5 places to get chicken wings within 5 minutes of ECC

By Gary Kohatsu|June 5, 2022

Gigi’s might be known for its Italian food, but don’t discount its variety of chicken wings offerings, such as the teriyaki seasoning as shown. The wings provide a tasty alternative to Gigi’s Italian dishes. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life)

Chicken wings might be America’s favorite finger food.

Wings go well with beer or root beer, is a crowd magnet at birthday parties and tailgate parties, will also appeal to all political parties, can come in a variety of flavors and dipping sauces, and is politically correct served bone-in or boneless.

Here are five independent eateries near El Camino College that will satisfy your wings cravings and have you flying back for more.

1. Gigi’s Pizza

This single-owner pizzeria is known for its New York-style pizza pies. But for the adventurous, Gigi’s also dishes out meatball sliders, torpedoes, antipasto salad, cheese garlic bread, giant chocolate chip cookies and — chicken wings.

Eight flavorful wings are prepared with your choice of Frank’s buffalo sauce, hot buffalo, barbecue, garlic parmesan, teriyaki, Korean sauce or mango habanero, and served with ranch or bleu cheese dressing. Eight pieces for $8.99.

Address: 16006 Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena

Phone: 310-327-0355

Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

Website: https://www.gigispizzagardena.com/

Wing Ferno has it all: 15 flavors of chicken wings (including garlic parmesan flavor), side orders, soda and beer and the sports bar ambiance that favors in-person dining of large groups. Parking is convenient and food can be ordered through Postmates, Grub Hub, Door Dash and Uber Eats. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life)

2. Wing Ferno

No messing around, this is a serious chicken wings restaurant. At the top of its heat list are flavors Wing Ferno and Walking Dead. Home of the Nashville chicken wings, with wings prepared in 15 different flavors. This restaurant also serves chicken sandwiches, tenders, an assortment of fries, onion rings, salad and tater tots.

You want beer? They serve beer — draft, domestic and imported. Inferno has good indoor ambiance and two TVs that place it in the sports bar category. Only two locations for now: Gardena and Orange. Everything is on the steeper side in price (six wings, fries and a soda cost $13, with tax), but it doesn’t seem to discourage the stream of customers.

Address: 2221 Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena

Phone: 310-817-4456

Hours: Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Website: https://www.wingferno.com/

Lemon pepper wings is one of 12 flavors Fyrebird offers on its take-out menu. A wings lunch with fries will cost around $6. El Camino students can get a 20% discount with college ID. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life)

3. Fyrebird

Hot, made-to-order wings can be eaten on the run or in the outdoor patio. Do you like hot? Fyrebird’s wings are measured on a heat scale. Cali heat is at the top of the list and earns a rating of six chili peppers. Seven flavors of heat are balanced by heatless offerings, such as lemon pepper and barbecue wings. Fyrebird also serves tenders, chicken sandwiches, sliders and fries.

Three wings and fries will set you back $5.50 and tax. EC students get a 20% discount with college ID.

Address: 15717 Crenshaw Blvd., Gardena

Phone: 424-269-1943

Hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday: Closed

Website: https://www.fyrebirdchicken.com/

Furaibo is known for its teba-saki wings, which are chicken wings generally marinated in a mix of soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sake (Japanese rice wine). Wings can be ordered a la carte or with a meal. The restaurant has limited indoor dining and is closed between 2 and 5 p.m. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life)

4. Furaibo

A longstanding and popular Japanese restaurant in Gardena’s Tozai Plaza. Furaibo has drawn people from around Los Angeles, as indicated on several customer-review websites. This place is known for its teba-saki chicken wings, which can be ordered a la carte or with a meal. An order of seven wings will cost a bit more than $8, plus tax.

The wings are not especially a visual delight, but the customers rave about the next-level flavor. There are four ranges of spiciness from sweet to extra spicy. Indoor seating is limited and takeout orders are an option. The restaurant closes from 2-5 p.m. daily.

Address: 1741 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Gardena

Phone: 310-329-9441

Hours: Monday-Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5-11 p.m.

Saturday: 5-11 p.m.

Sunday: 5-10 p.m.

Website: http://furaibous.com/

Mom’s Touch is the new kid on the block, opening in mid-2021. The restaurant specializes in chicken meals and boasts that it uses only the freshest ingredients - hence the name. Indoor dining area is limited and parking is shared with other eateries and stores in the same complex. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life) — Mom’s Touch is the new kid on the block, opening in mid-2021. The restaurant specializes in chicken meals and boasts that it uses only the freshest ingredients – hence the name. Indoor dining area is limited and parking is shared with other eateries and stores in the same complex. (Gary Kohatsu | Warrior Life)

5. Mom’s Touch

Newly-opened in 2021, Mom’s Touch specializes in everything chicken, from tenders and sandwiches, to wings. Customers can top off their mealswith four side offerings, including fries and coleslaw.

There are six levels of heat for the wings: Mom’s original, fuego, cheesy onion, soy garlic, apple zing and sweet chili. Mom’s claim is that the restaurant only uses the freshest ingredients and prepares the food “just like mom.”

Four original wings cost a bit more than $7, including tax. The Gardena restaurant was the first to open, with Long Beach now open and City of Industry coming in the near future.

Address: 1400 W. Redondo Beach Blvd., Suite 120, Gardena

Phone: 310-400-7305

Hours: Open daily: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Website: http://www.momstouchusa.com