Where can I find the best fried chicken in DFW? 15 mile radius of Irving would be great!

[Regina1983]

My father-in-law is coming to visit and would like some good fried chicken. I can not fry to save my life! So I'm looking for a great fried chicken joint. I live in Irving so anything in a 15 mile radius is good. Any suggestions? The only one I know about is Babe's. Thanks.

[demigodh]

Noodle House, the Taiwanese restaurant in Plano, has some awesome fried chicken. Chopped into pieces but still phenomenal, kinda reminiscent of Taiwanese style fried pork chop.

[BellaDonna]

I had the liberty of trying Tto Tto Wa/Plus One Chicken Bistro this past weekend. Weird hours: opened from 3:00 pm to whatever

The fried chicken had a nice flaky but light crust better than Plus One Chicken off of Royal Lane. However, the spices did not penetrate to the meat. The sweet and sour sauced chicken was good (she can adjust the spiciness), tossed with mini rice cakes that looks like marshmallows. The owner was friendly and very nice. Tto Tto Wa Bistro beats the place inside of H Mart by far but not close enough to be in the same league as Plus One Chicken off of Royal Lane.

[air]

And along the lines of spicy Korean fried chicken, we should talk about Chicken 65 too. Basically it's a spicy deep fried chicken dish that is a South Indian specialty. I really should spend more time hunting this stuff down. So far I've liked what I've tried at Our Place in Irving and Zyka in Richardson. Zyka wins out for crispiness and texture, while Our Place is much spicier. Still looking for a place to nail both.

[BellaDonna]

There is a place outside of H Mart that sells KFC (Korean Fried Chicken)? I can't seem to find it everytime I go

The place INSIDE of H Mart, Toreore, in my opinion is not very good when I did try it. Something about the spices just wasn't right. I had both the regular fried chicken and the one in sauce.

[air]

Details on one outside of H-Mart are in that Dallas Observer link that twinwillow posted above.

[Regina1983]

Is No. 1 Plus Chicken on Royal and 35 good for fried chicken?

[air]

No. Very saucy and soggy. The only Korean fried chicken place I like in the area is Plus Chicken right next to H-Mart. Their name changed recently though so I'll have to double check on that...

[BellaDonna]

Plus One Chicken (aka No 1 Plus Chicken) off of Royal and 35 is the best fried chicken in the area hands down. Get the spicy chicken, not the sweet sauced chicken. The pieces are smaller, double fried but not greasy at all, and they are more expensive but worth it. Their baked chicken is greasier than their fried chicken but also very good

Chicken House (previously Brother's) is also good but in the hood.

Bubba's is better than Babe's although they are the same company.

Rudy's in South Dallas is good but greasy and I don't like to stand outside and there always is a long wait

[CocoaNut]

See, I much prefer Babe's to Bubba's (though no qualms about Bubba's if I'm in the area) because every time I've been to Babe's the chicken arrives at the table bubbly hot. But depending on which one I nearest - it would be my choice.

I'm kind of now wanting chicken and your description of Plus one spicy sounds really good!

[air]

Actually, I got exactly both of those varieties at the place off Royal/35 (within the Komart lot, right?) and found that they were both soggy. This was less than a month ago so it was fairly recent. Didn't find the texture pleasant.

[BellaDonna]

Air,
Silly question but did you eat the chicken after it was in the box for a little while? I usually get it take out. I usually eat a piece as soon as I get it and my experience has it has always been light and crispy. I also refrigerate it and it comes out crispy cold too.

If you are as big of a fried chicken lover that I am, please give them a try again. I have no relation to the establishment except for I am glad I found this place. My only complaint is it being a tad on the expensive side and far from me.

[air]

This was fresh, but I'm sure flukes happen too. I'll give it another shot since I'm not too far.

[CocoaNut]

Plus 1 Chicken wasn't worth the drive from Grapevine - glad I didn't have those expectations, so just enjoyed the drive. The chicken was moist with very crispy skin, it was hot spicy, but had no flavor - needed salt, but then I'm kind of a salt addict. The fried rice was just plain not-good, emphasis on plain. I don't think there was any "fried" to it. Was bland, cooked, starchy rice with corn, carrot, green peas and cut green beans mixed in - that's it.

When I left, I wished that bakery, just to the east, was still open - Paris Bleu??

[twinwillow]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/cityo...

[air]

Thanks for that link. I was always wondering about the names of the two and that's good to see someone take the time to clear up what was up with the place by H-Mart.

[twinwillow]

Always happy to help.

[down73]

I will never understand why people give Babe's so much damn credit. I am a southern boy that has been eating fried chicken my entire life and I don't think Babe's can beat effing Popeye's in a taste test. I used to get better fried chicken at the deli at Albertson's before it closed down than I ever got at Babe's. I have gotten tastier fried chicken by ordering unflavored wings at chinese places. I just dont get the whole Babe's thing.

