Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.
Here are three key chicken wings stats for Super Bowl XLVI on February 5, 2012.
- More than 1.25 billion chicken wings will be eaten on Super Bowl Sunday. It’s the country’s biggest eating day of the year, after Thanksgiving.
- If those wings were laid end to end they would reach one-quarter of the way to the moon; they’d circle the earth more than twice.
- This year’s New York Giants vs New England Patriots match-up means chicken wings consumption will pretty much hold steady. The Mid-Atlantic, which encompasses Giants territory, are 24 percent more likely to eat wings; New Englanders, a.k.a. Patriots fans, are six percent less likely to eat wings than the national average.
Thanks to the National Chicken Council for these amazing statistics.
And here are five key places for chicken wings if you want to be part of the 1.25 billion wing movement.
Wing Stop - Texas-based chain
Troy Aikman is a veteran of three Super Bowls; whether that makes him a wings expert is another question, but he is the number one fan of Wing Stop (as well as their national spokesman). Wing Stop now have 500 locations in 34 states as well as Mexico – all by themselves, they’ve sold a billion wings. Among their 10 wings flavors are Atomic, Cajun, Hickory Smoked BBQ and Teriyaki. The Super Bowl is such a big event that Wingstop.com has a countdown clock, down to the seconds leading up to the big game.
Bon Chon - New York City, NY
The cult Korean wings spot (which also boasts a karaoke lounge) features exquisitely crispy fried chicken either sauced with a sweet-pungent soy garlic sauce, or spicy hot. This is one of the few places where both choices are equally awesome, so go for half and half. The chain is now worldwide; besides the U.S., there are Bon Chons in the Philippines, Thailand, Dubai and Singapore. I doubt the Super Bowl is a big deal at Bon Chon, but they do have big screens that invariably play the same Euro disco video over and over so perhaps they can be persuaded to change the channel.
San Tung - San Francisco, CA
Real wings aficionados will know what I’m talking about when I say, dry-fried chicken wings. San Tung is a noisy and crowded Chinese restaurant where you invariably have to wait for a table. It doesn’t have nachos or a 500-inch screen TV. What it does have are dry or wet chicken wings. The dry are battered & deep fried with garlic, ginger and roasted red peppers; wet are battered, fried and sautéed in a spicy sauce of roasted red peppers, mushrooms, carrots & bamboo shoots. Get the dry ones.
The Kettle Black - Brooklyn, NY
This Brooklyn bar, which is plastered with Super Bowl ready TV screens, is a veritable United Nations of buffalo wing flavors. Their 14 options include Grampy Del's (Canadian Maple Syrup and Honey), Grampa Nunzio's (Buttery Garlic and Parmesan) and Luau (chunks of Pineapple in Plum BBQ Sauce) although why you’re fooling around with anything other than the Buffalo City (their version of the original recipe) I don’t know. This is a good place to make a dent in the one billion-plus wing statistic: you can order 100 wings here, for $73.95.
Anchor Bar - Buffalo, NY
The place that claims to have invented Buffalo wings, back in 1964. For anyone outside the Buffalo area, be aware of their ‘Wings That Fly’ package. Anchor will ship their wings anywhere in the US, in quantities from 50 to 250 wings; shipping is free. If you’re more of a Do-It-Yourself-Up-To-A-Certain-Point person, you can order Anchor bar sauces online, and make the wings yourself. But plan ahead; there’s no Super Bowl Sunday delivery.
More from Food & Wine:
50 Best Bars in America
Chicken Wing Recipes
Best Pizza Places in the U.S.
Best Fried Chicken in the U.S.
Super Bowl Recipes
Be sure to wash down all those wings with Patriots and Giants-specific beers.
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There is this place in MPLS called Art Songs, I live in Austin, TX and eat wings at Pluckers all the time, but i miss Art Songs. Breaded crispy served over steamed rice with something like lowerys sprinkled over the rice. Like five sauces to choose from and dip in. They are fantastic.
Just the mere fact that Anchor Bar is on the list for best wings goes to show these people don't know good wings at all. It is only where the tourists go and their wings pretty much suck. There are so many great little corner bars in Buffalo (South Buffalo especially) that are the best. Sorry, but I don't think a chain that Troy boy reps could come close to any of the great places in Buffalo. Been all around the country and never had a better chicken wing, not Buffalo wing, than the ones in Buffalo. Buffalo knows how to make them the best. PERIOD....
Haha, tourists in Buffalo.
Buffalonian's LOVE Duff's wings, La Nova bbq wings and the Anchor Bar. All excellent in their own right...
I like my wings extra crispy, and therefor I need lots of sauce so they're not too dry, and the best sauce and overall wing I've tried so far, I found in a very unexpected place, in a Mexican Restaurant in Cornwall, NY, the place is Avocado Restaurant in what they call a honey chipotle and mustard bbq sauce and I go there just for the wings some times lol, plus what better way to wash 'em down than with a Margarita.
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Well... BOBO's Chicken in Oklahoma City!!! It's a food cart near the ghetto (normally there's a cop hanging around) ONLY open on Friday and Saturday nights, BUT every time I go through OK I stop there for their wings, which is pretty much all they make
FIRST – They SMOKE THE WINGS
THEN – They Deep Fry Them
NEXT- They lightly coat them with Cayenne (I think) pepper spice
LAST – They dump 2 to 3 cups of HONEY on them!!!!
They are about the best guilty pleasure I know of and I know two any-other-time-vegetarians who will even conceded a bite of these things once every other year or so. They're THAT good.
BTW for the "Super Bowl" we are having placenta chips. DEE lish!!!!!!!
Myself and my one month old non gender decided child do not eat "buffalo Wings" . we are VEGANS and are superior to all of you!
Except for your grammar & poor usage of capitalization.
ed zachary
PS- The Chicken or the Egg is also good, and has more variety, great sauces etc, but the way they make their wings doesn't compare. Get BOBO's and make your own sauce.
Glad to see it already mentioned, but The Chicken or the Egg on Long Beach Island in Beach Haven, NJ will take any other wing place to the woodshed. Biggest wings you'll ever see, delicious breading (or go naked), and 14 sauces, including the almighty Ludicrous Challenge, featured on Man vs. Food a couple years back.
Deep fried buffulo wings are so simple to make! Why would anyone go out to buy them is beyond me.
Frankie's Wings & Things
Melbourne, FL
Toppers Bar and Grill in Montevideo, Minnesota. Pure gold!
Congratulations Kettle One. Kettle One is one of the best bars in the country too!
