The best fried chicken in Los Angeles

For the last four decades, Vincent Williams has perfected the art of Southern-style fried chicken—to the point of custom-ordering fryers and cooking utensils to replicate colonial era kettle cooking. Crispy, crackly and fried in peanut oil, the shaggy golden crust locks in all the flavor from Honey’s Kettle top-secret spice blend, which each batch of chicken marinates in for 24 hours. Paired with warm, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits and packets of amber-hued honey, the fried chicken here hasn’t missed the mark in quality and consistency since Honey’s Kettle first relocated from Compton to Culver City in 2005.

Since first opening in 2015, Howlin' Ray's has spawned dozens of Nashville hot chicken imitators—many of which we've tried, and most of which we've found lacking. The sole exception, which manages to best the original, is North Hollywood's Humble Bird, opened by former Howlin' employees Louis Silva and Brandon Walthrop in 2021. Even at higher spice levels, the bone-in chicken here offers a depth of flavor that manages to cut through the burn (which I haven't found to be the case at Howlin' Ray's). Somehow, Humble Bird reaches heights of fried chicken sandwich excellence we hadn't thought possible with a juicy, perfectly cooked chicken breast and the perfect ratio of slaw, pickles and "comeback" (chili-inflected ketchup and mayo) sauce. If you consider yourself a Nashville hot chicken superfan, give Humble Bird a try. You'll be glad you did.

Holy hot chicken! Howlin’ Ray’s Johnny Zone spent his early career working with the likes of Thomas Keller and Gordon Ramsay, but he’s more famous these days for being the chef who started L.A.’s Nashville hot chicken craze. Fried up and served by a dedicated, high-energy crew that keeps morale high when lines get long (and boy, do they get long), Howlin’s hot chicken is just as great as when I first waited hours to get our hands on it years ago. A newer Pasadena location offers more ample seating, plus beer and wine for on-site diners, but the Far East Plaza original still accepts walk-in orders and even offers local delivery. Choose between white or dark meat, or maybe a sandwich in whatever level of heat you can handle, from Country to Howlin’.

Founded by Willie Mae Seaton in 1957, this New Orleans institution made a huge splash in L.A.’s fried chicken world after debuting late last year. Now run by Seaton’s great-granddaughter, Kerry Seaton-Stewart, Willie Mae’s award-winning New Orleans-style cooking more than holds its own against other local fried chicken heavyweights with a slight twinge of heat, heavier breading style, and array of traditional Southern sides like red beans and rice and a gooey, perfectly cooked mac and cheese. The seafood gumbo, an offering unique to the Venice location, is worth chasing for lovers of Creole cuisine, and while prices run a tad higher than you’d expect (a two-piece meal with a side and some cornbread is $16.95), I think the flavorful chicken is well worth the extra premium.

Fame has lessened the appeal of visiting this much-hyped Thai restaurant in the Valley, where second-generation chef Justin Pichetrungsi holds court over the restaurant's infamously busy Thai Taco Tuesdays (where, on a good day, you’ll wait only a hour to be seated—unless you’re a celebrity, of course), plus dinner service and monthly omakase dinners that are all but impossible to book. Still, I can’t deny the food is excellent, including one extremely craveable dish: Hat yai fried chicken. Crispy and perfectly seasoned, the Southern Thai-style chicken pairs wonderfully with the white rice and spicy, deeply aromatic nam jim sauce that come on the side. Would I show up at 4pm for it, or resort to booking a table through Dorsia for a $95 per head minimum? Probably not, but if you can snag a reservation or are willing to wait (possibly for hours), order the fried chicken.

This Los Angeles-based franchise may not have the same nationwide recognition as Popeyes or KFC, but what it does have is astonishingly delicious fast food fried chicken. While I’ve found that quality can vary across locations, I found the subtly fiery flavor of the famous red pepper spice blend and the overall affordability common to all LFC locations. Plus, due to Louisiana’s fairly flexible franchise model and majority-Cambodian ownership, you can often pick up a side of chow mein and other Chinese takeout classics at the same time. For the very best LFC experience, however, I recommend heading to the Obama Boulevard or Manchester Avenue locations, where piping hot, freshly fried chicken is the norm.

Originally from Mason, Tennessee, this national Memphis-based chain with outposts in Mid-City and Burbank has served its signature hot, spicy fried chicken for over 70 years. Note that Gus’s breading runs on the thinner side, and the spice level is nowhere close to Nashville-style hot chicken, so if you’re looking for an over-the-top, craggy fried chicken experience, this ain’t it. The fried chicken’s homey quality and top-secret spice blend, however, still have us hooked, especially once you throw in a slice or two of the homemade pies—sweet potato, chocolate chess and good old-fashioned pecan.

You’ll need to go during weekend brunch (11am–2pm), but the fried chicken and Japanese milk bread at this upscale Mexican restaurant in the Arts District is truly one of the best fried chicken dishes in the city. Chef de cuisine Jesús Cervantes draws inspiration from Korean fried chicken, dredging the wings, thighs and drumsticks in rice flour for a delightfully light and crispy finish. The kitchen finishes off the birds with a wonderfully sweet, smoky mix of pasilla chilies and warm honey. Like Korean fried chicken, Damian offers a side of pickles to cut through all the decadence, in this case cucumbers instead of radishes, plus a side of refreshing Mexican crema.

