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Red Light Chicken

4.8 (237 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

Red Light Chicken Photos

Business Info

RED LIGHT CHICKEN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Red Light Chicken

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Jason S.

Finally got to try Red Light Chicken in Lincoln Park after having it on my list forever, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. When you walk in, it's a small shack-style setup super simple, quick, and easy to order. The menu is as straightforward as it gets: a chicken sandwich, fries, and an eight-piece nugget with a drink. No overthinking needed. I went with the chicken sandwich (got it hot) which comes with mayo, pickles, and lettuce, plus the eight-piece nuggets and a drink. My total came out to exactly $20, which felt totally fair given the quality. They also have free condiments: ranch, honey mustard, BBQ, ketchup and you can take as much as you want, which is always a win. We ate outside, and even though the spot is small, they've got a surprising amount of seating: a standing counter area and another section with tables on the side. Super easy to grab a seat and enjoy your food. The chicken sandwich was phenomenal genuinely one of the best I've ever had. Great heat, great flavor, super high-quality chicken. The nuggets were also awesome and a huge portion... definitely more than eight. Tons of food and a great value overall. Red Light Chicken is 100% the real deal and a must-try chicken spot in Chicago. Unique setup, amazing food, great experience.

what my bag looked like when i opened to check it.
Mitchelle B.

the perfect menu for a person that gets decision fatigue VERY easily. i got one honey chicken sandwich - bomb. chicken nuggets - so yummy. truffle fries - will dream of those fries forever. good sauce. great price. lots of food. so much flavor. service was quick and ambiance was your typical hole in the wall grease dripping down the walls the food must be so good kinda joint. so you know the food is rockin!!!

John M.

This update was prompted by my golden doodle Mo. The RLC staff always treats him with a nugget when I stop in for one their incredible chicken sandwich. Two paws up!

Arash R.

One of my favorite fried chicken sandwiches in Chicago. No frills, simple and delicious. Stop by for a quick bite if you are in the area and want to have a solid fried chicken sandwich!! Service is prompt, it is take out and not with limited space to eat outside.

Fried Chicken Sandwich & Shoestring Fries
Ali M.

The tiniest chicken spot! Nice staff. Small menu. Very good sauce and quality tasting chicken. Would return.

Chick-fil-A who!? This place is always worth the drive. Everything is made to order, and the wait is never long at all! Also, there's a very cute cat next door that's super adorable to watch while you eat... DO NOT FEED HIM!!

Semira A.

There's something really special about Red Light Chicken. The really reasonable prices, friendly service, and REALLY high quality food is exactly the kind of thing that keeps me coming back for more. The nuggets are juicy, crispy, and fried to perfection. When dipped in their signature sauce it's the perfect bite. The truffle fries are also amazing, probably some of my favorite in the city so far. Definitely worth a visit. You won't regret it!

June K.

Thought this would be the best chicken sandwich and I came starving. But I feel as though I missed something. I got a hot and honey but it was barely sweet, and I don't have a sweet tooth. Definitely had a hot sauce spice to it, like tabasco-vinegary! The mayo made it wet, but the chicken itself wasn't juicy, and it just felt like a chunk of breast. The small piece of chicken sticking out of the sandwich was crispy, the rest not so much. I don't get the love.

Menu
David J.

This is it! This is the spot. Red Light makes a solid fried chicken sandwich that hits it out of the park. It's not fussy, it's not overdone, it's just simply a great sandwich. The fries are also excellent though I'm privy to shoestring fries. All in all, this place is great!

Heather V.

A fried chicken shack offering three menu items?! I never thought I'd see the day and I am so happy I have. Red Light Chicken is a quick, over the counter shack offering fried chicken sandwiches dipped in plain, hot, honey, or hot honey, chicken nuggets and shoestring fries. Everything was delicious! Hence the five stars. The chicken was fresh and well seasoned. Even the bun was fresh with the perfect meat to bun ratio. I could've easily housed two more myself they are that good. The fries give me McDonald's vibes in all the best ways; thin, crispy and fresh. The service was quick with an easy ordering process. Place your order at counter and wait for your number to be called. There are two tall standing type tables otherwise this is a grab and go or eat while standing joint. Worth the visit.

Diana J.

Fast and friendly service. Food came out piping hot and very crispy. I got the hot and honey chicken sandwich with extra pickles and fries with house sauce. Outdoor eating area is nice and toasty in the winter would definitely come back!

Hot and honey chicken sandwich
Tom Z.