If your in Baltimore... The best wings Ive tried are in the Northeast market. Its a very sketchy part of town. But if you go the mexican/fusion place where they sell burritos and asian takeout youll see some asian mildly spicy wings. Really well done with an orange glaze. Not too sweet, more on the oily side.
My only gripe is what people NOW consider 'buffalo wings'. True buffalo wings aren't ORANGE or vinegary. Who ever invented that crap and called it buffalo should be shot.
YEAHHH!!! Wing Stop is the BEST!!!!!!!
I have to give a shout out to a small local wing place in Bowling Green, Ohio named Frickers. Has every degree of hotness from wimpy all the way up to nuclear. I personally never was ever able to get past the 5-Alarm level. Takes plenty of cold beer to wash them down and if you eat too many, it helps to have some rolaids on hand, just in case.
I will have to agree with you on Frickers!! DELICIOUS SAUCE, i have only had the Nuclear though and its crazy hot!!
We are willing to drive 4 hours each way for the wings at Slows in Detroit. They are smoked to fall-off-the-bone perfection!
It's sad to think that all the hometown fans who are crying out Duffs (which does make a great wing) have never been to the best wing place in Buffalo: Sal's in Depew. It's like the step up from Buffalo Wings. Huge, crunchy, unbelievable...
Right on! Western New York has GREAT wing places all over other than the Anchor. Bless them for inventing it....but there are others out there that make em better. I am from Niagara Falls btw....
Fairport Village Inn, Fairport NY
Predictable, another poorly researched list. A 'Texas-based chain', three restaurants in New York, and one in California. In a country of over 300 million people with 50 states across thousands of miles, this is the best the writer could muster. Pathetic.
Agreed. I would go to a Buffalo Wild Wings before going to a Wing Stop. To me, no comparison.
I still never have understood how you get wings off a buffalo. Either way does anyone find the statistic that states if you placed the wings eaten on Super Bowl Sunday would stretch around the planet Earth twice like really the coolest thing you have ever read. Don't just read...imagine that. That is awesome. Me love me some meat. Mmmmm....
By the way bonus points for anyone who does the math with an average wing of 2 inches at 1.25 billion served on this holy day in comparison to the earth's circumference in miles. Math is cool.
Math is not cool. It might be interesting to some, or complex (although you're version of it doesn't seem to fit that category) but it definitely isn't cool. But your reference to super bowl day as a "holy day" illustrates just how stupid America has become. Not that I don't like the super bowl, but I wish they would just play the game and not bombard us with myriad inane stories and hype such as this one about how many times the wings eaten on super bowl day would stretch around the planet.
Actually, 2 inches is way too small. More like 3 inches. That would give a line 59,185 miles.
Top 3 in the US:
1. Lendys – Virginia Beach, VA
2. Sidelines Bar and Grill – Millvale, PA
3. Coopers Ale House – Seattle, WA
I have to agree. Lendy's in Virginia Beach are the best I have had. After traveling coast to coast and trying wings everywhere, there are none better than Lendy's. Moved to Florida a few years ago and to this day still get my sauces from Lendy's. Not thrilled with the chains for wings, but Hooter's at the Beach in Panama City Beach makes about the best ones here. IMHO.
About an hour southwest of Pittsburgh, PA...on a rural hilltop road just outside of Wellsburg, West Virginia...you will Drover's Inn. The best wings from anywhere I've ever been.
http://www.allthingswings.net
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/323/1325771/restaurant/West-Virginia/Weirton/Drovers-Inn-Wellsburg
St. Angelos in Niagara Falls use to have the best wings in the late 90's. Right next to Niagara University campus
Fried Fish Scales: the next big thing
THE BEST WINGS I HAVE TASTED IS BUFFALO TAP IN SAVAGE , MINNESOTA
YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW GOOD THEY ARE.
EXCELLENT ! ! ! ! ! !
I've ever had wings better than Chuck U Chicken in College Park, MD. Something about the sauce is different than anywhere else. They have the perfect blend of spicy, salty and sweet all mixed together. Plus, their wings are nice and plump.
Best wings on the Jersey Shore, Caffreys Tavern, Forked River New Jersey. Plump and juicy covered in a saute that dosen't overwhelm the taste of the wing.
A lot of wing places do the same to there wings as everyone else..fry them and sauce them which is nothing special.. the best wings to me are smoked wings with a crispy skin
hooters once had great wings- NOT no more, they must of changed the cooking oil, they are now very greasy
With respect, I disagree. Hooters has never had good wings. The first time I had them, I picked up the first one and the grease was dripping off it. n.a.s.t.y. I tried them a few times after that and they never got better.
With respect, I disagree. H00ters has never had good wings. The first time I had them, I picked up the first one and the grease was dripping off it. n.a.s.t.y. I tried them a few times after that and they never got better.
The best wings are the ones left on a chicken.
You prefer to eat them alive and unseasoned? Wow, that's PRIMAL! How do you keep the chicken from scratching and pecking your eyes out while you bite down on the wing? Do you bite the head off first?
There's a place in Southeast Ohio that delivers fresh-butchered chicken parts to their customers every morning. The other restaurants use stuff that was shipped in frozen. It doesn't take long to figure out which restaurants use them and which don't.
Kind of like the best part of you was left in a condem?
I agree!
LOL!! Sign me up for the remedial reading course! I thought Sandy was making a joke about the best wings on the chicken were the ones on the left side of the chicken! HA! Way funnier than what s/he actually said!
Now what were we talking about?
Great wings can be found at most bars in restaurants in WNY. For something different, try the Amherst Ale House's Crown Royal BBQ wings.
Near Dayton or Cincinnati Ohio? Definitely, without a doubt ... Rooster's.
I prefer Fricker's in Middletown.
Wings N Weenies, Sarasota, FL
Wings-n-things in Anchorage, Alaska has the best double-fried crispy wings out there. Mild to nuclear. Pair it with a turkey sub on homemade bread.
I travel to Buffalo from 300 miles away for Duff's, there is nothing better, end of discussion!
I'll second that.
Thirded
Then you haven't been to Sal's in Depew. The best wing place no one knows about...
If they were that good, we would have heard of them!
French Pub (Depew), Duff's, Nickel Creek Cafe (Depew), Coles (Buffalo) and tons of other local bars are all WAY better then Anchor Bar.
Wingman in Denver is the best around!
