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Least Tolerable Places, Ever
You don't want to come to these. Stay far, far away.
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Good for Groups
Places to go if you are dining with 6 or more friends.
Hot Wings Cafe
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Chicken Wings American (New), Chicken Wings [Edit]
89 E Colorado BlvdPasadena, CA 91105
Neighborhood: Pasadena
(626) 449-9055
- Hours:
Mon-Fri, Sun 11 am - 12 am
Sat 11 am - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
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$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
92 reviews for Hot Wings Cafe
Review Highlights
"and thier curly fries is a must have."
(in 18 reviews)
"This is the best place to get wings in Old Town."
(in 9 reviews)
"try the extra hot and spicy bbq wings."
(in 5 reviews)
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92 reviews in English
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Review from Marty C.
Altadena, CA
11/9/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Always a great experience. ..Manager (Tigger) and his staff always friendly, fun and accommodating. Great atmosphere all the time! !!
I personally love the "Hot" flavor, very tasty and the curly fries well, they are a must. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Temple City, CA
1/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great for getting your munch on during a game.
Best flavor: lemon pepper wings.
For the other flavors, they tend to coat the wings in so much sauce that it doesn't taste like chicken anymore. It's closer to eating the sauce with a tiny piece of salty chicken. -
Review from Carlos Q.
Pasadena, CA
9/9/2011
Meh.....pretty disappointed.
I went to HOT WINGS CAFE because I had heard for years that they had the best wings in Pasadena. So after a night of drinking walked in there, sat down and ordered some wings. To my disappointment most of the wings were mostly bones with very little chicken meat on them. I am not sure if the save the crappy wings for the 2am after bar crowd or if this is what their wings look like anytime of the day. Needless to say I have had better wings and HOOTERS (YUCK!!!!!) Will probably never go back here again -
Review from Nick S.
Pasadena, CA
1/24/2012
All around average
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Review from Leah M.
Los Angeles, CA
7/1/2011
Buffalo Wings and French Fries...my final meal if ever on death row...unfortunately, that final meal will not come from this place.
Ordered 16 peices of HOT chicken wings and some fries. The wings were undeniably hot...in fact, so hot I couldn't handle my beer...and that's pretty hot coming from someone who drenches tabasco on EVERYTHING.
The service was kind and apologetic where appropriate - in our case, we found a mutant chicken leg in our 16 wing pile - it was a normal looking leg but the whole thing was bone...bone covered in skin... totally weirded out after that.. -
Review from Ida C.
El Monte, CA
10/20/2011
Ok first thing you notice is that is kind big in there it looks way smaller from the side walk. then the server comes over about 10 to 15 minutes after you sit down so you think well ok big place one waitress but her weird attitude leaves you feeling kindda unwelcome which is never good we order drinks they come back to us in descent time but its a pitcher so that means no waitress for a very long time. But you order when she finally comes back and then the food comes and it is pretty damn good so you forgive the crappy waitress and enjoy your meal. but I have to tell you that waitress sucked. the food was good and I had a lot of alone time with my bf thanks to the bad service here. I would back but not for the help.
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Review from Kristin V.
San Gabriel, CA
8/19/2011
Okay, went to Hot Wings Cafe over the weekend. I've known about this hot spot for over 10 years. The ownership has had a turnover and unfortunately the service has suffered, but their yummy hot wings, in my opinion, are worth the sacrifice!
The waiter service is a little slow but the manager comes around and checks on you and they are so friendly. The only reason why their service is getting bad reviews is mainly because their lacking a waiter or two. I think if the amount of staff was increased then as a customer would see an increase in food pricing as well. So I don't mind it so much.
I always order the wings so I really cannot comment on much else other then their bomb rice pudding! On of my favs!
The location is awesome with public parking near. Definitely worth a try if your a fan of "hooters" (the restaurant, guys!). You'll love the wings! -
Review from brandi g.
Los Angeles, CA
3/28/2011
One of the grossest meals I've had in recent memory. Mc Donalds is probably better by leaps and bounds.
Rancid bacon, old French fries that left an oily coating and oddly chalky flavor in your mouth were some highlights.
