It’s September, also known as the month when pizza starts to look lonely when sitting on a plate unaccompanied by its fall sidekicks: chicken wings.
Whether you like your wings fried or smoked, covered in sauce or a simple dry rub, flavored with spicy chile or blueberry barbecue sauce, the Bay Area has just about every kind of chicken wing one could fantasize about on an NCAA Saturday or NFL Sunday.
Here are some of our favorites, new and old. Many of these places aren’t sports bars, so plan your takeout or delivery orders accordingly.
Norm’s Place (Danville)
Customers enjoy happy hour while at Norm’s Place in Danville. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
When Ben Seabury purchased this 20-year-old Danville restaurant, Norm’s Place, last year, he knew he wanted to make major improvements to the menu, the kitchen, the furniture, the bar area, the outdoor space and the entire architecture of the building. He even purchased the adjacent property, leveled one of the walls and connected the two spaces to create an ultimate live entertainment experience.
But there’s one thing Seabury knew he wasn’t going to change at all: the chicken wings ($18 for 10).
“No way,” he said. “These wings are famous. It’s a secret recipe with a secret dry rub that makes it arguably one of the best wings around. We coat them, bread them, deep-fry them and serve them with ranch and blue cheese. Everything is made in-house. They’re moist and crispy, mini, breaded pieces of heaven.”
Agreed.
Details: Open Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on the weekends, at 356 Hartz Ave. in Danville; normsgrille.com
Pho Ha Noi (Cupertino, Fremont, Milpitas, San Jose, Palo Alto)
The Vietnamese wings at the Pho Ha Noi restaurants in the Bay Area are coated in a sauce of savory nuoc cham and garlic. (Linda Zavoral/Bay Area News Group)
Since we first discovered these garlic & fish sauce wings a few years ago, entrepreneur Helen Nguyen has expanded from two restaurants to five. She opened lavishly appointed locations of her popular Pho Ha Noi restaurant in Fremont and Milpitas and has taken over a huge downtown Palo Alto space.
More wings in more places!
These free-range chicken wings are deep-fried, then tossed in a sauce of garlic and nuoc cham. There’s extra sauce in the bottom of the platter so that we fish sauce lovers can dip some more. Refreshing slices of lightly pickled carrot and daikon come on the side ($12-$14.50 for six wings, depending on the location).
Details: Most restaurants open daily for lunch and dinner; Milpitas is closed on Tuesdays. https://phohanoi.com/
Ghostwood Kitchen (Redwood City)
The blueberry barbecue wings from Ghostwood Kitchen in Redwood City add a seasonal sweetness to this football season snacking favorite. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)
Ghostwood Kitchen, which brands itself as a neighborhood brewpub, opened in summer 2023. Thanks to its numerous TVs and spacious interior, it’s grown into a sports bar – one that’s cover-free and family-friendly, with an arcade.
The restaurant pairs its wings ($16) with a selection of sauces, including dry lemon pepper, blueberry barbecue, tequila lime jalapeño, mild buffalo or teriyaki. The blueberry barbecue sauce was a great alternative for people who like their wings spice-free but still flavor-dense. Looking to diversify your next gametime snack platter? Go for the restaurant’s “Ghostwood Trio” snack set ($25), which gives visitors the option to pick three of the following: fries, cheese curds, fried pickles, brussels sprouts, fried shrimp, chicken bites, or wings.
Details: Open 12-9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Thursday, 12-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday at 911 Main St, Redwood City; ghostwood.com.
Batch & Brine (Lafayette)
The smoked dry-rubbed Memphis wings at Batch & Brine in Lafayette. Who wants a dry wing? At this Contra Costa gastropub, you will. Though Buffalo and teriyaki styles are available, the smoked wings with Memphis dry rub are the way to go ($16 for eight wings). Something about the cooking method seems to lock in all the juices, leaving you with supremely tender, smoke-kissed meat and a spice crust best described as “crack.” It’s OK to say that — wing aficionados use the term all the time.