Also wtf... Wingstop. over priced garbage. Never go there
If I ranked the top 10 places in Santa Maria, CA for wings, Wingstop wouldn't even make the list. I really don't get those guys. They have a formula for success and the resources to kick wing butt, yet their wings are CRAP compared to the wings I can get elsewhere at a lower price. I'd sooner give up wings altogether before I'd frequent their shop. And I'm saying this after spending over $100 at Wingstop trying their wings again and again before I finally gave up and decided they're CRAP.
Been going to Wingman in Northglenn since 1982!!
Pizza Perfect in Trucksville, PA since 1975!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wings To Go wings are awesome, fresh wings, amazing sauces. Been to a few in Philly and the one in Dewey Beach, DE. Better than WingStop and BW3 frozen crap. WS is probably only on the list because Troy Aikman is their pitchman/investor.
Lived in Buffalo 37 of my 43 years and I remember well when Raintree Island served up 5 cent wings and a pitcher of draft beer for $3.50.
Right now, Duff's has the best wings in the area provided you eat them there and not take out. When they're served in the wood salad bowls with all that extra sauce in the bottom... you can't get that with takeout.
I'm also a fan of Pane's BBQ wings. I love the char broiled flavor of the sauce they use.
One other thing – why the hell doesn't Buffalo get more credit for its pizza? I'll take some of the local 'za over any of the pizza I had the tri-state area for the 6 years I lived out there. Pepe's is good – no doubt, but a perfectly prepared Bocce Club is no match.
Winghouse @ Tampa ! naked and blackened with mild sauce on the side (add hot sauce to taste)
Cody's in Riverhead NY. Smoked and grilled..Ridiculous Flavor.
We've got LT Wings here in Atlanta, just perfection. I cant speak for how good the places are on the list EXCEPT for Wing Stop....Wing Stop has the worst wings I've ever had from a wing place.
Chicken wings are left over pieces that don't serve the chicken alive or humans on a plate. Now that China is becoming wealthy, they are keeping the white meat and leving the "wing" scraps to the USA. Eat up fatties.
i don't even know where to begin...
1) you're a moron
2) new yorkers have been preparing and consuming wings since the 60's
3) throwing away wings is a wasteful and irresponsible use of the bird (ever cook a whole chicken? every part is useable, not just the white meat, you meathead!)
4) you're a moron
While I agree with your POV, please don't feed the trolls.
bwahahahahaha, i have a weakness for trolls. especially the ones that aren't even very good trolls. but am i allowed to troll back?
We're just looking out for those who are unaware of trolls and the pots they stir. Apologies for the confusion. If you are an experienced troll baiter, by all means, bait away.
Wingstop??? BLAH!!!! Sure, if you like your wings done to a bone dry, tough, chewy, crispy, crunchy finish! They have the tiniest wings I've ever seen, and by the time they're done being overcooked, there's more skin and seasoning than meat on them. I tried asking them to give my order a shorter cooking time, but nope, it's company policy to BURN the wings to a well welldone finish! NO THANKS!!! Their management won't answer my email complaints either, so the can take their wings and stick them where the sun don't shine! I go to a local Mexican shop for my wings. They are literally twice the meat content of the Wingstop wings, and at a lower price!
The further you get away from NY, the worse the wings get. Having gone to school in upstate NY, I was spoiled. Now I make my own wings with a 'secret' recipe and they come out great. Will be making them this Sunday for sure.
I totally agree, I'm stationed in HI and the things they call wings here are fried and they dump the sauce on it. Everyone here thinks it's awesome and what Buffalo wings are and I'm always telling them they have no idea. I think the best wings I had are at Gabriel's Gate on Allen St.
Gotta second you about The 'Gate. The best in WNY. I happily drive right past The Anchor Bar to go to Gabriel's Gate for wings. It's amazing more people don't know about them!
Gator's in Canton, Michigan
Plucker's Wing Factory in Austin, TX Baby!
Agreed, everyone in Ausitn knows that Pluckers is the only, and very best, wing shack in town. Wingstop is a hole.
Duffs! Duffs! Duffs! Duffs! 'Nuff said. All those other places that serve wings in many different flavors and styles are indeed selling appetizers but they aren't selling true wings. More important than the various crazy flavors is "meatiness." Good wings are plump and spicy - that's it. Buffalo rules.
mmmmmmm.........
I love me some tofu wings with organic cream of sum yung gi!
You are silly Vegan™. And yes, I used the alt key for the ™....lol
So I guess the 'Best' has something related to major airports? Its as if nothing is edible outside the major hubs (sans Buffalo). Maybe our journalists are just getting lazy? Anyhow, the best wings can be found @ 6 Rivers Brewing Co. in McKinleyville, CA (Humboldt County), about 5 hours drive north of SF.
Buffalo's wings rule. Rochester's garbage plate does not.
Been to Rochester. Spent a year there one weekend.
Note to self: Never trust's Ian's opinion on anything...because Garbage Plates rule.
"Buffalo Style" wings are Western New Yorks gift to the world that has evolved from the early days when we all ate them at our favorite local pizzeria. Buffalo just loves food. Webers mustard, Sahlens hot dogs, Miller's horseradish. Yum and Yummer.
Lived in Buffalo for 8 years; traveled all over the US for work.
Best wings IMO are from the Bar Bill in East Aurora, NY (About 20 mins from downtown Buffalo; followed by Coles, then Duffs (Too much vinegar/Franks in their sauce), and way lower on the list Anchor Bar. Anchor may have "invented" them, but they've become a "famous" place and tourist trap more than the local good food place.
Funny, was just going to reply that the Bar-Bill has the best wings in Buffalo. Of all the places to go, my out of town friends want to go there everytime. Duffs, Coles, and Gabriel's Gate also have very good wings. Going to Anchor Bar is like going to out in Times Square. Tourist trap.
9-11 all the way. Best in Buffalo. Bar Bill is also good. Duffs is overrated. Anchor bar totally sucks!
Ergh - dontcha hate that? There are so many places in Nashville that used to be great and are now just tourist traps. And every time I have out-of-town guests, those are the crappy places they want to go b/c they saw them on Food Network. I guess every touristy city has at least one of THOSE places.
YES!! Gabriel's Gate...omg I miss that place!!! Everytime I go back i have to eat there lol It's such a hidden gem of Buffalo!
yum yum bill-bar! gabriels gate has huge delish wings too even if the service sucks!
