Updated Jan 23, 2022

As frequently occurs (my Twitter DMs are open), I recently received a request for info or a poll-this time a poll on best wings in DC. I declined to do a poll since I wouldn’t know the options, but I threw this out to my Twitter followers and got a ton of responses. Then, in January 2022, I decided to solicit more options and then did an epic thread of Twitter polls. The list is now revamped based on the percentage of people who have eaten wings at certain place, assuming almost everyone is a fan.

Compare this list of frequent mentions with Eater’s list (last updated in 2017).

Note: Many DC menus do not specify the quantity of wings in an order (pet peeve) so I found one of the good uses of Yelp (as well as Instagram) to find what customers said or looked at their pictures. In some cases, it was still hard to find, so please correct if wrong.

Gold Tier/ DC’s Best WIngs

• KoChix (Truxton/Bloomingdale)
• Korean style with 3 flavors
  • 5 wings/$8.59, 10 wings/$17, 15 wings/$24 20 wings/$33, 40 wings/$62
  • Carryout type spot (closed Sunday)
  • 53% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (27% overall). 51% have eaten
• Duffy’s Irish Pub (Dupont)5 hot sauces. About 8-10 additional flavors, including dry rub options.
  • 12 wings/$16.50, 24 wings/$32. Can request all flats or drums for free
  • Half price dine-in w/ purchase of beverage on Wednesdays / 6 wings for $7 during HH 4-7p M-F
  • 46% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (25% overall). 55% have eaten
• Cane (H Street)
  • Jerk wings (organic 12 hours marinated and pimento smoked)
  • 4(?) wings/$13
  • Closed Sun
  • 58% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (13% overall). 23% have eaten
• Stan’s (Downtown)
  • Famous Fried Wings or Baked Wings (Mambo sauce option on side)
  • Full Order (10 jumbo) /$20, Half Order (5 jumbo wings) /$13
  • 54% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (12% overall). 22% have eaten

Silver Tier of DC’s Best Wings

• Federalist Pig (Adams Morgan)
  • Dry rubbed and smoked jumbo party wings
  • 6 wings/$9.25, 12 wings/$18, 24 wings/$35.25 (can add 75 cents to have all drums or all flats)
  • Closed Mon-Tues
  • 43% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (22% overall). 52% have eaten
• Wingo’s (Glover Park)24 flavors
  • 10 wings/$13, 20 wings/$24, 50 wings/$56, 100 wings/$105. Can request all flats or drums for free
  • 41% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (21% overall). 52% have eaten
• Nanny O’Brien’s (Cleveland Park)
  • 10 flavors
  • 8 wings/$12, 16 wings/$24, 24 wings/$36
  • 43% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (13% overall). 30% have eaten
• DCity Smokehouse (Bloomingdale)
  • Pit smoked wings (served w/ cilantro ranch)
  • 6 wings/$10, 12 wings ($20) (platter options available)
  • 38% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (18% overall). 49% have eaten
• Mandu (Mt Vernon Triangle)
  • Double-fried chicken wings, with sweet and spicy soy glaze
  • 5(?) wings/$11
  • 40% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (9% overall). 22% have eaten
• Ivy and Coney (Shaw)
  • buffalo or mambo wings
  • 6 wings/$10, possibly 12 wings for $17(?)
  • 39% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (12% overall). 29% have eaten (they did RT the poll)
• Present Company (Mt Vernon Triangle)
  • Nashville hot chicken wings (whiskey, maple, ranch, shaved celery)
  • 6-7(?) wings/$14
  • Closed Mon
  • 38% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (6% overall). 15% have eaten)
• Choong Man (H Street)
  • Both regular fried and Korean style
  • 5 wings/$8, 12 wings/$15
  • closed Sun
  • 36% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (8% overall). 22% have eaten

Bronze Tier of DC’s Best Wings

• Bonchon (Navy Yard)
  • Korean style
  • 8 wings/$14, 16 wings/$27, 24 wings/$39
  • 33% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (24% overall). 72% have eaten
• Boundary Stone (Bloomingdale)
  • Hot honey
  • 9 wings/$13.50
  • 32% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (12% overall). 36% have eaten
• Stoney’s (Logan Circle/14th)
  • Buffalo wings
  • 10(?) wings/$15(?)
  • 30% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (14% overall). 47% have eaten
• ChiKo (Barracks Row, Dupont Circle)
  • double-fried chicken wings (Spicy soy glazed or dry spiced)
  • 5-6(?) wings/$13
  • 30% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (13% overall). 43% have eaten
• Blaguard (Adams Morgan)
  • Traditional wings (can choose one or two of the 7 sauce tosses or 3 dry rubs)
  • 8 wings/$8. 12 wings/$7, 6 wings/$4 during HH 5-8p M-F (4-10p W)
  • 28% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (8% overall). 29% have eaten
• Tunnicliff’s Tavern (Eastern Market)
  • Tavern wings (buffalo, old bay, or BBQ
  • 6(?) wings/$12
  • 28% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (7% overall). 23% have eaten
• Oooh’s and Aaah’s (U Street, Brightwood)
  • Lightly breaded. 4 sauce choices
  • 6 wings ($10.45), 8 wings ($13.45), 10 wings ($14.45). Difference prices at lunch. HH daily- 5 wings/$9
  • U st temporarily closed
  • 27% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (9% overall). 33% have eaten
• Ivy City Smokehouse Tavern (ivy City)
  • smoked and grilled chicken wings-hickory & applewood smoked. Alabama white sauce on side.
  • 1 pound (roughly 7 wings)/$14
  • 26% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (9% overall). 36 have eaten
• The Looking Glass Lounge (Park View)
  • 4 sauces
  • 6(?) wings/$12
  • 28% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (4% overall). 15% have eaten
• The Green Zone (Adams Morgan)
  • Arabic crispy wings w/ lemon, za’tar, sumac, garlic, spice. served with toum & labne
  • 6 wings/$10
  • 27% who’ve eaten say one of best in DC (4% overall). 15% have eaten

Solid Wings: The Queen Vic (H Street), Solly’s (U Street), Barrel (Eastern Market), Walter’s (Navy Yard), Old Ebbitt (Downtown), Logan Tavern (Logan Circle), Comet Ping Pong Pizza (Chevy Chaseish), The Game Sports Bar (Adams Morgan), BKK Cookshop (Shaw), Moreland’s Tavern (16th St Heights)

Others Mentioned Multiple TImes: Stadium Club, Shelly’s, Buck’s Fishing and Camping, Town Tavern, BOM, Irish Channel, Due South, Cinder BBQ, Union Pub

Not in DC, but Tons of Mentions: First Down (Ballston), Badd Pizza (McLean, Falls Church)