The best charcoal chicken shops in Sydney

Hariri Chickens in Kogarah is super popular for good reason. This place offers up some specials you won't find elsewhere else. For instance, order a Hariri whole chicken and it'll come wrapped in a flat bread that soaks up all the juicy chicken-y goodness (a masterstroke!).

Time Out tip: After you've eaten your way through the main menu, try their delicious dishes like okra bamiyeh (chicken and okra stew), Lebanese-style chicken liver and butter beans fasoulia. It's all good.

While Portuguese chicken does get a lot of the attention, Lebanese chicken is the top of the pops. At Oricco in Dulwich Hill, the barbecue-y flavour of the charred skin carries all the way through the meat – so although their garlic sauce is *chef's kiss*, there's plenty of flavour without it. It's a popular spot, so the chicken never sits there for long. The salad's always nice and fresh, too. 

Time Out tip: Add a side of neon pink Lebanese pickles, bread and toum (garlic sauce) and you've got yourself a lunch of legends.

Recently crowned the 'best charcoal chicken in Sydney' is Char'd Chicken in Belfield. How did this come about? 2Day FM's show Breakfast with Nath & Emma asked the all-important question: which shop sells the best charcoal chicken in Sydney? Thousands of listeners had their say; this was followed by a busload of 30 taste-testers who went around Sydney to rank the seven finalists. Owner James Estephan, cousin of the Estephan family behind El Jannah, says the magic is all in the marinade.

Time Out tip: Char'd also has shops in Eastern Creek and St Clair. And, yes, all marinades, sauces and seasonings are made from scratch.

The smell of Granville is surely chicken skin charring to a smoky crisp as fat drips and sizzles onto glowing charcoal below. Hawa Charcoal Chicken is an expansive eatery specialising in barbecue chicken, Lebanese-style.

Time Out tip: Garlic sauce is mandatory, as are pickles, flat bread, falafel and tabouli on their mammoth mixed plates.

One of the original heavyweights in the Sydney chicken game, El Jannah has been kicking since 1998. The unbeatable garlic sauce is its selling point here – that and a price point that means dinner for two here is less than a wine and a bar snack in many other places. It's no wonder they're popping up all over Sydney from Chester Hill to Crows Nest.

Time Out tip: Given that this chain now has 50 stores across NSW, VIC and ACT, you're probably not far from an El Jannah. 

Clem's Chicken Shop, a mainstay of the Newtown community, was started by Greek immigrants Despina and Kleanthis 'Clem' Tsakalides in 1982. Even after 40 years, this place still provides a quick dinner for families on the run, much needed hangover food for the uni crew and comforting nostalgia for anyone who grew up with a local chicken shop in their neighbourhood. Psst! Singer The Kid Laroi rates it as his number one choice for charcoal chicken. 

Time Out tip: Yes, they have rotisserie chickens – but the fried chicken with a thin, salty crust is on another level.

Just like its name, Chickanji does all things chicken – we're talking crispy chicken, chicken skewers, chicken burgers, chicken wraps – and the pièce de résistance, charcoal chicken. Bold and spicy, it's definitely a best-seller among locals who swear by it. And, yes, there's a bit of lamb (love those kaftas), fresh, flavourful salads and dips, too. They've also got a store in Mount Druitt.

Time Out tip: Try a slice of knafeh for dessert – it's stretchy, it's syrupy, it's yum. 

Cooked over searingly hot charcoals ensures that Liverpool's finest chooks stay juicy on the inside and blistered and crisp on the outside. Al Barakeh is no frills and no fuss, and the super soft pita they stuff the chicken into means for a one-stop-shop when the cravings for salty, smoky chicken, carbs and tangy pickles strike.

Time Out tip: Don't skip the sides like kebbi, fatoush, falafel and homemade rice pudding. 

The OG Frango in Petersham was so popular, people would drive to this Inner West haunt from all over Sydney to cure a hangover. Today,  there are Frango stores popping up all around Sydney. Think Bella Vista, Concord, Cammeray, Drummoyne, Edmondson Park, Gregory Hills, Penrith, Smithfield, Marrickville and even in the CBD. They've been perfecting their butterflied, charcoal-grilled chicken over 30 years and it shows.

Time Out tip: Frango followers also love its chicken burgers slathered with mayo, as well as the chilli sauce, if you like it spicy.

For over 20 years, Revesby gem Awafi has been serving up free-range charcoal roasted chooks with all the best Lebanese trimmings. Crisp chicken skin, bright-pink pickles and unmissable garlic sauce all served up in biodegradable packaging for deliciousness with a conscience.

Time Out tip: The garlic sauce (toum) is a superb, but it's also a knockout – you don't want to be on a date when you eat it. 

Petersham is the traditional enclave of Sydney's Portuguese community, and Silvas is a well-kept secret outside of the area (Frango gets a lot of the limelight). But this unassuming eatery is a charcoal chicken gem. Locals can pop in to grab some to take away for good vibes and juicy, juicy chook. 

Time Out tip: If you haven't eaten much Mediterranean food, opt for the set menu to sample all the traditional specialities.

Chicken chain Chargrill Charlie's has been in the chicken game for a while, and it's amassed a cult following of its own through its 25 stores spread across Sydney (and more in Melbourne). Grab the classic (a chicken and chip pack) or go all out with their always fresh, always changing salad bar.

Time Out tip: Keep it simple – get a quarter chicken and choose any three sides.

Crown Street's vibey Lebanese charcoal chicken shop, Henrietta, combines fast-casual dining with a little touch of fancy. From the team behind nearby Middle Eastern eatery Nour, Henrietta is dishing up Middle Eastern-style chook (best eaten with a wrap and a slather of garlic sauce) and a selection of bread, dips, pickles and salads. They're also in Bondi and Parramatta. 

Time Out tip: Henrietta’s Hour takes place from 5–6pm every day across all venues. Think $10 beers and wines, $12 Spritzes and Margaritas, plus bites made for sharing.

Named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, they have two locations in Beaumont Hills and Box Hill serving some of Sydney's finest Portuguese-style chickens. Choose from lemon and herb, peri-peri, chilli mayo and the all-new hot chilli sauce.

Time Out tip: Their signature housemade peri-peri sauce has just the right level of heat with a touch of sweetness. 

If Texan flavours are more your thang, head over to Five Dock, where Texas Charcoal Chicken serves up flame-kissed deliciousness. They've been using the same recipe since 1986 and cook their chicken over natural wood charcoal, so we'd say  they're on to something.

Time Out tip: Might as well go all out and order the 18-hour slow cooked brisket while you're there.