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A plate of fried chicken, fries, and ranch and ketchup with a Trillium beer can visible in the background.
Some of the city’s best fried chicken can be found out on a public golf course in Chestnut Hill.
Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Where to Find Top-Notch Fried Chicken Around Boston

Crispy, juicy, sometimes spicy

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Some of the city’s best fried chicken can be found out on a public golf course in Chestnut Hill.
| Erika Adams/Eater Boston

Boston really loves its fried chicken, from Nashville-hot to buttermilk-brined to Korean. Chicken and waffles makes an appearance on numerous menus around town, brunch and otherwise, while other restaurants offer fried chicken sandwiches and other related dishes.

Whichever style you're seeking, there's probably a local restaurant that can satisfy your fried chicken needs. Here are 15 options to try in and around Boston.

See also: Where to Eat Chicken Wings in and Around Boston

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Neighborhood Kitchen

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Hidden in a mostly residential corner of Medford, this local favorite serves a menu influenced by Haitian and Asian cuisines. The chicken and waffles are a highlight — choose red velvet, Asian sesame and scallion, or honey cornbread for the waffle and one of six flavors for the wings or tenders — but the Spring Street sandwich is also a must, featuring spicy fried chicken with chipotle mayo, bacon jam, and a pickle.

Overhead view of four round aluminum takeout containers on a table, two with thick waffles (one red velvet) and two with fried chicken tenders.
Chicken and waffles from Neighborhood Kitchen in Medford.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Highland Kitchen

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Somerville mainstay Highland Kitchen has a ripping spicy Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich not for the faint of heart (no refunds!). The concoction comes with shredded lettuce, buttermilk ranch, and pickles.

Trina's Starlite Lounge

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Chill neighborhood hangout Trina’s has a fried chicken plate that doesn’t mess around. It comes with curried cauliflower, a mint pea salad, hot pepper syrup, and cornbread with honey butter. Or go for the fried chicken and waffles with hot pepper syrup — it takes extra time to make, but as they say, it’s well worth the wait.

Two pieces of fried chicken with veggies and cornbread on the side, and a small dipping container of syrup.
The fried chicken at Trina’s Starlite Lounge.
Trina’s Starlite Lounge

Hot Chix

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Long a pop-up favorite around town, the Hot Chix team settled into this permanent space in Inman Square last year. The restaurant serves irresistible Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, biscuits, and other sides.

A large piece of spicy fried chicken comes out the edges of a soft bun; it’s topped with slaw and pickles. Two biscuits sit in the background.
Chicken sandwich and biscuits from Hot Chix.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

State Park

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Can't handle too much heat? Opt for State Park’s Tabasco honey fried chicken rather than the Nashville hot. Either will more than satisfy all fried chicken needs, and each comes with appropriate sides. There's also a Japanese-style chicken katsu sandwich available, featuring panko fried chicken.

Lily P's

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Lily P’s focuses on two things: fried chicken and oysters. Diners will find a variety of ways to eat the ultra-juicy pressure fried chicken at the Kendall Square restaurant and bar, whether in one of several sandwiches (try the “hot n’ honey” — Nashville hot chicken with black pepper honey, arugula, and Duke’s mayo) or on a plate or on a waffle. The ambiance is fun, too, with darts, shuffleboard tables, and other entertainment. Find a counter-service offshoot at West End food hall Hub Hall.

Closeup of a fried chicken sandwich with pickled onions, pickles, and mayo.
A fried chicken sandwich at Lily P’s.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

The Coast Café

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Open for over a decade, this tiny soul food restaurant in Cambridge is perhaps best known for its fried chicken. About 300 pounds of chicken are served every week, chef and owner Tony Brooks previously told Eater, and the fried chicken combination plate (chicken, two sides, cornbread) is one of the restaurant's best-sellers. The chicken is marinated for 24 hours before frying, Brooks said.

Overhead view of a black plastic takeout container in three sections. The small sections contain mac and cheese and collard greens; the large section contains pieces of fried chicken on aluminum foil. The container sits on a light wooden surface.
Fried chicken at the Coast Café.
Korsha Wilson/Eater Boston

Fiya Chicken

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Fiya Chicken opened in Allston in late 2020, further solidifying the neighborhood as the spot for Korean fried chicken. Fiya does twice-fried chicken in many forms (wing, tender, and sandwich), as well as corn dogs fried in pancake batter.

