The food is great. Best wings . But the restaurant can be remodeled it's old and not clean very well.

What can I say? I've been eating here since I was in 7th grade. It has never disappointed. The customer service is not the best but it evens out with the delicious wings. Let's just say the employees are true to character and just leave it at that. Always bring cash! The buffalo or bbq sauce is always on point here. read more

Disgusting. Not sanitary. The cooks touch everything including your food. Is there a health inspector in Evanston? Thanks for the fake cheese! read more

Whenever I'm in Chicago I would always come by and order. Normally order party pack to bring home to AZ. Love the lady in the cashier.. she mild manner and smiles and very welcoming. the tray is packed full with chicken wings and it's sauce.. I don't mind bringing these awesome flavorful wings to Arizona. read more

The best wings in cook county!!! It's just something about that sauce that has you sucking on your fingers lol read more

Buffalo Joe's - Chicken Wings Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Once upon a time in the 80's, this was a go-to place for wings, a good burger, corn on the cob with waffle fries to share with friends. Those were the glory days. Now, it is an unfortunate mess; run-down to just borderline gross. Think old urban gas station bathroom (yes, this is also gross). with dining area to match. It's upkeep has probably been this neglected for years since it's glory days. The employees were busy toiling away, but seemed as run down and unhappy as the place. Not a friendly smile amongst them. Yeah, but the food. I can't speak for the wings, but if they didn't change the recipe, they are probably still good. The burger I ordered was slim with lots of bun (decent bun) and what one would expect on a burger. I couldn't bring myself to consume it. Fries were not good tasting of old oil. Maybe they do a swift takeout business? Definitely NOT a dine in place for me again. If they are trying to give the old throwback feel, they have succeeded. I mean, that is why I returned, to see that some things hadn't changed over the decades. Maybe it's better to let some college memories be just that, memories. Without a serious scrubbing, gut rehab and overhaul, I will not be returning. read more

Never a bad experience at Buffalo Joes. I always get the barbecue spicy mixed. Try their sandwiches as well.

I've had Buffalo Joe's about 2-3 times now and the last time I went I left a little disappointed. Had a single order of wings, hot, and the size of the wings I received were very small, some not even the length of one of my fingers. Small wings, not a lot of meat on them, it was disappointing. The first time I went I was pretty happy with the quality, so seems like it could be hit or miss. The overall quality of the restaurant could be better too, not the cleanest. Can't say for sure when I'll be back. read more

Although still delicious, they have watered down the Ranch and Bleu Cheese is no longer an option. I think the location in Evanston is using Cornish Hens! I've never SEEN wings that small. Please stop. read more

Definitely great food please try the suicide wings! We order one or twice a month the place is always packed! This should tell you something the food is great! read more

We went here because my husband remembered enjoying it from growing up in Evanston... However, the staff were unfriendly, uninterested and curt. I had to get their attention to pay our bill! The place was dilapidated, unkempt with dirty bathrooms and a sloppy uncared for atmosphere. To make things worse, we paid $26 for a hamburger, an order of wings and two small drinks! Never again! With all the wonderful dinning options in Evanston, we were fools to eat there!!! read more

This is my fave place for chicken wings. I just wish it was closer to home. If you're not into tangy Buffalo wings (like me), I suggest you get the mild ones. Don't forget to order their cheesy waffle fries, they go so well with the wings. I always try to take my out-of-town-friends whenever they visit me and so far, it doesn't disappoint. read more

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I agree with other reviewers on so many things. Yes the wings have gotten smaller, you can't get a cup of water...have to buy bottles now, and sometimes the fries have a weird taste from the fryer. With all that being said I can't stop going here for the wings! The amazing suicide wings smothered in that vinegary spicy heavenly sauce. So I go, cash in hand. An order of suicide wings and a beer instead! If anything give the wings a shot and judge for yourself. Just bring a water bottle if you don't want to pay a dollar for their's. read more

Best ever. Even though the wings can be small, you can't beat their suicide sauce, yeeeeeeeeesss!!!! Try their buffalo chicken sandwich! You need to. read more

terrible. service - 0 they are rude and unbothered food - 1 taste is not good price- 1 over priced and small portions architectural design- 0 the workers constantly are walking back in front in front of the customers because they have no door behind the counter worst experience ever nightmare read more

Not everyone will love Buffalo Joe's. If you don't like sucking on bones, if you don't like the texture of skin, if you can't handle messy; Buffalo Joe's might not be for you. If these things don't bother you, you'll probably find Buffalo Joe's quite delightful. I know other reviewers have called Buffalo Joe's "filthy", "embarrassing" and "disgusting" but I have always been extremely satisfied. If you're not sure whether you would like Buffalo Joe's and need someone to try it out with, give me a holler. I am always up for Buffalo Joe's. read more

