Chicken wings — along with every other edible part of the bird — have been eaten in North America at least since the 1500s. “Wings” per se, on the other hand, are a much more recent phenomenon, tracing their popularity to Buffalo, New York, in the mid-20th century.
Being more precise than that is a little tricky. Some restaurants have always served whole or half roast chickens. Because wings don’t have a lot of meat on them, however, it was usually just breasts, thighs, and drumsticks that made it to the table. Wings got tossed into the stock pot — or even the trash.
There are rumors that an unnamed establishment in Washington, D.C. began offering wings by themselves in the 1950s, but then the scenario shifts to Buffalo. In 1961, one John Young, a transplant to the city from Alabama, started serving breaded and deep-fried wings with “Mumbo sauce,” a bright red, tomato-based condiment a bit like barbecue sauce, invented in D.C.
By the late 1960s or early ‘70s, Buffalo’s Anchor Bar introduced a snack of deep-fried wings with hot sauce, as did a competitor, Duff’s Famous Wings. By the late 1970’s, Buffalo wings had become a thing, not just in New York State but around the country.
Click here to see the best spot for chicken wings in every state
Today, there are nationwide chains built almost entirely around this formerly disdained part of the chicken, including Buffalo Wild Wings and Wingstop, and they feature on the menus at fast-food operations (KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, etc.), dinner-house chains (P.F. Chang’s, Outback, and Hooters, among others), and all manner of barbecue joints, sports bars, dive bars, and other venues. (For more dive-bar information, read about the best dive bar in every state.)
Most wings these days are deep-fried, though some are grilled or smoked. Some purveyors serve whole wings, while others separate them into the drumette and the flat portion, usually discarding the tips. (These are the 30 best fried chicken places in America.)
The main difference between various versions, however, is in the sauces or rubs that they’re covered or served with. These are often sweet-and-spicy, sometimes with seasonings that give them a Thai, Korean, Cajun, Jamaican, or other distinct flavor.
24/7 Tempo has compared chicken-wing assessments on dozens of review sites, both crowd-sourced and professional, to arrive at this list of the best spot for chicken wings in every state.
Alabama: Wemo’s Wings
> Location: Mobile
> Wings to try: Honey mustard
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Alaska: That Wing Place
> Location: Anchorage
> Wings to try: Garlic parmesan
Arizona: Valley Wings
> Location: Phoenix
> Wings to try: Honey hot
Arkansas: Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
> Location: Little Rock
> Wings to try: Mojo Cajun
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California: BiG AL’S Pizzeria
> Location: Maywood
> Wings to try: Sweet and spicy
Colorado: CD’s Wings
> Location: Westminster
> Wings to try: Traditional Buffalo-style
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Connecticut: Dew Drop Inn
> Location: Derby
> Wings to try: Cajun taco butter
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Delaware: Stanley’s Tavern
> Location: Wilmington
> Wings to try: Smoky bourbon barbecue
Florida: House of Wings
> Location: Miami
> Wings to try: Lemon pepper garlic
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Georgia: Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q
> Location: Atlanta
> Wings to try: Hickory-smoked
Hawaii: Hilo Town Tavern
> Location: Hilo
> Wings to try: Teriyaki garlic
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Idaho: Bodacious Pig Barbecue
> Location: Eagle
> Wings to try: Brined, smoked, and fried
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Illinois: Del Seoul
> Location: Chicago
> Wings to try: Soy, chile, and garlic
Indiana: Ale Emporium
> Location: Indianapolis, etc.
> Wings to try: Hermanski
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Iowa: Smokey D’s BBQ
> Location: Des Moines
> Wings to try: BBQ smoked
Kansas: Q39 South
> Location: Overland Park
> Wings to try: Chipotle BBQ
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Kentucky: Against the Grain
> Location: Louisville
> Wings to try: Buttery lemon pepper
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Louisiana: Blue Oak BBQ
> Location: New Orleans
> Wings to try: Kung pao
Maine: Blaze
> Location: Bangor
> Wings to try: Thai chili lemongrass
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Maryland: Full On Craft Eats & Drinks
> Location: Rockville
> Wings to try: Old Bay
Massachusetts: Wicked Wing Co.
> Location: Worcester
> Wings to try: Maple bacon bourbon BBQ
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Michigan: Detroit Wing Company
> Location: Eastpointe, etc.
> Wings to try: Honey chipotle
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Minnesota: D-Spot
> Location: Oakdale
> Wings to try: Pesto
Mississippi: The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen
> Location: Jackson
> Wings to try: Smoked BBQ with white sauce
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Missouri: Bogart’s Smokehouse
> Location: St. Louis
> Wings to try: VooDoo
Montana: Desperado Sports Tavern
> Location: Missoula
> Wings to try: Spicy teriyaki
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Nebraska: Chicken Coop
> Location: Kearney and Grand Island
> Wings to try: Jalapeño garlic
Nevada: Nacho Daddy
> Location: Las Vegas, etc.
> Wings to try: Grilled
New Hampshire: Wing-Itz
> Location: Portsmouth, etc.
> Wings to try: Thai peanut
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New Jersey: Peck Peck
> Location: Teaneck
> Wings to try: Salt & pepper
New Mexico: Nexus Brewery & Restaurant
> Location: Albuquerque
> Wings to try: Red chile barbecue
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New York: 911 Tavern
> Location: Buffalo
> Wings to try: Traditional Buffalo-style
North Carolina: Apex Wings
> Location: Apex
> Wings to try: Garlic parmesan
North Dakota: Sickies Garage
> Location: Bismarck
> Wings to try: PB&J
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Ohio: Flavor 91 Burger Bistro
> Location: Whitehall
> Wings to try: Ethiopian dry rub
Oklahoma: Chick-n-Beer
> Location: Oklahoma City
> Wings to try: Gochujang
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Oregon: Fire on the Mountain
> Location: Portland
> Wings to try: Jamaican jerk
Pennsylvania: Hunt’s Wing Hut
> Location: Ridley Park
> Wings to try: Sweet heat
Rhode Island: Brass Monkey
> Location: Providence
> Wings to try: Creole dry rub
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South Carolina: D’s Wings
> Location: Cayce
> Wings to try: Citrus Kick
South Dakota: T.C.’s Referee Sports Bar & Grill
> Location: Sioux Falls
> Wings to try: Hot Fever
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Tennessee: Thunderbird
> Location: Nashville
> Wings to try: Pecan-smoked
Texas: The Hay Merchant
> Location: Houston
> Wings to try: Caramelized fish sauce
Utah: Wing Coop
> Location: Salt Lake City
> Wings to try: Tiger teriyaki
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Vermont: Honey Road
> Location: Burlington
> Wings to try: Sweet harissa
Virginia: My Mama’s Kitchen
> Location: Norfolk, etc.
> Wings to try: General Tso’s
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Washington: Cha:n
> Location: Seattle
> Wings to try: Korean fried
West Virginia: Ridge View BBQ
> Location: Dunbar
> Wings to try: Hickory-smoked
Wisconsin: The Sports Nut
> Location: La Crosse
> Wings to try: Sports Nut combo
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Wyoming: The Bird
> Location: Jackson Hole
> Wings to try: Hot sesame ginger
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