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Fried chicken from Hotville Chicken in Baldwin Hills
Fried chicken at Hotville Chicken in Baldwin Hills.
Leslie Rodriguez

17 Fantastic Fried Chicken Restaurants to Try in Los Angeles

From Nashville hot to Korean twice-fried and everything in between

by Eater Staff Updated
7 comments / new
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Fried chicken at Hotville Chicken in Baldwin Hills.
| Leslie Rodriguez
by Eater Staff Updated
7 comments / new

Whether set atop of waffles with a side of maple syrup or piled high in a bucket fit for a picnic, there’s something wonderfully satisfying about expertly fried chicken. Los Angeles is home to plenty of standout specimens, available in all corners of the city and at varying price points. There’s never been a better time to seek out all that’s deep-fried, golden, and delicious. Here now are 17 killer fried chicken stops across Los Angeles.

Removed: AOC, Louisiana Fried Chicken, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Poppy + Rose, Sweet Chick, Phat Birds

Added: Lucky Bird, Dinah’s Chicken, Hotville Chicken, Merry’s House of Chicken

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Dinah’s Chicken

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Dinah’s has captured a slice of the South in Glendale since 1967. The secret to the Pearson family’s beloved fried chicken lies in the four different flours and 11 herbs and spices that coat each breast, leg, thigh, and wing. The pitch perfect seasonings, coupled with a pressure cooking deep-fryer, make for superbly moist specimens that are prized for its crispy, grease-less skins. The writing on the packaging says it all: “Nuthin’ Could Be Finah!”

4106 San Fernando Rd ste a, Glendale, CA 91204
(818) 244-4188
(818) 244-4188

Also featured in:

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

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Yardbird owner John Kunkel has already established the restaurant mini-chain in cities far and wide, ranging from Miami, Las Vegas, and Singapore, to the heart of Los Angeles proper. While the steaks and egg-centric brunch dishes are seriously solid, it’s the classic fried chicken that deserves all the praise.

8500 Beverly Blvd #112, Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 250-8034
(323) 250-8034
Fried chicken and waffles from Yardbird on a decorated plate.
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
Crystal Coser

Also featured in:

Crawford’s

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Cheap beer and fried chicken already sound like a winning combination, but when the bar comes from none other than Dustin Lancaster, you know it’s going to be something even more special. The result is Crawford’s, a Westlake drinking hole that puts out some surprisingly awesome fried chicken from the tiny kitchen in the back.

2616 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 568-3133
(213) 568-3133

Also featured in:

Tokyo Fried Chicken Co.

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This southern-Japanese fusion restaurant in the heart of Monterey Park serves up a karaage-inspired bird that's marinated in soy sauce. The batter is light, not too greasy, a little loose, and cracker-like. Opt for the breast pieces, where the karaage marinade penetrates to the bone and livens up what's usually the dullest of fried chicken cuts.

122 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 282-9829
(626) 282-9829
A big table for fried chicken and lots of sides.

Also featured in:

Howlin' Ray's

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Possibly one of the hottest restaurants — in more than one way — in all of Los Angeles, Howlin’ Rays sports endless lines and a turn-it-up-to-11 ethos when it comes to Nashville-style hot chicken. Those feeling fearless aim for the Howlin’ level of spicy.

727 N Broadway #128, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 935-8399
(213) 935-8399
howlin rays
Howlin’ Ray’s
Jakob Layman

Also featured in:

OB Bear

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Between the gangjung (sweet-sauced Korean fried chicken) and the genuine Korean style tongdak (paper-skin fried Cornish hen), OB Bear is one of the city’s foremost specialists in Korean fried chicken.

3002 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 480-4910
(213) 480-4910
O.B. Bear
O.B. Bear
GastronomyBlog

Also featured in:

Lucky Bird

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Don’t be fooled by Lucky Bird’s simple exterior. Here in chef/owner Chris Dane’s workshop, he’s developed the kind of chicken that he likes to eat — juicy meat with a batter that always stays in place. Additionally, Dade maintains a chicken lab in the rear kitchen where staff butcher chickens, make a proprietary fermented hot sauce, and repurpose meat scraps for popcorn chicken.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Lucky Bird chef/owner Chris Dane.
Chef/owner Chris Dane of Lucky Bird at Grand Central Market.
Lucky Bird

Also featured in:

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

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Memphis-area import Gus's has proven capable of owning the fried chicken scene in Los Angeles. Now with multiple locations around tow, Gus’s spicy chicken option is a fan favorite with families, late night crowds, and everyone in between.

1262 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 402-0232
(323) 402-0232

Also featured in:

Pikunico

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Pikunico is Kuniko Yagi’s take on karaage, or Japanese fried chicken. The menu focuses on free-range chicken served in sandwiches, rice bowls, and combination baskets that include house-made pickles, a choice of ginger onigiri or fried fingerling potatoes, and white or dark meat.

