FRIED CHICKEN IN AUSTIN??

[qbdave]

I have recently relocated to Austin from Orlando. In Orland, Publix Super Market has, arguably, the best chicken in Orlando. So.... I tried HEB chicken a couple of days ago. Almost inedible. Where should I be buying fried chicken?

[exit53]

give lucy's fried chicken over off south congress a shot. it's a couple weeks old, sister restaurant to olivia. still working out some kinks, but the overall menu is pretty great as is the chicken.

[amsgpwarrior]

I am partial to Max's Wine Dive's fried chicken with chipotle honey and waffles. Makes for a really good brunch.

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Max's Wine Dive
207 San Jacinto, Austin, TX 78701

[James Cristinian]

Not in Austin, but I've loved Gil's Fried Chicken in San Marcos for years. Crunchy outside, moist inside, great chicken.

[slowcoooked]

One of my favorite lunches on Wednesdays is at Southern Hospitality for all you can eat catfish and fried chicken wings . . . they are very lightly seasoned and dusted and come out virtually grease-less, plump, hot, and delicious. Don't expect a blend of 18 spices and such, but it's flavorful and great. The fish is really really good too. for 7.99 (with coupon on website http://www.sohosfoods.us/announcements) and beans, cabbage, spinach, carrots, salad, and other very simple homey sides (mac and cheese often) this is a bargain. It's not easy to find, take the 183 feeder east past north lamar and then its the first right into a little strip center on the south side of the road, of course.

[lixlix]

and tuesdays is fried chicken day there, not just wings.

[sqwertz]

I go by this intersection all the time and I've never seen it. As you're coming north on Lamer, left side is a two story strip mall with a Mexican restaurant, and right side is a business park...
The map on their site is no help at all (they really to fix that - draw it you have to).

-sw

[lixlix]

sqwertz, its on the south west corner of 183 and lamar. so if you are coming north on lamar then stay in the right most lane that goes to the overpass. turn right at the 183 service road, turn right again immediately in to the industrial looking complex there. Southern hospitality faces 183.

[sqwertz]

That describes how to get tot he the SouthEAST corner, no? In the one story business park.

-sw

[agoodbite]

Yes, that's where it is and it's worth seeking out on a Tuesday for the fried chicken and sides on the buffet. It's the best fried chicken I've had in Austin by far. The meatloaf that's also on the buffet on Tuesdays isn't much worth bothering with, but that fried chicken is memorably good.

[slowcoooked]

good call agoodbite, i've been zoned on the fish there 15 times and never hit a tuesday. thanks.

[knightro98]

Found it today. Ms. P's Electric Cock ( http://www.electriccock.com/ ). Amazing sides as well. Try the purple cabbage and gorgonzola slaw. It's in a trailer on South Congress.

BTW, I found Top Notch's chicken to be just OK. Crispy but very greasy. Left me feeling kind of sick.

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Top Notch
7525 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757

[achtungpv]

I love this place but I'd have a hard time explaining to the IT department why I clicked on that link.

[dcstager]

Heard the word of mouth and had to try it. Their chicken has a lot of flavor but as is the problem at most cook to order chicken places, they can't keep the grease hot enough to cook it correctly consistently. My three-piece order was dripping with grease and not crispy. They don't serve breasts or thighs so a $7.50 three piece meal was a wing and two leg pieces. It came with two white rolls and a pickled Jalapeno pepper. They will sell you a boneless "chicken loin" for $6.

This trailer restaurant is going to be featured on the next season of "Eat St." on food network. On the plus side you can bring your own booze. Lots of bars nearby if you want a drink elsewhere.

I think if you got your chicken first out of the fryer, it would pretty tasty hot and crispy. Their brine and seasoning is spot on. But chances are you'll be underwhelmed by the expensive small portion of all dark meat. Same thing at KFC would cost $2 tops. Quality improvement needed.

[danny_w]

I don't know if this is typical since I have never had their fried chicken before, but today I got a couple of wings from Randall's at 183 and Braker. Incredible! That was some of the best fried chicken I have had in a very long time, and I usually get mine at Popeye's. And I agree, the fried chicken at HEB (just across the street) is terrible.

[danny_w]

Well I guess it wasn't a fluke. I ate there today and had a 3-piece fried chicken dinner and it was very tasty. Looks like I have found my new go-to for fried chicken.

[TroyTempest]

I like the chicken here, too. I work close by, and have had it about 5 times in the last 3 years or so. I'm not that much of a fried chicken eater or i would have had it more, and I've only had wings. (my favorite piece)
A word of warning, the sides they sell don't look too good. I usually walk over to the deli case and get some potato salad or something.

[willtryanythingonce]

Chronicle has an update to their review of this topic a few months back, looks like some new options:

http://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2...

[knightro98]

Best fried chicken at the Highball, huh? I love that place. Very cool drink menu, too.

[exit53]

I have to say, that fried chicken at The Highball is one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. Incredible.

[ridgeback]

I need to remember to check out Southern Hospitality!

Jasper's has fried chicken on their brunch menu. It's pricey but it is slow-cooked and good.

[scrumptiouschef]

Ridgeback
Can you offer more details on "slow cooked" fried chicken?

I've never heard of slow cooking food in hot fat. Is this a new technique that Jasper's has come up with?

I fry a lot of chicken at the house, 360 degrees, peanut oil, cast iron pan.

There's nothing slow about it.

[rudeboy]

How long does it take for bone in legs and thighs?

[ieathereforeiam]

just had the fried chkn at southern hospitality. good good.

