Hometown, homemade slice of Fried Chicken heaven! It's simple and to the point. Combos from one to many, plate lunch style that it's just like you Auntie that (really, really knows how to cook) The place is take away only, there is a small sitting area for you to wait while the magic happens but it's better to call ahead. And they prefer cash, but take cards so don't worry. read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Inside - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

This is an old-school, fried chicken place. The equipment is dated (and well-maintained), and the love of making the food is evident. We had been trying to get dinner at this place for a while, but carry out isn't something we can do without some planning. Fortunately, fate intervened, and we were able to plan for me to pick up two 4 piece dinners, and get it home on a cold, winter day. My wife called in the order ahead of time, asking for it to be ready by a specific time. My order was ready, right on time. A four piece dinner is comprised of two pieces of white meat, and two of dark, along with a good portion of fries, a vinegar based cole slaw, and a nice biscuit with a home-made honey-butter that made it taste really good. The chicken is hand-breaded for each order. The cole slaw is made fresh. The fries are made fresh. The honey butter is made fresh. FRESH. I know, what an odd concept in fast food where they mostly take pre-made stuff out of the freezer and put it into the fryer. This is real fried chicken. The sizes of the bird pieces are average (not Wal-Mart "average" which isn't average, but REAL chicken average), and were more than enough to make sure we weren't hungry afterwards. Some tips: 1. Turn the corner if headed eastbound, and park in the lot east of Lothson's. 2. The hours are the hours. This is a one woman shop, and they open for Dinner at 4:30 pm with the LAST ORDER taken at 7:00 pm. 3. Get there a few minutes ahead of schedule to pick up your order. 4. To avoid waiting too much, call in your order if you can. For "to go" dishes on a cold night like this was, the owner put a plate on top and napkins in the bag, and then stapled the bag shut. 30 minutes later after driving in my car home, the chicken and fries were still nice and hot. You want it hotter, put them in a cooler with no ice to better trap the heat. If you are local, you won't need to do this. read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Two chicken dinners. Some fries were already eaten. The cole slaw is in the white container. Look at the BUN! - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Good chicken made to order at a great price. This place is a landmark with plenty of history and still in the original family. The coleslaw was a bit tangy. The next visit I want to try the gizzards and livers. read more

We ate four fried chickens and a coke They were delicious Be sure to check the hours of operation read more

While spending this past month out in the Dekalb Il. area for work I stumbled upon this gem on a Location Scout for a film. It had an interesting look from outside in old town Dekalb. The sign over the door simply read 'CHICKEN' in big bold red near letters. This is Lothson's Larry Out. It was reminiscent of an old town marquee sign from days gone by in a town filled with them. It had a charm to it you can't just make up. A charm that is authentic and takes years, even decades to built up. Walking through the aged doorway you enter into a world long gone. A one room old all wood kitchen with an old formica counter, wooden walls and huge wood walk in refrigerator door at least a century plus old. Everything about this place screamed movie set, except that it's not because it is the real deal. Behind the counter, a women who you know has been here a long time. As it turns out she is family and continuing an operation started some 75 years ago or more by her family. She is running this operation alone and her offerings are to the point basic comfort food and she does it right from an age old recipe passed down through generations. THIS is the kind of place you come to get old school country fried chicken. After perusing the small but interesting menu I ordered a three piece dark chicken dinner and a half order of friend gizzards, my weakness. I try to list fried foods in my diet but when in these parts you just can't. When in Rome. She kind older woman wrote my order on a piece of paper, took my phone number and told me to come back in 20 minutes. I was curious that it was that freshly made being used to the city friend chicken joint that often have it ready under a hot lamp. None of that goes on around here as she said, 'oh no son, I make every order fresh'. Who am I to argue. I will say even though she was the only one in the room she wore a face mask and made sure I did too. Good on her. I returned in 20 minutes mouth watering. There she handed me two boxes that had stem coming from them. Surprisingly, she did not charge me until I returned as if she worked on the honor system. A rare thing these days. Upon totaling my order up it came to less than 12 bucks! I mean c'mon who gets fresh fried chicken and gizzards for under 12 bucks anywhere nowadays? I thanked her, exited, and jumped into my car to race back to my hotel to eat. I didn't make it back. The aroma was so overwhelming I pulled into an empty gas station parking lot and tore open the plain white bag and cardboard box and dug in. I will tell you this was unbelievably excellent fresh chicken, with a golden crisp breading and not dripping in grease yet still just enough to make t necessary. The chicken was moist and tender on the inside and only complimented by the crust around it. It was accompanied by a nice portioned side of fries and a fresh roll with a seed to be a fresh whipped sweet butter for the roll and used to dip the chicken in. WOW this is country chicken. The gizzards were also stand out, fried well, not too salty but just right and covered in a country breading that gave every bite a crunch. The half order was pretty large. The roll is homemade, not out of the package kind. Not to be forgotten is the side of homemade vinegar coleslaw. There was not a morsel of anything left after I was done with that chicken dinner. It's places like this that make traveling around a pleasure for me. Old country real deal homemade places that are only found off of the highways and byways of America's heartland. Yes they still exist! In the future I will take a side trip off of the interstate to stop here again. It's really worth a day trip from the city. read more