767 S Alameda St Suite 122, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 278-0407
(213) 278-0407
Pikunico
Pikunico
Jakob Layman

Also featured in:

Chef Marilyn's, Queen of Down Home Southern Goodies

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Folks in-the-know head to this soul food spot for chef Marilyn’s thoughtful cooking. The fried chicken is hard to pass up, as are the collards and yams.

2638 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 737-8101
(323) 737-8101

Golden Bird

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Ever since opening the first Golden Bird location in Los Angeles back in 1953, the family of restaurants has become a South LA go-to for affordable fried chicken that satisfies all. And with its location on Crenshaw, it’s easier than ever to get the staple wet-battered chicken with all the fixins.

2847 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 732-1228
(323) 732-1228

Merry's House of Chicken

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Merry Istiowati-Tio prepares three different styles of Indonesian fried chicken. Best of the trio is the house special aayam goreng kremesan that’s seasoned with garlic, turmeric, coriander, and salt, and deep-fried until crisp and golden. While the chicken’s flavors are harmonious and the meat is moist, it’s the crunchy rice flour crumbles scattered on top that bring on the fireworks.

2550 Amar Rd # A5, West Covina, CA 91792
(626) 965-0123
(626) 965-0123

Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken

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Culver City’s Honey's Kettle has the whole salty-sweet, finger-lickin’ thing down pat. Here, chicken is fried in enormous kettle drums until a thick, crispy coating is formed, and is served with packets of honey that are meant to be slathered all over the chicken and flaky biscuits.

9537 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 202-5453
(310) 202-5453

Also featured in:

Hotville Chicken

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Hotville Chicken comes by way of Kim Prince, the niece of Andre Prince Jeffries who owns both Prince’s Hot Chicken Shacks in Nashville. Located inside the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Hotville serves up its signature wares by the piece and in sandwich form.

4070 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 792-4835
(323) 792-4835
Fried chicken from Hotville Chicken in Baldwin Hills
Hotville Chicken
Leslie Rodriguez

Also featured in:

Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen

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Adolf “King of Soul Food” Dulan delivers delightful down-home fare that hits the spot like nothing else. The fried chicken, which has been passed down through several generations, is marinated in a blend of herbs and spices and coated in flour before hitting the scorching oil.

 

202 E Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 671-3345
(310) 671-3345

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Jim Dandy Fried Chicken

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What more needs to be said about this South LA institution? Jim Dandy's serves a moderately juicy bird with crunchy, nicely textured batter. It's the golden-fried standard of fried chicken in the city. Also, don't skip the corn fritters, deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar, to all but ensure you're going to fall asleep at your desk after lunch. 

11328 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
(323) 779-5567
(323) 779-5567

Also featured in:

Not Your Mama's Kitchen

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Head to this neighborhood favorite for fried chicken prepared several ways. Larger appetites will appreciate the fried chicken dinner, which comes with three sides and a roll or cornbread. Wings and a la carte fried chicken is on the menu for those less hungry.

1701 E Compton Blvd, Compton, CA 90221
(310) 933-8896
(310) 933-8896

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Dinah’s Chicken

4106 San Fernando Rd ste a, Glendale, CA 91204

Dinah’s has captured a slice of the South in Glendale since 1967. The secret to the Pearson family’s beloved fried chicken lies in the four different flours and 11 herbs and spices that coat each breast, leg, thigh, and wing. The pitch perfect seasonings, coupled with a pressure cooking deep-fryer, make for superbly moist specimens that are prized for its crispy, grease-less skins. The writing on the packaging says it all: “Nuthin’ Could Be Finah!”

4106 San Fernando Rd ste a, Glendale, CA 91204
(818) 244-4188
(818) 244-4188

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

8500 Beverly Blvd #112, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Yardbird owner John Kunkel has already established the restaurant mini-chain in cities far and wide, ranging from Miami, Las Vegas, and Singapore, to the heart of Los Angeles proper. While the steaks and egg-centric brunch dishes are seriously solid, it’s the classic fried chicken that deserves all the praise.

8500 Beverly Blvd #112, Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 250-8034
(323) 250-8034
Fried chicken and waffles from Yardbird on a decorated plate.
Yardbird Southern Table & Bar
Crystal Coser

Crawford’s

2616 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Cheap beer and fried chicken already sound like a winning combination, but when the bar comes from none other than Dustin Lancaster, you know it’s going to be something even more special. The result is Crawford’s, a Westlake drinking hole that puts out some surprisingly awesome fried chicken from the tiny kitchen in the back.

2616 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 568-3133
(213) 568-3133

Tokyo Fried Chicken Co.

122 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754

This southern-Japanese fusion restaurant in the heart of Monterey Park serves up a karaage-inspired bird that's marinated in soy sauce. The batter is light, not too greasy, a little loose, and cracker-like. Opt for the breast pieces, where the karaage marinade penetrates to the bone and livens up what's usually the dullest of fried chicken cuts.

122 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 282-9829
(626) 282-9829
A big table for fried chicken and lots of sides.

Howlin' Ray's

727 N Broadway #128, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Possibly one of the hottest restaurants — in more than one way — in all of Los Angeles, Howlin’ Rays sports endless lines and a turn-it-up-to-11 ethos when it comes to Nashville-style hot chicken. Those feeling fearless aim for the Howlin’ level of spicy.

