The Van Reed Inn

If you ask around Berks County where to find the best wings, one name keeps coming up: The Van Reed Inn.

Our historic neighborhood bar and grill at 2707 Bernville Road in Reading, PA has been a local gathering spot for generations, and today we're known far and wide for one thing above all: jumbo chicken wings that are smoked in-house, then deep fried to crispy perfection, and tossed in your choice of 25 sauces and flavors.

Add an award-winning smoked chili, homemade comfort food, cold beer at the bar and six-packs to go, and you've got everything a great neighborhood tavern should be. We're open seven days a week, 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM, just outside Leesport on Route 183.

A Historic Reading, PA Bar & Grill Serving Berks County Since the 1940s

The Van Reed Inn is a true Berks County original. This old roadhouse traces its roots all the way back to the early 1900s, and it has stood at its current home on Bernville Road since the 1940s, serving generations of Reading and Leesport locals. In 2015, the building was completely renovated and reopened, blending the character of a century-old Pennsylvania tavern with a fresh, comfortable space you'll want to settle into.

What hasn't changed is the spirit of the place. The Van Reed is what every neighborhood bar should be: friendly faces behind the bar, regulars who'll talk Eagles football or fishing with anyone, cold beer on draft, and food that's far better than a corner tavern has any right to serve. Whether you're stopping in for a quick lunch, catching the game on TV, shooting a round of pool, or picking up wings and a six-pack on the way home, you'll feel at home here fast. Around these parts, we like to say you're a regular by your second visit.

The Best Wings in Berks County: Smoked In-House, Then Deep Fried

Plenty of places in Berks County sell wings. Very few make them the way we do, and that difference is exactly why locals call ours the best wings in Berks County.

Every batch of our jumbo wings starts in the smoker, the heart of our kitchen. The wings are smoked low and slow in-house, which builds a deep, real barbecue flavor you simply cannot get from a fryer alone. Then, when you order, they're deep fried to crispy perfection, golden outside and juicy inside, and tossed while hot in the sauce or dry rub of your choice. Smoked, fried, sauced: three steps, no shortcuts.

The local food blog Berks County Eats featured us and praised how "the flavor from the smoker shines through it all." Google reviewers say the same thing again and again: most wing joints bake or just fry their wings, but the smoke-then-fry method at the Van Reed makes all the difference. When people post on Facebook asking where to find the best wings in Berks County, the Van Reed Inn is the answer that keeps getting named.

Wings are available bone-in (10 for $15.99, or 5 for $8.49) and boneless (10 for $12.49, or 5 for $6.49), so there's an option for every appetite, from a solo lunch basket to a table-covering spread for the whole crew.

25 Wing Sauces & Flavors: From Classic Buffalo Heat to Honey Tequila BBQ

Once your wings come out of the fryer, the fun begins: 19 signature house sauces plus 6 premium flavors, for 25 different ways to get messy.

Our classic sauce lineup covers every craving: Hot, Mild, BBQ, Apple Vinegar, Ranch, Sweet Chili, Parmesan Pepper Corn, Sweet Old Bay, Honey Mustard, Sweet & Hot, Chipotle Ranch, Irish Pride, Southwest, Sriracha Sweet Chili, Cajun Dry Rub, Cracked Out Hot, Cracked Out BBQ, our own Van Reed Herb & Spice, and good old Old Bay.

Then there are the premium flavors, worth every penny of the extra dollar per five wings: Spicy Garlic (the local legend), Garlic Parmesan, Lemon Pepper Dry Rub, Honey Tequila Mustard, Honey Tequila BBQ, and Pineapple BBQ. Whether you like your wings blazing hot, sweet and sticky, or crispy with a zesty dry rub, there's a flavor here with your name on it, plus 24 more to work through on your next visits.

Award-Winning Smoked Chili: Five Savory Meats in Every Bowl

Wings may be our claim to fame, but our award-winning smoked chili has a loyal following all its own. This isn't ordinary bar chili. Every bowl is loaded with five savory meats (ground beef, bacon, chicken, pork, and slow-smoked brisket) simmered together with that signature smokehouse depth. Get it by the cup ($6.99) or the bowl ($7.99), top it with cheese and onion, or pile it onto our cheesy bacon tots or fries for a truly loaded snack.

We also make homemade soup fresh in our kitchen. Ask what's simmering today. The soup of the day is available by the cup or bowl and changes regularly, so there's always a reason to check back.

Homemade Bar Food Done Right: Burgers, BBQ, Mac & Cheese, and More

Everything at the Van Reed Inn is made fresh, in-house, and the smoker touches far more than just the wings. Pork and brisket get their time in the smoke too, showing up all over the menu in dishes that go way beyond typical bar food.

