More Than a Year After a Kitchen Fire Shut It Down, King of Wings Will Reopen March 25

"Coming back and seeing all the familiar faces, doing what we do, what we love, it's everything. We're back. It feels so good," says Eddie Renshaw, who owns King of Wings Tap House with longtime friend Evan Pierce.

The two started the business as a food truck before opening a brick-and-mortar location at 7741 West 44th Avenue in Wheat Ridge in June 2020. King of Wings quickly built a reputation for having some of the best wings in the metro area, but in December 2021, a kitchen fire shut down operations. "We'll come back stronger than ever," Renshaw promised at the time.

Now the King is poised for a triumphant return. After more than a year of permitting delays and construction, King of Wings will host a grand reopening on Saturday, March 25, from noon to 10 p.m.

"It's crazy it's taken this long," Renshaw admits, but the restaurant was buzzing on March 18 as it served its first wings in fifteen months at a soft opening. "Every single person kept saying, 'It's like you guys never lost a beat.' ... Facing adversity and getting through it only builds you and makes you stronger."
To get through the long rebuilding process, Renshaw and Pierce began hosting Snipeburger pop-ups on the patio. The smashburger idea was one they'd been experimenting with for a while; it's now built a loyal following of its own. "We created a whole other burger concept that, down the road, we're gonna find a permanent home for," Renshaw says. "It kept revenue coming in. Really, without Snipeburger, we wouldn't be here."

With any luck, fans of Snipeburger won't have to wait too long for a fix. While the new kitchen in Wheat Ridge — which "has all the bells and whistles," Renshaw notes — is perfect for wings, it's not big enough to accommodate the burger menu. But King of Wings is in the process of opening a second location at 1100 Arapahoe Street in Golden, the former home of Colorado Plus Brew Pub; permits for that project were recently approved and construction is getting underway. Renshaw says the team is aiming for an early-summer opening, and when it debuts, the Golden outpost will host Snipeburger pop-ups every Tuesday.
While the crowd at the soft opening was excitedly sipping beers and noshing the signature item at King of Wings, the staff was equally enthusiastic to be back. "The people I thank the most are our staff, for sticking through all these hard times. They believed in the end goal, the dream. ...My employees have been waiting for this for so long," Renshaw says. "They're like family."

If you plan on heading to King of Wings for the grand reopening, expect a line. But Renshaw promises to "make it fun — it's gonna be a party," with handouts and other "fun stuff" for those waiting.

And the wings are definitely worth the wait. Roasted until tender, what really sets these apart is the char they get on the grill before being served. Currently, King of Wings has ten sauce options, with plans to add more; favorites include the Tangy Gold (a mix of honey mustard and mild sauce) and the Thai BBQ. Rounding out the menu are fries, onion rings, cauliflower bites and chicken tenders that are hand-breaded and fried to order for those who prefer to go no-bones.

Even after such a long break, the fans of King of Wings are as enthusiastic as ever to support the business, which Renshaw definitely appreciates. "Thank you to all of our loving guests, regulars and followers for sticking with us and always showing love and support," he concludes.