Roasted, poached, tossed in a salad, or sizzled on the barbecue – chicken is a pretty versatile meat. When you're really craving comfort food, though, there's little better than chicken dipped in batter and fried until tender, juicy, crisp, and golden. Whether it's served in a bun with fries or in whole pieces with a selection of sides, we've found the best fried chicken across the US. Read on for the best fried chicken joint in every state.
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
A small chain originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Hattie B's Alabama restaurant consistently gets rave reviews from customers who praise the food. The menu focuses on plates with various chicken cuts flavored to your spice preference, from Southern with no heat to mild and Shut The Cluck Up!!!, which comes with a burn notice. There's also a hot chicken sandwich that customers love, and a selection of sides like baked beans, coleslaw, and fries.
Founded in 1955, family-owned Lucky Wishbone in Anchorage is said to serve the best chicken around, with the five-piece Pop meal (which includes breast, thigh, leg, wing, and back) one of the most popular choices. The diner is owned by George Brown, who has adorned the walls with old black-and-white pictures of his family, friends, and Second World War flying buddies.
With four Lo-Lo's locations in the state (plus one in Nevada and another in Texas), Arizona locals are never too far away from deliciously crispy chicken. The Lo-Lo's Hood Classics menu includes all the customer favorites, from Tre-Tre's (two legs and a waffle) to Lo-Lo's (a Southern-style three-piece plate with two waffles). There's also a good selection of all-day breakfasts and other soul food classics, like shrimp 'n' grits and blackened fish.
Monte Ne Inn Chicken might look modest but it serves some of the best chicken you could possibly find. With a history stretching back four decades, the restaurant serves chicken with a deep brown crust that's the stuff of local legend. Served family-style, the all-you-can-eat meal includes homemade bean soup, green beans, sweetcorn, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade biscuits, and, of course, that tasty fried chicken. Customers rate the hearty portions, friendly service, and relaxed atmosphere.
If you’re going to focus on just two things, they both need to be excellent. Thankfully Roscoe’s serves superb fried chicken and fluffy, perfectly golden waffles. It was founded in 1975 and now has locations scattered throughout southern California. Be sure to douse your chicken and waffles with lashings of butter and syrup, or go for a savory option like the Sir Michael – a quarter chicken smothered in gravy and onions, and served with grits and a fluffy hot biscuit.
Customers flock to this lively restaurant and bar to enjoy the live music and excellent fried chicken dishes, where you can choose your level of spice. The chicken sandwich, served in a bun with coleslaw and house sauce with one side and one sauce, comes highly recommended. Opt for classic Southern style, hot for a 'bit of burn', Nashville Hot for 'bigger burn', or White Hot, which they brand 'incendiary'. Customers also rate the potato salad with egg and bacon, and the sweet potato fries. There's another branch in Denver.
Greer’s Chicken in Bristol has been highly rated among customers since it first opened in the 1960s. The small shack serves up Southern-style chicken breasts, drumsticks, thighs, and wings – as well as hot and cold roasted chicken and a range of delicious sides like mac 'n' cheese, baked beans, and mashed potatoes with gravy.
Mother-and-son team Susan and Tom Alexander opened Lettie’s Kitchen in 2011 and just three years later they received an accolade for the 'best fried chicken' in the Best of Delaware awards. The restaurant is named after Susan’s late mother, who inspired her to prepare scratch-made comfort food using the finest ingredients. Lettie’s customers consistently praise the fried chicken, as well as the broccoli salad and excellent service.
One of the hottest spots in Miami Beach, James Beard–nominated Yardbird serves unbelievably tasty fried chicken. While other menu items at this upscale restaurant, such as lemon basil pasta and lobster mac 'n' cheese, might distract you, it's the chicken that steals the show. Lewellyn’s Fine Fried Chicken, served with homemade honey hot sauce, was inspired by owner John Kunkel's grandmother’s recipe and takes 27 hours to prepare. It's not surprising it's become the stuff of legends. Other menu highlights include chicken and waffles and whole fried chicken (served as pieces).