I asked for water 4 times to wash the horror away but ended up getting up and getting it myself. Now mind you, I am less than 24 hours from having a baby emerge and I look fairly miserable. Can you get the fat, pregnant wildebeest some water, please? No? Must I waddle back myself? Yup, as it turns out, I do have to get it myself. And even my mild chastising of the server to the "manager" went completely unnoticed. Errr. Ok.
Save the agony of subjecting yourself to this, despite how hungry you are and how late it is. Perhaps you are wondering why would I stumble into such a horrible predicament? Well, Project Colorado, dictates all restaurants, no matter how gross must be sampled. Survey says.... Loud, negative buzzing noise here!
Seriously disgusting "food."
And the service was abysmal. I had to ask for a glass to drink out of with my bottled drink several times. The drink was not even cold. The manager ignored us and then double charged our credit card. Did not apologize, just told us "not to worry about it."
Go to Barney's next door if you want beer, fried food and sports.
Just nasty. -
Review from Rizoy R.
Los Angeles, CA
10/8/2011
Ive been to other Hot Wings Cafe. I was in Old Town tonight and decided to stop by for some curly fries and hot wings. It was good! The service was good! Overall it was the place to eat tonight... Loved it!
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Review from Christine T.
Studio City, CA
12/28/2010
I have eaten here 4 times over the past four months. I believe it is time for a review. The wings are great, the service has been so-so, but last night it was really good. I like party wings and they do them right. I get the mild or hot, I have not tried the other flavors. I always ask for extra crispy. The curly fries and the onion rings are a good portion size, and the carrot-celery mix is great. It is a kid friendly place too. I recommend.
I park in the free 2 hour public parking when possible, otherwise there are coin/key meters and lots surrounding this restaurant. -
Review from Amelia J.
Pasadena, CA
1/10/2011
Definitely my favorite place for wings. My bf and I come here regularly. It is so good. The service is great. They attend you quickly and are patient if you don't know what to order. The pace doesn't get over crowded which is a huge plus.
the atmosphere is great and the employees are extremely nice and helpful. -
Review from Allen L.
San Gabriel, CA
9/12/2010
Hot Wings is a great place to get your fix for Wings. You can mix and match the type of wings that you want. Make sure you come here with friends because you may think 25 wings is small for 2 people but once you start eating you will have trouble finishing! You can order sides as well such as curly fries, fried zucchini and other finger foods. The flavors you can get are mild, medium, hot and super hot. You can get BBQ sauce with your wings or you can use the typical hot wing sauce. You are given your choice of dipping sauces and usually ranch does its job. This is the best place to get wings in Old Town.
This is a great place for large parties. There are booths and tables that you can sit at. I had a friend who hosted a b-day party here and we were able to fit about 25 people. They serve different beers on tap. You can get pitchers of beer to gulf down your wings.
Service is good most of the time. I haven't had a bad experience with service. They can be slow sometimes but that's normal with every restaurant. Prices are kind of pricey but if you get a big group, the cost is easy to split! They accept cash and credit cards.
If you're not feeling in the mood for hot wings, you can order their sandwiches. They have a wide variety of sandwiches which should suit everyone's taste buds.
Parking is in the parking garages around Old Town. Make sure you leave before the two hours or make sure you have cash to pay for your parking garage. -
Review from Maria O.
4/27/2010 3 Check-ins Here
In my opinion they have the best wings in town, they might be a bit small compared to other wings, but they are crispy just the way I like them. The lemon-pepper wings, the spicy bbq, and the hot wings are delicious.
Their subs are really good too! and thier curly fries is a must have! I like double dipping, so I always ask for my own share of ranch and thousand island dressing, I am not willing to share, lol.
The service has improved, the waitresses are more attentive :)
On my last trip here we ordered: a philly cheese steak sub, an order of fries, a pitcher of budlight, and 50pcs of wings (and we were not limited to the many flavors we wanted to choose, in this case we ordered the flavors I just mentiond, sweeet!)... all for a party of three.
I feel their dessert menu needs improvement, we always have to hop over to another spot for dessert. -
Review from Ian C.