If you are in So Cal, try Legends in Belmont Shore. Get the lemon pepper or traditional. Ask for grilled lemon pepper (not on menu)
Shout out to Kettle Black for getting some national recognition for their amazing wing selection! Nothing against those who prefer their wings with sauce, but it's hard to beat Kettle's dry-rubbed, amazingly seasoned Fitzpatrick's for true wing nirvana. Gotta love the locally owned neighborhood pubs with food like this...
They call their wings "Fitzpatricks"? Are they corned beef and cabbage flavored? P90X, baby!!!
Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, taste is in the mouth of the eater. Personally, I do not care for spicy foods. So I only eat wings that are mild. I also do NOT like greasy wings. So, right there, that puts me at odds with a majority of wing connoisseurs. Point being, it's awfully hard to say which are best because there are so many different tastes out there.
the best wings are at Duffs on millersport and sheridan in amherst ny. followed by anchor bar , then the buffalo bar(not sure of the name but everything is buffalo) in charlotte NC. any other place should not be on the list
agreed. If you are from Buffalo, Duff's is where you get your wings. Anchor bar is for tourists and food writers.
Are tourists allowed to go to Duff's or is it for locals only? P90X, baby!!!
Agreed! I grew up in Buffalo and the BEST place to get them is at Duffs!
a third vote for Duffs. Anchor Bar is a tourist trap. They may have invented them but Duffs perfected them.
I steer everyone I can to Duffs.
The place in Charlotte you're thinking of is Tavern on the Tracks
I think you're referring to Tavern on the Tracks...they do have good goldrush wings there but the best in charlotte has to be Ed's Tavern jerk wings for flavor.
I must say though, I really dislike ordering chicken wings and they bring out those little pigeon wings...
Chicken wings are very liberal by nature. Real Americans will go for a burger or ribs. Wings are for weak willed liberals.
Leave it to some douchebag to politicize chicken wings...
Burgers and ribs are for weak minded conservative Pee Wee Hermans. You know, the Ron Paul teabagger type. REAL neocons go for the filet mignon, ribeye, or porterhouse steak or pork tenderloin.
Wingstop Atomics. Wet. FTW
Everyone in Buffalo knows that Anchor Bar's wings are only for tourists. If you want real Buffalo-style chicken wings (we just call them chicken wings; if it's called a Buffalo Wing, it isn't authentic) go to Duff's!
I asked my friend Tim in Buffalo and he didn't know this. Do you know Tim? Maybe you could help him out and show him which places have real wings. P90X, baby!!!
Correct on the Duff's wings. Tourist go to the Anchor Bar. I have been to a lot of wing places. The Chicken or the Egg on Long Beach Island NJ have killer stuff. Need to wipe your butt with a snow cone! Did the Atomic Challenge at the Quaker Steak and Lube; not bad. My local and still the best is The Wagon Wheel in Quakertown PA
This is not a good article. How can you rank chicken wings? I might be a bit biased because I live in WNY, but you can get very good chicken wings basically anywhere here, and none of them come from some kind of national chain place.
Couldn't agree more!
Absolutely agree, Rob. From WNY also. Nearly all local pizza shops in WNY make better wings than the rest of the world. Never had a good wing from anywhere else. Most of the nation really has no clue what a real wing is.
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. That's actually a real sentence. Look it up if you don't believe me! P90X, baby!!!
Wingstop is utter shite. They can't even get blue cheese right, it's this watery gruel-type nastiness.
I would agree with the bleu cheese dressing, which i think is crap pretty much anywhere. It's something that should be made at home. I also think they're overpriced for the product, and their sides of celery and carrot stick are pathetic in size. Howeveer, I do think their garlic parm wings are really good. Otherwise, meh to most wing places. You can make better wings at home in your oven. Just cook at 425 for 45 minutes or until browned and crunchy, then toss in whatever sauce you want, bbq, teriyaki, parm and garlic powder, etc. Costs about $8 for 30 wing pieces as opposed to $25.
Buffalo may have invented the name Buffalo wings, but do they honestly think they were the first people on earth to put hot sauce on a chicken wing? My grandma used to serve her grandma's recipe of wings in sauce to me back in the early seventies and I still haven't found any as good.
We don't call them Buffalo Wings Bubba. Only tourists do that.
I think that's a name that's not a tourist thing, but rather something the rest of NY was doing when serving them up, meaning "in the style from Buffalo".
are u sure grandma didnt take the idea from anchor bar? unless i missed something in math isnt the 70s after 1964?
Sounds like his great-great-grandma's recipe is older, if his grandma served them to him in the 1970s and she got the recipe from her grandma. Don't you think? P90X, baby!!!
"Back in the 70s"? Did you even read the article?
Yes. Now you try try doing some math. Back in the seventies, my grandma who was in her 80's used her grandmother's recipe. My great-great grandmother had been dead for about 50 years at the time. So, even if my G-G-Grandmother came up with her recipe on her death-bed, the recipe would be about 90 years old now.
Probably the best wings I've ever had were at Buffalo Wild Wings in Tulsa, OK. I doubt you could make them any better than there. P90X, baby!!!
BWW is good, but it's a large corporate chain. There's better. An example: Wings Over Amherst http://wingsoveramherst.com/zgrid/proc/site/sitep.jsp
Thanks for the suggestion, but I don't really see a need to try wings anywhere else. I already know BWW is the best. P90X, baby!!!
Steve, get a grip. You may be satisfied with BWW, but that doens't mean they're the best. They're just the best to you. And what's with the P90X. Get off the testosterone, dude.
Kasey, I'm not just satisfied with BWW, I'm enraptured, euphoric, and overjoyed with BWW! P90X, baby!!!
And you're a little strange, too. Maybe a little sad, since you don't want to try anything new. And lay off the speed. It's starting to get to you.
Kasey, you're not making any sense. If I was sad I'd always be looking for better wings. But I'm happy! P90X, baby!!!
PLUCKERS!!!!!!
_P91X_ is the real class. _P90X_ is a wannabe!
BWW breads their wings. That is just wrong. Naked all the way. Hooters has the best naked wings around.
wings are just good anywhere
Seriously? That just means you've never had a good wing.
Tim's Cajun Kitchen in Huntsville, AL. The wings are smoked and are OH SO GOOD!!!
I've never had anything better than Candlelight Inn in Scarsdale, NY. If you live in the area, you need to go there.
Great Sea Chinese Restaurant in Chicago highly recommened for their spicy chicken wings!
yes they are!!... just not sure how they get them in the square shape
Harold's Chicken in Chicago. Best.Wings.Period!
Harolds not only has the best wings, but the best chicken I have ever had. Period.
You two need feminine protection with all those periods........