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Fantastic traditional fried chicken made with love. Our dinners were delicious. Coleslaw, roll, and honey butter were amazing. Chicken was moist, tender and fried to perfection. It was akin to traveling back in time to the most delicious time. Don't miss this place if you are in Dekalb. To the owner: Thank you for all your hard work keeping this place open. read more

I had a wonderful experience with this restaurant. I heard about it a long time ago, but when I finally got around to visiting I was really pleased. If memory serves me correctly it's owned and operated by one woman, and she is such a sweetheart. The food is cooked right in-front of you and nothing is really hidden. The chicken is good! The sides are pretty tasty too, and you even get a dinner roll to go with your meal. It's served on paper plates and in my opinion this adds to the homestyle charm this restaurant has. It's like walking into someone's personal kitchen and watching the magic happen. read more

Imagine going over to your grandma's house for dinner, who then pulls out everything from the very back of her fridge that's been expired for a good four months. That's pretty much what the food here seemed like. I really should've taken the initial warning signs to heart upon entering. The inside smelled like a barnyard shed reeking of old fish oil, whose sound bubbling in all the frying baskets had given me a horrible stomach ache. Need to just listen to my stomach from now on, when trying out other eateries. Let me just say, first off, the lady (the only one running the establishment, I believe) who took my order was SUPER sweet and I can tell has a fantastic work ethic. I certainly believe we could use more individuals with her type of personality in the food service business. This does not, however, dismiss the sheerly disappointing quality of food I received. Having been convinced this place serves up fried chicken 'done right', my experience was pretty much the walking antithesis of that! Ordered an 8 pc mix with sides of fries, coleslaw, and a dinner roll. Now that sounds like a dinner, right? Technically it was, but not a very satisfying one. The only thing decent was the chicken itself, having been very moist and tender. The Louisiana hot sauce I added on the side had complemented it well with a nice vinegary kick of heat. Unfortunately, everything past that was straight up garbage!! The breading on the skin was so greasy that every bite of it filled up the gaps of my teeth with pure oil. That is NOT how it should be done! And was not finger-licking good either, for the record. Great fried chicken should have a light crisp to it and very little oily essence, if at all. The breading, when torn apart, should bend easily (which it did not in this case). This breading was stiff and just 'cracked' apart if that makes sense. Not even a dash of salt and pepper could've saved it! I personally have never seen the bar set so low for sides from a chicken place. One bite of a single soggy fry and I had spit it out! Sure, I've had countless limpy fries in the past but at least were edible! These ones clearly were rancid and could imagine there having been fruit flies swarming all around the potatoes which were used for these before being sliced, refrigerated, then tossed in the oil that "hasn't been switched out since 1949". Yes, I'm quoting another reviewer here, as I am honestly convinced at this point, it is indeed true! Don't even get me started on the slaw; it looked awfully brown and mushy and I think that's saying enough. Did not chance that whatsoever, nor the dinner roll which appeared quite stale when pulling it apart. Though it seemed a mere day away from crumbling apart like croutons! The butter (which all stuck to one side of the plastic container) was hard as a tiny rock. All that (including chicken) for a little over $18, which wouldn't be too horrible of a deal had everything actually tasted good. With all things considered, I just cannot recommend Lothson's. Next time I'll simply pick up some KFC, take a bottle of store-bought Louisiana sauce, and go to town!! read more

