Deep-fried and crispy, chicken wings just might be one of the tastiest foods on earth, and we’ve tracked down the bars and restaurants that serve the best in America. 

What is it about chicken wings that makes them the perfect snack? When cooked properly, they’re crispy and just a little fatty on the outside, hot and juicy on the inside, and take easily to a massive variety of sauces and seasonings beyond your standard Buffalo sauce. They’re the perfect drinking food, ideal for sharing with a group of friends, and are small enough that they can be enjoyed as a snack or a full meal. They’re beloved nationwide – worldwide if you include the super-popular Korean fried chicken. (This is the best wing spot in all every state.) 

Believe it or not, chicken wings haven’t always been as appreciated as they are today. Up until the 1960s, wings were usually thrown away or used in stocks. But all that changed in 1964, when, as legend has it, Teressa Bellissimo, the owner of Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, dropped some wings in the deep-fryer and tossed them with a spicy sauce in order to feed a group of her son’s friends when they arrived late at night. Thus a fast-food legend was born. (Today, these are the fast-food capitals of America.)

Since that fateful evening in upstate New Hork, chicken wings – whether fried, baked, grilled, or smoked; served Buffalo-style or tossed with any variety of sauces and seasonings; presented alongside blue cheese or ranch, and breaded or “naked” – have become one of the most popular foods served at bars and restaurants across America. 

Click here to see the best chicken wings in America

To assemble a list of places to find the best chicken wings in America, 24/7 Tempo reviewed and extrapolated from listings, rankings, and reviews on numerous websites, including Food & Wine, Thrillist, Men’s Journal, Eat This Not That, Tasting Table, Mashed, The Daily Meal, Food Network, Insider, Big Seven Travel, Yelp, and numerous locally and regionally focused sites.