Restaurant review: Buffalo Wings & Rings

It’s hard to decide what I like best about Buffalo Wings & Rings:

Is it one the best selections of craft beers on tap in the entire Valley? Or is it those beers are available at some of the best prices in the Valley?

Situated on the northeast corner of Dobson Road and Chandler Boulevard, the Cincinnati-based chain’s sole Arizona outpost opened in late 2008.

At first glance, its menu of Buffalo wings and burgers may remind you of its much bigger rival, Buffalo Wild Wings (also from Ohio), which has 15 locations in Arizona.

But Buffalo Wings & Rings’ ever-changing roster of nearly two dozen microbrews is something you won’t find at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Credit local franchise owner Jim Lolli, whose love of craft beers is reflected on the updated-daily chart on the wall (pictured) next to the bar.

Along with such popular microbrews as Stone’s Arrogant Bastard from San Diego or Big Sky’s Moose Drool from Montana, you’ll find local favorites like Four Peaks’ Kiltlifter, SanTan’s Devil’s Ale and Sonoran’s Victorian IPA.

And on each visit, you’re likely to stumble across a hard-to-find gem, such as Jewbelation 13, a limited-edition seasonal brewed with 13 malts and 13 hops (with 13 percent alcohol) by San Francisco’s Shmaltz Brewing.

While Buffalo Wings & Rings might charge $6 or $7 for a pint of a hard-to-find beer, most pints are around $4 or $5. A daily happy hour, which runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, knocks off another dollar.

As a result, you can pay less for a Four Peaks or SanTan beer at Buffalo Wings & Rings than at those microbreweries.

There’s also a food happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays when most appetizers are approximately half-price. That means a big basket of onion rings for $3 or nachos supreme for $4.

As if that’s not enough, there also are daily deals, including 49-cent wings on Tuesdays, 49-cent boneless wings on Wednesdays and 99-cent chicken tenders on Thursdays.

Wings and tenders come in a choice of nine flavors, ranging from original to garlic-parmesan to sweet and sour. Each flavor is available in five levels of heat.

(As a rule of thumb, order one level higher than you typically would. The “hot” at Buffalo Wings & Rings is equivalent to “medium” at most places.)

The kitchen mostly keeps things simple.

The stadium nachos ($4.49), for example, are just chips covered with melted cheese, although you get small dishes of salsa and jalapenos on the side.

Burgers, such as the Buffalo Ringer Burger ($8.99), are basic but tasty. Like the sandwiches, they come with freshly fried (from a frozen bag), extra-thick potato chips.

I also like the seasoned meat in the gyros ($7.99), although the accompanying “cucumber sauce” will never be confused with good tzatziki.

Let’s face it, loaded potato skins ($6.99), chili-cheese fries ($6.49) and mini corn dogs ($5.99) aren’t exactly going to put you on the road to culinary adventure.

But as long as you’re not going anywhere, you can relax and enjoy another beer.

Buffalo Wings & Rings
Where: 1760 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (northeast corner of Chandler and Dobson Road)
Open: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Prices: Appetizers $4.49-$11.99, wings (10) $8.49, burgers/sandwiches $7.49-$8.99, gyros/wraps $7.49-$8.99, rib dinner $9.99.
Info: (480) 963-8000 or www.buffalowingsandrings.com