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The chicken was very good. A good tip is to order ahead as it takes a while to prepare the chicken to order especially when it is busy.

Whenever I visit from Texas I go to Lothson's for their Fried Chicken/Perch because it is the best. Quality, portions and price are all fantastic. Yes it's a small hole in the wall place but it has always been that. It is a one person operation that may not be around forever so people should not miss the opportunity to try one of the best in the country. The food is prepared with care by Janet who provides pleasant conversation while preparing a great meal. My wife says the Chicken Livers are wonderful too read more

Lothson's Karry Out has been "Fry'n since '49" and are a DeKalb institution. I am a townie and had to put my $.02 in for the folks that don't know what their deal is. 1) There is no Dine-In option. Period. No seats, there is one small bench to wait for food and maybe 5' x 5' of space for customers to occupy. It is not "CHICKEN" (despite the ancient sign) it is "Lothson's Karry Out" - you gotta carry it out in the greasy bag with two paper plates holding the chicken inside. 2) This is not "Chicken Wings," it is "Fried Chicken." Not sure how this got pegged as a wing joint, but it is not. You can get fried wings, but why wouldn't you get a thigh or breast instead? If you get a bunch of wings, there will be no sauce. The wing is the probably the weakest cut of chicken they offer... It is fine, but do yourself a favor and get a thigh or breast. They are always huge, juicy, and fried perfectly. It is sold by the piece, so if you want a whole chicken, it is 2 pcs. each Leg,Thigh, Breast, and Wing. 3) I'm pretty sure the sides and rolls are from the grocery store. The cole slaw is fine, the potato salad is fine, the fries are...greasy and limp unfortunately. The rolls...meh. Don't bother with sides, just get them from the grocery store if you want then so bad or just skip them altogether - Instead, try the Fried Perch with some tartar sauce. A lot of people brag on the chicken here, and it is good, but the hidden gem is the Fried Perch. The chicken is always solid, reliable, delicious, but the fish is really, *really* good and we always get it. The tartar sauce is good, too, and worth the extra $0.45. You might be tempted by livers and gizzards, but just get the darn fish. Trust me. 4) There is no soda fountain. JUST GET THE CHICKEN AND / OR FISH and you will be happy, don't overthink it. read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Not "Wings" - but "CHICKEN." No sauce. Get 2 pieces of each, that's 1 chicken. This is after we ate. Still crispy. GOOD. - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Never ate here and have lived down the street for five years. It's amazing chicken!! Very crispy and didn't get soggy. Prob best chicken I've ever had. Got a three piece meal. Fries, roll, and some good coleslaw were included in meal. Went inside because that's part of the the experience. So cute and smells delicious!! Can't believe I've never ate here before. Will def return! read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Best fried chicken, perch is awesome and livers forget about it also unreal ! Don't come if your looking for salad this is some Of the best food in Dekalb no wonder they have been serving this food forever !! read more

This place is overpriced and overrated. You are served on paper plates as if you're in your own kitchen. The chicken taste like I made it in my kitchen, the difference is mine is better read more

Omgosh this is absolutely the BESTEST chicken ever!! My husband & I get 4pc. mixed chicken only $8.55 & 5 pc. wing dinner $10.05 ( fries, coleslaw, roll & honey butter) for under $19 . It's freshly made to order. I highly recommend this place. It's a one woman show and Janet is amazing at what she does!! Welcome back Janet. read more

