San Francisco is a bird town. Zuni Cafe on Market Street proves the point with its expertly-roasted chicken, as does Mister Jiu’s with its whole-roasted duck. San Francisco also boasts an impressive array of chicken wings, with saucy and crispy candidates in every pocket of the city. There are old timers like San Tung on Irving Street, drawing a crowd almost every night of the week, and newcomers such as Respectable Bird in the Excelsior. So while the parrots of Telegraph Hill are a whole other thing, these 15 wing destinations prove once again that San Francisco is for the birds — so to speak.
Read MoreWhere to Find the Crispiest Chicken Wings in San Francisco
The finest wings around town, from classic Buffalo to fiery gochujang
New Golden Daisy
This Chinatown deli, with meat hanging in the window, doesn’t mess around. New Golden Daisy specializes in wings, and only the drumettes, eschewing the flats and tips for a perfectly shaped mini-meat experience. The pricing runs by the pound, depending on how the ladies size you up that day, and this is definitely cash only. Grab takeout boxes of chow mein and fried rice, if so inclined.
Hot Sauce and Panko
Hot Sauce and Panko supplies the deep-fried bird for Russian Hill, offering a plethora of spicy and savory wings for takeout. Try the wings and waffle combo for the full experience.
Halal Wings Plus
Tenderloin spot Halal Wings Plus boasts wings that are indeed halal. They’re small but flavor-packed and come in varieties like spicy mango habanero, barbecue, and garlic Parmesan. These guys also do fun mashup items like tandoori quesadillas.
Square Pie Guys
These guys are best known for their Detroit-style pizzas, now available on both sides of the bay. But they’re also in on the fried chicken game, they’ve always had solid wings, and there’s something to be said for being able to order good pizza and wings together — what a beautiful bromance.
Foghorn Taproom
Foghorn should get more respect for its wings, of which they have a number of options ranging from expected flavors (lemon pepper, Buffalo, barbecue sauced) to the unexpected (pineapple basil, Tajin, hot honey crunch). But we also do love an inclusive wing spot: Foghorn offers Sundial vegan wings and tosses them in a sauce of choice.
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Wing Wings
Besides having a fun name, Wing Wings delivers on what they promise: more than 10 different sauce options, from the classic Buffalo to the Angry Korean. While OG owner Christian Ciscle is no longer in charge, the wing game remains strong.
Kezar Pub
Located right next to the former stadium of San Francisco’s own 49ers, Kezar Pub is a no-frills neighborhood pub that knows how to treat soccer fans right. Their famous Buffalo wings are tangy and delicious, and go great with the many beers they have on tap.
Cole Valley Tavern
This neighborhood pub in the cozy enclave of Cole Valley remains a reliable destination for a solid burger and a cold pint of beer, or an above-average cocktail and a plate of saucy wings. Choose from either pineapple or classic Buffalo sauce; both come with a side of bleu cheese dressing for dipping.
Um.ma
Um.ma brought Korean home cooking to the Inner Sunset, when Chris Oh rolled in with Los Angeles K-Town vibes. The Korean fried chicken wings are glazed with gochujang and honey, dusted with black and white sesame seeds, and adorned with crunchy diced Korean melon. They’re served stacked tall with mini Korean flags waving.
San Tung Chinese Restaurant 山東小館
San Tung is a full-service Chinese food restaurant, and the wings are one of a kind. Head to the Sunset for the specialty dry wings, which are deep-fried and flavored with ginger, red pepper, and garlic. Your sports buds (and taste buds) will be thanking you.
Moshi Moshi
Dogpatch Japanese restaurant Moshi Moshi does wings with attention to detail: Each one gets butterflied by hand before taking a dip in a garlic and chili marinade. Then they’re tossed on the grill for a nice char — order them with a hit of spice thanks to yuzu kosho or plain without.
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Prubechu
San Francisco’s only Chamorro restaurant serves dried fried wings that are unlike almost any others on this list. Each golden-hued wing sports a crispy “Prubechu Pork Spice” coating that’s boosted by coriander, fennel, and turmeric, chef Shawn Naputi told SFGATE. An order includes a side of lemony fina’denne, a traditional Chamorro dipping sauce.
Outer Orbit
A Mission-Bernal pinball bar with lots of fun beer, Outer Orbit’s menu skews Hawaiian. A great item to order would be the gojuchang chicken wings, 10 or five pieces to an order, with a creamy dipping sauce. Call ahead to order for pickup, or get delivery through a few different apps.
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Respectable Bird
Nested inside Rocks Den since December 2023, this pandemic-born food truck gained a fast following for chicken sandwiches and tremendous chicken tenders. The menu is simple: The wings come in orders of two pieces or four pieces, along with sides and cornbread muffins.
7 Mile House Sports Bar & Grill
Located on the edge of San Francisco in Brisbane, 7 Mile House is a historical landmark serving a unique mix of Italian and Filipino favorites — and an excellent stop for locals to watch practically any San Francisco sports game they desire. But among the hits is its selection of chicken wings. The Buffalo option is a given, but the Sriracha mayo or sweet chili are also favorites.
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