Meet the Lord of Wings
Staff members from John F. Kennedy’s office have gained a notable social media following as Long Island’s “Wing Scouts,” known for their reviews of pub staples that adhere to two main criteria: they must be boneless and served with ranch dressing.
“I’ve heard from restaurants that their wings have been running out since I dropped by,” Ryan Bliss, hailing from Babylon, shared about his reviews, which rate wings on a scale from 1 to 10.
“At a recent event, I had at least five people coming up to me,” Bliss mentioned. He recounted an encounter at a Shane Gillis show where someone asked for a photo, illustrating his newfound fame. Bliss, who works at an airport power plant, is a 35-year-old father of two with a background in the food service industry, having worked in various roles from busboy to bartender.
Bliss transformed his passion into the Wing Scout Instagram page, making 75 visits across Long Island, New York City, and Westchester County.
What began as a lighthearted venture in November with Wings and Prayers quickly gathered traction, amassing 5,000 followers in just two months.
“I started off by making a silly video for a group chat, and my friends encouraged me to create more,” Bliss said, adding that he’s the go-to friend for wing recommendations, especially with a wife skilled in cooking.
Now attracting over 7,000 local followers, his page has become a go-to for wing enthusiasts, from mainstream places to hidden gems.
Interestingly, even at his workplace, colleagues would approach him, saying, “Is that the Wing Scout?” He embraces the title now.
Bliss has partnered with major brands like Mike’s Hot Honey and has restaurants on speed dial that he’s eager to review, reminiscent of how Dave Portnoy operates.
Joe Bonin, the owner of J. Paul’s Terrace Cafe in Oceanside, reached out to Bliss just before the Super Bowl, leading to a surge in business. “People come in saying they discovered us through your Instagram,” Bonin noted.
This newfound popularity has indeed brought a wave of fresh faces to his restaurant, which Bonin finds quite impressive.
The Cow Palace in Rocky Point also benefited from Bliss’s reviews, seeing sales of their wings soar. “Customers have called in asking for specific flavors after seeing them featured on his page,” manager Kevin Huff remarked.
With a passionate following, known affectionately as “scouts,” fans also recommend new spots for Bliss to explore.
“I feel like I’m on a rocket ship right now,” he said, mentioning a recent collaboration with Mets legend Doc Gooden at Smithtown’s Bull Smith Tavern.
Scout’s Honor
Bliss typically starts with classic buffalo wings before branching out to other flavors and signature dishes, establishing a benchmark for his ratings.
Proud of his “9 Club,” which recognizes only the top-rated wings, he admits he has yet to score a perfect 10.
Bliss even created special stickers indicating this prestigious ranking for restaurants to display. “I think it’s about 99 out of 75,” he said while sampling Thai chili wings at Sally Black’s in Williston Park. The new restaurant’s buffalo wings, by comparison, earned a score of 8.8.
Not one to shy away from honesty, Bliss has been quite critical of some local establishments, giving harsh low scores to places that fall short. His review of 7-Eleven’s chicken wings, for instance, earned a harsh 1 point.
While most restaurant owners take his critiques in stride, not everyone is pleased. Bliss recalls an instance where someone approached him in a bathroom expressing dissatisfaction with his rating system. “I mean, come on, relax,” he chuckled.
Despite the occasional negative reaction, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, allowing Bliss to shine a light on lesser-known wing joints, overshadowed by the area’s famed pizza and bagels.
He’s currently gearing up for Scout Fest, where featured locations will participate in a street fair in Babylon Village this September.
During this event, wings will be celebrated through eating contests and tasting panels.
When it comes to must-try wings, Bliss has a few favorites that stand out on Long Island. He highlights the dry rubs from Shanahan’s Regular Wings in Kings Park and also recommends the Mama’s Garden food truck in Bay Shore, both receiving impressive scores of 9.4.
Additionally, for chicken scarpariello wings, Bliss suggests La Villini in East Northport or Cow Palace for their lemon pepper flavor, both noted with a rating of 9.1.
To the disappointment of loyal Islanders, the top-rated Candlelight in Scarsdale, Westchester holds an impressive ranking of 9.8.
“That’s no joke,” he affirms.
Yet, for Bliss, this journey is just getting started as he aims to explore the buffalo wing scene across the Empire State. “We need to find all nine of the best ones out there,” he stated, with a mix of determination and excitement.
