From fish sauce-coated Vietnamese chicken wings to aromatic Malaysian fried chicken leg quarters, the Bay has a killer selection of fried chicken. At Off the Grid, we have high standards for fried chicken — the minimum requirement is that it’s crispy on the outside with a juicy, tender inside. What takes many of these fried chicken spots to the next level is a bright, flavorful sauce to balance the richness. Here are our favorite bites of fried chicken inspired by cuisines form around the world.
San Francisco
1. Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement (Southern Fried Chicken)
Minnie Bell is a home-style restaurant with what we believe is some of the best fried chicken in the Bay Area. The crust is delicate, yet crackly and crisp. It’s seasoned with a blend of herbs and warm spices. For dessert, get a side of the creme brulee banana pudding.
2. The Bird (Fried Chicken Sandwich)
It’s hard to stand out when there’s so many fried chicken sandwiches in the Bay, but The Bird takes our top spot for keeping it simple. The secret is in the house-made apple slaw, pickles, and celery which introduce some freshness to really let you appreciate the spices in the fried chicken. They also use a fluffy freshly baked bun. Grab a bag of their house-made apple fritters for dessert.
3. Um.ma (Korean Fried Chicken)
These double-fried chicken wings have a light, crispy batter. There’s three sauce options including honey butter, ginger sesame soy, and citrus gochujang. We recommend the citrus gochujang because it’s sticky, sweet, fruity, and acidic — the perfect accompaniment to fried chicken. Request a seat on the homey patio and wash down your meal with a soju.
4. San Tung (Chinese Fried Chicken)
Since 1986, San Tung has been slinging crispy chicken wings tossed with garlic, ginger, and roasted red peppers. You can grab 12 pieces for only 18 bucks. Pair it with a side of their refreshing cold noodles.
Oakland
5. Hawking Bird (Thai Fried Chicken)
There’s a couple forms of fried chicken here. You can get a fried chicken cutlet marinated in ginger and garlic served with charred chili jam and fried shallots. Our favorite though is the sandwich made with a Thai chile oil, lime-seasoned cabbage, charred jalapeño mayo, herbs, and fried shallots. Order a Thai tea float to fight off the heat.
San Bruno
6. Diamond Head General Store (Hawaiian Fried Chicken)
The crackly texture of their Hawaiian fried chicken pairs well with their mac salad and rice topped with furikake. The specials are always changing here but plan your trip around a day the menu features chili-garlic fried chicken. You get a generous portion of fried chicken loaded with crunchy garlic.
San Jose
7. Chicken Licious (Malaysian Fried Chicken)
This spot serves both Malaysian and Indonesian fried chicken which doesn’t have any dredge. Instead, the skin crisps up when it’s fried. The chicken is imbued with the aroma of bay leaves and galangal. Pair it with nyona acar (pickles) and a spicy chili garlic sauce for a kick.
8. Mommy’s Banh Mi (Vietnamese Fried Chicken)
This might be a banh mi spot, but don’t sleep on their Vietnamese-style wings. They’re tossed in a sweet, salty, and savory fish sauce glaze and topped with crispy fried garlic and onions. Pro tip: ask for the signature cilantro aioli they use for their sandwiches to dip the wings into.
