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Where to Get Crisp, Golden Fried Chicken in Montreal

Plenty of finger lickin' good options — without the PFK

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Fried chicken has seen a big boom in Montreal in recent years. What started as a relatively small but robust variety of spots including Korean, American, Thai, and Japanese styles has only expanded with all-new restaurants dedicated to the cluckin’ stuff — some of which have grown into franchises in little to no time.

For fans of the flaky, golden comfort food, here are 17 options worth trying out.

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Olivia's Authentic Chicken (multiple locations)

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Formerly known as “Le K’bob,” the focus here is on Korean fried chicken. Owner Eunjung (Olivia) Ko apprehensively added it to the menu at first, but now — if the name change wasn’t evidence enough — it’s the restaurant’s main focus. Grab it boneless or bone-in, by the sandwich or the wrap, in boxes for one or for six, and with nine different sauces to dip it in.

When it comes to Korean fried chicken in Montreal, NDG’s Dawa is a frontrunner. That’s probably because it’s about all they do with the exception of bulgogi and salad. The menu’s got plenty of variety, with cheesy, creamy onion, General Tao, and plain versions to go with both bone-in and boneless options.

Restaurant La Louisiane

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This NDG institution of 30 years is one of the city’s first names in Cajun and Creole restaurants, and while they serve their fair share of New Orleans and Louisianan specialties, they save a special spot on the menu for “Lou’s World Famous” fried chicken: A southern style that’s crispy with Cajun seasoning on the outside and tender on the inside thanks to a buttermilk marinade.

Roch Le Coq (multiple locations)

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What started in 2019 as a casual spot in Outremont has, by merit of head chef Cosmas Arroyave’s recipe for American-style fried chicken, expanded with a second location in Ahuntsic. Whichever location a diner picks, Roch Le Coq keeps things consistent and crispy with a variety of formats that run the gamut from platters and sandwiches to poutines, popcorn, and good ol’ fashioned buckets.

Dinette Triple Crown

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Kentucky native chef Colin Perry does the American South proud at his restaurant, serving fried chicken by the piece, in a meat-and-threes plate with sides, on cheddar and chive waffles with espelette maple syrup, or with biscuits, cheese, and gravy in the Big Nasty sandwich. It all comes with house-made barbecue and hot sauces too, but the real kicker is their popular picnic basket option to enjoy in Parc de la Petite-Italie, adjacent to the restaurant.

Épicerie Pumpui

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Chef Jesse Mulder’s gai tord Thai fried chicken has been a staple at Pumpui ever since he first opened this Little Italy counter-service spot where he flexes skills picked up from 20 years spent cooking in Thailand. With good reason: A rice flour crust gives the chicken a crunch you can hear from two tables over, and the oyster sauce and spice marinade seals the deal.

Maffeo’s Poulet Frit

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At this Filipino restaurant in Ville-Emard, fried chicken is the primary focus — served up with either spaghetti or fries. Served in loaded combos of mixed pieces or jumbo wings, as large burgers, poutine toppings, or nuggets, the birds here are organic, grain-fed, free-range, and halal.

Mon Petit Poulet

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A hybrid of a rotisserie and fried chicken kitchen, Rosemont’s Mon Petit Poulet has doubled down on its fryers since it first began: Fried chicken wings and the occasional fried chicken sandwich feature just as prominently on the menu as buckets of ‘artisanal’ fried chicken and popcorn chicken bites served by the plate or as garnish on a poutine.

Otto Bistro

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Any Japanese restaurant worth its salt in Montreal serves karaage, but few get as luxuriant as chef-owner Hiroshi Kitano’s version at the Plateau spot he runs with Hanhak Kim. Five pieces of fried chicken thigh are served up with a side of house mayo spiked with yuzu as well as optional extras of a truffled balsamic sweet soy sauce and spicy tomato sauce on the side.

Bucky Rooster's Fritures

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Originally a pandemic project to float the space meant for an entirely restaurant venture, the thighs and pies of Bucky Rooster’s have become the de facto resident at this Saint-Henri address. Bucky’s serves buckets and sandwiches with a chimeric style that pulls just as much from the Carolinas as it does from Korea, plus a few other twists like the five-cheese ‘tenderoni’ that’s topped with chicken nuggets.