I am sorry for writing this but I want to throw my two cents in..I was looking forward to this after reading the reviews. Let me cut to the chase this was some the greasiest chicken me and my wife EVER had. that's why the one star.. the chicken comes as you order, i only live down the rod so i was excited to get home and eat. Picked up thursay night ,, its fri night and i still have a stomach ache.. if any of you for medical reasons cannot have a lot of grease stear clear away from this. The chicken tasted good, i got that sense of good home cooking but, I'm not sure if the grease was changed since 49 because my god it was the greasiest. Came with Fries, dripping in grease,, even the cole slaw was a little odd actually grease in it as well, and a TINY amount. The fries were thick but so greasy. So i called her after dinner and mentioned wed like to continue coming there If she could make sure the grtease was a lot less, I told my wife it would go over well with janet , and it didn't she told me that how i do it basically and that's how it is.. 16.00 out the door for two meals .. I am a chef and cook multiple cusines but this chicken while a bit tasty , is laden in so much grease i still have an upset stomach ... we will not be trying the perch... read more

I went on a long distance foodie adventure, based on the reviews on Yelp about this place. As a result I have incorporated a new rule: Never go ANYWHERE without viewing pics of the food! I visited this relic, based on reviews, one evening, and ordered a large liver, 5 wings dinner and 5 extra wings (thinking I would love the food, based on reviews). I love fried chicken, especially wings and livers. I will drive anywhere for good food. I drove from the place after receiving the food to the DeKalb Oasis to eat seeing that Lothson's is just carry out only. The livers were good. The only reason why this review is not one star. The wings were just ok, in size and in taste. The dinner came with fries, slaw, and a roll. The fries were ice cold. That was a surprise, considering I waited 25 minutes for my food! I thought everything was cooked to order! Maybe the chicken is. Not the fries. The slaw and the roll were as old as the establishment itself! The slaw was brown! And as soon as I felt the roll, it crumbled in my hands from age! It is ran by a one woman crew, who was nice, another reason why this isn't a one star review. But her niceness and her livers won't make it better. I feel cheated, too. I had to throw away the roll, slaw and fries. You got me! Never again. And, I am sorry, but those of you who mentioned this is the best fried chicken you ever had, you need to get out more! read more

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Such a hidden gem, mostly due to the fact it's so tucked away but that makes it even better! When my father and I or just myself, are passing through Dekalb, we make it a priority to stop at Lothson's. Some might find the business hours, different but everything is cooked fresh to order and worth the wait. I've never been a fan of fish but I actually like the perch and the chicken is, of course, delicious. Not much a fan of the coleslaw but the potato salad is pretty decent! read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Excellent hometown chicken place. If I had any serious money I would want to buy in! What else can I say, yummy, savory, great texture and seasoned like a sweet southern breeze! Nothing healthy persay, but a heck of a hearty treat. read more

I had the pleasure of meeting Janet tonight and had a great conversation while she finished up my delicious fresh fried chicken order for my family. It was great to hear the story about how she started cooking there. I make a point to dine at local DeKalb restaurants. Best Fried Chicken in DeKalb hands down! If you get a chance to stop in to order take out, do it. You won't regret it. YUMMY! the chicken was cooked perfectly, just the right amount of crisp on the outside. Looking forward to trying the perch next. read more

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This place is so great. Chicken is hot and flavorful and it's always nice to support a local place. This is NOT fast food. It's a one-woman operation and she hand batters and fries the chicken. Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. Best fried chicken I've had in a long time. read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

This was our first trip and it was one we will repeat! If you're a fan of fried chicken, you know that it's often really difficult to find just that perfect place. Lothson's is one of those places. Fresh & cooked to order, a wonderful lady at the fryer continues a tradition that's been unchanged since 1949! They do One Thing & They do it very well! CHICKEN! You have to try it! Call Ahead... read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Its all Kitchen! - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

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Definitely phone in your order ahead of time. Chicken was good. Owner was friendly. Place was clean. read more

Lothson's Karry Out - One woman army - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

