Dan and John's Wings East Village
Permanently Closed
Buffalo-style chicken wings, five Buffalo sauce levels, BBQ
Buffalo-style chicken wings, five Buffalo sauce levels, BBQ
"Historically, NYC has been a terrible place to eat Buffalo-style chicken wings. When Atomic Wings are widely considered the best in town, it's clear there are big problems. The door was wide open for someone to step up, we're just surprised it took this long. People of Infatuation Nation, meet Dan & John's, who we're officially crowning King of Wings in NYC. I'm infatuated with buffalo wings, will travel to great lengths to eat them, and believe strongly there is no better camaraderie-building cuisine. So believe me when I say: Dan & John's are the best buffalo wings in NYC. They may not be on the level of Westchester's Candlelight, but I haven't been happier eating anything in the last year than I have eating D&J's wings. photo credit: Noah Devereaux There's nothing fancy here: no schtick, no bells, no whistles, no exotic sauces or Asian flavors. Just textbook execution. The First Avenue location, which started out as a Smorgasburg stall, is just a storefront with a couple stools, and while we wish there was more space to enjoy the wings live and make a mess of ourselves, beggars really can't be choosers. Plus, these wings deliver and travel incredibly well. Dan & John's provides salvation for all of us wing deprived obsessives who've all but forgotten how glorious it is to dive face first into a steamy bowl of hot wings. Get down, make love. (Yes, that’s a Nine Inch Nails reference). Food Rundown Hot Wings The key to a great wing is getting just the right amount of fry, so it's perfectly crisp on the outside, while maintaining a juicy body on the inside without becoming overly slimy. Dan & John nail the process. These wings are damn near perfect. You can tell these guys have done their homework. Bravo. Sweet BBQ Wings Everything that's right about the hot wings are also right about the Sweet BBQ ones. But let's be clear - buffalo style should always be your first move. Boneless Wings Generally, boneless wings are kind of an afterthought to appease those who don’t want to get their hands dirty. Not here. The boneless “wings” here are awesome. These are nugget-sized party poppers, packing heat, making magic in your mouth. Fries, Tater Tots, Onion Rings All incredible. Get everything. Go big. Go extra crispy on the tots." - Andrew Steinthal
"This Smorgasburg favorite welcomed long lines within days of opening its first brick-and-mortar location in the East Village. Fans love the restaurant’s specialty: traditional Buffalo chicken wings available in five spice levels of Buffalo sauce, and two levels of barbecue. They’re beloved among wing purists. Now with locations in Murray Hill, Chelsea, the Lower East Side’s Market Line." - Eater Staff
"Considering their other claims to fame are Wolf Blitzer and a football team that was a four-time runner-up in the '90s, it’d be reasonable to assume that people from Buffalo are exaggerating when they talk up their wings. Well, it’d be reasonable to assume that if you’ve never had wings at Dan & John’s. This East Village spot is from two Buffalo natives who brought us their recipe from the north, and the pair have been rewarded with five NYC locations." - Neha Talreja, Kenny Yang
"Sports are a welcome distraction when spicy wings have you sweating like Charles Barkley on a golf course. And it’s helpful to focus on wings when you’re on the verge of tweeting something you might regret at admittedly incompetent refs. It’s why wings are served pretty much everywhere sports are aired on TV, but few places do them as well as Dan & John’s in the East Village. Try the hot or inferno spice-level at a high-top on the sidewalk while watching the TV in the bar." - Matt Tervooren
"Dan & John’s Wings, a small New York City chain founded by Buffalonians, offers wings with a moderate amount of sauce. The menu provides 14 types, including five variations on traditional Buffalo wings. 15 pieces with three choices: $21.99. Grades: Mild - 7, Insane - 9, Sweet Chili - 8. Average Score: 8." - Robert Sietsema
