The Best Hole-in-the-Wall Fried Chicken Spots Across All 50 States
Nothing beats the crispy, golden perfection of fried chicken from a local spot that’s been serving up secret recipes for decades.
These hidden gems don’t need fancy advertising because word-of-mouth keeps their tables full and their fryers hot.
From coast to coast, we’ve tracked down the best hole-in-the-wall joints where the chicken is always fresh, the portions are generous, and the flavors will make you want to come back tomorrow.
1. Martin’s Restaurant (Alabama)
Montgomery locals have been flocking to Martin’s since 1931 for their legendary fried chicken that’s been made the same way for nearly a century. The meat stays juicy while the crust delivers that perfect crunch everyone craves.
Their secret batter recipe has never changed, and neither has their commitment to quality. You’ll find locals lined up at lunch, and once you taste it, you’ll understand why this place has survived generations.
2. Lucky Wishbone (Alaska)
Since 1955, this Anchorage institution has been frying up chicken that Alaskans consider a state treasure. The batter is light yet incredibly crispy, and the chicken always arrives piping hot to your table.
What started as a small family operation became a beloved landmark. Generations of families celebrate birthdays and special occasions here because the chicken never disappoints and the atmosphere feels like coming home.
3. Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles (Arizona)
Phoenix’s Lo-Lo’s brings Southern soul food to the desert with chicken so tender it falls off the bone. Their signature seasoning blend creates a flavor explosion that keeps customers driving across town for just one more taste.
The waffles are fluffy perfection, but honestly, the chicken steals the show every single time. Owner Larry White’s recipes honor his grandmother’s cooking, making every bite feel like a warm family hug.
4. Monte Ne Inn Chicken (Arkansas)
Rogers, Arkansas became a fried chicken destination thanks to Monte Ne Inn’s all-you-can-eat family-style dinners. The chicken arrives on huge platters, perfectly seasoned and fried until the skin crackles with every bite.
They’ve been serving hungry Arkansans since 1970, and the recipe hasn’t budged an inch. People travel from neighboring states just to experience the generous portions and that addictive, perfectly balanced seasoning that makes seconds inevitable.
5. Howlin’ Ray’s (California)
Los Angeles went absolutely wild when Howlin’ Ray’s brought authentic Nashville hot chicken to California. The heat levels range from mild to blazing inferno, but even the spiciest version never sacrifices flavor for fire.
Expect lines around the block because this chicken is worth every minute of waiting. The crispy coating locks in moisture while delivering serious spice, and one bite explains why food critics can’t stop raving about this place.
6. The Post Chicken & Beer (Colorado)
Denver’s Post elevates fried chicken to gourmet status without losing that comforting, craveable quality everyone loves. Their brined chicken gets double-fried for extra crunch, then paired with inventive sides that change with the seasons.
The beer selection is phenomenal, but people really come for chicken that’s both familiar and fancy. Each piece is cooked to order, ensuring every customer gets chicken that’s hot, fresh, and absolutely delicious.
7. Hen House Bar & Grill (Connecticut)
Groton’s Hen House proves that New England does fried chicken just as well as the South. Their buttermilk-marinated chicken develops incredible flavor before hitting the fryer for that golden, crispy finish everyone craves.
This neighborhood bar serves comfort food that hits different after a long day. The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the chicken consistently delivers that satisfying crunch followed by juicy, flavorful meat underneath.
8. Lettie’s Kitchen (Delaware)
Wilmington’s best-kept secret serves soul food that’ll make you forget you’re in Delaware and swear you’re somewhere deep in the South. Lettie’s chicken is seasoned with love and fried to absolute perfection every single time.
The mac and cheese is legendary, but that chicken steals every show. Each piece comes out hot and crispy, with meat so tender it practically melts, proving that great fried chicken knows no geographical boundaries.
9. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar (Florida)
Miami Beach’s Yardbird brings Southern hospitality to Florida with chicken that’s brined for 27 hours before frying. That extended marinade creates unbelievably juicy meat under a perfectly seasoned, crispy crust that shatters with every bite.