Lookout arteries, here they come! Even though it's been about a decade since my first visit to Joe's, I still remember my first suicide wings/gut buster combo - *and queue flashback* Buffalo Joe's quakes as a "HOLY CRAP! I can't feel my toungue!" echoes throughout the place followed by an "AHHHH" after a sip out of the gut buster (you'd think it's the sauce but it's actually the soda - maybe should be more aptly named the gut *builder*). The Evanston Joe's (not to be confused with the one on Howard) serves up the some of the best spicy buffalo wings around Chicago. The wings are complimented by great waffle fries and various char-broiled burgers. If you're feeling hungry, try and split one of their party trays with a friend or 3. They taste just as good reheated out of the oven. Use their suicide sauce with caution. I remember getting an order of waffle fries with suicide sauce and watching the sauce eat through the styrofoam container. read more

Another local haunt I have been frequenting since before I could legally drink and had to resort to getting loaded on drinking the hookah water at the hookah bar down the street. I think all the negative reviews from long time patrons are telling in that they mention all the good things about this place in great detail but then say the bad in one sentence. And then they go on to say that they will be back. Sure this place is flawed, hell, this place may not be the best for wings anymore, but it is an institution. A buffalo university. When you graduate from it, you will cast aside the wing stop Pizza Hut wings with a scornful smirk and declare, "I HAVE EATEN AT BUFF JOES! THESE ARE NOT WINGS!" I always have and always will get: Double order of Suicide - Spicy, what can I say other than I got a party platter of the spicy wing awesomeness once for the superbowl, one of my idiot friends liked it so much he decided to drink the concentrated hot spicy suicide wing sauce that had congealed jalapenos in it, and then had a fiery colon for 3 days. Do not attempt to drink a full cup of the sauce. But do get the suicide and Double order of BBQ - Oh man, so sweet and delish, these really compliment the spicy, and because of my Indian upbringing, I am partial to the spicy but these will always hold a special place in my heart, cuz they are loaded with cholesterol and will probably be either removed by a robot doctor or kill me. Waffle Fries w Cheddar - another artery bomb, but so good in so many ways, there is not enough room on the internet to describe my love for these particular waffle cheese fries. Just try them. They also have beer which is a newer thing, I have not gotten any here. They have a pretty large seating area in the back with TV's so you can watch whatever games are going on, the ordering process is a bit apprehensive as you have to explain and re explain what you want to the surly, young, often but not always african american youngsters who look upon you with disdain. Then after about 20 minutes, you give CASH ONLY to the fat white dude manning the register with very little patience for small talk. Just go here. The experience outweighs the negative feelings you get when your cardiac surgeon looks up at you from the top of his glasses. read more

My ex-boyfriend used to tell me all the time that I have a tiny mouth. I thought he was just flattering himself until my family dentist confirmed that I do indeed have a smaller-than-normal mouth. My tiny mouth is usually not much of a problem. However, it became an issue at Buffalo Joe's when I ordered the bacon cheese burger. I had to eat the grilled onions with a fork, take off most of the lettuce, all of the tomato, and pull out most of the top bun before I could take my first bite. When I did finally get to take my first bite, my burger was barely warm! I ordered the burger medium and it was well done. How exactly did they make my medium burger cold AND well done in less than 5 minutes? It defies the laws of physics. The fries were good but pretty cold. I didn't try my mate's wings, the burger made me lose my appetite for wings. We went to Buffalos Joe's for lunch because we are jobless and poor right now but, next time I will go to a different spot for lunch even if it costs a little more. read more

Everyone seems to rave about their wings and honestly, I thought they were pretty decent. But their burger (or at least the one I had- their bacon cheddar burger) was far from being a decent eat. It was soggy, and the bun fell apart in the middle of my first bite. My burger patty slid out along with majority of the content and that is a huge no-no for me! If wings was the only thing they made, then I would definitely give this place a 3.5/5 rating, but everything else definitely brings this place down. They only accept cash, so please make sure you have cash with you. Nowhere on their website do they mention that, but they do when they are taking your order down. Another huge pet peeve- I haven't seen them wearing gloves when preparing my food. There was a lot of hand and celery contact that made me queasy. read more