After closing her critically acclaimed restaurant, Nightshade, during the pandemic, Mei Lin opened up this fast-casual hot fried chicken takeout operation—and boy, am I glad she did. Perched in a Silver Lake-adjacent strip mall, Daybird distinguishes itself from the sea of Nashville-style operations with a unique Sichuan-style spice blend that delivers a dose of heat from a different part of the globe. Coated in rice flour and fried in rice bran oil, the lightweight, crispy pieces of jidori chicken seem to shatter on first bite, whether you’re opting for the tenders or the equally delicious sandwich piled high with jalapeño cabbage slaw. In short, it’s sheer culinary genius—and if you aren’t a fan of not being able to feel the bottom half of your face after a meal, Daybird now offers a much milder Taiwanese popcorn chicken spice blend.

This stall inside Culver City’s Citizen Public Market serves mouthwatering gourmet fried chicken that delivers just a touch of heat—or none at all, if that’s more your style. Inspired by chef Brandon Kida’s childhood in Los Angeles, the deep-brown crust mimics L.A.’s classic, mostly long-gone Pioneer Chicken, but the Japanese-leaning marinade nods to Little Tokyo with white soy, kombu, shiitake and bonito flakes. Go Go Bird invokes Chinatown by finishing off the chicken with Sichuan chili oil and a light dusting of chili pepper. The end result? An extremely craveworthy, only-in-L.A. fried chicken that’s worth trekking for—and navigating downtown Culver City’s confusing new lane configurations. (Tip: During rush hour, stick to Venice Boulevard and park in the Cardiff parking structure.)

For the past 40 years, John O’Groats has offered the best no-frills breakfast and lunch on the Westside, including some seriously underrated fried chicken. Crispy, lightly golden and made to order, the fried chicken lunch plate here shines brightest when drizzled with honey. Weekend morning waits can get hectic, but the friendly longtime staff and relaxed crowd of families and neighborhood locals make up for the occasional shortcomings in service, but what you’ll always find is unflagging quality and consistency in the simple all- American fare that has kept John O’Groats around for decades.

There are actually two Dinah’s in Los Angeles: One in Glendale and another in Culver City. While both serve fried chicken, it’s only worth seeking out the former for excellent, Southern-style fried drumsticks and wings. (The latter, unfortunately, seems to have fallen off in quality, though it does serve an amazing German apple pancake.) The Glendale location’s tasty batter pairs perfectly with homestyle sides like waffles, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese and a unique pineapple coleslaw. For those who enjoy offal, Dinah’s Chicken also fries chicken gizzards, which become surprisingly tender after a deep fry. For best results, wash everything down with their refreshing pineapple iced tea.

This Gardena strip mall joint offers excellent fried chicken in the three ways most people enjoy: Inside a sandwich, plus tenders and wings. You can get your chicken in 12 unique “flavas,” including lemon pepper, traditional, garlic parmesan and “Cali Heat,” Fyrebird’s take on a Nashville-style dry rub. While I’ve yet to try every single flavor and combination, I’ve found the quality to be remarkably consistent across all three menu items, particularly the tenders and wings. For any kind of hot wing, I’d recommend Fyrebird above most other places in town, and the fried chicken sandwich is easily one of the best in the South Bay. Be sure to note there’s actually a patio out back for dining in—so you can enjoy your chicken minutes after it’s been plucked from the fryer basket.

Who knew fruit could pair so well with fried chicken? At Gol Tong Chicken, Kil Chae Jeong offers the quirkiest fried chicken in Koreatown. An erstwhile South Korean film director and Seoul-based fried chicken shop operator, Jeong is the shop’s only employee. His signature bushy eyebrows and mustachioed visage can be seen all over the screen-filled strip mall restaurant, which blasts a combination of K-pop and Korean TV shows. Dine-in customers can slip on disposable gloves to chow down on Jeong’s saucy fried chicken, which comes in original, soy garlic and sweet chili. Each made-to-order plate comes topped with sesame seeds and a rainbow of fruits like pineapple, avocado, blueberries and strawberries. Note: Takeout orders are only taken over the phone or in person.

Located in a former Jim Dandy, this TikTok-famous South L.A. chicken stand combines Korean and Southern influences for an affordable fried chicken option with sides that burst with flavor from every direction. Charlie’s superfans go wild for the addicting garlic noodles, unique hot water cornbread and the fried chicken skin sandwich—and while the chicken itself has about the same quality as Louisiana Fried Chicken on a good day, the soy garlic, honey butter and sweet Cajun flavors set Charlie’s Famous apart from the steep neighborhood competition. While the setting is definitely fast food (there’s no dine-in seating), most items are cooked to order—so budget about 20 minutes or so for your order, or call ahead at 323-305-2777 for faster pickup.

This famous fried chicken chain from Chicago’s South Side first expanded to L.A. in 2018. The Hollywood Boulevard location mostly caters to tourists (and customers ordering via third-party delivery), but a newer Westfield Culver City location opened earlier this year, expanding the reach of Harold’s ultra juicy, slightly spicy Midwestern fried chicken to the furthest edges of the Westside. The lightly battered wings, legs, thighs and breasts come with your choice of fries and a tiny portion of coleslaw or potato salad, or on a waffle. To enjoy the chicken like a true Chicagoan, order your chicken drenched in mild or hot sauce—though you can also get it on the side as well.