Sports Grill

While traveling to Miami, I was told to stop into Sports Grill to try some of their famous wings. There are a couple of them out there, so I went to the one closest to my hotel. It was tucked away in the back corner of a strip mall, so it was not that large of an establishment.

Out of the seven styles they had to choose from, I chose a ten piece… Half “Buffalo” and half “Dale Style.” While waiting, I noticed a roll of paper towels on every table, which to me means that they must know a thing or two about wings to be that prepared. And to top it off, when my order came out it included a spare basket for discards. Okay, now I’m excited so let’s dig in.

I started with the original Buffalo which was the easy one to spot as it was nice and bright red. It had a good split between the drum and wing count, and they even left the tips on the wing for those of you who enjoy gnarling on that chewy piece. Unfortunately that is not for me, so I tore them off and moved on. The meat was EXTREMELY tender and EXTREMELY hot as it just came out nice and fresh for yours truly. The meat just melted off into my mouth as I tried to make out the unique flavor of the spice. It was not your normal sauce. It had the same characteristics that we all know and love, but there were some kind of extra peppers and spices added to the blend. The menu said Cajun, but the staff won’t be so easy to indulge that information. Needless to say, it was tasty.

After cleaning my palette with some fries, I moved on over to the “Dale Style.” For those of you who prefer grilled wings over deep fried, this is a treat for you. But first a little history: The traditional wings that are known and loved at Sports Grill are deep fried and then grilled with a little dash of Worcestershire for a mild taste. The “Miami Heat” is the hottest blend that they prepare here. Now let’s combine the two, shall we? The “Dale Style” starts out like the traditional as it is deep fried and then grilled. While on the grill, they baste the Miami Heat sauce on to finish the meal. When complete, you are left with a smokey, slightly charred piece of chicken that is not as wet with sauce as the others. But don’t let the lack of sauce fool you as these mothers were hot… A little too much for my liking. However, my personal preference aside, I could taste the smoky flavor of the grill and the love that was put into it. The meat was not as tender due to the fact that they were fried first and clearly well-done, but is it worth it for the trade off of smoked flavor? I’ll let you be the judge.

Overall, this little hidden gem was a nice experience, and it shows that there are places that care about how they make their wings. While others may throw wings as an addition to their food menu, the Sports Grill throws other food as an addition to their wing menu…and that’s good to see.

Sports Grill
11481 SW 40th St., Miami, FL 33165
(305) 485-8845