UPDATE: Third round voting has ended. Vote in the championship round now!
Just as March Madness continues on with the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, the 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge enters Round 3. Our 16-restaurant bracket to determine which metro Detroit establishment has the best chicken wings is down to the four semifinalists. Thousands of votes poured in the last few days to determine the places moving to the ‘Savory Four’ round. And in it was close race among some of the match-ups; for example, this past round, No. 5 seed Woodpile BBQ Shack used a late charge to race past No. 13 seed Batch Brewing Co.
>> VOTE NOW: 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge, Round 3!
The ‘Savory Four’ will duke it out to determine which two metro Detroit restaurants make it to the championship round.
And so — drumroll, please — here are the semifinalists competing to make it to the championship round of the 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge. You have until 11:59 p.m. Saturday night to vote!
No. 1 Sweetwater Tavern vs. No. 5 Woodpile BBQ Shack
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Sweetwater Tavern, originating out of downtown Detroit, has long been noted for its award-winning wings and thus far have been running the table in the 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge. The wings are marinated in their specially seasoned marinade for 24 hours, then deep-fried and seasoned again, according to its menu.
Woodpile BBQ Shack in Madison Heights has smoked wings sprinkled with what one reader described as a “magic seasoning.” Does it have enough to pull off the upset?
A post shared by Woodpile BBQ Shack (@woodpile.bbq)
No. 2 The Charlevoix vs. No. 3 Zeek’s Wings
A post shared by The Charlevoix (@thecharlevoixgp)
The Charlevoix’s wings are one of the main choices on the menu of this neighborhood Grosse Pointe Park restaurant and bar. More than a half dozen styles are listed, including salt and vinegar and Thai.
You may recall that The Charlevoix was the runner-up in the 2023 Chicken Wing Challenge, losing to Livonia’s One Under Craft Beer + Eats in Livonia. Can it make a repeat visit to the championship round?
Meanwhile, in Detroit, Zeeks Wings is a take-out spot only. Its noted for its crispy and jumbo wings described as “premium” and offered with mild or hot barbecue sauce, Bourbon Cajun and Buffalo sauce. It has a loyal following in the city; will that be enough to take down the No. 2 seed?
A post shared by Zeeks Wings (@zeekswings)
Vote now: Chicken Wing Challenge, Round 3
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on X. Subscribe to the Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: We have our final four in the 2025 Chicken Wing Challenge: Vote in Round 3 now!
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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