For those of us with hickory smoke coursing through our veins, crushing a bucket of wings
— covered in honey buffalo, teriyaki, Peri-Peri, or ghost pepper — is stone cold American.
Hungry?
Go on, get your chicken on.
When it comes to the perfectly cooked bite, Boise Idaho's Barbacoa offers flawless execution.
Each order even arrives with a mini hibachi grill so you can crisp up the wings to your liking.
"I like the hibachi thing because you take a bite and you put it back on there."
"There you go and you're getting a little extra char on there, right?"
Not only is it totally cute and fun, it's also a smart move for fans who want to work
through their wings at a civilized pace.
The sauce leans toward the sweeter side, but it's also got a burst of heat thanks to the
creamy chipotle ranch.
"Not very sporty, man.
At least give the chickens a chance to shoot back!"
For the record, the "guns" at Chicken and Guns in Portland, Oregon is their moniker
for crispy potatoes.
Specializing in wood-fired chicken with a Latin twist, the eatery operates out of a
food truck courtyard, complete with picnic tables and a fire pit.
As for the wings, they're lovingly dry-rubbed and wood-smoked, then perfectly charred on
the grill.
But this place really shines with their sauces.
There's the Peruvian Aji, which is a creamy jalapeño with cilantro, garlic, and lime.
Then there's a carrot habanero, as well as a kicky chimichurri.
Aside from wings, you'll also find smoked chicken noodle soup, cold chicken salad, and
a pork-belly rice bowl.
Hey, and if you're hangry-er for more than just wings, you can even order the whole smoked chicken.
New Orleans is beloved and revered for its fried food heritage.
And the humble chicken wing is the perfect vessel to show it off.
"Come eat at J's Creole Wings!"
When it comes to standouts in the Big Easy, the menu at J's Creole Wings focuses exclusively
on wings, fries, and fried okra.
The chicken features nine different flavors to choose from; creole rub, island jerk, sriracha
lemon pepper, honey heat, and spicy hot.
And you can also snag some fries done up with bacon ranch, garlic rosemary, or fully loaded.
Throw in some homemade fruit punch and fresh strawberry lemonade and it becomes crystal
clear why J's is making a splash.
They even peddle their seasonings online, so you can take that signature flavor with
you anywhere.
Open since the '80s, Rooster's is a local favorite in Margate, Florida.
The no-frills bar and grill offers everything from Philly cheesesteaks, to baked potato
soup, to locally crafted brews — and a pretty insanely-sized fried pork tenderloin sandwich.
Their perfectly-crispy wings come in all the classic flavors: mild, medium, hot, BBQ, or teriyaki.
You can also add parmesan or garlic to any flavor you'd like — or, order them extra
wet and get your wings drenched in even more of that freakin' delicious sauce.
South Carolina favorite, One Hot Mama's, is proudly run by Chef Orchid Paulmeier — who
fans might recognize from "Food Network Star" Season 7.
Now with locations on the Southern coast of the state, the eatery's award-winning offerings
have become an official highlight on the South Carolina BBQ trail.
"Can I have one of these in my house?"
"Yeah.
It holds 550 pounds of meat."
What takes this menu over the top is the extensive list of homemade sauces and styles of wings.
The chicken comes slow smoked, grilled, or fried — with uniquely saucy flavors like
whisky teriyaki, pineapple ginger, and strawberry jalapeño.
For anyone looking for that serious heat, get the Devil wings — tossed in smoked and
puréed habaneros.
Regarded by Food Network as cooking up the nation's best Buffalo sauce, J. Timothy's
in Plainville, Connecticut has been making waves on the scene for decades.
But they might be most famous for their "dirt" wings, named after a beloved guest nicknamed
Dirt because he was, well, "old as dirt."
As the story goes, Dirt would chat it up with other customers for so long that his wings
would get cold.
So, he would ask the cooks to re-sauce them and toss them back in the fryer.
But the restaurant soon discovered that the process actually made the wings taste even
better, caramelizing them with the extra sauce and double fry.
"Double sauce, double fried, they come out extra crispy…people go crazy for 'em."