Stuart Swanson, of El Cerrito, chats with Olivia Ventura, of Berkeley, while having lunch at the Batch & Brine restaurant in Lafayette, Calif., on Friday, March 22, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
And then there are the sauces: ranch, apricot mustard, blue cheese, Calabrian chile aioli. A great strategy is getting the wings and dipping them in the Alabama white sauce, whose creamy-vinegar zing perfectly complements the hot, smoky chicken.
Details: Open for lunch and dinner daily at 3602 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette; batchandbrine.com
Jake’s and The Garret (Saratoga, Sunnyvale, Campbell, Los Gatos, Willow Glen)
This venerable South Bay chain, launched in Saratoga and Campbell in the 1970s, has been winning raves for its pizza since those days. But don’t sleep on the wings ($17.95 for 10, with carrots, celery and either ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce).
If you’re not a fan of the ubiquitous, fiery Buffalo style, you may always be on the lookout for flavors that don’t scald your tongue. Each of these locations offers five or six flavors: a lemon-pepper dry rub, mild barbecue, golden barbecue, citrus chipotle, mango habanero and, of course, Frank’s Red Hot for those who want enough heat to match a sizzling Niners game.
Can’t decide? Try the citrus chipotle, a nicely sauced, juicy wing with a touch of orange and just enough heat on the back end.
Details: Find the five addresses and their hours at www.jakessouthbay.com.
Lucky Three Seven, Oakland
The chicken wings with lumpia and dipping sauce at Lucky Three Seven in Oakland, Calif. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group)
This bare-bones corner joint on Oakland’s Fruitvale Avenue draws lines for its down-home Filipino cooking, served to-go or for eating on outside counters. It sells wings by the single piece ($2.50), giving diners room to order other tasty things: coconut-chicken adobo, pork longanisa with fried egg, 7-inch lumpia that crackle like crispy cigars.
The Filipino restaurant Lucky Three Seven in Aug. 2025 in Oakland, Calif. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group)
Many folks in the East Bay swear by the “G-Fire Wings,” which are freshly fried and sprinkled with chopped scallions and sesame seeds. The soy-based glaze is sweet – almost dessert-level – and sticky in a good way. Pair it with a side of garlic rice, and let the juices soak in for a satisfying snack.
Details: Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday at 2868 Fruitvale Ave., Oakland; lucky-three-seven.com
The Farm (Palo Alto)
This newly opened all-day cafe, located just off the end of California Avenue, specializers in brunch and lunch — avocado toast, Belgian waffles, salads, pizza and such. But we were intrigued by the description of the wings ($14 for six, which includes a side of salad or potatoes).
The kitchen marinates meaty drums and flats from Mary’s Organic Chicken, then bakes them instead of deep-frying. This results in tender, moist wings. And they sport a sprinkling of Mediterranean herbs and spices, a different kind of savory for your football snacking. Is that a touch of sumac we detect?
Details: Open from 7 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. weekends until 9 p.m. at 2450 Park Blvd., Palo Alto; https://dinefarmfresh.com
Fire Wings (Alameda, Hayward, San Mateo, Saratoga, San Jose, Oakland, Pinole, Pittsburg, Vallejo, Santa Rosa)
At Fire Wings, which has locations around the Bay Area, a wide array of wing customizations are available, with 20 flavors, abundant dipping sauces and bone-in or boneless variants. These are boneless mango habanero and garlic parmesan wings. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)
Founded in Sacramento in 2015, Fire Wings has expanded dramatically since then, slinging wings in over 20 varieties throughout more than 35 locations, mainly in Northern California, but also southern California and Texas.
The brand has seven classic wing flavors, seven dry rub flavors, and seven fusion flavors, so there really is a wing for every palate – from the spice-intolerant to the heat-hungry. The mango habanero wings, rated a two flames out of three, according to the Fire Wings website, were piquant and flavorful. Meanwhile, a vibrant marinara sauce paired with the garlic parmesan dry-rub wings provided a heat-free alternative.
