The votes are in. Here are the best chicken wings in Charlotte, according to you.
The last time we wrote about the best places for wings in the Charlotte area, we asked for feedback on which places to include next. And you all delivered.
To figure out how to bestow the honor of the best wings in the city, we want your votes every step of the way. So to kick off 2022’s Super Bowl season, we created the CharlotteFive Chicken Wings Bracket — based on your recommendations!
PRO TIP: If this poll is making you hungry and you place an order at one of these restaurants, just remember that prices have gone up at many spots, thanks to the national chicken wing shortages. Some wing places are even adding thighs to the menu.
- Round one: The Saucy 16 ended with more than 15,700 votes cast.
- More than 36,600 votes were cast in Round two: The Spicy 8. That round was a close one, with a tie in one of the top spots.
- Voting for Round three: The flavorful 5 ended with more than 7,000 votes to choose the top 2 spots — Moosehead Grill and Wing King Cafe.
- In the last round, votes topped 10,600 participants.
The rules were simple: You could submit your vote for the best wing shops in our survey below. This was not a scientific poll or survey. If you had more than one favorite, you can refresh the page and submit a second option.
[Bonus voting: Our friends at the News & Observer are doing a poll to find the best wings in the Triangle. Obviously, Charlotte has better wings than our frenemies in Raleigh, but take a peek and vote in their poll if you’re familiar with the local wing spots in the area!]
And the winner is:
Wing King Cafe
Location: 13209 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273
Neighborhood: South Charlotte
Location: 200 N Dobys Bridge Rd #164, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Neighborhood: Fort Mill
Prices: $7 for 5 wings, $14 for 10 wings, $20 for 15 wings, $26 for 20 wings, $38 for 30 wings, $50 for 40 wings, $60 for 50 wings, $115 for 100 wings
What to know: Can’t decide which wing sauce to order? Get the King Sampler, where you can get five sets of five (your choice) with three dressings.
“We’ve been here a long time. We’re a little hole in the wall but once you find us, you’re going to come back,” said Wing King Cafe’s McKenna Murr, who has worked there for 10 years.
“Their sauces and their spices are so much different than what anybody else has. It’s just the place to be,” customer Rick Norris said.
Here are more details about the runner-up:
Moosehead Grill
Location: 1807 Montford Dr, Charlotte, NC 28209
Neighborhood: Montford
Price: $7.95 for 5, $14.95 for 10, $62.95 for 50 or $119.95 for 100
What to know: Moosehead offers more than 10 flavors, including its fan-favorite Uncle Donnie’s Famous Blackened Wings.
Moosehead’s Eva Chavez told CharlotteFive she has worked there for over 20 years. “We are the best wings.”
Customer Nick Connelly agreed. “Best wings in town, I’ve been here my whole life. It’s the only place in Charlotte I’ll get chicken wings.”
And here are the details about the remaining Sweet 16 of Charlotte’s greatest wings, according to you:
Chex Grill & Wings
Locations: Multiple locations
Neighborhood: Davis Lake, Freedom Drive, Gastonia, Mount Holly, Pineville, The Plaza, Sardis Road, University City, Uptown
Prices: $6.99 for 5, $9.79 for 7, $13.79 for 10, $20.49 for 15, $26.99 for 20, $33.49 for 25, $39.99 for 30, $53.49 for 40, $66.49 for 50, $89.99 for 75, $124.99 for 100
What to know: Chex offers over 35 wing flavors, hot oven subs, burgers and even salads.
Coaltrane’s Char Grill
Location: 1518 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Price: $9.99 per pound
What to know: A pound of these char-grilled wings come coated in Buffalo or maple-chipotle sauce.
Cuzzo’s Cuisine
Location: 3418 Tuckaseegee Rd., Charlotte NC 28208
Neighborhood: Enderly Park
Price: $9.25 for 6 wings (1 flavor), $13.75 for 10 wings (2 flavors) and $23 for 20 wings (2 flavors).
What to know: For wings and tenders, guests can pick from jerk, hot or BBQ sauces along with regular, Cajun or lemon pepper dry rubs.
