The Absolute Best Fried Chicken You'll Find In The South

There is, quite possibly, no more beloved food in the American South than fried chicken. But such passion is a prime breeding ground for controversy and any list as to where to find the very best of this much-adored crispy bird is sure to ruffle a few feathers. One big problem with trying to assess the best fried chicken in the South is that once you get below the Mason-Dixon line, every region from the mountains of Appalachia to the Carolina coasts seems to make its chicken differently. 

Some places make it spicy, others marinate it in buttermilk, some brine it in pickle juice, while some don't brine it at all. Others insist on three-step dredging for breading, while still others use nothing but a light coating of flour. Every technique seems unique, but strangely, the results are often closer than they are different — perfectly crispy, tender, and crave-worthy chicken. And no matter where you go in the South, good fried chicken is surely just around the corner.

Every now and then a local phenomenon becomes a much bigger one. Bell bottoms started in the Navy before taking over the world, in the '90s flannel shirts slipped out of the Pacific Northwest on the licks of grunge guitarists and became teen's favorite outerwear, and even hip-hop made its way out of the Bronx and eventually into the Super Bowl. Memphis institution Gus' Famous Fried Chicken seems to have subtly found its way to underground domination, as well.

Founded just outside of Memphis in the 1950s and brought to national attention through GQ's list of best meals in the U.S. in 2001, even jazz singer Norah Jones has taken a stab at recreating the spicy crunch of Gus' chicken. The recipe is kept secret, but it's clearly a wet batter with a little simmer of spice — not nearly as hot as Nashville Hot chicken, but enough to get your sinuses clear. Now, with more than 34 locations around the country, you can try Gus' chicken just about anywhere, but it's never the same as the original locations in Memphis and Mason, Tennessee.

Mildred "Mama Dip" Council claimed that she started her restaurant back in 1976 with just $64 — $40 for food and $24 to make change. She parlayed those earnings to keep coming back each day until her restaurant eventually grew into the nationally recognized institution of traditional Southern cooking that it is today. Having cooked in her father's restaurant since the age of 9 (via Southern Living), most of the dishes in Mama Dip's don't rely on recipes so much as the eyes, feel, and instinct of the cooks.

Though Mama Dip passed in 2018, the restaurant is still run by three different generations of her family and specializes in cast iron skillet fried chicken. Skillet chicken differs in that it isn't cooked in a deep fryer, meaning that a part of the chicken isn't always submerged, making it a little crispier and less greasy than most fried chicken.

Unless you get to the door a little before they open, be prepared to stand in a line down the block for this soul food classic. Founded in 1981, Bertha's has long been a Charleston institution in the African-American community with the sole intention of catering to the local neighborhood. A classic meat-and-three known for its insanely crispy, red and gold crusted chicken, but don't miss out on the lima beans (cooked with hunks of turkey neck and pork tails) or the Low Country classic purlo. A rice dish that sits somewhere between fried rice and a pilaf, purlo has deep roots in West African cooking and is something you'll only find in Gullah country.

Bertha's was recognized as an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation in 2017, just 10 years after the passing of the restaurant's matriarch and namesake, Albertha Grant. But don't let such fancy awards fool you into expecting some pretentious, gentrified, franchised hipster joint or white table-clothed dining room. Bertha's is as down-home and welcoming as it gets, with every meal being served in a carry-out box and the muffled sound of an old television in place of corporately curated playlists. Talk to anyone who was actually raised in Charleston, and they will speak of Bertha's with a great degree of reverence.

When Willie Mae's Scotch House opened in the 1950s it was simply a bar tucked between a family-owned salon and barbershops. But as Willie cooked food she learned to make from her grandmother for her family, customers and passersby would stop in to see if they could snag a plate. Eventually, her fried chicken earned a reputation of its own, and the barber and beauty shops were replaced by expanded dining rooms.

These days they don't even serve alcohol, just the foods that were passed down to Kerry Seaton Stewart, Willie Mae's granddaughter, who took over the kitchen. Named America's Best fried chicken by Travel Channel and the Food Network, as well as a James Beard American Classic award, it's quite a different style than most Southern fried chicken. After being tossed with dry spices, the chicken is doused in a wet batter and deep-fried. That wet batter gives the chicken a big, pillowy skin with an even bigger crunch.

It's hard to find a place with a perfect rating on Yelp, and nearly perfect ratings on Facebook, Google, and Trip Advisor. It's probably even harder to find another gas station restaurant with such glowing scores, but Brown's is just that special. Step inside the drab brick convenience store lined with the usual beer, jerky, and cigarettes, and as soon as that golden aroma hits you, you'll understand why.

Previously Stoney's Grocery, Mike Brown — who was already known among locals for his chicken shack just south of town — took over in 2011, bringing with him his famed fried poultry. Paper-thin skin with a crispy snap, and tender, moist meat, at $5.99 for a leg, thigh, two sides, and a roll, it's hard to pass up. Travelers would also be well advised to take advantage of the Brown's special when on the road: a free piece of chicken with a gas fillup.

Since 1947 Busy Bee Cafe has been doling out some of the South's finest fried chicken to some of Atlanta's most distinguished guests and residents alike. The restaurant, long situated on Martin Luther King Dr. occasionally hosted Dr. MLK himself long before the road bore his name. Not to mention more recent visits from the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Outkast, and President Barack Obama. Senator Bernie Sanders and rapper Killer Mike also famously dined here together during Sanders' presidential bid in 2016, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 elections. They even garnered a James Beard award in 2022, being stamped as another American Classic.

Brined for 12 hours and hand-breaded with a blend of cake and all-purpose flour, Busy Bee's Chicken is then cooked in a pressure fryer, which helps keep the meat tender and juicy while the skin gets nice and crispy. And because of that pressure fryer, the skin is cooked evenly, so there are no overcooked wing tips or burnt ends. Stick with the classic meat-and-three sides, have your chicken served over rice, or have it nicely cushioned upon a fluffy waffle, but whatever you do, eat this chicken!