Bold City Wings: Jacksonville's Most Talked-About New Restaurant — A Full, Fair Breakdown

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Who Is Bold City Wings?

When Rhonda Lunsford returned to Jacksonville, opening a restaurant wasn't just a business decision — it was about bringing a piece of her family's history home. That's the story behind Bold City Wings, the newest addition to San Marco's Hendricks Avenue corridor, and it's a story worth understanding before we get into the controversy.

Bold City Wings is located at 2016 Hendricks Ave., San Marco, Jacksonville, FL — in a space formerly occupied by Syrene, a boutique home décor shop. The city issued a permit in January 2026 for a $108,000 renovation of the 1,384-square-foot space, and Lunsford has stated publicly that the total business investment is approximately $250,000.

The restaurant is co-owned by Rhonda Lunsford, her son Gilbert "EJ" Lunsford Jr., and her cousin Archie Williams — who also works as a senior software developer at VyStar Credit Union.

This is not a first-time venture for the family. Bold City Wings was formerly known in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area as My Place Wing House. In 2021, Rhonda handed that legacy to her son EJ, who continued the brand in downtown D.C. Now in 2026, that journey has come home full circle to Jacksonville.

The name itself is rooted in local pride. The "Bold City" moniker is a direct nod to Jacksonville's longtime nickname — "Bold New City of the South" — making this restaurant as much a love letter to the city as it is a food business.

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The Family Legacy Behind the Business

This restaurant did not appear out of nowhere. The roots of this family's food story go back generations.

Rhonda's grandfather and his three brothers — all butchers — relocated to Jacksonville in the 1940s from Orangeburg, South Carolina. Her grandfather, the Rev. Orion Johnson, and his brother Fred Johnson owned a grocery store in Durkeeville and then on the Eastside, where they were known for quality cuts of meat and genuine community service. In 1986, the next generation — led by Rhonda's father, Orion Johnson Jr. — opened a corner store in Durkeeville where he sold seafood on weekends.

The restaurant's interior pays tribute to that deep history. The walls are lined with photos of Jacksonville landmarks and the Jacksonville Red Caps — a nod to Rhonda's grandfather, who played for the team and passed away just one week before Bold City Wings officially opened its doors.

As reported by News4JAX, Rhonda said: "I used to always hear 'Bold New City of the South,' so I wanted to tie that in together — Bold City Wings. My grandfather passed away a week ago. He used to play for the Jacksonville Red Caps. I wanted to do a salute to him."

She returned to Jacksonville and saw firsthand how many people were struggling to find work. Her stated goal was to build something that offered both great food and local stability — including jobs for her son and members of the surrounding community.

It is a genuine and compelling origin story. And it matters when evaluating the full picture of what's happening at Bold City Wings — because there are real grievances too.

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What's on the Menu?

Bold City Wings keeps its menu focused. Three preparation styles are offered: grilled, Southern-fried breaded in flour, and regular fried with no flour. The restaurant also brought the D.C. mumbo sauce down to Jacksonville, alongside sweet and tangy and homemade Southern fried flavor profiles.

Based on their current DoorDash listing, the menu includes:

The restaurant opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes when the day's prepped items sell out — with no call-ahead ordering accepted. More on that below.

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Let's Talk About the Price — By the Numbers

This is where things get real, and where we want to be completely transparent with you. We have done the math so you don't have to.

Per-Wing Cost Breakdown

Head-to-Head Comparison

At roughly $2.12 per wing before tax, Bold City Wings is approximately 57% more expensive per wing than major chains.

For additional context, according to Toast — which analyzed wing prices at U.S. restaurants — the national median cost of a chicken wing order rose from $12.99 in February 2023 to $13.91 in February 2026. Even using that rising national median as a benchmark, Bold City's 8-piece order still runs considerably higher.

To be fair, these are very different products. Major chains operate at massive scale with bulk purchasing power, standardized prep, and frozen supply chains. Bold City Wings is a small, independent, made-from-scratch operation. That said, consumers still have every right to weigh what they're getting for the price — and the numbers are what they are.

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What the Owners Say About the Pricing

To their credit, the Lunsfords have not hidden from the pricing conversation. As reported by News4JAX, Rhonda Lunsford stated: "All the chatter online is that the wings are high, but it is based on something; it's not just for no rhyme or reason. There is the economy, transportation, labor, and the fact that we're using higher-end ingredients. And again, we are making things from scratch."

That's a reasonable argument, and one worth taking seriously. Ingredient costs, San Marco rent, a $108,000 buildout, and a $250,000 total investment are real numbers that have to be recouped somewhere. Running a scratch kitchen with daily prep is genuinely more expensive than reheating pre-portioned wings.

