Best Wings in Charlotte

[bellyspeaks]

Tell me people, whose got the best wings in Charlotte?

[beanryboy]

Wild Wing Cafe has the best selection of wings. Their wings are huge, flavors are awesome,and service is great! My favorite wings are the Gold Rush, JoJos Red Dragon, and Ranchilada.

[bellyspeaks]

Thank you all for your replies!!

I've had a hankering for about a week now. It all began ( in a pinch) with d.d.peckers (!!?!!) Nothing to write home about but for $0.49 a piece, really not bad. Onward to days later and Wing Stop on 51. lynnlato I know you have good taste, and the sauces (teriyaki, hot) were very good. Unfortunately, the wings themselves were tiny, and in my opinion, way overcooked. Which brings me to tonight and Steamers. Wings were biggish and perfectly cooked, the sauces (teriyaki, hot) were lame. There was nothing remotely "hot" about the hot sauce. The teriyaki had good flavor but was too globby and thick to be enjoyed. So, to my surprise, d.d.peckers (i friggin hate that name) holds the midground, so far. Should the hankering persist I shall head over to Moosehead and put theirs to the test.

While we're at it:
What are your criteria for good wings??

Disclaimer: I'm by no means a wing expert. "Authenticity" means nothing to me in this arena. I look for medium-ish sized, perfectly cooked, un-battered/dredged wings with tasty sauces on the drier side. Blue cheese must have chunks :)

[Sam at Novas]

We have gone to Moosehead Grill on Montford for our Panthers games wings. We are not wings fanatics either and they have hit the spot for our jonesins'(if that is a word).

[53latour]

As for my criteria, I agree with all of your points, but I would add that the skin must be crispy (though the wing must not be overcooked) and have some crunch for the first couple of chews. I will be near Moosehead tomorrow and will give them a try.

[bellyspeaks]

Agreed on crispy skin. Again, any type of breading/dredging is an automatic disqualification :)

[lynnlato]

I'm a small wing gal and I like 'em crispy, so perhaps we have different "standards". I despise the turkey wings - way too big for moi.

For me, the perfect wing is on the smaller size (but not meatless), crispy and an adequate amount of sauce to produce messy fingers. Too many places don't cook 'em long enough and then when they toss them in the sauce they become soggy. Ick. The trick is to make sure their skins are very dry prior to going in the fryer. Hots should be butter and Texas Pete, and that's it.

[ickymettle]

i am by no means an expert on wings, but when I've had the wings at Picasso's, I've really enjoyed them.

[HungryGrayCat]

Don't forget Tavern on the Tracks!

I've also heard that Murphy's has great wings but I haven't tried 'em.

[HungryGrayCat]

Skip the Murphy's rec. They closed on Saturday.

[billyjack]

If you like Township Grille, Lebowski's Pub on East Blvd is run by the original owner of TG. Supposedly the wings are the same (I haven't tried them).

[mcap]

Moosehead does have the best wings.

They are big, meaty wings and have some great flavor options. The best are the blackened wings and the bee stings (habenero/honey).

[southernitalian]

Used to be the Wing Ranch where Ed's is now. They had such great wings but the service was so bad, I think it was their undoing. I like Ed's but have to say my favorite wings in Charlotte are at The Yellow Rose. It's a bit of a dive bar on 51 near Carmel. Really great wings!

[mikebmassey]

My two favorite places:

Ed's Tavern - While the owners are from NJ and not NY, the wings are the best "traditional" wings I have found. When I am craving wings, I go there.

Mac's Speed Shop - It's a BBQ joint, but their wings are pretty good. They smoke them first, then grill them. I always ask for them extra grilled to get a nice crust on them.

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Ed's Tavern
2200 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203

Mac's Speed Shop
2511 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203

[kathleen purvis]

In Helen Schwab's Tournament of Wings in 2008, the Final Four were Moosehead Grill, Steamer's, Township Grille and Whooli's. Moosehead took the tournament, but Steamer's was the winner in the reader poll.

[lynnlato]

I haven't had them in a long, long time but Township Grille in Matthews used to have great wings. The owners are originally from NY but have been in the CLT area for as long as I've been here (15+ yrs).

We always get our wings at Wing Stop in Carmel Commons shopping center. We're partial to the hots, milds, garlic parm and teriyaki.

Here is an old thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/465779

[Ciao Italia Foodie]

I'm glad to report Township Grille still serves up some great wings.Nice people too.

[brentk]

When I lived in Charlotte, the garlic parmesan wings at Wing Stop were our "go to" wings. Haven't found any quite like them anywhere else.

[lynnlato]

I know! I've never been a fan of chain concepts. But I have to give props where due and I think Wingstop does a fine job with most of their wing flavors. I'm not crazy for the Cajun or the bbq, but the rest are tasty... with adequate "crispiness". The fries are great too.