D-Spot — Restaurant in Oakdale

(Last visited August 1st, 2024). This Yelp review has been long overdue… but it’s time to finally write it and give D-Spot the recognition that they deserve. Here is why D-Spot is my favorite place to get wings… in the entire world…

Atmosphere/Appearance: Set off the beaten path in a small city east of St. Paul called Oakdale, MN is this incredible establishment. It’s in a strip mall connected to Cub Foods and several other smaller businesses with a pretty prominent standalone Taco Bell in the parking lot, but no matter. Owner/Chef Darin loves Halloween, scary movies and the like… So inside reflects that. Lol. Off to your left is the most, detailed display of skeletons and the like. The rest of the restaurant is pretty simple. There are 2 rooms, one of them bigger than the other, but the overflow room is often closed if it isn’t that busy (rare). The tiled are a cream color and there’s one long booth seat that runs along the right wall with adequate tables. In the extra room is a very cool logo and a live moss “painting”. Energetic music comes thumping from the kitchen throughout the day.

Service: There isn’t much service, which makes this whole process much quicker and less involved. Once inside you’ll see someone taking orders off to the left and then the wrap-around bar. Grab a menu that’ll be laying on the counter, pick out your flavors and then place your food and drink order at the kiosk then go have a seat with the number that was given to you. The longest I’ve seen food take here for 45 minutes and even then, totally worth it, but it usually doesn’t take that long.

Food: So there are technically 6 categories of wings here. Yes, they sell other food as well, but one whole side of the menu is dedicated to these wings. Lol. So, there’s the “Green Flame” which are the sauces/rubs that don’t have heat at all. Next up is the “Yellow Flame” category. These will have a light kick of spice involved in the flavors. Above that is the “Orange Flame”. These will have a moderate spice level. “Red Flame” is the category I enjoy most and where my favorite wing flavor of all time resides. These have a heavy spicy flavor as a part of the sauce/rub but isn’t unbearable. Now it gets crazy… “Blue Flame” is where the spice can become intolerable to even some true heat seekers like myself. I’ve had 4 different flavors from this category and only 1 of them didn’t make me cry/sweat. The category that isn’t even on the menu is “White Flame”. These are only available online and have to be pre-ordered because some of these flavors take up to 48 hours to make. Yes, I’m so serious. I have no plans on venturing to this category, but be my guest. There are also 3 secret menus in which special code words (which can be found hidden around the restaurant) must be uttered in order to access them. Darin, the chef must also be in the building to prepare them. I’ll only discuss my favorite flavor sauce because I’ve been to D-Spot over 10 times and I live thousands of miles away from this place and have tried over 40 flavors here. Volcano… from the red flame category is the perfect blend of curry flavors, Buffalo and heat. That’s all I’m going to say. Plus, if you get access to the secret menus, the wings become more than just sauces and seasonings… they become entrees and events…

Value: The wings here are pricy, but it is what it is. Depending on the category they can range from $10.50 for 6 to $18.00+ for 4 (Blue Flame). The spicier they are, the rarer the pepper so yeah, you gotta pay to play, but it’s so worth it to have such incredible creations.

In conclusion, D-Spot will forever be my favorite wing spot in the entire world. I have yet to see someone dethrone them, but some have come close. However, whenever I’m in the Minneapolis area, I will absolutely stop in because… well.. I have to! I hope...

Does the D in D Spot indicate the grade you should be given? We had a profoundly STRANGE experience ordering take out recently. I still cannot wrap my head around it. My husband and I have been loyal customers for YEARS and make the drive from Roseville (which isn't far but also is a little bit of an effort). In the past, we have been so pleased with the wings and rings. This place used to be SO GOOD. The atmosphere is a bit odd (not really into the Satanic theme, and the music is uncomfortably loud) so we always get takeout and enjoy the wings and rings at home. In recent visits, the food just isn't as good. We want to like it because we remember how good it was in the past, but it's simply no longer what it used to be. The takeout containers are unappealing -- it basically looks like someone dumped their leftovers in the containers and drizzled a teeeeeny bit of sauce on them. This brings me to my main beef with D Spot and why this place has lost two loyal customers. We ordered a few types of wings and a full order of onion rings. Now, whoever packed up the onion rings either a.) can't count, b.) ate some or c.) got distracted and forgot to put all of the onion rings in the container. They use a small Chinese food container, and it was not even half full. I think there were maybe 5 rings in there. This was a full order. It makes me laugh to think how many rings would be in a half order. Two? This is the third time this has happened to us. We've let it slide in the past, but the third time's a charm. My husband called and spoke with an older woman named Amanda. He is a business owner and provided guidance on how this should be handled. She was immediately defensive and told my husband "You can come in and work then." Then she hung up on him. I called back and tried to smooth the situation over, and she kept asking me repeatedly, "What business does your husband own? What business does your husband own?" It was clear she wanted to know so that she could... retaliate I guess? She was exceedingly immature for an older woman and for a manager. I said calmly that I'd just like my money back for the rings. She hung up on me. The next day, I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post from D Spot that (and I'm summarizing here) they "will not tolerate abusive language from customers." Clearly, this stems from the interaction they had when my husband and I called. I'm not sure how pointing out that we were shorted expensive food that we paid for is being abusive but okay. Logically, you could actually say that D Spot stole money from us by not providing us with the items we purchased. I think there are several problems happening here with your staff. Lucky for me, I don't have to solve any of them and never again have to engage with your business. I've had better meals from the Taco Bell across the parking lot. As someone who, as I said, was a loyal customer in the past, I am shocked that this was our...

Oh man, where do I even start? I've chased flavor highs from street food trucks in Bangkok to hidden gem bakeries in Paris, but nothing has ever exploded my taste buds quite like the Tarantula Wing from D Spot. If you're not familiar, D Spot is that legendary spot slinging innovative, boundary-pushing bites that make fast food feel like fine dining. And this Tarantula Wing? It's their crown jewel; a crispy, golden-fried chicken wing that's been kissed by some mad genius alchemist with a fusion of Thai-inspired heat, honeyed sweetness, and a whisper of exotic spice that lingers like a tropical storm. Picture this: You bite in, and the first crunch is pure euphoria simply juicy, tender chicken that's marinated to perfection, shattering into a symphony of textures. Then the flavors hit: a wave of fiery sriracha-laced chili that dances on your tongue, tamed just enough by a glossy honey glaze that turns the heat into pure addiction. But the real magic? That "tarantula" twist subtle hints of lemongrass, garlic, and a sneaky ginger kick that makes it feel like you're devouring a street-side secret from Southeast Asia, reimagined for your wildest cravings. It's sweet, it's spicy, it's savory, and it's got this umami depth that keeps you reaching for seconds (and thirds) before you even realize you've demolished the whole order.What elevates it to absolute 5-star perfection? The execution. D Spot nails the balance and no soggy breading, no overwhelming grease, just pure, portable bliss that's ideal for a late-night Netflix binge, a tailgate party, or honestly, any moment you need to feel alive. At that price point? It's a steal!! Affordable indulgence that punches way above its weight. I've shared these with friends, and now they're hooked too; one buddy straight-up drove across town for a solo run last week. D Spot, you've ruined me for basic buffalo wings forever. Tarantula Wing isn't just food it's literally a flavor revolution in every bite. Do yourself a massive favor: Head to D Spot now, snag a batch, and thank me later. Your mouth will never...