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    Harold's Chicken Shack

    3.6 (98 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Order Harold's Chicken Shack Takeout or Delivery

    Harold's Chicken Shack Photos

    HAROLD'S CHICKEN SHACK ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Harold's Chicken Shack

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    Shani R.

    I give 3 star because the short puggie lady at the front is rude , nasty , and dismissive for no reason but the chicken was great maybe they should place her on mop duty

    Malcolm I.

    Great chicken! They run a straight forward operation and gave me tasty food. I never had mild sauce, and it was good, especially on my fried hard wings.

    a basket of chicken wings and french fries
    Anna S.

    Harold's is a South Side institution and this place is an excellent place to satisfy your craving. Harold's was designed for each franchise to develop its own ambiance/vibe - it was specifically trying to avoid the cookie cutter molds you see from other fast food places. This is probably why it's a bit inconsistent from location to location; this franchise is great. My usual order is a half chicken meal with both mild and spicy sauce. I thought this came out great - it has the same excellent taste as the other Harold's places I've been to. It's been rated as one of the best Harold's in Chicago and I think the ranking makes sense. The location itself is very clean and everyone was very friendly. There are a few tables around but it's not designed for you to dine-in; it's made for takeout. Harold's cooks its meals to order so expect to wait at least 10 minutes. It's not as fast as your other fast food franchises - but most fast food places don't cook your meal to order so I think it's well worth the wait. They also accept grubhub orders here if you don't want to order at the counter and wait. I think it's definitely worth the wait - Harold's is something I try to get whenever I am back in Chicago!

    Shawnda L.

    We were in Chicago on vacation and our first stop was to Harold's Chicken off 35th street. James the owner was super nice. We had gizzards, liver, cat fish, coleslaw, wings and grapes with toffee. EVERYTHING was delicious!! The grapes were surprisingly delicious. The sauce did not disappoint! I'd recommend you check out Harold's Chicken on 35th street.

    Chicken and fries
    Winnie L.

    Protip: Make sure you have plenty of time to wait for your order. There's not much seating inside so pick somewhere nearby to eat or don't order anything that will get soggy while you take it back home. Highlights: Wings were pretty good and I'd be open to trying other items from the menu. Lowlights: It look forever to get our food and we didn't order very much. French fries were very soft and not really my style.

    1/2 White Meat Chicken Dinner
    Russell M.

    I'm a truck driver from California and every time I'm visiting or driving through Chicago the first thing I do when I touch down is get me some Harold's chicken this place is 5 stars across the board kind of mad this location had no banana pudding BUT SCRATCH that the CHICKEN the SAUCE ain't nothing BETTER!!! and my fat self done been to uncle Remus and all them copy cats yeah yeah nah Harold's got my dollar when it comes to the chicken In Chicago keep doin

    2pc catfish and 2pc lemon pepper wings with fries
    Phyllis B.

    August 13, 2022, dining after parade with the lovebugs. It was the kids and I first time in Chicago, but not bay's. As a foodblogger and foodie, I eat by researching reviews, food pictures, and presentation of the food first-hand. This establishment is a Chi-town staple; but the wait time was not bad at all. Not sure if it was meant to dine-in because they had the bigger tables blocked off. On the other hand, there were 2 smaller tables visible, but already occupied. We cleaned the tables off and sat down after the previous customers. Then proceeded to wait for our food to be ready. I ordered 2pc catfish and 2 wings (lemon pepper), came with order of fries. My food was seasoned well, not salty at all - just bursting with flavor. Will definitely recommend and also eat here again upon return visit. #memphisfoodblogger #chicagoroadtrip #dinein #wherelocalsgo #travelingblogger

    Shafqat D.

    Of course I'd visit Harold's Chicken #88, considered to be the best of all the Chicken Shacks. Harold's Chicken Shack was explicitly called out as the place to go for Chicago's take on fried chicken when I visited Skydeck earlier. The breading, the crispiness, the crunchiness is perfect. They've got the right amount of salt in their fried chicken. The fries are well done. The sauce is legitimately spicy; there's a clear difference between spicy and mild. What's great about the mild sauce is that it's not a sweet sauce--it is actually "mild." Main downsides I see are the unusually small amount of coleslaw and the current tax due to the wing shortage (20% tax is hard to chew on). The 1/4 chicken dinner is what I'd recommend people get. You won't be disappointed!

    Fried Chicken and Fries..
    Devon G.

    Chicken was good. Nice and fresh. Got Sauce on the side. Service was great and had Nice throwback pictures on the wall..

    1/2 white chicken dinner.
    Jose C.