D.D. Peckers Wing Shack
Location: 10403 Park Rd., Charlotte, NC 28210
Neighborhood: South Charlotte
Price: 5 for $7.25, 10 for $14.50, 15 for $20.50, 20 for $26.95 … all the way up to 100 for $115. (Prices are for one flavor; multiple flavors extra).
What to know: There’s more than 25 flavors to choose from, and a sampler platter Is available if you want more than one flavor.
Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse
Location: Multiple Locations
Neighborhoods: Ballantyne, Huntersville, Mooresville, Rea Farms, Uptown
Price: 10 for $17.99 and 24 for $34.99.
What to know: Flavors include plain, medium, hot, Mommoo’s, Sweet n’ Bold Gold, lemon pepper and garlic Parmesan. They come with your choice of blue cheese or ranch.
Flip-a-Lo’s
Location: 7629 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226
Neighborhood: Carmel Commons Shopping Center in South Charlotte
Price: 6 for $10.67, 10 for $14.65, 24 for $32.95, 48 for $62.25
What to know: Sauces come in over 11 flavors, including crowd pleasers like crispy garlic, pecorino romano parmesan and lemon pepper — plus, an option to mix them. Wings can be served extra crispy, super extra crispy and for 50 cents more, customers can opt for all drums or all flats.
JackBeagle’s
Location: 125 S Main St, Mt Holly, NC 28120
Neighborhood: Mount Holly
Location: 3213 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
Location: 1404 W Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: Wesley Heights
Price: $9.95 for 6, $14.95 for 10
What to know: Flavors include classics like Buffalo and BBQ but also some dog-themed ones (of course) like: Leg Humper, Neutered and Ruff.
Kristopher’s Sports Bar & Restaurant
Locations: 250 N. Trade St, Matthews, NC 28105
Neighborhood: Matthews
Prices: 12 for $16, or a meal with 6 wings, side item and soft drink for $11
What to know: Kristopher’s offers over 14 sauces with a wings special on Sundays and Mondays.
Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill
Location: 1524 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: Freedom Park
Price: 6 for $9 or 12 for $18
What to know: Flavor choices include blackened, garlic-parm, jerkiyaki, Buffalo hot, Buffalo medium, stinger, gold rush, bang-bang and Willie’s Southern fried.
Mac’s Speed Shop
Location: Multiple locations
Neighborhoods: Lake Norman, Matthews, Steele Creek, South End
Price: 6 for $12 or 12 for $24
What to know: They’re slow-smoked, then grilled and tossed in your choice of NC White BBQ, Western NC BBQ, Carolina BBQ, SC Mustard, VTX Chipotle, honey BBQ, dry rub, burn out or Buffalo.
Photo courtesy of The Jewell Agency.
McKoy’s Smokehouse and Saloon
Locations: 4630 Old Pineville Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217
Neighborhood: Colonial Village
Prices: 5, 10 and 20 available at market price
What to know: Wings are smoked in house with pecan wood and grilled over an open flame. Tossed in sauces such as buffalo, sweet BBQ, teriyaki, bar-balo, garlic parmesan, thai chili, honey habañero or calypso. Served with celery, carrots and your choice of ranch or blue cheese.
Midwood Smokehouse
Location: Multiple locations
Neighborhood: Ballantyne, Huntersville, Park Road, Plaza Midwood
Price: $12
What to know: You can get these wings smoked or crispy, dry rubbed or sauced. Sauces include Juan’s Hot Garlic Buffalo, Midwood Original, Spicy Habanero, NC Vinegar or SC Mustard.
Selwyn Pub
Location: 2801 Selwyn Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209
Neighborhood: Myers Park
Price: $9.95 for 6, $16.95 for 12 and $59.95 for 50.
What to know: Your choice of buffalo, blackened, bee sting, carolina gold or nitrol sauces and served with celery and ranch or blue cheese.
Seoul Food Meat Co.
Locations: 1400 S Church St. Suite A, Charlotte NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
Prices: 6 for $11, 10 for $16, 20 for $30 or 30 for $40
What to know: Customers can pick one or two flavors including naked wings, soy garlic, sweet and mild or spicy barbecue.
CharlotteFive’s Maddie Ellis and Alex Cason contributed to this story.
This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
