I took on the monumental task of trying every Buffalo Wild Wings sauce on the menu to find the best one, and the winner surpassed my go-to favorite.
I Taste-Tested Every Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce—Here’s the Best One
Published on Mar. 13, 2025
21. Blazin’ Knockout
This, the hottest wing on the Buffalo Wild Wings menu, is explicitly designed to murder you, not to be enjoyed. This is something you order in attempt to show off in front of your friends, only to fail miserably, spending the remainder of your time together suffering in silence while refusing milk or any offers of help because you’re “totally fine.”
20. Desert Heat Dry Rub
Buffalo Wild Wings offers five different sauce-less wings, and the Desert Heat Dry Rub is supposed to be the spiciest of the lot. But they’re not really all that spicy, and they’re not that remarkable either. There are much better dry rubs on the BWW menu for people who want to keep their fingers and faces clean.
19. Wild
Not quite as hot as the Blazin’ Knockout, but still hot enough to barely be enjoyable. And I’m someone who can handle heat! However, too much heat drowns out the flavor of everything else, and if that’s the case, why bother eating wings at all? Why not just pour hot sauce directly on your tongue and call it a day?
18. Teriyaki, Sweet BBQ and Honey BBQ
I’m lumping these three wings together because they all generate the same emotional response, which is “meh.” These are such generic sauces, you probably have all three in your fridge right now. These are the sorts of flavors that are fine for a backyard barbecue or quick air-fried dinner, but if you’re bothering to go out to a restaurant, do better than something you can easily make at home.
17. Orange Chicken
After eating these wings, I realized how essential it is to eat takeout orange chicken with white rice, since the starch helps offset the sweetness that sticks on your tongue. Without it, these wings stop being fun after a couple bites. They’re a good choice if you order a range of wings to share, but not for rolling solo.
16. Buffalo Dry Rub
I’m pretty sure the only reason these exist is so you can eat Buffalo wings on a date without getting bright red sauce all over your face or messing up your lipstick, and I love that. I had never considered Buffalo Wild Wings as a place of romance before, but now, thanks to this wing, I do. But outside of that, there’s no reason to order these over the many other, better Buffalo-flavored wings on the menu.
15. Thai Curry
A respectable effort! And maybe something fun to get if you’ve got a crowd together and want to get a whole slew of wings from across the flavor spectrum. While this isn’t the most remarkable fried curry chicken I’ve ever tasted, I suppose it makes Buffalo Wild Wings a good spot when you’re in the mood for Thai, but your kids refuse to go to any sort of restaurant that doesn’t have mozzarella sticks on the menu. (Remember: They’ll move out one day, and you’ll be able to eat whatever you want again. Hang in there!)
14. Chipotle BBQ Dry Rub
These chicken wings taste like barbecue potato chips, which is a thing I didn’t even realize I needed until Buffalo Wild Wings gave it to me. Even though dry rubs are, by nature, designed to leave less mess than sauce, these are better when they’re dipped in way too much ranch to be socially acceptable.
13. Hot
These are the third spiciest wings on the Buffalo Wild Wings menu and the only ones that succeed in bringing the pain while also delivering flavors besides fire. You can still taste the sharp tang of vinegar before the heat creeps in, which is just as important as feeling the burn. Good job, BWW.
12. Medium and Mild
To my fire-tolerant palate, there wasn’t much of a noticeable difference between these two wings. You’ll probably be able to tell if you’re spice-sensitive, but you won’t lose or gain anything flavorwise by opting for one or the other. They’re good, but in a field of over 20 sauces, they’re also pretty boring. But maybe you like boring. You do you.
11. Mango Habanero
I have been metaphorically burnt by so many bad mango habanero wings in the past that I’d all but given up on them, but these wings made me a believer again. They’re sweet without being too sweet, with a legitimate kick that will make you remember why this fruity flavor combo works so well in the first place. I’m proud of them.
10. Lemon Pepper
There are two lemon pepper wings on the menu: one with dry rub and one with sauce. And the one with dry rub is better, which is why this wing is all the way down here. It’s still good, though; I’m not mad at it.
9. Asian Zing
This sauce takes a lot of its flavor cues from Southeast Asia, balancing soy sauce saltiness, fish sauce savoriness and sugary sweetness with Thai chile fire. As someone who loves all these things, I liked these wings, and you will, too.
8. Caribbean Jerk
Don’t worry about burning your face off with Scotch bonnets. Buffalo Wild Wing’s take on jerk sauce leans more on spice than spicy, with lots of warm notes of clove and allspice. These are also excellent when eaten cold in front of an open fridge at 2 a.m., in case you want to order a few extra to take home.
7. Nashville Hot
These wings would have been rated higher if they came with more pickles, which, in my professional opinion, are a critical component when eating Nashville hot chicken. Tip from a legitimate expert: Wrap one around your wing before you take a bite, so you get a spritz of something sour while your tongue gets punched with spice.
6. Parmesan Garlic
Though I love Parmesan and garlic, they’ve never really endeared themselves to me on chicken wings. Then I was told by the incredibly wise manager of the Buffalo Wild Wings that I should order them boneless with a side of marinara to make bite-sized chicken Parm. In doing so, I changed my life forever. (She also recommended ordering cheese curds, if you want to get really crazy. This woman is truly a genius.)
5. Lemon Pepper Dry Rub
What makes lemon pepper dry rub better than its sauced counterpart? Enough lemon flavor to make your ears perk up. Though they’re not so tart your mouth will pucker, they are aggressively lemony and lovely at that.
4. Jammin’ Jalapeno
Simply put: This wing is great. No complaints from me. Had I not been conducting this very serious taste test, I probably wouldn’t have ordered them, because they don’t pop out as the most compelling option on a menu with so many choices. But my gorgeous, intelligent and incredibly sexy editor bestowed this assignment upon me, thus thrusting this wing into my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
3. Original Buffalo
The original recipe for Buffalo wings hits just as heavy with butter as it does with hot sauce. I’ve eaten my way around Buffalo (as one does as a chicken wing professional), and while these aren’t quite as good as the ones from Mr. Goodbar, Kelly’s Korner or the Anchor Bar, they’re as close as I’ve ever had from a chain, and the best Buffalo-style wing on the entire menu. Everything really is better with butter!
2. Spicy Garlic
Garlic is one of my absolute favorite things on earth, so I’m incredibly biased when it comes to judging this wing. This sauce needs equilibrium to work (too spicy, you won’t taste the garlic; too garlicky, the spice becomes pointless), and it achieves the right balance. These have obviously been touched by the hand of some of the world’s most brilliant wing scientists, and it shows.
1. Salt & Vinegar Dry Rub
Salt and powdered vinegar can make it impossible to taste the potato when doused on chips. They still pack a punch on wings, but don’t take over the whole game, and it’s wonderful. As tasty as the best Buffalo Wild Wings sauces are, they’re so flavorful you can’t often taste the actual chicken. Meanwhile, this simple rub adds flavor without covering everything else up. If you also think the best part of a roast chicken is the crispy, savory skin, this will become your new favorite wing, too.
