Talking about the best place to eat Chicken Wings in Buffalo, NY can be a painful conversation for locals.

Everyone has their favorite spot, and normally it’s a pizzeria/bar from the neighborhood where they grew up, and they will go to their grave thinking that place has the best wings in town. The truth about wings in Buffalo is that nearly every street has a place where you can get good wings – and don’t tell anyone I said this, but…most wings in Buffalo taste the same. A lot of restaurants source from the same chicken wing providers and house sauces all contain a certain ratio of melted butter (it’s not butter) and Frank’s Hot Sauce.

But for people who are visiting Buffalo, we still have to answer the question ‘Where are the best wings in Buffalo?’

This guide is an attempt to answer that question. Below are a few of the spots that we think stand out from the crowd and can recommend with a clear conscience. If this article doesn’t work for you, I suggest you check out Kevin Purdy’s blog post on this topic or you could overload yourself with options and look at our Chicken Wing Tournament from 2017.

We’ve broken down our list into three categories..

The Royalty: These are the most popular wing spots in Buffalo, for better or worse. There is a reason why a tourist should or could visit them, and we’ve laid that out below. There’s a good chance you’ll be around other tourists when visiting these spots.

Local Favorites: These are places that are primarily visited by locals and haven’t gained national recognition. They each have their own reasons for standing out about the rest and again, we’ve described why.

Cult Classics: These spots are still hidden gems, even to most locals. If you’re heading to these, you’re a real diehard.

THE ROYALTY

185 Main St, East Aurora, NY 14052 | (716) 652-7959 (takeout)

It’s not a quick drive to Bar Bill Tavern. It’s a good 30+ minute drive from the City and at least 20+ minutes from New Era Field. But you should make that drive because out of all of the restaurants named on this list, Bar Bill Tavern is the only place where you can get great wings AND great beef on weck (you can watch them carve the meat behind the bar) at the same place. A longtime favorite with the Buffalo Eats staff, this tiny tavern won both the Best Wings AND Best Beef on Weck Tournaments in 2017 and they did it convincingly. Space is limited inside Bar Bill, so wait times can get long at peak hours (grab a drink from the nearby 189 Public House or Aurora Brew Works). Also, make sure you make a trip to the ATM beforehand because Bar Bill only takes cash.

Our Tip: I know it sounds crazy, but the Cajun Honey Butter BBQ wings are worth a shot, grab a beef on weck and if it’s too busy then order them from the Takeout location (they take credit cards there) and bring the wings to the nearby Aurora Brew Works.

3651 Sheridan Dr, Amherst, NY 14226 | (716) 834-6234

Over the years, Duffs has been slowly making a case for being the go-to tourist destination for wings. It seems like most high profile visitors know that Anchor Bar is where wings were “invented” but Duff’s is the general consensus for being the “best wings” in town. in 2010 they had a big year with visits from President Obama and Travel Channel with their show ‘Food Wars’. We don’t necessarily agree that Duff’s are the best but you could do a lot worse. Duff’s has gladly capitalized on it’s ever growing popularity. In recent years, Duff’s has expanded their empire to nearly every area in Western New York. They offer an impressive selection of sauces with slight variations to accompany any heat level. In our experience, the wings are very crispy AND very saucy. If you have plenty of time, we’ve found the original Sheridan Drive location to be the most consistent. The other locations may look flashier and have a ‘sport bar vibe’, but the original still feels homey and laid back.

Our Tip: Like we said above, stick to the OG location on Sheridan Drive for consistently great wings (also near UB’s campus for travelers), stick to the variety of hot sauces, order the McDonalds-esque fries with blue cheese for dipping, we’ve also heard the grilled cheese is ridiculous (who knew?).

1047 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14209 | (716) 886 – 8920

First things first, there are several Anchor Bar restaurants in Buffalo (plus Canada and Texas!) but there are only two locations worth visiting: The original at 1047 Main Street and the Airport location (if you really have no time). The original Anchor Bar on Main Street in the City of Buffalo is without a doubt, the most popular restaurant in Buffalo. You will be hard pressed to find a local eating at Anchor Bar, and the restaurant has become primarily a tourist destination… and it feels like it. But if you want to see the original home of chicken wings, where Bobby Flay battled the Wing King, where Jamika Pessoa (yes, that Jamike Pessoa) of the Chew visited and where the short lived Food Wars debuted their series, well… there’s no other place. Are they the best wings in Buffalo? No. Are they important? Sure.

Our Tip: Sit at the bar and grab a Genny Cream Ale on draft and stick to the basics (Mild-Medium-Hot)

371 West Ferry St, Buffalo, NY 14213 | (716) 881-3303

I know, this Buffalo pizzeria is legendary for their pizza and t-shirts that were the unofficial jersey of 1990’s Bills tailgating. That said, if we were going to recommend any pizzeria chicken wings, this is the one. Their standard flavors are on point but their BBQ wings are where it’s at. They are deep fried, and then liberally sauced and char-grilled, which caramelizes all of the bits and pieces of the wings… and it’s just delicious. While plenty of places have replicated this process over the years, La Nova is still our favorite. They are also one of the few venues that makes their own Blue Cheese dressing from scratch instead of scooping it from big gallon jugs. They have a small, takeout only location in Williamsville but there’s something special about that West Side location that you need to experience in person. I mean, if it’s good enough for Paula Deen it’s probably good enough for you.

