Highest-rated chicken wings in Grand Rapids by diners

Written by:
May 4, 2023
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Highest-rated chicken wings in Grand Rapids by diners

A staple of backyard parties, family gatherings, and watch parties, chicken wings have brought family and friends together for decades with their hot sauces, sweet coatings, and ever-so-satisfying bites.

These days, if you do a search for chicken wings in restaurants, you're likely to come up with a choice of sports bars, sandwich shops, food trucks, Korean restaurants, and Southern shops. It's clear that the wings have transcended cultural barriers, which is why when we talk about origins, there are many to investigate.

Buffalo wings are the first to come to mind. This popular chicken wing style was born (where else?) in the city of Buffalo, New York. The prevalent story is that Italian-born Frank and Teressa Bellissimo first served these sauce-smothered avian parts to their son in 1964 and eventually in their restaurant, Anchor Bar. But another story says that John Young, a Black Buffalonian, was there serving wings on a busy Jefferson Avenue way before then. Young's wings were served with a mombo sauce that Buffalo councilman James Pitts called the "lip-smacking, liver-quivering sauce (that) titillated our taste buds down to our toes."

Korean fried chicken is another style that's captured the hearts of many with midnight cravings. Crispy, messy, and perfect with a glass of beer, these chicken wings are the stuff of dreams that got their start thanks to the popularity of cheap cooking oil in Korea and a sweet and spicy yangnyeom seasoning. Chain stores like KyoChon and Bonchon serving these delectable wings quickly opened, introducing innovations like soy fried chicken, garlic chicken, and even curried fried chicken. As these shops have made their way overseas and onto our plates, they've also inspired local chefs to elevate the humble bird on a plate.

So, where should you go to find the perfect finger-licking bite? Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants for chicken wings in the Grand Rapids area using data from Yelp. The rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Read on to see where you can satisfy your next craving.

1 / 13
Palermo Pizza Place

#13. Palermo Pizza Place

- Rating: 2.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 735 36th St. Southwest Wyoming, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 13
Grand Lakes

#12. Grand Lakes

- Rating: 2.7/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1810 Breton Road Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chinese, Seafood, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 13
Smokey Bones Grand Rapids

#11. Smokey Bones Grand Rapids

- Rating: 3.1/5 (369 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4875 28th St. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: American, Barbecue, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 13
Fat Man's Fish Fry

#10. Fat Man's Fish Fry

- Rating: 3.2/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4162 South Division Ave. Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Seafood, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 13
Mikes Wings

#9. Mikes Wings

- Rating: 3.3/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1808 Monroe Ave. Northwest Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 13
New York Fried Chicken

#8. New York Fried Chicken

- Rating: 3.4/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 743 Division Ave. South Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Burgers, Cheesesteaks
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 13
Carlucci's Pizza

#7. Carlucci's Pizza

- Rating: 3.5/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 890 Fuller Ave. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Salad, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 13
Detroit Wing Company

#6. Detroit Wing Company

- Rating: 4.2/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 2004 East Beltline Ave. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 13
Wing Doozy

#5. Wing Doozy

- Rating: 4.2/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2359 Health Drive Ste 120 Wyoming, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings, New American
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 13
Cousin's Tasty Chicken

#4. Cousin's Tasty Chicken

- Rating: 4.4/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1209 Leonard St. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 13
Char

#3. Char

- Rating: 4.6/5 (137 reviews)
- Address: 6 Jefferson Ave. Southeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Asian Fusion, Mexican, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 13
Noori Chicken

#2. Noori Chicken

- Rating: 4.6/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2321 East Beltline Ave. Northeast Ste F Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Korean, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 13
Wing Kingz

#1. Wing Kingz

- Rating: 4.6/5 (48 reviews)
- Address: 1604 Diamond Ave. Northeast Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Categories: Chicken Wings, Southern, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 223 metros.

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