Co-owner EJ Lunsford also addressed another frequent customer complaint — the no-call-ahead policy. As reported by News4JAX, he explained that because everything is made fresh to order, accepting call-ahead orders risks wasting food when customers can't show up to pick them up.

Again, understandable reasoning. But for customers who drive across town only to find everything has sold out for the day, it remains a real pain point.

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Bold City Wings Was Featured on News4JAX

The pricing debate caught the attention of local television just about a month after the restaurant opened.

On April 6, 2026, News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson visited San Marco to ask residents directly what they thought about the pricing — running a segment titled "'$20 for 8 Wings?': San Marco wing restaurant faces backlash, answers community questions."

The reactions from locals were split. One San Marco resident told News4JAX he found the $20 price tag outrageous and said he could make wings at home cheaper with whatever sauce he wanted. Another nearby resident offered a more measured perspective, saying price alone doesn't tell the full story for a small business preparing everything by hand, and suggesting people try the food before judging.

The segment brought citywide attention to a conversation that had already been simmering online — and confirmed that the pricing debate was real, wide, and not going away on its own.

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The Google Reviews: What Real Customers Are Saying

Now let's get into the part Jacksonville has been most curious about. The following is a breakdown of actual customer reviews posted to Bold City Wings' Google Business page, paraphrased accurately and presented fairly alongside the ownership's responses.

Important disclosure: All review content below has been paraphrased from publicly posted Google reviews to accurately convey the substance of each review. We do not independently verify the accuracy of any individual customer claim. Readers are encouraged to visit the Google Business page directly.

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Review 1 — "D" (Local Guide, 7 reviews)

A customer stated they walked out after seeing the wing price, called it unreasonable, and left a 1-star rating without ordering.

Owner response: The owner questioned whether the customer had entered the right store, clarified the price is $16.99 not $20, and stated that leaving a review without trying the food is "wild." They added that they are not competing with dollar menus and that budget-focused customers are welcome to look elsewhere — "no hard feelings."

Our take: The owner's factual point is valid — reviewing food you haven't eaten is problematic. But the "we're probably not your spot" line is the kind of response that gets screenshotted and shared. It reads as dismissive rather than inviting, and it is directed at the broader public reading the review as much as the reviewer.

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Review 2 — Zach Higginbotham (Local Guide, 200 reviews)

A seasoned reviewer with hundreds of reviews on his profile called the wings overpriced for the quality and left 1 star across all categories.

Owner response: The owner challenged the reviewer's quality claim as not being based on any real standard, and stated the review "exposes your credibility" rather than reflecting the business.

Our take: The owner may have a valid factual point here. However, publicly telling a reviewer their credibility is exposed is a combative move that many potential customers reading the page will notice — and not necessarily favorably.

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Review 3 — Frank Tracy (1 review)

A first-time reviewer wrote that the food was very expensive for what you get, with 1 star across all categories and no further detail.

Owner response: Standard response questioning whether a real visit occurred, followed by a defense of their quality and pricing.

Our take: This boilerplate response appears nearly word-for-word across multiple reviews on the page. While it is professionally worded, the repetition makes it feel templated rather than genuine.

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Review 4 — Jeff Grochmal (Local Guide, 13 reviews)

This is one of the most revealing reviews on the page — because this customer actually ate there and gave the food 4 out of 5 stars and service 5 out of 5 stars. He left 1 star overall purely because of the total cost: roughly $17 for wings, $5 for fries, and $7.50 for a beer.

Owner response: The owner pointed out the contradiction between high food and service scores and a 1-star overall, acknowledged the pricing feedback, and thanked the customer for visiting.

Our take: This is arguably the most important review on the page. It confirms that the food and service quality are genuinely there — but that the total ticket is creating a disconnect for customers who feel the value equation doesn't add up. The owner's response here was measured and one of their better ones.

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Review 5 — M.T. Morris (6 reviews)

Described the wings as bland, overpriced, and generic with no elaboration.

Owner response: Boilerplate response questioning the visit and inviting direct contact.

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Review 6 — Jason Clinton (Local Guide, 112 reviews)

A highly active reviewer with over 100 reviews called the food mediocre at best.

Owner response: Standard boilerplate response requesting more details and questioning whether a visit actually occurred.

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Review 7 — Rob Mayville (Local Guide, 59 reviews)

An experienced reviewer who actually dined there described the food as "good" — his own word — but felt the total bill for wings, fries, and a bottled soda as takeout was excessive. He stated the restaurant "got him once" and that was his only contribution to their rent in San Marco.

Owner response: The owner acknowledged the customer called the food "good," questioned the contradiction of a 1-star overall rating, and then notably corrected the customer's cost estimate — pointing out the combo is "close to but not over $30."

