G Wiv wrote:LTh,

Don't know about best in Chicagoland, but I was dead shocked at the deliciousness of the Sunday Special Fried Chicken at L Woods. Crisp, greaseless terrifically crunchy crust, meaty moist chicken, even the extra large breast was juicy, with an even distribution of flavor suggesting the bird spent time in a brine.

Fried Chicken, Sunday Special at L Woods



Couple the fried chicken with onion strings, a JimInLoganSquare worthy biscuit drizzled with fragrant honey and I have a new arrow in my fried yard bird quiver.

Biscuit



My wife and I ate at the bar, Cubs game was on and she is a life long fan, had multiple interesting conversations, a solid chopped salad, just ok coconut cake and a bone in rib eye for my bride that was ~fine~, but made me remember why I prefer either a top tier steak house such as David Burke or my own back yard for steak.

Overall a surprisingly enjoyable experience at L Woods and the fried chicken was terrific, Sundays only though.

Enjoy,
Gary

L Woods
7110 N. Lincoln Ave.
Lincolnwood IL, 60712
847-677-3350

that looks awesome gwiv; thanks for posting. i notice a flatbread in the background? is there anything else you recommend at this place sir?

MBK wrote:that looks awesome gwiv; thanks for posting. i notice a flatbread in the background? is there anything else you recommend at this place sir?

MKB,

Looks a bit compressed in the background, but it's simply onion bread served at the top of the meal. Far as reccommending, I don't have much recent experience with L Woods, as mentioned chopped salad was a solid rendition and in the past I've enjoyed blue cheese topped burgers, but the Sunday Fried Chicken is the only menu item I can currently recommend with confidence.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

MBK wrote:that looks awesome gwiv; thanks for posting. i notice a flatbread in the background? is there anything else you recommend at this place sir?

MKB,

Looks a bit compressed in the background, but it's simply onion bread served at the top of the meal. Far as reccommending, I don't have much recent experience with L Woods, as mentioned chopped salad was a solid rendition and in the past I've enjoyed blue cheese topped burgers, but the Sunday Fried Chicken is the only menu item I can currently recommend with confidence.

The skirt steak is excellent.

Best,
Michael

just curious, how much does that Sunday chicken dinner set one back $$ wise?

Don't they have broasted chicken at Jewel?

Mike G wrote:I have to admit, if I really really wanted fried chicken, I'd be tempted to come up with however many other reasons it would take to justify a road trip here:



(If you're about to ask where it is, follow the link on the word "here.")

Kind of funny, just went to HollyHock this weekend and it wasn't very good at all. Bland chicken, soggy skin and the sides were worse. I grew up eating it, and back then I preferred fast food chicken... Thought it might have been childhood folly, but confirmed for myself that it's not really very good chicken.

It doesn't touch Harold's imo (or popeyes for that matter).

jimswside wrote:just curious, how much does that Sunday chicken dinner set one back $$ wise?

L Woods Sunday Fried Chicken, $14.99
Biscuit and fragrant clover honey, included
Bride wildly cheering for Zambrano's no-hitter, priceless

G Wiv wrote:

jimswside wrote:just curious, how much does that Sunday chicken dinner set one back $$ wise?

L Woods Sunday Fried Chicken, $14.99
Biscuit and fragrant clover honey, included
Bride wildly cheering for Zambrano's no-hitter, priceless

thats not a bad price for Chicago & it looks pretty good.

That looks like about a half chicken mixed from the pics?

I can get a 1/2 fried chicken mixed out where I live(Lasalle County) for about $9.00 with potato, slaw and salad/salad bar.

jimswside wrote:That looks like about a half chicken mixed from the pics?

Jim,

It was a half chicken, and a HUGE half chicken at that. I ended up bringing the Carol Doda size breast home which we turned into multiple chicken sandwiches.

If you notice there are also onion strings on the plate, which I asked for, not sure if they were included in the price of dinner or just a perk for sitting at the bar and chatting, but there was no onion string charge on my tab.

jimswside wrote:I can get a 1/2 fried chicken mixed out where I live(Lasalle County) for about $9.00 with potato, slaw and salad/salad bar.