A real Atlanta institution, this old-timer has been around since 1947, serving excellent fried chicken that customers keep coming back for. The recipe to success here is simple – the chicken is brined for 12 hours, hand-breaded and freshly fried. The smothered version, with the chicken served on rice with generous lashings of pan gravy, is equally good. There are sides like candied yams, fried okra, and collard greens to complete the meal.
With a particular focus on wings, Vons Chicken offers the perfect combination of crispy batter and tender, juicy meat that diners love. There are just seven options of chicken on the menu (the crispy fried wings are top choice), all available in 10- or 20-piece buckets. The deep-fried shoyu chicken is also worth a try. A popular Hawaiian dish serves as inspiration here, as the fried chicken is covered in a sticky soy sauce, sugar, and garlic glaze.
Named after chimaek, a South Korean word for chicken and beer, this much-loved Korean fried chicken joint takes the popular food to new heights by dousing it in a variety of sticky, sweet, spicy, or savory sauces. Customers can choose from boneless pieces or wings that come with steamed rice or coleslaw and a drink. The sauce flavors range from buffalo to signature yangnyum – a sweet and spicy blend of gochujang (Korean red chili paste), garlic, sugar, and spices. And, of course, there's also a menu of tap and bottled beers.
For crispy, juicy, flavorsome chicken and show-stopping sandwiches, head to Honey Butter Fried Chicken. The diner serves up a wide range of sandwiches as well as mains like buffalo mac 'n' cheese and fried chicken with French toast. But the main attraction here is the signature fried chicken meal served with honey butter and corn muffins. Pair it with a selection of dipping sauces and sides.
All about fried chicken, served with spicy hot honey, The Eagle pairs juicy yet crispy poultry pieces with the ultimate selection of all-American sides. There are fries, of course, as well as skillet cornbread with maple butter, succotash, horseradish mashed potatoes, and an irresistible mac 'n' cheese. The highly rated chicken also comes as a sandwich with coleslaw and house pickles, or check out the fried chicken BLT with bacon, avocado relish, and jalapeño honey mayo, served on rustic italian bread.
Sneaky’s Chicken was founded in 1979 by brothers Dave and Rick Ferris, who aimed to provide high-quality food at a fair price. More than 30 years later, the business is still going strong, receiving high praise from customers. The casual restaurant’s menu includes chicken buckets with as many as 300 pieces (yes, 300!), plus hot wings, buffalo chicken sandwiches, and breaded gizzards.
Just a couple of blocks from the Missouri state border, this Kansas City outpost of Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken is one of several locations the small chain has across the country. Based on the Bonner family recipe from 1953, the chicken is slightly spicy with a thick layer of seasoned crispy breading hugging various cuts of chicken, from breast and thigh to leg and wing. The traditional sides, like baked beans and potato salad, also come from family recipes that have stood the test of time.
A state known for fried chicken, Kentucky's reputation extends much further than the Colonel's famous buckets. With two locations in Louisville, Royals Hot Chicken is a top spot for fried chicken cooked your way, whether that's classic Southern-style or Nashville hot. The crispy chicken also comes in a sandwich, taco, or on mac 'n' cheese, and you definitely shouldn't miss the best side – the loaded potato wedges.
Willie Mae established Scotch House in 1957, when it started life as a bar, barbershop, and beauty salon. By the early 1970s, demand for her food grew so much that the other parts of the business closed. In 2005, Willie Mae's was even awarded a prestigious James Beard Award, but that same year the diner was sadly struck by Hurricane Katrina. After reopening, it was more popular than ever, with customers traveling from across the country and beyond to taste the legendary fried chicken.
Crispy Gai is a small restaurant tucked away in downtown Portland serving up dishes big on flavor. Offering a Thai twist on crispy fried chicken, the menu features brined chicken served with fried shallots. You can also opt for extra crispy wings instead of thighs and drumsticks, or try red curry wings or Thai-Chinese Sichuan wings if you like your food extra spicy. There’s a great selection of sauces, from ginger soy to spicy and sour garlic, and customers love how perfectly crispy the chicken is.
