This is the way to watch basketball, baseball or football (OK, watch your NASCAR here if you absolutely have to): 20 beers on draft, 25 different flavors of wing sauce, a slew of wraps to choose from and apps and side orders that can easily make meals themselves. The atmosphere is inviting and casual and the color choices — cobalt blue and bright yellow for the walls — is bright and lively. There are several pub style tables in two separate seating areas and a full bar with about 10 stools.
We headed out for a quick Sunday lunch with ESPN on the tube and the Maine Sunday Telegram up for grabs. Since this was our first experience at Binga’s, we needed some tutoring when it came to ordering wings. We learned you can order all-you-can-eat traditionals (mild buffalo sauce) for $9.99 or a full order of mixed flavors (12 wings) for the same price. I chose the Redneck (buffalo & maple) and the teriyaki and Stacy went traditional, though she had no hope of ordering a second round. In fact, neither of us could finish our 12, mostly because we each ordered our own giant side.
I went with the sweet potato fries ($3.99), which were like no other fries I’ve had. Thick and breaded, they were packed with sweet and mushy orange potato on the inside but were crispy and delicately spiced with pepper and course salt on the outside. She went with the potato cakes ($4.99), which were lightly spiced as well and came with a choice of chili, cheese or gravy. Both bowls were huge and overflowing and we took at least half of our amounts to go.
The traditional wings were meaty and very mild with a tasty sauce and a side of blue cheese, carrots and celery. The Rednecks were my favorite, with a little sweetness but not much of a bite (I’m a wimp when it comes to hot food). The teriyaki was super flavorful, salty and pretty messy, which is just what you want when you know you’re eating the opposite of healthy.
Other options for wing sauces include Chernobyl (6 Binga’s skulls and crossbones), diesel (4), hot (3), Albany-style dark buffalo, spicy Redneck (3), buffalo-garlic, buffalo bacon nacho cheese, BBQ, golden BBQ, diesel BBQ, Thai BBQ, Thai chili, K.G.B.-jalapeno pesto (3), blackened, peanut sauce, hot mango, Jamaican jerk, General’s Tsao’s, orange chicken and Valley Girl (buffalo, BBQ & honey mustard). The Wet Naked Grilled wings are topped off by a trip to the grill and come out with grill marks to prove it. Half-sized orders go for $5.49 and you can also get chicken tenders in a full- or half-size order.
Other options for sides and apps include meat chili ($4.49), onion rings ($4.49) and a fried pickle basket ($2.99). You can get a variety of salads to start (and to line your stomach before the fried and spicy food hits), and there are burger baskets and plenty of wraps. Try the Deathwrap (chicken tenders with bacon, cheese lettuce, tomato onion & mayo) for $8.99 or the J-Rod (pulled pork, cole slaw, onions, pickles, red peppers & cheddar) for $7.99. Dinners include pulled pork ($8.99) or baby back pork ribs ($8.99) or combos with wings, tenders, pulled pork or mac & cheese.
Anything you find on this menu will be a perfect match for a last-second three-pointer for the win or a No. 12 upsetting a favorite through the rest of this month. And as soon as the NCAA title has been decided, well, what goes better with another Red Sox run through October than wings and beer?
— Karen Beaudoin