I can not believe how many treasures I have been finding this past year in DeKalb. I attend school At NIU and now am back working for the school. I am shocked I never noticed Lothson's open before. I would suggest calling in your order before, if you can. If not have some time to walk around. Everything is made to order so it is fresh. The chicken was very tasty and moist. I will be returning for sure. read more

Lothson's Karry Out - Chicken Wings Near Me - DeKalb, Illinois

Just moved to the area and we are so excited that we found an awesome place for REAL fried chicken! Hubby loved the cole slaw - it's got vinegar in it, so it's different than most which made it so good! This will be a weekly trip for us for sure! read more

Fried Chicken was good, a little to greasy in the bottom of the container and on the front seat of my car by the time I got home. Fries, potato salad, and rolls were just ok, cole slaw was not good. Price was very very very reasonable $29 for 9 pieces of chicken and tons of sides. Hours are weird and the place isn't new, comfortable or necessarily clean. MUST call ahead read more

Last time I got the chicken and coleslaw here the chicken was like a salt rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want my 23 dollars back or paid in fried fish instead.... I think when I had enjoyed the food last time we were eating only fish during the FISH FRY era and I loved the Krispy-ness, this time the chicken was a Krispy-mess!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still love the lady who first started this establishment and have respect for the lady who works there now but seriously IT WAS TOO SALTY.... Gawd, lay off the salt. By the way when I asked her when she changes the oil she said she doesn't. It is PITCH BLACK! GROSS! read more

Overrated, it is good but the lady (owner) was kind of rude after messing up our order and refused to fix it and said she was about to close and hung up and would not return calls. read more

I grew up loving Lothson's Chicken since the 1950's and just returned to DeKalb for my visit since before the pandemic. The chicken was every bit as good as l remembered it to be. read more

The absolute best chicken in Illinois, hands down. Rips Tavern in Ladd is a very close second.

Now, I'm not a fried chicken connoisseur but to me chicken was just ok. Here's the breakdown: I got the 3 piece dinner; 2 chicken breasts, 1 drumstick; cole slaw, french fries Pros: Absolutely fresh chicken Large portions Appropriately priced for freshness and size French fries were fresh and a good portion Cons: Too greasy (just too greasy for my preference) The cole slaw tasted like it had apple cider vinegar and cinnamon in it. Not a fan. They don't have proper carry out containers. This may be nitpicking, but I want a real container, not a paper plate over my food. All in all I'm giving this a 3/5 because even though I didn't enjoy it I'm sure there are plenty of fried chicken fans that would make this place a regular stop. read more

Lothson's chicken is the best. You call it in and it's ready for you, when you get it home it's still hot and taste so good. I would recommend Lothson's Karry our to anyone. It tastes good and can't be beat. read more

DeKalb may not have many culinary of gems, but THIS IS ONE OF THEM! First, Lothson's--affectionately referred to as CHICKEN (all caps) in our household--is a true DeKalb cultural experience. For years, I never went here because I was convinced it had closed in 1955. The truth is that it opened in something like 1945 and has had only two owners since then. The current owner does everything--answering the phone, keeping the accounting, taking orders, and cooking are all in her impressive multi-tasking repertoire. Apparently this place was once a full restaurant, but that has not been the case for YEARS. Instead, it is now a carry-out only establishment with a fantastic collection of kitschy country chickens decorating the tiny waiting area. The owner prefers that you call in your orders ahead, but I recommend that, on your first trip there, you order and wait just to get an opportunity to chat and here interesting history-of-DeKalb tidbits you couldn't find anywhere else. Everything on the menu is more-than-reasonably priced, and the chicken is FANTASTIC: crispy, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and impressively non-greasy--even after the journey home. This chicken is so good that it would warrent 6 stars if that were an option. The only reason I'm not giving Lothson's a full 5 stars overall is because of the sides, which are mediocre. The fries, though hand cut, end up extremely soggy, either right out of the gate or at least by the time you get home. Maybe eat your chicken first and then the fries? I imagine that a little oven time would make them pretty wonderful. The coleslaw is the vingegar style, which is good for what it is but is not my favorite type. Their hours are also extremely limited, so you'll have to learn the secret handshake before ordering. Sides notwithstanding, Lothson's is well worth your time. RUN, don't walk your way here. You'll be glad this chicken crossed the road. read more