Something between a fried chicken joint and a sandwich shop, BRD cooks up juicy, boneless fried chicken thighs and serves them in a variety of sandwiches, from jerk and BBQ to customer-favorite Hanoi Hen with pickled daikon and carrots, and chilli mayo. There are also chicken wings and boneless bites that come with lashings of tasty sauces, like Japanese BBQ, honey mustard, and buffalo.
The Coast Cafe was opened in 1997 by Tony Brooks and his sister Julie, with the slogan 'food from the soul'. The business is committed to serving the best fried chicken and mac 'n' cheese in New England and, based on the rave customer reviews, they're definitely succeeding. The fried chicken is obviously the star here, but you won't go wrong by pairing it with candied yams and finishing the meal with sweet potato pie.
Fried chicken lovers will find heaven here as Ma Lou's Fried Chicken offers a mouth-watering menu of all things poultry. There are sandwiches with your choice of fried breast or thigh, plus burgers and party wings with garlic or habanero sauces. You can, of course, buy chicken by the piece too. Customers are fans of Ma Lou's chicken and waffles, and the joint's take on a Vietnamese banh mi.
There are four Revival restaurants in Minnesota, all serving an incredible array of Southern dishes from shrimp 'n' grits to mac ‘n’ cheese. But the fried chicken – whether Southern-fried or Tennessee hot – is really the star of the show. Available in pieces, or as a whole or half bird, it's also stuffed in sandwiches and served with waffles, honey butter, and maple syrup.
Arthur Davis, owner of Old Country Store, has earned the nickname 'King of Fried Chicken' for good reason. Using his grandmother’s recipes, Davis has been serving a hot buffet of heavenly fried chicken, okra, mustard greens, and potato salad since the late 1990s. The building, erected in 1875, was once a community shop and its old weather-worn sign still hangs outside. Featured on the Travel Channel and Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate, the buffet-style restaurant's menu hasn't changed much in decades.
Inspired by Nashville hot chicken, the poultry at Southern is juicy, crispy and perfectly spiced. Choose the pieces you want (nuggets, tenders, legs, and thighs are all on offer), pair it with a couple of sides – think classics like mac 'n' cheese and coleslaw – and decide your level of heat. It ranges from original with a hint of spice to hot that'll burn your lips. There are also options to go sweet and spicy by picking General Tso's seasoning, or opt for a hot honey glaze.
'The best takes a little longer' is the motto at Double Front, where food is always cooked to order. But it’s certainly worth the wait according to customers, who compliment the moist and tender chicken and good service. The mouth-watering menu has a range of white and dark meat dinners, as well as mixed dinners, gizzards, and tenders.
Located in Omaha's Switch Beer and Food Hall, Dirty Birds does something incredible to its chicken. The meat is brined for two days in leftover liquid from pickling green beans and cucumbers. It's then coated in batter and fried to a perfect golden brown, and finished with your choice of sauce, from Nashville hot to garlic honey. This process achieves a crispy, salty exterior with moist, tender meat that customers love. The chicken is served with pickles, sauce, a side, and a biscuit, or you can order it in a brioche sandwich.
Fried chicken is at the heart of the menu at The Crack Shack, sold as pieces and in sandwiches. The chicken pieces come with a choice of dipping sauces, from honey butter to sweet heat, while the customer-favorite Coop Deville sandwich combines fried chicken breast with pickled fresno chilies, lime mayo, and cabbage in a brioche bun. Customers also consistently praise the quick and friendly service.
A modest-looking chicken shop, USA Chicken & Biscuit spoils its customers with a mouth-watering menu of individual chicken pieces, tender boneless bites, and wings, which can all be ordered with a selection of sides and biscuits. Customers consistently praise the friendly and attentive staff as well as the crispy, flavorsome chicken.
Confidently claiming its customers have eaten the best chicken of their lives, Chicken Supreme has a long-standing history. The company was established more than 40 years ago by Socrates Lambrinides and is now run by his son Jason. The menu has a wide variety of chicken pieces, wings, wraps, tenders, nugget buckets, and classic sides. Customers love the juicy and tender chicken meat and crispy coating.
