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Where to Get Crispy Fried Chicken in Tampa (Fried Chicken Near Me)

You might be asking, “What is the best fried chicken near me?” Well, we’ve answered that in this article. Florida is still technically a part of the Southern United States when you’re surrounded by the stunning Tampa Bay beaches, Busch Gardens amusement park, and the Florida Aquarium. Read through to get detailed information on this topic.

fried chicken near me

Best Fried Chicken in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay isn’t exactly known for its fried chicken like it is for its Cuban sandwiches. However, we think it should be, so we’ve explored the entire city for the greatest fried chicken spots in Tampa.

The next time you have a taste for some wonderful deep-fried food, you’ll know just where to go since we’re giving you only the best of Tampa’s tender, juicy chicken that has been perfectly fried and seasoned.

1. King of the Coop

The top restaurant on our list of the greatest fried chicken in Tampa Bay is King of the Coop, which is in the Seminole Heights neighborhood near North Florida Avenue and East Knollwood Street.

Here at King of the Coop, they serve extremely delicious Nashville hot chicken, and they do it so brilliantly that it’s one of our all-time favorite chicken restaurants ever.

We heartily recommend their traditional Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich, which is served on a toasted bun with pickles and shredded slaw.

2. Chicky Chicky Bang Bang

Next up is a restaurant called Chicky Chicky Bang Bang, which serves some of Tampa’s best buttermilk fried chicken.

You can find Chicky Chicky Bang Bang within the Tampa Pizza Company restaurant, which is located in the center of South Tampa, off Henderson Boulevard.

Our preferred item to get from them is one of their gigantic sandwiches called the “Goldie Hen,” which has bacon, lettuce, and ranch dressing.

3. RyGuy’s Chicken & Waffles

The name of the following restaurant, RyGuy’s Chicken & Waffles, pretty well sums it all up because they provide some of Tampa Bay’s best buttermilk fried chicken.

It’s challenging to choose from among the various varieties of traditional chicken and waffles, but whichever one you choose, it will undoubtedly be excellent.

Near the Ybor City State Museum, on the corner of Angel Oliva Senior Street and East 8th Avenue, in the Ybor City Historic District, search for RyGuy’s Chicken & Waffles.

4. Kay’s Kitchen

One of the greatest places to get fried chicken in Tampa is Kay’s Kitchen, which is situated off of North 30th Street in University Square.

It is right across the street from the Yuengling Brewing Company, and just across the street from the University of South Florida.

They specialize in it, so if you enjoy crispy sandwiches and wings, we advise you to try it as well.

5. Mr. B’s Restaurant

Next up is Mr. B’s Restaurant, which has some of Tampa’s best offers. It is in the Ybor Heights neighborhood of East Tampa near East 26th Avenue and North Nebraska Avenue.

We strongly advise to have some of Mr. B’s famous honey hot fried chicken when you visit because of the amazing honey hot glaze that they sprinkle all over it.

6. Ulele 

Adjacent, look for a site named Ulele, which can be found in the North Franklin Street Historic District off of North Highland Avenue and directly next to the Ulele Spring Water Works Park.

Ulele serves a variety of delicious dishes, but we believe their fried chicken is among of the best in Tampa.

The “Muenster Chicken” entrée at Ulele is amazing, comprising fried chicken with a panko crust and topped with muenster cheese in a white wine mushroom sauce.

7. The C House

One of the top fried chicken restaurants in Tampa Bay is The C House, located just off North Florida Avenue in the center of Seminole Heights.

At The C House, they name it “Chicken Euphoria,” and when you bite into it, it really will make you feel euphoric due to how absolutely delicious it is.

In-house brining is used to make the chicken as moist and tender as possible before it is deep-fried in handmade buttermilk batter and served on top of a poppy seed croissant-style bread.

8. Daily Eats

The next restaurant, Daily Eats, is in the center of the South Howard Avenue District and serves some of the best-fried chicken in Tampa. It is situated off of South Howard Avenue and West Bristol Avenue.

