The Best Fried Chicken In Every State Gallery

If you're convinced that there's simply no great fried chicken where you live, we're thrilled to tell you that you are in fact wrong. Because believe it or not, spectacular fried chicken joints can be found in every state and Washington, D.C. How do we know? Because we tracked them all down.

When properly cooked, fried chicken is essentially the perfect food: tender and juicy, salty, crunchy, fatty. There's a reason why people travel from miles around to seek out the best fried chicken they can get their hands on: It's delicious on an almost primal level, and it's much harder to get right than you might think. Some places, however, don't just get it right; they turn the dish into a transcendent experience.

In order to track down the best restaurant for fried chicken in every state, we started by consulting our own annual ranking of America's 75 best restaurants for fried chicken, which is compiled every year with the help of an ever-growing panel of experts. We then set out on a hunt to find the absolute most raved-about fried chicken in each of the remaining states with help from online reviews by professional and amateur eaters alike. We looked for fried chicken that's locally renowned, but it also had to hit a few criteria: made fresh to order using high-quality chicken, crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside, and, as they say, made with love. In the end, we were able to prove something that wasn't certain even just a handful of years ago: That wherever you go, from coast to coast and from Alsaka to Hawaii, a great plate of fried chicken is never too far away.

Going strong since 1955, Lucky Wishbone has been an Alaska fried chicken destination for decades (and is in fact the town's oldest family-owned restaurant). Founded by former WWII fighter pilot George Brown (who passed away earlier this year at age 96) and his wife Peggy, the restaurant has become a local legend due to its never-frozen chicken, which is dipped in buttermilk before being lightly battered and pan-fried until golden brown and delicious. Place a "family order" and it'll come with 15 pieces, a pint of coleslaw, rolls, and honey.

There's only one thing that can make a perfectly cooked fried chicken even better: being able to eat as much of it as you want. That's the deal at this Northwest Arkansas institution, which has been serving country classics family-style for nearly 50 years. Pull up a chair and help yourself to all the fried chicken, bean soup, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, coleslaw, string beans, house-made rolls and apple butter you care to eat. The fried chicken is spot-on: buttermilk-soaked, dredged in flour seasoned with plenty of black pepper and paprika, and fried until crisp.

As the name implies, Low Country Kitchen brings the cuisine of the South Carolina Low Country to Colorado, with plenty of other Southern specialties thrown in for good measure. Owners Katy and Brian Vaughn prepare just about everything on the menu from scratch, and their fried chicken is a work of art. It takes three hours to prepare from start to finish; organic chicken is brined for at least 24 hours and then marinated in buttermilk and Frank's hot sauce for an additional two days before being battered and fried to order. Take a look around and you'll notice that just about everybody orders the fried chicken here — and with good reason.

Opened by the mother-son duo of Susan and Tom Alexander inside an old farmhouse in 2011, Lettie's Kitchen serves fried chicken made according to Susan's mother Lettie's recipe. The chicken here is pressure-fried (or "broasted") to order, which gives it a crisp exterior while keeping the meat moist and delicate. Be sure to get some house-made potato salad on the side.

Mary Mac's Tea Room is a Georgia institution that has been making diners happy since 1945. The fried chicken is one of the best dishes there, and it's easy to see why. Mary Mac's Tea Room makes a double-battered fried chicken that comes as a four-piece set with the legs, breast, thigh, and wing, or as a fried chicken plate of three wings or one chicken breast. Did we mention that upon your visit to Mary Mac's you're entitled to a complimentary cup of pot likker (the juice left in a pot after collards cook) and a piece of cornbread?

This "loyal to local" downtown Boise restaurant is turning local Idaho meat and produce into some of the finest food in town. Owners Cameron and Amanda Lumsden have attracted a loyal following with their Idaho rainbow trout with grilled local kale, Northwest short ribs braised in locally-made ale, and Double R Ranch prime rib, but Tuesdays are the days to go, when the cast-iron buttermilk fried chicken and cheddar waffle are on the menu. Drizzled with balsamic-infused maple syrup and local honey-orange butter, it's a true masterpiece, but be there early: It's only available while supplies last.

Since it opened in 1928, Hollyhock Hill has grown from a 30-guest restaurant to one that holds 70 patrons to, finally, its current 150-seat location in Indianapolis. But while the seating count has changed multiple times, the "Hoosier pan-fried chicken" recipe has stayed the same. This four-ingredient chicken is cut through the breast crosswise instead of lengthwise, leaving the wishbone intact.

Chicken Annie's is known throughout Pittsburg, Kansas, for its signature fried chicken. The restaurant had 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 fare, and in 1972 the restaurant moved from her home to its present building. The homestyle hospitality, however, has never gone away. The family continues the tradition of excellent food with their thin-crust fried chicken and house-battered onion rings.

