An exciting new restaurant has made its way from the busy streets of Chicago to our quiet little town of Oswego. Opened less than a month, the most recent customers describe their flavorful experience through every bite. It’s clear that our village is growing in size, and thus, there is a growing need for new establishments to spice up the wings.
OH junior Noah Figueroa said, ”These wings [from Woodie’s] are even spicier than Rosatti’s chicken bites.”
As Figueroa described, the experience at Woodie’s is vibrant and new at every turn, not just for customers but for the restaurant employees as well.
“I [really] like the culture of independent restaurant chains,” said Woody’s Wings manager Mike Husar. “I really like the culture of the company, and [this is] the culture they instilled in training, so it’s fun to come to work.”
Indeed, good cooking and good taste are critical parts of belonging in a good culture. But the wings themselves are the real main dish for customers.
One recent Oswego customer described the wings as having “a firm texture [and] juicy [with] good seasoning. They’re not too greasy, not too dry, and not too salty,” said customer Wendy Acosta.
According to Woodie’s Wings website, the Woodie’s Wings franchise has been around since 1995 and is based in Chicago. With new locations set to open around suburban Illinois, including Wheeling and North Aurora, it is best known for serving classic American snacks, like fries.
“I prefer these fries over Portillo’s,” said Acosta. “They were actually light on the salt and not too much of the potato in every slice.”
Woodie’s Wings carries a multitude of menu items. Sandwiches, salads, pretzels, onion rings, fries, milkshakes, and of course, wings. The wings at Woodie have several different serving options, as they can come in combos, sliced up and put in salads, or served in bulk as party packs.
But here’s a brief warning for those who prefer their wings in a certain style: “Because I prefer boneless wings, I would generally order wings from Rosatti’s, because their mainstream wings are boneless,” said Acosta.
“It’s easier to eat [boness wings], but they’ve got good seasoning, so if you have the time to specify that you only want boneless wings, you should definitely try them,” she added. “Are they better than Wendy’s chicken wings? Yes, they are!”
What about the ambiance of the new restaurant? It’s important to consider that the design and aesthetics of a restaurant are just as important as the food served itself.
When asked what she thought of the restaurant’s atmosphere, Acosta said, “I think it’s clean. I think it’s simple. They have like an 80’s vibe going on, with the neon colors and the big blocky architecture style encompassing the design.”
Regarding the interior, Figueroa said, “I like it. I mean, it’s a motorway service station, but it’s the best motorway service station I’ve been in!”
The Chicago area and its various suburbs have always been known as a culinary and architectural area for styles and experiences of all types. But what about the current experience of Woodie’s employees?
When asked what would improve his experience at Woodie’s Wings, manager Huser said, “We’re a little slow right now, so it would be nice if we got more customers.”
Given the restaurant’s location, customers might be looking for a quick bite rather than a longer stop. Huser said, “I would say, half of [the customers] are in a hurry and half of them have time.”
Customers or not, Huser enjoys Woody’s Wings and doesn’t mind the hours. ”Whatever the schedule says, I need to work,” Huser said. “It’s [still] really fun for me and my coworkers. Thankfully, I make my own schedule, so I don’t have to work too many late nights.”
It’s good that Woodie’s has decided to remain open late, as this could help improve the flow of customers into its store, keeping the employees busy and keeping customers satisfied with good food.
“Yes, the [wings] were actually really good,” Acosta said. “I would recommend the fries and the wings to a friend.”
Figueroa agreed, saying, “Yeah, I would recommend this place to other peers or friends.”
Hello! My name is Tristan Acosta and I'm a junior at Oswego High School, this is my first year of being on the 42Fifty staff. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
