As a chicken wing fanatic, I can confirm that St. Petersburg and Clearwater both have great options for crispy, saucy, and salty chicken wings! So no matter how you like them cooked, there's a restaurant in the 727area that will satisfy your every chicken wing craving. We’ve curated a list of the best spots for chicken wings in St Pete and Clearwater, so you don't have to!
Better Byrd
No matter what kind of fried chicken you’re in the mood for, Better Byrd has it! Awaiting your arrival are wings, both boneless and bone-in, that will have you coming back for more. They offer bowls and sandwiches, too, so if you’re looking for fried chicken, but not wings, you can get it from Better Byrd.
Some of their best sauces are the Green Buffalo, Peanut Thai, and Cluck Sauce, and Maple Mustard. Each of them will transform your desired fried chicken into a new flavor profile, so choose carefully, though- all the sauces are different and delicious!
Related content: Best Fried Chicken in St. Petersburg and Clearwater
Quaker Steak & Lube
If you like 'em hot, stop by Quaker Steak & Lube for the Eat Heat Challenge and prove to your friends that you can handle the heat! They will place six wings tossed in their Triple Atomic Sauce that has a 500,00 SHU rating on the scale. There's no time limit, but you must finish all six. If you are a winner, they will put your picture up on the wall and give you a free Triple Atomic T-Shirt. If you don’t like 'em hot but still want some of the best wings in Clearwater, then try one of their other 25 sauces.
Related content: All-You-Can-Eat Wings in St. Petersburg and Clearwater
Engine No. 9
Located in Downtown St. Petersburg is another one of the 727area’s best wing joints. Engine No. 9 offers some of the craziest and juiciest burgers in the bay, but, over time, they've become a certified location for great wings.
They have two different kinds: Sriracha Crusted Hot Wings and Savory Crispy Duck Wings. Both are popular menu items, but my favorite is the Sriracha hot wings because of the slow after-burn they put on your lips. If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen!
The Drunken Clam
Stop by the Drunken Clam after a long, hot day in the sun for a casual atmosphere and a bite to eat. I would suggest their award-winning wings! They use fresh wings and fry them naked, without breading.
They do a variety of dry rubs including Jerk, Cajun, Sriracha, and Salt & Pepper. Then their sauced wings include hot, mild, honey BBQ, Honey Hot, Teriyaki, Thai Chili Hot, Parmesan Garlic, and their Award-Winning Cajun/Parmesan/Garlic wings.
The Drunken Clam offers two varieties of saucy wings, which both have hilarious names: The Fire Ass Hot and Ass Blaster. If you’re a fan of the heat, these are a must-try because there's a great flavor behind the heat. Be patient here as they are freshly fried and take anywhere from 18-30 minutes to fry to perfection!
The Brown Boxer
The Brown Boxer has quite the reputation for wings on Clearwater Beach! They used to offer endless wing Wednesday’s where you would pay a flat rate and eat until your belly was full. Throughout the years, they've stopped this crazy tradition; however, their reputation for great wings hasn’t gone anywhere!
They offer dry rubs and sauces which include Mild, Medium, Hot, Honey BBQ, Spicy Teriyaki, Kickin Bourbon, Honey Hot Garlic, Sriracha, Mango Habanero, “Red Rocket” Hot, Blackened, Caribbean Jerk, and Lemon Pepper. Stop by for Clearwater Beach's best wings today!
Tikanis
This Mediterranean-inspired restaurant has mastered the craft of delicious chicken wings. Everything that they serve is made in-house, down to the ranch they serve for dipping! These wings are large, so they come in a serving of six and are guaranteed to fill you up.
The wings are fried and tossed in your choice of sauce, either Flamin’ Bourbon or Tropical Rum Glazed, and flame-broiled to give them a unique flavor. My favorite thing about the wings here is that they manage to get them covered in sauce and crispy! They’re really doing it right, so stop by the next time you want wings, and Tikanis is bound to impress you.
Smokin J’s BBQ
I’m sure you aren't surprised that someone who knows how to make good BBQ can also cook some fire chicken wings! At Smokin J’s BBQ, they start with fresh chicken wings marinated in their own sauce and then slow-cook them over selected hardwoods to give them a mouth-watering good flavor.
As great as they are without sauce, they offer hot sauce, sweet sauce, teriyaki, and honey garlic. You can order them in qualities of six, 12 and 18. My suggestion is to get 18 wings and save some for later because, after the first bite, you’re bound to want more!
Looking for more information on the best restaurants in St. Pete and Clearwater? Return to 727area for Local Insight on The Best Foodie Joints in Town! Or Join the Foodie Community on 727area and keep up with your fellow foodies!
Cover photo courtesy of Unsplash