The atmosphere is upscale casual, but the chicken remains authentically Southern. Their watermelon and biscuits are Instagram-famous, but regulars know the real star is that perfectly executed fried chicken that never disappoints.
10. Busy Bee Café (Georgia)
Atlanta’s Busy Bee has been feeding hungry souls since 1947, and their fried chicken recipe hasn’t changed one bit. Civil rights leaders, celebrities, and everyday Atlantans all line up for chicken that represents the very best of Southern cooking.
The meat is always moist, the coating always crispy, and the seasoning always spot-on perfect. This is the kind of place where the chicken tastes like somebody’s grandmother made it with decades of experience and genuine love.
11. Ethel’s Grill (Hawaii)
Honolulu’s tiniest restaurant serves some of the island’s biggest flavors, with fried chicken that locals guard like a precious secret. Ethel’s chicken comes with rice and mac salad, creating that perfect Hawaiian plate lunch everyone craves.
The space barely fits ten people, but the chicken is worth squeezing in shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers. Each piece is fried fresh to order, ensuring that crispy coating and juicy interior that makes Hawaiian comfort food so special.
12. Fork Fried Chicken (Idaho)
Boise’s Fork takes fried chicken seriously, sourcing local ingredients and frying everything to order for maximum freshness. Their chicken is brined overnight, creating meat that’s incredibly flavorful and tender beneath that golden, crunchy exterior.
They serve it with Idaho potatoes prepared about a dozen different ways because, well, Idaho. The chicken itself is simple perfection, proving that great ingredients and proper technique beat fancy tricks every time.
13. Harold’s Chicken Shack (Illinois)
Chicago’s Harold’s is an institution with locations across the South Side, each one serving chicken that defines the city’s unique style. The pieces are fried hard and crispy, then doused in tangy hot sauce that creates a flavor combination you can’t find anywhere else.
Locals argue about which location is best, but honestly, they’re all serving that same addictive Harold’s chicken. The wings are particularly legendary, and eating them with white bread is the only proper way.
14. Hollyhock Hill (Indiana)
Indianapolis families have celebrated special occasions at Hollyhock Hill since 1928, where fried chicken arrives family-style on huge platters. The recipe hasn’t changed in nearly a century because when something’s this good, you don’t mess with perfection.
The chicken is tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned with that classic Midwestern approach. Everything comes with unlimited refills, so pace yourself because you’ll definitely want thirds of that incredible chicken that tastes like Sunday dinner at Grandma’s house.
15. Bubba Southern Comforts (Iowa)
Des Moines might seem like an unlikely place for authentic Southern fried chicken, but Bubba’s proves geography doesn’t determine deliciousness. Their chicken is marinated for hours before frying, resulting in meat that’s incredibly tender and bursting with flavor.
The portions are huge, the prices are reasonable, and the chicken tastes like it came straight from a Southern kitchen. Iowans have embraced this place wholeheartedly because good fried chicken transcends regional boundaries when it’s made this well.
16. Stroud’s (Kansas)
Kansas City’s Stroud’s has been frying chicken in cast-iron skillets since 1933, creating a slightly different texture than deep-fried versions. The result is chicken with an incredibly crispy crust and meat that stays remarkably juicy and flavorful.
They serve it family-style with all the fixings, and the cinnamon rolls are almost as famous as the chicken. Almost. Because that pan-fried chicken, with its unique texture and perfect seasoning, remains the undisputed star of every meal.
17. Joella’s Hot Chicken (Kentucky)
Louisville’s Joella’s brought Nashville hot chicken to Kentucky and made it their own with customizable heat levels and creative flavor combinations. The chicken stays crispy even under all that spicy coating, and the heat never overwhelms the actual chicken flavor.
Start with a milder heat level because these folks don’t play around with their spice ratings. The chicken itself is brined and cooked perfectly, ensuring every piece is juicy and delicious underneath whatever heat level you’re brave enough to try.
