A surreal wall-length mural involving hot air balloons and a barn, as well as signs for “Mystic Juice” - a Kool-Aid-like drink of unclear provenance - add to the drama. 5’s pristine mirrored storefront looks like a Kubrick film set. 5 337 Howard St., EvanstonĪ block from the Howard L stop, No. The chicken parts are uniformly small, but well prepared - and the people are south-suburban friendly. Standard Harold’s: the founder’s portrait on the wall, the bulletproof glass, the hulking Pepsi machine. But the kitchen gets docked for serving the fries separately instead of letting them soak in the sauce as God intended. As for the chicken, it has a clean, fresh-tasting exterior craggier than a Martian landscape. This high-traffic entry gets plenty of homespun details right, including the framed poster of Harold, and adds some oddball touches like a magazine rack. The cartoonishly large fire extinguisher dangling over the fryer bodes well for this stark carry-out-only location attached to a Mobil station. When ownership was finally consolidated, the stores were never renumbered. The best theory for explaining the convoluted numbering is that in the early days of Harold’s, several stores were run by founder Harold Pierce, while others were run by various family members, who had their own store-differentiating system. It’s all a bit of a mystery, even to the company. 95 is on 95th Street? Nah, just a coincidence. What’s Up With the Store Numbers?Īre they chronological? Nope, because No. 29’s juicy, thick-battered thighs, which overpower the cognitive dissonance. Touchscreen payment? A marble countertop? A chipper employee who actually welcomes you when you walk in? What is this, Chipotle? Thank the Lord for No. 49 magically infuses both the chicken and the fries with, without nullifying the satisfying crunch. The striking orange walls mimic Harold’s famous sauce - a fiery ambrosia that No.
#HAROLDS CHICKEN NEAR ME SKIN#
Moist, greaseless skin oozes with beef tallow flavor (this is a good thing) and melts into tender meat. The holding cell decor won’t win any design awards, but the chicken - in a sauce sweeter than typical - is some of the chain’s finest. Galaga! Digital jukebox! Unfortunately, you’re always waiting fortunately, the blistered drumsticks are worth it. In a strip mall abutting a larger strip mall, this reliable and charmingly ramshackle outpost - where Katie Couric once broke white bread with Chance the Rapper - boasts plenty to do while you wait. Related: Going to Harold’s? Don’t Forget the Taffy Grapes 3 Harold’s No. Go at lunch and join other patrons in calling The fowl’s delicate but rich batter shatters at first bite. Just across the Indiana border, this cheery little box of a restaurant - which sports a custom welcome mat emblazoned with the store number and location - is everything a Harold’s should be. The agreeable staff and the nonstop crush of customers know it: This Harold’s is the truth. 88 floats like a butterfly, even during the heavy lunch hour, and the sweet, salty, and tangy flavors sting like - well, you get the idea. The Muhammad Ali–fixated decor makes perfect sense, because No. The golden, muscular birds are fried in consistently fresh oil, seasoned to peppery perfection, and saturated in the famous acidic sauce. Here you see exactly what made Harold’s a legend.
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