If Kenosha counts as "Chicagoland", then my vote is for Brat Stop!

I think my favorite so far has been Honey Butter Fried Chicken - excellent even without putting Honey Butter on it. Back here (over a year ago) it was announced they were going to open a storefront. Today I got an email saying they finally have a spot

At laaaaaaast….our space has come along!

It’s the truth: we finally found a home for our Honey Butter Fried Chicken! After a year of searching high, low, and everywhere in between, our restaurant location is signed, sealed and delivered. We will be located at 3361 N. Elston Avenue, on the corner of Elston and Roscoe. Look out Avondale -- HBFC is a-comin’!

The space is a stone’s throw from Hot Doug’s and Kuma’s Corner, which pleases us immensely. The restaurant that previously existed in the space was family-owned and operated for over 20 years and we hope to continue that legacy. The building is a total gem – it’s on a cool industrial block but surrounded by a residential community. Huge bonus: it comes with a tree-lined and light-strung back patio (hello beer garden and fried chicken summers), and lovely discoveries like hidden patina tin ceilings just keep revealing themselves. Suffice it to say, we are EXCITED! (All caps = extra excitement.)

We wanted you -- both long-time supporters of our Sunday Dinner Club and new friends who signed up for the Honey Butter mailing list -- to be the first people to hear the good news. Without you, we’d be on the side of the road with signs that read “Will cook food for food.” So thank YOU for the continued support and enthusiasm. Y’all must be there for the opening!

Now the fun part begins. Full speed ahead on the construction/conversion process – we expect to be up, running and frying by spring of next year. Can’t wait that long for fried chicken deliciousness? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for announcements of tasty chicken previews around the city. We promise to post updates on the space and pictures of all the good stuff we will be testing in the kitchen too.

CHICKEN!
Christine, Josh, Jen and Chris
Team HBFC

See also http://twitter.com/honeybutterchi and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Honey-But ... 7203697259

Mini Hut is far and away the best chicken I've had in the Chicagoland area. Nothing even comes close.

Just went there today. Ordered the 4 piece dinner and fried cauliflower, then went to Tom's to drink beers and wait. The chicken was just glorious. Worth the drive, for sure.

I don't see why everyone is hating on Harold's, I think it's definitely the best easy option for a northsider such as myself. I live in lincoln square, formerly uptown, and I work in Evanston. The Roger's Park and Uptown locations are all pretty easy to get to (just make sure to call in your order ahead of time). Sure, it's a fast food joint so the quality of the chicken is not going to be as good as at a sit down place, but I give them a lot of leeway due to convenience and price. I mean, at lunch time you get a 1/4 chicken meal (this includes fries and white bread and a drink) for 5$. That's ridiculous.

I mean, at lunch time you get a 1/4 chicken meal (this includes fries and white bread and a drink) for 5$. That's ridiculous

To me this says it all. Not knocking anyones version of "The Best" but that is what we are all looking for. The statement is almost always true, you get what you pay for, and if not in Quanity then surely Quality.

Bourbon

Bourbon wrote:

I mean, at lunch time you get a 1/4 chicken meal (this includes fries and white bread and a drink) for 5$. That's ridiculous

To me this says it all. Not knocking anyones version of "The Best" but that is what we are all looking for. The statement is almost always true, you get what you pay for, and if not in Quanity then surely Quality.

Bourbon

Nah. Harold's is the best. You just don't know it.

Bourbon wrote: The statement is almost always true, you get what you pay for, and if not in Quantity then surely Quality.

One of my favorite things about LTH is that it provides so many exceptions to that "rule."

Suiname wrote:I don't see why everyone is hating on Harold's, I think it's definitely the best easy option for a northsider such as myself. I live in lincoln square, formerly uptown, and I work in Evanston. The Roger's Park and Uptown locations are all pretty easy to get to (just make sure to call in your order ahead of time). Sure, it's a fast food joint so the quality of the chicken is not going to be as good as at a sit down place, but I give them a lot of leeway due to convenience and price. I mean, at lunch time you get a 1/4 chicken meal (this includes fries and white bread and a drink) for 5$. That's ridiculous.

I live near Harold's Milwaukee Avenue/Wicker Park location, and I agree. Frankly, I greatly prefer Harold's style of fried chicken to the "broasted" chicken served at Del Rea's and White Fence Farm.

As far as I know Dell Rhea and White Fence farm does not serve broasted chicken. The broasted chicken I have had is a different animal entirely. They serve it at the Great Escape and its freaking delicious. Not so with the other two. Just my humble opinion.