Hands down some of the best fried chicken I have ever had, and I've had a LOT of fried chicken (my family calls me the "chicken lady"). Served hot and delicious - yes you have to wait but it is SO worth it. Between the 3 of us we had different chicken dinners - all served with fries, coleslaw and an amazingly delicious roll. We also ordered a fried perch dinner just to try. That was good too but I'll stick with only chicken next time - and this was so good there will definitely be a next time. Great value too - no wonder why KFC is out of business there! It's a one-woman show, tiny, and I wouldn't be surprised if the oil used for frying has been there for 40 years - I think that's why it's so good. A must-try if you're in DeKalb! read more

I crave this chicken...so good. Lothson's knows what they are doing. Always clean inside and very friendly service. I have sent friends there for the first time and now they too are repeat customers. If I had one Lothson's wish, it would be adding cheese sticks to the menu ;-) My advice...phone in ahead! read more

From the gentle hum of exhaust vents, to the snap and sizzle of chicken bathing in its oil, setting foot into Lothson's Fried Chicken isn't stepping into a restaurant from a bygone era, rather, it is crossing that threshold (for the first time in decades) to grandmas old house. The faux leather couch and fake wood paneling are welcoming reminders of the soothing charms that once existed at the 2 flat near 47th and Damen. Despite being a carryout only diner, Lothson's comfort is so palpable, guests could close their eyes and each of the (remaining) senses would be touched, thus rekindling that yearning for Grandma's house. There is a reason why Lothson's has been cooking fried chicken since 1949; generously portioned flavorful, crunchy and moist, every ideal of what fried chicken should be. It is the kind of fried chicken that beckons in the middle of the night - which shouldn't be confused with waking and eating a snack because one is hungry in the middle of the night, but waking up solely to eat that one leftover piece (the one tucked behind the gallon of milk, hidden from family). Then upon licking fingers clean from a thoroughly satisfying, and bellying filling morsel, return to the marshmallow pillow cloud of a bed and doze off smiling, thankful for the foresight to save a piece of fried chicken just for that feeling. When families traveled along a highway, sixty years ago, to have a good time instead of trying to make time, Lothson's was there on the Lincoln Highway. Though removed from its seat on the major thoroughfare, it's still there on Rt. 38 with its constant hum of patrons: young, old and older. With only two cooks since 1949, Lothson's methodic and attuned delivery of fried chicken is a constant for those who "know" and for those who seek fried chicken perfection. While perch is listed on the menu, the large, red, neon sign announces "CHICKEN" to Dekalb, Sycamore, Cortland, and Malta - there is no need to deviate from what it declares. Chicken, slaw, fries and rolls. Lothsons's history is vast and rich, just like the fried chicken dinner. read more

I want to Love this place, I am a sucker for Historical Places. But the Chicken is just Ok. It had nothing spectacular in the way of flavor. There is no seasoning used at all in the fried chicken. They were very stingy with the fries also, that were not that great anyway. I would have loved some mashed potatoes and gravy, but I guess that is too much trouble to make. This place was probably much better back in the day when it was a sit down restaurant. Now it is take out only. The back of the place is cluttered with who knows what. Give it a try if you want to, but do not expect anything special. read more

Delicious! Real, homemade fried chicken. Call about 30 minutes before you want to pick up your order. The sides are ok, but the chicken is to die for. read more

I liked the taste , especially white more than dark , I hope the restaurant still open late

This place would be considered a ghettho chicken shack if it were so he were else. The chicken is early priced admit very good. It takes forever for the food to come and the service is slow. I'm not sure if they were this slow fifty years ago and only the longevity and uniqueness of this place is why it is considered a local institution. The hours of operation is another issue and joke. read more