WOW!! The wings here are truly delicious!! I met a few people at a party who told me that they would drive from downtown Chicago to Evanston, just for an order of Buffalo Joe's wings, and now I can see why. These wings are so simple and made to perfection!! They are the right amount of crispiness and the sauce is ON POINT! Plus, the portion size and price is not bad either. One order of wings is around $8 and you get like 10 wings!! DEAL! Tip: Get the normal waffle fries and not the one loaded with stuff - the WILL get soggy because it's drenched in canned nacho cheese sauce and and buffalo wing sauce. ALSO, if you want to place an order for a Super Bowl party... do that like 3 days in advance, this place gets so many orders that you won't get it if you order the night before!! - They are just THAT good. read more

Double order of suicide? HELL YES. Buffalo Joe's has the only wings that I will ever crave. Sure the restaurant itself is a bit dated and it can be next to impossible to find seating on any given night, but damnit, are they worth it. The wings themselves are a bit on the smaller side, but they make up for it in how many they give you. The fat-ass in me always gets a double order with buffalo chips (the double order comes with anywhere between 20-25 wings). That paired with some fresh celery and ranch? Makes my mouth salivate just writing about it. On the way back home from a day at the Field Museum with the parentals, papa Lee decided he wanted to stop by and grab some to go. It's about a good 25-30 minute drive from Buff. Joe's to home, but good God they were still delicious (and not soggy) after we go home. The only painful spiciness I would ever put myself through. read more

Sh*t, man. I'm not even a wings fan but when I was taken here by a wing guru and experienced the melt-in-your-mouth quality of these babies, I felt it in my hips. The cheese fries are fantastic. MMmmmm........the wings are so good that the only descriptive words I can come up with are naughty interjections. read more

Joe was behind the counter. (well - I don't really know. But with his pony tail, his long side burns and his cap, he DID look like a Joe. And not the G.I. kind) He took my order with nonchalance, and I waited, wondering with a bit of disbelief what I was doing there, and if I was indeed in the heart of sleek, posh, suburban Evanston. Or if I had landed in hell's waiting room for hormone-driven high school students. They were EVERYWHERE. And hungry. And scary with their hands and chin dripping with wing sauce. Ok, I am exaggerating a bit. BJ's is not for whimpers. The normal order is 12 wings. What you get is more like 18, so be prepared. They are on the smaller side though. Therefore manageable. Cheese fries, a pop and game on!!! Probably not a destination in itself - it's really sorta shabby looking - but if you are on a wing quest...well....why not?!?? read more

Had to try buffalo Joe's when in the area. The spicy wings definitely hit the spot, although they're not my absolute favorite in the city. Next time I'll get some chips and possibly go for the suicide wings. Aside from the wings, I love the atmosphere. It really takes you out of the city feel and makes you feel like you just found a special wing place that no one else knows about. read more

Best place in Evanston/Chicago for wings. Order the suicide (it's not too spicy) with chips. I always have to eat this when I'm back in Evanston. read more

It is a sad day for me. i grew up eating these wings. i have even had wings from Anchor Bar in Buffalo where they were created, and buff joes sauce was better. but over the last few years i have been fighting an up hill battle defending this place. finally i ordered wings and had to write this. the wings have been getting progressively smaller as time goes by, but tonight i counted and i got a double order of wings and there was no meat what so ever on the wings. the largest wing was an inch and a quarter long and had only skin and tendons attached no meat. i understand the desire to make money and have high yield but how does the owner really expect people to keep coming back for chicken bones slathered in butter? my advice just see if you can buy the sauce in bulk and get your own wings, it has to be cheaper and a better meal... sorry buff joe's you lost a life long customer tonight. read more

I can't imagine any wings being better than BJs. Most other wings taste like the frozen bag of wings you can get at Costco - they're not bad at all, just not all that impressive. We've been going to this place since for over 20 years now and we always get the mild. Don't get me wrong, we love spicy food, but you get the full flavor and enjoyment of the sauce with the mild. You can ask for spicy sauce on the side if you've got to have it. Not exactly sure what kind of freakish, butt burning death wish you have when you order suicide. You know that stuff has to come out of your body at the other end right? If you're not a wings guy then try the buffalo cheddar burger. It's dang good. Same sauce on a fat ole burger with kaukauna cheese spread (is that stuff real cheese?). The soft bun will soak up all the lovely burger juice and deteriorate before you finish so get lots of napkins. Prices are steadily rising and portions steadily getting smaller. There was a time a couple of years ago that the quality of the wings, the chicken itself, was pretty poor and everything was being overcooked and all dried out but they seem to have gotten past that lately. I have to eat here every visit to Chicago. read more