[foiegras]

So do you have a specific suggestion? Are you saying that effing Popeye's is the best?

[twinwillow]

The only effing Popeye's I knew, closed down years ago.

[Veggo]

I went once a month ago to the Popeye's in the Goliath retail complex NW of Macarthur and 635- it was scary bad in a scary place. I lost my Popeye's virginity in Paris, TX, on my way to a wedding in Marshall in 1984, from Lufkin, and liked everything about it. Popeye's may be on a decline, but "We will always have Paris." Apologies to Rick and Elsa.

[foiegras]

It makes me sad that effing Popeye's isn't what it used to be.

[Plano Rose]

the noneffing popeye's in plano is still pretty good.

[foiegras]

It's effing good to hear that.

[twinwillow]

I miss the effing Popeye's that used to be on on Beltline across from Houston's.

[txram]

Just go around the effing corner. There's one on Preston, just north of LBJ.

[twinwillow]

Thanks, but I just discovered an effing Popeye's only five minutes from me. There's one on Ross Avenue two blocks from Fitzhugh.

[FoodChic]

effing awesome.

[down73]

My dislike for having to say effing instead of a true f bomb is only exceeded by my dislike of effing Babe's. And I don't know anyone that would pic Babe's over spicy Popeyes in an old school Pepsi challenge.

I have resigned myself to the fact that fried yardbird is kinda like bbq. Once you realize what you like, you will be hard pressed to find a restaurant that makes it better than you or someone in your family does. When people get all flustered over Babes, it makes me think that they led a life without knowing a grandmother. Or for that matter, never having a roommate that came home with a bucket of plain old KFC.

[foiegras]

I had a grandmother, and many many buckets of KFC growing up. Perhaps you have a strong preference for heavily seasoned batter. But as you can see, there is a strong consensus here in favor of effing Babe's.

[twinwillow]

Don't forget, there's always, Bubbas on Hillcrest in Snider Plaza. They're owned by Babe's and their chicken is very good. Thye're closer to downtown but, the atmosphere is better at a Babe's location. Babe's in Roanoke is Babe's "premier" location but a fer piece from downtown.

[mrmexico25]

The only other chicken place I've had that is almost as good as Babes is this place in Oak Cliff somewhere (I dont remember the intersection) called Rudy's Chicken. It was so greasy, but amazing.

[mrmexico25]

Babes is the ONLY way to go. BUT, and there's a BIG BUT, you can only goto the ORIGINAL in Roanoke TX. There is no other comparison even between their other locations. Goto the original, if you want the best, plain and simple.

[irodguy]

Actually I think the Babe's in Sanger is better. I don't get their very often, but the cooks seem to fry the chicken a bit longer. You end up with a better crisp and change in mouth feel of the chicken. It is an awful long drive though for chicken....

[mrmexico25]

I couldn't disagree more. It's cool though, that's why we have opinions :)

[foiegras]

It's true, the chicken @ the Sanger location is fried longer. I prefer any other location for that very reason--IMO it's fried too long and is overdone ;) I think Roanoke provides the best experience, but the food in Carrollton and Frisco seems to me to be the standard product.

[irodguy]

One more though if you don't mind eating in the car is http://bigmamaschickenandwaffles.com/

They add a really interesting seasoning to their chicken. They also have gizzards .... Again for sit down Babe's is the place, but for something different ...... Worth eating in the car.

[twinwillow]

With all due respect, personally, I won't even drink a Slurpee in my car let alone eat a fried chicken dinner in it.
But, that's just me.

However, could be good to take home and eat. But I don't think that's what the OP had in mind.

[twinwillow]

I say, just go to Babe's. You won't find better and, you won't be disappointed.

[irodguy]

I find Babe's consistent with country style sides that are sure to please.

If you want a different take then try http://www.theranchlc.com/. They have a fried chicken that is smoked first then fried. I would not consider them classic fried chicken, but an interesting take for sure.

[Regina1983]

As long as the fried chicken is good I'm willing to drive a little bit. It doesn't need to be in Irving. The Ranch looks interesting. Definitely not the "hole in the wall" place that I like. I was hoping for a "mom and pop" place.

[irodguy]

I generally would pref Babes in Carrollton on the square. The ranch was interesting though, has a chain feel, but interesting food.

[mjtx]

Our favorite is Babes and they have multiple locations around the Metroplex. That would be my recommendation. If you want take out we like Chicken Express. It's not Babe's, but it is good.

[CocoaNut]

You might want to give Henderson's a trial run before he comes (SEC BeltLine @ Northgate) I've only eaten here once and that was a few years ago - My take-away: expensive, but very good chicken, average sides, the condiments (pickles/peppers) were scant, extremely loud music (mid-afternoon). If i ever went back, I'd get the chicken to go and have my own condiments at home.

All-in-all - I prefer Babes. Don't know where you are in Irving, but Arlington now has a location.

[twinwillow]

There may be others, but I know Babe's is hard to beat.