On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: American (Traditional), Fast Food [Edit]
1925 Ridge AveFoster (Purple, Evanston Express)
Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Chili's® Grill & Bar is as bold and flavorful as the food it serves. The energetic, fun atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for a... more »
Ok, young grasshoppers. Give this a good read. If you've thought about comparing this place to Harold's Chicken Shack in the city, I have news for you. It USED to be a Harold's Chicken Shack, and did not change to "Chicken Shack" until 1988 or 1989. Ask anyone who went to Northwestern in those years, and they'll confirm the facts.
The Health Department of dear Evanston, home of no skipping, no bowling, and the FIGHTING METHODISTS shut down "Harold's Chicken Shack," but the same location opened up as Chicken Shack a few months later. Same kitchen, same menu, same deliciousness.
Categorically speaking:
Location: 4 out of 5 (somewhat subjective)
During my senior year at Northwestern when I was in no danger of not graduating on time, I took it easy and had at least 2 - 3 weekdays open on my schedule to just pursue things I might have not been able to do. I went to Chicken Shack before my senior year, but I really packed it on that last year. For Northwestern kids who have a bike or who are capable of reading a campus bus schedule, CS is conveniently located. Even if you're eating there before or after a football game, it's not difficult to find, but you do have to go off the beaten path just a little bit.
Service: 4 out of 5.
Given the amount of d-bags that they have to deal with, do you really expect them to be "at your service" with a smile whenever a privileged, north-face wearing, yuppie kid goes in? Don't kid yourself. Be nice to the man that cooks your chicken, and soon he'll learn your name and service will be just fine. It can be slow if it's crowded, but call ahead and whatever you order will be waiting for you when you arrive.
Amenities and Decor: 2 out of 5
Not going to lie - it's not the cleanest, biggest, newest, or the best. But man it has character. I don't know of anyone who's actually eaten in the restaurant, because I usually just got it to go. The hall to the bathroom has a sink in it, and yes, there are soda machines that sell rarities such as...Royal Crown, Fanta, and Crush.
Food: 10 out of 5.
The chicken was, is, and will be the staple here. But I've branched out some, and the other food items are equally as delicious. As others have alluded to, the chicken itself isn't too greasy, and with a slathering of hot sauce is truly delightful. Not to be uncouth, but the aftermath of hot sauce fried chicken can make you question your sanity of "why did I do that?" but you just go back and back. And back for more.
Pricing: 5 out of 5
Hey, coincidentally, 5 dollars will get you 2 legs (sometimes 3), 2 thighs, fries, coleslaw, and bread. Five dollar footlong my ass.
Love this place because it has a certain degree of nostalgia for me.
This is hands down good old fashioned fried chicken.
They do have a pretty big and diverse menu with items ranging from salads to catfish but I always get the daily special.
The daily special:
2 Legs, 2 Thighs, Fries, Coleslaw, and 2 pieces of toast for about $5.
They don't sell drinks but they have a vending machine.
It's not a place where people typically dine in but they do have a few tables if you want to dine in.
It is the about same as it's more famous equivalent in Chicago : Harold's.
Chicken shack = mediocre.
I went based on Yelp recommendations and ordered the Bits meal. I went with two colleagues. One ordered the 1/4 dark meal and the other the chicken tenders meal.
I think our general consensus was the the meal was fine, but we would all rather have KFC, Churchs Chicken, etc ...
The plus was that the food was not greasy and you do get copious amounts of food. The fries were endless and you get two slices of bread. The bits were fine, but definitely needed the hot sauce and ranch I had to go along with it. The 1/4 dark meal looked piping hot, as if it were freshly fried, which is a plus in my book.
For some notes - it is cash only. Customer service is mediocre. You need to ask for condiments (ketchup, salt etc). Sodas are done via the can in a vending machine and they run you 80 cents. They are somewhat cheap on the napkins. Hello it is a fried chicken shack. Napkins are a necessity!
All I can say is great fried chicken, just like Mom makes! Order ahead though and make sure to bring cash. Prices are cheap.
Yea! Chicken shack - gimme some of that!
First of all, I have a hard time taking any review seriously that suggests KFC as a better option for anything.
That said, we tried Chicken Shack for the first time last night and loved it. The chicken was crispy - not greasy at all - and super tasty; the rib tips were nice and peppery; the barbeque sauce was super tangy.
The sides were adequate - we got rice & beans and cole slaw and I had no complaints but they didn't blow me away. Dinners come with a ton of pretty good (though not great) fries.
Best of all is the price - a 12-piece discount bucket (legs & thighs), a rib tip dinner, and two large sides for $21. Can't beat that!
It is, literally, a shack - a small building with a counter, a kitchen, a couple of soda machines, and a few chairs to wait in. But you're not paying for ambience, you're paying for great fried chicken, and the Chicaken Shack has it.
