I am absolutely shocked I haven't reviewed Southside Station since trying them out for the first time at a Yelp Event back in 2021 because we've been back so many times since. Although it's a small and cozy space, they have both inside and outside seating. Food wise, my go-to is their amazing curly fries and lychee iced tea, while the hunny absolutely adores their fried chicken sandwiches. It's probably some of his favorite fried chicken in the Bay Area. We try order online as we're driving over because everything is made to order so there can be a bit of a wait during the lunchtime rush, but the service is super friendly and helpful and everything is always delicious. So we will definitely keep coming back! read more

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Today's adventure took me to Berkeley in search of fried chicken. For some reason fried chicken has become my new love. Whenever I'm in search of something good to eat in the Bay Area I always check TikTok first. My search directed me to Southside Station! It's a small quaint establishment with a very quiet vibe. When I entered, there was a table of three gentlemen sitting there enjoying their selections. I checked in with them and got suggestions on what I should order. They made a recommendation, but I chose something totally different. I ordered the wings and garlic noodles with a side of brussels sprouts. This place is known for their fried chicken because it's so extra crunchy. They definitely did deliver on the crunch and the flavor. The garlic noodles were very garlic, which is what I liked, and the brussels sprouts were sautéed in a honey glaze. I decided to enjoy my food inside the restaurant as opposed to sitting outside where they have two tables set up. The young lady that took my order was ever so sweet and kind. She was the only one I saw in the restaurant behind the counter, but there may have been others working further in the back. There was an error on my order and she was quick to correct the error with an apology and a smile. The portion size was decent. I ended up taking home leftovers. read more

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Three words: FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH! It was absolutely the favorite of the night. Chicken was seasoned and crisped to perfection and the fluffy bun, sauce and slaw brought it all together. The wings were also another favorite. Very crispy and well seasoned. We also had the Combo Thai Curry Chicken Katsu Rice Plate. Chicken was okay here. Not as crisp as the sandwich or wings so it fell short from the "katsu" category. The curry was really flavorful and the Brussels sprouts were good too! Garlic noodles were a little oilier than average but had good flavor. There are a few tables to dine in but not many. You order at a window and go pick up from there too so there's no table service and if you need anything you need to go ask and wait in the same line people are ordering in. We ended up being told they were closing early so we ended up rushing through our meal. More like a 3.5/5 but the chicken sandwich earns it the 4 stars. read more

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Southside Station is a small shop in Berkeley specializing in Thai-style fried chicken. The "Pacific Rim" sharing platter came with a nice sampling of their best dishes including 2 fried chicken sliders (breaded chicken thigh in a housemade brioche bun with pickled papaya and creamy sriracha); four Thai-fried chicken wings dusted with a spicy seasoning; two chicken satay tacos (spiced chicken with onions, chili peppers, pickles, and cilantro in a tortilla) with peanut sauce on the side; garlic noodles; and sautéed Brussels sprouts. My favorite part of this sampler was the fried chicken sliders, which had a nice combination of crispy chicken, soft bun, creamy sauce, and crunchy papaya slaw. I was also a big fan of the creamy, earthy peanut sauce that came with the chicken satay tacos. Overall, the food here was tasty and creative, though also a bit on the greasy side. read more

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I ordered the combo to sliders with fries and added garlic.Noodles The chicken sandwich slider had a unique slaw.That was different than others.But it did not disappoint the garlic noodles were some of the best that i've had in a very long time.Also ordered the lychee martini no ice for easy transporting.And it was really good flavor I can't wait to try to recreate it read more

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The restaurant is very nice and clean. The garlic noodles are very good. The fried chicken sandwich is seasoned very well and crispy.

I panic ordered for my family and still feeling regret. But even with the panic-order, we loved what we got. Wings were delicious and everyone's favorites. We loved the basil chicken and added some rice to it. Ordered some other chicken dishes with rice and a cucumber salad. Wished we had ordered a sandwich and garlic noodles though too...next time! read more

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My wife and I saw the reviews on this place and one day we found ourselves just a couple blocks away looking for a lunch spot on Shattuck so we popped in. Definitely a divey casual kind of spot, it's pretty small inside but there are a decent amount of tables to sit and enjoy your food. Ordering was a little unusual as you walk up to a window in the wall, and we waited for our food. I got the combo chicken thigh/garlic noodle plate as I love both fried chicken and noodles! I was pleasantly surprised with the quantity of food- quite a bit of chicken! The chicken was tasty, a nice crisp outside but still juicy on the inside and flavorful. The garlic noodles were a little too greasy for me so I didn't finish them. I've heard good things about the fried chicken sandwich as well, so that will be on my list for next time! read more

