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The Most Popular Chicken Wing Joint in Every State (It All Started At #32!)

Get ready to savor the finger-licking flavors of your state's favorite wing haven.

asian man having chicken wings
Updated Oct. 1, 2024
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What do you think makes for the best chicken wing? It could be a bigger, juicier wing, spiced just right, or maybe a unique or interesting sauce.

No matter what you think is the best chicken wing joint, the following are some of the most popular and well-reviewed options in each state. 

So step up your travel game and check out the country's most finger-licking wings.

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Alabama: Baumhower's Victory Grille (Mobile)

topntp/Adobe barbecue chicken wings on wooden board

Baumhower’s, a sports-themed chain with nine locations throughout the region, offers pub grub, including the best wings and big screens for the game.

They certainly are known for their big, juicy wings, but the sauces — like the signature hot sauce and the Jamaican Jerk Sauce — make all of the big flavor difference here.

Alaska: Peanut Farm (Anchorage)

Joshua Resnick/Adobe four different flavored chicken wings

The pub grub at Peanut Farm is all about flavor, and with over 70 big screens, 30 beers on tap, and a cabin-themed interior, this is the place for relaxation.

If you’re brave, the Alarm sauce is the best choice for these famous wings, but if you want something a bit unique, check out the Tequilla Lime (they’re spicy, too).

Arizona: The Wing Counter (Glendale)

istetiana/Adobe chicken wings covered in buffalo sauce

It’s definitely a smaller location, but they do things right here, including jumbo, perfectly crispy chicken wings with 14 sauce options, and dry rubs to choose from at The Wing Counter.

Their homemade ranch helps to make them just the perfect blend of soothing spice.

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Arkansas: Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken (Little Rock)

zukamilov/Adobe chicken wings in honey mustard sauce

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken is known for its spicy fried chicken and sides like fried okra and mac and cheese.

Order the three-piece wing plate, and you’ll notice that these are whole wings. You can also mix it up with legs and thighs.

California: The Greyhound Bar and Grill (Los Angeles)

istetiana/Adobe chicken wings with cayenne pepper sauce

The Greyhound Wings are known throughout this college town thanks to their blend of spices. You could go with boneless or veggie wings made with cauliflower but don’t overlook the sauce options.

The Al Pastor is a nice sweet chili, or consider the gochujang sauce with its Korean flavors.

Colorado: Fire on the Mountain Buffalo Wings (Denver)

alex9500/Adobe fried chicken wings with sauce

A chill, counter-service location, Fire on the Mountain Buffalo Wings offers exceptional wings that are cage-, hormone-, antibiotic-free, and never frozen.

All of the sauces, including the spicy peanut, cajun dry rub, and raspberry habanero, are homemade to perfection.

Connecticut: Archie Moore's Bar & Restaurant (New Haven)

Ruslan Mitin/Adobe nashville hot chicken wings and legs

For the best wing joint in Connecticut, head to Archie Moore’s Bar & Restaurant, a nice neighborhood hole-in-the-wall eatery with a diner feel.

They offer some elevated food and cocktail choices. If you’re here for the buffalo-style wings, choose from raspberry bourbon or the Famous Buffalo Sauce, made in-house (the blue Cheese is also made in-house).

Delaware: Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (Newark)

Hatia/Adobe tray of chicken wings at restaurant

Big, bold-favored wings are best matched with a nice, crisp beer. At Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, you have the best of both.

If you’re visiting for the first time, choose the chipotle sauce for lots of bold flavors that are not overpowering.

Florida: House of Wings (Miami)

pada smith/Adobe fried chicken wing with garlic sauce

It’s a popular location, established in 2003 by Musaddiq Muhammad, who has been called “The King of Poultry.” This location offers a staggering 60 flavor options.

This family-friendly location even has a kid’s meal with chicken wings.

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Georgia: J.R. Crickets (Atlanta)

Hatia/Adobe chicken wings tray at restaurant table

Atlanta residents need to visit J.R. Crickets for the best chicken wings. The location has sold over 60 million wings in its 30-year history.

