The Best Fried Chicken in Vancouver

Zabu is a Korean fried chicken joint on Robson Street. Expect a lively atmosphere with a K-Pop soundtrack. Try the soy garlic chicken and you’ll see why southern isn’t the only style on the block. The crunch you’d expect from good fried chicken is accompanied with a sweet stickiness that you can only get with eastern inspired fare. The chicken inside is moist and juicy. You can also go for whole marinated chicken in a range of styles and sauces. Wings, drumsticks, and customers rave about the soju cocktails. Going for the hot sauce and need a beer to take the edge off? They have ice cold Asahi on draught, as well as Sapporo and Kirin Ichiban in bottles, as well as sake and makgeolli, a traditional Korean rice wine.

DownLow Chicken Shack is a lively venue, offering chicken by the piece as well as sandwiches and combo platters. Pick your dish then pick the sauce, ranging from the modest ‘a light burn’ to ‘a side of milk’ if you’re feeling adventurous! A range of sides round off the chicken selection. The chicken is delivered fresh 5 days a week from Two Rivers Speciality Meats, so you ae guaranteed top-quality chicken, and everything is made fresh to order.

Juke was born in Vancouver 2016. Created by Bryan Satterford, Cord Jarvie and Justin Tisdall, Juke has quickly become Vancouver’s favorite fried chicken. They offer food to take away or you can eat in the ‘Chickadee Room’. The 40-seater bar and dining room is slick and modern, with comfortable booths and high-top tables. This is Southern inspired food with a modern Vancouver influence. The chicken is free range from Abbotsford's Rossdown Farms, and the classic southern sides include mac and cheese and squash & grits. They open 5pm until midnight (closed on Mondays), and as you’d expect, they also offer gluten free options as well as seasonal snacks, craft beer and a great cocktail list.

Church’s Chicken was founded in 1952 by George W. Church S in Texas, opening their first location in Vancouver in 1979. They now have over 1700 restaurants and sell over $1 billion of chicken every year. This is the only multi-national chain on the list, but consistently good reviews mean we couldn’t miss it off. Plus, a 24-hour drive through means you can pop in for Chicken whenever you fancy!

For an upscale take on fried chicken, check out the the buttermilk fried chicken with spiced maple syrup, sumac, and pickles at Nightingale at 1017 W Hastings St. This Californian inspired eatery offers a range of modern dishes, including roasted maitake mushrooms, braised octopus, and rabbit pasta.

Hi Five Chicken has four locations in Vancouver. Offering great fried chicken, it’s open 24 hours a day, so you can get your fried chicken fix day or night. Opt for classic, spicy, or roasted chicken, or chose from the sandwich and wrap selection, and be sure to add biscuits and gravy on the side! This is a proper chicken join that works hard to make sure the chicken is crisp on the outside, and juicy on the inside. Check them out on Facebook and Instagram