Snag the original Buffalo, honey gold BBQ, sweet red chili, or buffalo chipotle dry rub.
And buckle up for a deliciously saucy ride to chicken wing heaven.
In business since 2009, Saw's Soul Kitchen has earned a reputation for serving up some
of the best soul food around.
On the menu you'll easily work your way through offerings like smoked bologna sandwiches,
loaded baked potatoes, sweet tea fried chicken sandos, fried green tomato BLTs, pulled pork
sandwiches — and even boiled peanuts.
But of course, we're here for the wings.
Slow-smoked with hickory, tossed in BBQ sauce, and drizzled with Alabama white sauce, your
taste buds will be gifted with an awesome flavor profile.
But you don't need to be in the deep south to get it.
You can score some of Saw's famous sauce in their online store.
Hot chicken has taken America by storm.
But one thing's for sure: Nashville hot chicken is really where it's at.
But even within the borders of the Volunteer State, there's a little friendly competition
over who does it best.
And newer player, Hattie B's, is honoring tradition with their own modern twist.
"Once it gets dunked, or dipped, or baptized into this pot, that's when it becomes Hattie
B's hot chicken."
The original location opened in Nashville in 2012 and the brand has since expanded to
Birmingham, Memphis, Atlanta, and Vegas.
Their well-curated menu is renowned for its wings and hot chicken sandwiches.
Going the extra mile with sides like pimento mac & cheese and classic desserts like peach
cobbler and banana pudding, Hattie B's has more than earned its beloved spot on the scene.
With an extensive menu full of tasty surprises, San Diego's Dirty Birds is cooking up some
of the best wings in the country.
Their menu boasts nearly forty different craft wing sauces made from scratch, including maple
chipotle bbq, garlic serrano, and even a Korean inspired sauce.
On the spicier end, there's flaming hot honey mustard, mango habanero, a spicy version of
General Tso's, and a secret sauce ominously called "diablo" that features three different
types of chilis.
You can go ahead and put out the fire in your mouth with one of their signature ice cream
sundaes when you're ready to call it a day on that hellfire heat.
Best known for their famous wood-fired pizzas, La Pizzeria Metro in Wilmington, Delaware
has a few more tricks up their sleeve.
While their wings benefit from the addition of caramelized onions to balance the savory
with sweetness, their real stroke of genius lies in how they serve it up.
Arriving at the table in a sizzling cast iron skillet, not only does the searing hot plating
perfectly crisp up the skin, it also keeps the wings hotter, longer.
That means you can take your time and enjoy your meal.
The outpost bastes the chicken in garlic and parm and then finishes it with a drizzle of
Mike's hot honey.
So you get wonderfully crispy chicken wings with a complex flavor profile that stay nice
and hot as long as you want them to.
"This is like a real special moment."
"It is."
"I might need a hug after this."
Launched way back in 1925, Big Bob Gibson BBQ in Decatur, Alabama has been dishing out
the best slow-smoked meats in the nation, for nearly a century.
And it's now owned and operated by barbecue hall of famer, Chris Lilly, a world champion
pitmaster and cookbook author.
"This here's the definition of barbecue.
It's family.
It's community."
Big Bob's menu is rooted in tradition but very much inspired by modern trends.
There are the pork BBQ nachos, the loaded baked potatoes, and their famous chicken with
white sauce.
Then there's the wide range of sides and variety of sandwiches.
And a scratch-made peanut butter pie.
And, of course, the wings do not disappoint.
Marinated in a spicy apricot sauce before being smoked and grilled, they're sticky and
smoky, with the perfect amount of heat.
Imagine eating the best wings ever — but in actual paradise.
Well, you can make that dream a reality at DB's Grill in Kapolei, Hawaii.
Billing itself as a modern Asian bistro, the eatery features everything from duck fat fried
rice to kimchi pancakes.
But they've also made a serious splash with their wings and that incredible K.F.C.
sauce — which of course stands for "Korean Fried Chicken."
You can customize everything to your favorite level of spiciness.