Deb, your right calie has the worst wings in the whole country but the mexican great
this is such a silly article, did you taste the wings in every restaurant in America, and if you did, how did you make such an acute comparison?
I"m convinced that for articles like this they just go to citysearch or some website and look for places with a few stars, then write the article around them. Seriously, why else would you choose such a limited number, and why in the world would you include a chain...
gak27 right on the money on both counts ive been everywhere in this country and have heard al the "best wings ever crap" and they do not know what they are talking about. all most everywhere you go the wings suck and as far as "Buffalo willd wings" someone should sue them for using the word buffalo in there name they have some of the worst wings i have eaten anywhere. listen to gak27 get to duffs and then over to teds for the best hot dog you will ever have then why not Swistons for a beef on wick you will not be dissapointed
That's "weck" not "wick" (short for "kummelweck,remember?)
Weck, baby! The lost and forgotten 3rd W in BW3!!!!
What does your penis have to do with this article?
There is a delivery and carry-out only chicken wing place in Newark, Delaware called "Cluck-U". I'm sure there are others around the United States but that is the one I have been to. Cluck-U had the best wings I have ever had. Their chicken wings were more like small drumsticks and they came in about 10 different heat intensities. The rest of their food was equally amazing and the price was very, very reasonable. I sure miss that place since moving.
LOL! When i read the headline, I said to myself, "unless it's Cluck U, they're not the best"!
Trust me, I've had a lot of wings and have also have made a lot...Cluck U is the best I've ever had!
One too many "have(s)" in there...
As a Buffalonian I have to say that any true wing lover would never go to Anchor Bar. Anchor Bar is a tourist trap and doesn't even break into the top 3 places in Buffalo to get wings let alone nationally.
Ben, my nephew married a girl from Buffalo. They had us all get together at a little hole in the wall bar the night before for REAL Buffalo wings. Wish I could remember the place – the poor kitchen guys were almost sacked by all the guests and the locals as they came out with vats of wings. OMG the hot sauce was doing a job on us all as we crawled into the church for the wedding the next day.
LaNova BBQ wings for the win!
Gabriel's Gate is the best wing place in Buffalo
as a native Texan, wingstop is terrible. Pluckers here in Texas is a bajillion times better. The placement of wingstop on this list makes this list void.
I AGREE COMPLETELY!!!!!!! Pluckers is the BEST!!!!! PERIOD. Wing Stop does not even compare to the deliciousness that is Pluckers. I'm already craving it again thinking about their wings and I had it 2 days ago!
Nastiest food ever!!! A tiny bit of greasy meat surrounded by floppy, thick skin. Ewwww! No thanks.
Just tofu wings for you.
Amen!!
lol, loser
Daytona beach – Hooligans – the Wally Wings are fried then finished on the grill and the sauces are super
Here's my shameless self-promotion:
Check out my Wing Review Website...like us on facebook while your'e there!
http://www.allthingswings.net
After moving to California from Buffalo, I realized many resturants do not know how to make chicken wings. Duffs, Anchor Bar, Just Pizza and Al-Opps. We miss you all...
I also moved from Buffalo to Orange County. Bubba makes a comment – Buffalo may have invented the name Buffalo wings, but do they honestly think they were the first people on earth to put hot sauce on a chicken wing? My grandma used to serve her grandma's recipe of wings in sauce to me back in the early seventies and I still haven't found any as good. Anyone who knows anything about chicken wings would never call them Buffalo wings – as Buffalo's do not have wings – and there is no such thing as chicken of the sea.
If any of you, for whatever reason, happen to pass through Iowa, check out The Vine in Iowa City (their maple hot and traditional hot are my favorite). Best wings I've ever had. I've lived in Chicago for a few years and have tried wings at dozens of places and still haven't found any that compare.
concur on the Vine recommendation. amazing stuff.
I've had Wing Stop in Texas. If you want buffalo wings though you should go to Pluckers. That said the title of this article was Best Wings and not best Buffalo wings so I would have to say that my wife's recipe is the best. She is from Indonesia and makes wings the way they make them over there. They are first marinated in some kind of black pepper and chili pepper mix then blacked on either the grill or broiler. They not only taste better than buffalo wings but they are not deep fried either.
I second that Aaron, I worked in Jakarta for a while and the wings there and in Bali are awesome, enak sekali.
The best wings I've ever had (and I try them pretty much wherever I go, including from the Anchor Bar and Buffalo Wild Wings) are from a place called "The Chicken or the Egg" in Beach Haven, NJ. They have a whole variety of interesting sauces as well as several "classic" buffalo-flavored sauces, and all are amazing.
I HAVE THE BEST WINGS OF ALL TIME. BET YOU $10.000
I guess it is kind of easy to make a claim like that for a substantial amount of money, knowing full well, the internet has no capability of actually calling you on it, or for such a subjective, taste specific result like "the best wings." Good luck with that, and enjoy your ego.
It's not really that substantial. They used a (.) in their 10.000 dollar bet. They're only out 10 bux.
"More than 1.25 billion chicken wings will be eaten on Super Bowl Sunday." Any wonder why this country is so fat???
thanks debbie downer... and you wonder why you're single and spend your saturday nights crying into a box of tissues instead of going out and having fun
I don't think you can point to chicken wings consumed on a single day in the country and make the leap that it's the reason for America's weight problem...
Feel free to eat your tofu burger and watch Golden Girls while the game's on though. It is a free country, after all.
Okay, fatty!
Haven't read all of teh comments, so someone could have said it earlier. But, Hard Times Cafe in the DC area has what they call Texas grilled wings, which are bufallo style and but grilled after being fried. Truly unique wings.
My personal favorite? Hole-in-the-wall "Wings Suds & Spuds" in Pittsburgh - crispy, hot, and well-sauced! Review here: http://3nosh.com/wings-suds-spuds-moon-township-pittsburgh/
Oh..YES.....making me miss Moon Township, Wes! We always ordered ours extra-wet...they are The BEST!
The best wings period (and I have eaten wings at just about every restaurant that I have eaten at.) goes to
Mr. E's Tavern
Coatesville, PA
Regular hot wings with garlic with a side of XXX hot sauce.
All sauces are home made with garden grown peppers. Not fake chain sauces. A extra side of celery and home made bleu cheese and you're good to go.
Too bad you don't get out of town much.
I have to say that some of the local bars (I'm in eastern PA too!)& restaurants have some really good wings that will never get visibility for a list like this.
