Best Wings in Jackson Hole
The Best Wings in Jackson Hole are no longer cooked in Jackson Hole. They were “Bonsai Wings” made by one Hughie, who owned Hughie’s Grill back in the 2000’s. He died in a motorcycle collision on Teton Pass many years ago, and left Jackson Hole residents longing for the best wings ever made. Big respect to Hughie!
So, where is the best place for the best wings in Jackson Hole?
Below are some brief descriptions from my personal experience, the closer to the top of the list, the better I like the joint! I have tried wings at the below locations most recently, and if you have a different preference, please comment below and definitely vote in the below poll!!! This article will be updated, so please help me make it better!
If you represent a restaurant/bar & want YOUR wings tested, see the bottom of this page.
Sidewinders Tavern has been around for a long time, and they absolutely have the best beans in town! I visited Sidewinders on Thursday, Dec 3rd for lunch, and tried their BBQ & Teriyaki wings. Wow, they were awesome! They are the best I have had in Jackson in 2015. They were cooked perfectly, the sauces were wonderful and the ranch and blue cheese dressings were homemade and excellent! I will definitely return for more wings!
The Wort’s Silver Dollar Bar wins because while the wings are not cooked as perfectly as Cutty’s, but the flavor is better and the ranch and blue cheese dressings are a small step up in quality from Cutty’s, though not as good as The Bird.
Cutty’s Bar & Grill has great dry plain wings, though their sauces are not the greatest. They are always cooked to perfection, with the insides being juicy and the skins crispy. Service is fast and the atmosphere is plain but welcoming and not too loud until later in the evening. One of the biggest disappointments is the bland ranch and blue cheese dressing, which tastes like it was made from powder or purchased from a discount restaurant supply place in a 5 gallon bucket. This is where our local activity guides meet for after-shift drinks and wings.
The Bird has good wings with a unique flavor that takes some getting used to and certainly isn’t “traditional.” The original owner insisted on natural ingredients and new ownership has continues this tradition. This is the place I most frequently go for wings, mainly because the blue cheese dressing is SOOO great and the staff is nice! In order of preference starting with the best, I like house bbq, sesame ginger, classic buffalo and garlic parmesan. It is louder later, the beer selection does not include brown ales and the burgers are absolutely the best in Jackson Hole.
Eleanor’s – (post updated 12-3-15) I visited Eleanor’s a couple days ago, just to try the wings and write about them here. I was disappointed. The service was great, and I love tossing peanut shells on the floor. My significant other enjoyed the steak salad. OK, now for the wings. We tried Stan’s Famous Jumbo Wings with Smokey BBQ, Honey Chili Garlic and Teriyaki as well as plain, so that I could compare to Cutty’s plain. The fishy taste, likely from other stuff fried in the same oil was overwhelming, didn’t care for it. The flavored wings were OK, but I could still taste the fishy taste, which kind of took away from the experience. I visited at the end of the month, so perhaps after the oil is changed the flavors will be better. The wings were juicy, cooked about medium rare with some pink inside. The exteriors were fair, but could have been a bit more crispy. I had hoped to have a new #1 when I walked in, but it was not to be.
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About the author: I am a local Jackson Hole food critic that wishes to remain anonymous for purposes of objectivity. I know many restaurant & bar owners and managers and don’t want them to know who I am. I have great taste and know my way around wings and beer. Nope, I am not slender.
How to have YOUR wings evaluated: If you manage a restaurant in JH and think your wings are excellent, and you would like me to test your wings for inclusion in this article, I would be happy to do so. I do not want “special treatment” when I order, so my solution is this.
- Send me a cash of an amount that will cover 2-3 dozen wings. (I will pay for my own beer – unless you feel charitable)
- I will come in and order 2 or 3 dozen dozen wings in various flavors and a beer and analyze them.
- Within 1 week of my visit, I will update this chicken wings article with my honest perceptions of YOUR wings.
- If you don’t like the review I write of your wings, pay for my next meal and I will give you another fair chance. I will update your listing whether I like it better or not.
Send the cash along with your joint’s name in the mail to one of my day-job bosses, who will get it to me: Wingman PO Box 7927 Jackson, WY 83002
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