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Came here a little before their closing but everything was really good! Vietnamese coffee was creamy but wasn't overbearing. I got the 2 chicken slider combo thinking it would be small portions but it felt like they were 2 full sandwiches! It was only 1 person working at the time so it took some time for the food to come out (not faulting them for it at all), but service was great and so was the food. Garlic noodles were also super good! A little oily, but to be expected. Would definitely come back! read more

One of the best fried chicken sandwiches I've had in the East Bay Berkeley area! Amazing flavor and probably one of the biggest fried chicken sandwiches I've ever had. There was two large chicken breasts inside there. I like my food hot, and this was served perfectly! They house make their brioche bun themselves and you really noticed that with each bite it is seriously unreal with how soft and buttery the bun is. If you like fried chicken sandwiches, this is a place that you need to check out when in Berkeley! The fries were pretty average but paired nicely with the sandwich. The service did take a while, but I believe it's because the food was fresh and I appreciate them taking their time for that. The restaurant was set up really cute for Christmas, which was really nice and festive. My drink was kind of average, not the best high tea I've ever had and it taste kind of bland, not really too sweet, but it was still really good just probably wouldn't order it again. On the note for the sandwich and the meal I would order that 100 times over and I do look forward to coming back here and I hope that my review helps people find this amazing spot! read more

Southside Station - Thai Iced Tea - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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One of my favorite street Thai spots and open at 9:00am. Chic and garlic noodles for breakfast! Crispy and savory makes it a unami heaven with every bite! read more

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Food good, fast service. We had the Crispy Fried Chicken Thighs. Really tasty. If you can't take spicy, this is the one to order. Comes with a spicy sauce on the side. read more

Southside Station - Menu - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Their combo meals are some of the best priced deals in the area! I always order the fried chicken thighs combo, which comes with 3 medium sized crispy thighs, garlic noodles and a drink all for $19.99. The chicken is juicy and fried perfectly. Noodles could be stronger in garlic flavor (more soy sauce flavor than garlickly) but there's fried shallots to accentuate the flavor. There can be a bit of a wait if there are several parties there (seems like there's only 2-3 people working in the back including the person at the register) but the food is always fresh and tasty. It's about 5 minutes from Telegraph Ave so there's usually metered parking in front or in the area. I'll continue to support this small business and maybe branch out to their chicken wings or sandwiches next. read more

The fried chicken sandwich is top notch flavor assembly. Ate a piece of the plain fried chicken and it wasn't special. But sandwiched into that assembly of julienned vegetables, sauce and bun, and it becomes food that I think about. Would happily eat on repeat. read more

June 29, 2025 about 1:50 pm This food story starts out as many others have ... "On the advice of a friend, we headed out to (fill in the restaurant) for the best (fill in the food) you've ever had." The two of us found metered parking after a few minutes and walked across Shattuck towards the small shop known as Southside Station. There she sat just as described with an easy to miss small footprint and a few tables outside. Inside, the store is cheerfully decorated with flowers in a vase and colorful wall bric-a-brac. Cleanliness and organization abound with the exception of the waste receptacle area. That looks crowded and neglected with its long used receptacles. We order a chicken sandwich combo to be cut in half to share, and are given a "pickup order" buzzer by the cashier. The owner-cashier is a frendly loquacious fellow who in a few minutes shows more interest in my life situation than my family does. I felt almost awkward as I'm not accustomed to that much friendliness sneaking up on me. We have two types of tables to choose from. Tall-round or short-square. We choose tall- round, the buzzer goes off and we're off to eating. The food is smartly served in to-go boxes. Smart except thar the food tray plus the two tall to-go boxes, curly fries, our phones and a coke with barely fit on out table. Nudge something here and a chain reaction will push something else off the far edge. The food box lids unfolded are tall making the food hard to reach in for. . Folding them out to access your food easier takes more table space and Splash- something will be on the floor. We move down to a short-square table that better fits square to-go boxes. Everything fits but... OH No Mr. Bill! We sat at a table with the wobbles. My wife holds the table stand with her foot for the next 15 minutes as we finish our meal on that tippy surface. And enough about that. As for the food. The bun and breaded chicken are delicious by themselves and would make a nice base for a hundred types of sandwiches. Both were fresh. Nice flaky chicken batter. Good stuff. This sandwich is served wonderfully hot. A rather tall sandwich, it easily falls or tips apart in your hands if attempted to be eaten after being cut in half. We both wished the sandwich wasn't as tall and made wider so that taking a bite top to bottom wouldn't stretch the jaw quite as much. It has a thin sweet sauce and I believe shredded pickled vegetables. I don't care for sweet sauce very much and my wife wanted more sweetness and flavor so that's a wash. It is very hearty. No skimping on meat here but you did pay a premium. My curlyfryaphile said the fries are so good but "Urgh..if they only had Ranch". I wouldn't mind stopping by again. There are several more items on the Southside Station menu I might like to try and hey, I might get lucky and that owner-cashier likes to go fishing. read more

