimes we get 3 cent wings.  Tonight was a 3 cent wing night.  They were tiny.  Two bites and done.

As far as taste is concerned, it was a good night.  The hot had a good amount of flavor. Not a lot of kick, which would have made them better, but the flavor was definitely there.  The BBQ was surprisingly good.  I remember not being too crazy about them last time we had them, but this time they seemed to be the favorite of the group (I still preferred the hot). The only disappointment was the teriyaki.  I'm a little biased since I've had them before and they're usually my favorite.  Tonight they seemed to be heavier on the sugar and lighter on the salt then usual.  Teriyaki is usually a nice blend of sweet and salty, but my personal preference leans a little toward the salty side.

All-in-all, you can't go wrong with Dempsey's.  It's probably my favorite bar in Bayside and I'll definitely be back - hopefully for some salty Teriyaki wings of the 20 cent variety.

Overall Rating:

Taste/Flavor: We all agreed that the Hot Wings tasted good, the BBQ were surprisingly good and the the Teriyaki wings were a bit weak.  Dempsey's has great wings... all flavors.

Heat: The hot at Dempsey's are spicy, so if you don't like heat, order the mild.

Price:  On Wednesday's the wings are $.20 each, as compared to about $.50 each on the appetizer menu ($7.95 for about 13-15 wings).

Service: The service was great, but has been suspect in the past.

Specials: Wednesday night is $.20 Wing Night and $3.00 Domestic Pints.

Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5) because of the size of the wings and disappointing teriyaki flavor.