SC has 2 of the best fried chicken restaurants in the South, new ranking shows. Take a look

Patrick McCreless

Are you a fried chicken fanatic?

Maybe not, but if you’re from the South, chances are you at least have a love and appreciation for it. After all, in a region of the country that loves to fry things, it is the ultimate fried food.

Also, fried chicken is just easy to find in the South — from the largest city to the smallest town, a fried chicken joint will likely be nearby. But because fried chicken is so beloved and available in the South, there has long been competition over who makes the best version of it.

Mashed says it is here to help.

The multi-platform online publication that focuses on food trends, buzz-worthy restaurants and recipes, has recently published a new ranking of best fried chicken in the South. And of the 13 on the list, two are in South Carolina.

Bertha’s Kitchen

The first South Carolina joint on the list is Bertha’s Kitchen in North Charleston. Founded by the late Albertha Grant in 1979, the restaurant provides true comfort food. It’s red and gold-crusted fried chicken is legendary. However, the restaurant serves a variety of delicious Southern meals.

Don’t miss out on the lima beans, cooked with hunks of turkey neck and pork tails, or the Low Country classic rice dish called purlo, according to Mashed.

“Bertha’s is as down-home and welcoming as it gets, with every meal being served in a carry-out box and the muffled sound of an old television in place of corporately curated playlists,” Mashed wrote.

Crosby’s Chicken

Crosby’s Chicken is a small place, found in the small town Bamberg, between Columbia and Charleston. But what it lacks in location, it makes up for in big flavor.

The small fried chicken joint is owned by Blain Crosby, the former mayor of Bamberg and can be spotted wedged between Crosby’s Automotive garage and Crosby’s Auto Sales.

“Succulently seasoned and incredibly crispy, it isn’t gimmicky or chock-full of ‘secret ingredients,’ it’s just perfectly cooked fried chicken,” Mashed wrote.

Though it’s mainly a takeout restaurant, visitors might get lucky enough to snag the one picnic table in front of the auto shop to enjoy their fried chicken.

More of the best fried chicken

  • Here are the other top places to get fried chicken in the South, according to Mashed.

  • Prince’s Hot Chicken —Nashville, TN

  • Gus’ Fried Chicken — Memphis, TN

  • Buxton Chicken Palace — Asheville, NC

  • Mama Dip’s Kitchen — Chapel Hill, NC

  • Gizzards & Livers — Wilson, NC

  • Willie Mae’s Scotch House — New Orleans, LA

  • O’Steen’s Restaurant — St. Augustine, FL

  • Brown’s — Charlottesville, VA

  • Martin’s Restaurant — Montgomery, AL

  • Busy Bee Cafe — Atlanta, GA

  • Bojangles — Various locations/founded in Charlotte, NC

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