Max's Sports Bar (formerly Calhoun's)

Best Wings (that were frozen)

These are Max'x Peach Habanero Honey Wings.
Although not quite as hot as the wings that
I had earlier, they're very good.

Max's Sports Bar cooks up some of the best wings in Downtown Memphis, which is remarkable given the meager resources it has. Because of its limited space, the bar doesn't have enough room to install a grill, so most of its food is prepared with either a small, counter-top oven or a microwave. Therefore, in order to incorporate chicken wings into the menu, Max's uses frozen, pre-cooked wings. Now usually I would frown on this because I believe that a local restaurant that uses frozen, pre-cooked foods either lacks originality or is just lazy. However this is not the case with Max's. Even though it uses frozen, seasoned wings, the bar can add barbecue sauces to the wings if the customer desires. The choice of barbecue sauces are sweet, spicy and Habanero honey. WARNING: the Habanero wings are extremely hot. I tried to eat eight of them, but wimped out with only a half a wing left. Regardless of the sauce chosen, it is applied halfway into the cooking process, allowing it to blend in with the seasoning which in turn produces a very nice product. Compared to other places in Downtown Memphis (including Kooky Canuck) that have better equipped kitchens, Max's hot wings are among the best in the area.

As for Max's other menu items, such as the Lunchroom School pizza, are so-so. Other than the wings, the best part about the bar is the social atmosphere. It is pretty much a neighborhood bar where nearly all the patrons know each other and socialize while watching games on the many flat-screen TVs that adorn the bar's walls.

The only alcohol served at Max's is beer, but many patrons go BYOB with wine and liquor without having to pay a corking fee. Among the beer choices, my favorite is Pabst Blue Ribbon because at $2.50 a glass, it is a bargain.

(Recently, Max's got its liquor license. It is now a full-service bar, which is something to drink to.)

Overall, Max's Sports Bar is a great place to hang out and meet people while watching sporting events. The food, other than the wings, is "OK," but Max's is more about having a good time than anything else, which this bar is perfectly suited for.

Website: www.MaxsSportsBar.com
Twitter: @MaxsSportsBar