Our Tip: Order the BBQ Wings and a large Cheese and Pepperoni Pizza and watch the magic that is the delivery guys/kitchen staff at the West Ferry location. Blue Cheese on the side for crust dipping.

LOCAL FAVORITES

474 Abbott Rd, Buffalo, NY 14220 | (716) 436-3302

You might not know this, but Buffalo has so many places serving wings that we even have regional specialties within Buffalo. South Buffalo in particular was/is known for ‘Smitty’ style Wings, generally a dry spice rubbed chicken wing (usually nutmeg shows up) with a little sauce. There aren’t many places serving these around town (Potter’s Field is the only other South Buffalo bar that serves them that we can think of) and Doc’s is old school South Buffalo bar. In recent years, an ownership change has cleaned up the place and updated the facade and interior but they still have the pub food classics.

Our Tip: Order a Guiness with some Smitty wings and sit at the bar.

2349 Millersport Hwy, Getzville, NY 14068 | (716) 688-7237

Located within almost walking distance from UB’s North Campus, Elmo’s is located in an unassuming strip plaza off Millersport that features tennants like a Sushi restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, a Subway, a nail salon and a Dollar General. Known for being Khalil Mack’s favorite place to get wings and the home of their trademark ‘double dip’ (it’s exactly what you think, mixing two different sauces), the popularity of Elmo’s pushed them to take the runner up spot in our 2017 Chicken Wing Tournament.

Our Tip: It’s all about the double dip and the most common recommendation is some flavor (Medium/Hot/Honey Mustard) with Cajun.

2526 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14216 | (716) 877-9466

On the outside, Kelly’s Korner looks like every other Kenmore/North Buffalo dive bar – and that is mostly true. There is a bowling arcade game, plenty of worn in leather bar seats and the regular clientele are always entertaining. Their food menu is ridiculously cheap and like a true dive bar, their bottles of Genny are under $3. Even though they are inexpensive, their Medium Chicken Wings are large, juicy and served extra crispy. But it’s their Hot wings that separate them from the bars down the street. They are fried and coated with a dry rub and then finished in hot sauce. The texture and flavor is just unreal.

Our tip: Sit at the bar, grab a beef on weck and when you order wings.. order them Hot.

11 Bloomfield Ave, Buffalo, NY 14220 | (716) 825-9939

This is my (Donnie) personal favorite. This small South Buffalo Bar has a dedicated group of regulars that fill up the dining room and bar for their unique chicken wings. Unlike the majority of restaurants on this list, Nine Eleven has a secret, ‘from scratch’ sauce recipe that doesn’t taste like anything else you’ve ever had. The wings are coated in a sauce that has flakes of garlic and a sweet and tangy flavor that wing purists will either love or hate. The restaurant only has one person in the kitchen (the owner), so be prepared to wait patiently for your food. Hidden on a side street in a residential area, this is a true chicken wing gem. Like Bar Bill Tavern, make sure you stop by an ATM before you’re visit because they also only take cash.

Our Tips:

CULT CLASSICS

2057 Military Rd, Niagara Falls, NY 14304 | (716) 297-5759

There are more than a few places in t0wnthat feel like time has stopped in the local restaurant scene and Judi’s Lounge is definitely one of them. From the long bar filled with locals are known by the bartenders by their first name, to the dedicated counter for buying Quick Draw tickets (which is awesome), this place is a classic Gin Mill and the wings are top notch. They have great standard wing offerings, but their Cajun wings are the standout. Similar to Elmo’s, they use a combination of dry rub and wing sauce. These might be some of the best wings in Niagara Falls and the crowd and experience definitely adds to that.

Our Tip: The Cajun wings, a nice cold PBR (or cheap bottle beer) and some fries with gravy.

16 S Buffalo St, Hamburg, NY 14075 | (716) 648-1390

Located off a roundabout in the village of Hamburg, Mammoser’s Tavern is one of the few holdouts in a changing, exciting food scene. You can take a seat at the bar with the other regulars or hang out in the dining room if you have a larger group. The building looks old and the lighting fixtures have seen better days, but there are some modern touches within the place too. For one their draft beer selection is impressive. They have a traditional pub menu… but the whole story is their wings, they are what everyone is going for and they are unique. Similar to the famous South Buffalo ‘Smitty’ style, these wings have an interesting spice blend that set them apart from you’re traditional chicken wing.

Our Tip: As always, sit at the bar and order their wings in their unique style.

283 Olmstead Ave, Depew, NY 14043 | (716) 683-9553

We didn’t know too much about Sal’s until we started the Chicken Wing Tournament and damn, for a couple rounds they were the scrappy underdog who kept winning. Sal’s is located in the middle of a residential street in Depew, and you might miss it or mistake it for a house. Generally, breaded wings are a sin against God for most locals. That’s what Pizza Hut and Hooters serves, not a local restaurant. But Sal’s are managing to slightly bread their wings and still have a die-hard fan base. Rumors are that in recent years they’ve stopped hand breading their wings and buy Wing Dings now, but it’s still a solid visit. The corner bar has all of the markings of a good dive, regulars and a small pub food menu full of deep fried items. Apparently the even make their Pizza Logs from scratch, who knew?

Our Tip: Say it with us now… sit at the bar, order cheap beer and eat their wings.