Ugggh, pains me to give them this rating but they are most shady during the pandemic. Yesterday I ordered a double order of spicy wings. When i got home and opens the container, i was in total disbelief! The wings are now the size of my pinky finger in length and the width of my thumb. Literally these are appetizer size. They may have equaled the weight of a single order... and that is a strong MAYBE! This is the worst part, i was charged for a double order. I paid $20 bucks for a $7 appetizer at TGIF. What bothers me the most is the intentional scamming of long time customers. They obviously don't value us. I get it... NU's student population is low and they aren't getting the usual business but to cheat everyone like this is unacceptable. So please to the warning... you will get less that 1/2 the meat you previously paid 20 bucks for. If you are taking it home to your hungry teens... don't do it... you will be more than upset that you just purchased them a snack and now have to purchase a REAL dinner. Shame on you Buffalo Joe's! I know times are hard but you stooped to an unforgivable low. read more

I've been coming here for 20 years and I always get a double order of suicide wings. Sauce has always been great. Unfortunately the wings are pretty small. Thankfully you get so many that it's still a filling meal. They have hard to find pop choices (RC Cola, Nehi) The cheese fries are on point, pretty sure they use Merkts Cheddar. Had a cookie for the first time yesterday, so good, and so fresh the chocolate chips were still gooey. Would love to give this place a 5 star review but the size of the wings makes me downgrade to 4. Also just as a note, they only take cash. read more

Ok, so lets start this by saying I am a vegetarian reviewing a chicken wing place. For those of you that did not immediately stop reading, enjoy! Ok, this place has a pretty diverse menu outside of the chicken wings. The best part are the heart attack cheese fries, called chips. They will throw hot sauce on them and cover them with jalepenos as well to make heartburn heaven. They also have these giant cookies that are extremely awesome. The best part of being a vegetarian there is that you can go straight to the register and cut the line. My omnivore friends that actually wait in line say that the wings are fantastic as well. The only downside is that if you get water, I think it is something like 10 cents and they pack so much ice in there that you have to go get more every sip. Also, one recommendation is that you bring someone who smokes with you. It is the best way to interact with the greeters that stand outside (persons sans homes) as generally they will be satisfied with bumming a smoke off of your smoker friend. Trust me, it works everytime. read more

I don't understand throes of you who praise Buffalo joes. This isn't even food. Seriously the wings are TERRIBLE. I got a burger once and it had cheese spread on it in place of a slice. The food makes my stomach turn. They dump salt on the fried like there's no tomorrow and the people who work there are delinquents. They're rude as fuck EVERY time I've gone there (which is about 4-5 until I officially wrote this dump off) People saying "oh buff joes is great" must either be on a masculinity overcompensation quest OR just incapable of tasting anything. read more

Cash only, but priced pretty reasonably and with good wings. The Chicago style dogs? Perhaps a bit overloaded, with weak buns that will collapse less than 1/3 into enjoying it. Just roll with it, it'll still be good, but not the best dog in town by a long shot. This is a wing place. read more

As I've enjoyed dining at this establishment for years, it pains me to post this negative review. Buff Joes has long offered tournament-quality buffalo wings despite (1) questionable sanitation practices, (2) aloof employees, and (3) a dynamic pricing scheme. Generally, the men's bathroom is under-equipped and shockingly dirty. More often than not, the paper towel dispenser is empty and the only urinal is jammed to the brim with ice. That door handle has enough grease on it to keep a 1000 ships' engines humming along nicely. Things aren't much better in the kitchen where latex gloves are treated like commas in a David Foster Wallace piece: used occasionally but only when damn well justified. Regarding the employees, I've long suspected that the ability to appear utterly disengaged while conversing with customers is a prerequisite to getting hired. It also helps if you can act as if there is literally no task you would enjoy less than mixing pre-cooked wings in a metallic bowl full of buffalo sauce. As a rule, I'm hesitant to generalize and disparage the entire crew. The cashier is usually pretty pleasant and I've actually had some appropriate interactions with the ladies up front of late. However, given the frequency with which I've experienced sub-par customer service over the years, I'd be entirely remiss not to mention this issue in a review. Although I rarely deviate from my standard order (a single basket of spicy wings, extra ranch, and a mega-gut RC Cola), the price I pay each time tends to wildly fluctuate. The value of wings must be inexplicably linked to some mysterious economic indicator. I forked over $12.01 for my standard order last night. While this price actually appears pretty competitive with that of similar outfits (i.e. Buffalo Wild Wings), it's far removed from the less than ten dollars the restaurant charged just a few years back. Despite the above, I happily made the not-insubstantial trek to Evanston to feast on Buffalo Joe's delicious wings for years. Up until quite recently, the restaurant had some of the best wings in Chicagoland. The chicken was always perfectly cooked: crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside. The sauce was and still is, "to die for." However, my last two visits have been underwhelming. The employees seem to be overcooking the chicken these days. Additionally, the wings are now embarrassingly small. I'm comfortable wagering that they are at least 50% tinier than their counterparts at Buffalo Wild Wings and Gators. While I will likely return to Buff Joes within the next month out of habit, I can promise you I won't be thrilled about it. Patronizing this establishment is like watching a washed-up, former all-star at the plate; evidence of greatness lingers, but he's still probably going to strike out. read more

