I’m sure you’re thinking, “He said he was eating healthy last column. Why’s he eating a brisket sandwich and fried chicken tenders now?”
Look — I am making healthier eating choices, but I’m considering the times I will be eating for my column as “cheat meals.” I’m not saying I’m going to go crazy (I mean, I’ve eaten an entire ice cream cake by myself before because I love ice cream so much), but I might have fried food if I’m craving it.
This time around, I decided to check out Wings N Taps for the first time, visit Butters BBQ before my niece’s first birthday party and get bummed that Nolan’s Restaurant doesn’t have meatloaf on its menu permanently.
Is there a place you think I should try? Send a suggestion to john.oliva@caller.com.
Wings N Taps
5802 Yorktown Blvd.
Bluffalo Wings Co. closed in late June 2025. My husband and I ate there once — mainly because he loves chicken tenders — and our experience was subpar. Nothing stuck out to us and the food was just all right.
Wings N Taps took over the old location and opened its doors in early April.
We live on the Southside, so we’ve seen the new spot for a few weeks now. We eventually decided to try it out on May 1 for dinner.
Beforehand, we went online to see the menu and what past patrons had said. The menu seemed good and the few Google reviews at the time mentioned their time at the restaurant had gone well.
When we walked in, we immediately noticed that the inside looked exactly the same as Bluffalo had. The tables, the paint, the layout — the only thing different was signage.
We were greeted right away and told to select a table of our choice. Our server came up to take our order and asked if we wanted any appetizers. We decided to go with mozzarella sticks, even though he was suggesting we try the avocado fries. I’ll only eat avocado if it already comes in my sandwich/burger, and my husband doesn’t like the texture of avocados.
He came back with our drinks and we placed our meal orders. I opted for a grilled chicken sandwich with waffle fries, and my husband went for chicken tenders with waffle fries.
Our appetizer came out shortly afterward and there were four — yes, four — mozzarella sticks on the plate. The price of the appetizer? $9.99. And no, the sticks weren’t large at all. Insane.
While we waited for the food, I tried to get a better idea of the atmosphere there. The music was nice, as it was mainly pop music. There was a child howling like a wolf, but I have a nephew who calls me a “poopy butt” all the time so it wasn’t a huge bother.
The food came out and my sandwich looked really tasty. Unfortunately, there was no flavor to it. The menu claimed it comes with lemon garlic aioli, but I did not taste it at all. My husband’s plate came with a side of “special sauce,” so I decided to add that to my sandwich to kick up the taste.
It helped a lot, because all I was tasting was the avocado and buttery bun. If we ever decide to go back, I’ll definitely ask for a side of that sauce.
On the other hand, my husband’s tenders were seasoned. He enjoyed them for the most part, but didn’t feel like it was anything spectacular.
I did contemplate ordering dessert, just because I have a huge sweet tooth, but decided not to. Our total came out to $45.39, and we tipped $10. On our receipt, we also saw that my husband’s meal was the same price as the appetizer, which, again, is insane.
I’m not sure if we will be back to Wings N Taps. I do think it is always important to try out local businesses, so hopefully if you decide to go, you have a better experience.
Butter’s BBQ
713 E. Sinton St. in Sinton
Last summer, I drove the 40-plus minutes to Sinton to interview Butter’s BBQ about it being recognized by Texas Monthly as being one of the best barbecue joints in the state.
While I was there, I was able to try a brisket sandwich plate. Now, I’m not a huge barbecue fun, but that brisket sandwich was so tender and delicious. Also, the elote was so tasty.
My brother-in-law and his wife live in Sinton, so we’re only in the town when it’s a family occasion or we’re picking up/dropping off our nephew.
Our niece recently turned 1 earlier this month, and her birthday party was held on May 3. While I knew there would be food at the party, I thought it was the opportune time to add Butter’s to my column and enjoy some great barbecue.
I went by in the afternoon and was able to order a brisket sandwich and a medium side of elote. I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat inside as we had to head to the party, so I ordered my food to go.
Butter’s may look small from the outside, but there’s plenty of seating inside. You also get to see owner Andrew Soto prepare your meal in front of you.
My total was $26.50 for the sandwich and side, which was a little surprising. I tipped $5.74 and headed to the birthday shindig.
After saying hello to family, I pulled out my meal to grab a photo and dig in. I took a bite of the sandwich and it was just as tender as I remembered. I dipped it in the side of barbecue sauce and it tasted even better.
Sadly, the elote was not good. I’m used to elote being sweet and this time it tasted bland. I’m not sure why it wasn’t delicious, but it was a huge letdown. It was very sad because the elote was the main thing I was looking forward to.
As I mentioned earlier, I’m not a fan of barbecue at all. I just don’t care for it. But I will gladly return to Butter’s anytime I’m in Sinton because it’s the only barbecue place I’ve found that I thoroughly enjoy. Plus, the drive isn’t that far if you think about it.
Nolan’s Restaurant
7426 S. Staples St.
I had only eaten at Nolan’s once before.
I can’t remember whose birthday it was, but it was someone in my family — I’m thinking either my mom or stepdad. What I do remember is I ordered a meatloaf plate and loved it so much.
I know meatloaf is a hit or miss with people, but I love meatloaf so much. If I could, I would eat it every day. And yes, meatloaf needs to be served with ketchup and not gravy.
My husband and I decided to visit Nolan’s on May 5 so I could devour some meatloaf.
We were greeted right when we walked in, and then headed to the menu on the wall to figure out what we were getting. I was mainly seeing what sides I would choose with my meatloaf, but then my world came shattering down when I didn’t see meatloaf on the menu.
I asked the cashier about it and she informed me that meatloaf is a special dish they only put out every now and then. I was sad, but I was also fighting with myself on what to order because I wanted to not get anything fried. I had just eaten salmon the day before, so I decided not to go for another salmon plate.
In the end, I just decided to get fried chicken tenders with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. My husband ordered a cheeseburger, and our total came out to $34.35. I tipped $10.
We filled up our cups with drinks and selected a table in a corner. It was pretty slow when we got there, as there were only three other tables taken at the time.
While we waited for our food, I was enjoying the atmosphere of Nolan’s. The shades were down and there was dim lighting, so it felt nice and cool inside. The only bad thing was an older man coughing and sneezing while pouring himself a drink at the soda fountain. And no, he wasn’t covering his mouth.
Our food came out shortly afterward and it tasted as good as it looked. My meal was so delicious that my husband regretted not getting the same thing and stole one of my chicken tenders.
Again, I was contemplating dessert because there was a chocolate cake that looked amazing, but I decided against it since I had just eaten fried food.
I will definitely be going back to Nolan’s as it was so good, the staff was friendly and the food was reasonably priced. I just hope that old man without manners isn’t there when we go back.
John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Nolan’s Restaurant continues to serve delicious food | On the Menu
Reporting by John Oliva, Corpus Christi Caller Times / Corpus Christi Caller Times
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