Highlights from the menu include:

• The BBQ Platter: pulled pork smothered in BBQ sauce, slow-smoked brisket, and four smoked wings in your choice of flavor, served with smoked beans. It's a barbecue tour of the whole smoker on one plate.

• Homemade Mac & Cheese: creamy homemade cheese sauce and tender pasta, six ways: Original, Buffalo Chicken, Philly Cheese Steak, Pulled Pork, Southwest Chicken, or topped with a crab cake.

• Homemade Crab Cakes: two lightly seared, homemade crab cakes with your choice of side.

• Half-Pound Burgers: big, juicy, cooked-to-order burgers served with fresh-cut fries. Regulars will tell you the burgers alone are worth the trip.

• Smoked Brisket Sandwiches, Fresh Salads & More: flip the menu over and keep exploring.

The appetizer list is built for sharing: the Van Reed Sampler lets you pick four favorites from buffalo chicken dip, spinach dip, fried pickle chips, fried shrimp, mozzarella sticks, jalapeño poppers, onion rings, and boneless wings. There are cheesy bacon tots and fries (add chili, trust us), buffalo chicken dip made with our own smoked chicken, spinach artichoke dip, German soft pretzel bites with cheese sauce and mustard, quesadillas, nachos, mushroom chips, and even personal pizzas on pita bread. Seafood lovers can dig into a dozen peel-and-eat steamed shrimp, a pound of steamed littleneck clams, or a fried shrimp and fries basket.

Good food, cold drinks, fair prices. That's the Van Reed way.

Cold Beer at the Bar & Six-Packs To Go

A wing this good deserves a cold beer next to it. Our bar pours cold drafts all day and night, with a beer selection that reviewers call out by name, including a nice IPA lineup, plus cocktails and margaritas for those so inclined.

And here's a convenience Berks County locals love: takeout beer to go. Grab a six-pack or a case on your way home, or add one to your wing takeout order. Dinner and drinks, one easy stop on Route 183.

A True Neighborhood Sports Bar: Pool, Darts, Skill Games & TouchTunes

The Van Reed Inn is more than a place to eat. It's a place to hang out. Pull up a stool and stay awhile, because there's plenty to do:

• Sports on TV: catch the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, or whatever game matters tonight on our screens, with cold drinks and great company.

• Pool table: grab a cue and challenge your friends on our full-size table.

• Darts: test your aim and settle some friendly scores.

• Pennsylvania skill games: try your luck on our selection of skill machines.

• TouchTunes jukebox: you control the soundtrack, right from the jukebox or the TouchTunes app on your phone.

It's the kind of local tavern atmosphere that's getting harder to find: unpretentious, welcoming, and genuinely fun, a true neighborhood spot where everybody knows your name by the second round.

Wing Takeout & Party Catering in Berks County

Craving Van Reed wings on the couch? Takeout is a huge part of what we do. Call ahead at (484) 509-4418 and your order will be hot and ready. Wings travel surprisingly well when they're smoked and fried the right way, holding their crisp all the way home.

Feeding a crowd? We're known for it. From graduation parties and tailgates to office lunches and family get-togethers, we cater with wings by the bunch, smoked brisket, fresh-cut fries, and your pick of sauces. Anything on the menu, made party-size. Give us a call to talk through your event, and let us handle the food while you take the credit.

Conveniently Located on Route 183 Near Reading Regional Airport

You'll find the Van Reed Inn at 2707 Bernville Road (Route 183) in Reading, PA 19605, just outside Leesport and only a short drive up the road from Reading Regional Airport. That makes us an easy stop for folks all over northern Berks County: Reading, Leesport, Bern Township, Bernville, Temple, Muhlenberg, Wyomissing, Sinking Spring, and beyond. If you're flying in or out of the airport, picking someone up, or just passing through on 183, we're right on your way, and worth the stop.

What Locals Say: 4.3 Stars on Google

Don't just take our word for it. The Van Reed Inn holds a 4.3-star rating across nearly 500 Google reviews, and the theme is consistent: these are the best wings in Berks County. Reviewers who've searched the county over say no one else matches the smoked-then-fried difference. First-timers become regulars after one visit. The burgers, the beer selection, the friendly service, and the true local vibe earn just as much praise. One reviewer summed it up in four words: best wings, ever, enough said.

Dine in, take out, or pull up a stool and stay awhile. Call ahead for daily specials and takeout orders.

Visit The Van Reed Inn: Berks County's Wing Destination

With over a century of history, a smoker running strong, 25 wing flavors, award-winning chili, cold beer to go, and a barroom full of friendly faces, the Van Reed Inn is Berks County tradition you can taste. Stop in today and find out why our neighbors have been gathering here since the 1940s, and why they'll tell you these are the best wings in Berks County. We'll see you at the bar.