WING REVIEW: The Grill at the Dome (Tonawanda)
Are These As Good As Most of You Indicate?
The Grill at the Dome in Tonawanda (175 Brompton Avenue) seems to be quite lauded by wing enthusiasts I see on social media. In fact, it’s one of the more recommended wing spots among those I’ve yet to visit. Last week after (sadly) stopping by a wake out of respect for a longtime friend, I took a five-minute ride from a funeral parlor over to finally try their wings. I tweeted where I was along with a picture of the menu before my wings came out, and within minutes I got a handful of people tweeting at me how good they think they are. Not gonna lie—y’all chirping at me set the bar pretty high. Did it meet expectations? Here’s my take:
PROS: Size isn’t a factor, as this batch of 20 wings was impressively large. They were also cooked extremely well and perfectly crispy. Sometimes wings come out crispy at the expense of tenderness inside. Definitely not the case here and if you are a crispy wing type of guy/gal, you’re in luck.
CONS: Not all traditional medium wing orders come “saucy” but these were almost embarrassingly dry. I had to ask for a side of medium sauce after gnawing through two and it’s never the same wing eating experience when dumping side sauce on. Speaking of, neither the medium nor Smoked BBQ flavors were particularly inspiring. The medium provided a decent little kick but yeah but yeah, both flavors were a touch too bland for my liking. Also, I’ll eat flats or drums with nearly the same enthusiasm and enjoy a near-equal amount of both. There were quite literally, just two flats out of 20. Where’s any semblance of balance?
OTHER OBSERVATIONS: Nice place but a little on the small side, which would be fine if there wasn’t someone playing acoustic music with the mic/guitar turned up too much. It was a struggle to be able to have a conversation with my wife over dinner---seriously annoying. The property itself is pretty awesome. There’s not a lot of places where you can do the driving range, play a round of putt putt, overspend at the pro shop and then get wings (or other food) without having to leave the bubble. I should also point out this place has a bunch of TVs and great for watching sports.
VERDICT TIER: There’s a lot to like about this place and obviously an incredibly convenient spot to hit up after smacking a bucket of balls in the dome. I have to be honest though----the wings equate to nothing more than adequate for me. If I’m at the dome or live nearby, this spot is fine but if I’m being honest, it’s certainly not worth a lengthy 20-30 minute drive if you don’t live in close proximity. Based on what other people think of these wings, I have to regard them as overrated. That’s not to say they’re bad, I just don’t think there as good as most you seemingly do.
TIER RANKING: Five (Depth Chart Wings)
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Here’s my seven tiers with a brief explanation of each.
Mt. Rushmore: The four undisputed championship wing spots of Western New York.
The Elite: The next best thing—right on the brink of being immortalized.
All-Pro: Perhaps not MVP material but categorically deserving of being discussed among the best.
Solid Starter: You certainly won’t be complaining. Exactly what the description reads—solid.
Depth Chart: You can do far worse but at this point — significantly better as well.
Roster Bubble: If left with few other options these places may suffice, but I can’t recommend them.
Waiver Wire: I’d rather eat pizza or something else.
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