Chicken Wing Challenge: 8 restaurants advance in search for best in metro Detroit

Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press
·3 min read
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The second round of voting in the 2023 Free Press Chicken Wing Challenge.
The second round of voting in the 2023 Free Press Chicken Wing Challenge.

The results are in.

We asked readers to vote for their favorite spots in the 2023 Free Press Chicken Wing Challenge, and thousands of votes came in. Here are the winners after Round 1:

  • The biggest winner was Sweetwater Tavern, in the heart of downtown Detroit, which got more than 80% of the votes against opponent Mavrix in Shelby Township.

  • There was an apparent upset. Uptown Grille in Commerce Township barely edged out Detroit Wicked Wingz – a pop-up known for its wood-smoked wings - by just 11 votes. Uptown was one of the last entries in our play-in round, and Wicked Wingz was among the most popular restaurants when we initially asked for suggestions.

  • In a Downriver matchup, Big League Brews in Taylor eked out a 51%-49% win against Allen Park’s Dunleavy’s.

  • City Wings in Detroit narrowly beat Royal Oak's O.W.L., with just a dozen votes separating the two.

  • Ann Arbor’s Side Biscuit got two-thirds of the votes in a win over Bigg’s Bar & Grill in Chesterfield.

  • Vinsetta Garage in Berkley was a big winner over The Block in Detroit, 63%-37%.

  • Livonia's One Under topped 342 Bar & Grill in Dearborn Heights, 63%-37%.

  • The Charlevoix in Grosse Pointe Park bested Southern Smokehouse in Detroit, 61%-39%.

Round 2

Now the next round of voting begins. You can vote for your favorites in the matchups below through noon Friday.

Side Biscuit vs. One Under Craft Beer & Eats

Side Biscuit, in Ann Arbor, is called a “small shack” slinging out chicken wings with a variety of sauces. Each week the chef comes up with a new flavor, readers say.

One Under is a family-owned craft bar and restaurant in Livonia, which got nods for its oversized and crispy wings offered with a variety of sauces. One Under was also noted for the good service, reasonable prices and beers on tap.

The Charlevoix vs. Uptown Grille

The Charlevoix's wings are one of the main choices on the menu of this neighborhood Grosse Pointe Park restaurant and bar. Its salt and vinegar and Thai wings were noted as favorites.

The wings at Uptown Grille in Commerce Township were called "juicy" and "large." The chicken wings are served with a variety of sauces including medium, hot, sweet and spicy and Korean barbecue, plus a Mediterranean dry rub.

Sweetwater Tavern vs. City Wings

Sweetwater Tavern in downtown Detroit spot has long been noted for its award-winning wings. The wings are marinated in their specially seasoned marinade for 24 hours and then deep-fried and seasoned again, according to its menu.

City Wings in Detroit, according to one voter, uses Amish chicken wings. The wings are made to order and offered with a selection of sauces.

Big League Brews vs. Vinsetta Garage

Big League Brews in Taylor is billed as a neighborhood sports bar serving up smoked wings or boneless wings. The wings are served naked (no sauce) or with a choice of nearly a dozen sauces.

Vinsetta Garage is in a former service station on Woodward in Berkley. On this menu are smoked jumbo wings served with Cholula wing sauce or, if you dare, house ghost chili sauce.

How restaurants were selected

We began by asking readers for their nominations for favorite chicken wings, looking for independent restaurants and not chains. After we received the nominations, we asked readers to narrow down the choices to round out the 16 restaurants battling here. Round 1 of voting was held Tuesday and Wednesday.

Results and future rounds

We’ll share Round 2 results on Monday. Rounds 3 and 4 will be next week, with the wing champion crowned on March 17.

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Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Chicken Wing Challenge: 8 advance in search for best in metro Detroit