Putting aside history, it’s the food that makes this location a must. Choose from the Lemony Pepper, Dirty Bird, and Three Mile Island sauce, all with different heat level options.

Don’t forget the ribs, fish sandwiches, and cheese steaks here, too.

Hawaii: Soul Chicken (Honolulu)

alex9500/Adobe orange glazed chicken wings

With customers proclaiming Soul Chicken offers the best wings they’ve ever had — especially the versions with wasabi sauce — you can’t go wrong with this destination.

It’s a small location with big flavors, including its Yang Nyeom Chicken Wings (sweet and spicy), the Wasabi Mayo version, or the Honey Chicken.

Idaho: Daft Badger Brewing (Coeur d'Alene)

Todd Taulman/Adobe traditional buffalo style chicken wings

Draft Badger Brewing is an excellent place to meet up with friends for the game or even a good dinner with the family. They have a big menu of options — including a Turkey Bacon Melt — but it’s the wings that bring people in.

Wings, paired well with their craft beers, are a local favorite. There are even vegan options on the menu.

Illinois: Crisp (Chicago)

weyo/Adobe fried chicken wings with garlic sauce

Don’t expect your average bar stop when you visit Crisp the next time you’re in Chicago.

This wing joint features a fusion of American cuisine with Korean flavors, and the wings are hard to beat for their robust flavor. These jumbo wings are glazed with sauces such as the Buff Spicy and the Sassy.

Indiana: Ale Emporium (Indianapolis)

a_kulikovskaya/Adobe chicken wings plate on dark background

Noted for its vintage feel, Ale Emporium is a true sports bar destination where there’s often live music and plenty of action on the big screen. And the wings are nothing short of perfect.

Their award-winning sauces include the Herman-Style, which blends peppers and spices with Ale’s secret sauce.

Iowa: The Chicken Coop Sports Bar & Grill (West Des Moines)

myviewpoint/Adobe crispy chicken wings with sauces

The Chicken Coop Sports opened in 2012 with a full menu of goodness. The wings are the star of the show, especially when combined with flavors like Kicked Bourbon or Jack Daniels.

They also make sure that all the big games are on the big screen, no matter the season, from college to pro football, baseball, golf, and more.

Kansas: Willie’s (El Dorado)

Надія Коваль/Adobe chicken wings with sweet chili sauce

Willie’s is the type of wing destination that has people driving for miles to visit. You can even get them “naked” if you don’t like the tang of their sauces.

However, the homemade sauce options, including the traditional buffalo, make them so good. You’ll find lots of friendly people at Willie’s, too, and they often get to know their customers on a first-name basis.

Kentucky: Knuk-N-Futz (Taylor Mill)

topntp/Adobe bbq chicken wings on white plate

A laidback atmosphere with just really good food makes Knuk-N-Futz a go-to option if you’re in the area and want to eat well and keep more money in your wallet.

This family-friendly restaurant's funky bar vibe and wing sauce options like Kajun Ranch Boom and Spicy Sriracha make it clear why it’s been a local favorite for 25 years.

Louisiana: Bayou Hot Wings (New Orleans)

Todd Taulman/Adobe mango habanero chicken wings on board

Bayou Hot Wings, developed by Chef Allen Nguyen and Chef Kyle Makepeace, is a lively but small wing joint.

The juicy chicken wings make all the difference here, thanks to their 24-hour seasoning and brining process.

However, these wings are hard to beat with sauces like Steen’s Cane Honey BBQ for sweet lovers and Bayou Beast for super-hot lovers.

Maine: The Great Lost Bear (Portland)

fahrwasser.Adobe glazed sweet and spicy chicken wings

With over 70 beers on tap, The Great Lost Bear is a microbrewery known for its community events, fantastic live music, and big selection of food options.

The wings, including a massive two-pound Buffalo Wing order of whole wings. Couple that with the cheese fries covered with homemade chili for the perfect decadent meal.

Maryland: Wingman (Pasadena)

Anatoly Repin/Adobe roasted chicken wings with herbs

Wingman is a special kind of wing joint that comes with your choice of over 30 seasoning options, homemade ranch and blue cheese, and a nice, crispy exterior.