Les Crazy Chickens

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With the exception of sides of fries and some pickled daikon, every single menu item at this Korean restaurant from Jisoon Park and Hanhak Kim has fried chicken in it, from ‘salads’ made with tenders and saucy 27-piece platters, to sandwiches using either toasted brioche or bao buns.

Paradis BBQ

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Those with seemingly insatiable appetites would do well to tuck into the three, six, or nine-piece plates of fried chicken at this Plateau restaurant from Gabrielle Abdelahad-Acosta, Josianne Beaulieu, Jonathan Fournier, and Kyle Fowler. Pair with all manner of Southern fixings like cornbread and mac and cheese, and it’s a veritable feast.

Icehouse

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Among the many cravings Nick Hodge aims to satisfy with this Tex-Mex spot in the Plateau, fried chicken tends to top the list. Served unapologetically on freshly laid greaseproof paper placed across the table, guests are invited to simply dig in. If you ask nicely, they’ll throw it into a burrito for you.

Le Bird Bar

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This spot from Kimberly Lallouz first made headlines for how she spent months testing dredges and frying processes, and stayed ahead of the then-rising trend of fried chicken by offering gluten-free and vegan options. Now, Bird Bar stands out from the rest of the hen house with its focus on fried chicken and champagne enjoyed at street-level tables or in the speakeasy-style bar Henden below.

Les Street Monkeys

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This location for lauded Cambodian cuisine in Verdun sports many notable aromatic and delicious dishes sprung from the mind of chef Tota Oung, and the menu’s fried chicken drummettes dressed with shrimp paste, makrut lime leaf and garlic are no exception — a successor to the restaurant’s popular stuffed chicken wings.

Le Petit Vibe

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This casual restaurant’s original digs in Côte-des-Neiges may have closed, but Le Petit Vibe’s mash-up menu, where Hawaiian and Filipino cuisines meet comforting eats, lives on at the downtown food hall Le Central. That includes their furikake fried chicken with a sweet garlic-soy sauce, or a spicy chicken sandwich with a tropical streak in the form of pickled papaya.

Le Coq de L'Est 2015 inc

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Vanessa Beeching and Omar Zabuair first made headlines for turning a Tétreaultville-based topless restaurant into a rotisserie chicken destination. While known for flipping the script on the Quebec classic with tandoori spices, Zabuair’s got fried chicken chops too, serving regular specials of broasted chicken by the piece or on poutine — out of a new Hochelaga Street location

Olivia's Authentic Chicken (multiple locations)

Formerly known as “Le K’bob,” the focus here is on Korean fried chicken. Owner Eunjung (Olivia) Ko apprehensively added it to the menu at first, but now — if the name change wasn’t evidence enough — it’s the restaurant’s main focus. Grab it boneless or bone-in, by the sandwich or the wrap, in boxes for one or for six, and with nine different sauces to dip it in.

Dawa

When it comes to Korean fried chicken in Montreal, NDG’s Dawa is a frontrunner. That’s probably because it’s about all they do with the exception of bulgogi and salad. The menu’s got plenty of variety, with cheesy, creamy onion, General Tao, and plain versions to go with both bone-in and boneless options.

Restaurant La Louisiane

This NDG institution of 30 years is one of the city’s first names in Cajun and Creole restaurants, and while they serve their fair share of New Orleans and Louisianan specialties, they save a special spot on the menu for “Lou’s World Famous” fried chicken: A southern style that’s crispy with Cajun seasoning on the outside and tender on the inside thanks to a buttermilk marinade.

Roch Le Coq (multiple locations)

What started in 2019 as a casual spot in Outremont has, by merit of head chef Cosmas Arroyave’s recipe for American-style fried chicken, expanded with a second location in Ahuntsic. Whichever location a diner picks, Roch Le Coq keeps things consistent and crispy with a variety of formats that run the gamut from platters and sandwiches to poutines, popcorn, and good ol’ fashioned buckets.

Dinette Triple Crown

Kentucky native chef Colin Perry does the American South proud at his restaurant, serving fried chicken by the piece, in a meat-and-threes plate with sides, on cheddar and chive waffles with espelette maple syrup, or with biscuits, cheese, and gravy in the Big Nasty sandwich. It all comes with house-made barbecue and hot sauces too, but the real kicker is their popular picnic basket option to enjoy in Parc de la Petite-Italie, adjacent to the restaurant.