Mom's Pizza in Smyrna has the best wings in Delaware. Homemade sauce and wings
Silly question. There are so many places in almost every town and city that make wings. It's like asking where you can get the best cheeseburger. Answer to both: thousands of places. And, that's a GOOD thing.
it is amazing, the thing with wings, i recalled when the uppity didn't consume wings, totally amazing
The double dipped wings at Track One in El Paso Texas are killer, they may not be "the" best but I think they should be in at least the top 10. A great combination of crunchy spicy hot, delish!
Duff's in Buffalo are the best! Hands down! Anchor bar wings are over-rated!
Lived in Buffalo (well the burbs) until I was 27 and never had wings while there. Always had Duffs when I visited family and ask any of them and they all say Duffs. I like plain old Sunday Dinner baked chicken wings!
Anchor Bar might be the original, but they are far from being the best. They are a gimmicky tourist trap. Duffs are really good, but if you want the best wings in Buffalo you really need to head to the Nine-Eleven Tavern in South Buffalo. They are the crispiest and tangiest wings you'll ever eat.
Yeah I was going to say whomever wrote this article is not from or ever spent any time in buffalo or western NY. Anchor is considered to be one of the worst wings in the region. Just another corporate franchise these days. Thumbs up for Duffs, and about every other place called "Anthony's" ;)
I grew up going to the Native New Yorker in Tempe, AZ for 10 cent wing nights. They were my favorite until my husband perfected his wing recipe and now I can get the best wings whenever I want!
I'm very familiar with Bon Chon (called Kyo Chon in Korea). If you live in NYC and never tried them, you are missing out!
Every person i have taken to Buffalo Joe's in Evanston, IL has immediately declared their faith to the wings widely regarded as the best in the Chicagoland area. I don't know how you guys don't have an entry from Chicago.
I went to school in Evanston, and Buffalo Joe's wings are hard to beat. My friends and I made a trek up there recently and they are still just as good. Plus, their waffle fries with cheese are the best!
Best chicken wings in the country?
More like, "I should travel more."
The best wings I used to eat were many years ago in my hometown in NW Pennsylvania, in the local pubs and almost every pub made them just right too. Always super crispy on the outside, sauce just spicy enough, and could always get them for 10 cents each. They sure don't have them that cheap anymore, LOL. Can't find them as good as I got them at home 25 years ago and have to settle for places like Buffalo Wild Wings or something similar. I love Beef O' Brady's wings too! The chains I mentioned do ok but nothing like local pubs or Mom & Pop places!!
Went to college in Buffalo, now live in NYC.
Duffs & Anchor bar both in Buffalo have the best wings I have ever tasted. I have had Bon Chon before and they are horrible. Have not found a favorite wing place in NYC yet.
Bonchon? Someone haven't tried Kyochon!
I think I have had Buffalo Wings only once in my life and it was at The Anchor Bar in Buffalo about 20 years ago. I think they were good, but I had nothing to compare them to and I have no specific taste memories about them. I have no desire to go back or go to any other place for this rather simple food product that appears to be highly over-rated at whatever your favorite place is.
they why would you even bother to comment on an article about wings??? fool
LOL!!....But you are so right! They are asking for comments on best Buffalo Wing's, not if anyone likes them or not!!!
Huh?! It sounds like you are saying that only Democrats should bother to comment on other Democrats and that Republicans and other non-believers should not put in their two-cents. Or, atheists vs. Catholics. Or beer-drinkers vs. wine-drinkers. Get real, pal...free speech rules, as long as you follow CNN's rules. I realize that there are hundreds of topics more important than wings, but when y'all take it so seriously, surely there is room for a non-believer??
I bet you're just a barrel of fun to hang out with.
All y'all are full of hooey. The article is about chicken wings, not exclusively Buffalo wings.
I will have to say that Delancey's in Goshen, NY has some kick a** wings, but I heard that Mamma Theresa's in Vails Gate, NY just won the Hudson Valley 2012 Wing Bowl! (Guess I'm gonna have to branch out)
WingStop's lemon pepper is my personal favorite. Fire On The Mountain here in Portland is the best all-around wing place I've experienced. BWW is good for a big chain, but they just don't have that definitive one flavor. Bon Chon sounds great, but they either have to cover an ocean or the North American continent to reach me.
+1 for Duff's, which are way better than Anchor's...
And as long as you're in Buffalo, go to Ted's for some awesome hot dogs (esp. w/ the chili sauce) ...be sure to get a loganberry drink!
I love dogs and I love chili (judged some contests), but find chili on the dog kills the dog taste. So one day for good dogs, and the next day some great chili. Nope I don't mix em. But different strokes for diffrerent folks. Enjoy.
forgot to mention this. Y'all know that God invented chickens for the sole purpose of making Buffalo wings. Look it up. I have high cholesterol and did not eat wings for years. My new girl friend, I'm 77, loves them. I succomed and now I am hooked on wings again.
The best buffalo wings in the world are at The Windsor Inn in Jermyn, Pennsylvania. My family and I (from Long Island) would always stop off there on long-distance trips to upstate NY and buy quarts of their wing sauce to store in our freezer. I've been to the Anchor Bar, and there's no question, the Windsor is better. http://www.hotwing.com/
Andrew,
AMEN.
All other wings I have had are tabasco dumped on fried wings. Blah!
Windsor wings are the best.
Wing Snack on Orleans Ave and Claiborne under the I-10 is so good you're willing to risk getting shot. Get one of the hot styles and one of the sweet styles. Arizona and Pineapple for example. Amazingly good.
Oh and get some ghetto punch to go with it.
Larry, our Public Relations guy makes the best buffalo wings in America.
Seriously. He brings them for breakfast during our work's Thanksgiving potluck. Never tasted any better.
So why is Larry wasting his time in PR?
Sounds a lot less messy and stable than wing chef to him probably. Of course you were just being wise eh? Next time, save it.
Joseph, you need a humor implant. You save it.
Stop joking around, Aletheya. This is serious!!! P90X, baby!!!
Hands down the best wings i've ever had are in the downtown manhattan area. A place called 1849 on Bleeker St. You can't beat 20 cent wing nights and they taste just amazing!!
The best wings in America by FAR are the Dirt Wings at J. Timothy's Tavern in Plainville, CT. No doubt about it. I am a strict vegetarian and can tell you that when I was little I used to go here all the time. I've only broken my vegetarian diet four times in 6 years, each and every time has been to eat wings at J, Timothy's.