18. Willie Mae’s Scotch House (Louisiana)
New Orleans’ Willie Mae’s won a James Beard Award for chicken that food critics call the best in America. The secret is in the batter, which creates an incredibly crunchy coating that somehow stays light and never greasy.
The chicken is fried fresh to order, so expect a wait, but it’s absolutely worth every minute. Each piece comes out perfectly golden, incredibly crispy, and so flavorful that you’ll understand why people travel across the country just to taste this legendary chicken.
19. Figgy’s Takeout & Catering (Maine)
Portland’s Figgy’s proves that Maine does more than just lobster rolls, serving fried chicken that locals consider a well-kept secret. Their buttermilk-brined chicken develops incredible flavor before getting fried to crispy, golden perfection.
The takeout setup is casual, but the chicken quality rivals any sit-down restaurant. Each piece is cooked fresh when you order, ensuring that satisfying crunch followed by tender, juicy meat that makes you want to order extra for tomorrow’s lunch.
20. Chicken Rico (Maryland)
Baltimore’s Chicken Rico adds Latin flair to fried chicken with Peruvian-inspired seasonings that create bold, exciting flavors. The chicken is marinated in a special blend of spices before frying, resulting in meat that’s incredibly flavorful from the first bite.
Their green sauce is legendary and pairs perfectly with the crispy chicken. This isn’t your traditional Southern-style bird, but it’s absolutely delicious and proves that fried chicken can travel the world and still be amazing.
21. Highland Kitchen (Massachusetts)
Somerville’s Highland Kitchen serves fried chicken that’s become legendary in the Boston area, with locals planning their week around fried chicken night. The chicken is brined, perfectly seasoned, and fried until the coating reaches that ideal combination of crispy and crunchy.
They only serve it on certain nights, which makes it even more special. The portions are generous, the sides are creative, and the chicken itself is consistently excellent, proving New England can compete with anywhere when it comes to fried perfection.
22. Sweetwater Tavern (Michigan)
Detroit’s Sweetwater Tavern serves fried chicken that Michiganders consider comfort food at its finest. The buttermilk batter creates a coating that’s crispy without being heavy, and the chicken inside stays incredibly moist and flavorful.
The tavern atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, perfect for enjoying chicken that tastes like home cooking elevated just a notch. They pair it with creative sides that change seasonally, but that classic fried chicken remains the constant star everyone comes back for repeatedly.
23. Revival (Minnesota)
Minneapolis’s Revival brought Southern fried chicken to the frozen North and proved that Minnesota can fry with the best of them. Their chicken is brined for 24 hours, creating incredibly juicy meat under a perfectly seasoned, crispy exterior.
The menu offers creative twists on Southern classics, but the fried chicken remains pure and traditional. Each piece is fried to order, ensuring maximum crispiness and flavor that makes you forget about the snow outside and think only about getting another piece.
24. Mama Hamil’s (Mississippi)
Greenwood’s Mama Hamil’s serves fried chicken that represents the very soul of Mississippi cooking. The seasoning is simple but perfect, allowing the quality of the chicken itself to shine through that golden, crispy coating.
This is the kind of place where locals eat several times a week because it tastes like home. The chicken is always fresh, always hot, and always exactly what you’re craving when you think about classic Southern fried chicken done the traditional way.
25. Hodak’s (Missouri)
St. Louis’s Hodak’s has been frying chicken since 1947 using the same recipe that made them famous decades ago. The chicken comes out incredibly crispy with a coating that has just the right amount of seasoning to enhance without overpowering.
The atmosphere is pure vintage St. Louis, and the chicken tastes like stepping back in time. Generations of families have celebrated here because the chicken never changes, never disappoints, and always delivers that comforting, delicious experience people remember from childhood.
26. Roost Fried Chicken (Montana)
Missoula’s Roost brings serious fried chicken game to Big Sky Country with locally sourced birds fried to absolute perfection. The chicken is brined overnight, then coated in a seasoned flour mixture that creates an incredibly crispy, flavorful crust.
