We wanted to know what the city’s wing masters are doing with their birds, so we traveled all 142 square miles of Detroit in search of the city’s best chicken wings, sifting through the salty, the fatty, the greasy, the gristly, and the delicious to compile a list of our best finds.

10. They Say 267 Joseph Campau St., Detroit; 313-446-4682, Photo courtesy of the Metro Times
They Say, which runs out of a historic building near Chene Park, lathers its wings in its sauces. That could be a mark against it when it starts to feel like you’ve got a mouthful of sauce that overwhelms the bird’s attributes, but They Say’s wings don’t reach that point — the sauces are solid enough that it works. Most memorable are the tangy zesty variety, though we also enjoyed the sweet chili. They Say avoids all the wing pitfalls and fry up around solid wings. Photo via IG user @west_warren_big_o
9. Common Pub 5440 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-285-8849 Photo via Common Pub Facebook page
Perhaps the most interesting and complex wings we encountered on the safari were the spicy orange wings made by Common Pub chef Zach Stotz. He makes the orange sauce by reducing orange juice, adding red wine vinegar, then tossing the bird with chile, sesame oil, garlic, sesame seeds, and ginger. His cornstarch batter complements instead of dominates the Amish wings’ texture and flavor. A great example of what can be done with wings with a little thought and creativity. Photo by Tom Perkins
8. ZamZam 11917 Conant St., Hamtramck; 313-893-9902 Photo via Google Maps
The Bangladeshi tandoori chicken wings are stained bright red from the mix of masala, cayenne, and other spices, and the meat falls from the bone after an extended stay in the clay oven. Photo via ZamZam Restaurant Facebook page
7. The Block 3919 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-0892 Photo via IG user @detroitsidedish
The Block has the best buffalo sauce in Detroit, and arguably far beyond the city. It’s preferable to have the wings tossed in the sauce instead of it receiving it on the side. The Block trades in some of the bigger birds in the city, and they are a bargain during happy hour. Photo via IG user @motorcityeater
6. Gather 1454 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313-638-1893 Photo via IG user @gather.detroit
These are the type of wings that leave a little sting on your tongue, but not too much so — Gather achieves the perfect heat level. What sets the deeply flavorful, green onion-studded wings apart is the dimension added by cooking them above open flame on a wood-fire grill. Served with plenty of green onions and a celery-yogurt sauce — it’s the best wing accompaniment in Detroit. Photo by Tom Perkins
5. Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles 19345 Livernois Ave., Detroit; 313-861-0229 Photo via IG user @mals27
Kuzzo’s wings radiate heat but not to an unbearable level and they are balanced by some unusual sweet notes. Its approach makes sense that you consider when they’re typically served next to waffles, and there’s lots of good flavor interplay to enjoy. These are top five wings made by pros. Photo by Tom Perkins
4. City Wings 2896 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; 313-871-2489 Photo via Yelp user Abe F.
You might be skeptical when you open your box of City Wings and find a small-ish pile of what could be the tiniest wings in Detroit. But City Wings proves that size doesn’t necessarily matter in the wing game. The medium buffalo wings are perfectly seasoned and soaked in a vinegary hot sauce, and the spice blend pushes them to the top of the “best wings” discussion. The menu is 18 varieties deep, and offering the customer something to think about with options like sweet chili or Caribbean jerk earns C.W. a bump in the standings. Photo via Tom Perkins
3. Sterling’s Old Style BBQ 18241 Plymouth Rd., Detroit; 313-493-9495 Photo via IG user @_sosbbq
Sterling’s wings — some of the biggest that we encountered — hang out for several hours on the smoker behind the west side barbecue shop, and the moist meat slips from the bones when owner Quentin Pearson pulls them from the grill. The smoky flavor is accented with the pop of the gritty rub and spice that drives the flavor. But, as we previously noted, there’s more to love about Sterling’s than just Pearson’s grillwork. Photo via IG user @_sosbbq
2. Slows Bar BQ 2138 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-962-9828 Photo via IG user @guitarnathan
Far and away the best plate on Slows’ menu is one that doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention — its wings. That’s because the deep flavor profile is unlike anything we’ve encountered in chicken wings, which chef Mike Metevia says is the result of a two-day marination and preparation process. A hot vinaigrette leaves its prints and plays well with a mellow smoky flavor — no sauce is needed. There’s no fryer in the equation, but the large Amish wings sit on the smoker for two-and-half hours, and the meat falls from the bone. This is the only recipe that never changed when the Slows team developed its menu years ago — they nailed it on the first try. Photo by Tom Perkins
1. Sweetwater Tavern 400 E. Congress St., Detroit; 313-962-2210 Photo via IG user @chelsea_frison
There’s reason to be skeptical of old-school Detroit restaurants considered to be the best at certain dishes. Oftentimes, what passed for good for decades is now mediocre. But Sweetwater, a perennial favorite for wings, doesn’t disappoint. These are what wings should be. Vinegary, spicy, and charred but still moist. Where mere mortals will pack wings with too much salt or rely heavily on cayenne and heat, the wing gods at Sweetwater know about balance and how to produce a piquant wing that lives up to the hype. Photo by Tom Perkins

Have something to share?

SEND US A NEWS TIP

Since 1980, Metro Times has been Detroit’s premier alternative source for news, arts, culture, music, film, food, fashion and more from a liberal point of view.