WHERE TO FIND THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN ATLANTA!
Let's face it, fried anything is good, but there's something about fried chicken that's so good it's like angels are dancing on your tongue. One of the best places to have some amazing fried chicken is in Atlanta, Georgia. While it was hard to choose my favorite, I finally managed to narrow it down to these two as my top choices: JCT Kitchen & Bar, and the One Eared Stag.
JCT Kitchen & Bar has been frying up chicken dreams since 2007 and is split into a formal dining space on its main level and a casual bar setup on its upper level. I recommend you experience both spaces as the menus differ, but you'll be able to get delicious fried chicken no matter where you sit.
The chicken was so juicy and flavorful that one could tell it had been loved. The skin was similarly delicious and crispy, everything that you'd want in chicken that had been relaxing in hot oil. I wish I could convey how satisfying it was to bite into each piece of chicken goodness, but it was only second to seeing the chicken goodness coming towards your table and then holding your breath until you were sure it was for you. You may smell like fried chicken for the rest of the day, but that will just allow you to remember the happiness you felt during your meal in the hours that follow.
One additional tip for those who are in the formal dining area of the restaurant, get yourself an order of the fried chicken skins - even if you've had them somewhere else and didn't like them. Most fried chicken skins are crispy, but these were like deep-fried pieces of butter. Sooooooo good! You may have a heart attack by the end of the meal, but it'll be worth it.
In addition to being one of the finest farm-to-table restaurants in Atlanta, the One Eared Stag has the best fried chicken I've ever had. (Yes, you heard me correctly, the best. The comments are open so go for it.) Sadly, as the fried chicken is only available once a week (it was Mondays when I was last there, but check with the restaurant to confirm) I could only reward it a tie with JCT Kitchen & Bar for best in Atlanta.
The restaurant feels like a hunting lodge and really makes you feel like you're actually in someone's home rather than a restaurant. For those who can't make it on fried chicken night, don't worry as everything on the menu is delicious, so you should still go and make your taste buds burst into tears.
Be careful not to burn yourself as you take larger and larger bites into their delicious fried chicken. Just like at JCT Kitchen, the chicken is juicy and full of flavour, the skin crispy and captivatingly tasty, however the thing that sets the One Eared Stag's fried chicken apart is the tenderness of the meat. Not that other fried chickens weren't tender, this one was just an almost fall off the bone level of tender that I hadn't experienced anywhere else! If this was a theatre, I would have risen and given the chef a standing ovation.
Fried chicken enthusiasts will also want to add these amazing spots to your list:
I have not tried all the fried chicken in Atlanta, but I did have a lot of fried chicken in Atlanta. Let me know if you agree with me, or definitely let me hear about it in the comments below if you think I'm totally wrong! Life is about learning new things, and when learning is also delicious then I want to learn all day, everyday!