Flamecycle
Extreme Member
Long Wongs is a small chain, their specialty is hot wings. I remember the original one in Tempe that's not around anymore. I think theres a couple other ones around Phoenix that I have not been to, and there was one in Tucson too.
I always liked the original Long Wong's, my family used to eat there about once a month when I was growing up, but I only recently had the opportunity to try out the new one near Apache and McClintock. I remember as a child I usually ordered medium wings at long wongs and would steal a couple hot flavor from my parents because they were too hot for me to finish a whole plate of... Their hottest flavor, "Inferno" I remember not liking because it was grainy and the heat was unbearable...
I can now confirm, this place is still pretty great.
I ordered Hot flavor with Inferno sauce on the side. The hot were fantastic, a nice tangy cayenne sauce with a much better bite than any other hot wing places I've been to in a long while. Of course for a chilehead they are anything but "hot" but I've learned to accept that about most commercial products. The Inferno sauce was pretty awesome too. It is tangy and a little sweet, but not in a sugary way, more like in a flowery fresh chile puree sort of way. It is chuncky, with what I think must be red habanero ground into it, but it is not grainy like I had remembered so they either use fresh chile or rehydrate dry chile adequately. The heat level on the inferno is pretty medium for a chile head, but enough to give a slight mouth and lip burn.
Now there may be some better wing joints around the country, but in my experience in Arizona, these are basically the best you are likely to come by. Naked, deep fried, and some decently spicy, tangy sauce. If you like the fruity or flavored sauces on your wings, I dont know how good they are though, I'm not into that.
I should note decorum wise, this place purposefully keeps a college dive bar/trashy vibe. Dont go expecting a nice fine dining experience. But if you like live music, show up past 10 and you are likely to hear a slew of college bands etc. Give Long Wong's a shot if your in Tempe.
I always liked the original Long Wong's, my family used to eat there about once a month when I was growing up, but I only recently had the opportunity to try out the new one near Apache and McClintock. I remember as a child I usually ordered medium wings at long wongs and would steal a couple hot flavor from my parents because they were too hot for me to finish a whole plate of... Their hottest flavor, "Inferno" I remember not liking because it was grainy and the heat was unbearable...
I can now confirm, this place is still pretty great.
I ordered Hot flavor with Inferno sauce on the side. The hot were fantastic, a nice tangy cayenne sauce with a much better bite than any other hot wing places I've been to in a long while. Of course for a chilehead they are anything but "hot" but I've learned to accept that about most commercial products. The Inferno sauce was pretty awesome too. It is tangy and a little sweet, but not in a sugary way, more like in a flowery fresh chile puree sort of way. It is chuncky, with what I think must be red habanero ground into it, but it is not grainy like I had remembered so they either use fresh chile or rehydrate dry chile adequately. The heat level on the inferno is pretty medium for a chile head, but enough to give a slight mouth and lip burn.
Now there may be some better wing joints around the country, but in my experience in Arizona, these are basically the best you are likely to come by. Naked, deep fried, and some decently spicy, tangy sauce. If you like the fruity or flavored sauces on your wings, I dont know how good they are though, I'm not into that.
I should note decorum wise, this place purposefully keeps a college dive bar/trashy vibe. Dont go expecting a nice fine dining experience. But if you like live music, show up past 10 and you are likely to hear a slew of college bands etc. Give Long Wong's a shot if your in Tempe.