Southside Station - Nice items. if you know what I mean. - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Came for the chicken sandwich and let my stomach order a few additional items. The star is the chicken sandwich 10/10, salad was crisp and refreshing 8/10 . Fries soggy 0/10 and cheese sticks were just okay 5/10. read more

Southside Station - Cucumber salad, cheese sticks, fries and chicken sandwich. - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

I can't believe I've never been to Southside Station before for their fried chicken sandwiches ~ 2025 is the year of discovery and I'm so happy I made it into this super cute and cozy spot on Shattuck. After reading several reviews and recs about the wings, sandwiches, and creative food fusions here, I was in the area and had to swing through. I will say the fried chicken sandwich is noteworthy and a top contender for East Bay. I know there are so many places that have amazing fried chicken sammies these days after the craze hit, but give this one a try if you're near or around the area. The meat is clean, juicy, and for the value, great portions (insta-worthy portions). The buns are made in-house, topped with pickled papaya and a Sriracha sauce of some kind. Delish! I also had a Thai Palmer (an Arnold Palmer x Thai Tea hybrid), and it did the trick! The chef and co-owner is so kind and cool, a husband/wife duo I believe. Would love to come back and try the Chicken Satay Tacos (how fun!). Catering/Party trays available and a kiddo menu as well. Parking can be tricky on Shattuck, but where this spot is located, you can get lucky! Metered parking, but totally worth it! read more

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Of the East Bay recommended purveyors of chicken wings from a recent newspaper article, these in my estimation were the best. An order was only 5 pieces, but they were big pieces with a heavy and very crispy coating that was absolutely packed with flavor: it was a Thai flavoring, and notes of both chile and lime came pouring through. The meat inside was very tender. It's cooked to order and takes about 12 minutes: I phoned ahead, and what's more they were willing to make my order all-flats, which I really appreciated. It's a small place with a counter and a few tables. The atmosphere is a little close; I'm glad I was able to get my order to go. read more

I have been here twice and both times, the chicken sandwich was amazing. we also order a separate fried chicken. I love the buns on them too. the first time, it took a while for our order and the lady in the front left and never came back. We had to call out to someone in the back to make sure they were making our food. The second time around, there was no issues. If you have not tried this place, its a must! The next time we come here, we will need to try something else. Love what they put in their batter and sauce for the sandwich. read more

Southside Station - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing chicken sandwiches. Cute little place. Nice music. Sooooo good! Like Bahn Mi flavors with delicious fried chicken. Delicious drinks too!!! read more

I went with a friend since she is a foodie and I trust her. We ordered the chicken sandwich and the tacos. Both were really good, but be warned that they are super messy lol they also don't have any more plates and so we had to eat out of a paper bag. When we went the ambience was very chill, but it might be because it's a Tuesday and all the schools around were not in session. The service was great, and I thoroughly enjoyed the food here. I recommend! read more

No lie. Whatever fairy dust they use on the chicken wings might be crack. Hands down the most delicious and addictive chicken I've ever had. Service is also warm and friendly. I'm already planning my visit next week! Uh oh - trouble. read more

Southside Station - Crack wings - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

Fast and fresh fried chicken sandwiches. Great service. There are tables but it is mainly and order-and-takeout place. After you get to know the menu, you should pre-order. read more

One of my favorite Asian fusion spots in the bay. They serve my favorite fried chicken sandwich in the Bay Area and their chicken wings are not to be missed. read more

You can't go wrong with lots of items on the menu, but the fried chicken sandwich along with the fried chicken thighs and wings are some of my favorites! Voted best chicken sandwich in Berkeley for a reason, the chicken is perfectly crispy and juicy, while the papaya salad provides a nice acidic contrast to the soft and buttery housemade brioche bun. The wings have a delicious savory spicy lime seasoning, and they are fried to perfection, and the tamarind sauce that goes with the chicken thighs provides a well rounded flavor. The owner is also so kind and personable, and it was nice talking to him about how he started Southside Station. This is a place I will keep coming back to for delicious food and a welcoming ambiance. read more