I love the Chicken Shack. Although most of my experience with it has been stealing fries and "bits" from my brother and his friends whenever they order copious amounts of the shack, I do on occasion make my own pilgrimages to the site.
The bits dinner is what's up. If you feel so inclined, you can make yourself a sandwich with bits, fries and the two pieces of white bread included - but I usually don't. It's these kinds of options, however, that keep me coming back. What I do usually do, however, is get the hot sauce ON the dinner - don't get it on the side. This way as you drive home the sauce can infuse itself into your fries and chicken, plus I think they'll give you more that way. They always give you tons of chicken and tons of fries, and I think it is pretty fantastic.
And, commenter down below, I HAVE been to Harold's. I'm sorry, Chicken Shack holds its own pretty well against that particular Chicago institution!
Shortly after college, several friends and I lived in a few apartments around Ridge and Noyes. We would enjoy frequent evenings of pinochle or poker and cheap scotch, and our takeout of choice. Many nights that was Chicken Shack, the perfect distance away to call in the order, walk down while it was being prepared, and walk back. Those were some good, greasy eats.
I hadn't been in here for about seven years, but for old time's sake, I stopped in today for lunch after a haircut at Noyes Street Barbershop. It was cleaner than I remember and less scary (of course this was Saturday at noon). You still have to wait 15 minutes for your food, and they're still closed Sundays. The guy in the kitchen called out through the window to me a few times: "One more minute, buddy. Almost up." "We don't pre-cook, so call it in and we'll have it ready for you by the time you get here." "All set, here you go." That was a nice, unexpected touch, because we used to sense a slight bristle at this place.
The chicken was as good as I remember. I got the half-chicken mix dinner, and the guy gave me an extra wing. I'm not sure if that's an everyday occurrence or an occasional courtesy. The wings and thigh were just okay, but the breast and leg were very moist and SOOO delicious. The fries are crinkle-cut crap, but dip them in the Shack barbecue sauce to make them edible. I've never tried the hot sauce, but my roommate loved spicy food and ate their hot sauce all the time.
Sure, it's greasy and heavy, but it's nice to know that Chicken Shack is still serving the good people of Evanston. I won't be a regular customer, but I may stop in occasionally.
After reading all the rave reviews of this place, being new to Evanston, and, looking for a place with serious fried chicken, I was anxious to try Chicken Shack, which I did last night. My initial responses:
1. The people who've reviewed this place have obviously never had Harold's Fried Chicken
2. These same reviewers either live in small towns or don't get out much if they think the location is sketchy or questionable
3. The place isn't a dump, not even close
The chicken is good, don't get me wrong, but, I was expecting some mind blowing fried chicken experience based on what I read here. It's as good as Harold's. Not better, not worse..as good. Just like most fried chicken "shacks" they serve 2 slices of white bread..wow, fascinating. Having grown up on Harold's and missing it now that we live in Evanston I'm happy to have a replacement, but, folks, come on. It ain't all that.
As for the location; do these people know what a sketchy area is? Methinks not if they think the Chicken Shack is in a shady part of town. Umm, there's huge modern condo across Ridge and houses, nice houses down the street. I was expecting public housing and to be dodging cross fire the way these folks were talking. I guess if you grew up in Lake Forest or Kenilworth it might seem dangerous, but, yeah, not so much. And, the place itself isn't a dump. It was clean and tidy and they sell fried chicken, etc. It's just as it's described..a shack that sells tasty fried chicken and more.
I miss this place.
I had the pleasure of briefly living across the street from the chicken shack this past summer.
The catfish nuggets are soooo good!
I also really like their fries, and obviously the chicken.
Tip: don't ask for extra fries because they already give you so many.
Ghettoliciously great.
You gotta love anyplace where the food's so greasy that they have to coat the bottom of the order with a couple of slices of Wonder bread just to soak it up.
I don't know if the crackhouse on Garnett Place is still in business, but if it is then that only adds to the neighborhood's unique charm. One time while I was walking home from the Shack a car full of young ladies drove by and screamed "White bitch!" at me which only made my chicken taste that much better.
If you're looking for great fried chicken with a side order of clogged arteries, this is the place for you! Great food, but you should probably limit your intake, 'cause I'm sure cholesterol level is off the chart.
The owner of one of my other favorite Evanston restaurants mentioned that I just had to visit. So I did and it was wonderful. The chicken is very moist and meaty, with wonderful spices. The fries aren't that good, but they have other side items like fried mushrooms or wings that are great.
Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good, to quote Larry David. Not great, but pretty, pretty good. When I used to bike back from campus to my apartment and there was a west wind that blew the smell of crispy, fried battery goodness my way, it was only the prospect of a 15 to 20-minute wait time that kept me away.
