What Exactly Are Buffalo Wings
There are variations of the original recipe but they never really stray away from the method with which the chicken wings are cooked. Buffalo wings are usually deep-fried without breading, then mixed with a sauce made from butter, cayenne, and hot sauce. The wings are then slathered with ranch dressing or blue cheese for enhanced flavor. What you have is a brilliant combination of rich, spicy, tangy, and fatty flavors.
Finding the Best Buffalo Wings in Chicago, when you want the best buffalo wings in the Windy City, there are several options you can try. Here they are:
Best Wings In Chicago Top 13
by Chicago Traveler | Chicago Eats, Top 10 Restaurants |
Wings are a sacred meal. They are messy, delicious, mainly eaten with friends and beer, and taste even better when sports are streaming across the screen. If you are going to support your favorite teams, then also support your tastebuds by letting them indulge in the best wings in Chicago. Some may prefer hot, other bbq some even prefer exotic flavors. No worries, we are all about equal opportunity eating.
The 15 Best Chicken Wings In Chicago
When you think about a great chicken wing, you imagine one thats juicy, full of flavor, and has the perfect amount of crunch when you take a bite. Maybe the wing is so well-seasoned, theres no need for anything else. But sometimes its paired with a sauce thats so good it will make you want to flip the tables over.
Whatever kind of wing youre in the mood for, youll find it on this list. From Korean lollipop wings to crunchy jumbo wings doused in mild sauce, here are 14 of our favorites around the city.
Sorrylooks like you screwed up that email address
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The 15 Best Places For Hot Wings In Chicago
Wayne Lee: Great hot wings and beer
Serious Eats: The best buffalo wings in town–exceptionally crisp skin, juicy and succulent meat, and a good coating of their flavorful sauce.
Chicagoist: Stunt eaters and people with cast iron stomachs may not be able to resist the allure of the ghost pepper wings but their regular buffalo wings are arguably the best in Chicago. Read more.
tyme4 recess: There are healty options& options if uou aren’t vegetarian that will satisfy. breakfast bowl, buffalo wings are delicious, but my first love is their ruben sandwich. Get there early for breakfast.
Viral Shah: Make sure to get those buffalo wings
Steph Taylor: Get the chick’n ranch salad. The seitan buffalo wings are AMAZING.
Jenny Williams: Hot wings! Do it now or you will regret it!
Philly G: Hot and spicy wings are amazing! Crispy with the perfect ratio of sweet and spicy
Helena Solomon: The spicy wings are the best! Every time we are in Chicago, a must stop going forward. Service was good and the food was excellent.
Steve Peternell: I’ve tried the Seoul Sassy and Spicy Wings and they’ve both been phenomenal – do yourself a favor and try one of, if not both, of these wing varieties
Ergin Erolu: Best hot wings I’ve ever eaten
Jibreel Powell: Buffalo Chicken Wings
Leanne Vanderbyl: Some of the best vegan fare in America. The vegan buffalo “wings” are a must-try – better than real wings, and that’s coming from a carnivore!
Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken

Uncle Remus deservingly soaks up some real estate on this list. All three Remus locations serve up pretty similar product. The wing special here comes in a familiar format: whole wings not tossed in sauce, but with sauce drizzled on top , plus a roll. The fry is also familiar: crispy in a lighter golden-brown color, making for a bite that doesnt feel as hefty as larger wings, but certainly just as tasty. Drizzling the sauce keeps the fry from getting soggy, but you wont be lacking for that sweet, sweet mild sauce, as Remus leaves plenty of excess on the bottom. $7.51 for four wings, plus fries. 737 E. 47th St., 773-966-6838, 5611 W. Madison St., 773-261-7311, 1801 Roosevelt Road, Broadview, 708-681-4105,uncleremususa.com
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The 15 Best Places For Chicken Wings In Chicago
Sarah B.: OMG!! Great korean chicken wings…. worth our 95 mile drive from Milwaukee!! Big, meaty wings with great Seoul Sassy Sauce!
Monica Silva: Love this place, they have amazing right bowls! I suggest you share a bowl they are largely portioned. Wings are amazing try the Seol flavor my favorite
Lawrence Flack II: All of the wing flavors are great. Buddha bowls I’ve tried have a tad bit of sweetness, but do not disappoint.
Brian Anderson: The XXX are the best wings! Hottest I have ever had
Serious Eats: The best buffalo wings in town–exceptionally crisp skin, juicy and succulent meat, and a good coating of their flavorful sauce.
Leanne Z: Had three types of wings, all awesome! They’ll do half and half baskets of 8 wings. Many cider choices if anyone happens to be gluten free. Service was awesome and the waiter gave great suggestions.
