The best fried chicken in Melbourne

This chicken bistro and bar is hands down the best spot for juicy and delicious fried chicken in Melbourne, if not the entire country. The team have got it down to a fine art, soaking their chooks in buttermilk before frying them to an earth-shatteringly golden crisp. Feast on tenders, drumsticks, boneless thighs, wings or all of the above at this Melbourne insitution, along with an incredible range of condiments and American-style sides and Brunswick's longest list of Aussie craft booze. The glammed up menu may be a bit more bougie than what your average chicken shop joint offers, but no need to dress up for the occasion. This is a laidback vibe, perfect for chilled arvo sessions with friends and a feast you'll obsess about for weeks afterwards.

Belle’s is one of Melbourne’s OG Southern fried chicken joints, serving up its classic range of choose-your-heat chook and drool-worthy sides since 2014. When it comes to spice, Belle's doesn't mess around. The "really fuckin’ hot" chicken will 100 per cent set your tongue on fire. Good thing this joint’s got a range of natural wines to cool ya down.

Nene is one of Korea’s largest fried chicken chains – some call it the country’s equivalent to KFC. The name translates to ‘Yes!Yes!’ which is what you’ll be screaming after a taste of its “wingettes” and “drumettes”. Choose from flavours like Garlic, Snowing Cheese and even Mala, a numbing spice made from Sichuan peppercorns.

If we didn't include Leonard's on this list, we wouldn't be surprised to see pitchforks outside our doors. That's because there's no denying Leonard's cooking up some of the best fried chicken in Melbourne right now — and you've gotta taste it to believe it. Think signature seasoned popcorn chicken so hot and juicy it'll squirt at your neighbour when you bite into it, moreish chicken tenders, a classic chicken white bread sanga with pickles and Southern fried chicken burgs to boot. Do yourself a favour and drop in for a feast.

This world-famous ramen joint might be known for its steaming hot bowls of tonkotsu noodle soup, but serious fried chicken lovers shouldn't overlook the karaage. Here, you can get three crisp golden morsels of the juicy bird for a cool $8.70 and they come coated in Hakata Gensuke's mouth-popping secret spiced pepper.

If you like your fried chick dripping in sauce with a frosty longneck to wash it all down, Gami Chicken and Beer's your go-to. Since they started out in 2006 at Carnegie (Melbourne's unofficial 'Little Korea'), Gami has sprouted up in seven locations around the city, bringing along with them their signature Korean fried chicken, customisable with an array of spicy, salty, sweet and cheesy toppings. Yum!

Here's a haunt for night-owls with a kitchen open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, perfect if a fried chicken craving strikes in the wee hours. We recommend ordering the fried chicken wings with "Thai special sauce". Who knows exactly what's in it, but when it's this delicious who even cares? You can also snack on chilli and lime popcorn chicken while you're at it, a perfect pairing with the Thai-inspired cocktails at this funky well-loved joint.

After takeovers at Huxtaburger and Bluebonnet BBQ, Sonny's have now set up a permanent kitchen inside the Curtin. They brine the chicken here for 24 hours and you can order it by dark or white meat, drum'n'thigh, a half or whole bird. Add in hot (mac'n'cheese, corn on the cob, beans, potatoes and gravy or deep fried pickles) or cold (Memphis slaw, potato salad or lentils) and you've got a fried chicken party ready to dig into. Also, even though these guys are mostly about fried chicken, vegans are catered for too, with loaded fries, topped with meat-free gravy, pickles and spring onions. 

On days when your hunger can only be sated by a piece of fried chicken the size of your face, salvation is yours in the form of the aptly titled Hot Star Large Fried Chicken, a Taiwanese chain that does 250-gram pieces of chicken breast cooked on the bone.

When the first El Jannah opened shop in Sydney in the late '90s, word of its delicious Lebanese charcoal chicken spread like wildfire. Melbourne didn't get its own piece of the franchise until 2022 but we're pleased to announce it's just as good as our NSW cousins'. The signature charcoal chicken is cooked over an open wood flame to achieve the crispy and charred skin, and you can get it in serves perfect for everything from a solo meal to a family feed. If you're after American-style chook, El Jannah also makes Southern-style fried chicken and creamy gravy. Heaven.

Louisiana-inspired Le Bon Ton may no longer be the talk of the town in a sea of American-geared fried chicken, smoked meat, big burger and late-night liquor joint openings in recent years. But in our books, it's still one of the finest. That's in no small part due to the kitchen's impressive mastery in perfecting the humble fried chook. Pit-smoked chicken wings are coated with either the housemade Vanessa hot sauce or barbecue sauce depending on your preference, and served with a tart dill ranch dip. You can also gorge on Southern fried buttermilk chicken tenders with peppery white gravy and pickled jalapenos. Besides, where else can you sip on abinsthe alongside your burgs and bites? As they say in New Orleans: “Laissez les bon temps rouler!”

Benchwarmer may be all about the beers, but its food doesn’t take a backseat. The small West Melbourne bar serves up a range of izakaya-inspired fare including some noteworthy fried chicken. It's prepared karaage style with a crisp, starchy coating and complementary yuzu mayo – the perfect accompaniment to a sharp, hoppy brew.

The man who gave us cult food trucks Beatbox Kitchen and Taco Truck has shifted his focus with Juanita Peaches, a buzzy chicken-and-beer joint tucked inside All Day Donuts. Though the fried chicken burger is a sure winner, we recommend the super-saucy buffalo chicken ribs, but be warned – you’re going to need napkins.

If the words 'sushi' and 'taco' being in the same sentence didn't tip you off, Mr Miyagi is not your typical Japanese restaurant. In fact, it's not really typical anything. The now-institution hits somewhere between a bar and a restaurant – and similarly, ends up equal parts casual and fancy. The end product is just one thing: fun. The MFC (Miyagi Fried Chicken) is an obvious crowd-pleaser, served with mayo and the restaurant's secret seasoning.