Epic Wings

There’s only one chain we’ve found in all of Southern California that serves Buffalo wings just like the best places in Buffalo: Epic Wings. We discovered Epic in Oceanside years ago, well before it was heavily franchising, and known under its original 1982-vintage name: Wings-N-Things. As a halfway point between Orange County and San Diego, it was a long drive to get authentic wings, but flawless every time.

Originally, Epic’s owners focused on Buffalo-style hot sauces, which are still offered in Mild, Medium, Hot and Extra Hot versions, but the chain now offers five additional flavors: original BBQ and honey BBQ, garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, and sweet chili. Many of Buffalo’s OG wing shops have diversified their sauces beyond the original, including flavors like these, so the availability of more choices isn’t a fault. Epic’s menu is simply wings, tenders, bread sticks, fries, a couple of salads, and cinnamon bites for dessert, which avoids the “let’s try everything” sprawl of competing chains.

The wings come out properly fried, perfectly sauced (a little wet), and plenty spicy, which you can counter with breadsticks, blue cheese, or ranch dressing if you must. These days, the only problem is their price – around $2 per wing or $3 per chicken tender strip, with no sides included. But if you want the authentic Buffalo experience, this is the closest you can come to finding it in Orange County. Choose from Mission Viejo, Santa Ana, and Anaheim locations, all similar.