And with offerings that also include a short rib and brisket burger, and steak or ahi belly
tacos, DB's Grill is bringing that bold international flair to every single delicious bite.
Georgia's Foggy Bottom BBQ has been delighting the taste buds of loyal locals for a decade,
and counting.
From the fried pickles, to the melted pimento cheeseburger, the menu is jam-packed with
tons of Southern favorites.
"We cook fresh barbecue every day.
If we run out, we apologize."
But just as we were hoping for, they definitely dish it up when it comes to the wings.
Slow smoked over hickory coals, every juicy bite is the tasty result of perfect craftsmanship
and good old-fashioned patience.
You can order your chicken straight off the smoker, or you can add a little lemon pepper,
sweet chili, or classic buffalo sauce.
Proving that you could close your eyes, point at anything, and not go wrong with this menu,
their offerings are plenty.
There are ribs, a hearty Brunswick stew, classic desserts like banana pudding, and a glorious
pimento cheese brisket sandwich.
As they say, it's their mission to serve up "the finest pit to plate experience."
And from the looks of it, this is officially a mission accomplished.
If you don't think pizza when you think of Florida, you're probably not the only one.
But Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza was launched back in 2002 by a New York native who moved
to the Sunshine State.
And while pizza is indeed the specialty of the house, they're also famous for their wings.
Marinated overnight, then baked in an 800-degree coal fired oven and served with caramelized
onions and focaccia, these wings boast a definite pizza heritage.
And they're nothing short of spectacular.
But you don't have to stop at the chicken!
With other items on the menu like a meatball and mozzarella sandwich, and legit New York
Style cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, there's something for the die-hard wing lovers,
the New York transplants, and the Florida locals when it comes to sharing a nosh at Anthony's.
"We're not into it because they saw a Food Network show."
If you haven't seen it already, Martin's BBQ Joint has been featured just about everywhere.
They've graced the Food Network and the Travel Channel, as well as outlets like Bon Appetit
and Esquire.
But this place is truly worth all of the buzz.
First off, they smoke fresh whole hogs every single day, and second, absolutely everything
at Martin's is made from scratch.
The chefs and pitmasters understand that quality takes time — and by all accounts, you can
taste the love of the craft in every bite.
They even smoke their wings for up to 24 hours to really kick up the flavor — then finish
them off with a healthy helping of barbecue sauce.
But when it comes to signature dishes, you gotta get your hands on their tacos.
Or, maybe the BBQ nachos.
Or the pecan or fudge pies.
And don't forget the ribs!
Geez!
Ok, Martin's!
Just take all our money!
"We'll have pulled pork sandwiches with slaw on top of the sandwich, which is the way God
meant for it to be."
With a menu steeped in history, that fits its offerings onto a single page, every meal
at Martin's is guaranteed to pack a punch.
It's a reminder that simple, done right, is delicious.
And with six different sandwiches, a variety of BBQ trays, burgers, salads, a hearty smoked
brisket chili, and desserts, Martin's proves it can outshine all the hype.
As you might have guessed from the name, Nando's PERi-PERi in Washington D.C. actually launched
in South Africa.
And thanks to their massive world-wide success — and legit cult following — they finally
expanded to the U.S.
Their signature sauces are made from spicy African Bird's Eye chili peppers.
And, instead of being fried, their chicken is marinated for 24 hours and then grilled
over an open flame.
There, the wings get their perfectly charred flavor.
But if you wanna be extra, you can get your order tossed in one of their signature sauces;
lemon and herb, coconut lemon, mild, medium, garlic, hot, or extra hot.
"My spice at Nando's is medium."
But Nando's isn't just serving its customer base the best wings around.
They also ensure that their peppers are responsibly grown in Africa.
And that their workers are appropriately paid for their efforts.
That includes over 1,400 farmers in 18 different regions across South Africa.
Not too shabby of a business model.
With an eclectic menu that offers everything from fire-kissed wings and a variety of halloumi
cheese wraps, to a pulled chicken, feta, and avocado bowl — the bold creativity that's
positively popping at Nando's is truly something to celebrate.
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