I’ve said before, and I’ll say again that Drover’s Inn is the king of wings here in the Upper Ohio Valley. I’ve never tasted better, and my relatively recent trip there only confirmed that belief.
That being said, a fairly close second is, and always has been for me, the 19th Hole in Wheeling. Before moving to Eastern Ohio, I grew up a short jaunt from the 19th Hole in the North Park section of Wheeling.
I turned 21 in the early 2000s, so I and a few friends, plus occasionally a few coworkers, made frequent trips to the hole. My two buddies could be considered regulars before they moved from the area. I know I spent many a night perched at a stool, having a couple of beers to unwind after work and enjoying the jukebox or the occasional live acoustic performance.
The few of us who were single, childless, or both at the time, would head to the 780 National Road location the evening of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, without fail, for our annual Holidays at the Hole tradition.
The bar staff didn’t take long to remember both your name and your order, and it was genuinely a great place to spend the evening. But the best reason to go?
That would be the wings, without question. If Drover’s is 1A, the Hole is definitely 1B in the Valley for wings.
There are a number of different flavors to choose from, including both wet sauces and dry rubs. You can even get them plain, for those so inclined to not enjoy the taste.
They have boneless and traditional wings, along with a number of other menu items including hoagies, French fries, and all manner of fried deliciousness. Food is available for both dine-in and carryout.
The Food
My most recent stop to the Hole resulted thanks to a change of plans and a carryout order. It’d been a while since I’d swung by, but as usual, I stuck with my two favorites.
I ordered the Cajun dry rub wings and an order of cheese fries. I got two full orders of wings because, despite what the old television show might tell you, eight is not enough. Sometimes I’d mix it up with the spicy BBQ flavor, but on this night, I wanted all Cajun.
The Cajun dry rub has just the right amount of kick. Plus, the wings are drizzled and tossed in butter along with the seasoning. It has an incredible flavor, plus it’s not dripping with sauce. Considering my beard hasn’t been trimmed much in the last year, it’s getting quite long. Bushy bears and wings doused in wet sauce do not go well together.
This kept things neat, or neat-ish anyway. As usual, the flavor was strong and the wings themselves were nice and crispy. Safe to say I didn’t make it to Interstate 70, let alone back home, before tearing into and eating my wings. Sorry, just couldn’t wait.
The fries I did wait until I got home. The 19th Hole is different in that, instead of beer battered or natural cut fries, they use crinkle fries. Not everyone likes crinkle fries. Don’t count me amongst that minority of eaters.
These fries are delicious and, covered in cheese, make an excellent complement to the wings.
All in all, it was another worthwhile trip to the 19th Hole. There will be more, just not nearly as frequently as I used to make. The days of eating and drinking until 2 a.m. after work have long since passed. But if I’m in Wheeling and have a hankering for delicious wings, I know who to call.
For more information, check out the 19th Hole’s website listed above, or stop by its Facebook page.