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I have been here before a few years ago and thought their food was fantastic. So of course I wanted to come again and decided to try their Thanksgiving special. I wanted to like this place again so much, but several things went wrong. The Thanksgiving special was a little confusing because although the online menu designated several items as on special, only one item would take the discount code, so that was confusing and disappointing. Oh well, we really wanted to get their fried chicken. Unlike my first experience here which was fantastic, this experience left much to be desired. The fried chicken was kind of dry, over cooked and even burnt at the ends. This resulted in tough chewy meat unlike the moist delightful chicken I had had here before. Yes, the batter was still crunchy and delicious, but parts of the meat was so overcooked and dry, it was tough to chew. They also deboned the chicken thighs which to some people is great, but to me that makes the chicken dry out faster. The brussels sprouts were just meh, nothing special and the 3-grain rice was just white rice. I could not detect 3 different grains in it. I could've done OK with all the food being just meh, but the spicy pork basil was so mega spicy, it set our mouths on fire and we could not eat it. I had designated on the special comments on the online order to make it less spicy, but I understand that it may have been pre-made, but it was so terribly spicy with tons of red hot pepper seeds that we could not eat it and had to throw it out. There were two very young people working there tonight, they looked like maybe high school kids and maybe they didn't have enough experience cooking. They were sweet and friendly, so I'll say the service was good. This This place has an excellent reputation and I had a very good experience the first time I came, so I'm willing to give them a second chance. Hopefully next time whoever is cooking will not burn our food. read more

Southside Station - Garlic noodles, 3-trio rice, brussels sprouts, spicy pork, and chicken wings. We ordered extra chicken thighs on the side, not pictured. - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

South Side Station was such a vibe. The atmosphere was fun and welcoming, and it's the perfect spot for grabbing drinks, food, and hanging out with friends. The food was flavorful and came out fresh, and the service was friendly and attentive the whole time. Everything felt smooth from start to finish, and the energy in there makes you want to stay longer. If you're looking for a cute spot with good vibes, I definitely recommend South Side Station. I'll be back. read more

I'm giving them a solid 3. There was only 1 person working & they were also cooking so it took a long time to get our food. I hope during the week there's more workers & the wait won't be as long. I did the fried chicken sandwich combo which comes with curly fries & a soda - coke - Diet Coke - sprite. This cost $22 - the sandwich will fill you up so overall it's a great deal. Curly fries were tasty too. I really enjoyed my chicken sandwich- forgot to take a picture. read more

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This chicken sandwich is out of this world. When you bite into it, you're not just tasting a freshly baked and toasted brioche bun stuffed with moist chicken thighs with perfectly crispy breading, sriracha aioli, and papaya slaw. You're also tasting the tender love and care that went into crafting this sandwich with the freshest ingredients. Their curly fries are also amazing - perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I am a huge fan of curly fries, so these surely hit the spot. The seasoning was on point. I'm definitely going to have to hit the gym after this, but the sheer level of unadulterated joy experienced when consuming this excellent chicken sandwich combo is totally worth it. read more

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My fiancé and I got two combos - fried chicken sliders with fries and spicy thai chicken wings with garlic noodles. The sliders were 5/5 and honestly probably had one of the best fried chicken I've ever had! I don't know how they did it but both the fried chicken and chicken wings were perfectly crispy and juicy. The sauce and pickled veggies complemented each other rather than overpower in flavor in the sliders. I usually enjoy using extra sauce but the sliders didn't need any. The noodles had a nice texture but were more soy-sauce forward than I liked. The fries were good but could have been seasoned a bit more. I will probably skip the noodles next time but will definitely come back to get the sliders again! read more

Southside Station - Combo Fried Chicken Slider with fries and Spicy Thai Fried Chicken Wings combo with garlic noodles - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really like the food but the service is very poor. Been coming here for over 3 years and I think the kitchen could be a little more efficient. I went I. Today and they said they have a catering order and food could take up to an hour. At this point maybe you should have more ppl or close for the catering order. Very disappointed! read more

You've heard it before but I'll say it louder for the folks in the back: Fried chicken sandwich! If that weren't enough, the garlic noodles are also super craveable. And did I mention the spicy curly fries? I don't need much more in life. Maybe Brussels sprouts? They have those too! read more

