Sep 14, 2026 - Food and Drink
A chicken wing review — and a mea culpa
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The Bando's lemon pepper wings were delicious. Photo: Thomas Wheatley/Axios
👋🏽 Crystal here.
I recently stopped by wing spot The Bando — and I owe our readers an apology.
Why it matters: Earlier this year Axios Atlanta ran a chicken wing bracket, asking readers to pick the best wings in the city.
- Voters crowned The Local, but not before informing us of an oversight: The Bando, which bills itself as a chicken wing restaurant and trap museum. Over Labor Day weekend, I finally checked it out.
Zoom in: I ordered six lemon-pepper wings with fries and ate every crumb.
- The wings were well seasoned and crispy. The fries didn't disappoint either. Plus, they gave me all drums (if you know, you know).
- When I asked the cashier what was popular, he recommended the crack wings, The Bando's signature dish. I'll definitely try those next.
- I was with two friends, and we split an order of fried Oreos. One friend described them as the perfect mix of salty and sweet.
Inside the room: The Bando has a unique ambiance. Beneath the counter are rows of mug shots of famous rappers from Atlanta and beyond.
- The interior is designed to look like the inside of an old-school trap house.
- The eating area is a row of desks facing a TV that shows films considered Black classics like "Cooley High," which was playing when I ate there. On one wall are the covers of old Ebony magazines.
The bottom line: I won't overlook The Bando again.