When I did go to the Chicken Shack, I discovered that it does not serve the best fried chicken ever, nor are there fries or cole slaw out of this world, but the food is definitely edible and probably taste bud euphoria if you're drunk. My favorite thing about Chicken Shack is their approach to abating the near-translucence that their brown bags take on because of all of the grease: put two slices of white bread on the bottom of the bag and let it soak everything up. Not your mom's Wonder Bread.
Let's face facts , this place is a real S#!thole , but a s#!thole that puts out some good yardbird. The neighborhood is pretty mixed , but you're probably alright if you don't have to park too far away. It is easy to miss , so pay attention once you pass the bridge.
The chicken is pretty much all I can vouch for , but that is enough for me , Damn Good! The fries (can you say crinkle , you know how much I love those) are great too. The majority of the time , I get the wings , be sure to remember the hot sauce. If you don't usually do hot sauce with chicken , make an exception. Some coworkers of mine also convinced me to try a little honey on the wings too. Not as revolting as I would have thought , but definitely not my bag. If you are in Evanston , give this place a shot , I am willing to bet you'll like it.
I can't believe that I waited through four years of undergrad before finally trying this place! We ordered takeout and biked over to the Norris East Lawn for a Wednesday night summer movie.
The fried chicken is excellent. The outside is greasy but crisp, while the inside is nice and moist.
Order ahead by phone, and note that they don't take credit cards. Also, if you search for their website, Google incorrectly links to a Michigan restaurant. The correct website is http://www.evanstonchi...
The store is a dump (but clean), but sometimes those are the places where magic happens. This place has the best fried chicken I've had in years. Fries, chicken, spaghetti, rib tips, and wings are great. Only complaint is that although it's on the menu, they have never have the sweet potato pie. Phone your order in ahead of time and get your own drinks - or you'll have to get them from the vending machines in the corner.
Yep, this place is definitely a shack and I agree with the other yelpers on it is definitely sketchy. Orginally we were going to eat our order there but in the end I decided to get it to go. We ordered the dark meat bucket and a bag of fries. Our order took about 15 minues...maybe more but they make your order fresh so you get your order pippin' hot. The staff was friendly and very efficient. People were coming in and out constantly to pick up their phone in orders. Next time...will definitely do the "phone first" method. Actually when we got our order one of the girls behind the counter mentioned next time we should call ahead so we wouldn't have to wait. :) Got our chicken, went back to the brothers place and chowed down. Mm, mm, mm, mm, mmmmmm it's been awhile since I had such greasy, crunchy, goodness! The chicken itself was moist and the crust was greasy and crunch and delicious. We got the hot sauce and the hickory bbq sauce to go along with the chicken....which only added to the yumminess. Fries were pretty good too. Will definitely be back to try out some of their other items on the menu.
By the way...they also have their own parking lot. Score.
It really is a dingy and sketchy shack (you have to buy soda from vending machines--in the shack) but the food they serve is genuine. Great fried chickens, wings, fries, and they serve with white bread (interesting!). The price is very good and they give you a lot of food.
Oh so sketchy, but oh so delicious!
My friend first told me about it when he was given the suggestion by his co-worker who is a regular. Let me start by saying that there is nothing better than the Rib tip & 1/4 dark combo (that means a leg and a thigh). Their rib tips are frighteningly delicious. They're moist and perfectly seasoned. Along with that the standard chicken is the greasy fried perfection of all fried chicken. However, my personal favorite is the liver box. Fried chicken livers in hot sauce with fries is one of my not so guilty pleasures. Speaking of which, you must try the hot sauce. That burning sensation is what dreams are made of.
Good, cheap chicken wings. Open late most nights for your snacking pleasure.
Good, cheap chicken wings. If you're craving a whole/half chicken - call ahead cuz it'll take about 15-20 minutes to cook your chicken - wings are a bit faster. Good greasy chicken wings.
I lovez me some Chicken Shack Inc. chicken. The restaurant's a bit off my normal radar but I was fortunate to be introduced to it by a friend who tends to go there on weekends. Try the wings. Get barbecue sauce.
I don't know how anyone could not give the Chicken Shack - sorry, Chicken Shack Inc 5 stars. It adds this element of sketchy wonderfulness to Evanston. I marvel at the Chicken Shack's existence. Go there. Taste from their wings.
Evanston, IL
Category: Cajun/Creole
Evanston, IL
Category: Chicken Wings
Evanston, IL
Category: Fast Food
Evanston, IL
Category: Hot Dogs
Evanston, IL
Category: Asian Fusion
Looking for a cheap lunch for under $7 - these…
These are places which my group of friends…
Loading...