Buttermilk & Bourbon

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With a name like Buttermilk & Bourbon, a restaurant had better serve a good buttermilk fried chicken — and fortunately it does. Get it in the form of wings, boneless thighs, or a bone-in half chicken, served in a choice of styles (Nashville hot, sweet and spicy, or with barbecue syrup or white barbecue sauce). Might as well stick with the fried theme and get some beignets for dessert. There’s a location in Watertown, too.

Several pieces of fried chicken sit in a high-rimmed white bowl on a table with a vase of red flowers visible in the background. Plush red booth seating is also visible.
Buttermilk & Bourbon’s fried chicken.
Buttermilk & Bourbon

This Chinatown restaurant is especially proud of its chicken, hence its former name, Crave — Mad for Chicken. Fried Korean-style, it comes as wings and drums, chicken and waffles, and more.

Moonshine 152

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This South Boston restaurant's award-winning buttermilk fried chicken wings are served with a poblano ranch dressing. There’s also a fried chicken and waffle dish (named for Leslie Knope, one of several nods to Parks and Recreation at Moonshine 152) with Sriracha bourbon sauce and cinnamon honey butter.

Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen

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The peach sweet chile country fried chicken wings are the move at Darryl’s, but the “glorifried” chicken and waffles (classic buttermilk or red velvet) are also excellent.

Side Chick

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This Dorchester newcomer arrived in early 2022, taking over the former Singh’s Roti storefront after Singh’s moved to a larger space nearby. It’s already building up quite a fanbase for its extensive menu of halal fried chicken in various forms, from sandwiches like the “hot Cheeto” (crispy chicken, lettuce, banana peppers, Cheetos, and cheese sauce) to fingers, wings, and chicken-topped salads.

Hemlock Grill

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Local fried chicken fans know that one of the best around was at now-closed Cambridge restaurant Bisq during chef Alex Sáenz’s tenure there. Well, he’s still around, frying up excellent chicken at a Bisq outpost in Time Out Market in Fenway and just over in Chestnut Hill, at a golf course of all places. Hemlock Grill is open to the public for indoor and outdoor dining — you don’t even have to golf — with two fried chicken sandwiches (one is Nashville hot) or fried chicken by the basket, served with fries and ranch.

Brassica Kitchen + Cafe

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Brassica Kitchen’s legendary fried chicken needs no introduction. Order it for dinner — it's served with maple, mustard, cabbage, and optional hot sauce — or at brunch, with waffles. It’s outstanding.

Neighborhood Kitchen

Hidden in a mostly residential corner of Medford, this local favorite serves a menu influenced by Haitian and Asian cuisines. The chicken and waffles are a highlight — choose red velvet, Asian sesame and scallion, or honey cornbread for the waffle and one of six flavors for the wings or tenders — but the Spring Street sandwich is also a must, featuring spicy fried chicken with chipotle mayo, bacon jam, and a pickle.

Overhead view of four round aluminum takeout containers on a table, two with thick waffles (one red velvet) and two with fried chicken tenders.
Chicken and waffles from Neighborhood Kitchen in Medford.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

Highland Kitchen

Somerville mainstay Highland Kitchen has a ripping spicy Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich not for the faint of heart (no refunds!). The concoction comes with shredded lettuce, buttermilk ranch, and pickles.

Trina's Starlite Lounge

Chill neighborhood hangout Trina’s has a fried chicken plate that doesn’t mess around. It comes with curried cauliflower, a mint pea salad, hot pepper syrup, and cornbread with honey butter. Or go for the fried chicken and waffles with hot pepper syrup — it takes extra time to make, but as they say, it’s well worth the wait.

Two pieces of fried chicken with veggies and cornbread on the side, and a small dipping container of syrup.
The fried chicken at Trina’s Starlite Lounge.
Trina’s Starlite Lounge

Hot Chix

Long a pop-up favorite around town, the Hot Chix team settled into this permanent space in Inman Square last year. The restaurant serves irresistible Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, biscuits, and other sides.