Who came up with the 5 places? Did they pay to be on this list? Personally here is my 2 cents on the best chicken wings... 1) They have to NOT be too meaty. 2) They must be cooked well-done so that they are crispy on the outside. 3) The sauce must be served on the side to preserve crispiness. 4) No BBQ sauce! Yuck.
Gotta try 1849 in the NYC.. Already dipped in sauce YET the crisp remains!! O_o
exactly.
wings should be defined by their size and crispiness, and not the sauce they are served with. It is the simplicity that makes it awesome.
Best wings I've had is at our local deli. WIngs are perfect size (medium-small). Super crispy all around. Meat falls off the bone after the intial bite.
Served dry, with a texas pete sauce on the side...heaven!!!
Dude. You're making me hungry. Yes crispiness is the key. I cant beleive anyone eats slimy wings with pink meat inside.
Buffalo wings should never be served with sauce on the side, unless you are taking them home and plan on saucing them in a bowl yourself before serving. The sauce has to soak in and marinate the fried bits so you can dip them in ranch/bluecheese, it doesnt make them less crispy at all unless you let them sit and get cold. Its a joke when ordering something buffalo style at a restaurant and the bozos give you a cup of cold sauce.
My mother used to run the Boarding House restaurant in Buffalo. They had the best wings at the time but are now gone.
Archie Moore's in New Haven is consistently ranked best in CT.
I have heard that they have great bar food on the menu, but have yet to eat anything but their wings in the 100+ times I've been there.
One style, one sauce, too tasty.
clearly ms. krater has not tried my chicken wings if she thinks 3 of the best chicken wings come from New York.....
Boothe's Bowery in Port Orange, Florida. Best Ever. End of story.
Agreed! Though they used to be even better a few years back. The medium garlic are fantastic.
Helen's Sweet N Spicy Wings in North Kansas City are hands down the BEST wings ever!! you can buy the sauce and make them yourself if you wish...but nothing beats getting them made by Ron the owner/wing sauce maker himself. and to make them even better he's got the best beers on tap! my new fave: Sam Adams' Chocolate Cherry Stout.
There are two things that chicken wings require. Heat and flavor. Every restaurant I ever ordered wings from was missing one of those two things. They either serve wings that are all heat and no flavor or all flavor and little heat. Worse yet is when they make wings that are lacking in both. Which is why I make my own wings. I use home grown peppers which are song in heat such as the ghost pepper and the Trinidad Scorpion as well as peppers which are high in flavor and various other spices. My wings are both hot and flavorful.
Another STRONG vote for the $3 Cafe in Atlanta. Best I ever had, bar none. I too moved away from Atlanta a few years ago and still dream of $3 Cafe wings. If you live in the hot-lanta area and haven't tried $3, head on down tonight and get a basket (the fries are darned good too). Gee, if I left now and drove 75 miles per hour, I could be there in about 12 hours . . .
Dodge's Fried Chicken and Gas has the best wings in a 1 mile radius!
Are we talking gasoline or intestinal gas?
It's all about the sauce, and nothing has ever come close to touching the mango habanero sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings. Yeah yeah yeah, it's a chain, but who cares?
I second that. BWW has some of the best sauce selection anywhere.
Swannie House. Game over.
20 places in Atlanta to get great wings! Chains, locals, you name it. I like mine swimming is super hottt!!!
clearly the author has never been to my house
The best Chicken wings I have ever had were at the Calistoga Inn, in Calistoga, CA.... Absolutely amazing..
Wow, props for my neighborhood's San Tung – hell yeah! I order the dry-fried wings every time I go.
Inner Sunset, represent!
Yeah, but now the lines will get even worse.....
American Deli has awesome wings
I love making my own wings (and only had one grease fire so far!!), but for restaurant wings, I love me some Wild Wing Cafe (not to be confused with Buffalo Wild Wings). I lived in Asheville, NC for years and every Tuesday night I would be there for two-fer-Tuesday!! I could walk in and whichever waitress would come over and say, "20 Hot, no dressing, no celery [or "healthy crap" if they really knew me]?" It was sad, really, but I still love driving up to my old college town every once in a while to eat some wings when I feel nostalgic.
+1. Went to school in Charlottesville and we had two big wing places: BW3 (a.k.a. Buffalo Wild Wings) and Wild Wing Cafe. Went to BW3 once and never went back again. Wild Wing Cafe is hands down better. Who cannot love 30 different flavors, or sauces like Chernobyl and Braveheart? Whenever I'm back in Virginia or the Carolinas, a trip to Wild Wing Cafe is always a must. Having had Wing Stop plenty of times, I don't get why it's on the list and the far better Wild Wing Cafe is not.
Born and raised in Buffalo, NY and now residing Portland, OR. As a wing aficionado, the best wings are, in my opinion, from a place called Fire on the Mountain in Portland. Fire on the Mountain explicitly pays homage to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo while generating their own spin on wings, specifically trying to be sensitive to environmental concerns. The wings come from sustainably raised, regionally sourced, hormone free, free range chicken. The high quality chicken is then paired with great sauces, the best being an award winning Spicy Thai Peanut sauce that is ridiculously good.
Wings can only be found at the Quaker Steak and Lube in Sharon PA. You need to sign a release before eating the hottest. Can now be found in franchises around east coast.
I grew up in Ohio just across the boarder from Sharon, PA. Quaker Steak and Lube has the best wings I've ever had. I miss the Golden Garlic sauce!
They're ok .... but I disagree with them being the best.
Publix has some awesome wings. Big, meaty, hot 'n' spicy. Them's good eats.
I agree with Quaker Steak and Lube! Louisiana Lickers is my favorite sauce there. Bon Chon and San Tung – are you KIDDING ME? Anchor bar is the original, and is very good, but the best wings I've had in Buffalo were at a pizza joint...Casa de Pizza if my feeble memory serves. The sauce is quite painful to cracked cutiles, as I recall!
What? No Sweetwater Tavern wings?
If you're ever in Detroit, you HAVE to check out the Sweetwatern Tavern.
Their sauce is homemade and very authentic. Best wings I've ever had.
I would disagree – we had Anchor Bar's wings when visiting Buffalo. They were decent, but I can find better "Buffalo" wings in St. Louis. And I think Wing Stop is laughable. A chain, really? Why not add Hooters to this mix then? The best place I ever had wings was at a place called Wobbly Boots in Osage Beach, Missouri. And for good Buffalo style wings, try Frankie G's in St. Louis. The trashed wings are the best!!!
