Which Columbia-area restaurant has the best fried chicken? Vote in our poll
When you think of the staples of Southern food, there are a handful of delicacies that likely jump to mind. And fried chicken is always near the top of the list.
As you’re surely aware, there are a host of joints across the Midlands with great chicken, from downtown holes-in-the-wall to longtime suburban spots. Places where workers stop in during lunch breaks for three-piece specials with rolls and fries on the side. Buffets where crispy, amber pieces of chicken are piled high alongside barbecue and mac-and-cheese.
Now we want to know which one is your favorite. Newspaper staffers have selected 13 restaurants from across the region for The State’s 2025 Fried Chicken Poll.
As always, let’s set some ground rules. We kept this poll to mostly locally owned places and small regional chains, rather than include the mega-chains. Sorry, KFC and Popeyes lovers.
Also, this is a list of brick-and-mortar restaurants. Sorry, food truck fans. And, this poll is focusing on traditional, bone-in chicken, not chicken tenders. Sorry, Zaxby’s enthusiasts.
And to be absolutely clear, this is an unscientific poll and is not an exhaustive, comprehensive list of every restaurant in the Midlands that offers fried chicken. Rather, it is simply a sampling of some of the many places in the area that offer a tasty bird, as chosen by newspaper staffers.
You have until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11 to vote in the poll below. The restaurants are listed in alphabetical order.
So vote early and vote often, and don’t forget the iced tea to wash it down.
This story was originally published November 5, 2025 at 11:07 AM.
