I often eat dinner late at night. I would love to say this is because I’m engaged in exciting exploits, but it’s mostly because I’m indecisive. By the time I’ve decided pizza pairs best with Gilmore Girls, my Seamless go-tos have closed. While I could “cook” myself a late night smorgasbord of whatever disjointed ingredients have taken up long term residence in the back of the fridge, playing Chopped with a can of condensed milk, a handful of ketchup packets, and half a carton of eggs isn’t exactly the kind of entertainment you want to be partaking in at 10 p.m. on a Thursday. Lucky for us late night snackers, Buffalo Wild Wings’ new Late Night Menu might be the solution.
The afterhours lineup features an assortment of creative takes on craveable classics: Buffalo Bird Dawgs, Mozzarella Sticks, Pretzel Knots, Hatch Chile Queso, Fried Pickles, Chips and Guacamole, plus drinks. We gave three of the menu’s most intriguing items a try.
The Buffalo Bird Dawg
I’m a chicken tendies girlie through and through. They’re one of life’s true constants. While this is a principle I live by, I also embrace the many innovative iterations of the classic tender — vegan, grilled, spicy, on-top-of- a-salad, you name it.
The Bird Dawg is less of a twist on a hot dog and more of a chicken tender tucked in a narrow bun — essentially half a crispy chicken sandwich. The roll was nice and buttery, and the tangy blue cheese really countered the buffalo sauce. It’s hard to go wrong with the classic balance of spicy and cool. Plus, the slaw was refreshing and gave the sandwich a nice crunch.
Mozzarella Sticks
Mozzarella sticks are another food I think I’m pretty close to claiming connoisseurship of. I’ve been stretching and dipping breaded cheese for as long as I can remember. Buffalo Wild Wings’ take on mozz sticks was pretty inoffensive — not super memorable, but not bad. The marinara sauce was nice and hearty, but the sticks themselves were a little thin, and the cheese was lacking in stretch. The coating was also in need of some pizzazz and could definitely use a bit more flavor.
Everything Pretzel Knots
As anyone living in New York can attest, simply claiming proximity to a bagel is a bold assertion. While these mini pretzels didn’t exactly have “everything” on them, they did have a fine sprinkling of the seasoning you would find on an everything bagel. The flavoring on top was pretty subtle, and the pretzels were nice, dense, and not too buttery. The mustard sauce was sweet with a little kick to it. The cheese sauce was a little runny for my liking, but more flavorful than your typical stadium cheese.
Conclusion
I would certainly consider a trip to my nearest BWW for another round of these filling dishes. The Bird Dawgs and Pretzel Knots were the standouts, but I’d skip the sticks for the ones in the frozen aisle. You can snag each item for less than $5. Buffalo Wild Wings’ Late Night menu is available now at locations across the country from 9pm until close.