Wingman Sauce is versatile, with options like Curry and Cry Baby on the menu, there’s something for all flavor desires.

Massachusetts: Buff's Pub (Newton)

myviewpoint/Adobe crispy fried chicken wings on plate

Buff’s Pub has been called the best place for wings throughout the Boston area. They opened their doors in 1976 and have perfected their old-style pub atmosphere over that time.

Some of the more interesting sauce options here include the Peach Bourbon BBQ and the Honey Hot.

Michigan: Sweetwater Tavern (Detroit)

alex9500/Adobe buffalo wings with mugs of beer

Set in a brick building that dates to 1880, Sweetwater Tavern is a fantastic destination for an authentic pub-style meal, and the saucy, marinated wings make it a stand-out destination.

After enjoying an appetizer of BBQ Steak Bites, choose a dozen Sweetwater Wings. They sell 15,000 pounds of wings every week across their four locations, so you know they’re good.

Minnesota: D-Spot (Maplewood)

weyo/Adobe spicy glazed marinated chicken wings

D-Spot is certainly a low-key, hole-in-the-wall destination, but the draft beer, burgers, and wings make it a local favorite.

The unique options on the menu here include Alfredo with a creamy parmesan garlic flavor and the Ben Grimm, a peanut curry with some kick.

Mississippi: Old School Hot Wings (Walls)

a_kulikovskaya/Adobe garnished chicken wings on wooden table

Old School Hot Wings is just what the name sounds like — a small location doing wings the way they should be done, based on years of perfecting their process.

Grab a few wings, seasoned fries or onion rings, and a drink for the perfect lunch on the go. One of the best options for sauces is the Mississippi Burning if you love heat.

Missouri: Salt + Smoke (St. Louis)

Noah/Adobe Chicken wings with sauce

You might be surprised to discover that the best chicken wings in all of Missouri aren't even a main item on the menu. They're an appetizer.

Originally a single BBQ restaurant in St. Louis, Salt + Smoke now has several locations throughout the city. While you can order a plate of smoked wings for dinner, tucked away on their appetizer menu is a smaller version of Dry Rub smoked wings.

Their gluten-free menu offers an appetizer of cherry smoked wings with a choice of Dry Rub, Sweet Trashed, or BuffaLove Me Trashed. We can't help you out here, so might just have to try them all.   

Montana: Uberbrew (Billings)

pada smith/Adobe marinated chicken wings besides kimchi bowl

Uberbrew is an unassuming restaurant with some of the best house-brewed beers in the city. It’s noted for its housemade sausage, but the wings are also on-point.

The tangy sauce options, coupled with the family-style atmosphere, make this location a popular choice.

Nebraska: Addy's Sports Bar & Grill (Omaha)

Mikhaylovskiy/Adobe chicken wings and vegetables on grill

Addy’s Sports Bar & Grill is a local sports bar with a positive, uplifting vibe. There’s a chair for everyone, they like to promise.

The award-winning wings have been voted the best in Omaha thanks to their crispy experience and flavorful sauces, including the Teriyaki and Extreme Ghost Pepper.

Nevada: The Chicken Shack (Las Vegas)

Chaisi/Adobe spicy chicken wings on cutting board

Founded in 2005, The Chicken Shack has an extensive menu with options like Hot Chili Garlic, Mango Habanero, and Jamaican Jerk sauces.

Don’t forget to pair them with diner-like favorites like a pitcher of ice-cold beer and some fried pickles.

New Hampshire: Wild Rover Pub (Manchester)

myviewpoint/Adobe chicken wings with fries and veggies

A combination of Irish and American fare and live music makes Wild Rover Pub a fantastic atmosphere to check out.

The oak floors of this building are over 100 years old, and the pub itself has been in place since 1990.

Their menu offers far more than wings, though the Trinity Wings, with their secret blend of spices, are a local favorite.

