Brooklyn Boro

The 10 best fried chicken sandwiches in Brooklyn

October 8, 2019 Scott Enman
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There has been a lot of talk lately about Chick-fil-A and Popeyes, and which chain offers a better fried chicken sandwich. That’s all well and good, but in Brooklyn — the culinary capital of the world, in our opinion — there are better options.

This borough has no shortage of fried chicken joints. That’s why we recently asked our readers for their go-to spots. Below are the top 10, based on their suggestions — plus some of our favorites.

Bon appétit.

1. The Commodore

The Commodore. Photo by Chase Doerflinger

Abigail Barker said, “Commodore. Hands down.” We could not agree more. We, too, love that hot-breasted chicken on a sesame seed bun with the perfect amount of spice that will have you reaching for your piña colada. Topped with pickles and coleslaw, this is hands down the best in the borough. Pro tip: Order nachos on the side.

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366 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg. Visit website.

2. Peaches HotHouse

Peaches HotHouse. Photo courtesy of Peaches HotHouse

For those who like a little bit of a kick to their fried chicken sandwich, Peaches HotHouse is the place for you. The texture of the meat is cooked to perfection, and diners are served cocktails in mason jars (in an authentic farming fashion, not hipster fad kind of way), so you know this spot is the real deal.

415 Tompkins Ave., Bed-Stuy and 87 South Elliott Place, Fort Greene. Visit website.

3. Landhaus

Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich. Photo courtesy of Landhaus

This boneless organic chicken thigh marinated in hot sauce, pickle juice and their secret spices will have you drooling. Topped with jalapeño mayo, cilantro and “haus made” pickles, this sandwich is unbelievably tasty, but don’t just take our word for it: Yan Dekhtyar told us, “Hands down best chicken sandwich in Brooklyn.”

899 Bergen St., Crown Heights. Visit website.

4. Gumbo Bros

Hot Honey Fried Chicken. Photo courtesy of Gumbo Bros

At Gumbo Bros in Boerum Hill, your mouth will be watering over the Cajun-spiced crispy, brined chicken with house made hot honey. Their sandwich is one of the more dressed up sandwiches on this list with lettuce, tomatoes and pickles — but we’re not complaining. Wash it down with a diverse selection of Brooklyn craft beers on tap.

224 Atlantic Ave., Boerum Hill. Visit website.

5. Pies ‘n’ thighs

Pies ‘n’ Thighs. Photo courtesy of Pies ‘n’ Thighs

Two words: biscuit buns. The warm, buttery biscuits snugly caress their world-famous fried chicken, leaving you feeling satisfied (and guilty) all at the same time. Pro tip: They’re open to midnight on weekends, which means it’s the perfect post-drinks snack.

166 S. 4th St., Williamsburg. Visit Website.

6. Mekelburg’s

Mekelburg’s. Photo courtesy of Mekelburg’s

We’ll let Roger C. from Yelp take it away on this one: “From the fluffy bun, through to the crispy and juicy fried chicken and down to the sweet honey, Kewpie mayo and sour pickles, biting through this sandwich is an enticing concert of flavors and textures — literal heaven in your mouth,” he wrote.

If Roger doesn’t do it for you, take it from our very own reporter Noah Goldberg, who is of the opinion that Mekelburg’s is “great for spiccccccy [sic] chicken sando if you want to spend a lot more money than pop or chick.”

Plus, Mekelburg’s had a booth at Smorgasburg, so you know it must be good.

293 Grand Ave., Clinton Hill and 319 Kent Ave., Williamsburg. Visit website.

7. Napoleon’s Southern Cuisine

Fried chicken sandwich. Photo courtesy of Napoleon’s Southern Cuisine and Bakery

At Napoleon’s in Bed-Stuy, there is zero pretense. In fact, the owner, Denise Caldwell, recently told me that her sandwiches, “Have nothing to them.” That is exactly what makes them so damn good. The fried chicken is served unassumingly on white or wheat bread, and it has so much flavor that a drop of hot sauce is all you need to make the sandwich complete.

1180 Bedford Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant. Visit website.

8. Fuku

Fuku sandwiches. Photo by Cheyenne Cohen

If you’re a hot sauce junkie, then Fuku, from famed restaurateur David Chang, is the spot for you. They offer various hotness levels to choose from like spicy, very spicy and the seasonal extremely spicy.

Note that the only Brooklyn location is inside Barclays Center, so you’ll have to buy tickets to watch the Nets play to indulge in the sandwich… but why would that be an issue? The team’s got KD and Kyrie on its roster, so think of it like a three-for-one special.

(For Mets fans, the sandwich is also served at Citi Field.)

Section 11 at Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Prospect Heights. Visit website

9. Buttermilk Channel

Chicken and waffles. Photo courtesy of Buttermilk Channel

The most-liked comment on our Facebook survey came from Jessica O’Mahoney-Schwartz, who wrote, “Buttermilk Channel!”

And although the Carroll Gardens restaurant’s fried chicken isn’t technically a sandwich, the meat is so tender and tasty, we slapped it onto this list anyway — for when you’re in the mood to shell out $28. Served with cheddar waffles and a savoy cabbage slaw, it’s so good that the price tag will be merely an afterthought.

524 Court St., Carroll Gardens. Visit website.

10. Hartbreakers

Hartbreakers. Photo courtesy of Hartbreakers

For those vegetarians out there, we haven’t forgotten about you. At Hartbreakers in Bushwick, you can indulge on vegan fried chicken sandwiches made out of house-made seitan. We suggest ordering the Hot Mess, which is fried chicken, cheese, grilled onion, arugula, jalapeño and ranch — all under a delicious sesame seed bun. Yum.

820 Hart St., Bushwick. Visit website.

Follow reporter Scott Enman on Twitter.


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