Once an underused part of the chicken, succulent, saucy wings are now essential on game day and a menu must-have at any self-respecting bar. Between flats and drums, smoked and deep fried, and Asian sticky sauce and Alabama white sauce, there’s a lot of variation in how they can be served. Feeling hungry? Don’t wing it. We've found the best spot in every state to eat the humble, messy meal.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
Classic American-style lunch spot Yo’ Mama’s Restaurant absolutely nails its hot wing recipe, with the crispiest chicken you’ve ever eaten tossed in a lip-smacking savory, sweet and spicy sauce and served with French fries, bread, and ranch sauce. There's also a golden fried version which you can have with Belgian waffles, fresh fruit, and syrup.
There’s a reason takeout joint 907 Wingman is the highest-rated wing spot in town. It offers dozens of flavors including Buffalo and sweet barbecue, and the number one bestseller, garlic sriracha, tastes like the wings were fried in freshly-chopped garlic. The kitchen is careful not to over-sauce the food, though. If you’re super picky, you can specify whether you prefer your wings saucy or light.
If you want tender wings, where the bone slides straight out the flesh, family-run Valley Wings is the spot. Here, wings are cooked to perfection and tossed in tantalizing sauces and seasonings, such as the favored honey hot, which combines sweet and spicy. Find the dish at one of three locations in Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Apache Junction.
When there's a game on in Arkansas, those in the know head to Foghorn’s Wings for multiple TV screens, cold beer, and the best wings in the state. The traditional wings are large and, after they’ve been fried to perfection, they’re covered in just the right amount of sauce – you won’t be served slippery wings here. Customers especially love the flavor of the sauce.
There are so many options for great chicken wings in California, but San Francisco's San Tung steals the crown. The Chinese restuarant's original dry fried chicken wings, which are deep fried in batter with garlic, ginger, and roasted red peppers, receive rave reviews. Customers say they’re the crispiest, juiciest, sauciest, most flavorful wings ever, and definitely worth the hype.
Denver's Fire on the Mountain, which has locations in Washington Park and Highlands, attracts customers from all over for its high-quality chicken wings (cage-free, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free). Plus, the sauces the wings are tossed in and served with are phenomenal. Options include raspberry habanero, extra hot Buffalo, and Cajun dry rub. However, it's the spicy peanut that inspires glowing reviews. The dish comes with celery sticks and blue cheese, or ranch dressing.
Around since the early 1990s, J. Timothy’s Taverne has earned its reputation as the finest wing purveyor around. It even has its own lingo and process for ordering them. First you’re asked, “what flavor?”, with options including original Buffalo, honey gold BBQ, teriyaki, and sweet red chili. But then it gets more complicated, because each flavor can also be ordered 'dirt-style', which means fried and sauced, then fried again, and sauced again. It all results in beautifully caramelized wings.
An atmospheric pub with great cocktails, The Crooked Hammock Brewery has locations in Lewes, Middletown, and North Myrtle Beach, and serves up a novel, delicious take on chicken wings. The Pineapple Express wings are slow cooked, fried in coconut breading, and served with a pineapple and jalapeño sauce. They're a firm favorite with customers, who describe them as to die for.
If you're looking for some great wings in Orlando, fun and friendly Korean fast food favorite Chi Kin is the place to go. Here, the chicken pieces are double fried for the ultimate crunch, before being tossed in a sauce of your choice. An all-time favorite is sweet soy. Not too salty or sweet, it’s perfectly mild so great if you prefer things less spicy.
The best wings in Georgia can be found at The Wing Bar, an Atlanta joint set up by two friends in 2017. Always on point, they’re crunchy on the outside and sauced to perfection, according to satisfied customers. If you’re indecisive, you can go half and half on flavors. But why gamble, when the agave BBQ gets such great reviews?
Korean take-out spot Good Chicken must have been misnamed because its fried chicken wings aren't good, they’re fantastic. The batter is light and crisp, and the sauce they're drizzled with is full of flavor. The garlic chili flavor is popular, but the mild and subtle honey shoyu (honey soy glaze) option is a total crowd-pleaser.
The chicken wings from swish Boise bar and restaurant Barbacoa Grill are served with a hibachi, a portable Japanese charcoal cooker, which besides looking impressive on the table can be used to toast up the glaze. Customers describe the wings as scrumptious, and they come with polenta chips and chipotle ranch.
