The Best, Crispiest Wings in San Francisco

The finest wings around town, from classic Buffalo to fiery gochujang

by Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri, and Eater Staff Updated Jan 7, 2025, 12:48pm PST

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by Dianne de Guzman, Paolo Bicchieri, and Eater Staff Updated Jan 7, 2025, 12:48pm PST

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 wings, with saucy and crispy candidates in every pocket of the city — perfect for when the Super Bowl is on the horizon, sure, but also any and every occasion outside of that sporting event. These 14 wing destinations prove once again that San Francisco is for the birds — so to speak.

New Golden Daisy

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This Chinatown deli, with meat hanging in the window, doesn’t mess around. New Golden Daisy specializes in crisp drumettes and wings for a perfect 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.

1041 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94108

(415) 392-0111

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Hot Sauce and Panko

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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 or any of the Double Hot options for a punch of heat.

1468 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109

(415) 387-1908

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D&N Hot Wings

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For those who must maintain a gluten-free diet, plenty of wings just won’t work, depending on the breading or flour used. At D&N Hot Wings in FiDi, this spot serves GF options but dairy-free offerings as well. There are 10 flavors to choose from, each with varying rates of spice, including the daring “Karamana — the Death Wish” made with Carolina Reapers and a prudent menu warning that reads, “No one should eat these without wearing gloves.”

215 Fremont Street, San Francisco, California 94105

(415) 757-0449

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Halal Wings Plus

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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 Boom Boom Fries, which come topped with fried chicken, jalapeños, and a house sauce.

533 Jones St, San Francisco, CA 94102

(415) 440-7786

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Square Pie Guys

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These guys are best known for their Detroit-style pizzas, now available on both sides of the bay. But they’re also big on fried chicken with an offering of solid wings, including Szechuan, Buffalo, lemon pepper, and plain. There’s something to be said for being able to order good pizza and wings together — what a beautiful bromance.

1077 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 872-9290

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Foghorn Taproom

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With three locations, 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 Impossible nuggets and tosses them in a sauce of choice, with vegan options clearly labeled.

450 Balboa St, San Francisco, CA 94118

(628) 280-1792

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Different styles of fried wings on a quarter sheet pan with lemon and lime wedges at Foghorn Taproom in San Francisco.

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Kezar Pub

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Located next to the former stadium of San Francisco’s own 49ers, Kezar Pub is a no-frills neighborhood bar 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.

770 Stanyan St, San Francisco, CA 94117

(415) 386-9292

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Um.ma

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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 double fried and glazed with a sauce of choice, including soy, honey, or a dry rub, if you’d like, and they arrive dusted with black and white sesame seeds. They’re served stacked tall with mini Korean flags waving.

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Capital One Dining

Book primetime tables set aside exclusively for eligible Capital One customers. Capital One Dining is the presenting partner of the Eater app .

1220 9th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94122

(415) 566-5777

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San Tung Chinese Restaurant 山東小館

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San Tung is a full-service Chinese food restaurant, and the wings are one of a kind (and a legend in San Francisco). 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 thank you.

1031 Irving St, San Francisco, CA 94122

(415) 242-0828

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Moshi Moshi

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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.

2092 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94107

(415) 861-8285

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Prubechu

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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.

2224 Mission St #A, San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 853-0671

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Outer Orbit

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A Mission-Bernal pinball bar with lots of fun beer, Outer Orbit’s menu skews Hawaiian. A great item to order would be the gochujang chicken wings, 10 or five pieces to an order, with a creamy dipping sauce.

3215 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110

(415) 574-6166

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Respectable Bird

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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.

4753 Mission Street, San Francisco, California 94112

(650) 754-6258

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7 Mile House Sports Bar & Grill

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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 barbecue and sweet chile garlic wings are also favorites.

2800 Bayshore Blvd, Brisbane, CA 94005

(415) 467-2343

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