The Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches in California

Whether it’s a group dinner or a low-key date night, Alta Adams is the place to be. The food here is Southern through and through, with classics like cornbread with honey butter and the golden-fried black-eyed pea fritters. And while the fried chicken sandwich may seem simple (it’s topped with hot sauce mayo and pickles), the flavor is anything but. Don’t believe us? Take a bite and see for yourself.

This Palm Springs hotspot is only open until 2PM everyday, and they don’t take reservations, so come early. The menu is split between breakfast and lunch options, each offering a litany of fried chicken variations and their “world famous” bacon flight. Having trouble deciding what to get? The fried chicken sandwich offers a taste of both worlds as their filet is topped with bacon along with homemade ranch, Napa slaw, and crispy onions. They say the early bird gets the worm and at Cheeky’s, the worm is a delicious medley of eggs, bacon, and chicken.

Okay, this one’s technically a breakfast biscuit, but still worth it any hour of the day. Courtesy of Craft & Commerce, this fried chicken breakfast biscuit comes filled with country ham gravy, sunny-side-up egg, bread-and-butter pickles, and hot sauce. And if that doesn't impress you, the menu also has homeruns like mussels in red Thai coconut curry and bone marrow with Fresno chili relish and toasted milk bread. Consider any of these some of the most heavenly dishes.

Sharing is caring and that's the ethos at this stylish neighborhood eatery. Tucked within Park Boulevard, chef Brad Wise's spot brings in the crowds day after day for his locally sourced delicious American staples. And although the dishes are designed to be shared, we won’t blame you if you finish the fried chicken sandwich (topped with cabbage, mayo, ssäm sauce, cilantro, house chili-pickles, and served with fries, of course) yourself. 

You may find yourself ordering the vegetable dishes including roasted cauliflower (green harissa, curry caramelized onions and almonds) or the citrus salad (blood orange, cara cara, chèvre, crispy quinoa, spiced avocado, citrus vinaigrette), but for an over-the-top food moment, order the crispy chicken sandwich. Drizzled with gochujang aioli, pickled Serrano slaw, and a side of truffle fries, the challenge here is saving room for dessert.

Coast Range pulls double duty as a buzzy brunch spot by day, and steakhouse tavern by night. This no-reservation spot serves a refined mix of chilled shellfish and different cuts of meat at dinner, but it's brunch that steals the show daily. Opt for a mix of sweet and savory, where items like the crispy chicken sandwich (tomato, greens, pickle, mayo) and laughing bird shrimp salad (red freckled baby romaine, oro blanco, hazelnuts, asparagus) await. Oh, and did we mention? There’s also bottomless mimosa’s.

Turn down for what? While those lyrics from DJ Snake and Lil Jon might make you groove, it’s all about dialing up the heat at Hawks. Those preferring their food on the spicier side should snag the Nashville hot chicken sandwich (among other hits like house-made pastas and their signature burger filled with fried mortadella). The sandwich is accompanied with coleslaw, dill pickles, and house made kennebec French fries offsetting the three-alarm flavor explosion in your mouth. And if you prefer a bun-less variant, stop by during Fried Chicken Mondays, where diners can feast on a bucket of buttermilk fried chicken or a fried chicken entree.