The Ultimate American Fried Chicken Roadmap For 2013 Slideshow

Chicken Annie's: Pittsburg, Kan.
Chicken Annie's is known throughout Pittsburg, Kan., for its signature fried chicken and guaranteed hospitality. The restaurant started from humble beginnings. When founder Ann Pichler's husband was injured in a coal mine accident in 1934, she began serving fried chicken out of their home to support the family. Word quickly spread of the delicious fried chicken, and in 1972 the restaurant moved from the home to its present building. Now, the family continues the tradition of excellent food and warm hospitality with their "thin crust" fried chicken and famous home-battered onion rings. Chicken Annie's was on Travel Channel's Food Wars in 2010 against another restaurant on our list, Chicken Mary's.

Chicken Mary's: Pittsburg, Kan.
Located directly next door to above restaurant, Chicken Mary's delivers fried chicken to the Pittsburg, Kan. area. At 65 years old, this local favorite is very similar to Chicken Annie's. Mary Zerngast started the restaurant after her husband was no longer able to work in the mines. Both Chicken Mary's and Chicken Annie's are known for their home-battered onion rings, but the difference between the two restaurants comes down to the chicken — Chicken Mary's is more breaded than Chicken Annie's and has a crispier quality. Locals are constantly at odds about which neighborhood joint is better, but both are so good they had to make our list.

Stroud's: Kansas City, Mo.
In business since 1933, Stroud's is known for their famous pan-fried-to-order chicken served out of "an expanded 1829 log cabin and farm house." The establishment has won multiple awards, like the James Beard Award for Excellence in the "Home Style Category." and has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appétit, and Gourmet over the years. Along with the chicken, customers rave about the mashed potatoes and cinnamon rolls — decadent additions to a meal, but certainly worth the extra calories.

Alpine Inn: Omaha, Neb.
Alpine Inn might seem unassuming based on the building's exterior, but their fried half-chickens served with large potato wedges should not be overlooked. In business for more than 40 years, the spot (which doubles as a biker bar at night) has been known to feed the roughly 50 local raccoons their leftover chicken scraps. But don't be scared off by their furry friends — we promise this dish is worth it. 

Hollyhock Hill: Indianapolis
Hollyhock Hill is a Midwest country-style restaurant that prides itself on creating a welcoming environment for all its patrons. Since it opened in 1928, Hollyhock has grown from a 30-guest restaurant to one that holds 70 guests and finally to its 150-seat location in Indianapolis, where it is today. Though Hollyhock has undergone changes over the years, it still makes food from the original 1928 recipes using the founders' techniques and philosophies. Its fried chicken, dubbed "Hoosier pan-fried chicken," can be ordered in-store or for takeout, and customers can choose from chicken breasts, thighs, legs, wings, livers, and gizzards, all fried to perfection. 

Café Dupont: Birmingham, Ala.
Café Dupont offers a "fresh perspective on regional ingredients," using organic foods and fresh produce to create a menu bursting with traditional flavors and contemporary flair. Owner and chef Chris Dupont, a New Orleans native, is the mastermind behind Café Dupont's eclectic menu and has developed strong relationships with local farmers to help fuel his dishes. In 2005, Café Dupont's fried chicken was ranked number 13 on the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel's list of 100 Dishes You Must Eat in Alabama. This might come as no surprise, however, because this is not your average fried chicken. Dupont serves buttermilk-fried chicken with a lemon basil sauce, served atop warm creamed potatoes. Sounds like award-winning fried chicken to us!

Mama Dip's Country Cooking Restaurant: Chapel Hill, N.C.
In 1976, Mildred Council, known as Mama Dip, opened her restaurant in Chapel Hill, N.C., with just $64 to her name. When her food sold out in just a few hours, she knew she had something special, and Mama Dip's Country Cooking Restaurant was born. Her goal is to create a comfortable environment and serve up food that reminds customers of home. Mama Dip learned to cook by watching family members in the kitchen, using no recipes and just eyeballing measurements until the meals came out perfectly. Her fried chicken, one of the best-selling items on the menu, is from an old family tradition and the recipe can be found in her Mama Dip's Kitchen cookbook.

Cardamom Hill: Atlanta
Cardamom Hill serves southwestern Indian-style cuisine, and their Kerala-style (in reference to the mountainous spice-growing region of India) fried chicken is something to write home about. Chef Asha Gomez told Lee Schrager in an interview published on The Daily Meal that her mother's cooking inspired her to make the coconut oil and fried curry leaf dish. With chicken that is "as beloved in South India as in the American South," Cardamom Hill is a go-to spot for an Indian twist on a Southern classic.

Honorable Mentions:
Mary Mac's Tea Room: Atlanta, Ga.
Greenwood's: Roswell, Ga.
Restaurant Eugene: Atlanta
Colonnade: Atlanta
Holeman & Finch: Atlanta
Harue Café: Atlanta

Simpatica Dining Hall: Portland, Ore.
Known for using the freshest ingredients and for butchering their meats on the premises, Simpatica is dedicated to expertly executing dishes from start to finish — so, it is no surprise that its fried chicken has become a favorite. Although the menu changes weekly, diners anxiously wait for the fried chicken to come up in the regular rotation. The signature dish is often paired with gravy and biscuits or waffles for brunch.