Delicious chicken sandwiches with fast, thoughtful service! Probably top in the city. I got the hot and honey with some regular fries and I highly recommend. Note that the 'hot' is some sort of tabasco style heat. My usual will probably become just the honey, as I'm not usually drawn to spicy food anyway. The service is super fast, kind, and thoughtful. When I wanted some water the server (possibly owner?) just gave me some bottled water which was appreciated (I rarely see this but strongly believe water should always be free). When throwing trash out they proactively asked if we wanted some wet wipes. Just really thoughtful and straightforward service that seems to take pride in what they do and care about their customers.

Chicken sandwich

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Photo of Casey W.
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1 year ago

So good no frills spot. The chicken is delicious but I don't like the shoestring fries.

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1 year ago

The best chicken sandwich in the city, with quick service. Everyone I have recommended the restaurant to has thanked me for the suggestion.

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4 years ago

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10 months ago

Great food and good service. I liked the chicken sandwich and a their sauces. Would go again

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

I'd put their hot honey chicken sandwich on the best in Chicago list. Top 3, enjoyed the fries to go and ate outside on a nice sunny day.

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Amazing chicken sandwich, all that needs to be said. Really enjoyed the simplicity of the place.

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Ask the Community - Red Light Chicken

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The Budlong Southern Chicken

The Budlong Southern Chicken

3.8(423 reviews)
0.2 mi•Sheffield Neighbors, DePaul, Lincoln Park
•$$

One of the best chicken shack in Chicago. Great flavor, great crunch, steaming hot inside. Super…read morefriendly service. The restaurant felt like I was in a chicken shack. Very clean and open! I cannot wait to order again. Love this place.

I'm actually SO surprised I haven't written a review for Budlong yet?! This has been a long time…read morecoming.... What's not new: the chicken, is in my opinion the best in the city. The sheer SIZE of these things, and they are fried to perfection. One sandwich is enough to fill you which I appreciate. The pickles that they use too are thick cut and balance with the chicken well. The more pickles the better!! What is new: these fried chicken wraps. OMG. I don't want to compare them to a mcdonalds snackwrap because that would be offensive to Budlong.... because the ones BL makes are just out of this world. As expected, the chicken size is great, it actually fills the wrap. I ended up ordering both the hot honey and the bbq. Both were awesome I just wish I got something with a little more spice. But I still will be ordering these again! I also tried the fried pickles for the first time which were great! I just wish they used dill pickles instead of bread+butter (I assumed they used this?) because they were a bit too sweet for me. But if you like bread and butter pickles you will love these. Next time I go I neeeeeed to try their plant based nuggets. I'm not vegan, but I LOVE vegan foods, and think more restaurants need to follow suit! Also on my list is the Peach Hand Pie and the Banana Pudding... I think that speaks for itself If you haven't been into Budlong - WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! Get yourself some chicken and thank me later :)

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The Budlong Southern Chicken
The Budlong Southern Chicken - Fries

Fries

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Chicken Deluxe Sandwich Coke Bottle

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GG's Chicken Shop

GG's Chicken Shop

3.9(166 reviews)
1.5 mi•Lakeview
•$$

06/03/26 - My Ta Shih/Grandmaster & I were hungry after class. I was giving him a ride back to the…read moretrain station as his car is currently in the shop & we decided to grab a bite to eat. We went to GG's Chicken Shop on Southport next door to Little Goat Diner (one of Stephanie Izards restaurants). Neither of us had eaten @ GG's Chicken Shop. When we asked for a recommendation the guy working the counter asked if we had eaten there before. Neither of us had & he suggested the Original Fried Chicken sandwich which was delicious. This sandwich had a nice crispy plump fried chicken breast w/pickles, shredded cabbage, hot honey & spicy mayo on a bun. This was a delicious blend of the fried chicken w/the crunch of the cabbage & pickle & the hot honey & spicy mayo. This was an excellent choice that we both enjoyed the sandwich. Dam I was so hungry I scarfed it down before I even took a picture of the delicious sandwich

GG's was good, but I thought the chicken wrap was a little overhyped. I'm not sure if I went on an…read moreoff day but I thought the wrap was very dry and lacked sauce. I asked for an extra side of sauce to dip it in & that helped significantly. We did LOVE all the sides. The mac & cheese was soooo good (and I am hard to impress when it comes to mac & cheese. It tasted way better than it looks). The brussel sprouts were perfectly crispy & not soggy at all. The fries were seasoned great and were sooo good dipped in the ranch. Even though the wrap was disappointing, I would still go back and try their chicken sandwich instead or one of their salads!

