Perth’s best fried chicken spots
Whether you’re into burgers, southern, katsu, karaage or Korean, read on below for some of the best spots to pick up fried chicken around Perth and beyond.
Bad Love Burger Co.
You can’t really talk about burgers in Perth without mentioning Bad Love‘s big, juicy smashed beef bois, but we humbly propose that their fried chicken offerings are just as good. Dare we say, the real heroes of the constantly-packed West Leedy hangout? You’ll often find us here on a Friday night, chomping down on a Southern Love or oh-so delicately nibbling at a side of popcorn chicken.
3 & 4, 39 Harrogate Street, West Leederville
Soi29
Hidden away in the Central160 food court, Thai takeaway joint Soi29 (or Soi56, depending who you ask) is home to perhaps our favourite lunch in the city – and in spite of our hesitation to create even longer lines, we can’t deny the magnetic pull of not just their slow cooked beef khao soi, but their unparalleled crispy fried chicken and rice. Truly the salve to any bad day at the office!
13/160 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Christo’s Lunch Bar
Next time you’re wandering out Landsdale way make sure you pop in to Christo’s Lunch Bar. With burgers as big and delicious as Christo’s, you may have to wait a little bit for the pleasure but trust us when we say it’s more than worth it. If you really want to clear the rest of your working schedule, hook into one of their signature Hot Boxes – which will show you the best of both worlds with slider-sized burgs and sides of their unreal tendies.
1/20 Christable Way, Landsdale
7grams Chicken Cafe
We’ve had an influx of Korean fried chicken spots over the past few years, and we’re not complaining. 7grams has quietly built a loyal following since its opening in 2016 in North Perth, moving to their current Lake Street location back in 2020. For ultra crunch go for the original, but the spicy garlic or soy are pretty hard to pass up, too.
212 Lake Street, Perth
Wingman
Low-key legend Wingman will – as their logo attests – take you on the highway to the flavour zone. (Just try to say that without singing it.) Offering wings in either Malaysian BBQ or southern fried styles, these guys keep it simple and ultra-tasty. Keep an eye on their socials to see which markets you can hit up to try it for yourself.
Local Bird
After earning legions of local fans, Local Bird has become a name we can barely go a day without hearing. With some practically pornographic burgers, we’re not surprised they’ve created such a furore. Smashed patties are beaten to within an inch of their life, and stacked with more queso than you can even comprehend. That chicken has the crispiest, crunchiest coating you ever did see. We’ve broken out into a sweat just thinking about it, to be honest.
1/91 Wanneroo Road, Tuart Hill
Big Dog’s Burgers
Big Dog’s is a bit of a hidden gem – but if you’re into burgers, you’ll definitely know about Big Dog’s. These Bedford bad bois know how to keep it old-school, no-muss-no-fuss diner vibes – keeping the attention firmly on the real star of the show: the food! While their smashburgers are unreal, we are absolutely obsessed with these mammoth fried chicken burgers and scrumptious buttermilk tenders. Woof!
54 Walter Road W, Bedford
Hwaiting
Another Korean kitchen that popped up in 2019, Hwaiting is tucked away in Northbridge’s bustling Old Shanghai. Baskets of crispy chicken are slathered with your choice of original or a temptingly sticky sweet and spicy sauce – which goes perfectly with an ice cold beer, by the way.
Old Shanghai, 103-109 James Street, Northbridge
Chimek
It’s been around for yonks now, but the fact remains: Chimek still brings the goods. Indulge in a humungous range of different fried chicken flavours and pair it up with some classic beer and soju. Bring a friend or 10 and an appetite because the serving sizes are out of this world.
77A James Street, Northbridge
818 Albany Highway, East Victoria Park
4/1 Holmes Street, Southern River
755B Canning Highway, Applecross
South Bird Hot Chicken
Taking over the space that was once home to wine bar and restaurant North Bird, South Bird has shifted the venue’s gears in a big way – and now that we’ve tried the (Nashville-style) goods, we’re not complaining. Typified by its intensely fiery, chilli-laden coating, Nashville’s take on fried chicken is traditionally served alongside pickles and white bread – but you can also dive into a selection of Southern classics that includes mac and cheese, hush puppies, “crack salt fries”, slaw, buffalo cauliflower and potato with gravy.
175 William Street, Northbridge
Besk
While many of the other spots on this list are dedicated fried chicken joints, Besk’s beloved bang bang chicken just had to crack a mention. Succulent, crispy, spicy – it’s hitting all the right notes. Plus, it’s served in a lettuce cup, so it’s practically health food in our books (or at least we tell ourselves that).
264 Railway Parade, West Leederville
Archie’s Hot Chicken
Perth loves a pop-up, and Archie’s is well worth waiting in line for. Classically Nashville-style, you can take things from an oh-so-approachable medium all the way up to FU Hot, if you dare. Whether it’s spicy or not, you know it’ll be super juicy on the inside and crispy AF on the outside, just as it should be. We’re waiting with bated breath for Archie’s return!
Naber
While Naber’s backyard bar is all disco fun, inside is bringing the more sultry, intimate date night vibes. Fitting to the vibes out the back, they’ve re-jigged the menu to keep things more fun times than fine dining – and alongside their deliciously gooey disco fries, you’ll find their “juicy AF” fried chicken, drizzled with bourbon maple to seal the deal.
148 Oxford Street, Leederville
Varsity
One of the originals and still one of the best, Varsity‘s Soul Burger keeps it oh so simple yet always so delicious. Buttermilk fried chicken, cheese, lettuce, tomato and Varsity’s special sauce are all you need to feed whatever fried chicky cravings you have. It won’t leave you feeling absolutely destroyed by burger’s end either. They’ve got a few other fried chicken options, and their burger of the month regularly features fried chicken goodness, like one of their recent efforts, The People’s Elbow:
Various
Compton Burgers
If there’s one thing we know, it’s the passion with which Perth locals will stand by their favourite burger spot – and boy oh boy, did we get the message about Compton. Endorsed by the O.G himself, Coolio – we’re not inclined to disagree! As well as their signature smashed patties, these guys have earned plenty of fans with their Raising Canes-inspired servings of sauce and crispy tenders.
196 Stirling Street, Perth
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Drasko’s Hot Chicken
What happens when you combine a passion for Nashville-style fried chicken, with the attention to detail that comes from a stint at Noma? You get Drasko’s, and we couldn’t be more pleased. Ever since opening at the start of 2021, Drasko’s has made huge waves, with hordes of punters lining up for that crispy, juicy, spicy good stuff. Made with exclusively WA produce, with pickles, hot sauces and, well, everything else made in-house, you’ll taste the difference.
The Mezz, 148 Scarborough Beach Road, Mount Hawthorn
Tsukaya
Just down the road from Drasko’s, you’ll find one of the finest Japanese dining experiences in Perth at Tsukaya. While purists may balk at menu inclusions like tacos and umami fries, we could not be more on board – it really, beautifully, deliciously works. Plus it’s BYO! Outside of the tacos and fresh-as-heck sashimi, their fried chicken is…*chef’s kiss*.
167 Scarborough Beach Road, Mount Hawthorn
Header image credit: South Bird Hot Chicken