A large piece of spicy fried chicken comes out the edges of a soft bun; it’s topped with slaw and pickles. Two biscuits sit in the background.
Chicken sandwich and biscuits from Hot Chix.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

State Park

Can't handle too much heat? Opt for State Park’s Tabasco honey fried chicken rather than the Nashville hot. Either will more than satisfy all fried chicken needs, and each comes with appropriate sides. There's also a Japanese-style chicken katsu sandwich available, featuring panko fried chicken.

Lily P's

Lily P’s focuses on two things: fried chicken and oysters. Diners will find a variety of ways to eat the ultra-juicy pressure fried chicken at the Kendall Square restaurant and bar, whether in one of several sandwiches (try the “hot n’ honey” — Nashville hot chicken with black pepper honey, arugula, and Duke’s mayo) or on a plate or on a waffle. The ambiance is fun, too, with darts, shuffleboard tables, and other entertainment. Find a counter-service offshoot at West End food hall Hub Hall.

Closeup of a fried chicken sandwich with pickled onions, pickles, and mayo.
A fried chicken sandwich at Lily P’s.
Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater Boston

The Coast Café

Open for over a decade, this tiny soul food restaurant in Cambridge is perhaps best known for its fried chicken. About 300 pounds of chicken are served every week, chef and owner Tony Brooks previously told Eater, and the fried chicken combination plate (chicken, two sides, cornbread) is one of the restaurant's best-sellers. The chicken is marinated for 24 hours before frying, Brooks said.

Overhead view of a black plastic takeout container in three sections. The small sections contain mac and cheese and collard greens; the large section contains pieces of fried chicken on aluminum foil. The container sits on a light wooden surface.
Fried chicken at the Coast Café.
Korsha Wilson/Eater Boston

Fiya Chicken

Fiya Chicken opened in Allston in late 2020, further solidifying the neighborhood as the spot for Korean fried chicken. Fiya does twice-fried chicken in many forms (wing, tender, and sandwich), as well as corn dogs fried in pancake batter.

Buttermilk & Bourbon

With a name like Buttermilk & Bourbon, a restaurant had better serve a good buttermilk fried chicken — and fortunately it does. Get it in the form of wings, boneless thighs, or a bone-in half chicken, served in a choice of styles (Nashville hot, sweet and spicy, or with barbecue syrup or white barbecue sauce). Might as well stick with the fried theme and get some beignets for dessert. There’s a location in Watertown, too.

Several pieces of fried chicken sit in a high-rimmed white bowl on a table with a vase of red flowers visible in the background. Plush red booth seating is also visible.
Buttermilk & Bourbon’s fried chicken.
Buttermilk & Bourbon

Crave

This Chinatown restaurant is especially proud of its chicken, hence its former name, Crave — Mad for Chicken. Fried Korean-style, it comes as wings and drums, chicken and waffles, and more.

Moonshine 152

This South Boston restaurant's award-winning buttermilk fried chicken wings are served with a poblano ranch dressing. There’s also a fried chicken and waffle dish (named for Leslie Knope, one of several nods to Parks and Recreation at Moonshine 152) with Sriracha bourbon sauce and cinnamon honey butter.

Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen

The peach sweet chile country fried chicken wings are the move at Darryl’s, but the “glorifried” chicken and waffles (classic buttermilk or red velvet) are also excellent.

Side Chick

This Dorchester newcomer arrived in early 2022, taking over the former Singh’s Roti storefront after Singh’s moved to a larger space nearby. It’s already building up quite a fanbase for its extensive menu of halal fried chicken in various forms, from sandwiches like the “hot Cheeto” (crispy chicken, lettuce, banana peppers, Cheetos, and cheese sauce) to fingers, wings, and chicken-topped salads.

Hemlock Grill

Local fried chicken fans know that one of the best around was at now-closed Cambridge restaurant Bisq during chef Alex Sáenz’s tenure there. Well, he’s still around, frying up excellent chicken at a Bisq outpost in Time Out Market in Fenway and just over in Chestnut Hill, at a golf course of all places. Hemlock Grill is open to the public for indoor and outdoor dining — you don’t even have to golf — with two fried chicken sandwiches (one is Nashville hot) or fried chicken by the basket, served with fries and ranch.

Brassica Kitchen + Cafe

Brassica Kitchen’s legendary fried chicken needs no introduction. Order it for dinner — it's served with maple, mustard, cabbage, and optional hot sauce — or at brunch, with waffles. It’s outstanding.

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