Brian Bernier

USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin

In the 1970s, Larry Schaefer and his buddies from Sheboygan North High School would stir up sauces and put them on chicken wings. They always thought their sauces were the best and dreamed about opening a place to serve the best chicken wings.

Soon after high school, Larry got married to his wife, Tammy, and soon their son, Dane, was born. Larry still had the dream of opening a place, but put those dreams on hold working as an over-the-road truck driver for 15 years.

An opportunity came along when Larry’s brother-in-law put the property at 733 Pennsylvania Ave. in Sheboygan up for sale.

“Tammy approached me about leasing or buying that property, stating that the timing was right. That was the approval I needed,” Larry said.

And a “legend” was soon to hit our taste buds.

The first Legend Larry’s opened Oct. 10, 2001, at the corner of Pennsylvania and North Eighth Street in Sheboygan. Locations have since been added in Sheboygan Falls, Manitowoc and Green Bay. Legend Larry’s wings also are available at other locations, a list that is available on the website.

Larry has gone on to win numerous awards for his wings and sauces, including the Reader’s Choice awards from 2006 to 2015 from the Sheboygan Press and Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter. He has also won many awards for his wings at the National Buffalo Wing Festival in New York. The award he is most proud of was when Legend Larry’s Restaurant was inducted into the Buffalo Hall of Flame.

With all these accolades, I couldn’t wait to taste the wings.

The medium hot sauce is Larry’s favorite, but he said the hot garlic, spicy bacon and sweet Thai chili are the big sellers. On a recent visit, my friends and I ordered the hot garlic, medium and honey barbecue for our first round of tasting.

I enjoyed the medium wing sauce; it wasn’t too hot. I dipped the wings and fresh celery in blue cheese. I thought I would leave the hot, Scary Larry, and DOA hotter sauces to the more adventurous eaters.

The hot garlic wings were a little too hot for me, but the flavor composition of garlic and sauce was well balanced.

The honey barbecue wing taste surprised me the most. After eating my first wing, I thought about not finishing the rest, but as my taste buds adjusted to the flavors, each wing afterward tasted better. I went to reach for one more, and they were gone — my friends having beat me to them.

My next round of tasting included the sweet Thai chili and the spicy bacon barbecue. The spicy bacon barbecue wings had a distinct smoked flavor, but did not overpower the bacon.

Overwhelmingly, the sweet Thai chili wings are my favorite. The flavor combinations of the sauce were like none I had ever tasted on a chicken wing.

When I come back next time, I will try the other flavors — raspberry habanero, barbecue, teriyaki, garlic parmesan or Caribbean mango — but there will definitely be another sample of the sweet Thai chili wings on my plate.

Larry said: “Quality and flavors jump out at you compared to the other places, and we only use fresh wings, never frozen. That’s why our wings are the best.”

If wings aren’t your thing, other options are available — shrimp, sides, mac and jack bites, broccoli cheddar bites, fried mozzarella, breaded mushrooms and a few more munchables.

If you have not stopped at Legend Larry’s and you love your chicken wings, this place has to be put on your list. You can dine and/or take out. They also can provide catering for your event.

Brian Bernier, aka Chef Bernie, is a private in-home chef, restaurant manager and food blogger who lives in Sheboygan. He can be reached at BernierBrian@hotmail.com or FreshStepFood.com

Legend Larry's

Locations: 733 Pennsylvania Ave., Sheboygan; 921 S. 10th St., Manitowoc; 1142 Plankveiw Green Blvd., Sheboygan Falls; 2035 University Ave., Green Bay

Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Prices: $5.45-$9.95

Contact: Sheboygan, 920-453-9672; Sheboygan Falls, 920-550-2447; Manitowoc, 920-682-4885; Green Bay, 920-435-7000; online www.legendlarrys.com