Fletcher Daniel

S - Tier: 

Duff's Famous Wings: Buffalo, NY

This spot will never be dethroned on this list. Duff's will forever and always be goated in my heart, as the first chicken wing spot I ever went to as kid, their sauce can literally make you sweat. It is literally a warning to not go hotter than their medium sauce, and for good reason. Duff's sauce has a famous disclaimer: “Medium is hot; medium hot is very hot; hot is very very hot”. If you have the chance and are passing through Buffalo, NY make sure to stop in, order ten, medium, extra crispy with a side of fries and an extra blue cheese, and toast my late father. This was his spot. 

Wingnutz: Buffalo, NY

In recent years, Wingnutz has been on the rise in snowy Buffalo, and for good reason. They have (arguably) the best wings in Buffalo. Endorsed by Buffalo Bills star quarterback Joshua Patrick Allen, this spot hosts some of the crispiest, spiciest wings the Queen City has to offer. With a patented sauce that can make you cry tears of spicy joy, they've really perfected their sauce!

Anchor Bar: Buffalo, NY

The birth-place of the Buffalo wing. Like Duff's being goated, this spot can never be brought down my list. It's where I with my family, my boys, and a few ex-girlfriends all while growing up, and I always make sure to stop in whenever I am in town! Their sauce is amazing, and will give you the perfect amount of spicy snot (a term given for the runny nose you get when consuming some mad spicy food!) If you go into the location in Williamsville, that was my stomping ground. Ask a few people if they know me, the staff may smile, and the patrons may throw their celery at you, but hey this Buffalo boy has a reputation. Whether it's good or bad depends on who you ask

A - Tier:

Bar-Bill Tavern: East Aurora, NY

This is going to ruffle some feathers…good. Bar-bill Tavern is the dark horse among the best wings in Buffalo. The most famous wing hailing from the Southtowns (any town adjacent to or south of Buffalo). They do have a terrific sauce but the problem is that it always felt longing to me, like it wanted to be something better when it grew up. I will say however, they have the best crispiness in the game, and I am not afraid to admit that. If you're headed down to ski Holiday Valley, Kissing Bridge, or any other of the beautiful ski resorts in the Southtowns and Southern Tier of Western New York, stop in, you won't regret it!

Humble Hog: Knoxville, TN

The chicken wings at the Humble Hog in Knoxville, TN are by the best wing I have ever tasted outside of Buffalo, NY. Everything about this wing just feels right, from the immaculate dry rub they put on the wing, to the perfect smokey flavor that encapsulates the entire meal. Paired with their legendary and perfectly spicy habanero barbeque sauce things wings should be on your list of reasons to stop in the city of Knoxville. The only spot where points were lost wasn't in quality but in quantity. Back in my hometown, 10 wings in an order was the standard. However, at the Humble Hog 6 to 7 is the quantity in one order. That being my only gripe, I cannot recommend an order of wings enough to any patron that goes to this restaurant. They have something truly special in their sauce.

B - Tier:

Dinosaur BBQ: Rochester, NY

While Dinosaur BBQ, is not solely a wing place I have had their wings. These wings are grilled instead of fried which does sadly affect their crispiness and that is why I had to knock them down to the B-tier. However, they are ALWAYS smoked correctly and the flavor is always jam packed in both the chicken wing itself and their fantastic spicy BBQ sauce! These are ones you won't regret!

C - Tier

Friedman's: New York, New York

I have to give Friedman's a lot of credit! This has been the first wing with any sort of breading that I have actually enjoyed! What they're doing in that kitchen is nothing short of professional! So why just the C - Tier? One of the important factors of wing preparation comes down to how they measure up to the top-dogs in the game. The hot sauce was good but the thickness of it threw me off. Not to contradict myself, but chicken wings SHOULD NEVER BE BREADED. When chicken wings are breaded they're one step away from being a chicken finger! On top of that the hot sauce was not incredibly spicy, and it left me wanting more out of the wings themselves. I will end on the fact that the level of crispiness WAS in fact just right, however, points where once again lost because the crispiness was more provided by the breading than the actual wing itself! However, if you're in Manhattan and you see Friedman's make sure you stop in their food is SUPERB!

D - Tier: 

Bareburger: New York, NY

~Sigh~ Bareburger chicken wings just aren't on point. Yes, Bareburger like it's name suggests is a burger joint, but chicken wings are a classic bar food, if you're going to serve gourmet bar food, make your chicken wings correctly. There aren't a lot of things I can say about these wings. The hot is a Buffalo mild, they aren't super crispy. If you're gonna serve wings, serve them right. Make them a hotter and crispier, and you got yourself a good chicken wing!