They serve it with Montana-inspired sides that complement the chicken beautifully. Each piece is cooked fresh when ordered, ensuring that satisfying crunch and juicy interior that makes fried chicken one of life’s simple but perfect pleasures worth celebrating.
27. Big Mama’s Kitchen (Nebraska)
Omaha’s Big Mama’s serves soul food that feeds both body and spirit, with fried chicken that locals consider the city’s best-kept secret. The seasoning blend creates layers of flavor, and the chicken always comes out perfectly cooked with crispy skin and juicy meat.
The portions are generous enough to share, but you probably won’t want to. Each piece of chicken is fried with care and attention, resulting in food that tastes like someone’s beloved grandmother made it specially for you.
28. The Crack Shack (Nevada)
Las Vegas’s Crack Shack elevates fried chicken to gourmet status while keeping it fun and accessible. The chicken is antibiotic-free, marinated in buttermilk, and fried until the coating reaches that perfect golden crispiness everyone craves.
Their creative sandwiches and bowls showcase the chicken in interesting ways, but sometimes you just want the simple fried chicken by itself. The quality speaks for itself, proving that even in a city of excess, simple, perfectly executed fried chicken wins every time.
29. The Puritan Backroom (New Hampshire)
Manchester’s Puritan Backroom has been a New Hampshire institution since 1917, serving fried chicken that generations of families have grown up eating. The recipe is traditional and straightforward, focusing on quality chicken fried perfectly with a simple but effective seasoning blend.
The atmosphere is classic American restaurant, and the chicken tastes exactly like what fried chicken should be. Nothing fancy, nothing trendy, just consistently excellent fried chicken that proves sometimes the old ways are still the best ways possible.
30. Bloom Chicken (New Jersey)
New Jersey’s Bloom Chicken brings Korean-style fried chicken to the Garden State with incredibly crispy coating and creative sauce options. The double-frying technique creates an extra-crunchy exterior while keeping the meat inside remarkably juicy and tender.
Their sauces range from sweet to spicy, but the chicken is good enough to eat plain. This style of fried chicken is different from Southern versions but equally addictive, proving that fried chicken excellence comes in many delicious forms and flavors.
31. Nexus Brewery & Smokehouse (New Mexico)
Albuquerque’s Nexus combines fried chicken with New Mexican flavors, creating something uniquely delicious. The chicken is brined with green chile-inspired seasonings before frying, resulting in a Southwest twist on this classic comfort food.
The brewery atmosphere is casual and fun, perfect for enjoying chicken that’s both familiar and adventurous. They pair it with creative sides that showcase local ingredients, but that perfectly fried chicken with just a hint of New Mexico spice remains the main attraction everyone orders.
32. Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken (New York)
New York City’s Blue Ribbon serves fried chicken that food critics and late-night diners have obsessed over for decades. The chicken is marinated for 24 hours, then fried to order, creating meat that’s incredibly flavorful under a perfectly crispy coating.
They serve it with matzoh ball soup in a combination that sounds weird but tastes amazing. The chicken alone is worth the trip though, proving that even in a city with infinite food options, simple, perfectly executed fried chicken still reigns supreme.
33. Price’s Chicken Coop (North Carolina)
Charlotte’s Price’s Chicken Coop has been frying chicken in the same tiny building since 1962, and the line stretches around the block for good reason. The chicken is fried in peanut oil, creating a unique flavor and incredibly crispy texture you can’t find anywhere else.
It’s cash-only takeout, but the chicken is worth any inconvenience. Each piece comes out hot, crispy, and absolutely delicious, representing North Carolina fried chicken at its finest and most authentic form.
34. Brew Bird (North Dakota)
Fargo’s Brew Bird proves that North Dakota can compete with anywhere when it comes to fried chicken excellence. Their chicken is brined, then fried until the coating reaches that perfect combination of crispy and crunchy that makes every bite satisfying.
