Best Fried Chicken In Los Angeles

The Daily Meal Staff|Aug. 13, 2014 7:00 am EST

(credit: istockphoto)

With National Fried Chicken Day around the corner, it's time to plan out how you want to spend it. Often thought of as an American classic, fried chicken is an easy menu choice. L.A. chefs channel their inner Southern spirit by prepping fried chicken all year long. Whether it is cooked country-style or spiced with some heat, it is always delicious. For the best fried chicken in L.A., read on and be prepared to lick your fingers.

(credit: TART)

TART
115 S. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 556-2608
www.tartrestaurant.com

TART, a down-home restaurant located in the eclectic Farmer's Daughter Hotel, inspires down-home cooking from Southern cuisine and Brit pub fare. Serving the delicious classic buttermilk fried chicken, TART Chef Nick Erven kicks it up a notch with Southern hospitality. Erven deep-fries the chicken in a classic buttermilk crust and serves it on top of a fresh, sweet, crunchy waffle drizzled with a melted Tabasco-maple butter for a spicy-sweet kick. Whether visiting during brunch or dinner, comfort food is served all day at a countertop bar or in the outdoor courtyard with a fire pit and twinkle lights for social ambiance.

(credit: MB Post)

Manhattan Beach Post
1142 Manhattan Ave.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 545-5405
www.eatmbpost.com

Chef and Owner David LeFevre's distinguishing take on fried chicken at Manhattan Beach Post (known to South Bay-ers as MB Post) is the delicate balance he gives diners between sweet and savory. MB Post's honey truffle fried chicken is a stellar choice served with a side of kohlrabi (a green cabbage) slaw and is only available on the weekend brunch menu. At this point, you are into some serious indulging, and you might as well order the bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits served with a maple butter, perfect for sharing. LeFevre's menu is in constant flux as his dishes are always inspired by what is in season locally.

(credit: Christina Peters)

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar
1800 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 288-6500
www.plancheck.com

Plan Check's fried chicken is not to be missed at either the restaurant's Sawtelle or Fairfax locations. Executive Chef Ernesto Uchimura elevates two different fried chicken dishes to another level. Uchimura's smokey fried version is brined in buttermilk and then fried in beef tallow to impart umami flavoring (chef was the founder chef behind Umami Burger). The smoky crusted Jidori chicken is served with a smokey milk gravy, yam preserves and hot sauce pickled okra to round out all of your taste buds. Inspired by culinary influences from the South region of the United States, Chef Uchimura's southern fry chicken sandwich is a smoky fried Jidori chicken topped with melted spicy green pimento cheese, duck breast ham and slaw.

(credit: Doah K./Yelp)

Willie Jane
1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90291
(310) 392-2425
www.williejane.com

Fried to perfection, Mary's Fried Chicken on the Willie Jane menu is a delicious way to enjoy a fried dish. Executive Chef Govind Armstrong brings a taste of the South to the Venice beach town. Accompanied with snipped leaves and herbs from the restaurant's neighboring Cook's Garden, Armstrong's chicken features a crispy exterior that envelopes the juicy meat inside. Simmered greens with pickled Cook's Garden peppers and the house mac n' cheese topped with herbed bread crumbs are excellent side choices.

(credit: Lazy Dog Cafe)

Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar
3525 W. Carson St.
Torrance, CA 90503
(310) 921-6080
www.lazydogrestaurants.com

The newest addition to Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar's menu is Country Chicken & Biscuits, served at brunch. The dish includes crispy fried chicken, housemade chicken sausage, two sunny side eggs and a housemade buttermilk biscuit. The kitchen pours a Cajun gravy spiced maple syrup all over the homecooked-style meal. Hair of the Dog bloody marys, mimosas and signature sangrias are $5 each during brunch, and a relaxing way to enjoy the weekend.

Sheryl Craig is a writer with a passion for interesting finds and treasures in Los Angeles. She has a background in journalism and public relations. A mother of two daughters, Sheryl integrates her healthy lifestyle into raising her children. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.