New Jersey: Wings Over Rutgers (New Brunswick)

Nils/Adobe buffalo wings with celery and mayonnaise

Wings Over Rutgers is a straightforward, no-frills location offering a huge variety of wings and just the right sides.

The jumbo wings — which you can get as a meal with seasoned waffle fries — are flavored with a range of options, including Citrus Chipotle, Kick’ BBQ, and Honey Mustard.

New Mexico: Wings Gone Wild (Albuquerque)

JJAVA/Adobe boneless buffalo wings with garnishing

As a chicken wing joint, Wings Gone Wild knows its stuff and has been tempting taste buds since 2011.

They have some other goodies on the menu, including a steak burger, but it's their hot and fresh wings, with sauces like the spicy Hawaiian, that makes them hard to beat.

New York: Anchor Bar (Buffalo)

Ramon Grosso/Adobe red chillies on buffalo chicken wings

Anchor Bar in Buffalo is a must for this area, considering it’s noted as the original home of the buffalo chicken wing.

A super cool location (check out the bikes and license plates everywhere), this is a great way to try a new place to eat by visiting where it all started.

The sauces are fantastic, with options like Honey Bourbon BBQ and Honey Garlic on the menu to compliment a range of spicy options.

North Carolina: Apex Wings (Apex)

fortyforks/Adobe asian style chicken wings with chopsticks

Apex may not be fancy, but it’s known for offering outstanding chicken wings alongside craft beers.

Their time-tested methods are what makes them so popular, including that they buy them fresh and make all sauces in-house.

For sauce options, choose options as far-ranging as sweet habanero and orange sesame.

North Dakota: Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews (Fargo)

Mujib/Adobe beer and chicken wings at bar

Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews is known for both options and their late-night wing specials that are hard to ignore.

Their menu offers something for most, but there’s no limit to how to sauce up that batch of 20 wings, with options like Wild Willy Sauce and PB&J.

Ohio: Daryl and Daryl’s Pizza and Wings (Lima)

Chaisi/Adobe crispy chicken wings on wooden board

Pizza, subs, apps, and salads are on the menu at Daryl and Daryl’s Pizza and Wings, but the sweet red chili and spice garlic parm are excellent wing sauce choices here.

If you like, you can buy them in 1/2 pound orders and choose from bone-in or boneless.

Oklahoma: Firebelly Wings (Oklahoma City)

Ezume Images/Adobe buffalo chicken wings with white sauce

With a claim of offering bolder wings, Firebelly Wings has a lot to live up to, and it does just that with meaty wings made fresh when ordered.

Choose the lemon pepper sauce or swap it for the tangy BBQ with or without the heat.

Oregon: Fire on the Mountain (Portland)

Ustinova/Adobe sweet and chilli buffalo chicken wings

A locally owned, tried-and-true wings joint in Portland is Fire on the Mountain, which only offers free-range, all-natural, and never-frozen wings.

What about the flavor? The Bourbon Chipotle and Jamaican Jerk are sure to make an impression.

Pennsylvania: Federal Taphouse (Harrisburg)

VIKTORIIA DROBOT/Adobe marinated buffalo wings on metal skewers

An upscale pub feel coupled with live music and the best wings in Harrisburg makes Federal Taphouse the destination to check out.

This wing joint offers coal-fired jumbo whole wings, sold in 1.5-pound batches with sauces like house hot sauce and cilantro garlic.

Rhode Island: Brass Monkey (Providence)

MikeBiTa/Adobe plate of bbq chicken wings

A laid-back, catch-the-game location with burgers and brews, Brass Monkey is an excellent place for good wings.

Step into the pub to see smiling faces and enjoy jumbo wings with one of the best sticky sauce options in the region. You can get more than one sauce to try a few different tastes and see which you like the best. 

South Carolina: D’s Wings (West Columbia)

FomaA/Adobe jollof rice with fried chicken wings

D’s Wings has a fusion of low country goodness and pub food made with careful attention to the details, from high-quality, large wings crisped just right to the Cajun ribeye on the menu.

You’ll also find many dry rub and wet sauce options, including a horseradish Cajun remoulade called Gamecock and a spicy honey mustard.