    Gotta love Harold's. Especially at this location. It's conveniently located near the Cell, and unlike other locations, they actually have good customer service. After I ordered my chicken dinner, she politely advised it would be 15 minutes. It was more like 25 but that's ok. You know you're getting fresh fried chicken at the end of the day. Their credit card machine actually worked and I asked for extra hot and mild sauce on the side and I was prepared to pay for it, but they never asked me for additional money. As for the chicken? I mean damn. Freshly fried golden chicken covered with fries and plenty of mild and hot sauce covering everything. Definitely no skimping going on here. You can either eat the bread at the bottom during your meal or wait to the end once it's sucked up all the mess from the food. Gotta love Harold's man.

    1/4 Dark Meat Chicken Dinner with fries and a bunch of Sauce

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    8 months ago

    Terrible chicken wasn't cooked fresh pre cooked chicken terrible . Never going back to this restaurant

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    3 years ago

    They are quick and efficient!! Flavor remains the same. Close location...118th and Pulaski

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    There is nothing like good Harold's chicken !! I love the mild sauce with lemon pepper!!!

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    3 years ago

    Just ok.The wait is so damn loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong.In a crunch this is my go to.

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    Bronzeville Soul

    Bronzeville Soul

    4.1
    (88 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    The catfish was some of the best I've ever had! The Mac and cheese was also amazing, as well as the…read moreturkey. The service was fantastic and everyone was so friendly.

    I will absolutely not patronize this establishment again ever. Very very inconsistent and serve…read moreyou up scraps. When they first opened they were good but for thae last year absolutely horrible. I try to support black owned but this is ridiculous. I ordered a catfish dinner and instead of 2 fillets they sent 1 fillet and 3 feathered wings. I ordered turkey wings and it was paralyzed . I tried eating the turkey wing but you couldn't. When you break into it the two bones were broken and pieces of the bone were in-between meat so if you try to chew small remnants of the bones get stuck in your teeth. The Macaroni lacked cheese. I cant tell you what the muffin tasted like cause i didnt eat it. Not sure if i was supposed to get a muffin with both meals but as you can see i only got a muffin with one of them. The sweet potatoes were decent. Last time I visited the first sunday of September 2025 i paid a total of $12 extra for 2 orders of greens and I received a hunk of meat and a few stems. Then $6 for their dressing i they only serve on Sundays and I received half frozen dressing in a container. Yep I said it right a container of half frozen dressing like with ice in it. I called the owner let him know my experience and told him im just providing feedback as I had ate there before and maybe it was staff that just needed to be retrained along with the fact they they are a business I dont want them to lose out money. Ohhhhhhh but This is it. I should've have read the recent reviews. I dont mind paying the price for good food but come on dont serve people anything. I didnt want to bring it here but no maybe this will serve as a lesson because the last time when I received the frozen dressing and greens with a piece of meat and a few stems it should have been taken seriously. I knew I should have stuck with Pearls place I just wanted to switch it up this week. Pearls place food is excellent only thing that made me upset once was because they were sold out of them good biscuits. Lol. But all jokes aside Pearls place is more expensive than bronzeville soul but they get it right the food is great and I have NEVER been sold anything especially dilapidated food.

    Photos
    Bronzeville Soul
    Fried chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, candied sweet potatoes, fried cabbage, cornbread muffin
    Fried chicken wings, macaroni and cheese, candied sweet potatoes, fried cabbage, cornbread muffin
    Window

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    Jerk Yard

    Jerk Yard

    5.0
    (1 review)
    1.1 mi

    If flavor had a headquarters, Jerk Yard would be running the show…read more I've been a fan of Caribbean food for years, and let me tell you--Jerk Yard gets it right. Their new spot inside Picnic, the digital food court in South Loop, is a total game-changer. From the moment I placed my order to the very last bite, it was nothing short of . What's even better? This is Jerk Yard's second location, following the success of their beloved original in Hyde Park--and yes, it brings the same delicious taste and chill island vibes that made the first one such a favorite. Consistency is everything, and they've nailed it again. Let's talk food: the jerk chicken is juicy, smoky, and seasoned to perfection with just the right amount of heat. You know how some places say "jerk" but really mean "barely spiced"? Not here. This is the real deal. I paired it with their coconut rice and sweet plantains--absolutely chef's kiss. The plantains were golden, soft, and caramelized just right. Portions are generous, the packaging is on point (perfect for takeout), and the flavors? Unmatched. The team clearly puts love into every plate. And while the new location is in a digital food hall, it still feels like Jerk Yard--welcoming, flavorful, and full of good energy. Whether you've been rocking with them since Hyde Park or you're new to the brand, this South Loop spot is a must-visit. Pro tip: if the oxtail is on the menu, do yourself a favor and get it. Thank me later.

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    Jerk Yard
    Jerk Yard

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    Harold's Chicken Shack - tradamerican - Updated August 2026

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