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6 Standout Barbecue Spots in Charleston

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A hand holding a chicken wing dipped in white sauce.
The dry-rubbed wings at Home Team are legendary.
Home Team BBQ

Charleston’s 13 Essential Chicken Wing Stops

From dry rub to Buffalo sauce

by Parker Milner and Erin Perkins Updated
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The dry-rubbed wings at Home Team are legendary.
| Home Team BBQ
by Parker Milner and Erin Perkins Updated
1 comment / new

Chicken wings — that messy appetizer that bar-goers are always after, often debating which destination has the best offering. The Lowcountry is, of course, filled with fried chicken, but it also has its fair share of establishments serving some quality chicken wings. Whether the occasion calls for smoked, fried, charred, dry-rubbed, or lathered in hot sauce — these destinations are the undisputed best 10 stops in Charleston for that essential bar snack.

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Nigel's Good Food

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Nigel’s Good Food is a North Charleston staple, with a second location in Ladson. Folks travel far and wide for Nigel’s very popular Geechie Wings. The chicken is battered, fried, and tossed in a homemade sweet-and-sour wing sauce.

3760 Ashley Phosphate Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418
(843) 552-0079
(843) 552-0079

Also featured in:

Holy City Brewing

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North Charleston’s Holy City Brewery pairs its beers with an extensive bar food menu — including wings. The chicken is smoked and then fried. Customers can choose from nine selections of rubs and sauces, including Nashville hot, Carolina gold barbecue, honey sambal, and more.

1021 Aragon Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 459-2948
(843) 459-2948

Also featured in:

Home Team BBQ

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Home Team BBQ’s smoked chicken wings are dry-rubbed with a touch of sweetness and served with a side of Alabama white sauce — customers looking for an extra kick can add the two-ounce Death Relish for good measure. Cool it down with a frozen Gamechanger — the restaurant’s take on a Painkiller.

126 Williman St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 225-7427
(843) 225-7427

Also featured in:

The Royal American

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The Royal American on Morrison Drive has a long list of cheap beer and food for guests looking to kick back. The Magic Wings are crispy and best finished with a spritz of lime, best followed by a sip of Miller High Life. The spice comes from Szechuan peppercorns.

970 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 817-6925
(843) 817-6925

Also featured in:

Moe's Crosstown Tavern

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Moe’s Crosstown, a cave of a sports bar, takes pride in its pub fare offerings, and the wings reflect, as they come freshly prepared with lots of meat on the bone. Find 15 different sauce options, including the sweet and spicy hot honey mustard and the diabolical Moe Hotter.

714 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 641-0469
(843) 641-0469

Also featured in:

Bay Street Biergarten

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Okay, it may be hard to stray from Bay Street Biergarten’s freaky tater tots, but the sports bar also offers up some delicious smoked chicken wings with the usual offerings plus pineapple Sriracha.

Pair with one of 30 tap beers and a game on the TV for a casual day with friends.

549 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 266-2437
(843) 266-2437

Also featured in:

Prohibition

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Most regard Prohibition for its nightlife or as a place to have an expertly crafted cocktail, but it should be known that the speakeasy-style restaurant also has some of the best wings in the Lowcountry. Chef Greg Garrison uses a Memphis dry rub, and the charred wings sit on top of an irresistible gorgonzola ranch.

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 793-2964
(843) 793-2964

Also featured in:

Charleston Beer Works

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King Street’s Charleston Beer Works is a place to drink beer, watch sports, and consume lots of chicken wings. The sports bar offers 15 different sauces, and patrons can order up to 100 wings at a time.

480 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 577-5885
(843) 577-5885

Also featured in:

The Brick

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Sports bar the Brick offers tons of wing flavors to pair with beers and football. There’s 18 flavors, including Old Bay, garlic parmesan, Buffalo ranch, and more.

24 Ann St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 998-6828
(843) 998-6828

Swig & Swine

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Barbecue spot Swig & Swine offers smoked wings in a variety of flavors: dry rub, barbecue, peanut butter and jelly, Alabama white, Tabasco honey, hot honey mustard, and white hot.

1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 225-3805
(843) 225-3805

Also featured in:

Gene's Haufbrau

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This classic Avondale dive naturally offers chicken wings alongside a menu filled with bar food staples. The wings come wet, tossed in one of eight sauces, or dry-rubbed in seasonings like lemon pepper or mesquite.

817 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 225-4363
(843) 225-4363

Also featured in:

The Griffon

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This renowned dive bar offers multiple sauce options on its chicken wings, most notably its famous “buffiyaki” creation.  Make sure to bring an extra dollar bill, as the Griffon’s walls are covered in George Washingtons stapled on by visitors looking to leave their mark.

