11 Great Places to Eat Fried Chicken in Atlanta

By Taylor Boser

Published on July 2, 2024

Warning: Do not read this article on an empty stomach, it may cause extreme hunger.

Fried chicken is undeniably Southern, and Atlanta’s love of this hot, flavorful heritage is best experienced at these restaurants.

Gus’s Famous Fried Chicken

Gus’s is originally from Memphis. Luckily for Atlantans, Gus’s Fried Chicken decided to open in Atlanta with crispy, spicy, and juicy fried chicken. You’ll find it downtown in the Peachtree Center Mall food court.

Or: 231 Peachtree Street

Pascal

What started as a small 30-seat lunch spot has grown into a beautiful restaurant with a rich history, established in Castleberry Hill. Its signature dish, available since 1947, and its most popular, is a chicken leg, wing and breast. You can also enjoy traditional Southern cuisine with sides like mac and cheese, collard greens and black-eyed peas.

Or: 180 Northside Drive Southwest

The diligent bee

Self-taught chef Lucy Jackson opened the restaurant that became the Busy Bee in 1947. Civil rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dined there alongside President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris. Now owned by Tracy Gates, the Busy Bee is known for its fried chicken, among other Southern staples. The restaurant won the 2023 MICHELIN Bib Gourmand Award and the 2022 James Beard Award.

Or: 810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW

To balance

Unlike many Southern restaurants that serve fried chicken, Sway’s version at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta consists of a breast, leg and thigh. The dish is so large that it’s served in its own skillet. Brined for 24 hours, it’s a customer favorite.

Or: 265 Peachtree Street

Twisted Soul Cuisine and Service

A MICHELIN recommended restaurant, Twisted Soul serves up some seriously delicious Southern-marinated fried chicken. Along with the delicious chicken, it comes with three-cheese macaroni, sweet potato chutney, and pot-spiked collard greens. Can you say yum?

Or: 1133, Huff Road North-West

Hop’s Chicken

This Ponce City Market stand is easily recognizable by the long line of people wrapping around it to grab a bite of this tasty addition to Atlanta’s fried chicken scene. Hop’s Chicken, from James Beard Award-winning chef Linton Hopkins, was one of the first Atlanta restaurants to get in on the spicy chicken craze, and it’s paid off handsomely with crowds of hungry diners craving this spicy, tangy take on fried chicken.

Or: 675 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE

Mary Mac’s Tea Room

Known as the “Atlanta Dining Room,” you can enjoy Southern cuisine made from scratch. The friendly service is one of the reasons Mary Mac’s has remained popular for so many years. The fried chicken is a customer favorite.

Or: 224 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE

Southern City Cuisine

With locations in Buckhead and Midtown, add South City Kitchen to your fried chicken itinerary. The Springer Mountain Farms Fried Chicken comes with garlic collard greens, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, and honey thyme jus.

Or: 1144 Crescent Ave. NE (Midtown) and 3350 Peachtree Road NE Suite 175 (Buckhead)

Hattie B’s Spicy Chicken

Believe the ad: Hattie B’s is simply awesome. You’ll find two locations in Atlanta: Little Five Points and West Midtown. Heat levels range from Southern (No Heat) to Shut the Cluck Up!!! (Enthusiasts Only!). While the Chicken Shack got its start in Midtown Nashville, the flavors are just as spicy in the A.

Or: 711 10th Street NW (West Midtown) and 299 Moreland Ave. NE (Little Five Points)

The Daily Soul of Dalila

It’s no secret that Delilah’s Everyday Soul has fried chicken that you absolutely have to try. Grab one of their full plates: try the white meat plate (breast and wing) or the dark meat plate (thigh and leg). You can’t go wrong with their Southern-style sides, including collard greens, fried green tomatoes, candied yams, and more. Check them out at Chattahoochee Food Works.

Or: 1235 Chattahoochee Avenue N.W.

How to Crispy Express

Their fried chicken sandwiches are the staple of their menu. You can’t go wrong with their classic sandwich, but their menu also offers a variety of options like the Tikka Boi (Tikka seasoning, smoky lime mayo, crispy lettuce, sweet pickles, and a great bun) or the Honey Boi (honey garlic butter, smoky lime mayo, sesame salad, sweet pickles, and a great bun).

Or: 71 Georgia Ave. SE Unit B

Malika Bowling is the author of Culinary Atlanta: Guide to the Best Restaurants, Markets, Breweries and More! and founder of Atlanta Restaurant Blog. Malika has also judged various culinary competitions and food festivals, including Taste of Atlanta.