Our take: The math correction is a misstep. Whether the bill was $29.50 or $30.10 is beside the point when a customer felt the value wasn't there. Splitting hairs on cents in a public response does not win customers back — it reinforces the impression that the business is more focused on being right than on being welcoming.

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Review 8 — Derek Shaar (Local Guide, 42 reviews)

Left 1 star across the board without dining, citing the news coverage and predicting the restaurant would close soon.

Owner response: The owner pointed out the reviewer openly admitted not dining there and reiterated their quality and pricing standards.

Our take: This is one of the owner's stronger responses. Reviews from people who have not visited are a genuine problem for small businesses, and the response is measured.

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Review 9 — "Crazy" (1 review)

Called the restaurant too loud and too expensive, and specifically named Rhonda as being rude.

Owner response: The owner called the review a personal attack, stated it does not reflect reality, said the account has no history, threatened to report it to Google, and characterized the claim as "null and mute" (their phrasing).

Our take: Naming a specific employee as rude is a serious claim. The owner's instinct to defend their team is understandable. However, the aggressive tone of the response — including the threat and the "null and mute" language — is the kind of public reply that makes undecided readers pause. A calmer version of the same defense would land better.

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Review 10 — Jennifer (8 reviews)

Called the restaurant ridiculously overpriced and said the staff was extremely rude.

Owner response: The owner stated they could not match the description to any visit or interaction and said it does not reflect how they operate, while offering to make things right.

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Review 11 — Amanda Greg (8 reviews)

Alleged food poisoning from undercooked chicken and the presence of roaches.

Owner response: The owner flatly denied the claims, cited their health inspection records with a direct link to Jacksonville's public restaurant inspection database, noted there are no reports of foodborne illness connected to the restaurant, and flagged that the reviewer appears to have posted identical negative reviews at multiple unrelated businesses — suggesting a spam or coordinated fake review pattern.

Our take: This is one of the most professionally handled responses on the page. Food poisoning and pest allegations are extremely serious, and if the owner's characterization of the reviewer's pattern is accurate, providing a direct link to verifiable public inspection data is exactly the right move. We have not independently verified the claims in either direction. Readers can check the Jacksonville restaurant inspection database themselves at data.jacksonville.com.

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Review 12 — Vanessa Singletary (5 reviews)

Stated she placed an online order, paid approximately $30, and left the restaurant with no food after the order was cancelled.

Owner response: The owner explained that third-party platforms handle their own refunds and that Bold City Wings never receives funds from cancelled third-party orders. They also stated that after investigation, DoorDash confirmed no order was ever placed or cancelled under that name.

Our take: Third-party ordering disputes are a real operational headache for small restaurants, and the owner's explanation of how those systems work is accurate. From the customer's perspective, however, walking away $30 lighter with nothing to show for it is a painful experience. The response, while factual, reads clinical rather than empathetic — a softer acknowledgment of the customer's frustration would go a long way even when the business is technically in the right.

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Review 13 — T. Gibson (Local Guide, 19 reviews)

Stated the wings were too expensive and accused the positive reviews of being posted by friends, noting the business was "getting dragged on social media."

Owner response: The owner denied soliciting or allowing friends to post reviews, called the claim inaccurate, and invited the reviewer to contact them directly if they had a legitimate concern.

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Review 14 — Dwaine Sweet (Local Guide, 19 reviews)

Actually dined there and spent approximately $25 before tax on wings, fries, and a drink. He found the portion of fries small and was surprised by the texture of the lemon pepper wings, which he expected to be dry but received in a wet butter-based application.

Owner response: The owner thanked him for the feedback, explained that lemon pepper and garlic wings are served in a wet/butter-based style, acknowledged it should have been communicated at the counter, and apologized for the oversight.

Our take: This is a solid response. The explanation is helpful, the tone is warm, and the acknowledgment of the communication gap is genuine. More responses like this one would serve the brand well.

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Review 15 — Saksham Malhotra (Local Guide, 12 reviews)

Actually dined there, called the wings "decent," but described the cost as close to $3 per wing and called it unreasonable — specifically comparing the experience to Hurricane Grill nearby, which he felt offered comparable wings at a lower price.

Owner response: The owner acknowledged the preference difference, defended their premium approach and quality of ingredients, and expressed hope the customer would return.

Our take: The Hurricane Grill comparison is the kind of feedback that deserves a direct answer rather than a pivot to "we do things our way." When a customer sitting a block away names your competitor and says the food tastes basically the same, that is a specific challenge to the value proposition — not just a general pricing gripe.

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What the Review Pattern Tells Us Overall

Reading all of these reviews together, a clear picture emerges on both sides.

