Heads up! We’re working hard to be accurate – but these are unusual times, so please always check before heading out.

The best fried chicken in Boston
Here’s where to go in Boston for crispy, flavorful fried chicken and delicious sides
While nothing beats authentic fried chicken from the South, several Boston-area chefs and restaurants are doing a pretty good job bringing the flavors up North. The best fried chicken in Boston can be found in casual joints focused on Southern cuisine as well as high end spots doing their classiest take on the dish. Get your fried bird with all the Southern-style fixins, try a version with Asian flavors, or grab a portable sandwich to enjoy fried bird on the go. For more comfort food options, seek out the best burgers in Boston, best pizza in Boston, and best diners in Boston.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best restaurants in Boston
Fried chicken experts we love so much that we welcomed them into Time Out Market
BISq - Time Out Market
Recognized by Wine Enthusiast as one of America’s best wine restaurants, Cambridge’s BISq serves an important role at Time Out Market Boston. Customers can enjoy fresh juicy, perfectly fried chicken (available as a sandwich or three-piece) from Chef Alex Saenz, plus gourmet sandwiches such as a savory Cubano or roasted pork with sweet potato, salsa and aioli.
Best spots for fried chicken in Boston
1. Highland Fried
Somerville’s Highland Kitchen, through its fried chicken and Tiki Mondays, spawned Highland Fried in Cambridge, where you can pair your fried chicken with a classic tiki drink like the Painkiller any night. Buttermilk-brined fried chicken is available in single pieces or a whole chicken. Make it a meal with sides like biscuits, gumbo, coleslaw, and mashed potatoes.
2. Sweet Cheeks
Tiffani Faison’s barbecue joint in Fenway serves up pulled pork, brisket, and pulled chicken on metal trays with a variety of classic sides. The crunchy buttermilk fried chicken is worth a try, too. All the sides are worthy accompaniments, but try to make room for a Bucket o’ Biscuits too.
3. Cutty’s
For this in-demand fried chicken sandwich, you’ll have to arrive early on “Super Cluckin’ Sunday”, which happens just once a month. Check the website for upcoming dates — the wait is worth it. Buttermilk fried chicken is sandwiched between a soft brioche bun with lettuce and onion. Get it with BBQ ranch or honey mustard, then add “Spicy Goo” made with six kinds of peppers for an extra kick. The sandwich — the only option on “Super Cluckin’ Sundays” — is available from 10am until sold out.
4. Trina’s Starlite Lounge
This dark, retro neighborhood hangout in Inman Square serves up cocktails, craft beer, and a menu of Southern-style comfort food. The fried chicken is a standout, with hot pepper syrup, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, dirty gravy, cornbread, brussels sprouts, and red onion. At brunch, try the fried chicken and waffles or fried chicken with cheese and pickles on a biscuit.
5. Rosebud American Kitchen
Rosebud’s menu features a number of Southern-inspired dishes like shrimp and grits, pulled pork, and meatloaf. On the dinner menu, the fried chicken thigh platter is a delicious option. It’s served with a black pepper gravy, mashed potatoes, and slaw. For brunch, fried chicken is served with belgian waffles or “classy” style, which means Vermont cheddar, sausage gravy, a farm egg, and a Stone & Skillet English muffin.
6. Brassica Kitchen
This Jamaica Plain spot morphs from a hip cafe during the day to eclectic/French American dining by night. The menu has many surprising dishes, including the fried chicken. A small or large portion comes with maple umeboshi, lime, and an herb slaw. Go for the “really spicy” if you can handle it.
7. The Smoke Shop
While famed for its expertly-smoked ribs, brisket, and pork, this local barbecue mini-empire has other options including a crave-worthy fried chicken basket. The battered and fried thighs come with fermented honey hot sauce and a choice of sides like cornbread, pit beans, bacon collards, and pimento mac & cheese. Try the fried bird as a sandwich, which comes with a slathering of pimento cheese.
8. Shojo
This hip Chinatown spot serves up creative takes on Asian favorites like ramen and bao. The menu changes based on seasonality and constant innovation. Chicken & Waffles has stuck around, and as an example, “Version 3.0” sees the fried bird served on a Hong Kong waffle with five spice butter and “sizzurp.”
9. Sarma
In addition to choosing from the dozens of creative, flavorful Mediterranean small plates on Sarma’s menu, diners should be prepared for surprise, off-menu specials passed around the room by servers. The fried chicken has earned “always say yes” status. The crispy thighs are seasoned with green harissa, a sesame and nigella seed coating, and tahini remoulade.