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Fried chicken from Colleen’s Kitchen.
Colleen’s Kitchen/Facebook

16 Great Bets for Fried Chicken in Austin

From Korean fried chicken to hot chicken to buttermilk fried chicken meals

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Fried chicken from Colleen’s Kitchen.
| Colleen’s Kitchen/Facebook

Austin’s fried chicken game is strong, despite being the home of really amazing barbecue. The comfort food works well for dinner, a quick snack, or an outdoor picnic. It even inspires other dishes, like chicken and waffles.

The city’s fried chicken styles range from the traditional, like from homegrown Lucy’s Fried Chicken or Memphis-born chain Gus’s Fried Chicken, hot chicken spot T22, an elegant take from Mattie’s, Korean fried chicken from Seoulju, to many others. For chicken wings, check out Eater Austin’s dedicated map.

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Y’all’s Cafe

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The Round Rock Southern restaurant serves up a bunch of fried chicken options, from the chicken fried chicken breasts to fried chicken wings to chicken tenders. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Seoulju

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The funky fun Korean restaurant serves up a substantial Korean fried chicken menu. There are varying parts and sizes, from the whole bird to chicken wings to drumsticks. Everything comes with sauces. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Hi Wings

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Another great bet for Korean fried chicken can be found at the dedicated Allandale restaurant. It’s all about chicken, which, naturally, includes that Korean fried chicken, as well as other fried iterations of the poultry. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Different fried chicken options at Hi Wings, including Korean fried chicken.
Fried chicken options at Hi Wings.
Hi Wings/Facebook

Top Notch

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The classic Austin institution's fried chicken is just as good as its burgers, plus there are fried chicken dinners available. To-go orders can be placed online, over the phone, or through the carhop; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

T22 Chicken Joint

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The hot chicken restaurant with several locations (Cedar Park, Lake Austin, Round Rock) offers, well, hot fried chicken. Spice levels range from mild to extremely hot. Takeout and third-party delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A wax paper-lined plate of fried chicken on a piece of bread next to a pile of mac and cheese and a sauce container of red sauce.
T22’s hot chicken.
The Velox Standard

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

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The co-op brines the chicken legs and thighs in a honey-lemon vinaigrette, served with ranch for dipping. Look out for other chicken specials, too. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Black Star’s fried chicken with a garlic-sesame glaze served with bok choy and kimchi fried rice
Black Star’s fried chicken with a garlic-sesame glaze served with bok choy and kimchi fried rice
Black Star Co-op/Facebook

Roots Chicken Shak

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The H-E-B outpost of the Dallas-based chef Tiffany Derry’s restaurant focuses on oh-so-rich duck fat-fried chicken in the form of wings, strips, and a sandwich. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in services.

Colleen's Kitchen

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The Mueller Southern restaurant buttermilk fried chicken comes with two boneless pieces, plus roasted garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens, and optional gravy. Pickup orders can be placed online; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A plate of fried chicken and greens.
The fried chicken at Colleen’s.
Colleen’s Kitchen/Facebook

Hoover's Cooking

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Hoover's offers up straight-up Southern fried chicken daily. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Fixe Southern House

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The downtown Southern progressive restaurant’s fried chicken plate comes with kale, green apples, and spicy honey. There are indoor dine-in services.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

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Yes, Gus’s is from Memphis, but the fried chicken is indeed good, with its traditional Southern fried chicken with a cayenne kick. Pickup and delivery orders can be placed through DoorDash; there are indoor dine-in services.

A plate on fried chicken next to two bowls with mac and cheese and greens, next to a bottled beverage in a brown paper bag on a table with blue-and-white-checkered tablecloth.
Fried chicken from Gus’s.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken/Facebook

Spicy Boys

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The east side truck with three other locations throughout the city offers up a spicer take on fried chicken, made with a spiced batter and served with chili-honey. Pickup orders can be placed online; all locations feature indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of host sites.

Thai Fresh

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For a Thai take on fried chicken, check out the Bouldin Creek restaurant. There are chicken wings, fried chicken plates with sticky rice, and a sandwich. It’s important to note that while the chicken is gluten-free, it is still fried in the same fryer as gluten items. To-go orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Mattie's at Green Pastures

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The fried chicken from Green Pastures' restaurant Mattie's offers just the right amount of spice. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A metal serving shallow bowl with fried chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes.
Mattie’s fried chicken.
Nick Simonite/Mattie’s/Facebook

Lucy's Fried Chicken

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Baskets of fried chicken are available at all two locations of Lucy’s, coming with a pickle and jalapeno for that extra flavor. To-go orders can be placed online; there are Favor deliveries; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A tin bucket of fried chicken and sliced jalapeños.
Fried chicken bucket from Lucy’s.
Lucy’s Fried Chicken/Facebook