Frank's Famous Chicken & Waffles can be found on a busy street in Albuquerque and serves Southern-style food with a side order of nostalgia. This top-rated music-themed diner is decorated with old vinyl records along with rock ‘n’ roll and country memorabilia. As the name suggests, the tasty fried chicken – either wings or tenders – is served with fluffy waffles. There's a selection of Southern favorites like po' boys, shrimp 'n' grits, and fried catfish on the menu too.
In a city with endless choices, it’s not easy standing out – but Sweet Chick has gained a reputation for impeccable fried chicken. With five locations in New York and one in Los Angeles, this mini-chain chicken joint is consistently rated highly for juicy yet crispy chicken, tasty sides, and great service. There's also a great selection of breakfast dishes and chicken sandwiches, plus classic sides like fries, biscuits, and potato salad.
Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack is all about top-rated Nashville-style hot chicken and Southern soul food. Using local ingredients and classic American recipes, the chicken is spiced with options ranging from mild honey to extra hot. There's also grilled and rotisserie chicken on offer, as well as wings, sandwiches, and sides. The three restaurants (two in Asheville and one in Greenville, South Carolina) have a range of special offers throughout the week, like Hand Pie Monday, Wings Wednesday, and Thighday Friday.
Calling itself a 'funky eating joint', Brew Bird in Fargo focuses on all things fried chicken, with a large number of gluten-free items on the menu too. The highly rated fried chicken tenders come with dipping sauces, seasoned with a dry rub, or covered in gochujang glaze, buffalo sauce, or Fargo hot sauce. The chicken sandwiches are also much-loved here – customers rate the Buff Bird with buffalo fried chicken, bacon, tomato, slaw, and blue cheese ranch vinaigrette.
Soho Chicken + Whiskey serves modern Southern cuisine along with an excellent range of craft beers and cocktails. The fried chicken is brined, breaded, and deep-fried, and comes in a bun with fries or as a dinner plate with sides like waffles, ranch potato salad, collard greens, and mac 'n' cheese. Customers rave about the wonderful service, great atmosphere, and top-notch chicken.
Dishing out tasty fried chicken from its five locations in and around Oklahoma City, Nashbird is a customer favorite thanks to its tender and juicy chicken that's perfectly crispy on the outside. With a particular focus on hot chicken, the menu features classics like chicken and waffles, fried chicken baskets and buckets, as well as a fried chicken sandwich, wrap and tacos. The signature offering here is the Nashvillain – a fried boneless breast with mac 'n' cheese, bacon, onion rings, and ranch dressing in a brioche bun.
Be sure to arrive hungry if you’re planning a visit to Basilisk in Portland, so you can handle their signature fried chicken sandwich, stacked with house-pickled cucumbers and cabbage slaw. The much-loved restaurant also serves fried chicken in a salad with noodles and spicy radishes, or smothered in Nashville-inspired hot sauce on toast.
This unusual small chain, found across Philadelphia, only does three things – high-quality coffee, gourmet donuts, and Korean-style fried chicken. Customers are big fans of the joint, locally known as FedNuts, and can't get enough of its fried chicken. The savory menu has everything from three-piece fried chicken to wings and a fried chicken sandwich. There's also an intriguing three-piece combo set: fried chicken breast, leg, and thigh, with a honey-dipped donut and fries. It's sweet and savory dining at its best.
This chic restaurant in Providence is known for its perfectly crisp double-fried chicken wings and drums with a deliciously sticky glaze. Choose between dark (soy garlic) and red (spicy), or go half and half. Other menu highlights include cheesy boneless chicken and soy garlic chicken stew with sweet potato noodles, plus there are other Korean specialties available such as ramen, curry katsu, and kimchi pancakes.
Three locations in South Carolina (plus two in Chicago and one in Charlotte) serve up super crispy and tasty chicken in the form of delectable sandwiches to suit everyone's tastes. There's the Buffalo for those who love a bit of spice, and the much-loved signature Boxcar, with pimiento cheese, peach slaw, and house pickles. Building your own is also an option, with toppings like Kentucky beer cheese, pickled fried green tomatoes, and a variety of sauces available. The chicken tenders are said to be the best in the state too.