You haven't truly had fried chicken until you've had it from Willie Mae's, the legendary restaurant located in New Orleans' Treme neighborhood since 1956. Look around the two no-frills dining rooms and you'll see nothing but fried chicken, even though other offerings, like smothered veal, are available (and delicious). But if it's your first time there, take a cue from the regulars and pilgrims alike. The chicken, perfected by Willie Mae Seaton (who passed away in 2015 at age 99) and today safeguarded by her granddaughter Kerry, is, simply put, otherworldly. Fried to order, the crust is shiny, craggy, light, not greasy, and shatteringly crisp and crunchy, coming away cleanly as you take a bite without dragging the rest of the breading with it. Underneath, the chicken is impossibly moist and juicy. We almost lost Willie Mae's after it was destroyed during Katrina, but the community banded together to rebuild the restaurant exactly as it was before.

This 40-year-old fried chicken mini-chain serves no-frills fried chicken, ribs, seafood, and sandwiches. It has multiple franchised locations throughout the state, but each location's fried chicken is perfectly fried to order, golden-brown, and addictively delicious. The location in Wheaton, run by an older married couple who single-handedly run the shop and have attracted a group of loyal regulars, is widely regarded as being the one to visit.

Zehnder's of Frankenmuth is a 1,500-seat Michigan institution that is famous for its all-you-can-eat German-style fried chicken dinners. Kitsch is the game here, as the restaurant is associated with a waterpark (and its adjoining hotel), but don't let that fool you into thinking their fried chicken tries too hard. It is simple and salty, and it keeps Midwesterners coming back for more.

According to Alton Brown, when he wants fried chicken, he will eat only his own or the fried chicken at the Old Country Store. Located in a century-old general store, this comfort food buffet includes fried chicken that is well-seasoned and crispy, but doesn't have that hard, manufactured shell of breading you'll find in many chains. Arthur Davis, the owner, is known to break out of the kitchen and sing a song or two to diners while they feast.

This classic, old-timey Southern restaurant has become a Montana destination, and can trace its roots to the owner's grandparents' Tennessee restaurant called Chow-Time. Even though Chow-Time is long-gone, its fried chicken recipe is still drawing crowds about 2,000 miles to the northwest. The chicken here is available in three styles, Southern fried, Nashville hot, and sweet heat, and can be found in sandwiches, atop a waffle, and even on a stick, but we suggest you stick with the classic Southern fried. Get some biscuits and boiled peanuts on the side.

The fried chicken recipe created by brothers Bruce and Eric Bromberg more than 20 years ago helped give rise to a mini-empire of Blue Ribbon-branded restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and South Beach, and it's the most popular item on the menu at the Blue Ribbon location in Las Vegas' Cosmopolitan (and at spinoff Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken in the Grand Bazaar Shops. To make this dish, chicken pieces are dipped in egg white and coated in a combination of matzo meal, flour, and baking powder before being deep-fried. After coming out of the oil, they're dusted with salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, basil, parsley, and garlic and onion powders, and the end result is spectacular.

If you need proof that Asbury Park's renaissance is in full swing, look no further than Modine, a gorgeous Southern restaurant that opened in late December 2017 in the city's historic Post building. Classic Southern fare is made with seasonal, local ingredients, and the fried chicken, which spent six months in R&D, has already attracted legions of followers and fawning reviews. Chef Jill Meerpohl sources all-natural, pasture-raised chickens from a North Jersey farm, which are brined in buttermilk and pickle juice, cold-smoked, brined again, dredged in seasoned flour along with a sprinkle of the brine (to create those craggy crunchy bits), and fried along with pickles, onions, and cauliflower, which it's served alongside, topped with a drizzle of honey and served with hot sauce on the side. Hungry yet?

This chicken and waffles joint, which is co-owned by rapper Nas, has done gangbusters since the first location opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a few years back, with three additional locations in New York and one in Los Angeles opening since then. The chicken and waffle choices here are plentiful and creative, with waffle options including bacon-cheddar, dried cherry, rosemary-mushroom, apple cinnamon, and spiced pecan; you can also order your chicken Buffalo-fried with a celery and carrot waffle, Cordon Bleu style with a Gruyere and thyme waffle, or with General Tso's sauce and a rice and broccoli waffle.

But if it's your first time, you'll probably just want to try the classic version. The chicken is sweet tea-brined, seasoned with oregano, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, and paprika, buttermilk-dipped, dredged in flour and cornstarch, and fried in a cast iron skillet; and the waffles are light and airy on the inside and crisp on the outside.

