Heather Doeberling and Emily Moes continue to expand their popular wing-and-beer concept since launching Boss ChicknBeer in Berea in 2018. In 2021 they added a location in Bay Village, which was soon followed by another in Seven Hills. In early 2024 they opened their fourth restaurant in Cuyahoga Falls, and before the end of 2026, the partners will open shop number five in the heart of Medina.
The new location is 117 Public Square, in the former home of Swine BBQ. It’s a prime storefront on Medina’s Public Square and it is expected to open sometime this fall.
Boss ChicknBeer succeeds in a very crowded niche for several reasons that include a hyper-focused menu, high-quality product, counter-service model and lively atmosphere. The casual restaurants operate like an old-school diner, with the cooking taking place behind the counter. The same people who take your order also pour the beers and prepare the food.
That convivial pub-like vibe is the formula for their success, says Doeberling.
“I tell people that Boss is a diner where you don’t bring your own friends; you meet friends when you come here,” she explains. “The community part of it has always been really important.”
The core of the menu consists of chicken wings, hand-breaded tenders and hand-cut fries. The Ohio-raised, cage-free poultry is brined, baked, chilled and fried to order. All wings are dry-rubbed and served with sauce on the side.
“A lot of people want to do wings the easy way: take them out of the box, throw them into the fryer and let the sauce be the star of the show,” Doeberling says. “We don’t sauce our wings. For us, the chicken is the star and the sauce is just a bonus.”
For beer lovers, the selection at Boss is worth the trip alone, starring a rotating selection of Ohio craft beers that sidestep the ubiquitous flagships.
Look for the Medina spot to open in the coming months.
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