If “T-Bone’s Doom Juice” sounds unsafe for human consumption, that’s because it almost is. The chicken wing sauce is crafted from the world’s hottest chilli – the Carolina Reaper, which is grown in northern New South Wales – but it tastes more like something extracted from between the fifth and sixth level of hell.

The guys at Darlinghurst’s incoming Wings and Tins make it in-house and are seriously considering a legal waiver for anyone game enough to give it a go. It’s taken over the old No Name site with a slew of buffalo-wing dishes and tinned beer.

Owners Anthony Macfarlane and Alfredo Perez met two years ago in Mexico. Perez owns one of Mexico’s most successful wing joints, Wing Man. “I was on a surfing trip when I met Alfie, who ended up showing me around Mexico,” says Macfarlane. “We became best mates while smashing wings and beers across the country and both realised that there was nobody in Sydney really owning the wing game, so that’s how the idea came about.”

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There is a balance between classic American wings and a few more adventurous options. The Frank’s Original (served with aioli, carrot, and celery) and Alfie’s Hot Sauce (made with achiote chilli and served with a blue-cheese sauce) pay homage to the tradition of making chicken sticky and hot. But diners can also expect to find flavours like the baked tandoori with coriander and tzatkiki, or blackberry and brown sugar served with fried shallots and blue cheese.

As the name suggests, tinned beer stars here with an ever-evolving list including classics like VB, through to craft brews such as Colonial Brewery’s Small Ale.

The fitout is decidedly kitsch. Private booths are themed and draw inspiration from ’80s ski chalets and what looks like a bedroom from Kath & Kim. Fairy lights bring some luminescence to the dark space, which looks and feels like a Mexican dive bar.

For 63 years No Name was a place where Sydneysiders could leave full with change from $20. “People still walk up here everyday looking for No Name, so we know how important this site is to many people,” Macfarlane says. “We’re hoping to honour that with some special wing dishes in the future, but for moment we’re keeping the tradition of free green cordial alive.”

Wings and Tins
2 Chapel Street, Darlinghurst

Hours:
Tue & Wed 5pm–12am
Thu–Sat 12pm–12am
Sunday 12pm–10pm

facebook.com/wingsandtins