Details: Hours vary by location; firewings.com.
Social Bird, Lafayette
The “KFC” Korean Fried Chicken wings with apricot glaze and herbed dipping sauce at Social Bird in Lafayette, Calif. (John Metcalfe/Bay Area News Group)
KFC is all over the place now. Not Colonel Sanders, but Korean fried chicken, popularized by over-the-ocean chains like Bonchon and recognized for its supremely crispy batter and fiery seasonings.
Esin and Curtis deCarion, who own Esin Restaurant & Bar and Revel Kitchen & Bar in Danville, offer a zhuzhed-up version of KFC at this chic restaurant in Lafayette. It starts with quality Mary’s Chicken, both wings and drumettes, and a batter that is meatier than most and crumbles almost like cookies. A sweet-sour apricot glaze with a slight spiciness is drizzled on top, and the wings are dipped in a fresh-herb white sauce ($16.50 for six or seven). Pair them with a local draft beer, or one of the bar’s takes on the Moscow Mule.
Details: Open 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 3593 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette; social-bird.com
Home Eat (Santa Clara, Cupertino, San Jose, Sunnyvale, Fremont, Milpitas)
Home Eat fans say the Classic Dry Fried Chicken Wings with Sweet Soy Sauce are a must order. (Bay Area News Group)
Founded in 2015, Home Eat (also known as Fashion Wok) evolved from a Taiwanese-style eatery with hot pots to what its owners describe as a restaurant that “combines Sichuan, Hunan, Taiwan and independently developed fusion dishes.”
The 10-page menu is offered for lunch and dinner 365 days a year, and until 11:30 most nights.
Out of all those dishes on the massive menu, the classic dry fried chicken wings with sweet soy sauce are a top seller– and by far the most commented-on dish on Home Eat’s Yelp pages.
Fried to order, the piping-hot wings deliver moist chicken encased in a crackling exterior that’s sweet and garlicky. Bits of chile pepper are sprinkled on top.
Details: Find addresses, hours at www.homeeat.com
Southside Station (Berkeley)
Thai wings and crispy-fried chicken thighs at Southside Station in Berkeley. (@eatsouthsidestation on Instagram)
It’s not the most elegant location – a counter-service spot in the galaxy of characterless restaurants that cater to UC Berkeley – but rest assured they know how to treat a wing. Owner Louie Chaivisut is a Le Cordon Bleu grad who ran a popular fried-chicken popup at Berkeley’s Cheese Board. Here, his specialty is Thai-style JUMBO wings (the menu uses all caps), expertly fried and coated in a “zing powder” that makes everything dang near irresistible ($14 for five wings).
The chicken is dry-marinated in garlic, onion, sugar and pepper, then lightly fried and dusted with that powder, which is a mix of chiles, rice and lime. You can dunk the wings in creamy Sriracha sauce, but they’re juicy and complex enough to not require it. Meanwhile, vegetarians can opt for the Dusty Tofu which is fried organic tofu nuggets sprinkled with that same magic dust ($15).
Details: Open daily for lunch and dinner at 2504 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; eatsouthsidestation.com
State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria, Los Altos and Redwood City
For those looking for a gluten-free or vegetarian alternative to chicken wings this upcoming football season, State of Mind Pizza House serves cauliflower “wings,” coated in buttermilk, breaded in gluten-free flour and fried, then topped with sauce. In this case, it’s the chipotle cola barbecue sauce. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)
When brothers Lars and Andrew Smith were planning the menu for their pizzeria about a decade ago, they knew they wanted wings – mainly because they, alongside their dad, had long been wing fanatics, devotees of the offerings from shops like Chicken University and Wicked Chicken.