I passed a new fried chicken take out joint in Skokie called Krispy Krunchy Chicken on Dempster and Gross Point Rd. It was attached to the gas station. They are a chain. Not expecting much.

Krispy Krunchy Chicken
5128 Dempster St
Skokie IL 60077
847-674-3735
http://www.krispykrunchy.com/

Ram4 wrote:I passed a new fried chicken take out joint in Skokie called Krispy Krunchy Chicken on Dempster and Gross Point Rd.
http://www.krispykrunchy.com/

The energetic jingle has won me over. Will report back.

Hi- When I clicked on the link for krispy krunchy chicken, there was a link to Tyson. I assume they use their chicken. Some people might be turned off by that. BTW- This place is right across the street from Kaufman's. Hope this helps, Nancy

Krispy Krunchy Chicken - because it's not "just chicken":

Extended Shelf Life (ESL) chicken
Chicken exclusively produced by Tyson®
This isn't just any out-of-the-grocery-cooler chicken—this is a proprietary prepared bird and one of the main reasons Krispy Krunchy's chicken tastes so good and unlike no other. Where others may have a proprietary breading, Krispy Krunchy Chicken is the only c-store chicken program with a proprietary chicken preparation. Always moist, always flavorful and always a customer favorite.

Mmmmm...proprietary chicken preparation.

Man that ESL(extended shelf life) chicken sounds tasty. With the other options in Chicago being what they are they might do great there.

edit:a new place, no one has even tried, probably belongs on the "openings & closings" thread vs a spot on a "best fried chicken in chicagoland" thread. just sayin'

jesteinf wrote:

Krispy Krunchy Chicken - because it's not "just chicken":

Extended Shelf Life (ESL) chicken
Chicken exclusively produced by Tyson®
This isn't just any out-of-the-grocery-cooler chicken—this is a proprietary prepared bird and one of the main reasons Krispy Krunchy's chicken tastes so good and
unlike no other.
Where others may have a proprietary breading, Krispy Krunchy Chicken is the only c-store chicken program with a proprietary chicken preparation. Always moist, always flavorful and always a customer favorite.

It's going to take me a while to figure out what that means ....

Roger Ramjet wrote:

jesteinf wrote:

Krispy Krunchy Chicken - because it's not "just chicken":

Extended Shelf Life (ESL) chicken
Chicken exclusively produced by Tyson®
This isn't just any out-of-the-grocery-cooler chicken—this is a proprietary prepared bird and one of the main reasons Krispy Krunchy's chicken tastes so good and
unlike no other.
Where others may have a proprietary breading, Krispy Krunchy Chicken is the only c-store chicken program with a proprietary chicken preparation. Always moist, always flavorful and always a customer favorite.

It's going to take me a while to figure out what that means ....

I think it means get your fried chicken somewhere else.

What do you want, it's ESL chicken. English is not its native tongue. I think what they are saying is, it's never not like chicken -- meaning that, in any circumstance, in every gas station, this ESL product shares some (at least one) identifiable characteristic with chicken.

I wonder if it's related to Almost Pizza

NFriday wrote: This place is right across the street from Kaufman's.

It's actually about half mile west of Kaufman's, which is near Niles Center Road while Krispy is at Grosse Point.

NFriday wrote:
This place is right across the street from Kaufman's

It's actually about half mile west of Kaufman's, which is near Niles Center Road while Krispy is at Grosse Point.

You're both half right - Google Maps says .3 miles, or a six-minute walk due west on Dempster, with a crossing at Bronx Avenue; it's just past Binny's. Dunno why you'd do it, to be honest, but there ya go!

While I wouldn't say Krispy Krunchy chicken is 5-star chicken, it's pretty solid 3-stars. The chicken itself has a base layer of red pepper spice under the crust. The crust is crunchy (Krunchy?) and not greasy. The only issue I find is that the chicken is not made to order. Sometimes you get very fresh chicken, other times not so much. They are super nice there so I'm sure they would make to order on request.

Stay away from the gut bomb biscuits. Stick to the chicken!

Franabanana wrote:Sometimes you get very fresh chicken, other times not so much.

+1
Kind of like hitting Google's "I'm feeling lucky" button.

TomInSkokie wrote:

Franabanana wrote:Sometimes you get very fresh chicken, other times not so much.

+1
Kind of like hitting Google's "I'm feeling lucky" button.

