Road Trip: Legend Larry’s Serves Wings Like No Other in Green Bay
To borrow from Han Solo, Legend Larry’s may not look like much, but it’s got it where it counts. Photos by Kevin Gibson
I went to Wisconsin and didn’t eat a single bratwurst. Instead, I stumbled upon some of the best wings I’ve ever had at a place called Legend Larry’s.
Many of you know I’m a Packers fan; I travel to Green Bay pretty much every summer for a few days of training camp and to soak in the friendly vibe of what has become one of my favorite cities to visit. And usually when I go, I focus on Green Bay-style chili, cheese curds, lake fish and a brat or two. This year, while scouting possible new eateries to check out, Legend Larry’s popped into view. It’s a mini-chain (four locations, all in Wisconsin) that literally serves nothing but wings and sides. Yeah, definitely my kind of place.
Intrigued, I dragged my travel buddy, Butch, there for dinner one evening. We both were blown away. First off, the place feels like a basic neighborhood watering hole, so anyone who walks in expecting something forced like a Buffalo Wild Wings, there’s an immediate thumbs up waiting. Next, the order system is similar to one I have experienced in Nashville at San Antonio Taco Company, wherein you use a pencil and a pad to circle what you want on a mini menu. It’s almost like ordering sushi, in a way. You then take your order to the bar and wait for your name to be called.
We managed to score seats at the bar, but of course we soaked in the ambience first. Old red and tan floor tiles formed a checkerboard beneath our feet, dark wood slats made the walls, random beer and other signs dotted the perimeter, a few video games in a room sat just inside the entrance. A ceiling fan whirred in the center of the room under tin-style drop ceiling tiles.
As we looked around, we saw plenty of sauced faces munching on meaty chicken wings and drinking draft beer, chatting in between bites and occasionally staring at sporting events playing on flat screens. At a table at the other end of the bar, a family of four enjoyed dinner, plastic baskets lined with parchment paper in front of them on the table.
Scary Larry wings — scary for some, delicious for others.
Wings are sold in multiples of 6 or 12, traditional or boneless (party packs of 50 and 100 also are available). You mark your card with quantities of what flavors want, then mark which side or sides you want, choosing from classics like steak fries, fried mozzarella, fried pickles and other fried options.
There are some basic flavors like Mild, Medium, Hot and Barbecue. But it was the more creative — and for me, more fiery — stuff that drew us. Butch ordered six Spicy Bacon BBQ wings and six of the Sweet Thai Chili variety, while I went for the two hottest sauces on the menu: Scary Larry and DOA. And we decided to split an order of steak fries with a side of Garlic Parmesan to sneak another sauce in.
Our friendly bartender, Kat, admitted that the DOA was her favorite sauce. Myself, I couldn’t wait to pick a favorite. And while the wings are made to order at Legend Larry’s, it didn’t take long for our bevy of baskets to come out of the kitchen and land before us. Butch’s first observation was that the chunky, surprisingly dark-colored Garlic Parmesan sauce looked a bit like sausage gravy. Oddly distracting, but the ever-so-lightly-spicy sauce burst with fresh garlic flavor. And the fries were perfectly cooked, with crisp edges and fluffy interior.
I traded Butch a Scary Larry wing for a Sweet Thai Chili, and the former nearly did him in, setting him on fire almost instantly. He waived off my trade of a DOA for a Spicy Bacon BBQ, giving me one outright to avoid further damage to his palate. It tasted like a pretty basic, tomato-based barbecue sauce but with just a hint of bacon, as if a little bacon grease had been added to the barbecue sauce. It was nice, and not terribly spicy.
The Sweet Thai Chili, meanwhile, packed an unexpected punch, with plenty of Thai chili flakes visible in the translucent red sauce. The sauce was bright and sweet, and the distinctive flavor of Thai chilis — you know it when you taste it — added excellent depth. I could have eaten more.
I tried the Scary Larry wings before the DOA. To Butch’s credit, Scary Larry sauce does pack a mighty punch, but it was like no other wing sauce I’ve ever tasted in its flavor focus. It tasted like one pepper variety was at the heart of this sauce, kind of akin to how a single-hop IPA gives you a full experience of the hop variety used. But what pepper? It reminded me a bit of the 7 Pot pepper, but that’s a little-used variety. Scorpion, perhaps? I put this in my notes: “This may be the best wing sauce I’ve ever had.”
I then tasted a DOA wing. It didn’t seem hotter to me, but the flavor profile was much different — it was definitely a blend of hot peppers at the base of this one, with maybe a touch more black pepper in the mix. And the flavor was, as with all of Legend Larry’s sauces I tasted, pretty fantastic. But I still stood with Scary Larry’s as my favorite, so much so that I bought a bottle to bring home (and it was only six bucks!). And yes, you can order Legend Larry’s sauces online.
Legend Larry’s (it’s so hard not to say Larry Legend’s, thanks to Larry Bird) has locations in Green Bay, Manitowoc, Sheboygan and Sheboygan Falls. When in Wisconsin, you’d be remiss to not take a side trip. And be careful if your palate isn’t prepared for some pretty spicy sauce, because this stuff sneaks up on you — just ask Butch.