South Dakota: Shenanigans Sports Bar & Grill (Sioux Falls)

Yell Design/Adobe spicy chipotle flavoured chicken wings

Shenanigans Sports Bar & Grill is the type of place you go back to for years. Established in 1986, this location focuses on good food done well, fun, and sports. What else could you need?

Choose from numerous wing options, including Stingy Honey Garlic and Cattleman’s Gold.

Tennessee: Hattie B's Hot Chicken (Nashville)

bnenin/Adobe girl eating chicken wings at restaurant

A fun, heat- and spice-inspired sports bar, Hattie Ba’s Hot Chicken isn’t for the faint of heart.

They have a southern wing sauce that isn’t spicy, but you can expect intense spice and outstanding flavor at the other end of the spectrum.

Texas: Pluckers Wing Bar (Austin)

shaiith/Adobe roasted chicken wings on metal grate

Pluckers Wing Bar is the place to be on game day, but even for a mid-week, grab-the-kids-dinner-fast type of night.

Mondays offer all-you-can-eat wings, which is sure to make it a day you’ll want to be there.

Utah: The Wing Coop (Salt Lake City)

dashu83/Adobe plate of freshly baked chicken wings

Choose a beer, select some sides, and then give yourself time to ponder all of the wing sauce options at The Wing Coop.

For those looking for juicy, flavorful wings, check out the Black Diamond, Ragin Cajun, or the Out of Bounds hot sauce.

Vermont: Wicked Wings (Winooski)

Eugeniusz Dudziński/Adobe spicy chicken wings with french fries

Super saucy, rich in flavor, and meaty, the wings at Wicked Wings are sure to pucker your lips.

You could go for the cauliflower wings, but the traditional Wicked Wings — bone-in, freshly fried, and then grilled on an open flame — are the wing lover's dream.

Virginia: The Dirty Buffalo (Norfolk)

Melipo-Art/Adobe chicken wings dipped in chilli sauce

A fun, loud sports bar, The Dirty Buffalo is where to get some overloaded nachos and wings served your way.

Established in 2012 by Western New York Native Russell Gilbert, the wings here (and homemade sauces) are impressive in their classic flavors.

Washington: Wing Dome (Kirkland)

Yevhen Roshchyn/Adobe chicken wings getting smoked outdoors

Stop in (or pick up) a meal from Wing Dome when you want consistently good food.

If you’re daring, you could take on the 7-Alarm Challenge, but options like the Western BBQ and Thai Sweet Chili may be safer sauce options for everyone else.

West Virginia: Cold Spot (Glen Jean)

Bigc Studio/Adobe fried chicken wings on counter top

With such a positive vibe, it’s worth visiting Cold Spot, even if you’re not all that into wings.

For those that are, though, they are more than willing to offer some options, including 64 ever-changing flavors that are dispensed in a nitrogen blender.

It’s unique and super cool, and the food is even better.

Wisconsin: Mr. Wings (Milwaukee)

Marcos/Adobe spicy chicken wings with celery

The best wings in Milwaukee are at Mr. Wings, a fun, lively sports bar noted for their award-winning flavors (and 24kt gold wings, when available).

Choose from eight eclectic flavors of wings with flavors such as Gold Digger, a mustard-based sauce, and The O.G. Buffalo.

Wyoming: Born In a Barn (Laramie)

александр таланцев/Adobe grilled chicken on wooden board

Located in the historic downtown area of the city, Born in a Barn offers 16 wing sauces for juicy, generously sized wings (as well as about 17 burger options).

If you’re really hungry, start with the chili cheese fry appetizer.

Bottom Line

topntp/Adobe fried lemon pepper chicken wings plate

Wings are not just pieces of fried chicken but masterfully created, full-of-flavor bites of hardiness — at least when you choose one of the best locations to get wings from in the U.S.

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Sandy Baker

Sandy Baker is a has over 17 years of experience in the financial sector. Her experience includes website content, blogs, and social media. She’s worked with companies such as Realtor.com, Bankrate, TransUnion, Equifax, and Consumer Affairs.