Fantastic wings. The sauce is great. Good fries too. Worth a visit, especially for carry out during football season.

When we started going to Buffalo Joe's back in the day we were so high on a number of different possible intoxicants that one would think we would not fully enjoy the experience. I am here to refute any such claims. We fucking loved it! Now 15 years later I still love it like I did back in my youth. The sauce is really what does it for me. I like the succulence of the sweetness followed by the bite of the heat. I always order suicide - although the heat varies from time to time and also depends on how many jalapenos you eat - I yearn for something hotter. This brings me to a Buffalo Joe's story circa '99 when I was offered habanero pepper wings. Now circa '99 me and my buddy were so high, and lovers of spice, that we said yes. What ensued was absolute hilarity. Each bite of wing rendered us delirious for ten minutes. We were in our own worlds, laughing uncontrollably between each bite. I believe capsaicin increases the effects of Jah Ganja at least tenfold. It was pure bliss! Now back to the food. Single suicide, sometimes a double if I feel extra large, cheddar chips and a gut RC. This is my definition of a fleeting paradise, consumed with such gusto it is almost a travesty. Big shouts to my man Dean behind the counter. read more

Hands-down the best wings I've ever had, and I've had them at about every place that is supposed have even passable wings. Perfectly fried, perfectly sauced. The best part is they don't bread them. Breading, in my humble opinion, is an amateur move. Breading is fine on chicken fingers, but it has no place on wings. The sauce...holy sh*t, the sauce. My theory is that BJ's sauce has three key ingredients - 1) Crack cocaine 2) Heroin 3) The tears, sweat ,or semen of some cosmic deity. Now, I see that some of the reviews bash BJ's for the wing size. I'll admit that these aren't great big, super meaty wings, but therein lies the genius. Ya see, I can say in all honesty that every place I've ever been where you get big, meaty wings, is that you usually just end up tasting the chicken which is usually low quality to begin with. When I eat wings I want a perfect wing-to-sauce ratio with the sauce having just the right consistency to cling to the wings. Buffalo Joe's has this ratio perfected. My friends and I have brought many, and I mean MANY people here to put it to the test and they've all loved it. In fact, out of all of our friends and acquaintances who've had BJ's only one of our buddies doesn't care for it, which isn't bad out of the large number of us who love it. I even know several people who - while claiming to be vegetarian - make an exception for these wings-from-above. Finally, to make your BJ's experience complete, get some waffle fries and a Gut RC and you have the makin's of a superbly unhealthy, but decadent meal. It's worth the drive from Chicago, I assure you. read more

Food was extremely cold went in there and spent almost 60 dollars I would not eat from there again. The only thing that was hot were the fries..I would not waste my money again in there. I was disappointed. read more

Best wings in the world, and you can wash it down with an RC Cola. Possibly my last meal if I was about to walk the plank.

I love wings, I really do. I'll try any flavor, from sweet to spicy. I'll try them bone-in, boneless, stripped, naked, whatevs, I'm down. An afternoon in Evanston called from some Buff Jo action. I had actually never heard of the place, but I felt that wings were the perfect cure to my hangover, and a cure for just any old regular day anyways. But, I ended up getting a tuna sandwich, while my friends got a big order of wings I could suck off of. I'm actually glad I got the 'wich...I'll tell you why: #1. The service was awful. They didn't even know what a tuna salad sandwich was (and it's been on their menu for what I can assume is for YEARS). I had to repeat myself several times, and even while they were making my sandwich, half of them didn't even know it was on the menu. That being said, it was very fresh and didn't taste fattening at all. Win! #2. Now, for the wings. I have never seen so much wing grease at the bottom of a plate in my entire life. No other wings I've had have been like this, I was kind of shocked. They were good and all...but not the best. They tasted like they had butter in them... Their prices were really fair, but I just could NOT get over that freakin grease. It was a major turn off. I really don't think I'll return here again much to my friend's dismay. read more