I give this place a 3.9. Saw this on social media and was excited to drive down to try it . Came on a Tuesday service was quick . The sandwich is very filling and I love the In home made brioche bun ! The curly fries were tasty too . The garlic noodles were tasty but didn't have too much garlic flavor ? The portions are definitely big . The chicken tastes bland without the sauce provided . Maybe I will check out other items on the menu next time but the sandwich def lived up to the hype . The Thai tea was pretty disappointing. I felt like I was just drinking half and half . read more

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I will go back and try the Sando. I just wanted to snack and try a few things. Got the Wings and garlic noodle combo. The garlic noodles were disappointing. The chicken wings were very good. Great fry on them and good flavor. The Thai wing flavor wasn't hot to me at all. Service was great. Small little place was pleasant for an early lunch. read more

Southside Station - Combo Wings - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

I got the chicken wing and garlic noodle combo which comes with a drink. The chicken wings are big, juicy, crispy, well fried, and seasoned perfectly. It has a spicy sign on the menu, but if you typically order mild or above at restaurants, then it wont taste spicy to you. They come out piping hot so you might need to let them cool off. The wings also come with some sort of aioli sauce which is goes well with the wings. The garlic noodles are nice and savory. Again, they come out piping hot so don't burn your mouth. I didn't realize the chicken sandwich was voted the best in Berkeley so next time, I'll try that. It's a super small space, roughly 10-15 seats inside. No restrooms are available. When you order, it's at a little window in the front. During my visit, the kitchen seemed to be busy with call-in orders or something because I waited an additional 30 minutes or so for my food along with everyone else who ordered inside. It does sound like there is only 1 maybe 2 cooks in the back and the employee in the front was sincere and apologetic for the wait. My tip is if you want to try this place, call in to avoid the wait, it seemed like everyone was waiting additional time. Overall, great food, but a long wait time for said food, so call-in to minimize that wait time! read more

Southside Station - Chicken Wings and Garlic Noodle Combo - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

To celebrate the start of Spring Break, I decided to finally make the trip down to Southside Station for lunch - and boy, was I BLOWN AWAY. I literally sat there, eyes blown at the first bite, thinking: "So this is what the best chicken in Berkeley tastes like." Where do I even start? Everything about their chicken is to die for: perfectly crispy skin seasoned with salt, red pepper, and a bit of lemon, with meat so luscious and tender it literally OOZES juice with every bite. Just the way they prepared the chicken makes it so that you can enjoy the meat even without the sauce they give you (and I tried it with the sauce, it's like some kind of spicy mayo that I also liked, but I far preferred the seasoning of the chicken by itself). And this is just half of the box; the other half is a generous side of tasty garlic noodles that you can't help but just slurp up! The flavors are so addictive, it makes you claw at the bottom of the box for even the tiniest leftover strand even when you're full and done, wondering if you should get a second order for dinner... because the price of this box of happiness is only $19! All's this to say, what a heavenly dining experience this was! And what was past me doing, putting off my visit for so long?! Because needless to say, I *will* be making my return for those chicken wings. read more

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We went on a Saturday afternoon. It didn't seem very busy but it took almost an hour for the food to be prepared. I think only one person was working back there. We ordered two chicken sandwiches, curly fries, and two different bobas. Besides the long wait, the sandwiches were flavorless and the boba was watered down. Only saving grace was the curly fries and ketchup. Ate the rest because I was starved from the long wait. Plenty of tables and chairs inside and a few outside if you want to eat here. It's clean, just a bit hot if the door's not open. And plenty of parking outside as well. read more

Southside Station - Fried Chicken Sandwich and Curly Fried and Thai Milk Tea Boba - Sandwiches Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Bummed walked in close to closing hoping to get a to go order. They said they don't take orders after 7:30. Maybe Yelp should say that.

Great food pretty fast service and friendly people behind the counter. 10 out of 10 stars

I can tell you this for a place to have a number 1 spot for the best fried chicken in the Bay Area says a lot but this place here has never failed me. Many times I've been here and have had everything on the menu just about and it's all good. The owner himself is friendly and knows the company I work for because we're always there to come and get the food. The people he has working for him are friendly and funny. The food is excellent and extremely flavorful. I usually get chicken oysters which is just the juiciest part of the chicken fried up but one of the best things there besides the giant chicken sandwich and garlic noodles to me. Whatever you get make sure you get the sauce they have because it just that good and adds whole different taste but it's just that flavorful. Note you will not see chicken oysters on the menu now as it's a hidden menu item but it's a must have if you come here. It's a small hole in the wall place but it is comforting with a good vibe on the inside and is always clean. Try it at least once and if not multiple. Don't do like I did before and pass them up until I finally tried it . Also get a lemonade it's good! read more