Sink your teeth with a satisfying crunch into juicy, tender, savoury fried chicken. Whether you like to crank up the heat index with a spicy style or keep it chill with a more straightforward classic, your craving for fried chicken--breast, legs, wings, and sandos--can easily be satisfied in and around Vancouver.
A few Vancouver establishments happen to have a killer single dish on the menu that is centred around excellent fried chicken, but these aren't exactly fried chicken restaurants. Shout outs deservedly go to places like AnnaLena (and sibling spot Their There), and Nightingale for having great fried chicken dishes on their menus.
Then there are places like Tuc Craft Kitchen, Jam Cafe, and Chewies who serve up a wicked good chicken and waffles. And it's hard to talk about fried chicken in Vancouver without calling out Phnom Penh for their legendary chicken wings (but major props to Longtail in New West for their Crispy Chicken Wings, too). You'll even have to tip your hat to the fact that a fast food chain like Church's can absolutely satisfy a fried chicken craving.
That said, let's focus on some indie Metro Vancouver restaurants that really know their chicken. Here are 10 must-try places for fried chicken in Metro Vancouver.
Juke
Photo courtesy Juke
It's hip to be fried at this Chinatown restaurant that specializes in wicked good fried chicken and all the trimmings. Juke has you covered from lunch to dinner, and even offers a finger lickin' good brunch. Oh, and a great PS: their fried chicken happens to be gluten-free, too.
Address: 182 Keefer Street, Vancouver
LA Chicken
LA Chicken (Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is Awesome)
It's tiny. It's in a Richmond strip mall off the beaten path. There's nowhere to sit. But damn, does LA Chicken make some excellent fried chicken. You'll find your fried chicken basics here, available in combos or by the piece. Sides are your standard deli salad fare, fries, mashed potatoes, and gravy--which does great double duty for chicken dunking.
Address: 160-11780 Thorpe Road, Richmond
Duffins Donuts
For those who like their doughnuts with a side of fried chicken, head to this beloved Vancouver 24-hour joint. Order up their fried chicken in regular or spicy. And save room for dessert. You're in a doughnut shop, right?
Address: 1391 East 41 Avenue, Vancouver
DownLow Chicken Shack
Photo courtesy DownLow Chicken Shack
Get it while it's HOT! Vancouver’s first restaurant devoted to Nashville hot chicken opened in 2018. On the menu: Fiery hot fried chicken. The made to order chicken comes in spice levels (mild, medium, hot, extra hot, and “A side of Milk” aka extremely hot), and can be ordered up solo or in sandwiches, with sides like coleslaw, corn bread, pickles, macaroni salad, or fries. They're also known for some fun "secret menu" items, and lots of fun collabs with local fellow food businesses.
Address: 905 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Win Win Chick-N
In February 2020, Richmond's Win Win Chick-N opened a second location on Main Street at Marine Drive in Vancouver. Photo: Win Win Chick-N/FacebookThis chicken spot's OG location is in Richmond's Steveston Village, but in early 2020 they opened the doors to their first Vancouver outpost. They're known for their juicy fried chicken, available in combos with sides or in eight-, 10-, or 20-piece bundles. Win Win Chick-N shows of their roots with their side selections, which feature mashed potatoes, fries, gravy, and a Filipino-style macaroni and cheese. Their mac and cheese is a sweet and savoury style, made using a family homestyle recipe.
Address: 12160 First Avenue, Richmond and 8197 Main Street, Vancouver
Hi Five
Hi Five Chicken/FacebookIt's all about choice, and comforting chicken eats, at Hi Five, which now has three locations in Metro Vancouver. The fried chicken spot, which has always operated as mostly take-out, began on Marine Drive in South Vancouver before adding their location on 10th Avenue in Burnaby in the fall of 2018, and their second Burnaby address in summer 2020. Here you can order your chicken up baked or fried, spicy or regular, and with all sorts of sides. Bonus: Both their Vancouver and Hastings Street (Burnaby) locations are open 24/7, while the one in Burnaby's Crest Plaza is open 10 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Address: 203 SE Marine Drive, Vancouver; 8669 10th Avenue, Burnaby; and 5933 Hastings Street, Burnaby
The Frying Pan
@eatwithmao via @thefryingpan604/Instagram
Spicy. Fried. Chicken. Sandwich. Need we say more? That decadent dish is The Frying Pan’s signature item, though the Korean food truck also serves up a slew of rice bowls, too, topped with your choice of chicken, bulgogi beef, or even fried teriyaki tofu. They also have fried chicken wings on the menu, too, though, if you want to keep things squarely in the fried bird lane.
Address: 505 Burrard Street, Vancouver
ChiMec
This West End spot may be the fried chicken sleeper hit of the year. Launched in April in the early weeks of the COVID-19 shutdown in Vancouver, ChiMec has been wowing locals and foodies with their straightforward menu of fried chicken (wings, sandwich, pieces, combos) and sides, with a Korean touch.
Address: 835 Denman Street, Vancouver
The Fried Chicken Works
This stall inside the public marketplace at Lonsdale Quay is wowing tastebuds with their Korean-style fried chicken. Fried to order, you can tuck into heaps of boneless fried chicken, and choose if you want spicy or regular.
Address: 123 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver
Re-Up BBQ
Re-Up BBQ/Facebook
If you find yourself in New West craving fried chicken, head to the River Market. Re-Up BBQ offers all sorts of fried chicken options, from big ol' buckets (10 pieces) or smaller two-piece portions. Plus they make spicy fried chicken sandwiches, southern-style wings, and chicken tenders, too.
Address: 810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster (inside River Market)
BONUS: Our colleagues at the Richmond News have rounded up all the spots in Richmond where you can find fried chicken, too.
This article originally appeared on July 5, 2018 and has since been updated to include new information