“Our wing-eating history is strong,” Lars says. So to make their own, they sought out high-quality chicken, crafted their sauces from scratch and developed a selection that serves a spectrum of heat preferences. In general, the buffalo and chipotle cola barbecue sauces are most popular, but they also offer habanero orange, jalapeno lime and ghost pepper glazes (the spiciest of the menu offerings), he says.
To accommodate some dietary restrictions, they also developed vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free cauliflower “wings,” soaked in buttermilk, breaded in a gluten-free flour and fried until crispy.
Buffalo wings are among the types of chicken wings available on the menu at State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria in Redwood City. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)
As for football season, you can get your snacks to go – they offer takeout up to catering-sized orders – or stick around. They have cable and offer all-day happy hours on Mondays – ideal for Monday Night Football – and since they don’t have table service, you won’t be pushed out the door before the game’s over.
“We try to make it a fun place for community gatherings during sports or after sports because we love that energy,” Smith says.
Details: Open 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday and 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 3710 Florence St, Redwood City, and 101 Plaza N, Los Altos; stateofmindpublichouse.com.
Mr. Lee Chicken (Concord)
The original fried chicken wings at Mr. Lee Chicken in Concord (photo by Jason Mastrodonato/Bay Area News Group).
Maybe it’s been a long day — or a long week, month or even year (cue the “Friends” theme song) — and you’re in need of a warm, comfortable, crispy food to soothe your soul and light up your taste buds. Mr. Lee’s chicken wings ($15.99 for 10) are what you’ve been looking for.
Every bite comes with a crunch, with the flaky-fried skin so tasty it’ll have you scooping the crumbs out of the bottom of the container. The meat is juicy, hot and tender. The flavor is simple and not too salty, allowing the immaculate textures to lead the way. It’s the way fried chicken should be.
Inside the restaurant, the vibe is chill. Customers drink beer and watch sports at the small bar area. Some are playing pool in the adjacent party room. K-Pop plays on the speakers. Take a load off, relax and indulge.
Details: Open daily 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and until 11 p.m. on the weekends, at 1651 Willow Pass Rd. in Concord; mrleechicken.com.
San Tung (San Francisco)
Every now and then you come across a bite of food so good you can’t quite put your finger on the one thing that makes it delicious. Usually it’s because it wasn’t one thing; it was all the things. The flavor combination. The way it was cooked. The texture. The chewing experience. Sometimes it all works in perfect harmony, like a precisely choreographed orchestra in which every instrument is being played at a world-class level.
Maybe it’s the expertly fried, ultra-meaty-but-not-so-meaty-it’s-suspicious chicken that makes San Tun’s wings ($18.50 for a dozen) the best around. Maybe it’s the sweet chile sauce that doesn’t taste spicy until you’ve finished your meal and realize your tongue is still stinging.
It’s hard to say exactly why the original dry-fried chicken wings from San Tun are the best things you’ve eaten in months. You just know they are.
At San Tung in San Francisco, the original dry fried chicken wings are fried in batter with garlic, ginger and roasted red peppers, then tossed in a sweet chili sauce (photo by Jason Mastrodonato/Bay Area News Group).
Pro tip: Order ahead, skip the hour-long-line of hangry customers, walk straight in, go to the back and grab your food. You aren’t at San Tun to make friends.
Details: Open Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and 4:30 to 8 p.m. at 1031 Irving St. in San Francisco; santungsf.com.
Wing Bros (Antioch, Brentwood)
Mango habanero and buffalo sauce is leaking out of the box at Wing Bros in Antioch, and immediately you know what you signed up for: a flavor explosion that is sure to require a fist full of napkins and multiple wet wipes.
No, Wing Bros isn’t here to facilitate a high-end dining experience. These wings ($10.80 for six, $14.70 for 10) are covered in sauce, slippery to hold and likely to stain the corners of your mouth and crevices of your fingertips. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
Details: Open daily, 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on the weekends, at 8610 Brentwood Blvd. in Brentwood, and in the Empire Shopping Center in Antioch; wing-bros.restaurants-world.com.
