Can you please post the score breakdown for each location? I don't really care about vibe or affordability (it's fried chicken, how expensive could it be?). I just want to know which chicken tastes the absolute best.

"Ezell Stephens no longer has nothing to do with his namesake chain"? Do you even edit, bro?

Nice list. But how about these joints?

Quick Pack Food Mart, S Jackson
Bramling Cross, Ballard (get the collard greens, fantastic)
Ma'ono Fried Chicken and Whiskey, W Seattle
Wandering Goose, S. Jackson

Plus, the biggest "fried chicken trend" in Seattle these days is KFC Korean Fried Chicken,,,

Bok Bok is awfully tasty...

Frankly, "vibe" don't mean much to me. Is the food good, Is the service decent, the rest is wallpaper and muzak,,,

urp

sorry, I somehow missed Quick Pack on your list, carry on...

Oh, and Ma'ono, fine article though, fine work, yes, yes,,,,

Thanks for the legwork, guys!
I suggest trying Harry's Chicken Joint in West Seattle for that vibe you're looking for. It feels like you're stepping back in time to a 1950's diner. Get there early as some items sell out quickly. The chicken is darn tasty.

What time of day should one visit Quick Pack? Every time I've had the chicken it's been over cooked, bordering on rubbery. Not sure why everyone likes it so much...

@7 try about Noon

No St. Clouds???? While I don't eat the meat, my hubby swears it's the best fried chicken he's ever eaten.
Offered on the 1st Sunday of every month.

So glad ya'll hit up the Georgetown Shell, which is legend, and I hadn't been to in ages and assumed like all good things had bit the dust!

The shell on Beacon Ave S is good, too, as is Marco Polo, pressure fried, on 4th Ave S, not far from the Jesus vacuum cleaner shop...

I hate you all, and my pet birds hate you more. We have chicken neighbors who visit every day and turn over dead leaves hunting down nests of spider eggs and bugs. My ducks and guinea fowl each have a personality and always come home to me every night. Birds and other animals deserve love, not murder.

Sisters and Brothers is a tiny establishment that, yes, sometimes runs out of food but... so does Paseo's. The wait times are long because everything is made to order. You ever batter and fry chicken? It takes a damn minute.
Like, maybe if you were a petty bitch while you were there then yeah, you'd get treated shitty.
Thought this article was about the chicken, not the service.

@13 Oh hey man, sorry. I will use my Chicken greasy fingers to lube up the strings of the world's tiniest violin, and play it just for you.

Well-executed fried chicken is well to be had in Rain City.
Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco, New Orleans – any town with a vibrant market, or better yet, a vibrant restaurant heritage, will present fried chicken (and soul food, generally), barbecue, saltwater fish and shellfish, with reasonable aplomb and panache, and occasionally, sublime brilliance. Gas-station fried chicken, on the other hand, is often exactly that; A purveyor of fossil fuels that traffics in the gaseous comestible of truly terrible fried chicken. Please note for future reference, the difference. It is not a rule as such per Se, but the exception to the rule that most matters. It is thus true that humble establishments can, and may often, kill you with delight, Still, it is hardly a criterion for seeking the most sublime fried chicken experience.

@13 You should tell us where you live. If you are not going to eventually turn your fowl into food, the rest of us in the community will be happy to help them find God's ordained place for them on the dinner table.

@13 Guinea fowls are really loud but they are mighty tasty. I recommend braised in sauerkraut with juniper berries.

You lost me at "Vibe", Fuck You!
Most Seattle Peeps buy at KFC, SO.......

This has been done before...and better: https://seattle.eater.com/maps/best-frie…

Marco polo and quick pack hands down!!!

It is sad Marc Polo didn't make it on the list smh..

“Just because you have the thing doesn’t mean you do the thing.” - WTF does that mean?

@13- kindly fuck off.

@24 - It is implied that they serve soul food but have no soul.

Downgrading them for being so popular that they sell out is weak. I haven't had better in this town than S&B.

King Philly in Rainier Beach has fantastic wings. They're in the little strip mall at the NE corner of Rainier Ave S and Kenyon, also home to the superb Beach Bakery. They're made to order, with several flavor options, so expect a 15-20 minute wait. The cheese steaks are terrific too.

Drae's Lake Route Eatery (formerly Nate's) may have the soul you seek, if Nate's has lost it (it's in the former home of Nate's). Wings, chicken strips, and waffles.

The fried chicken sandwich at Jules Maes in Georgetown (currently on their special menu) is the bomb, especially paired with piping hot tots and a pint of the Ft. George Vortex IPA. Moist, slightly sweet, on a soft brioche bun.

Have to agree that the service at Sisters and Brothers is crap; blue eyed soul without any soul. Went there once to see what the hype was about; meh, no real desire to go back. Chicken was OK. Decor was cute, though.

Fats Chicken & Waffles occasionally has delicious chicken (50/50 great vs. dried out) but *always* has poor service. I take my money elsewhere these days.

Fried chicken is about the crust. Frying the chicken in a pan is where you get crust magic. Deep frying is about speed; they use spices and MSG as crutches. Some deep fried chicken is pretty damn good. None of it is art. An article on fried chicken that doesn’t mention whether a joint is pan or pool is a wreck of ignorance.

Bramling Cross, Skillet (thigh only), Harry’s (mentioned) are all pan fried. Not sure about Chow’s Endolyne Joe’s, 5-Spot and Hi-Life (Sunday’s only). Anybody? (Ma'ono tries to replicate pan frying by double dunking. Close.)

Pan frying is hard, expensive and slow. Thin line between done and over-done. Has to be crystal balled and cooked in advance. That’s why they run out. It’s that way at all real chicken joints. Kingfish Cafe used to run out before the whole line could get in the door.

Sisters and Brothers is fine, and pan fried, but it’s Nashville style. You might as well be talking about Mongolian. Every time I’ve been in there, the service has been personable, caring and competent. You weren’t a little Yelpy-grade jerk in there, were you, Jake? And the “salt-and-pepper haired” comment… Yeah, you were a jerk.

Wow 😮- I’m shocked that you guys chose “fats” at number one. Here’s my first and last experience at fats (I can’t remember all the details but it went something like this) - Not so friendly server came over to take our order -
me: “hi I’ll have the fried chicken but I prefer my pieces to be thighs!” -
servers response: “we don’t offer thighs or wings” my response was: huh?!?”

Got the breast and leg and it was just fine. The sides did nothing for me and I have never gone back. Not sure I’d call this a fried chicken spot when you’re missing half the chicken options and stranger.com, you guys lost some serious points allowing this spot to be number 1. No way. It’s hard finding good friend chicken in this town - I wish there was a classic soul food joint, which all fried chicken parts, oxtails, mac, greens, yams. I’ll keep looking and hoping something opens up soon enough. For now, The “wandering goose” is the best fried chicken for me. Fried chicken Friday’s - yum!!