Trap House Chicken (THC) is best known for its Southern-style fried chicken, most notably its fried chicken wings — but the chicken sandwiches and fried ribs also shouldn’t be missed. For something a little sweet consider the fried waffles and chicken, which comes with two fluffy waffles and fried chicken wings, which THC says is just like the fried chicken served on Sundays after church. 

Hangar Bay is a fusion soul food restaurant where the fried chicken and ramen are the stars. The fried chicken is just as flavorful as one would expect from a Southern fried chicken with a crispy coating that locks in all of the juices from the chicken. And if the fried chicken isn’t enough, Hangar Bay Cafe also dishes out fried chicken livers and gizzards for the more adventurous crowd. 

When it comes to fried chicken no one is doing it better than chef Kenny Gilbert at his Springfield restaurant Silkies Chicken and Champagne Bar. The counter-service restaurant is known for its chicken biscuit sandwiches piled high with unique topping options. The most popular dish on the expansive menu is the FB Hot made with a crispy fried chicken thigh with spicy hot sauce, creamy Alabama white barbecue sauce, and cool dill cucumbers piled onto a cheesy jalapeno cheddar biscuit. This is the chicken sandwich that Oprah was served by Gilbert, which automatically makes it a win. 

Locals and visitors flock to Bold Birds Nashville Hot Chicken for Hughes Brown’s fried chicken, and like any good Nashville-style hot chicken, the spice level ranges from a no heat fried chicken to a scorching “hotter than a mother clucker” level. Diners can order everything from a quarter or half chicken to crispy fried tenders for kids. The side dishes here are just as tasty as the chicken with items like corn and tomato salad or collard greens. 

Since 1939 Beach Road Fish House and Chicken Dinners has been serving Jacksonville some of the city’s best seafood, along with some equally as appetizing fried chicken, which is light and well seasoned, while the chicken is so tender it almost falls off the bone. The chicken dinners here come as a quarter, half, or whole fried chicken, and are served with a choice of sides and a buttery biscuit.

Since 2014 Shut Em Down has been serving the city its beloved fried chicken along with all of the Southern comfort favorites. The breading on each piece of chicken is light while still maintaining a nice crunch. After biting through the crust, the juicy chicken is bursting with flavor. Dinners here are a deal at just $10.49 for fried chicken, two sides, and a big piece of cornbread. Locals also say this is some of the best banana pudding in town, so be sure to get some, even if it’s to-go.