From the customer side: The dominant, consistent complaint is price-to-value. Multiple reviewers with substantial review histories — 200 reviews, 112 reviews, 59 reviews, 42 reviews — are flagging the same issue independently. That is not a coordinated attack. That is a market signal. Additionally, the customers who actually ate the food and praised its quality still left low overall ratings because of the cost. That is the most important data point in this entire review set: the product may genuinely be good, but the price is creating a barrier that quality alone is not bridging for a significant number of customers.

From the owner's side: The responses follow a recognizable pattern that reveals a business in a defensive posture. When customers praise the food but complain about price, the owner highlights the contradiction. When customers leave vague reviews, the owner questions whether the visit occurred. When serious allegations surface, the owner pushes back with documentation. Several of these responses are genuinely reasonable and well-handled. But the overall tone — across the body of responses as a whole — leans toward winning the argument rather than winning the customer.

Public review responses are not private conversations. They are marketing. Every person deciding whether to try Bold City Wings for the first time is reading both the review and the reply. The question is not always who is right. The question is: after reading the exchange, do I want to walk through that door?

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The Community Welcome — Credit Where It's Due

It would not be fair to focus only on the controversy without acknowledging that the San Marco community genuinely embraced this family when they arrived. As reported by News4JAX, neighbors stopped by with cookies from Cookie Fix on multiple occasions, locals brought gifts, and the street foot traffic turned into genuine curiosity and warmth.

San Marco is a tight-knit, community-driven neighborhood that takes its local businesses personally. The fact that a brand-new restaurant generated enough buzz to land on the local news within a month of opening tells you something meaningful — both about how much people wanted it to succeed, and about how closely this community pays attention.

The Lunsford family invested $250,000 into a neighborhood, hired locally, and built something that carries four generations of family history on its walls. That deserves acknowledgment regardless of where you stand on the wing prices.

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Facebook — More Community Discussion Coming

The Jacksonville food community on Facebook has been vocal about Bold City Wings across multiple neighborhood groups and local foodie pages. Common themes in those discussions mirror what we see in the Google reviews: sticker shock at the register, frustration with the no-call-ahead policy, appreciation for the flavor and freshness from those who got to try it, and concern about whether the pricing model is sustainable for the long term in this market.

We will be adding specific Facebook posts and screenshots to this article in an upcoming update. If you have shared your experience in a Jacksonville community group, we want to hear from you.

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The Bottom Line

Bold City Wings presents a genuinely compelling Jacksonville story—a fourth-generation family business with deep local roots. But that origin story is currently colliding head-on with a harsh economic reality that cannot be ignored.

Jacksonville residents are currently drowning under the weight of inflation. Rent is soaring, insurance rates are punishing, and the cost of basic groceries has stretched local families to the breaking point. Meanwhile, we are watching beloved legacy restaurants and local businesses close their doors across the county because the math simply no longer works.

In that environment, launching a restaurant with wings priced 57% above national benchmarks—pushing past $2 a wing—feels to many residents like a fundamental misread of the room. It is one thing to charge a premium for scratch-made food in a high-rent district like San Marco. It is another to dismiss the very real sticker shock of your neighbors by telling them, essentially, "we're not competing with the dollar menu."

The food quality complaints are in the minority here. The value complaints are not. The owners have explained their pricing rationale clearly and publicly, and their operational costs are undoubtedly high. But there is a difference between justifying overhead and delivering a value proposition that a struggling community can actually stomach. Right now, charging nearly $20 for an 8-piece wing while local families are tightening their belts is creating a friction that no amount of homemade sauce can cover up.

What this business does next—with its Google review page, its pricing model, and its community engagement—will determine whether it becomes a San Marco staple or another empty storefront. The wings might be good. But in today's economy, being good isn't enough if your neighbors literally cannot afford to eat there.

If you have been to Bold City Wings, drop your experience in the comments. We want to hear from people on both sides.

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This article is an independent editorial piece based on publicly available information including the News4JAX broadcast report of April 6, 2026, reporting from the Jax Daily Record, publicly posted Google Business reviews, and publicly available menu data from DoorDash. All customer review content has been paraphrased to accurately convey the substance of each review without reproducing original text verbatim. All attributed quotes from owners and public figures are sourced from published news reports. We do not independently verify individual customer claims. This article does not intend to harm the reputation of any individual or business — it is intended to provide Jacksonville readers with a fair, factual, and thorough overview of a local business conversation that has already entered the public domain through mainstream news coverage.

All pricing comparisons are based on publicly reported national averages as of early 2026. Tax estimates use Florida's approximate 7% sales tax rate. Chain pricing may vary by location.