Yes, it's true: If you want to find the best fried chicken in North Dakota, you'll have to head one block over the Veterans Memorial Bridge from Fargo into Moorhead, Minnesota, to Rustica Eatery and Tavern. This rustic and cozy neighborhood restaurant serves a menu of seasonal fare from chef Eric Watson, and there's always something exciting coming from the wood-burning pizza open. House-made pastas, duck breast pastrami, and other upscale specialties keep the place busy, but those in-the-know order the buttermilk fried chicken, served with green chile ranch and tomato preserves. Golden brown and shatteringly crisp, this chicken is for some reason on the appetizer menu, which obviously gives you permission to gobble it down as a first course before exploring the rest of the exciting menu.

The legendary Eischen's is renowned for two reasons: It's been in business since 1896, making it the oldest bar in the state; and it also serves some of the most delicious fired chicken you'll find anywhere. For 14 bucks, you'll get a whole fried chicken, bread, sweet and dill pickles, and onions (more than enough for two people to share), and this chicken is no joke: It's got a rich, golden, craggy crust and moist meat underneath.

Philadelphia has long been food-famous, but just for cheesesteaks and pretzels, right? Not so for the past few years, since Federal Donuts opened; it's currently up to six locations, with a best-selling cookbook, to boot. While they are celebrated for their doughnuts, which come in unusual flavors like lavender, their tasty Korean-style fried chicken is also a force to be reckoned with. Every order of chicken includes Japanese cucumber pickles and a honey doughnut, and is served with your choice of dry seasoning (coconut curry or za'atar buttermilk ranch) and glaze (chili-garlic or honey ginger).

Husk, which opened in Charleston but today has locations in Nashville, Greenville, and Savannah, serves some absolutely stunning fried chicken. Once upon a time, diners had to call ahead and place an order with the chef himself two days in advance, but now the fried chicken is a staple on the daily-changing lunch menus of all locations. The secret is fat: The chicken is fried in butter, chicken fat, bacon fat, and country ham fat.

The original Gus's is in Mason, but in recent years it's expended to 25 locations across the country, with more in the works. The wait is notoriously long — not only because there are plenty of people in line, but also because Gus's has been reported to take twice as long to complete an order than their estimated time. Still worth it? Most definitely. The golden brown casing keeps the interior juicy, and the simple but effective team of salt and cayenne make for a seasoning that lingers on your lips (and is most welcome there).

Chef Viet Pham proved that he's a great chef when he was named Food & Wine's Best New Chef in 2011 and beat Bobby Flay in a 2012 episode of "Iron Chef," and he's recently proven that he's a master of the art of fried chicken with Pretty Bird, which opened in Salt Lake City in February 2018. The focus here is on Nashville-style hot chicken, and if the daily lines out the door are any indication, he's hit the nail on the head. He spent five years developing his fried chicken, which is served boneless in a sandwich or as a quarter bird. For the true Nashville hot experience, order the quarter bird, which is brushed with hot oil and doused in a spice mix of customizable heat before being served atop a slice of bread with pickles. The crust retains its enviable crispiness, the chicken stays moist underneath, and all the flavors and textures are in perfect harmony.

Moseberth's has been a Norfolk-area institution for more than 70 years, serving up the best fried chicken for miles. (The restaurant averages 700 pounds of chicken sold every day.) The recipe may be simple, but it's been perfected over the decades: Chicken pieces are dunked in a batter made with seasoned flour, eggs, and baking soda, dredged in seasoned flour (containing plenty of black pepper), and fried for nearly 20 minutes in 315-degree oil (low and slow is key). Order up a box and you'll receive a half chicken with coleslaw, fries, and hush puppies; the end result is nicely rendered, super-tender, and, as Guy Fieri said when he visited for an episode of "Diners, Drive, and Dives," crunchitatious.

Located near Logan Circle in Washington, D.C., Birch & Barley bases its diverse and deceptively simple dishes around the complex flavors of its collection of 555 artisanal beers. Since 2009, it's been serving up a wide variety of styles and flavors, including a fair share of fried delights. Some might be drawn to the fried peach pie, but the real treat is the fried chicken and waffles with buttered pecans and maple-chicken jus served during brunch. Food & Wine rated it as some of the best fried chicken in the nation, and named chef Kyle Bailey the People's Best New Chef Mid-Atlantic. It must be the sweet/savory balance that Birch & Barley so skillfully strikes, with its heavily breaded, flavorful chicken and the hearty pecan-waffle combination.

Tomken's Bar and Grill serves fried chicken "hobo-style," with fries, coleslaw, and Italian bread, and the thin batter doesn't let the crunch overpower the poultry's natural flavor. If you're lucky, your visit might fall when the "sauce of the week" is the Nutty Rooster, which consists of peanut butter loosened with sriracha.