The Nanticoke-based R Bar & Grill has just entered its first full year open in the old Alden Room and it appears they are settling in just fine. The bar section was full of people enjoying their libations while watching some sports on one of the many large screen TVs. The restaurant section was nearly filled with people taking down some of the amazing food that The R Bar offers. This place can get pretty packed on wing night, so be sure to make a reservation to ensure a table when you arrive. We arrived a bit later in the evening, so we lucked out as the crowd was beginning to thin out. We always have a great time while we’re at the R Bar. Everyone is very friendly and quick with an answer if you have questions about one of their many menu items. Our server constantly checked on our table throughout the night to make sure we were not without food or drinks. Expect to wait a bit for your order on wing night, though; The R Bar is well known for their wings and really draws the masses.
Normally priced at $8.75 for 12 wings, The R Bar offers 50 cents wings every Tuesday for their wing night. Make note that you must place a minimum order of 6 for a single flavor. This makes things difficult because you’re going to want to order as many as you can with their huge selection. The wings are definitely on the meatier, bigger side of the scale. I ordered 24 to get more variety and didn’t even come close to finishing that number.
You are going to have a very hard time finding a place that offers more unique wings or a bigger variety of sauces. The R Bar’s regular menu offers around 80 different wing flavors. The options range from classic flavors like Mild, BBQ, and Hot Honey to truly unique flavors like Cucumber Wasabi, Vidalia Onion, and Chocolate Bacon. On top of that, they feature at least one sauce every week on wing night that may eventually make it to the regular menu. Features I have experienced include Fruity Pebbles, Cool Ranch Dry Rub, and Clams Casino. Prepare to dedicate a large chunk of your time at The R Bar deciding what wings you want to try.
Every wing sauce I have ever tried at The R Bar has been fantastic. They continue to exceed my expectations on every visit. The name of the wing always perfectly captures the taste of the sauce. If you’re interested by any flavor combination on the menu, expect it to taste exactly as named. On my visit, I ordered past favorites and a couple new ones. The Ranch BLT is a hot and ranch sauce mix with bits of bacon and other seasonings mixed in. This wing is absolutely delicious and packed full of flavor. The Old Bay Sriracha Ranch was an interesting combination with an amazing taste. None of the spices necessarily stood out amongst the sauce, but I think this speaks a lot to the great balancing of flavors. The Spicy Curry Bleu Cheese is a favorite of mine. The addition of the bleu cheese helps to mellow out the spiciness of the curry. On this visit, the curry really stood out, making a very spicy wing that I was a huge fan of. Finally, a new addition to the menu, the classic pub was a flavor that somehow The R Bar was missing. This wing is more like your traditional buffalo-style sauce with a great balance of butter, vinegar, and heat. Once again, The R Bar has crafted a truly delicious wing. I promise you, order a wing at The R Bar that catches your attention and you will not be disappointed.
Nestled in the confines of Nanticoke lies an absolute giant, the leader in the clubhouse, the reigning, defending number 1 wing joint on our list; the R-Bar. Their setup works well with having a bar area with tables. Then, they have a second level of tables, so even on their wing night; you have several areas to get a seat. They have a real automotive theme going on with their décor but it’s in no way over the top. What makes me love this place is the grand service you’ll get. I’ve been served by many different people here and every time our service is great. They’re quick, diligent and sociable. It’s also nice to see the controlled chaos that occurs as well. Everyone is moving and hustling around but they do it with such a grace that it’s impressive to watch.
The R-Bar also delivers you some of the biggest wings in the area. They’re large and cooked to a delicate crispiness. On their wing night, you have to get your orders in orders of 6, so you’ll almost definitely be walking out full.
If I could legally give a score of a trillion, I would. They have upwards to 80 sauces on their menu, with many dry rubs included. They also every week feature two new flavors that they are trying in the back. Their incredible attention to detail with their wings is noticeable. I mean when you see a wing flavor called pepperoni pizza and it tastes exactly like one, it’s pretty damn impressive. The R-Bar separates itself from many places because they aren’t settled with what they have. They’re always out innovating and creating new flavors. Even if they make a bad one, they just scrap it and try a new idea. That’s caring.
With their laundry list of flavors, you’d think that some of the flavors would really falter. But their precision on all their flavors makes that theory not so. First, I got the smokey tomato bacon. It was real solid and brought everything I wanted with it. The smokiness was evident with each taste and the bacon mixing with the tangy tomato sauce was very complimentary. The next sauce is one that I feel has a chance to be just as big as sriracha sauce, it just needs enough people to try it. Like the sriracha sauce, this sauce also originates from the east. Particularly in the land of the rising sun, you know where were told former WWE champion Yokozuna was from; Japan. The sauce is called Japanese Yum Yum sauce and it is loaded with flavor. A mix of garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika and other spices, it’s an absolute can’t miss. My 3rd flavor was one of their special feature sauces and it was Cool Ranch dry rub. Essentially they made a cool ranch Dorito dry rub. It wasn’t simply crushed up cool ranch chips, it was a blend of carefully thought out seasonings and spices and it was fantastic. They nailed it. Finally, my last flavor is one that I can’t not get and that’s the creamy bacon horseradish. It has everything I ever wanted in flavor. The sting of the horseradish offset by the salt of the bacon is pure nirvana for me.