Good fried chicken? Might be worth a drive.

Enjoy,
Gary

Hi my name's Mike and I am addicted to the Evanston Chicken Shack. I ate there last night (two piece Dark) and I'm having the chicken bits (dark meat chicken nuggets) tonight. Cheap, delicious, and crispy, what more can a man ask for?

G Wiv wrote:

jimswside wrote:That looks like about a half chicken mixed from the pics?

Jim,

It was a half chicken, and a HUGE half chicken at that. I ended up bringing the Carol Doda size breast home which we turned into multiple chicken sandwiches.

If you notice there are also onion strings on the plate, which I asked for, not sure if they were included in the price of dinner or just a perk for sitting at the bar and chatting, but there was no onion string charge on my tab.

jimswside wrote:I can get a 1/2 fried chicken mixed out where I live(Lasalle County) for about $9.00 with potato, slaw and salad/salad bar.

Good fried chicken? Might be worth a drive.

Enjoy,
Gary

Pretty good fried chicken out this way, pretty much every bar/taven offers it and it is usually pretty good.(I believe better than I have had at Priscilla's, White Fence Farm, Del Rheas, or anywhere else closer to the city)

From Johnnies Tap(which also serves turtle) in Marseilles, to Rips in Ladd, to Cherry Supper Club in Cherry, to Carettos in Ottawa, to Hank's Farm in Ottawa. they all serve some good fried chicken for a decent price. Worth a day trip out here on the way to Starved Rock, Morris, Peoria, or the Quad cities down route 80. Plus we have Cajun Connection for the fried alligator, shrimp, and deep fried corn on the cob (plus the cajun items). I think I have gained 15 lbs. since I moved out here from Naperville from all the fried foods.

Nothing beats a half dark chicken order from Harold's on 53rd street with hot sauce.

I'm a huge fan of fried chicken and I never turn down fried chicken. But I will never return to Evanston Chicken Shack. Their chicken is so heavy on the salt i remember leaving with a burning sensation on my tongue. never again... if i cant finish an order of fried chicken, that's saying something

Wow, I have to believe that was a fluke, I've been eating at ECS and Harolds for well over 20 years now and haven't run across that. I have experienced over salted food (most notable a potato soup that was horrific) so I know what that burning taste you describe feel like.

Octarine wrote:Hi my name's Mike and I am addicted to the Evanston Chicken Shack. I ate there last night (two piece Dark) and I'm having the chicken bits (dark meat chicken nuggets) tonight. Cheap, delicious, and crispy, what more can a man ask for?

Mike, I picked up a small "bucket" (it's really a box) of chicken to take home last night as well! Sorry I missed you.

We love ECS too, and it's a only a few blocks from my office, very convenient for those nights I don't want to cook or we're in a big hurry for some evening events.

Their chickens seems no more salty than at other places, and less salty to me than Popeye's.

My first post. The best fried chicken I have ever had was at Gibson's. I believe it is off menu and had to be ordered the day before. It was with Stevez's brother.

Michael
ps. how did I do?

gotafly wrote:My first post. The best fried chicken I have ever had was at Gibson's. I believe it is off menu and had to be ordered the day before. It was with Stevez's brother.

Michael
ps. how did I do?

Just fine, Michael. Welcome to LTHForum

What was it that made Gibsons' fried chicken so good?

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:What was it that made Gibsons' fried chicken so good?

Ronnie,

I'm not Michael, though I join you in welcoming him, but I believe the secret of Gibson's off-menu fried chicken is the same as the one employed at it's sister restaurant Lux Bar, buttermilk brine. I've not had the version at Gibson's, but have enjoyed Lux Bar's.

Enjoy,
Gary

Luxbar
18 E. Bellevue
Chicago, Il
312-642-3400.

fried chicken at Gibsons eh...? perhaps that is what I have been doing wrong since their steaks have never really impressed me on my visits there.