Like a bit of everything on your wings? Then Chicago's Mott St has the answer. The restaurant's much-loved Everything Wings are coated in a soy glaze, two types of chili, fried shallots and their special 'everything' seasoning. The sweet, spicy and sticky jumbo-sized wings are served with a cooling tzatziki dip. Customers say they're insanely good.
Family-run sports bar Ale Emporium, which has locations in Fishers, Greenwood and Indianapolis, is famous for its Hermanaki wings. The dish is inspired by one of its founders and features jumbo wings seasoned with peppers and spices, then smothered in teriyaki and the bar's own secret sauce. The result is a little spicy and a little sweet and customers say they never disappoint. You also get ranch or blue cheese sauce on the side.
Chilled sports bar 2 Dogs Pub serves some of the best bar food in Iowa, including great chicken wings. Choose between boneless or jumbo bone-in, then select from a lengthy list of sauces or dry rubs – signature Buffalo and spicy Firestarter are popular. You can also ask for the wings to be fried extra crispy. You also get to choose from ranch or blue cheese sauce for dipping.
At dive-style sports bar The Peanut, which has four locations in Kansas, the wings take a little longer to cook (a minimum of 20 minutes) because they’re made fresh to order. But, if you’re patient, you’re rewarded with fall-off-the-bone tender wings that are well seasoned and cooked to a crisp. Customers say they're absolutely spot on.
Louisville BBQ joint Momma's has scooped a heap of awards for its smoked wings. Simplicity is key here. There's only one type of wing available and you won't find lots of fancy sauces to pick from, but when they taste this good, you won't be complaining. Don't miss the delicious homemade ranch dressing, either.
A visit to New Orleans isn't complete without stopping at Bayou Hot Wings for a fix of lightly battered and sauced wings. The options range from no spice (think: garlic butter parmesan) to seriously hot (watch out for the Bayou Beast). In the middle is sweet and spicy Bayou Sweet Heat, a long-time favorite with customers. You can have the wings covered in it, or get it served on the side as a dip.
There's some fun flavor options for your wings at Portland's The Great Lost Bear, including Thai and PB & J, but you can't go wrong with the classic Buffalo. Wings are served whole instead of jointed, cooked until crunchy, and coated in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce. The serving is huge and comes with blue cheese dip. If that’s not enough of a reason to visit, there are Maine-brewed beers and excellent customer service.
Baltimore's The Corner Bistro and Winebar is a cosy, intimate spot with great wine and delicious bar food. Order the bistro chicken wings and you’ll be served 10 crunchy, well-battered wings that have been coated in sweet chili sauce and have a ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce on the side. No one who gets this dish leaves disappointed.
With meaty ribs, succulent brisket, and pulled pork on the menu, it could be tempting to overlook the wings at BBQ joint The Smoke Shop, but you definitely shouldn't. Famous for a reason, they're smoked for two hours, then lightly fried and tossed in agave syrup and spices. Many customers say it's their favorite dish on the menu.
Characterful Detroit pub Sweetwater Tavern says chicken wings are what it does best, and this places sells 15,000 pounds of them each week across all their locations, so they must be doing something right. The award-winning Sweetwater Wings are marinated for 24 hours, so they’re intensely flavored but not super spicy. They're so good they've kept customers coming back for years.
Looking for great wings in Minnesota? Head to funky sports bar Red Cow, which has five outposts in the state. Its Japanese Sticky wings, which are sweet and spicy with a hint of citrus, have been described as the "best ever". You can have them on the bone, or gluten-free and boneless.
At award-winning barbecue and craft beer joint The Pig & Pint, the pecan-smoked wings in Pepsi-Cola glaze get people talking. Customers love how different they taste, that they're packed with flavor, and how the meat pulls so easily from the bone. And if that isn't enough smokiness already for you, they come with a delicious smoked garlic ranch dressing.
If you’re a fan of elevated fast food then Salt + Smoke, which has six locations, has you covered. The smoked wing plate comes with two sides and a bacon and Cheddar popover. The wings are super crisp on the outside while still being tender in the middle, and some customers say they’re the best they’ve ever tasted.