Épicerie Pumpui

Chef Jesse Mulder’s gai tord Thai fried chicken has been a staple at Pumpui ever since he first opened this Little Italy counter-service spot where he flexes skills picked up from 20 years spent cooking in Thailand. With good reason: A rice flour crust gives the chicken a crunch you can hear from two tables over, and the oyster sauce and spice marinade seals the deal.

Maffeo’s Poulet Frit

At this Filipino restaurant in Ville-Emard, fried chicken is the primary focus — served up with either spaghetti or fries. Served in loaded combos of mixed pieces or jumbo wings, as large burgers, poutine toppings, or nuggets, the birds here are organic, grain-fed, free-range, and halal.

Mon Petit Poulet

A hybrid of a rotisserie and fried chicken kitchen, Rosemont’s Mon Petit Poulet has doubled down on its fryers since it first began: Fried chicken wings and the occasional fried chicken sandwich feature just as prominently on the menu as buckets of ‘artisanal’ fried chicken and popcorn chicken bites served by the plate or as garnish on a poutine.

Otto Bistro

Any Japanese restaurant worth its salt in Montreal serves karaage, but few get as luxuriant as chef-owner Hiroshi Kitano’s version at the Plateau spot he runs with Hanhak Kim. Five pieces of fried chicken thigh are served up with a side of house mayo spiked with yuzu as well as optional extras of a truffled balsamic sweet soy sauce and spicy tomato sauce on the side.

Bucky Rooster's Fritures

Originally a pandemic project to float the space meant for an entirely restaurant venture, the thighs and pies of Bucky Rooster’s have become the de facto resident at this Saint-Henri address. Bucky’s serves buckets and sandwiches with a chimeric style that pulls just as much from the Carolinas as it does from Korea, plus a few other twists like the five-cheese ‘tenderoni’ that’s topped with chicken nuggets.

Les Crazy Chickens

With the exception of sides of fries and some pickled daikon, every single menu item at this Korean restaurant from Jisoon Park and Hanhak Kim has fried chicken in it, from ‘salads’ made with tenders and saucy 27-piece platters, to sandwiches using either toasted brioche or bao buns.

Paradis BBQ

Those with seemingly insatiable appetites would do well to tuck into the three, six, or nine-piece plates of fried chicken at this Plateau restaurant from Gabrielle Abdelahad-Acosta, Josianne Beaulieu, Jonathan Fournier, and Kyle Fowler. Pair with all manner of Southern fixings like cornbread and mac and cheese, and it’s a veritable feast.

Icehouse

Among the many cravings Nick Hodge aims to satisfy with this Tex-Mex spot in the Plateau, fried chicken tends to top the list. Served unapologetically on freshly laid greaseproof paper placed across the table, guests are invited to simply dig in. If you ask nicely, they’ll throw it into a burrito for you.

Le Bird Bar

This spot from Kimberly Lallouz first made headlines for how she spent months testing dredges and frying processes, and stayed ahead of the then-rising trend of fried chicken by offering gluten-free and vegan options. Now, Bird Bar stands out from the rest of the hen house with its focus on fried chicken and champagne enjoyed at street-level tables or in the speakeasy-style bar Henden below.

Les Street Monkeys

This location for lauded Cambodian cuisine in Verdun sports many notable aromatic and delicious dishes sprung from the mind of chef Tota Oung, and the menu’s fried chicken drummettes dressed with shrimp paste, makrut lime leaf and garlic are no exception — a successor to the restaurant’s popular stuffed chicken wings.

Le Petit Vibe

This casual restaurant’s original digs in Côte-des-Neiges may have closed, but Le Petit Vibe’s mash-up menu, where Hawaiian and Filipino cuisines meet comforting eats, lives on at the downtown food hall Le Central. That includes their furikake fried chicken with a sweet garlic-soy sauce, or a spicy chicken sandwich with a tropical streak in the form of pickled papaya.

Le Coq de L'Est 2015 inc

Vanessa Beeching and Omar Zabuair first made headlines for turning a Tétreaultville-based topless restaurant into a rotisserie chicken destination. While known for flipping the script on the Quebec classic with tandoori spices, Zabuair’s got fried chicken chops too, serving regular specials of broasted chicken by the piece or on poutine — out of a new Hochelaga Street location