Can’t get enough chicken? Then head to The Keg for the Yard Bird Challenge – a belly-buster which includes 16 pieces of chicken, one pound (450g) of fries, a pint (570ml) each of two sides (beans, slaw, or potato salad), and unlimited soda. Finish in 45 minutes and it’s free; lose and you’ll have to pay $40 – and your photo will be added to the wall of shame. For those after a more regular meal, there's a large selection of chicken pieces, wings, tenders, and baskets as well as soups, sides, and salads.
Prince's Hot Chicken is undoubtedly a must-visit. The legendary shack claims to be the originator of Nashville hot chicken. The story is one of revenge served hot: wronged one too many times, Thornton Prince's scorned lover added a significant amount of chili and spice to his favorite fried chicken. However, Thornton loved it so much that he perfected the recipe before opening his own restaurant, back in the 1930s. It's moved locations a few times since, but Prince's is still consistently named among the country's most important restaurants – and still batters a mean piece of fried chicken.
Mike's Chicken is a favorite thanks to its crispy yet melt-in-your-mouth tender chicken. The menu features every part of the chicken you could think of in a variety of plate sizes, from two-piece white breast meat to a half chicken. Everything is served with a choice of two sides (think creamy corn, fries, and baked beans) and a choice of homemade biscuit or Texas toast. The chicken can also be customized with extra heat if you prefer.
Despite a menu full of comfort food classics and delicious brunch dishes, it's Station 22's signature fried chicken that keeps customers coming back. The 24-hour brined and deep-fried chicken with warm buttermilk waffles and syrup is a strong favorite, while the whiskey chicken – fried chicken with veg, gravy, and whiskey sauce – gets the thumbs up, too. The chicken pieces come Southern-fried or doused in honey butter, and there are sides like biscuits, mashed potatoes, and coleslaw.
Serving an unusual combination of fried chicken and incredible ice cream desserts, Canteen Creemee Company offers a selection of crispy fried chicken pieces with cornbread pudding, slaw, and pickles, a fried chicken Caesar wrap, and a fried chicken banh mi. The menu changes regularly with different specials each week, and make sure you save space for the brownie, a heavenly mix of chocolate creemee, brownie pieces, caramel, whipped cream, and chocolate dip.
With many locations in Virginia and several in a handful of other states, this Korean fried chicken chain is rated extremely highly by customers. Decide whether you want wings, tenders, drumsticks, or a whole chicken, then pick a glaze like garlic soy, green chili, and honey lemon. You can also choose to have your fried chicken snow-style – topped with freshly sliced onions and a sauce of your choice.
With a few locations in Seattle, Ma'ono is ran by James Beard–winner and Hawaiian-born Mark Fuller. He draws in throngs of adoring customers with his brined, buttermilk-soaked, umami-spiced, twice-fried chicken. It's spiced to your preference, from 'naked' to generously seasoned with Carolina reaper and ghost peppers, and served with daikon pickles and a choice of dip. You could also enjoy it sandwiched in a sweet bun with kewpie mayo and lettuce.
Dirty Bird's menu features a selection of specialty sandwiches with the rest focusing on fried chicken. There's a variety of chicken piece boxes with sides, chicken and waffles or chicken and biscuits, as well as fried chicken sandwiches. Customers love the buffalo chicken with spicy fried breast, buffalo sauce, melted blue and pepper jack cheese, and jalapeño ranch.
Cream City Cluckery doesn't have a dining room and only offers pick-up and delivery, but that doesn't stop customers coming back for its amazing fried chicken. The joint specializes in crispy tenders, offering them in sets of three to 20, with a choice of sauce. There's also a fried chicken sandwich with tangy pickles and comeback sauce, and tasty sides like tater tots, butter biscuits, and mac 'n' cheese to complete the meal.
In a state where fried chicken shops are relatively scarce, your best bet is to head to Bodega in Jackson Hole. Parked outside the gourmet grocery and wine shop of the same name, this food truck serves super tasty fried chicken. Their triple-fried chicken sandwich gets a lot of praise from diners, who adore the tender chicken and the spicy Mexican sauce that goes with it. What's more, you can enjoy your chicken with the gorgeous Teton mountain views in the background.
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