Regularly winning accolades and awards for its wings, sports bar Desperado Sports Tavern fries fresh chicken then tosses it in house-made sauces. The top option is Sissy Sauce, which is mild and sweet – and you can ask for the wings to be extra crispy. Wings fans call them the best in town and say its the best place to be on game day.
Sports bars aren’t always known for their exceptional food. However, Oscar's was started by three local guys who believe it's just as important as sport and cold beer. The bar's renowned 'char buffed' wings are fried, tossed in sauce, then finished on the grill, so the sauce is baked on. Options range from classics like Buffalo, BBQ, and garlic parmesan to the more adventurous, like Thai chili bourbon. Customers think they're the best wings around.
If you want something a little more down to earth than the bright lights of the Vegas strip, head to locals' favorite Johnny Mac's in Henderson. Johnny Mac himself is originally from Buffalo, so knows a thing or two about good wings. Customers say the ones here are super crispy and hot, and the jumbo wings come with a choice of sauces, including hickory BBQ and lemon pepper.
Hand cutting its wings daily from good quality chicken, cool spot Wing-Itz prides itself on its “wing butchery”. It also offers 30 house-made sauces and rubs, ranging from mild to super spicy. Regulars really love Sweet Sin, which is big on both flavor and heat, and the wings come with blue cheese or ranch sauce. The restaurant has three outposts in Hampton, Dover, and Newmarket.
At fusion joint TaKorea BBQ, which blends Korean barbecue with tacos and cocktails, the double fried wings are cooked twice to melt away the fat, so what’s left is tender meat and a crunchy exterior. Customers say they're huge, incredible tasting, and totally worth the wait time. In terms of sauce options, the crowd favorite is the Crispy Soy. If you like your food to have some fire, opt for the Red Bull HOT.
The huge, bone-in chicken wings from Albuquerque sports bar-style restaurant Two Cranes Bistro and Brew inspire obsession. They’re prepared with dry rub then grilled, and served with your choice of sauce on the side so they don’t get soggy. Options include naked, Buffalo, Chipotle, or Dr Pepper BBQ. Customers say they're better than you'll find at any chain restuarant.
The historic Bar-Bill, whose original East Aurora location has been standing for around 150 years, is famous for its chicken wings, which can be covered in a dozen or so sauce options. The Cajun honey butter BBQ is described as both unique and outstanding. If you have a preference between flats and drums, you can specify for an extra cost. The order is prepared speedily and comes with house blue cheese dressing.
At the traditional Midwood Smokehouse, which has five North Carolina locations, including three in Charlotte, there’s a choice between fried and hickory-smoked chicken wings, served dry rubbed or with your preferred sauce. The smoked – smothered in zingy North Carolina vinegar and South Carolina mustard – are a firm favorite.
You have to be tough to tolerate the Shark Wings at local treasure Parrot’s Cay Tavern. The dish is swimming in Shark Sauce, a spicy concoction that’s somewhere between Buffalo and barbecue. You can pick your heat level from nine options: 40 is at the top of the scale, but they say anything over 12 will make you sweat. There are plenty of milder flavors for the less brave.
If you struggle to pick a sauce flavor, then cozy sports bar The Oak Tavern is the place for you. Their wings are rubbed, slow smoked, and grilled until nicely charred (or deep fried, if you’ve requested that) then served alongside a selection of sauces in squeezy bottles. This means you can try out several different flavors such as Sweet Memphis BBQ, Buffaloak, spicy berry, Jamaican Me Crazy, and Carolina Gold. Perfect for the indecisive.
Entirely dedicated to hot, fresh, intensely flavored wings, Tulsa's Mack’s Wings opened its doors in 2019 and quickly established itself as a go-to spot. It offers the classics, including Buffalo and lemon pepper. But its original invention, Oklahoma Dry Rub, a mild, sweet and savory blend, is a flavor sensation. Non meat-eaters can try it on their delicious cauliflower wings.
Perhaps a surprising spot to find the best wings in the state, Hat Yai is a Southern Thai restaurant known for its curries and fried chicken, with two locations in Portland. Order the Hat Yai fried chicken wings and you’ll get two large, juicy, free-range chicken joints with a pot of sweet tamarind dipping sauce and sticky rice. If you're in the mood for a curry, there's the option to add a chicken wing on top.