MBK wrote:

G Wiv wrote:LTh,

Don't know about best in Chicagoland, but I was dead shocked at the deliciousness of the Sunday Special Fried Chicken at L Woods. Crisp, greaseless terrifically crunchy crust, meaty moist chicken, even the extra large breast was juicy, with an even distribution of flavor suggesting the bird spent time in a brine.

Fried Chicken, Sunday Special at L Woods



Couple the fried chicken with onion strings, a JimInLoganSquare worthy biscuit drizzled with fragrant honey and I have a new arrow in my fried yard bird quiver.

Biscuit



My wife and I ate at the bar, Cubs game was on and she is a life long fan, had multiple interesting conversations, a solid chopped salad, just ok coconut cake and a bone in rib eye for my bride that was ~fine~, but made me remember why I prefer either a top tier steak house such as David Burke or my own back yard for steak.

Overall a surprisingly enjoyable experience at L Woods and the fried chicken was terrific, Sundays only though.

Enjoy,
Gary

L Woods
7110 N. Lincoln Ave.
Lincolnwood IL, 60712
847-677-3350

that looks awesome gwiv; thanks for posting. i notice a flatbread in the background? is there anything else you recommend at this place sir?

L'Woods is your best bet for beef ribs. Though i preferred the sauce when it was caled BONES, the current rendition is still my favorite just about anywhere. perfect tang and sweetness to compliment the beef. They get their ribs from Niman Ranch.

Decent skirt steak sammich, too.

jimswside wrote:fried chicken at Gibsons eh...? perhaps that is what I have been doing wrong since their steaks have never really impressed me on my visits there.

I'll have to try their chicken.

I suggest you try their underrated burger (w/horsey sauce on the side) and their ribeye steak sammich. The latter may be the best steak sandwich i've had in years.

Fried Chicken at Gibson's . . . . if it's not on their menu, how does one arrange to get it? Can one show up on any given evening and order it?

The pictures of the fried chicken at L Woods with those fantastic onion straws looked incredible. Is the fried chicken a normal menu item? I had only been there once after they turned the former great Bones into L Woods and don't recall the fried chicken on the menu.

I had some fried chicken from Evanston Chicken Shack last night while watching the debate (all day special of 2 legs and 2 thighs w/fries). Great chicken. Good as ever.

The L'woods chicken is only available on Sunday if I remember correctly.

I indulged in some amazing fried (ok. . it's broasted) chicken at Stanley's on Halstead last Friday. It was stupendous. It was easily the moistest white meat i've ever had. At one point i cut the breast in half with my fork to show my friend how juicy it was and the darn thing let forth with streaming rivulets of juicy goodness. Simply delicious.

Another trip to Broasted Chicken Royal Inc left me confident that bad chicken is no fluke here.

I do not know when they change the oil but it is a question I will ask before ever returning. The chicken was neither tender nor flavorful but simply tasted like burnt oil with occasional pockets of paprika as if the chicken was sprinkled with paprika while in the oil so that most of the seasoning just burned. While the individual pieces were nice sized and well battered the coloring showed some burnt spots from too high an oil temp or where burnt fragments in the oil attached to the chicken.

To make matters worse the chicken was wrapped in foil so by the time we got it home and opened it the chicken was wet and soggy and there was a deep puddle of liquid in the bottom of the pan.

The only reason I ate more than one bite was to try a few different pieces ensuring I had an accurate representation of its awfulness.

Broasted Chicken Royal Inc
5930 W Lawrence Ave
(773) 282-5595

Hub and I visited Evanston Chicken Shack for lunch today and really liked the chicken....he got the two legs, two thighs, fries and I got the 5 wing dinner. Very good chicken!

I have to say though, we discussed the fried chicken debate and our favorite fried chicken, which I think is better than any we've had in Chicago-ChickenLand, and I realize this is about Chicago chicken....is the Lakewood Cafe in Winter, Wisconsin.

It's freshly fried, crisp, juicy and has a taste to the crust that ECS just doesn't have.

