Before filling in your March Madness bracket, make picks in our Best Brevard Wings bracket
Editors note: All of our matchups below give you a chance to vote, scroll down and choose your favorites for wings!
Get ready: Selection Sunday is March 12, and you only have two days to fill out your NCAA basketball March Madness bracket.
We know March Madness is a time of intense anxiety, anticipation and fierce loyalty. We try to use strategy when identifying the strongest players, but in the end, heart wins over head. We opt for loyalty.
We also know March Madness is a time of intense snacking.
So before you choose your NCAA basketball winners, make your picks in our 321 Flavor Favorite Wings bracket. We've got 16 wing spots representing Brevard's north, south, central and beaches. So do your research, and dig in four rounds of fun.
South Brevard
Broken Barrel Tavern vs. Big Shot Bob’s House of Wings
Relative newcomer Big Shot Bob's, 1270 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, opened in January 2021 and is coming in hot with 100 sauces and an all-you-can-eat wing night. But Broken Barrel, 4700 Babcock St. N.E., Palm Bay, has proven it can stand the test of time. It's been one of South Brevard's favorite sports bars since April 2009, with an extensive beer selection, trivia nights and, of course, wings.
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Lizzy's Soul Food vs. Chumley's Depot
At Lizzy's, 1301 E. University Blvd., Melbourne, the name says it all, with dishes such as chitterlings, smothered pork shops and oxtail. It's also got some fantastic wings, and took the People's Choice award in January at the Space Coast Wing Battle in Wickham Park. As for Chumley's Depot, it's definitely the little sports bar that could. We know it's got several wing flavors on the menu, but we've never gotten past the hot wings with Marcus Sauce.
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Beachside
Coasters Pub and Biergarten vs. Bunky’s Raw Bar and Seafood Grille
Yes, Coasters, 971A E. Eau Gallie Blvd., beachside Melbourne, has a Cocoa Beach location, too, but we're going with the original, which opened in 1989. We love the beer (and wine) on tap at Coasters. We love the cozy biergarten. And we love the wings. Meanwhile, at Bunky's, 2372 N. State Road A1A, Indialantic, seafood may be the star, but what better way to chase a dozen oysters than with a pound of wings?
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Sandbar Sports Grill vs. Frankie’s Wings and Things
Just steps from the ocean, the Sandbar, 4301 Ocean Beach Blvd., Cocoa Beach, is all about fun, with music, tropical drinks and a 2 a.m. closing time. It's all about the wings, too, whether you prefer traditional flaming Buffalo or Joey style, smothered with hot buffalo and barbecue sauces. Frankie's, 281 W. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, definitely is the OG of wings in Brevard County, the first location having opened in the mid-'80s. Yes, we know there's one in Melbourne, but for this matchup, we're looking beachside. (The original Frankie's, by the way, was a 10-seater on Merritt Island, opened, in part, because the Calabrese family couldn't find decent wings when they moved down from upstate New York, according to a 2013 FLORIDA TODAY story.)
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
North
Rising Tide Tap & Table vs. The Hero's Grill
Upscale-casual Rising Tide, 523 Glen Cheek Drive, Port Canaveral, only has one version of wings on its menu, but it's a good one: smoking hot wings that are hardwood-smoked, flash fried and served with house-made sauce and a pickled pepper blue cheese dipper. While veteran-owned The Hero's Grill, 1300 South St., Titusville, doesn't boast Rising Tide's sunset views, when we asked a North Brevard native where to find the best wings in her area, she didn't hesitate: "Hero's, without a doubt."
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Third Culture Kitchen vs. Dogs R Us
Third Culture, 1000 Cheney Highway, Titusville, opened in 2018, bringing a global fusion of flavors, craft cocktails and soy brined, braised and fried crispy Asian-style wings to North Brevard. At Dogs R Us, 4200 S. Washington Ave., Titusville, hot dogs may get top billing, but wings there are "almost famous," according to the menu. Look for 13 flavors ranging from Screamer (do we need to tell you those are the hottest?) to Hawaiian.
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Central
Twisted Birch Sports Bar & Grill vs. So-Ju Chikn'
Twisted Birch, 1279 Admiralty Blvd., Rockledge, has bottomless mimosas for Sunday brunch, gorgeous views of the Turtle Creek golf course and the game on TV. It's also got wings. Lots of them. They're the first thing on the menu, fried to your preferred level of crisp and tossed in sauce. In contrast, So-Ju Chickn', 1270 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, is all about chicken with an Asian flair. Sauces include Da Red Sauce, which is a little spice, Honey Sriracha and So-Ju Secret, a dry rub.
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Time Out Plus Sports Bar vs. Chez Quan's
If you're looking to watch a game, any game, Time Out, 607 Florida Ave., Cocoa Village, is the spot. There are TVs everywhere, inside and on the spacious front patio. It's also the spot for wings, whether you like them scorching hot, with bourbon glaze or somewhere in between. It's hard to classify Chez Quan's, 1470 Aurora Road, Melbourne. It's got some of the best Thai food around, as well as Picadillo, Philly cheese steaks and meatball subs. It's also got wings, and we love them. Especially with sweet Thai chili sauce.
Using the app? Click here to vote in the poll.
Suzy Fleming Leonard is a features journalist with more than three decades of experience. Reach her at sleonard@floridatoday.com. Find her on Facebook: @SuzyFlemingLeonard or on Instagram: @SuzyLeonard.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: March Madness bracket 2023: Vote for the best wings in Brevard