Altadena, CA
7/18/2011
Let's start with this...We ended up giving the hot wings back to them.., The tuna melt was just a tuna sandwich, no toast, no melt..Fries undercooked. Clam chowder..whatevs. and Philly cheese steak tasted nuked...I used to eat at the one on melrose and liked it..Maybe my palette has grown too sophisticated. Ha . One or two servers for 12+ tables too..In old town, there are too many choices for delicious food to waste time here!
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Review from Brennan M.
Burbank, CA
10/23/2010
The sauce is good. The wings are small. You'll definitely not get your money's worth at this place.
I just had a dozen wings and I feel like I barely had a snack. They are comically tiny. The service wasn't stellar either. That's not to say the waitress wasn't nice, but there was only one person working, or so it seemed. She also didn't know which beers were domestic, and which were imports. But she went the distance and looked it up on her iPhone. At least she's trying.
We also ordered the curly fries. They had no seasoning, and the grease leaves a coating in your mouth.
Now I feel really bad because the waitress just took a pretty major fall and limped off. She's not having a good day.
I probably wouldn't come back here. -
Review from Aubrey T.
Playa Del Rey, CA
9/7/2007
See? My life sucks. I'm always on the line where the woman in the front has a huge problem that takes 30 minutes of grocery guys running around to check price or whatever among all other lines that move so quickly in the supermarket or in a hot wing place that everybody likes while I get a basket of crap.
Seriously, was there any meat on the wings at all? Was I actually just getting a basket of recycled bones wrapped by artificial chicken skin made in the laboratory? Did they actually mean buffalo wing *sauce* by buffalo wings? Oh yeah, yeah, the very dry celery that tastes like it's been sitting there uncared for 2 days only completed its vulgarity.
To stay positive, I'm thinking this place can be hot. It might be the perfect place after some intense whipping and spanking sessions for an ultimate masochistic experience if you're into the idea of being tortured. -
Review from Andrea G.
Pasadena, CA
7/31/2011
Loved it! Yummy hotwings- I had buffalo and garlic. Love the philly steak sandwich. Cool prices. Pet friendly.
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Review from Cheri. A G.
Los Angeles, CA
1/25/2009
I came here for lunch today. I read the reviews after I ordered and thought maybe I made the wrong decision.
I ordered the extra spicy wings and the sauce was hot but not that crazy burn hot and the wings were meatier than I expected so I was not disappointed especially after reading the reviews on the wings.
I also order the oriental chicken salad and it was ok for 5 or 6 bites but I would skip that next time.
The server was attentive and refilled my ice tea several times. -
Review from Ann S.
North Las Vegas, NV
1/4/2008
I am a HUGE hot wings fan. Everything from Hooters to ....well, some other place that is popular for wings. The DECOR is zero and the lighting is a little too bright but for flavor and price this is great. There are two other equally good locations, on Brand in Glendale and on Melrose in Hollywood. Ironically this Hot Wings is directly across the street from a Hooters. but sorry Hooters, your wings are not as good as Hot Wings Cafe! but hey, i'd still suggest going over there after for a beer and some "eye candy".
MY Order consists of,
1- 16-piece HOT basket w/ extra hot 911 on the side (all drummettes)
3- containers Blue Cheese dressing (Ranch is a sacrilege ).
1- order curly fries
4- Newcastles and /or 3 glasses of Chardonnay.
(yes I bring a friend and dont drive) -
Review from Cat T.
Los Angeles, CA
11/25/2007
When every place on Colorado is closed and you've nothing else to do...
Stuff your face full of some hot wings!
Curly fries aren't seasoned like Jack in the Cracks... =(
Spicy BBQ wings were tasty and you can never go wrong with fried zucchinis...
The place is open later than the bars are! -
Review from Kyle T.
Los Angeles, CA
6/10/2010
I hate to give such a negative report but the wings here are horrible and this includes the "curly fries," that i received cold and the picnic style burger that was more bland tasting then a Mcdonalds burger.