Again, I know this is about Chicago chicken but just had to add my thoughts.

Lakewood has all you can eat chicken on Saturday nights for 6.95 for mixed, 7.95 for either all dark or white and comes complete with jo-jo's and cole slaw....it's the best deal in town. Downside: is it's 365 miles from Chicago. When we go up there, it's always leaving on Saturday morning, arriving around 3 PM and then we unload and head over to the Lakewood.

So, again, I realize this thread is about Chicago Chicken but if anyone on here finds themselves in Winter, Wisconsin, check out Lakewood Cafe for fried chicken.

Lakewood Cafe
Main Street
Winter, Wisconsin
715-266-5015

PS: if anyone has the nerve to actually travel that far, please let me know and we'll meet you there

Judy wrote: I have to say though, we discussed the fried chicken debate and our favorite fried chicken, which I think is better than any we've had in Chicago-ChickenLand, and I realize this is about Chicago chicken....is the Lakewood Cafe in Winter, Wisconsin.

It's freshly fried, crisp, juicy and has a taste to the crust that ECS just doesn't have.

Again, I know this is about Chicago chicken but just had to add my thoughts.

Lakewood has all you can eat chicken on Saturday nights for 6.95 for mixed, 7.95 for either all dark or white and comes complete with jo-jojojojo's and cole slaw....it's the best deal in town. Downside: is it's 365 miles from Chicago. When we go up there, it's always leaving on Saturday morning, arriving around 3 PM and then we unload and head over to the Lakewood.

So, again, I realize this thread is about Chicago Chicken but if anyone on here finds themselves in Winter, Wisconsin, check out Lakewood Cafe for fried chicken.

Lakewood Cafe
Main Street
Winter, Wisconsin
715-266-5015

PS: if anyone has the nerve to actually travel that far, please let me know and we'll meet you there

According to Google maps the driving distance from Chicago to Winter, WI are 388 mi – about 7 hours 19 mins, which means I doubt I'll ever get up there, but since you threw Wisconsin into the mix...

My vote would have to go to Derango's Pizza King in Kenosha, WI. Now that is some darn tasty fried chicken!

Honorable mentions:
Chicken Inn - Niles, IL
Golden Chicken - Racine, WI
Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket‎ - Willowbrook, IL
White Fence Farm - Romeoville (I have ingrained childhood memories of this place)

My wife & I once had the best chicken of our lives while on a roller coaster road trip through central Kansas at a place called Cohen's Chicken in a basket. I never could find the place after that one amazing experience.

Pollo Campero
2730 N Narragansett Ave
Chicago, IL
773-622-6657


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Mike G wrote:There are a lot of reasons to like Feed, but fried chicken isn't one of them, is it? They do roasted chicken, not fried.

Sundays, 5:30 pm. limited quantity. 3 mixed pcs, mashed, bisc, white gravy, +1 side. $9.
I wouldn't make a special trip or anything though.

since it appears we are expanding the boundries a little(including Wisconsin and all). I am a firm believer the best fried chicken in the area makes it home out in LaSalle County Illinois. SInce I have moved out here a few years ago I have tried numerous(10-15) different places that have had fried chicken head and shoulders above anything I ate in the city or suburbs(including Harolds, white fence, del rheas, Pricillas, etc.).

The two that are the best:

Rips Tavern
Ladd, IL.

http://www.ripstavern.com

Smitty's
Leonore, IL.

There is alot written about each on the beyond CHicago thread.

here is a pic of a 1/2 light fried chicken from Smitty's, who uses a broaster. 1/2 fried with choice of potato, bread stick, and salad bar on Wednesdays, and Saturdays... $6.50 I believe. Or the all you can eat option on those days with potato, salad bar, and pasta....$6.95. The best chicken I have had, and probably one of the best meal deals around. Rips is a close second to Smitty's.

Joe's Seafood and Prime Steak has amazing fried chicken. It's been on the menu for years, and I've had it many times. It takes 30 minutes. It's not an item you'd expect to find there, but it's great!