The Windy City is home to innovative and jaw-dropping restaurants, including Honey Butter Fried Chicken, a small eatery that lies in the heart of Chicagoland. An ode to all the Southern food that I never actually grew up eating (I'm a fellow Chicago-area native), Honey Butter Fried Chicken is all things comfort food.
Sick and tired of the same few restaurants the lie within walking distance of the Northwestern campus, I jumped at the chance to try this restaurant. After a plateful of fried chicken, an alarming amount of mac and cheese, and ramen (yes, ramen), I found my self in a major food coma. Naturally, I needed to write about my experience at Honey Butter Fried Chicken. Here's everything you need to know about this place.
Atmosphere
Walking into the small eatery, I immediately saw the warm, welcoming vibes that encompassed it. With wooden tables, vintage lighting style and the casual pop of yellow-color decor intertwined with subtle colors, the restaurant was not lacking in style.
Additionally, I noticed the snow-covered porch toward the back of the restaurant. With strung lights and wooden benches, the porch will welcome the humid Chicago summer nights with its stylish, romantic atmosphere it produces.
Another aspect of the restaurant that stood out to me? Chickens, and lots of them. Seriously, this restaurant features an overwhelming and pretty impressive collection of chickens. The walls and windowsills were engulfed by various chickens of all shapes, sizes and colors. Plastic, glass, ceramic—you name it.
The chicken decor wasn't obnoxious, however. Instead, the subtle hints of chickens reminded me of my grandma's house, both comforting and homey. To me, the impressive decor only enhanced the drool-worthy menu items.
The Food
It's safe to say I counted down the seconds until the enormous amount of food arrived at the table, and honestly my first thought was that everything was too pretty to eat. The spread consisted of a side of Pimento Mac and Cheese, the Original Fried Chicken Sandwich, a two piece order of fried chicken and some Fried Chicken Ramen. Comfort food overload, let me tell you.
As a mac and cheese fanatic, I dove head-first into it (figuratively speaking, of course). The creaminess was cut through by the crunchy breadcrumbs that rested on top, and I could seriously not get enough of this stuff. I've eaten a lot of mac and cheese in my life, and Honey Butter Fried Chicken's take on the popular dish was unique and dangerously addicting.
Next on the list? The chicken, obviously. Honestly, I was looking forward to sampling the chicken the most, and it did not disappoint. Between the sandwich and the simple two-piece order, I consumed an almost-alarming amount of fried chicken. The chicken itself was moist, perfectly-breaded and deliciously melt-in-your-mouth.
My personal favorite? The side of honey butter that came with the two-piece order. I could bathe in a tub of this honey butter. The honey butter and the fried chicken produced a combination that was life-changing.
I moved onto the dish that had me both confused, in awe, and utterly excited: Fried Chicken Ramen. The eatery offered its take on ramen through the week of February 13. Honestly, I was thrown for a loop when I discovered this menu item, but I wanted to try it. As someone who's indulged in various types of ramen before, I was impressed, to say the least. The chicken in the ramen was a mind-blowing experience, and I'm still dreaming about the spicy broth and the perfectly al dente pasta that drowned the fried chicken.
With reasonable prices, a unique atmosphere and life-altering comfort food, Honey Butter Fried Chicken blew me away. Every menu item proves creative and features big flavors. Not to mention, the overwhelming amount of chicken decor creates a pretty laid-back, welcoming atmosphere. Really, I'm just sad that it's so far away from my campus. Honey Butter Fried Chicken, you have not seen the last of me. Until then, I will be dreaming of the honey butter.