Where to Find the Best Chicken Wings in San Diego

New this update: The duck-fat-fried wings at Rosemarie’s Buns and Brews Encinitas and Ocean Beach.

Rosemarie’s Buns and Brews

This mini burger chain and beer haven with locations in Ocean Beach and Mission Beach has a new outpost in Encinitas that features destination-worthy chicken wings. At Rosemarie’s Encinitas and Ocean Beach, find duck-fat-fried wings in flavors like Little Munchies (honey buffalo sauce with ranch zig-zags and blue cheese crumbles), teriyaki, mango habanero, and Oak Steak barbecue. Wings can be ordered by the dozen ($18.50) or half dozen ($9.26), each plate best paired with whatever’s new on draft.

Bonchon Village Way

The South Korea–based chain, which now has two locations in the San Diego area, kicked off the local influx of Korean-style fried chicken. Its twice-fried chicken wings come with either a soy-garlic or spicy glaze or a mix of the two. The vibe inside is relatively austere, but the crackling, crispy, fatty drumsticks are worth the visit, whether dining in or taking out.

Cross Street Chicken and Beer

The appeal of this chicken spot, which has outposts in Kearny Mesa and Carmel Valley, is the variety of seasonings offered when it comes to customizing its oversized chicken wings. The trendy Korean style is represented through its Seoul spicy and soy-garlic flavors, but there’s also Nashville hot, lemon pepper, garlic-parmesan, and more. The ice-cold beers on hand only enhance the experience.

Golden Chopsticks Restaurant

This outpost of a longstanding Chinese restaurant from National City provides more access to its legendary salt-and-pepper chicken wings, fried to a crackly crisp and showered with toasted garlic and green onions. Order it along with a bowl of shrimp fried rice. The casual cafe vibe makes this a solid choice for a no-fuss weekend or weeknight dinner.

Tenkatori Miramar

Karaage, or Japanese fried chicken, is renowned for a delicate light crunch achieved by a potato starch coating. This local branch of a famous Japanese restaurant, whose karaage recipe dates back decades, fries its chicken wings to order; enjoy them with homemade sauces like a bright yuzu aioli or in a bento box with fluffy mashed potatoes and rice.

Spicy Lao Kitchen

Among the more fiery dishes at this Southeast Asian restaurant is the milder but still aromatic tom yum chicken wings. Dusted with a seasoning mix that evokes the flavors of the hot and sour soup, the wings are fried to a piping-hot, greaseless crisp. The restaurant dining room is mercifully casual; get these to go or dine in with friends and family.

Pelicana Chicken SD

A mega-chain in South Korea, where it operates thousands of restaurants, this Korean fried chicken brand offers its chicken wings sauceless, flavored with mind-bogglingly savory cheese powder, or glazed with smoky-hot, garlic, and hot chili sauces. If you can’t choose between smoky mayo and honey soy marinades, get an order that’s half-and-half. The wings hold up just as well for takeout as they do freshly slung from the restaurant’s kitchen.

bb.q Chicken Convoy

This Korean-based brand returned to San Diego and now boasts locations throughout the San Diego area, in addition to its Convoy Street restaurant. Its twice-fried chicken wings are available in a number of inventive flavors, including maple syrup with garlic and butter, Chinese mala seasoning, and gangjeong sauce, which incorporates soy sauce with cinnamon and chilies. A couple of televisions propped in the corners of the dining room make this a low-key spot for game days as well.

Phuong Trang

The well-established Vietnamese restaurant has a vast menu of hundreds of dishes but one of its signatures is its chicken wings, often ordered in party platter-sized portions, which come fried with garlic and butter or in a sweet and savory fish sauce glaze. They require extra time — so make sure to order them first. Expect a homey, diner-style interior with just as many bowls of steaming pho flying out of the kitchen as wings.

Dirty Birds

At this locally owned sports bar, which has five outposts across the city, chicken wings take center stage with a whopping 37 different options for sauces and seasonings. Go with classic Buffalo or barbecue or turn up the heat with mango-habanero or scorching ghost pepper. Ultimately, no matter what flavor you choose, something cooling on the side, like classic ranch or blue cheese, will complement.

OB Noodle House Bar 1502

A family-owned restaurant that’s so popular it operates two locations in OB, this noodle house and bar offers similar pan-Asian menus highlighted by its best snack, chicken wings that are marinated in garlic and spices and served with ranch. The relaxed dining room gets interest from a red-leafed tree sprouting from its center.

Knotty Barrel

The East Village gastropub, which also runs its own brewery, has become popular for its “knotty wings” which come in traditional buffalo, garlic Parmesan, and spicy sweet chili, as well as a straightforward dry rub. Chase the heat with a cucumber margarita. The string-light-lit patio with fire pits is the place to be when the weather allows.

Bub's at the Ballpark

The Petco Park-adjacent sports bar is a hub for game-watching and offers grilled chicken wings in a multitude of flavors, from dry-rubbed bourbon brown sugar wings to sweet-and-savory combinations like Korean barbecue and Thai peanut sauce. More fiery options include the honey habanero, as tongue-searing as it is sweet. Diners can expect holiday lights dripping from the ceilings and all the wood-laden markings of a traditional pub.

Royal Mandarin

This is one of the decades-old Chinese restaurants in National City known for addictively tasty “crack wings,” aka salt-and-pepper chicken wings — behemoth batches that are topped with sliced green onion and red pepper flakes, and often sold by the party tray. The takeout trays are an ideal option for a big game-day event you’re hosting at home, or even for bringing a tray to someone else’s pad to reduce their hosting workload.