For wings i give them a F+. i have been to this wings place three times and everytime it seems it gets worse. i see many of the reviews for the spot are three stars or above but how can one even give them three, when you recieve your wings and they look so dry you can see the bone black and smothered with some sauce they just poured on top. there is no taste and the wings taste like they have been refried, hence the black bone. yuck,, no pity points here.
well they have alot of HDTVs atleast, and beer i guess. -
Review from James T.
4/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here with a group of friends after this horrible sushi spot from accross the way and come to find out they only had beer and wine. My group ordered 50 hot wings which came out pretty salty. I had to dip the entire wing in ranch to improve the taste. I'm a fan of wings but this time I forgot to ask for the sauce seperate. Well I didn't place the order. Another buddy also ordered lemon pepper wings which came out salty as well. I would come back here because it looks like a chill spot to watch a game but get the sauce on the side doggy.
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Review from Will M.
11/18/2009
I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. This is a casual place with lots of tables, little screen TVs, and a bar in the front. At lunch, it's a free for all where to sit. There are some specials on the board as you walk in for things like Chinese Chicken Salad, and even some pasta and sandwiches. This is one of the messiest things to eat and I saw a young overly touchy probably HS age couple get hot sauce on their hands and on each other. Tell mama how that hand stain get in your pants!
So, I got the large order of hot and vinegary wings for lunch. I was thirsty,too and with all the phosphoric acid in the coke I was going to drink, I needed to tone down the acid. So I also ordered a bowl of their butter flavored white rice for $2.00. The carrots and celery were fresh and went well with your choice of Ranch or Blue Cheese.
I've been to several hot wings places all over the US including Buffalo NY. And I must say these wings are pretty good. The drummettes were better, a little crunchier though a few were also a little dry. If I had been here on the weekend with a designated driver, I would've gone for some draft beer. The other wing part wasn't anywhere as crispy so I only ate a few. Overall though, this was a decent place to go.
The server was friendly and efficient, This might be sacrilegious but I would prefer that they had many different types of wings, like sweet and sour, teriyaki, etc. -
Review from Rockie N.
Los Angeles, CA
2/14/2009
Its difficult to find great wings in L.A. and Hot Wings Cafe is a decent chain in the area. The wings are not filled with those weird hormonal implants as you'd find in "other" wings, and they are well done and crunchy. That's the way they are supposed to be. The hot sauce is a thinner version of, lets say, the sauce you'd find at Big Wangs or The Rustic. Its pretty good though ... I'd say that there's a hint of habañero in there somewhere. We order the 16 pc usually and they are served with dressing and a VERY meager amount of celery and carrots (I counted three pieces each). They charge extra for more.
As for anything else here, the sandwiches are trivial and the fries undercooked. I always have the problem of, "just what the hell do you eat with wings???" You won't find much of that here. The beers on tap are also a bit too rich for sandwiches and wings.
BUT - they do make the East Coast Style Egg Cream! Its the delish chocolaty soda that most places out here don't serve.
I prefer the Pasadena location... sitting outside and people watching while stuffing face with hotsauce is always amusing. Its close to HLP and will do until someone decides to make better wings nearby.
Stick to the wings and you'll be in the safezone.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Kelvin C.
1/31/2008
Nothing special to write about here. The wings are ok, the prices are decent, not many selections in beer ... just eh...
I guess the waitress we had wasn't very smart she DOUBLE charged me on my credit card. I call in the next day to correct the problem. The manager found the problem and then asks..."Would you like a gift certificate instead?" No dumbass, I want my money back! He did fix it in the end but I couldn't believe he would ask that question. -
Review from Susan P.
Irvine, CA
4/13/2007
Good wings and good tuna melt, but nothing spectacular for me.
I ordered the small order of Buffalo wings. Mild with ranch sauce. Next time, I want to try out the blue cheese dressing. Anyway, the wings were crispy--very good indeed. But the thrill of the wings died on me very quickly. Initially, I felt that the sauce was way different from most other places. As the wing entered my mouth, I felt its hot, smoky, and spicy essence. I really liked that sensation until it went away as the wings cooled down.
The tuna melt was pretty good and simple, nothing spectacular. But the rice that came with it tasted awful after the first bite. For some reason, I detected a strange chemical taste in the rice.
