Frequently Asked Questions

1) What question do you get asked most frequently at Wingipedia.net?

"Who has the best wings around [Washington, DC]?"

2) So who has the best wings around?

What I've been most impressed with in the course of eating an entirely unconscionable amount of chicken wings is the variety. Starting out I expected to find variations on a buffalo theme, but instead I've found a spectrum of flavors, textures, and preparation methods. Unsurprisingly there are peaks around buffalo and Asian-ish, but there's really a lot out there. I'd be doing the wing-eating community a disservice to recommend one as the best. City Paper, on the other hand, has no such qualms.

3) I think you're being silly. Just tell me where I can get good wings.

Fear not, my pragmatic friend. Reports tagged with 'recommended' indicate wings that are really worth the basket they come in. Check a few of these places out and you'll see what I mean.

4) What's with the charts?

Wingipedia assigns quantitative, highly rigorous ratings to four aspects of the wing experience:

5) Why are you reviewing chicken wings in the Washington DC area?

Wingipedia is headquartered in the District's historic U Street corridor. In late 2008 my business and personal life had me frequently traveling the length of Georgia Avenue NW, which has a striking number of takeout joints per block. I got to wondering whether they were any good, and gathered some friends together to review them. Wingipedia was born to share our findings.

We've since expanded well outside of Georgia avenue but the goal remains the same -- discovering wings in the District, writing about them, and making puns.

6) I also have strong opinions about chicken wings and no friends or family. Can I help?

Yup. The easiest thing to do is to is to comment on reviews -- anyone can do it and you don't need to sign up. If you're feeling ambitious, go ahead and sign up to start writing your own reviews today. The process will get more user-friendly as the site develops and there may eventually be other ways to get involved.

7) A review website that has ads? Isn't that a conflict of interest?

Well yeah, I suppose so. But we're talking about wings here. wingipedia is about finding good ones, and ads help spread the word and may eventually cover hosting costs. Right now I only approach places that have already reviewed well. I'll reconsider having ads if I feel like my integrity is getting compromised by all the money, women, and power, but right now I'm just not that concerned. Are you?

8) This is great, I mean really great, but I want more! Is there anyone else writing about chicken wings on the 'net?

Why yes!

• There's a fellow in Texas who seems to know the love of the wing, expressed through his blog Bling Bling Chicken Wing. It offers stories, recipes, chicken wing news, and more.
• Cluckbucket is another chicken wing site. These guys are serious, and it has a cluckin' awesome name.
• The somewhat-less-cleverly-named Chicken Wing Blog seems to be dormant, but it has an impressive collection of wing-related news and recipes.
• Lord of the Wings, in Canada, has a remarkably intricate rating system.
• Really sharp site design over at newcomer The Best Wings in Philly. Nice, simple rating system too. It's run by employees of a web design company.
• And then there's The Great Chicken Wing Hunt. When you quit your job to find the perfect wing you're in a class all your own.

9) What do I do if my question isn't answered here?

Email the wingmaster: wingmaster@wingipedia.net