Fried chicken in this metro means different things depending on the address: a dining room crowd on Gravois, a counter order in St. Peters, a fish house plate in Belleville. This list sorts the actual chicken from the noise around it, city and county both.
№ 01
Hodak's Restaurant & Bar
$$
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The Fried Chicken and the Chicken Strips Dinner with fries and coleslaw are the draw at this south side room, and the crowd that packs it most nights backs up the reputation on volume alone. The chicken itself is inconsistent: some plates land fine, others come out under-seasoned or short of crisp. Go for the room and the collard greens, and treat the chicken as a coin flip.
What to orderFried Chicken, Chicken Strips Dinner, Collard Greens
№ 02
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken
Maplewood $$
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Gus's in Maplewood runs on drumsticks and wings with a peppery kick that regulars build return trips around. The fried chicken carries real spice, not a gimmick pepper dusting, and that's the reason for the repeat business. Order accuracy has been shaky on carryout, so counting the box before leaving the counter is the smart move here.
What to orderfried chicken, drumsticks, chicken wings
№ 03
Byrd & Barrel
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The fried chicken sandwich is the reason to stop at this St. Louis counter, especially on a patio day when the sports-bar crowd fills in around game coverage. Portions run generous and the kitchen keeps pace even when the room is packed. It took over a former restaurant space, and the chicken alone justifies treating it as a planned stop, not a backup option.
What to orderfried chicken, chicken sandwich, sides
№ 04
Chicken Coop
St. Peters $
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St. Peters gets its strongest fried chicken claim from this counter-service spot, where the spicy batter is the order regulars steer toward. Chicken comes out fresh to the ticket rather than sitting under a heat lamp, and the fried fish is a fair second option if fries beat the greens as a side. Worth driving in from elsewhere in St. Charles County for the batter alone.
What to orderfried chicken with spicy batter, fried fish, fries
№ 05
Belleville Fish & Chicken
Belleville $
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Jumbo fried shrimp gets top billing here, but the fried chicken and cheese fries round out a Belleville plate built for hearty appetites at a low price. Portions are large enough to justify the trip on their own. Consistency has slipped some over the past couple of years after a long run of reliability, so a stop here still beats most fast options nearby.
What to orderjumbo fried shrimp, fried chicken, cheese fries
№ 06
Rollup Ice Cream & Eatery - Oakville ( St Louis )
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Chicken strips share the menu with smashed burgers and hot dog combos at this Oakville counter, and the strips get called out specifically as the standout order alongside the special fries. Counter service moves fast and staff circle back to tables to check on orders, an unusual level of attention for a spot built around ice cream. A solid detour for chicken strips done right.
What to orderchicken strips, smashed burgers, hot dog combos
№ 07
Sandwicha
Florissant
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The chicken wrap sits alongside the Philly as the two orders worth the visit at this Florissant counter, where the room is plain and the food takes its time but arrives loaded with filling. It runs more carryout than sit-down, and the wraps back up the word of mouth that sends people through the door the first time.
What to orderPhilly wrap, chicken wrap, veggie wrap
Frequently asked
What is the best fried chicken restaurant near me in the St. Louis area?
It depends which side of the metro is closest. City diners lean toward Hodak's or Byrd & Barrel, Maplewood has Gus's, St. Charles County has Chicken Coop in St. Peters, and the Metro East has Belleville Fish & Chicken. Each entry here lists its actual municipality so the closest real option is easy to find.
Are any of these restaurants paying to be featured on this list?
No restaurant pays for placement. Every entry is ranked using the Insider Score, a measure built from the public review record, and that score along with cuisine and price is shown next to each name on the page.
Is Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken in St. Louis city or the county?
Maplewood, which is its own municipality in St. Louis County, not a neighborhood of the city of St. Louis. The city and county have been separate governments since 1876, and this guide names the actual town for every listing.
Does fast food or fast casual count in a fried chicken guide like this?
Yes, as long as it is not a national chain. Chicken Coop and Rollup Ice Cream & Eatery are both local counter-service operations, and they are judged on the same standard as sit-down rooms: the quality of the chicken itself.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Lejla Begic
Staff Writer · Top of St. Louis
Staff Writer. Born in Sarajevo, raised in Bevo Mill, lives in Affton. Covers the guides and drives the whole metro to do it, from the Delmar Loop to the Metro East. Tells you the order, the price, the wait, and the parking, then makes the argument.