Nyerk. Exactly.

But seriously, they tend to do pretty good good business on weekday evenings and I don't think the chicken sits. Like I said, I'm sure they would fry to order if requested.

New Article about HBFC (disclaimer - my cousin Josh Kulp is one of the owners...)

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20121204 ... p-avondale

Fuzzbone wrote:New Article about HBFC (disclaimer - my cousin Josh Kulp is one of the owners...)

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20121204 ... p-avondale

Man I got all excited and then I saw "opening in the spring." Nuts.

My favorite 'bird places-

1) Anne's Hideaway- Ottawa (actually Naplate), Illinois. You may need your GPS for this one as it's a little hard to find, but well worth the effort. They also have righteous steaks & seafood for those in your party not looking for chicken. Yhe "family style" is what I like, as it comes with pasta, bread & salad. Been going there since i was a kid. Might want to make reservations, as even the only the locals really know about it, it is ALWAYS quite crowded.

2) Rip's Tavern- Ladd, Illinois. Fried chicken for the last 75 years here. Be ready to wait up to a couple of hours, in line, but that's part of the experience. Made many friends over the years & caught up with others while drinking a cocktail (or four) while waiting. Found it when we moved to Illinois in the '70's. Wife & I each get a quarter light, fries, bread & sodas for $10.00 total. If you get itired of waiting in line, Lanuti's across the street is very reputable for the bird AND turtle.

3) ANY Harold's Chicken Shack. I used to frequent the one in Bolingbrook once a week on Boughtin Rd, but it's now closed. Been to several in the city- just as good. These days the one on 167th in Oak Forest is my preferred one (as it is close to home), but I've never had bad bird at ANy of them.

4) White Fence Farm- Lemont, Illinois. Legendary, Georgia-style fried chicken, a museum & petting zoo.

5) Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket- Willowbrook, Illinois. I probably don't have to describe this one, as most people know about it & many claim it as their favorite. Always good. The weekday buffett is a good way to try their other staples such as their mac & cheese & green beans, but I don't mind waiting the 30-40 minutes on a Sunday to get a fresh hot chicken dinner.

Just my two cents.

The smoked and fried chicken at Lillie's Q in Wicker Park is incredible - probably the best fried chicken that I've had outside the South. They take their smoked chicken and then put it in the deep fryer - two great tastes together. It's especially good with the mayonnaise-based, northern Alabama-style "ivory" barbecue sauce.

The problem with defining THE best fried chicken, it is akin to finding THE best pizza, or even THE best barbecue. It is all very subjective and depends entirely on which of the myriad of style variations the opinion-maker prefers. Do they like light breading? beer batter? corn-meal batter? heavy salt, light salt? spicy non-spicy? (K)Crunchy or (k)crispy? Extended Shelf Life or Regular Shelf Life? Even Dark or light Meat? I say that Harold's is the best chicken in Chicago. Lot's of people are going to argue about that, but that is the style I like, double fried super crunchy, with really juicy big dark legs and thighs. I think Harold's is the best of its class. But even within the fast-food fried chicken category, we have styles as varied as the Evanston Chicken Shack vs. Brown's (which I am sure actually does taste better to someone). I think like pizza, we have to break chicken down into categories, then let people who have professed a penchant for that particular category select their favorite. You would never have Tony Bourdain vote on the best deep dish pizza. Or a hop-head judge a sweet stout. So, I like South-side fast food, two slices of white bread and vinegar-based hot-sauce twice fried chicken (dark meat only), and I proclaim Harold's the Chicken King. Would I bring a basket of Harold's thighs and gizzards to a genteel downstate family farm-style after-church Sunday dinner? No I would not. Would I eat it in my car, getting my face all covered in explosive hot greasy pockets of hot-sauce with nothing but a slice of white bread to clean up with. Yes I would. And Mr. Hammond, I would lick my fingers (as long as I was in my car where nobody else could see me).

I had the fried chicken at the Shanty in Wadsworth. Never again - it was in the Del Rea's/White Fence Farm style and the coating was literally hard as a rock. Be forwarned. This was our second time there, and the other food that we've had at the Shanty has been excellent (e.g. the fried calamari with a Parmesan coating, accompanied by a marinara which seemed to include sun-dried tomatoes, and the shrimp in whiskey sauce).

Went to Chalkboard the other night, and they are still putting out really really good fried chicken. Flavorful, juicy but not greasy. Go there and get some!