The Memphis southern fried chicken sandwich at Daily Eats, which is topped with a delectable country remoulade sauce, is the quintessential Southern favorite.

9. Haven 

We believe that Haven, a stalwart of the South Howard Avenue area, serves one of Tampa’s best buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches. You can find them immediately off of West Morrison Avenue and South Howard Avenue.

You receive a great flavor combination on your fried chicken sandwich at Haven since it is fried to golden perfection and topped with a miso dijonnaise, tomato jam, and arugula.

10. Cask Social Kitchen

Our next favorite spot in SoHo provides some of the best fried chicken in Tampa Bay, and it’s called Cask Social Kitchen.

One of the best places to go for a fantastic dinner of chicken and waffles that has been elevated with their own special touches, such as delectable bacon jam, honey butter, and maple syrup laced with orange, is Cask Social Kitchen.

11. Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café

One of our favorite spots to eat some of Tampa’s greatest fried chicken is Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, which is situated just off of North Nebraska Avenue and East Shadowlawn Lane in the Southeast Seminole Heights neighborhood.

At Ella’s Americana Folk Art Café, the fried chicken and waffles are extremely excellent and are served as a sandwich with coleslaw on the side with their delectable bourbon honey.

12. Trip’s Diner

In the Seminole Heights neighborhood, near the intersection of North Florida Avenue and West North Street, is Trip’s Diner, which, in our opinion, serves some of the best fried chicken in the entire Tampa Bay area.

If you’re in the mood for breakfast, Trip’s Diner’s crispy, delicious fried chicken is served with freshly spiced buttermilk biscuits and white sausage gravy, but it also tastes wonderful for lunch or dinner.

13. Butter’s Burgers

Our next stop is Butter’s Burgers, which is on the first floor of the SkyPoint Condominiums off of North Ashley Drive, in Downtown Tampa, which is our favorite area of the city.

As their name implies, Butter’s Burgers is famed for their burgers, but we believe their fried chicken and waffles are just as amazing, if not better.

If you’re in the need of some heat, they also have an incredible Nashville hot fried chicken sandwich with Texas Pete’s Hot Sauce.

14. Oxford Exchange

If you want to try one of the best buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches in Tampa Bay, go to The Oxford Exchange, a staple of the city, whether you’re a local or just passing through.

Oxford Exchange is located off of West Kennedy Boulevard, just south of the Henry B. Plant Museum, making it the ideal place to take your family for a relaxing supper after a day of exploring the city.

You’re going to adore their buttermilk-brined, perfectly fried chicken sandwich with pickle chips and garlic aioli on top.

15. Maple Street Biscuit Company

One of our particular favorites is Maple Street Biscuit Company, where we can have some of the best-fried chicken in Tampa Bay whenever we want it, served on a warm biscuit with bacon, cheese, an egg, and sausage gravy.

Find Maple Street Biscuit Company in the Carrollwood Village Shoppes, in the center of the Carrollwood area, off of North Dale Mabry Highway.

Frequently Asked Questions

KFC swears by high-temperature, industrial-strength pressure fryers for their extra-crispy skin.

About 7-8 minutes per side. 

Most Southern fried chicken recipes start with a bath in a seasoned marinade of some sort, whether it’s buttermilk, milk, and eggs, or even pickle juice. 

The three primary methods of frying chicken are deep-frying, oven-frying, and pan-frying. Most households don’t have a deep fryer, and oven-fried chicken takes a long time to cook.

Pat the chicken dry.

Cooking it in small batches for about 3–6 minutes will give the best result.

Vegetable oil

Canola oil is a good all-purpose choice for frying thanks to its neutral taste and low price point. 

Don’t Reuse Frying Oil Too Many Times


There are several locations in Tampa Bay where you may find the best-fried chicken you’ve ever eaten, and hopefully, now you’ll know where to start depending on what you’re in the mood for.

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