Honorable Mention:
Pine State Biscuits: Portland, Ore.

Magnum Restaurant & Lounge: Miami
Not many piano bars can boast about having the best fried chicken in the city. But in Miami, Magnum Restaurant and Lounge is the exception. In 2010, they won "Best Fried Chicken" in Miami from New York Times and CBS Miami, thanks to none other than the owner's mother herself. Jeffery Landsman, owner of Magnum, and Miami food lover, uses his mother's fried chicken recipe to bring the piano bar's famous dish to life. The chicken is crusted in a robust combination of flour, salt, garlic, and secret spices, fried, and served atop creamy mashed potatoes with Southern gravy and steamed vegetables.

Honorable Mentions:
Joe's Stone Crabs: Miami
Yardbird: Miami Beach

New Golden Daisy: San Francisco
We often think of fried chicken being a Southern delicacy, but this Chinese restaurant has managed to adapt the old classic into something newly delicious — and incredibly addicting. New Golden Daisy serves platters full of their famous fried chicken drumsticks for just about $5 a pound and fans of this place can't get enough. The skin is perfectly crispy with hints of ginger, garlic, and scallion, and the meat is tender and moist. SF Weekly recognized New Golden Daisy for its surprisingly flavorful drummettes that stand out amongst the rest of the menu, so next time you're in San Francisco, be sure to stop by for a pound or two or three of these exquisite little chicken bites.

Honorable Mentions:
Ad Hoc: Yountville, Calif.
Little Skillet: San Francisco

Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill: Las Vegas
The Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill, a work of chefs and restaurateurs Bruce and Eric Bromberg, is located in The Cosmopolitan resort and casino. Their rendition of the comfort classic — an ultra-crunchy fried chicken made with matzo meal crust and served with wasabi and honey — was featured in Food & Wine's "Best Fried Chicken in the U.S."

Ma'Ono Fried Chicken & Whisky: Seattle
Ma'Ono is the re-vamped version of Seattle favorite Spring Hill, known for its wildly popular Fried Chicken Mondays. The new-and-improved concept is in the same location, featuring the same chef, Mark Fuller, but with a Hawaii-inspired menu that features fried chicken every night of the week, served alongside kimchee, rice, and dipping sauces. And for those with green sensibilities, you can rest assured that your chickens were raised naturally in Mt. Vernon, Wash. Don't forget to check out their exhaustive list of whiskeys to wash down all of the fried chicken.

Honorable Mentions:
Ezell's Famous Chicken: Seattle (Widely known as Oprah's favorite fried chicken spot)
The Kingfish Café: Seattle
Chicken Valley: Seattle

Trina's Starlite Lounge: Boston
Trina's has a lot of things going for it, as one of Boston's quirkier eateries featuring delicious, creative renditions of a dizzying variety of cuisines and cocktails. Since 2009, people have been drawn to the vintage-noir, vaguely Southern vibe of the place, but others head to Trina's for its famous chicken and waffles, which got the restaurant named one of Bon Appétit magazine's 2010 top 10 places for fried chicken in the country. Head chef Suzanne Maitland tops a buttermilk waffle with a piece or two of fried chicken and drizzles it with hot-pepper maple syrup. Paired with a signature Trina's brunch cocktail (like maple bourbon), this $14 meal is not one to miss. Thankfully, even overworked restaurant industry employees can enjoy a leisurely brunch at Trina's — they host a special "industry brunch" from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. every Monday to cater to industry schedules.

Honorable Mentions:
Summer Shack: Boston
Highland Kitchen: Somerville, Mass.

Jestine's Kitchen: Charleston, S.C.
Jestine's often has lines trailing out the door, which has led some naysayers to dismiss the spot as a "tourist trap" — whatever your opinion, Jestine's fried chicken is worth the wait. It's been lauded as not only the best in the city, but also in the state, the world, the galaxy, and even the universe. The fried chicken served here is traditional, pure Southern comfort, and is available in all-white and all-dark meat orders. The kitchen serves up all things thoroughly Southern, and both Rachael Ray and Anthony Bourdain have graced its seats. Jestine's made Food Network's "Best Of," Oprah Magazine's "O's Charleston's Travel Guide," and it received the Reader's Choice Award from Southern Living magazine in 2009. The kitchen is named after Jestine Matthews, who kept house and cooked for generations of owner Dana Berlin's family. She lived until the age of 112, proving that no amount of fried-chicken indulgence is guaranteed to do you in.

Honorable Mentions:
Husk: Charleston, S.C.
Martha Lou's Kitchen: Charleston, S.C.

Harold's Chicken Shack: Chicago
Known as President Obama's favorite fried chicken place in Chicago, Harold's has become a small local chain as it has expanded due to popularity. But despite having numerous locations across the city, Harold's never sacrifices the quality it's known for. The chicken comes simply with white bread and hot sauce, and there are no frills about it — but with a product that tastes this outstanding on its own, there are no embellishments needed.

Honorable Mentions:
Crisp: Chicago
Big Jones: Chicago
Eat 'N Run: Chicago
Gourmet Fried Chicken: Chicago