The brewery setting means excellent beer pairings, but the chicken stands strong on its own merits. Each piece is cooked fresh to order, ensuring maximum crispiness and flavor that makes you appreciate good fried chicken no matter how cold it is outside.
35. The Eagle (Ohio)
Columbus’s Eagle brings Southern fried chicken traditions to Ohio with chicken that’s brined for 24 hours before frying. The result is incredibly juicy meat under a coating that’s perfectly seasoned and fried to golden, crispy perfection.
The atmosphere is lively and social, perfect for sharing plates of chicken with friends. They serve it with honey hot sauce that adds just the right kick, but the chicken itself is good enough to eat plain and savor every perfectly seasoned bite.
36. Eischen’s Bar (Oklahoma)
Okarche’s Eischen’s Bar is Oklahoma’s oldest bar and serves fried chicken that’s become legendary across the state. The chicken is simple, traditional, and fried in pure lard, creating a flavor and texture that modern cooking methods can’t quite replicate.
People drive from Oklahoma City and Tulsa just to eat this chicken in a bar that feels frozen in time. It’s cash-only and no-frills, but that chicken, with its old-school preparation and perfect execution, is absolutely worth the trip.
37. Screen Door (Oregon)
Portland’s Screen Door brings Southern soul food to the Pacific Northwest with fried chicken that locals line up for hours to taste. The chicken is brined overnight, creating incredibly tender meat under a coating that stays crispy even when drenched in their famous hot sauce.
The brunch scene is legendary, but the fried chicken is available all day because people demand it. Each piece is fried perfectly, proving that Portland’s food scene includes some of the country’s best fried chicken when done right.
38. Love & Honey Fried Chicken (Pennsylvania)
Philadelphia’s Love & Honey serves fried chicken that’s become a sensation in a city known for cheesesteaks. The chicken is brined, perfectly seasoned, and fried until the coating reaches that ideal crispiness that shatters with every bite.
They drizzle it with hot honey, creating a sweet-spicy combination that’s absolutely addictive. The chicken quality is top-notch, and the preparation is flawless, proving that Philly’s food scene extends far beyond sandwiches to include seriously excellent fried chicken.
39. Winner Winner (Rhode Island)
Providence’s Winner Winner focuses exclusively on fried chicken, and that specialization shows in every perfectly cooked piece. The chicken is brined, then coated in a seasoned flour mixture that creates an incredibly crispy, flavorful crust.
Their sandwiches are creative, but the chicken by itself is the real winner here. Each piece comes out hot and fresh, with that satisfying crunch followed by tender, juicy meat that proves focusing on one thing and doing it exceptionally well beats trying to do everything.
40. Bertha’s Kitchen (South Carolina)
Charleston’s Bertha’s Kitchen serves Lowcountry soul food with fried chicken that represents South Carolina cooking at its finest. The seasoning is perfect, the chicken is always fresh, and the coating achieves that ideal crispy texture everyone craves.
This is real deal soul food in a no-frills setting where the food does all the talking. Each piece of chicken tastes like it was made by someone who’s been perfecting their recipe for decades, because it was, and that experience shows in every delicious bite.
41. Cluckin’ Good Chicken & BBQ (South Dakota)
Sioux Falls’s Cluckin’ Good serves fried chicken that lives up to its name with perfectly seasoned, crispy coating and juicy meat. The chicken is fried fresh to order, ensuring every customer gets chicken that’s hot, crispy, and absolutely delicious.
The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable, making this a local favorite. The chicken quality is consistently excellent, proving that South Dakota knows good fried chicken when they taste it and keeps coming back for more of this addictive stuff.
42. Hattie B’s Hot Chicken (Tennessee)
Nashville’s Hattie B’s helped put hot chicken on the national map with chicken that’s perfectly fried before being coated in their signature cayenne paste. The heat levels range from mild to shut the cluck up, and even the hottest version maintains incredible flavor beneath the fire.