727 N Broadway #128, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 935-8399
(213) 935-8399
howlin rays
Howlin’ Ray’s
Jakob Layman

OB Bear

3002 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005

Between the gangjung (sweet-sauced Korean fried chicken) and the genuine Korean style tongdak (paper-skin fried Cornish hen), OB Bear is one of the city’s foremost specialists in Korean fried chicken.

3002 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 480-4910
(213) 480-4910
O.B. Bear
O.B. Bear
GastronomyBlog

Lucky Bird

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Don’t be fooled by Lucky Bird’s simple exterior. Here in chef/owner Chris Dane’s workshop, he’s developed the kind of chicken that he likes to eat — juicy meat with a batter that always stays in place. Additionally, Dade maintains a chicken lab in the rear kitchen where staff butcher chickens, make a proprietary fermented hot sauce, and repurpose meat scraps for popcorn chicken.

317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Lucky Bird chef/owner Chris Dane.
Chef/owner Chris Dane of Lucky Bird at Grand Central Market.
Lucky Bird

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken

1262 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019

Memphis-area import Gus's has proven capable of owning the fried chicken scene in Los Angeles. Now with multiple locations around tow, Gus’s spicy chicken option is a fan favorite with families, late night crowds, and everyone in between.

1262 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 402-0232
(323) 402-0232

Pikunico

767 S Alameda St Suite 122, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Pikunico is Kuniko Yagi’s take on karaage, or Japanese fried chicken. The menu focuses on free-range chicken served in sandwiches, rice bowls, and combination baskets that include house-made pickles, a choice of ginger onigiri or fried fingerling potatoes, and white or dark meat.

767 S Alameda St Suite 122, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 278-0407
(213) 278-0407
Pikunico
Pikunico
Jakob Layman

Chef Marilyn's, Queen of Down Home Southern Goodies

2638 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Folks in-the-know head to this soul food spot for chef Marilyn’s thoughtful cooking. The fried chicken is hard to pass up, as are the collards and yams.

2638 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 737-8101
(323) 737-8101

Golden Bird

2847 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

Ever since opening the first Golden Bird location in Los Angeles back in 1953, the family of restaurants has become a South LA go-to for affordable fried chicken that satisfies all. And with its location on Crenshaw, it’s easier than ever to get the staple wet-battered chicken with all the fixins.

2847 Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016
(323) 732-1228
(323) 732-1228

Merry's House of Chicken

2550 Amar Rd # A5, West Covina, CA 91792

Merry Istiowati-Tio prepares three different styles of Indonesian fried chicken. Best of the trio is the house special aayam goreng kremesan that’s seasoned with garlic, turmeric, coriander, and salt, and deep-fried until crisp and golden. While the chicken’s flavors are harmonious and the meat is moist, it’s the crunchy rice flour crumbles scattered on top that bring on the fireworks.

2550 Amar Rd # A5, West Covina, CA 91792
(626) 965-0123
(626) 965-0123

Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken

9537 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Culver City’s Honey's Kettle has the whole salty-sweet, finger-lickin’ thing down pat. Here, chicken is fried in enormous kettle drums until a thick, crispy coating is formed, and is served with packets of honey that are meant to be slathered all over the chicken and flaky biscuits.

9537 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 202-5453
(310) 202-5453

Hotville Chicken

4070 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Hotville Chicken comes by way of Kim Prince, the niece of Andre Prince Jeffries who owns both Prince’s Hot Chicken Shacks in Nashville. Located inside the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, Hotville serves up its signature wares by the piece and in sandwich form.

4070 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008
(323) 792-4835
(323) 792-4835
Fried chicken from Hotville Chicken in Baldwin Hills
Hotville Chicken
Leslie Rodriguez

Dulan's Soul Food Kitchen

202 E Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301

Adolf “King of Soul Food” Dulan delivers delightful down-home fare that hits the spot like nothing else. The fried chicken, which has been passed down through several generations, is marinated in a blend of herbs and spices and coated in flour before hitting the scorching oil.

 

202 E Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 671-3345
(310) 671-3345

Related Maps

Jim Dandy Fried Chicken

11328 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044

What more needs to be said about this South LA institution? Jim Dandy's serves a moderately juicy bird with crunchy, nicely textured batter. It's the golden-fried standard of fried chicken in the city. Also, don't skip the corn fritters, deep fried and dusted with powdered sugar, to all but ensure you're going to fall asleep at your desk after lunch. 

11328 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90044
(323) 779-5567
(323) 779-5567

Not Your Mama's Kitchen

1701 E Compton Blvd, Compton, CA 90221

Head to this neighborhood favorite for fried chicken prepared several ways. Larger appetites will appreciate the fried chicken dinner, which comes with three sides and a roll or cornbread. Wings and a la carte fried chicken is on the menu for those less hungry.

1701 E Compton Blvd, Compton, CA 90221
(310) 933-8896
(310) 933-8896

Related Maps