[shalom9]

I haven't been there in a while, so I don't remember if it's good, but Hoover's has fried chicken. http://hooverscooking.com/menu/lunchd...

[gilintx]

Check out Southern Hospitality on Lamar, just south of Research (in the office park). I believe Tuesday is fried chicken day on the buffet, but you can always get an order of wings and fries. This is a lunch only place, but the chicken is really decent.

[scrumptiouschef]

If you want genuine Deep South fried chicken then head on over to Galloway on E.12th st.

It's cooked in an ancient cast iron pan on a gas cook stove using clear oil.

It's the best fried chicken I've ever had in Texas and is the only fried chicken I've had in Austin that could be served with pride in Alabama or Kentucky.

These folks could open up in Starkville or Tuscaloosa and make good money, something you can't say about too many meat n 3's round here.

http://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2008-09-19/674091/

breakfast is served too

http://chowpapi.com/?p=4

[singlemalt]

I think Younblood's is hard to beat. Freshly friend served with a roll and honey. Just south of the river on Lamar. Right across the street from the little kiddie ride place.

[Carter B.]

Singlemalt, can you give more details on Younblood? I've never heard of it, can't imagine where it is on Lamar, and can't find it on the search engines.

[James Cristinian]

I got some fresh Bill Miller's right out of the cooker in San Antonio, very good. As far as Youngblood's goes, I'm more of a Bill Williams' in Houston fan.

http://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistor...

[TroyTempest]

Youngblood's is a chain that has been out of business for years, right? I remember one in my home town about 40 years ago.

[popvulture]

Starkville? Damn, appealing to my Mississippi roots... gotta check this place out. I've heard tons of good things about it, just didn't know they serve fried chicken.

[brentwood]

Many thanks for the reminder on Galloway.

[sdk_80]

I was pretty disappointed in Galloways went I went there recently to try their fried chicken. I'm from the south and this fried chicken was far from what I'm used to. First of all, it was sitting in a steam table all day. They merely slopped it on the plate and put it in the microwave (!!). I don't recall any places in mississippi throwing a dish in the microwave and call it southern cooking. I understand if it is hit or miss, but this fell into the category of lazy cooking, which I've seen a lot of when it comes to soul food in Texas. Stallion, hoovers, for example. They all pass off the same steam tabled almost burnt-sitting for a day food as soul food.

[dinaofdoom]

are there any places in austin that do it for you?
i'm always open to fried chicken recs.

[sdk_80]

Honestly.. Top notch is the closest ive come. I fry chicken at the house all the time... but i've searched around and havent found much that has blown me away. So yeah... I would say top notch is the only place i've been a little bit impressed by. So for me... I have really kept that as "only cook at home" and do it right kinda meal.

[dinaofdoom]

thanks! i hate frying at home plus cooking for one, so i will check them out.

[slowcoooked]

I've fallen in love with my sideburner on the outside grill for exactly that purpose: frying (especially seafood) and not smelling up the house with oil stuck to every inch of space. I also sear / bake salmon / scallops, any seafood really out there.

[brentwood]

Try 1) Top Notch Hamburgers on Burnet Rd; 2) Arkie's Grill on E. Cesar Chavez; 3) Hyde Park Bar & Grill (Mondays & Tuesdays, when Tony & Dwayne are in the kitchen); and 4) Flying Falafel & Po Boys on Guadalupe for their Wednesday lunch special.

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Top Notch
7525 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757

[sqwertz]

I have to vote down Arkie's. I've eaten at least 4 times and have been unimpressed. Often dry and overcooked. I'm not impressed with anything there, really. Which is why I kept ordering the chicken.

What's surprisingly good is Bill Miller's. A neighbor mentioned it, then a co-worker insisted, so I tried it and was very impressed each time I went. It's always freshly cooked and came out quick even though nobody else seemed to be ordering chicken.

-sw

[TheBadWolf]

I'll have to second Bill Miller. They have a very good coating, and the pieces are high quality. Most importantly the pieces aren't drenched in grease like Church's or Popeyes. I'll order a two or three piece at least once a month.

If you are looking for a nice night out, the fried chicken at Max's Wine Dive is really good also.

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Max's Wine Dive
207 San Jacinto, Austin, TX 78701

[gilintx]

I tried Bill Miller's based on this rec, and have to admit that they made pretty damn fine chicken. I will most certainly be going back.

[sqwertz]

Glad you both like it. And I like confirmation that I have good taste :-)

-sw (Eating 114-ingredient Totino's pizza rolls)

[Rene]

Very unusually, hubby said yesterday that he'd like some fried chicken. I think that's the first time I've heard that in the ten years we've been married. Anyway, I remembered this post and we sat out for Bill Miller's on Burnet Rd.

The feel of this place is so familiar. It reminds me of cafeterias of the 1970s and that was a nice, brief pleasant feeling.

So on to the fried chicken. He had three pieces and "hash browns" and I had two with green beans. The chicken was great. I had a breast and a leg and I am glad I had both. While both pieces were very tasty, I normally would not have ordered the leg and that would have been sad. That was the best piece of chicken I believe that I've had in years... crispy, juicy, mmm.

The sides were old school, too. The potatoes were well seasoned and cooked with onions. The green beans were the canned varied, seasoned well, also.

This was comfort food from my youth and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I can't, nor would I want to, eat this way regularly but it was a fun walk down memory lane.

[amykragan]

I still like Popeye's for the spice. But have not tried the new chain Bob & Mike's. Not a fan of Bush's or Golden Fried