Expect lines, but they move quickly and the chicken is absolutely worth waiting for. The coating stays crispy under all that spice, and the meat inside remains juicy and delicious, proving why Nashville hot chicken became a nationwide obsession.
43. Babe’s Chicken Dinner House (Texas)
Texas’s Babe’s serves family-style fried chicken dinners that have become a Lone Star State tradition. The chicken is hand-battered and fried to golden perfection, arriving at your table on huge platters alongside unlimited sides and biscuits.
The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, perfect for bringing the whole family. The chicken itself is consistently excellent, with a crispy coating and juicy meat that makes you understand why Texans line up at multiple locations across the state for this experience.
44. Pretty Bird (Utah)
Salt Lake City’s Pretty Bird brings Nashville hot chicken to Utah with customizable heat levels and chicken that’s fried to crispy perfection. The coating stays crunchy even under the spicy sauce, and the chicken inside remains incredibly tender and juicy.
The heat levels are no joke, so start mild and work your way up. The chicken quality is excellent regardless of spice level, proving that great fried chicken starts with proper technique and quality ingredients before any sauce gets added on top.
45. Prohibition Pig (Vermont)
Vermont’s Prohibition Pig serves fried chicken that combines Southern traditions with local ingredients and New England sensibility. The chicken is brined, then fried until the coating reaches that perfect golden crispiness everyone loves.
The brewpub atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, ideal for enjoying chicken that’s both comforting and elevated. They pair it with Vermont-inspired sides and local beers, but that perfectly fried chicken remains the star attraction that keeps customers coming back regularly.
46. Mama J’s Kitchen (Virginia)
Richmond’s Mama J’s serves soul food that feeds both body and soul, with fried chicken that represents Virginia’s rich culinary traditions. The seasoning is perfect, the coating is crispy, and the chicken inside stays incredibly moist and flavorful.
The portions are generous and the atmosphere feels like eating at a friend’s house. Each piece of chicken is fried with care and attention, resulting in food that tastes like home cooking elevated to restaurant quality without losing that comforting, familiar appeal.
47. Ma’ono Fried Chicken (Washington)
Seattle’s Ma’ono brings Hawaiian and Filipino influences to fried chicken, creating something uniquely Pacific Northwest. The chicken is brined with Asian-inspired seasonings, then fried until the coating reaches perfect crispiness while the meat stays incredibly tender.
Their fried chicken and waffle sandwich has become legendary, but the chicken alone is worth celebrating. The flavors are bold and interesting while still delivering that satisfying fried chicken experience everyone craves, proving fusion can work beautifully when done right.
48. Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill (West Virginia)
Charleston’s Dem 2 Brothers serves soul food that’s become legendary in West Virginia, with fried chicken that locals consider the state’s best-kept secret. The seasoning blend creates incredible flavor, and the chicken always comes out perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy inside.
The portions are huge and the prices are fair, making this a neighborhood favorite. Each piece of chicken is fried fresh when ordered, ensuring that satisfying crunch and tender meat that makes you want to come back tomorrow.
49. Double B’s BBQ (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin’s Double B’s might be known for barbecue, but their fried chicken deserves equal recognition. The chicken is brined overnight, then fried until the coating reaches that perfect combination of crispy and crunchy that makes every bite satisfying.
They serve it with classic Wisconsin sides that complement the chicken beautifully. The chicken itself is consistently excellent, proving that even in a state famous for cheese and beer, perfectly executed fried chicken can steal the show and keep customers coming back repeatedly.
50. The Bird (Wyoming)
Wyoming’s The Bird serves fried chicken that proves the least-populated state still knows how to fry. The chicken is locally sourced when possible, brined for flavor, and fried until the coating reaches golden, crispy perfection.
The atmosphere is casual Western, and the chicken tastes like comfort food elevated just enough. Each piece is cooked fresh to order, ensuring that satisfying crunch and juicy interior that makes fried chicken one of life’s simple pleasures worth celebrating, even in the middle of nowhere.