Service was really good. Our waitress was helpful and very nice. She gave prompt, helpful recommendations. The place seemed clean and relaxed.
I'm definitely going back because the wings were good and plus first impressions are...well, first impressions. -
Review from Dee C.
11/3/2008
Deadly onion rings... no joke. I don't even really like onion but these do me over! =)
Their wings are pretty yummy too... their level of spicy-ness is more fit to the tastebuds of white people... which means everyone who loves spicy food can go EXTRA HOT with their wings, haha...
Though the servers could look a bit better... or wear more clothes. -
Review from Sunny C.
Los Angeles, CA
6/14/2010
These are the best wings in town. I've been to plenty of bars and restaurants where I've tried their wings. These are hands down the best - in my opinion anyway. They are vinegary, salty (right amount of salty), and crispy outside but juicy inside.
They go down so well with beer and a side of curly fries.
I used to go to the one in Hollywood but I'm so thankful there's one in Pasadena. I have to admit though, the zuchini sticks in Hollywood are better than the ones here. -
Review from Tina N.
Studio City, CA
2/21/2010
I had usually gone into Glendales Hot Wings Cafe, yet got really disgusted with an expericene I incountered. Thinking I was never going to any Hot Wings Cafe ever again... My friend forced me to try the one in Pasadena. Now, I want to see if this one is okay...
I went in, was nicely greated and sat down... took a really good browse looking around... the place seemed clean! Yayee... hoping that the food is as good... I placed an order for chicken strips with curly fries and hot wings with just carrots, not celery... Woo hoo...I got as I wanted... Yayee, there was no hair on the hot wings or in my food... seemed that they cleaned it well... chicken tenders were soft, yet crunchy on the outside (PERFECT), fries were soft and bouncy. Good side of crisp carrots with ranch dressing... I left a BIG tip for the very nice waitress and went on my way satisfied.
IF you do want CLEAN Hot Wings with NO HAIR on the wings or in your food, very nice speedy service, clean environment... Then only go to the HOT WINGS CAFE in PASADENA!
NOT GLENDALE! YUK, read the review I left for the one in Glendale.
B+
4 Stars -
Review from Elizabeth T.
Los Angeles, CA
9/17/2008
I heard some things about HWC being better in LA, but it was Monday, there was football, and Pasadena was the closest.
We ordered the 50 wings, hot; it came with carrot and celery sticks and a side of blue cheese.
Pro: The chicken was, indeed, juicy and tender!
Con: $30 is a little steep for chicken and veggie sticks.
Pro: They had Blue moon on tap!
Con: No orange slices; we had to make do with lemon :(
Pro: I liked the buffalo sauce; you could smell the fumes when they set it down, but it wasn't so hot that you had to stop eating. Also tried the extra hot... that's hot, mang... both will burn your lips. These are not for those with weak stomachs!
Con: We almost finished the platter of 50 wings, but after about 20 minutes, we realized we weren't full any more.. I mean, we weren't hungry, but not full either. Wish there were some carbs on the side.
They have specials on Mondays and Tuesdays... 25 wings for $16... and the like.
I had a good experience; the atmosphere is pretty laid back, and the servers were nice enough. I'd come back.... (but I prefer Wingstop). -
Review from Jack L.
San Gabriel, CA
1/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Meh. It's a sports bar, I guess. It has a good location but the food quality is a bit lacking. The wings was a little too sour for my tastes. I also had the works cheese steak sandwich, which was decent. The roast beef sandwich wasn't that good. The place is a little run down feeling, but I guess it doesn't matter so much if you're here to watch a game and drink.
Listed in: Least Tolerable Places, Ever
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Review from Jen G.
Los Angeles, CA
9/8/2008
If I had their hot wings at a bar, I would give it a 3 stars.
However, for a restaruant specialized in hot wing, I expected juicier wings. -
Review from Angelique T.
Manhattan, NY
6/15/2011
Nastiest service I've ever experienced in my life.
The manager who ended up being our waiter gave my friend and I serious attitude as soon as we walked in. We decided to leave before we order because no one should put up with that.