18 Vendue Range, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-1700
(843) 723-1700

Also featured in:

Minero Mexican Grill & Cantina

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The wings at Mexican restaurant Minero are grilled over charcoal and then shaken up at your tableside with a liberal dousing of Valentina hot sauce. It’s smoky, tangy, and a little messy.

3140 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 278-8998
(843) 278-8998
Minero wings come covered in Valentina.
Andrew Cebulka

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Nigel's Good Food

3760 Ashley Phosphate Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418

Nigel’s Good Food is a North Charleston staple, with a second location in Ladson. Folks travel far and wide for Nigel’s very popular Geechie Wings. The chicken is battered, fried, and tossed in a homemade sweet-and-sour wing sauce.

3760 Ashley Phosphate Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418
(843) 552-0079
(843) 552-0079

Holy City Brewing

1021 Aragon Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405

North Charleston’s Holy City Brewery pairs its beers with an extensive bar food menu — including wings. The chicken is smoked and then fried. Customers can choose from nine selections of rubs and sauces, including Nashville hot, Carolina gold barbecue, honey sambal, and more.

1021 Aragon Ave, North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 459-2948
(843) 459-2948

Home Team BBQ

126 Williman St, Charleston, SC 29403

Home Team BBQ’s smoked chicken wings are dry-rubbed with a touch of sweetness and served with a side of Alabama white sauce — customers looking for an extra kick can add the two-ounce Death Relish for good measure. Cool it down with a frozen Gamechanger — the restaurant’s take on a Painkiller.

126 Williman St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 225-7427
(843) 225-7427

The Royal American

970 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403

The Royal American on Morrison Drive has a long list of cheap beer and food for guests looking to kick back. The Magic Wings are crispy and best finished with a spritz of lime, best followed by a sip of Miller High Life. The spice comes from Szechuan peppercorns.

970 Morrison Dr, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 817-6925
(843) 817-6925

Moe's Crosstown Tavern

714 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

Moe’s Crosstown, a cave of a sports bar, takes pride in its pub fare offerings, and the wings reflect, as they come freshly prepared with lots of meat on the bone. Find 15 different sauce options, including the sweet and spicy hot honey mustard and the diabolical Moe Hotter.

714 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 641-0469
(843) 641-0469

Bay Street Biergarten

549 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29403

Okay, it may be hard to stray from Bay Street Biergarten’s freaky tater tots, but the sports bar also offers up some delicious smoked chicken wings with the usual offerings plus pineapple Sriracha.

Pair with one of 30 tap beers and a game on the TV for a casual day with friends.

549 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 266-2437
(843) 266-2437

Prohibition

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Most regard Prohibition for its nightlife or as a place to have an expertly crafted cocktail, but it should be known that the speakeasy-style restaurant also has some of the best wings in the Lowcountry. Chef Greg Garrison uses a Memphis dry rub, and the charred wings sit on top of an irresistible gorgonzola ranch.

547 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 793-2964
(843) 793-2964

Charleston Beer Works

480 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

King Street’s Charleston Beer Works is a place to drink beer, watch sports, and consume lots of chicken wings. The sports bar offers 15 different sauces, and patrons can order up to 100 wings at a time.

480 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 577-5885
(843) 577-5885

The Brick

24 Ann St, Charleston, SC 29403

Sports bar the Brick offers tons of wing flavors to pair with beers and football. There’s 18 flavors, including Old Bay, garlic parmesan, Buffalo ranch, and more.

24 Ann St, Charleston, SC 29403
(843) 998-6828
(843) 998-6828

Swig & Swine

1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407

Barbecue spot Swig & Swine offers smoked wings in a variety of flavors: dry rub, barbecue, peanut butter and jelly, Alabama white, Tabasco honey, hot honey mustard, and white hot.

1217 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 225-3805
(843) 225-3805

Gene's Haufbrau

817 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407

This classic Avondale dive naturally offers chicken wings alongside a menu filled with bar food staples. The wings come wet, tossed in one of eight sauces, or dry-rubbed in seasonings like lemon pepper or mesquite.

817 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 225-4363
(843) 225-4363

The Griffon

18 Vendue Range, Charleston, SC 29401

This renowned dive bar offers multiple sauce options on its chicken wings, most notably its famous “buffiyaki” creation.  Make sure to bring an extra dollar bill, as the Griffon’s walls are covered in George Washingtons stapled on by visitors looking to leave their mark.

18 Vendue Range, Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 723-1700
(843) 723-1700

Minero Mexican Grill & Cantina

3140 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455

The wings at Mexican restaurant Minero are grilled over charcoal and then shaken up at your tableside with a liberal dousing of Valentina hot sauce. It’s smoky, tangy, and a little messy.

3140 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
(843) 278-8998
(843) 278-8998
Minero wings come covered in Valentina.
Andrew Cebulka

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