The Hot Wing Trail is here! You can fry them, smoke them, toss them in sauce; season them, smoke them and eat them down to the bone! So here's 20 wing spots in Memphis that you HAVE to try.
Memphis hot wings are arguably the best hot wings in the South….if fact possibly the world if you exclude Buffalo-style! Locals put up a good fight over their favourite barbecue preference, and they feel just as passionate about their chicken wings too! So we have listed 20 wing spots in Memphis that you have to try for yourself:
Listed in alphabetical order:
AL’S WINGS AND THINGS
1806 Lamar Ave.
Als’s Wings and Things have more than 30 different flavurs, taking all the elements of hot wing sauces (spicy, honey, super spicy, ranch, bbq and seasoned) and mixing them in different combinations to make your taste buds dance.
ALEX'S TAVERN
1445 Jackson Avenue
It’s rare that a dive bar can excel in so many categories, but locals LOVE Alex’s burger, barbecue ribs and their delectable Greek wings.
ALL STAR WINGS
Available at various locations, two decades of Memphis-style wings means 20 years of mouth-watering wings prepared to perfection. All Star wings come whole in your choice of classic sauces.
BAYOU
2094 Madison Avenue in Overton Square
Step one: they fry the chicken wings. Step two: then toss in Bayou's spicy, tangy Zydeco sauce. Step three: you then ascend to hot wing heaven!
BEST WINGS OF MEMPHIS
2390 Summer Ave + 3995 Elvis Presley Blvd
They certainly have every level of spice intensity to choose from for their whole wings. Memphians recommend the honey glazed or honey glazed hot!
BJ’S BUFFALO STYLE HOT WINGS
3824 Elvis Presley Blvd
There’s usually a long line, but don’t let that discourage you, it’s a good thing! BJ’s is 100% worth the wait and the line moves fast. The flames painted on the building are not false advertising: these wings are fire!
COZY CORNER
735 N. Parkway
Another top barbecue joint that also excels in the chicken wing department! Cozy Corner smokes their wings and you can get a combo plate with ribs and wings too if that takes your fancy!
CENTRAL BBQ
Good wings and good barbecue often go hand-in-hand, and Central proves it with their smoked wings. Always one of the top picks from locals, many give Central their number one spot on the list of best wings joints in Memphis.
CHING’S HOT WINGS
1264 Getwell Road
Memphis loves Ching's almost as much as Ching's loves the Memphis Tigers. After being pandemic-closed for most of 2020, Ching’s “Best Damn Hot Wings” has reopened, much to the relief of Memphis wing lovers everywhere
CRUMPY’S
By all accounts, Crumpy’s is responsible for the thriving chicken wing scene in Memphis. They are the grandaddy of Memphis hot wings!
D'BO'S
7050 Malco Crossing Ste. 106 + 4407 Elvis Presley Blvd
Open since 1990 D'Bo's is a Memphis hot wing and buffalo wing must! They’ve won awards including the National Buffalo Wings Fest in 2011, and they also have a frozen daiquiri machine at some locations….win-win-win.
DIXIE QUEEN
A Memphis institution known for their legendary late-night drive thru lines, Dixie Queen’s wings do cause debates! Are they good because you can get them at 2 a.m. or are they elite any time of day? Their popularity and controversy means that this stop on the Memphis Wing Trail is one you’ll have to judge for yourself.
DON DON’S
A spinoff of the elite Crumpy’s hot wing dynasty, Don Don’s will come up frequently among locals in the “best wings in Memphis” conversation. Add to your Memphis Wing Trail list and try all the sauce flavours available.
- P'S BUFFALO WINGS
Though the name says "buffalo", Mr. P's has a variety of spicy, sweet and seasoned options plus 25 years of feeding hungry Memphians some of their favourite hot wings.
NEW WING ORDER FOOD TRUCK
This food truck will make all your best Memphis hot wing dreams come true – Memphis weren’t officially ranking this list but they did whisper in our ear: NWO food truck was in the top 3 most mentioned in ALL their polls about wings.
They move the food truck around town with their immaculate Memphis chicken wings and their big variety of sauces.
RIKO'S KICKIN CHICKEN
1329 Madison Avenue
Riko's started out as food truck in 2014, but their juicy wings and decadent sauces demanded a brick-and-mortar location. They’re known for big, bold sauces; a creative menu and weekly deals. Locals appreciate that everything is made super fresh and the wings are cooked to perfection.
SUPREME HOT WINGS
1674 Whitten Rd. + 8936 Airways Blvd (Southaven)
Who doesn’t love a good lunch special and Supreme Hot Wings!
3633 Millbranch Rd.+ Uncle Lou’s Express truck
Uncle Lou’s made a name for itself with sweet ’n’ spicy Southern fried chicken and honey biscuits—and their wings are along the same lines, aka delicious and popular.
2280 Park Avenue + 7395 Hwy 64 Ste. 103
There are hot wing spots called “Wing Factory” all over the place, but this is the Memphis original in Orange Mound since 2005 and its sister location is out east. Amazing honey gold sauce? Tick. Lemon pepper seasoned wings? Tick. A really hot sauce with a reference to danger in the name? Tick. This is a quintessential Memphis wing spot.
Unique flavours and high quality ingredients make this local chain a top winner for best Memphis hot wings. Again, no official ranking to this list but I’d be wrong to not mention that Wing Guru is consistently the most common answer to "where are the best wings in Memphis?” across multiple polls. We’d also be wrong not to share a common comment even their biggest fans will make—Wing Guru can be on the pricey side. But really, who can put a price on perfection?
CHECK OUT THE MEMPHIS HOT WING TRAIL MAP!
Follow this link to view the Google map to help guide you on your quest for delicious Memphis hot wings. When a restaurant has multiple locations, they’ve included just the original or "main" location on the map. The full article also details how they created this list as well as other restaurants where wings are available.
If you need any further information email memphis@deep-south-usa.com
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