Seriously don't even consider going there, you're waisting your time! -
Review from Dan T.
Monterey Park, CA
1/17/2008
Cheap and good wings. me and my friend always go to this place. we usually get the philly cheesesteak, a batch of hot wings, and curly fries. Overall, a great meal at a decent price.
the wings (thought don't have that much meat) have good sauce to it. the phillys are okay. i would say those steak escapes do a much better job at releasing all the favor possible. fries are average, not much flavor to them.
its always easy to find a place to sit there. never had to wait around.
overall, good filling food and you can walk colorado afterwould to get rid of all those calories. -
Review from Tyson G.
1/5/2009
Some of the worst "wings" I've ever had... Tiny and shriveled. Like they just got out of the pool. Except dry. But definitely wrinkled. There were about 2 half-way decent wings out of the 16 in my order. I felt less full than I usually do eating a dozen wings.
Oh, and their one HDTV loses its picture every 30 seconds.
And, they're horribly over-priced. Never going back if I can help it. -
Review from Wendy S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/16/2008
My brother told me that the wings (double cooked) and rings were tasty so I begged my better half to go there for lunch this past Sunday.
Found parking easily on the street.
Not much of an atmosphere, but 2 large nice screen tv's (good to catch up on the football game) and 2 old average tv's hanging on the walls.
we ordered the wings with mild sauce and curly fries; double cooked + an order of onion rings. The curly fries were suprsingly tasty, the wings were ok. I was a fan of the onion rings. I would say they are fresh slices and battered, not just something they order from Sysco and keep in the freezer.
They also have some good beers on tap.
Fed both of us with beers for under $35.
Oh and we noticed that the Hooters that WAS across the street is now closed. I guess The Hot Wings Cafe shut them down?!? -
Review from Jesse F.
Los Angeles, CA
10/3/2007 1 photo
Hotwingspalooza 2007 graced these doors, and I gotta say, I enjoyed it!
I think what this place has going for it is the fact that you don't go there expecting anything else. And as long as you like pitchers of hefe with your wings, then what is there not to like. You get a mix of wings and thighs, you can get any sauce you want (we of course got blue cheese, ranch, and a side of hot sauce), and you can get extra veggies, and by veggies, I mean both carrots and celery. Not just one, BUT BOTH! OMGWTFHOTWINGZ.
Yeah, the super spicy could have been a lot spicer, but the night we went, the Miller Chill girls were offering free shooters of that stuff, so hell, maybe I'm biased.
Seriously though, I have no problem with this place. It is forever on the list of hallowed places to be visited for Hotwingspalooza 2008! Rock on ever more, How Wings Cafe, and we'll see ya next year!Listed in: Hot Wings!
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Review from Jo J.
Los Angeles, CA
Staff is friendly and lots of choices on the menu to choose from soups sandwiches and of course wings. Dress is casual, large tv's to watch sports.
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Review from Shannon M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/17/2011
I love wings so I have high expectations when I check out a new place. The wings were a bit salty and the ranch didn't help at all. The curly fries wasn't anything special and kind of tasted similar to the ones at Jack in the Box. I wouldn't go running back to this place even if the meal was free.
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Review from Gerald S.
Chino Hills, CA
12/27/2007
I took a friend here for her birthday and was utterly disappointed. They are situated right next to Afloat Sushi and across the street from Hooters. If anyone had ever been to Hooters, you can see that the girls at Hot Wings Cafe had been rejected from Hooters so they work here. AND they dress similar to what the Hooter girls wear, except it's not as nice. It's not like I went there just for that, but still... don't try to copy what Hooters does. Have an identity!
As for the food, the only thing that was good was the fried zucchini. The hot wings are surely hot, but their sauce is not as good as Hooters' wings. The philly cheesesteak (original) was bland and has no flavor (disappointing) and the french dip was missing plenty of flavor as well. The french fries that came along with the french dip was also stale and cold.
I definitely would not recommend this place, especially when you have options in Old Town Pasadena. I'd prefer going across the street to Hooters. Hooters food is better than Hot Wings Cafe's and that's saying A LOT.
