Chicken Wing War 2025: The Best Wings in Anne Arundel County

We covered donuts in the winter (and gained a few holes in our belts to prove it). But now, as the sun heats up, so does the competition. Welcome to the Chicken Wing War—where Anne Arundel County’s cluckiest contenders throw down their best wings in a battle of bones, sauce, and glory.

This summer, it’s not about who crossed the road, but whose wings are worth crossing traffic for. From fiery hot to sweetly sauced, smoked to crispy-crunchy, there’s a wing out there for every type of taste bud. In true Annapolis Moms Media fashion, we gathered up six contestants to find out who rules the roost.

About the War:

The participants below were each recommended by a judge who believes they have the best wings around. P.S. All of the restaurants gave us three flavors to try—for free. We love transparency…and also wings. A total of 12 Annapolis Moms Media staff and family sat down at Crave Catering Co. to judge 18 wings and highlight the best flavor at each restaurant. Here’s what we thought:

🐔: O’Loughlins

📍 1258 Bay Dale Drive, Arnold, MD 21012

🌐https://www.oloughlinspub.com/
Flavors: Old Bay and Butter, Spicy Thai, and Lemon Pepper

O’Loughlins may be an Irish pub, but don’t sleep on their wings. Old Bay and Butter features a flavor so local it practically came with a crab mallet. It’s your Chesapeake childhood wrapped in a crispy, golden shell (without the claws). The Spicy Thai wings were beautifully glazed and brought some heat and a hint of sweet—think sweet chili sauce meets a karate kick. And the Lemon Pepper were super zesty, peppery, and tender. The best part—it wasn’t salty!

From a Judge: Lisa Peri, Founder & Publisher of Annapolis Moms Media says, “O’Loughin’s Spicy Thai was my favorite. I can’t handle too much spice, but this was just right! It was the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. Truth be told, I live near here and I always order half Lemon Pepper and half Spicy Thai!”

Winning Flavor: Spicy Thai for the best flavor combo wing

🐔: Chad’s BBQ

📍 158 W Central Avenue, Edgewater, MD 21037
🌐https://www.chadsbbq.com/

Flavors: Honey Jalapeño, Hogan’s, Angie’s

Chad’s BBQ showed up to the war with grilled meaty wings AND its own, homemade blue cheese! Honey Jalapeño was the Beyoncé of the trio—sweet, spicy, and undeniably fierce. Hogan’s (named after former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan) had a buffalo, tangy-vinegary taste, and were a favorite among the judges. The restaurant is one of Hogan’s favorite spots for wings. He’s been going to Chad’s since it was known as Wharfside Bar and Grill. Angie’s are smoked in salsa verde, giving it its green tint. It was the spiciest wing of the night and brought the flavor home with its pepper boldness that had a delayed kick. But let’s not forget about the blue cheese – the judges were practically licking the bowl!

From a Judge: Jeff Peri, Operations Guru for Annapolis Moms Media says, “Angie’s wings are for the spicy lover and have a great kick that hits different than the traditional buffalo spice.”

Winning Flavor: Angie’s for the spiciest wing

🐔: Wingman

📍 3201 Mountain Road, #108, Pasadena, MD 21122
🌐https://www.pasadenawingman.com/

Flavors: Key West, Maryland Bay, Golden Garlic Parmesan

With a name like Wingman, expectations were sky-high—and they flew past them. Key West is the perfect name for this wing flavor. It took us on a tropical trip: pineapple-y, a hint of spice, and just enough sweetness to convince us we were on a beach with a mojito. Maryland Bay represented our state pride well—spiced just right and perfect for Old Bay lovers. Lastly, their Golden Garlic Parmesan was buttery, garlicky, and sprinkled with parmesan like confetti at a flavor parade.

From a Judge: Stacey Coles, Editor for Annapolis Moms Media says, “The Key West wing is a good tropical adventure if you want to try something new. It was like a vacation for your mouth!”

Winning flavor: Key West for the best destination wing

🐔: West End Grill

📍 2049 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
🌐https://www.westendgrillannapolis.com/

Flavors: Spicy Bourbon, Honey Old Bay, Grilled Thai

West End Grill came in hot with a flavor-packed punch! Spicy Bourbon had a light glaze that was like a good Southern drama…spicy and sweet, with a hint of bourbon. Honey Old Bay was sticky (but not messy) and had a candid honey glaze with a kick at the end from the Old Bay. And Grilled Thai brought a smoky, charred edge to Thai-inspired ingredients. They literally had grill marks on the wings and were bold, beautiful, and grilled to perfection.

From a Judge: Kevin Devine, Owner of Crave Catering, describes the Grilled Thai in three words: “A beautiful wing.”

Winning Flavor: Grilled Thai for the best grill marks

🐔: The Hideaway

📍 1439 Odenton Road, Odenton, MD 21113
🌐https://www.hideawayodenton.com/

Flavors: Blackberry Chipotle, Dry Hot, Naked

The Hideaway certainly didn’t hide their wing game. Their wings are smoked over pecan wood for three hours, then flash-fried. The Blackberry Chipotle is a dark horse winner on all accounts on appearance and flavor. They were sweet, smoky, and savory with a flavor plot twist, worthy of an HBO finale. The wings had actual blackberries on them! Dry Hot came in guns blazing and seasoned with seven peppers. And Naked? Boldly bare, for those who like to taste the chicken, not the costume. The group agreed it was the most flavorful naked wing they’ve had.

From a Judge: John Frenaye, Publisher of Eye on Annapolis gave the Blackberry Chipotle his only 5/5 for the night and says it has “unique, incredible flavor.”

Winning Flavor: BlackBerry Chipotle for the best wing of the night

🐔: Rams Head Tavern

📍 33 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401
🌐https://ramsheadtavern.com/

Flavors: 33, Asian BBQ, Maple Bourbon

Rams Head Tavern knows how to headline its wings. Their 33 (named after the 33 different types of peppers used and their address) had a mystery mix of heat that kept us guessing. Note that 33 is only available at their Rams Head Tavern location on West Street. Asian BBQ brought hibachi flavors into a wing with umami taste notes, while Maple Bourbon was sticky and sweet, bringing brunch energy to a wing night.

From a Judge: Irene, the daughter of the Annapolis Moms Media Facebook Page Moderator Hannah Gee, says, “Maple Bourbon is the perfect breakfast wing, excellent for brunch at 11 am.”

Winning Flavor: Maple Bourbon for the best brunch wing

🏆 Final Thoughts

So, who rules the roost? That’s for you to decide, dear reader. All six contestants brought serious flavor and feather-ruffling creativity to the chicken coop. Whether you’re a foodie searching for unique flavor combos, a BBQ boss, or an Old Bay loyalist, Anne Arundel’s wing scene is clucking incredible.

We’ll be back next quarter with another food fight!
A special shoutout to Crave Catering Co. for hosting us in your space to devour wing after wing!