PandaBelle chicAGo: Get the Kam Pong Shrimp – you won’t be sorry!
Jessica U.: Chicken wings & combination fried rice are a must!!
Philly G: Hot and spicy wings are amazing! Crispy with the perfect ratio of sweet and spicy
Emily Hubbard: Great wings for 45 cents on Thursdays. $8 pitchers of miller or miller hi-life. Good place to watch the hawks game if you can snag a seat!
Serious Eats: Bird’s Nest serves some incredibly solid wings: juicy, flavorful, and crisp. Even the celery and blue cheese were good. And at just 70 cents per wing, that’s a serious deal.
Miguel Ortiz: Best wings in town and the ambiance is awesome.
The Best Buffalo Wings In Chicago
I prefer Black Rock’s. Their wings are huge and juicy. Huicy, even.
and .25 cents on fridays.
Points for the name Black Rock. Which should ether warm the heart or send shivers down the spine of any Buffalo native.
I agree! I wouldn’t put it in the spicey wing category anyways. Its more of a meal then an appetizer of wings.
Their mention of taking points off because its the whole wing… Really? come on, IMO that was something that stood out.
Also, if like me, you are a bigger fan of asian style sauces than buffalo, you would know to get the wings naked and then pour your own sauce on. That way you kind of ‘charge’ each bite of wing before eating them, but don’t get the rest of them soggy.
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Best Wings In Chicago 2021
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Few other items on the menu can offer as much fun and flavor as chicken wings. Regardless of the occasion, these sauce-spattering snacks are always welcome at any table. But with so many places around, where do you find the best wings in Chicago?
Fortunately for you, our readers, weve already scoured the best fried chicken joints in Chicago so that you dont have to take the trouble. Read on to find out where to try the wing menu on your next outing.
The Four Best Places For Buffalo Wings In Chicago
Like them doused in hot sauce or mildly seasoned ? Here are our favorite spots for buffalo wings in Chicago.
The buffalo wing turned 50 in 2014, and we still love it as much as ever. When cravings for the hot and spicy chicken dish hit, these are the four places we visit to snack on wings while sipping a craft beer.
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Wings Etc Crystal Lake Il
Known for their award-winning jumbo wings, this sports-themed pub offers 10 signature wing sauces ranging from mild to extremely hot flavors. Their service is friendly and attentive, making for a pleasant family dining experience. They also serve fresh burgers, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and other delicious sides.
The Best Wing Restaurant In Chicago Ridge Is On Ridgeland Ave
You’ve been hunting for the best hot wing restaurant in Chicago Ridge, but you are already there. Because when you have the best chicken wings in Chicago Ridge delivered to your doorstep from It’s Just Wings at 9720 Ridgeland Ave, your Chicago Ridge residence is officially the best wing restaurant in the city. You can have the best seat in the house, put on the sports game of your choice, and throw on your favorite oversized sweatpants without shame while you enjoy a huge plate of chicken wings and curly fries cooked to perfection. No matter if you like your wings smoked and extra hot, fried and tossed in traditional buffalo, or boneless with a mild sauce, the plate of wings you’ve been craving is an online order away from your local Chicago Ridge, IL It’s Just Wings at 9720 Ridgeland Ave. Order for pickup or delivery ASAP. Wings don’t need to be pretentious or fancy. They just need to be killer wings at stupid prices.
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Jake Melnicks Corner Tap
Jake Melnicks is another longtime purveyor of wings, and their quality hasnt declined. The wings remain a good size and fall somewhere in the middle of the hard-to-soft fry spectrum. The sauces are admirable, both in terms of quality and creativity. Some PBJ-style wings are the wildest option, tossed in a Thai peanut and served with raspberry chipotle jelly, but our favorites were the Firecracker and Ponchos wings. The former was a hard-fried batch of wings topped with a sweet Thai-chile-and-Sriracha sauce and sprinkled with scallion, while the latter were very simple: grilled wings finished with garlic and cayenne pepper. Maybe this was wing fatigue speaking, but the grilled Ponchos option was a favorite here squeeze a little lemon on top, and youre deliciously transported to a backyard barbecue. $12.95 to $16.95. 41 E. Superior St., 312-266-0400, jakemelnicks.com
Our Favorite Chicken Wing Spots In Chicago

Chicken wings are great. The one-time castoff of chicken parts are now a staple item at bars and restaurants. And while wings are often presented the same way as “buffalo” or “hot wings” anyone who has winged at multiple venues knows there’s a wide spectrum of the actual final taste of said wings.
