Chuck's Spring Street Cafe

If you’re looking for wings, Chuck’s Spring Street Cafe is your best bet. You might not notice the place when walking by — it’s tucked away on Spring Street, off the beaten path for most Princetonians. Once I made it there, I stood in front of the limited menu weighing my options: chicken, more chicken or a lot of chicken. The man behind the counter patiently waited for my order and was perfectly friendly despite my inability to order efficiently, although the woman at the register seemed less than amused when she rang me up.

As I sat down and waited for my lunch, I realized I was sitting in the darkest fluorescent-lit room I had ever seen. Puzzled, I inspected my surroundings more closely and realized how oddly sterile the cafe felt. There wasn’t a single crumb to be found on the tables, and no music was playing in the background to alleviate the silence radiating from the dysfunctional TV sitting at the front of the store.

When my food arrived, the anxiety I felt from the silence was replaced by the overwhelming prospect of the rather large food baby I would have post-meal. I had ordered the wing combo: seven wings and two side salads of my choice, a side of cheese fries and a bottled black cherry soda to top it off. My styrofoam plate was piled high with salads and buffalo wings covered in strips of celery, which I assumed were meant to cleanse one’s palate. The cheese fries were thick-cut and smothered in what tasted like melted Kraft singles.

Judging by the speed at which I consumed them, the wings were quite delicious. Thankfully, there were plenty of napkins around to prevent me from looking barbaric. My side dishes were less awesome: The mushroom vinaigrette salad had a bit too much vinegar in it, and the fruit salad was even less appealing than its dining hall cousin. The cheese fries were a bit too much for me as well, reminiscent of something you would be served at a county fair.

Overall, I found the wings, at least, to be quite delicious for the low prices at Chuck’s. I was also pleased by the variety of bottled sodas and iced teas available. Pro tip: Order the 14 wings to go so you can enjoy them elsewhere.

Chuck's Spring Street Cafe

16 Spring St.

3 out of 5 paws