Korean fried chicken is famous for its light and crunchy batter. At Crunchik’n, a Korean fusion joint with three outposts on the Jersey Shore, the dish is true to the restaurant's name. Crunchik'n marinates its chicken for 24 hours, making it extra flavorful, after which the pieces are battered and fried until golden, then coated until dripping in a sauce of your choice. Soy garlic is a customer favorite.
The sweet soy wings on the appetizers menu at posh pub The Shanty are a local favorite. Looking as appealing as they taste, they’re served drenched in a sweet, sticky ginger and chili sauce and loaded up with chopped scallions. Be warned: the sauce is so heavenly, you’re going to want to lick the plate.
For the best wings for miles, head to laid-back barbecue joint Home Team BBQ in Charleston. There are five other locations in the state, but this is thje original and largest. Decked out in reclaimed barn materials, it's a happening spot day and night. The main event is Fiery Ron’s Smoked Chicken Wings, slathered in dry rub, smoked, and served with Alabama white sauce and optional 'Death Relish' dip.
Even if they're not actually known all around the globe, the World Famous Hot Wings from Circus Sports Bar & Grill certainly cause a stir locally. Available in mild, med, hot, Buffalo BBQ, sweet BBQ, and garlic Parmesan, they’re always juicy and crisp. Keep an eye out for their regular offers, too.
At unassuming hole-in-the-wall joint Rocky’s, you’ll find some of the best soul food in Nashville, including their irresistible wings. There's a large range of sauces to choose from, from mellow classics like lemon pepper and garlic Parmesan, to the seriously spicy Rocky Hot. You should definitely try the tangy Strawberry Kick, though, which customers call super unique and delicious.
The battered wings from high-end Korean chicken joint hiwings have been described as life-changing. Crispy and saucy, they’re a textural delight and come with 12 sauce options. Not for the faint hearted, all-time bestseller peach habanero is addictive and seriously hot. It’s also a popular option to choose SOS (sauce on side), if you’re afraid to jump in at the deep end.
Tex-Mex joint Stellar Wings might not look like much from the outside, but trust us, venture indoors and you’ll find the best wings in Utah. They’re big, rich, and can be flavored with a huge choice of rubs and sauces. The medium hot and mango habanero come highly recommended. You’ll also get a generous portion of fries as well as celery, carrots, and dip.
Anywhere featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives is surely worth a visit and, when you check out the smoked wings from Bluebird Barbecue, you’ll understand why it made the cut for the show. Its 'pitmaster' dry rub and Alabama white sauce makes for a six-pack of smoky, well-seasoned and crispy (but never dry) fried wings.
A wing shop with great customer service, everything at WingsWay is made to order and, if you place your order by phone, the restaurant will even call you when it's ready. The choice of homemade sauces is hefty, and includes limited-time options such as the sweet-and-sour Pineapple Trail and seriously hot Fireball. Guests love the garlic Parmesan and signature WingsWay, a sweet and spicy option. Come hungry, as everything you order also comes with fries.
At comfort food spot Simply Soulful, the chicken wing dinner is a popular order. You get six fried chicken wings, two sides (the mac ‘n’ cheese and collard greens are always good), and a cornbread muffin. Customers say you can tell the recipes have been passed down through generations, as the chicken is crisp and juicy, and nothing is too salty or sweet.
Cold beer and budget-friendly wings are what family-friendly sports bar The Bucket is all about. You can get a mammoth plate of 100 for $110, which is great for sharing in a group. Choose between fried and smoked, and pick a couple of sauces from options that include spicy honey, Buffalo ranch, and Carolina Reaper. Don’t pass on the homemade ranch dressing; it’s a customer favorite.
By naming their dish Our Famous Wings, Milwaukee's Points East Pub has certainly raised expectations, but these wings do have a seriously great reputation. The restaurant deep fries drums and flats, dips them in sauce, then grills them again so the sauce is baked on rather than wet to the touch. Be sure to also check out the restaurant's impressive beer selection.
The first time you visit Western-style diner Born in a Barn won’t be the last. Weary travelers who stop to try the smoked wings and traditional fried wings say they're mind blowing. A particular favorite is the Yakitori sauce, a dark, sweet, and savory Japanese-style glaze topped with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. It’s not just the food that hits the spot; the customer service is equally impressive.