The Git Out

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The South Austin American restaurant offers up a fried chicken meal that comes with two dark pieces, plus two sides, which range from tots to mac and cheese to roasted corn. To-go and delivery orders can be placed through third-party services; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

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Y’all’s Cafe

The Round Rock Southern restaurant serves up a bunch of fried chicken options, from the chicken fried chicken breasts to fried chicken wings to chicken tenders. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Seoulju

The funky fun Korean restaurant serves up a substantial Korean fried chicken menu. There are varying parts and sizes, from the whole bird to chicken wings to drumsticks. Everything comes with sauces. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Hi Wings

Another great bet for Korean fried chicken can be found at the dedicated Allandale restaurant. It’s all about chicken, which, naturally, includes that Korean fried chicken, as well as other fried iterations of the poultry. Takeout orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Different fried chicken options at Hi Wings, including Korean fried chicken.
Fried chicken options at Hi Wings.
Hi Wings/Facebook

Top Notch

The classic Austin institution's fried chicken is just as good as its burgers, plus there are fried chicken dinners available. To-go orders can be placed online, over the phone, or through the carhop; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

T22 Chicken Joint

The hot chicken restaurant with several locations (Cedar Park, Lake Austin, Round Rock) offers, well, hot fried chicken. Spice levels range from mild to extremely hot. Takeout and third-party delivery orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A wax paper-lined plate of fried chicken on a piece of bread next to a pile of mac and cheese and a sauce container of red sauce.
T22’s hot chicken.
The Velox Standard

Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery

The co-op brines the chicken legs and thighs in a honey-lemon vinaigrette, served with ranch for dipping. Look out for other chicken specials, too. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Black Star’s fried chicken with a garlic-sesame glaze served with bok choy and kimchi fried rice
Black Star’s fried chicken with a garlic-sesame glaze served with bok choy and kimchi fried rice
Black Star Co-op/Facebook

Roots Chicken Shak

The H-E-B outpost of the Dallas-based chef Tiffany Derry’s restaurant focuses on oh-so-rich duck fat-fried chicken in the form of wings, strips, and a sandwich. Takeout orders can be placed in person; there are indoor dine-in services.

Colleen's Kitchen

The Mueller Southern restaurant buttermilk fried chicken comes with two boneless pieces, plus roasted garlic mashed potatoes, collard greens, and optional gravy. Pickup orders can be placed online; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A plate of fried chicken and greens.
The fried chicken at Colleen’s.
Colleen’s Kitchen/Facebook

Hoover's Cooking

Hoover's offers up straight-up Southern fried chicken daily. Pickup orders can be placed online; there are indoor dine-in services.

Fixe Southern House

The downtown Southern progressive restaurant’s fried chicken plate comes with kale, green apples, and spicy honey. There are indoor dine-in services.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Yes, Gus’s is from Memphis, but the fried chicken is indeed good, with its traditional Southern fried chicken with a cayenne kick. Pickup and delivery orders can be placed through DoorDash; there are indoor dine-in services.

A plate on fried chicken next to two bowls with mac and cheese and greens, next to a bottled beverage in a brown paper bag on a table with blue-and-white-checkered tablecloth.
Fried chicken from Gus’s.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken/Facebook

Spicy Boys

The east side truck with three other locations throughout the city offers up a spicer take on fried chicken, made with a spiced batter and served with chili-honey. Pickup orders can be placed online; all locations feature indoor and outdoor dine-in areas courtesy of host sites.

Thai Fresh

For a Thai take on fried chicken, check out the Bouldin Creek restaurant. There are chicken wings, fried chicken plates with sticky rice, and a sandwich. It’s important to note that while the chicken is gluten-free, it is still fried in the same fryer as gluten items. To-go orders can be placed online; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Mattie's at Green Pastures

The fried chicken from Green Pastures' restaurant Mattie's offers just the right amount of spice. There are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A metal serving shallow bowl with fried chicken, greens, and mashed potatoes.
Mattie’s fried chicken.
Nick Simonite/Mattie’s/Facebook

Lucy's Fried Chicken

Baskets of fried chicken are available at all two locations of Lucy’s, coming with a pickle and jalapeno for that extra flavor. To-go orders can be placed online; there are Favor deliveries; and there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

A tin bucket of fried chicken and sliced jalapeños.
Fried chicken bucket from Lucy’s.
Lucy’s Fried Chicken/Facebook

Related Maps

The Git Out

The South Austin American restaurant offers up a fried chicken meal that comes with two dark pieces, plus two sides, which range from tots to mac and cheese to roasted corn. To-go and delivery orders can be placed through third-party services; there are indoor and outdoor dine-in services.

Related Maps