Sometimes finding something to do in Ashland seems impossible. But, two Collegian reporters, Connor Dunwoodie and Callan Pugh, determined to merge their educational endevors with their social endevors, are visiting local spots in Ashland and reviewing them, so you know exactly what to expect if you choose to visit. This week, because it is shiny and brand new, they visited Buffalo Wild Wings. 

Callan

 Driving and walking past the old Buffalo Wild Wings location is pretty sad at this point. It housed so many fun Wednesday night karaoke memories. However, I couldn’t help but be a little excited as the new one slowly came together. It stinks that we can’t walk there any more but, the new one is SO. NICE.  It has a really updated feel and looks more like the other B-Dubs I am used to from home. Extra steps to be responsible for Wednesday night karaoke are now a necessity, sure, but karaoke where there is more seating in a much more updated atmosphere pretty much makes up for it. And it will be nice to be able to have faster service and more tables available when we go.

Connor

When I first heard Buffalo Wild Wings was going to be moving I was upset and a little sad. The main reason I was upset was that it was no longer in walking distance from Ashland University. After awhile I accepted the fact that I would no longer be able to simply walk to karaoke nights and moved on. That is why when we went to the new B-Dubs location I went in with a little bit of a negative mindset, but upon opening the doors my attitude changed. The new B-Dubs is beautifully designed to provide a much more open feel to it. The service and food did not change, but comfortability did. The new location feels much more modern and creates a much more restaurant-like atmosphere. 

Service: 4/5

Callan

The service was fast and efficient. At the old location, a lot of times it would be so busy and full that I couldn’t get a seat very fast and the food would take a long time to come out once I did. The floor plan is now really open and there are a lot more tables. I’m guessing it still might get pretty busy in there on certain nights and at certain times but now it seems that they will be able to match demand better and cut down on wait times.

Connor

I have always been a fan of the service at B-Dubs, even when they were at the old location. I am glad that nothing has changed. Upon arrival we were greeted by a very friendly seater who walked us to our table. After, our waitress arrived and was very friendly and made sure that we were taken care of.

Cleanliness: 4.5/5

Callan

Sometimes part of looking clean is just keeping the place updated and so obviously from that point of view, B-Dubs appeared to be very clean.  It was well kept and nothing was noticeably dirty. I, on the other hand, was a sticky mess from the wings.

Connor

The new B-Dubs location is incredibly clean. It probably helps that it is still incredibly new as well, but let me tell you, I did not see a single mess or spot in that place. The bathrooms were clean, the floors and tables were clean; you name it, it was clean. I imagine it is pretty hard to keep something clean with wings as messy as theirs, but they have done it so far. They new layout also has a very clean look to it, the tables are organized and the signs on the walls do not create a cluttered feeling at all. 

Bathrooms: 4.25/5

Callan

My initial reaction was “wow it doesn’t smell like poo in here” which is a welcome change from the old location. There are now three stalls that are pretty spacious and more private than the old location as well with doors that don’t have big cracks and actual walls between each stall. I don’t know if the larger size means it will be more “echo-y” when certain “bathroom sounds” similar to stepping on a frog are made, but I’ll report back after further research.

Connor

Almost every time I have been in a Buffalo Wild Wings bathroom, my memory is a little foggy, and the place is trashed. The bathroom at the new B-Dubs location is larger and much cleaner than that of the old one. It does not smell and is rather organized. The bathrooms, even though bigger, are still pretty small in comparison to the size of the location.

Affordability: 2.25/5

Callan

My No. 1 problem with Buffalo Wild Wings has always been the price. I understand that part of what you are paying for is the atmosphere but considering the fact that I don’t really give two toots about most sports, and the fact that I’m a semi-broke college student, I don’t want to spend $8 for the smallest portion of wings offered. But Tuesdays they have half-priced wings and they also have lunch specials, so even people balling on a budget can get in on the Buffalo Wild Wings action. Their drinks are a little bit more expensive too, especially if you aren’t going with bottom shelf alcohols or light beers. But from what I have tried and from my limited experience usually if you can afford to splurge a little bit, you’ll get a tasty drink.

Connor

The price of B-Dubs is the same as it has always been, around $3.00-$4.00 for a drink, and food usually stays around $9.00-$11.00. Based on the prices of other places in Ashland, B-Dubs is more expensive, but they do have specials such as Tuesday’s half-priced wings and pint night on Wednesdays. The quality of the food is usually worth the price though. 

Atmosphere: 4.25 /5

Callan

It was sort of like walking into a Wal-Mart that you aren’t familiar with. Everything is pretty recognizable and you feel comfortable even though you’ve never been there before. The first time I walked into the old Buffalo Wild Wings location, may it rest in peace, I remember mentioning that it didn’t look like a B-Dubs inside. Now it feels like B-Dubs and though it isn’t quite as cozy I think it hits the mark.

Connor

The atmosphere of the new location is similar but very different. You are all probably thinking “Connor that does not make any sense!” well let me explain. The new Buffalo Wild Wings staff is the same; your servers are people who have served you before at the original location. Secondly, the walls have some similar decorations as the original place and on top of that B-Dubs still has karaoke, trivia, etc. How the atmosphere is different though, is that the location is much more open and like I said earlier, more modern. The lighting in the new location helps make the atmosphere more welcoming than the old place where everything was closed off and dim.

Ratings are the average of Callan and Connor’s Individual Reviews