SEAGuide
The Best Wings In Seattle
photo credit: Nate Watters
Locating quality chicken wings in Seattle is like trying to get into an exclusive club. You’ll hear whispers of that time your friend's coworker once had the best wings of their life at a mini-mart or inside a pool hall. But those secrets end here—it's time to scream “all flats, extra crispy, tossed in buffalo” from the rooftops. Whether you like them with extra-sticky fish sauce, double-fried by the pound, or lovingly rubbed with lemon pepper, there’s a wing for you here.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Nate Watters
What Seattle has in coffee shops and salmon-based souvenirs, it lacks in great buffalo wings. That is, until Vindicktive came along. This Belltown sports bar (which was opened by a group of friends from Buffalo) knows their stuff when it comes to wings. With crisp potato chip-like skin and excellent coatings like buffalo, saucy lemon pepper, mango habanero, and salt and vinegar, there’s no wrong move here—except asking for a side of ranch. Vindicktive is a blue-cheese-only zone.
photo credit: Nate Watters
This low-key sports bar in Renton makes the best wings in the South End. The menu has a long list of flavors, but the crispy butter wings, garlic pepper, and spicy fish sauce are part of our never-fail rotation. And while these wings have a hefty breading, they aren’t so thick that you have to aimlessly crunch through batter for a sign of meat. Just note that wait times can be 30 minutes (or more) for an order, so grab a drink and play some pool in the meantime.
photo credit: Makena Yee
The Chicken Supply specializes in Filipino fried chicken dredged in a blend of tapioca starch, rice flour, and potato starch. You might be skeptical about celiac-friendly breading, but know that it’s not just spectacular despite being gluten-free—it’s spectacular because it’s gluten-free. If anything, their coating is crispier than other spots in town. The jumbo-sized wings here are no exception, with a stellar combination of moistness and crackly bits.
photo credit: Nate Watters
There was once a time when the sign on Quick Pack’s purple building read, “Seattle’s Best Friend Chicken.” That typo has since been corrected, but it also felt right—what a perfect way to describe the platonic love we have for the wings at this Central District mini-mart. Not only are they golden full-sizers, but they’re also always hot, fresh, and have light paper mache-like skin worthy of snacking on its own. Grab a few wings for the road, and make sure to pick up a sambusa while you’re here too.
photo credit: Nate Watters
On any given night, there's a good chance you'll find us at this Central District Vietnamese spot under a pile of their sài gòn chicken wings. They stay crunchy even when covered in sticky caramel punched up by rice vinegar, nước chấm, and roasted garlic—and a squirt of lime on top is an ideal finishing touch. The best move is to come on a Monday or Tuesday when the wings are 10 for $9 and the phở fat-washed bourbon is flowing.
photo credit: Nate Watters
While you could pop into this Seward Park convenience store for Funyuns and Twinkies, the glow of hot lamps and deep fryer smells will lead you to the good stuff waiting in a glass case. Basking under lightbulbs are jojos, fries, and drumettes, but you’re there for the colossal chicken wings that are constantly fried fresh and taste even better when doused in Frank’s Red Hot. You’ll never go back to regular corner store food again.
photo credit: Nate Watters
The wings at this Columbia City pool hall are caramelized in a sweet fish sauce with a gloss so shiny that you can practically use them as a pocket mirror. And even without any breading, Billiard Hoang’s flats still have an extreme crunch, thanks to a shake of cornstarch. They only come in two-pound orders, and while it’s the perfect meal for two, we prefer to demolish them solo.
photo credit: Brooke Fitts
Kilig is a casual Filipino spot in the ID from the Musang team that specializes in pancit and bulalo. Though, don't fill your table with noodles and cauldrons of broth without an order of crunchy breaded sinagang wings. They're pretty standard at first glance, but what sets them apart is the heavy dusting of sour tamarind powder that rivals a Warhead. Dip each wing in the accompanying mango puree to tame the mouth-puckering tang, or don’t—they’re delicious either way.
photo credit: Nate Watters
At first glance, the architectural tower of wings from Nue looks similar to a tree in a (comically small) rainforest, with branches of double-dipped breading and basil ribbons strewn around like leaves. Green Szechuan peppercorns add a bunch of tingly heat, and a splash of fish sauce cools it all down.
photo credit: Aimee Rizzo
Taste Of India's wings are juicy, spice-rubbed proof that you don't need breadcrumbs or a deep fryer to produce standup chicken wings. A long roast in the tandoor oven at this Ravenna spot gives them a magnificent char, while a dunk of tamarind chutney amps the sweetness.
photo credit: Nate Watters
Call up Sunflower Garden for a quick little takeout order, and don't be surprised if you're quoted an hour wait. Stick it out, and then head to this Greenwood spot for garlicky battered chicken wings whose crunch could break the sound barrier. Along with tender meat, you'll also get handfuls upon handfuls of rogue batter crispies that are as iconic as the wing itself. Only an hour for that? Worth it.
photo credit: Nate Watters
For straightforward classics, head to West Wings in West Seattle. There are more TVs than people, big booths to gnaw on bones in seclusion, and plates of crispy little wings that fly out of the kitchen. The lemon pepper dry rub and rich, creamy buffalo are must-orders, but you’ll also want to try the flame sauce: a chunky and charred take on buffalo which comes in multiple heat levels, ranging from hot to “will I ever be able to feel my lips again?” We’d recommend a sampler flight of the flame sauces to try one of each while pretending to be a guest on Hot Ones.
photo credit: Nate Watters
What you do at a casino is your business, but if you want to guarantee a win every time, go to Roxy’s Casino for the wings. These dry-fried, salt-and-peppered stunners topped with chopped green onions and jalapeños are the true jackpot here. Make sure to keep a wing in hand at all times while making use of the attached bowling alley all night—the kitchen doesn't close until 2am.
Drae’s in Rainier Beach serves a whole menu of comfort food dishes that are exactly what your body might need on a Sunday morning. They excel at wings so much so that the last four digits of their phone number spell out “WING.” It doesn't matter if you get them naked or breaded—these are the kind to scarf down by the pound, no sauce necessary. But if you do fancy a dip here and there, you’ll find tasty options like maple aioli and spicy sweet chili.