Anchor bar is terrible. No one who lives in Buffalo gets wings there, it's strictly for tourists. Buffalo's best wings come from Duff's, and they're the best I've had anywhere.
Loren is clearly delusional; yeah, Duff's wings are good if you like wing soup, the wings are swiming in that crap! DUFFS SUCKS!!
If you're ever in Joplin, MO, try Hackett Hot Wings. Beats any place I've tried elsewhere.
How can you knock a chain when you are citing Osage Beach, Missouri? Really? You really think the best wings are in Osage Beach? You are making the same mistake as the author. Oh wait its an opinion just like yours and mine of you lol.
He said the best wings he's ever had were in Osage Beach, MO. He didn't say they are the best wings in the whole wide world.
Red,
You have got to try them. Wingstop only does wings. Only. There is a reason the are the #1 growing chain in America. Have you tried them? Always fresh and made to order. BW3 cooks routinely visit this place.
Foghorns in northwest Arkansas has the best. Spicy Gold, yum!!!
http://foghornswings.com/
My vote goes to $3 Cafe in Atlanta. I moved from Atlanta 12 years ago, but still dream of those wings!!! Quaker Steak & Lube in Pennsylvannnia pretty good, too, but $3 for me is tops.
I can confirm that Quaker Steak is probably the best you will get in western PA. I haven't traveled and sampled enough all over to really judge elsewhere.
Buffalo wings are so out of date...... There are so many new flavors of wings now. Most people I know are bored with those original flaming horrid excuses for wings.... YUCK and DOUBLE YUCK. Try something NEW. Expand your horizons.
A nice article about something everybody loves this time of year and you have to go and take a dump on it. Go back to the political blogs, loser. Some people are soooo angry...
??? Angry??? Sounds more like you than me....
Like, OMG, buffalo wings are so totally out of date. The COOL people are like, so totally bored.....
I liked Buffalo wings before they were popular. I still like them, but now I only eat them ironically.
How does one eat ironically? Is that like eating soup?
I agree. Those flaming hot things are horrible... Garlic wings, lemon pepper, Asian ginger, parmesan are all much better!!! You are right, things have progressed way beyond the "original".
Opinions are like a-zz holes, everybody's got one and they all stink! You're no exception!
Buffalo Wings out of date?!?!.....like OMG, I didn't get the memo on that one!! bwahaha....Buffalo wings will NEVER go out of style, Buffalo Wings are THE reason chicken wings became popular...they are THE reason for the National Buffalo Wing Festival, and restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings, Beef O' Brady's, or local pubs all across the country that serve up Buffalo Wings to nibble on while we imbibe....Buffalo Wings were the beginning of it all, then all the other flavors came afterwards, but that oh so tasty orangish-red spicy sauce will always rule!!...besides, how can you make a comment like that in an article about what's & where's the BEST BUFFALO WINGS?!?...LOL!!
LIKE!!
Re-read the article!! It said CHICKEN WINGS!!!!! Look at the title... Can you read?
I know what you mean about buffalo wings being outdated. Do you know what else is outdated? Bread. It's been several millenia, it's time to move on!!!
LOL randoid!!....@ Aubrie, NO, no one can read and yet we can type clear and perfect sentences that make sense...ah-duh!! *smh*
The dry rub wings at Buffalo Wild Wings (Texas Chain) are some of the best I'ver ever had!
I agree with JB saying Anchor Bar doesnt have the best wings in Buffalo, but I must say I think Duff's is the best wings ever, thats the place to go in Buffalo
Between Duffs and Coles
I couldn't agree with you more...Duff's is the place for Wings if your from Buffalo! Second to none.
YOU'RE STUPID, notice the use of you're versus your? Get it? Do you understand, dummy?
Cluck U New Jersey The best!
omg I feel liky dying everytime I finish a bucket of cluck-u
Howcan a 'Chain' of any sort have the 'Best of' anything??? There is small Pub called Serums Good time emporium approx 20 miles North of Minneapolis that should be considered in this conversation!
I would like to agree with you but it's just not always true. Where I live there is no shortage of BBQ places, sadly the one that was consistently the best closed down a few years back when their franchise decided to cut back.
Just this last Saturday I ordered a $9 pulled pork sandwich to go. It turned out to be an oversauced medium sized hamburger bun with some chopped pork on it. I don't think I've ever felt as ripped off. I've gotten better values from concessions stands at concerts, which are notorious for being rippoffs. For that kind of money I fully expect to get to get a hoagie style of bun, and actual pulled pork, not chop!
I'f you're in the Twin Cities metro area, the best place for wings is Sweeney's Saloon. They're the whole wing and their sauce is great.
Sweeney's? ewww – I guess it's good if you like massive hunks of soft skin.
We must be talking about different places because every time I've been there they were nothing like that.
Agreed. Really a wing chains on your list? Anchor bar is pretty good. Duff's is better and there are a soo many other places better than the ones mentioned here. Bon Chon NYC? Really??
The best place to get wings in the Twin Cities (or any place for that matter) is :D-Spot in Maplewood. Over 60 different sauces. The Lalapalooza and the Peanut Butter and Jelly are insane. But so is everything else!
OK, as long as the other 3 do not claim "Buffalo Wings", but Anchor Bar is THE BEST BUFFALO WING server in the country. They are the originators and they are in BUFFALO!
Too bad Anchor Bar doesn't even have the best wings in Buffalo. You want the best, you have to travel to the Buffalo suburb of Depew and find the extremely unassuming and therefore totally charming Sal's. Looks like a mom-and-pop bar/restaurant stuck in the middle of a neighborhood, Sal's has these huge, crunch, amazing wings, unlike any I've ever tasted. Go with the heat and also sample the garlic wings, which are unbelievable. Don't believe me? Google or, better yet, go.
Sal hit it! Big wings with a crunch! Absofrigginlutely!
I will half agree with JB. The Anchor Bar doesn't have the best wings in Buffalo. I've never been to Sal's, but the wings at Duff's are better than The Anchor Bar. So, there are at least two places in Buffalo with better wings.
There are so many places in the Buffalo are that have wonderful wings that Buffalo should have its own category. Looking forward to trying Sal's sometime.
But we can at least agree that they need to be BIG and have a nice CRISPINESS!
If you are looking for meaty, crispy, delicious wings in Buffalo, you must try the Nine-Eleven Tavern in South Buffalo! Anchor Bar is a joke in comparison.
These people have obviously never had chicken wings at Pok Pok in Portland, OR! They have the best chicken wings that have a spicy, sweet, garlicky thai influenced glaze on them.