Photos
GG's Chicken Shop - New "Crispy Chicken" Fried Chicken Sandwich

New "Crispy Chicken" Fried Chicken Sandwich

GG's Chicken Shop
GG's Chicken Shop - New "Crispy Chicken" Fried Chicken Sandwich

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New "Crispy Chicken" Fried Chicken Sandwich

Roost Chicken & Biscuits - SUNRISE Chicken Biscuit

Roost Chicken & Biscuits

4.0(443 reviews)
2.1 mi•River West, West Loop, Near West Side, West Town
•$$

I don't even know where to start with this place. From the moment I walked in, the smell of fried…read morechicken hit me, and yeah, I was already hungry before I even ordered. It's a small spot, and it was busy when I went. The staff were super nice and welcoming, too. But man, the food is what really got me. I ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich House Style, which came with cucumber coleslaw, dill pickles, and chipotle buttermilk ranch. And instead of regular bread, I got it on a biscuit, which honestly took the whole thing to another level. The biscuit was soft, crumbly, with that buttery flavor that paired so well with the fried chicken. Calling this just a sandwich almost feels wrong because the whole thing was an absolute mess in the best possible way. The chicken was the star, it was crunchy, red golden and incredibly juicy. The Nashville hot sauce brought a spicy kick that hit right away and lingered, while the dill pickles added a sharp, tangy bite. The cucumber coleslaw brought a cool, refreshing crunch, and the chipotle buttermilk ranch added a creamy, smoky flavor that helped bring everything together. I even added some honey making the sandwich even better. The sweetness softened the heat just enough, creating this sweet-and-spicy combination that made every bite more exciting. There was so much happening, sauce everywhere, toppings sliding around, and absolutely worth the mess. Roost absolutely delivered. I came for a chicken sandwich, but that biscuit made it something else entirely.

Disappointed for a first time at this location. My partner…read more& I showed up around 8:30ishhh and they close at 9PM. We were fully aware it was cutting it close to closing time. I sat down & a lady said you have 20 min because we close at 9PM, we typically dont accept dine ins after 8:30PM. Note there was no sign regarding this. Typically most restaurants "close at 9PM" means, they stop taking orders at 9PM. In lieu of we need to close the kitchen at 8:30PM to be out the business doors by 9PM. Maybe there should be a sign that states Kitchen Closes at 8:30PM We drove from Belmont Cragin, paid for parking, all to be turned down.

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Roost Chicken & Biscuits
Roost Chicken & Biscuits - Roost new PEACH COBBLER recipe sadly does not measure up to the old peach cobble recipe!

Roost new PEACH COBBLER recipe sadly does not measure up to the old peach cobble recipe!

Roost Chicken & Biscuits - HOUSE STYLE

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Fry the Coop

Fry the Coop

4.0(71 reviews)
0.4 mi•Lincoln Park, DePaul

Busy Friday night and the service was great. Really enjoyed the Nashville hot sandwich and the…read moreCaesar wrap. Very well balanced and great heat level (medium). The chicken was tender and not greasy. The fries were delicious as well. The pickles in the Nashville Hot were amazing. Will be back.

At this point, I've had two experiences with this Fry the Coop location…read more My first was generally positive. The chicken and fries were hot and fresh, and the sandwich had some appreciable heat. The only critique I could levy was that by virtue of being twice fried, both were very crispy, crispier than I would have liked. My second experience was less tasty and more chaotic. Walking in, one of the booths looked like a microburst had gone through. The cashier let me know that they were slammed with pickup orders, and that getting my food would take ~15-20 minutes. Since the cooks were managing a massive influx of orders, I didn't want to pull them away from their duties, and asked the manager to be called out from the back. I brought it to their attention, and it was promptly cleaned. However, it may have been wise to keep a better eye on things, for seeing such chaos almost led to me walking out and not returning. When it comes to the food, this time around it was disappointing. Despite food constantly coming fresh out the fryer, my fries and sandwich felt and tasted as if they'd been sitting out for 10-15 minutes. While I appreciate the need to fulfill pickup orders, allowing the food of a customer waiting in person to go ignored feels inappropriate. Further, despite being ordered as "hot", the sandwich was a medium at best (I have a high heat tolerance, so YMMV). The service overall has been fine for a fast-casual spot. Not award-winning or meme'd for their hospitality (*ahem* Chick-fil-A) but acceptable for what it is. The vibe is on the smaller side, with three booths. There is a very slightly retro, classic-rock-like feel to the vibe. Final verdict: My two experiences have fallen short for me. The first led to food that was overly crisp, and the second felt like food I might as well have had delivered. While not bad, there is no shortage of chicken shops in Chicagoland that have a superior, more consistent product.

Photos
Fry the Coop - Inside

Inside

Fry the Coop - HOUSE FRIES OG NASHVILLE and Hot Caesar wrap.

HOUSE FRIES OG NASHVILLE and Hot Caesar wrap.

Fry the Coop - Double fried Beef Tallow fries, served with pipping hot Cheddar Cheese Sauce.

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Double fried Beef Tallow fries, served with pipping hot Cheddar Cheese Sauce.

Red Light Chicken - chickenshop - Updated October 2026

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