With so many restaurants scattered across Knoxville, it might be hard to pick just one at which to celebrate this Friday. So, Knox News drummed up some support from reporters in the newsroom to compile this one-of-a-kind guide.
These are some of the best places to grab a wing (or 50), from downtown Knoxville to Farragut – and plenty of places between.
Got a bone to pick with our list? Join the Urban Knoxville group on Facebook to share your favorite spots in and around the city's core and to become part of the downtown discussion!
Big Kahuna Wings - Farragut and West Knoxville
Big Kahuna Wings puts the spotlight on chicken every year at World's Fair Park, which will host the 9th annual Big Kahuna Wing Festival on Sept. 4. But you don't have to wait a month to get your fingers on some wings – just be sure to pack a wet wipe when you visit Big Kahuna's West Knoxville or Farragut locations.
The Farragut location at 12828 Kingston Pikegreatly expanded earlier this month, adding 500 square feet of dining space and more than doubling its number of tables. But if Farragut is too far of a drive, just head across the street from West Town Mall to 7804 Montvue Center Way,where sweet and spicy flavors await.
Notable sauces: Bacon ranch, guasacaca and spicy garlic
Price range: $8.95 for five traditional pieces, $60.95 for 50 traditional pieces. $7.95 for six boneless pieces, $30.95 for 30 boneless pieces
For the non-wing eater: The southern caviar burger, topped with pimento, cheddar cheese, Applewood bacon, arugula, tomatoes and garlic aioli
Is this restaurant name a play on "so good," "soul food" or both? Regardless, the important thing is Soul Good doesn't playwhen it comes to tasty chicken — or any of its food, for that matter.
Trey Smith, offensive lineman for the University of Tennessee football team, participates in a wing-eating contest at Wild Wing Cafe on Feb. 10, 2020. Smith, who now plays in the NFL for the Kansas City Chiefs, was among multiple East Tennessee celebrities who participated in this Read City USA fundraising event, organized by Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.
Located at 1518 University Ave. and dangerously close to the Knox News office, the restaurant also has a food truck that occasionally makes the rounds, especially near the University of Tennessee campus.
Notable sauces: Honey gold, sweet heat and lemon pepper
Price range: $8 for six bone-in or boneless pieces, $67 for 50 bone-in or boneless pieces (as of June 2021)
For the non-wing eater: Golden Ring Fish Sandwich on Texas toast with lettuce, tomato, tartar sauce and an onion ring
Urban Bar & Corner Café - Old City
With exposed brick, carpeted floors and a digital juke box, Urban Bar & Corner Café isn’t the flashiest or most chic. But it does make for a chill spot to enjoy beer and a few wings with friends.
The Urban Bar & Corner Cafe, a smoker-friendly dive bar in the Old City, is known for catering to service industry workers in need of a drink after a long shift. But don't sleep on the food menu, which includes delicious wings in a variety of flavors.
Be warned: Smoking is allowed indoors, but the outdoor patio is one of the best for people watching throughout the entire city. Located at 109 N. Central St., this downtown dive will have your mouth watering and, depending on the sauce, your eyes watering too.
Price range: $15 for 10 bone-in wings, $65 for 50 bone-in wings
For the non-wing eater: Chimichanga with cheese, black beans, tomato, rice and covered in queso. Your choice of chicken, chorizo, beef or fajita veggies
South Coast Pizza - South Knoxville
Known more for putting toppings on pies than slapping sauces on wings, South Coast Pizza just might surprise you when it comes to its wing offerings.
South Coast Pizza on Sevier Avenue is a South Knoxville staple, but it's menu has more to offer than specialty pies. Spend $11 and get six wings, which can be served in a variety of flavors, from Korean BBQ to sweet garlic teriyaki.
This South Knoxville staple, located at 1103 Sevier Ave., has a handful of intriguing flavors and a large selection of craft beer for washing down wings. Or, just have yourself an entire Sevier Avenue evening by grabbing a beer from one of the neighborhood watering holes – all within walking distance of the restaurant and the Tennessee River.
Notable sauces: Thai chili, Valentina hot sauce and brown sugar dry rub
Price: $11 for six pieces
For the non-wing eater: Unsung Gyro pizza with an oil and garlic base, mozzarella, beef/lamb gyro, onion, tomato, feta and tzatziki
BucketHead Tavern - Downtown West
Here is another smoking bar that has a real fire for slinging wings in Knoxville. BucketHead Tavern lets its customers choose between breaded or naked, but the options don't stop there.
BucketHead Tavern is a Downtown West gathering spot for those who like to enjoy a smoke while they quench their thirst. But it's best to come hungry, too, as the full-service bar has a variety of wing flavors to choose from.
Located at 8039 Ray Mears Blvd., this neighborhood dive has seven sauces on the mild-to-hot scale, with Psychosis taking the top spot for heat. Enjoy a Vols game or play some pool between bites – just be sure to have water nearby.
Notable sauces: Thumbsucker, Hale's fire, double black diamond
Price range: $9 for eight pieces, $15 for 16 pieces
For the non-wing eater: Southwestern Border egg rolls with chicken, black beans, corn, spinach, Monterey jack cheese and jalapeno peppers. Served with Mex Ranch.
Wings Xpress has been serving up chicken wings in Knoxville for a decade, with the option to go boneless or oven-roasted.
Located at 5227 Clinton Highway, the restaurant always has the Vols games on its 80-inch TV and a cover over its patio. With 11 flavors to choose from, Wing Xpress can satisfy the hottest or most mild of cravings.
Price range: $7.49 for 10 pieces, $58.99 for 100 pieces. $9.49 for 10 boneless or oven-roasted wings
For the non-wing eater: Fried bologna sandwich, served on a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion
Tommy Trent’s – Market Square
When you think sports bar, you think wings. Tommy Trent’s offers six variations, all aptly named after baseball pitches. Whether you want something sweet, spicy or in between, fantastic flavors await you at 36 Market Square.
Enjoy these flavors while watching your favorite team on TV or on the outdoor patio, which spans from the Market Square mall to Strong Alley. You know, the one with the graffiti and string lights?
Notable Sauces: The four-seamer, the slider, and the changeup dry rub
Price: $12 for six pieces
For the non-wing eater: The Iverson all-beef hot dog with caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and house-made beer cheese.