To that end, we’ve compiled some of our favorite wings in the city, from classic buffalo-style to naked grilled wings to Korean lollipop style. None of them will disappoint your craving to get a drum or a flat between your fingers, and yet they all offer something different. Grab a Wet-Nap and go.
2500 N. Southport Ave., 773-472-1502
Coming in hot, literally, in the top spot is Bird’s Nest, a pub near DePaul with plenty of seating and TVs for taking in the game, plus some pretty hot wings. Bird’s Nest offers several wing sauces, but its self-titled hot sauce is the most popular option. Much like a traditional buffalo sauce, the Bird’s Nest hot sauce is strong and vinegar-y enough to clear your sinuses in one whiff, even more so than your average hot sauce. Combined with a healthy dose of black pepper, it made for a lingering but satisfying heat. The sauce would be overwhelming for some folks, but even if you choose a milder option, the wings are moist and a good size. $12 for 10 wings, $22 for 20, $30 for 30.birdsnestbar.com
Crisp
2940 N. Broadway, 773-697-7610
1104 W. Granville Ave., 773-754-0255
The Fifty/50
2047 W. Division St., 773-489-5050
Great Sea Chinese Restaurant
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So Hot You Have To Sign A Waiver
The heat index is rising because our Original XXX Wings, voted Best Hot Wings at Chicago Wingfest in 2010 and 2012 and featured on ABCs Nightline and Last Call with Carson Daly, are now HOTTER! Thats right, the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper has surpassed the Ghost Pepper for the title of Worlds Hottest Pepper and weve added it to our XXX Sauce to make your mouth scream even louder.
The XXX Hot Wings are still served with cooling agents to fan the flames and your very own firemans helmet. Anyone brave enough to order these wings will get their picture on Jakes Wall of Flame! Think you can handle the heat?
Where To Find Buffalo Wings
- River North
- price 1 of 4
This laid-back River North pub boasts 150 beers, kegged cocktails, wine on tap, two big patios and Seriously. Ridiculously. Over-the-Top Hot Wings, available medium, spicy, super-hot, XXX , or Ponchos style, marinated in garlic and cayenne.
- Lincoln Square
- price 2 of 4
Chef James Gottwald and his wife, Jennifer Monti, are sharing the brotherly love with Chicagoans: Their restaurant features Philly cheese steaks on Amoroso rolls shipped straight from Philadelphia. The vibe is more sports bar than restaurant, and Gottwald makes ridiculously meaty, spicy buffalo wings to prove it. Make sure you have water ready if you order the nuclear wings tossed in the restaurants Rocky Peppers relish, made with jalapeño, charred serrano and scotch bonnets.
- Wrigleyville
- price 1 of 4
This sleeper hit on the edge of Wrigleyville draws neighbors for billiards and shuffleboard, televised sports with a cheering crowd, pulled-pork sandwiches and juicy wings tossed in barbecue, buffalo, spicy Korean and Jamaican jerk relishes. A good beer selection on tap and a dose of Kansas City-style hospitality make it even more natural to stop in.
- Rogers Park
- price 1 of 4
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Hot Wings Delivery Or Pickup On Ridgeland Ave In Chicago Ridge Il
Stop compromising on boring take out. Get fresh, delicious hot wings delivered to your door from It’s Just Wings at 9720 Ridgeland Ave. Or place an order for pickup. From tangy and sweet to spicy heat, we’ve got sauces for every chicken wing eater. Throw in a free side of curly fries, and you’ve got yourself a perfect night. Ordering the best buffalo wings in Chicago Ridge has never been easier.
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737 E. 47th St., 773-966-6838
5611 W. Madison St., 773-261-7311
1801 Roosevelt Road, Broadview, 708-681-4105
Because of its inconsistency from location to location, the legendary Harold’s Chicken is absent from this list zero disrespect to Harold’s, of course. Meanwhile, Chicago’s other fried chicken chain, Uncle Remus, soaks up some real estate here thanks in large part to its stability. All three Remus locations serve up pretty similar product. The wing special here comes in a familiar format: whole wings not tossed in sauce, but with sauce drizzled on top , plus a roll. The fry is also familiar: crispy in a lighter golden-brown color, making for a bite that doesn’t feel as hefty as larger wings, but certainly just as tasty. Drizzling the sauce keeps the fry from getting soggy, but you won’t be lacking for that sweet, sweet mild sauce, as Remus leaves plenty of excess on the bottom. $7.04/$7.34/$7.64 for 4 whole wings with small/medium/large side. $10.49/$10.79 for 6 with medium/large side. $13.94 for 8, $18.54 for 10, $22.04 for 12, $27.29 for 15, $36.74 for 20, all with large side.uncleremususa.com
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