Review of 'Randy's Wing Bar'

We are big fans of chicken wings (see my review of National Wing Day 2018) and so we have heard of “Randy's Wing Bar” who, we were told, has some of the best chicken wings in town so while we were in the area the other day we decided to give them a try. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of a trendy/socially-conscious looking development on the outskirts of the Queen Elizabeth Park in Hackney. Neighbours include “The Breakfast Club” and the nostalgia-heavy “Four Quarters East” (a bar featuring hands-on classic video games) so you can sort of get the vibe.

It was a wonderfully sunny autumn day so we sat at one of their outdoor tables - Wood covered and a bit wonky, as was the menu when delivered to the table by our server in well-used separate pieces for us to assemble (“that's Randy's” he quipped). The menu, once put together, has a single page with “Snacks”, “Wings”, “Burgers”, “Loaded Fries”, (somewhat redundantly) “Sides” and “Dessert”. Nothing here is more than £10 and the portion sizes were quite good. The rest of the menu is devoted to drinks which stretch from wines to beers to liquor to a small assortment of soft drinks.

As we were given our menus we were also given, without asking for (nor being charged for), two classes and a big bottle of tap water which was very welcoming and good to see. In keeping with the rough and ready theme before our food arrived a roll of paper towels were put on the table on a vertical spindle (with a bit of someone else' meal attached) as well as a container of cutlery and a small rusty tin bucket for our waste chicken bones…

Gangnam Wings

Being at a wing bar the first thing we ordered, after some consideration, were the “Gangnam Wings” (£7.50). When asked how many wings were included the server was a bit vague: “7 or 8 or so” which was off the mark for our dish which must have had 10 in the classic white-and-blue metal bowl it came in. The wings were, regrettably, overcooked so the wings were quite dry in texture though the drumsticks fared better - juicy and delicious. The sauce was, by itself, overpowering but the amount that stuck to the wings was perfectly gauged - Sweet, dark and gooey.

Big Cock Burger

The rather cheeky name of the burger we chose, “The Big Cock” (£9) seriously delivered on taste with a massive fried chicken piece (aged for 12 hours, evidently) topped with lettuce, pickles (dill!), “Randy's burger mayo”, and “South Western” sauce sandwiched in a brioche bun. Absolutely deliciously juicy chicken with a wonderful crunchy topping and with nicely creamy toppings. A bit messy to eat mind…KFC this is not.

Bacon Fries

Randy's are also known for their “Bacon Dust Fries” (£4.50) was a good sized bowl of crunchy, fairly standard fries (perfectly cooked though), topped with a “lime and tabasco” (could not taste the later) mayo, spring onions and chives as well as the ipodimous “bacon dust” - Light shavings of bacon adding a subtle taste of bacon. Very good but not exactly a flavour sensation.

Buffalo Fries

On the other hand, my companions's “Furious Fries” (also £4.50) were extremely hot (a bit too much for her general liking but I did notice she finished the whole lot) topped with “buffalo sauce, feta cheese & fresh chili” (a slight confusion over the later which she read as “chilli” as in the meat-based soup product rather than what they were: sliced chili peppers).

Bar

The rough-and-ready tables outside echo the decor on the inside with bench seating of basic wooden slabs in a metal frame. The bare-bones industrial look is throughout.

Kitchen

Staff were friendly and laid-back though often a bit difficult to grab the attention of though it was quite busy on the terrace on a nice day.

Very good chicken sandwiches, not so sure about the wings (though I am more than willing to come back and try again) and good fries all at a reasonable price (£35.44 for the two of us including a 12.5% service charge added to our bill and two soft drinks). Perhaps a bit too “rough and ready” I did notice they have a five star hygiene rating so perhaps it is just a look they are after…

Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2018-10-20


Cuisine: American/British

Address: 28 East Ban Lane, Here East, Queen Elizabeth Park, London E15 2GW ENGLAND

Public Transport: NRLOGO Homerton NRLOGO Stratford International NRLOGO Hackney Wick

Location: London (England) - Hackney

Map:

 

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Telephone: +44 (0) 208 555 5971

URL: http://randyswingbar.co.uk/