Buffalo Wild Wings Golden Fire Sauce Review: The Heat Really Creeps Up On You

This spring, things are heating up at Buffalo Wild Wings with a brand new sauce. Self-described by the brand as a "perfect blend of sweet and tangy Carolina Gold and fiery chilies," B-Dubs' Golden Fire sauce is the latest addition to the fast casual chain's lineup of 26 sauces and dry rubs. The Golden Fire wing sauce is available for a limited-time and is exclusive to takeout and delivery.

I was lucky enough to try this new flavor on its release day so we could deliver you the hottest take on this new item, right to your doorstep. I sampled the Golden Fire traditional wings and the Golden Fire boneless wings, both of which come glazed in the sauce, and was mighty impressed. The following spicy review takes into account flavor, heat, and how well this new wing sauce balances the two.

Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer, distributor, etc.

When my order arrived, my nostrils immediately picked up on the sweet and tangy scent of the Golden Fire sauce. This, like the initial taste of the sauce, was deceptive. But we'll get there shortly.

When first tasting the sauce, I was immediately hit with a zesty, barbecue-like flavor with just a hint of spice. Unlike the one-note Buffalo Wild Wings Honey Barbecue, the Golden Fire sauce was tangy and not overwhelmingly sweet. Upon first blush, I couldn't believe how delicious it was. Foolishly, I took one of the boneless wings and dunked it directly into my extra container of Golden Fire sauce. Talk about a big mistake. Only a few minutes later, I was regretting that decision.

The Golden Fire sauce has a slow, creeping heat that will take you by surprise once you are two or three wings deep. As sweet and zesty as it is going down, it is just as hot in the minutes that follow. While it's not the hottest thing I've ever tried for review, this B-dubs sauce certainly left a lingering tingle on my tongue for minutes after I had completed my meal. Frequent breaks for water and potato wedges were required, but not once did I reach for the milk in my fridge. So in terms of heat, this definitely brings it without crossing the line into unpleasant territory. 

Unlike all the other flavors at Buffalo Wild Wings, this sauce can't be selected if you've chosen to dine in. The Golden Fire sauce is being introduced as a promotion for the chain's rebranding of its takeout and delivery options, which henceforth will be known as Buffalo Wild Wings GO. With this rebrand comes limited-time offers for delivery and to-go customers only, the first being the Golden Fire sauce.

This doesn't mean you have to order directly from a Buffalo Wild Wings store or its app, though. If you order via Grubhub, DoorDash, or any other delivery service, you will be able to select the Golden Fire sauce as an option on either your boneless or traditional wings. Until the end of April, the chain is running a promotion where you can get six free wings with your order by using the code GOWINGS. This would be an excellent way to add an order of Golden Fire wings to your usual B-buds order to try the flavor out for no extra charge.

After eating nearly a dozen wings doused in the Golden Fire sauce, I can safely say I liked it. In fact, this was one of the best sauces I've tried from Buffalo Wild Wings, and I would happily choose it again. I just wouldn't necessarily recommend it to the weak of stomach.

While my previous description of the Golden Fire sauce highlighted the sauce's intensity, I want to clarify that personally, I found these wings to deliver an enjoyable level of heat. I think plenty of self-proclaimed heat lovers would not be phased. But I also think that it has the potential to trick more cautious diners into eating a bunch before its extremely slow heat creeps up on you.

The Buffalo Wild Wings menu thankfully assigns the Golden Fire sauce a heat level rating of three flames (out of a potential four), which I think is appropriate advertising. If you enjoy the chain's Mango Habanero sauce, the new Golden Fire brings a comparable level of heat. If you can handle that, give this new tangy wing sauce a try next time you get delivery from Buffalo Wild Wings.