About the War: The participants below were each recommended by a judge who believes they have the best wings around. 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 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.
Photo credit: Danielle Lawrance of DANIE Photography
🐔 Chad's bbq 📍 158 W Central Avenue, Edgewater, MD 21037 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
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.
Photo credit: Danielle Lawrance of DANIE Photography
JULY 2025 | 83
* denotes Annapolis Moms Media Community Supporters.
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