Always a solid spot, been coming for years. I just miss the avocado on the salad they use to have. However, portions were great, chicken was crispy as ever and service was nice and speedy! read more

If there's a battle of chicken sandwiches in Portland then Basilisk is a top contender. The interior of the shop has relics of epic 80's pop culture (think Godzilla and Voltron). Owner is friendly and food menu is pretty much fried chicken translated into a sandwich or salad. Parking around the building sucks but there's a ton of restaurants in the same complex. The chicken is crispy and satisfies all the sweet, tangy, crunchy, juicy tastebuds you can expect. The chicken noodle salad is a good option if you don't like bread but the miso vinaigrette dressing can be too tangy. The fries are great also, crispy and good. All the deep fried goodness you'd expect. read more

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Way underrated fried chicken joint in Portland. I came here with 3 others and we ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich and the Hot Chicken Plate to share. The Hot Chicken Plate is cooked Nashville style, which means its been marinated in a water-based blend of seasoning, floured, fried, and finally sauced using a paste that has been spiced with cayenne pepper. This was my first time trying Nashville style fried chicken and oh geez, it was addicting! The chicken was tender, the bread was perfectly toasted, and the hot sauce gave the dish juuuust the right amount of spice. 10/10 will want to try again. read more

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I hate to write a poor review for this place. I previously gave them 5 stars when I visited 2 years ago and was my favorite chicken sandwich ever. Fast forward to today and I don't know what to say. Visiting 2 years later and the sandwich is bland, salty, and the chicken was over cooked. It wasn't the slightly sweet, slightly savory, sandwich with a hint of heat that I'd had before. This isn't the same sandwich I had a couple years ago. This is something totally different and I'm not sure what they changed, but unfortunately I won't be back again. I'm not sure how you go from "best" to "worst". Perhaps ownership/management changed? Now I'm on the hunt for a great fried chicken sandwich again. read more

I love the concept of several restaurants share the same dining area. It is just like a mall food court outside a mall! I read good reviews of the fried chicken sandwich and decided we have to give it a try. We ordered a fried chicken sandwich and a chicken salad. Both were very delicious. The batter was very crispy and each dish came with 2 dark chicken fillets. There was no processed chicken stuff here. Although the chicken sandwich was a little greasy, it helped with a creamy Cole slaw salad. The chicken salad come with a soft boiled egg and cold ginger noodle. It was very tasty. The salad made the fried chicken a slightly healthier option. read more

Basilisk - Fried chicken sandwich - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Been meaning to come here for a while and I'm so glad I finally did. They have amazing fried chicken sandwiches but also offer tofu substitutes as well. The chicken was perfectly crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. I got the hot chicken plate which had a nice kick to it. Got a mac salad on the side which balanced out the hot chicken perfectly and my boyfriend ordered their seasonal poutine fries. Loved the seating at the Zipper which is shared with a few other restaurants. Perfect for warm and cold weather! read more

Basilisk - Hot chicken plate with mac salad and seasonal poutine - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Sheer perfection! This was hands down the absolute best fried chicken sandwich I have ever had. Do yourself a favor and eat here.

The fried chicken salad is amazing. A little sad they stopped offering avocado with it, but the chicken is so tender and the garlic noodles are delicious! read more

Basilisk - Fried Chicken Salad $12 - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We decided to try this place after sitting in my bookmark for a long time. It was around 11.15 am and they just opened. We realized that they have dining tables in the hallway that they share with the restaurants next door. There were only 2 people. We got the chicken sandwich, spicy chicken with toasts, and the dandan fries. The chicken sandwich looked pretty impressive, but it is not juicy. The spicy chicken is similarly dry. Red sauce that they put on top was pretty spicy. Dandan fries is interesting though. The fries is coated with schizuan pepper infused peanut-like sauce and a bunch of cilantro. There is a slight numbing effect. I think I have had better chicken sandwiches. Also the seating place filled up quickly after a few minutes. read more

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YUM! The chicken here is really good and the spices are on point. I was expecting Nashville- this is more Korean, but no matter. I got the hot chicken platter and it was hot but not unbearable. Flavorful but not overpowering. It's good. Service was amazing as well. And the entire complex is so Portland. So if you don't like friendly people and dogs, go somewhere else! Plenty of seating, inside and out. There's a bar very close too if you dig that. Overall 12/10. read more

I got the chicken sandwich and the Dan Dan fries. The chicken sandwich tasted great. Chicken was fried nicely, and the slaw complimented the sandwich nicely. I really didn't like the Dan Dan fries. The sauce was strange and did not go with fries. I ended up just trying to pick out the fries that didn't have sauce on them to eat. Definitely skip the specialty fries, and just get the regular fries. read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The best chicken-fried tofu sandwich I've ever had. I honestly haven't even been to Basilisk in a few years but I think about this sandwich regularly because I love fried tofu and eat it often, but it never compares to Basilisk's. They get it so crisp. Save a chicken and get you some of this tofu. read more

Basilisk always satisfies my cravings for fried chicken. The amount of chicken you get in the sandwich is way more than enough. The bun is perfectly crispy and buttery, which adds a lot of flavor to the sandwich. I also like how they add a type of slaw to the burger to give it just a little bit of freshness. The Mac salad is just okay - it's good but doesn't have that kick in some that I've tasted elsewhere. The hot chicken sandwich is HOT!! I can't handle spicy but the flavor is there and it's so good! Same with the fried, not as spicy but still has that slickness within the peanut buttery kind of sauce. The cilantro on top is SO good on top, and just what it needed. Love the seating areas, parking is just a little limited unless you park in the surrounding areas. read more

Basilisk - Chicken sandwich & Mac salad - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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$9 for a gigantic fried chicken sandwich? What a deal. The chicken is crispy and juicy. It lacked a little bit of a kick for me, so I definitely want to try the hot chicken plate next time. If you're a fan of Dan Dan noodles, you'll be a fan of the Dan Dan fries. Although coated in so much peanut sauce, the fries remain crispy!! I normally don't like loaded fries because the fries end up soggy. Not here - they're able to get the fries so crispy and so coated in flavor. I don't know how they do it. Maybe peanut oil? I was super excited about their Cherry Lime Koolaid soft-serve but was disappointed because the flavor was so subtle. If you're a fan of vanilla soft-serve with a hint of Koolaid flavor, then you'll like this. I personally like stronger, punchier flavors so this wasn't for me. Overall, a great place for a hearty meal. Looking forward to coming back and trying their regular fries and hot chicken plate. read more

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After driving by this place for what feels like years, I finally found a friend and stopped inside for a bite. They have a simple menu, clearly knowing what they're good at. Fried chicken for those wondering. It was excellently made. The presentation was lovely. And they make a variety of items from their main course. Fried chicken salad. Fried chicken sandwich. Fried chicken ok bread that is not a sandwich. All the things. If fried chicken is your thing, this is a place you should check out as the seating and atmosphere make it a wonderfully Portland experience. read more

Basilisk - The fried chicken On bread that is not a sandwich. - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Ordered: Fried Chicken Sandwich (turned it into a spicy chicken sandwich or an additional $1) and macaroni salad. Total came out to around $15.00. Absolutely incredible. I've always had an obsession with Nashville style hot chicken, but rarely come across it on the west coast. When I found Basilisk I knew I needed to try it. If you can handle serious heat, you will love it. The sandwich is made up of two fried chicken thighs coated in sauce (their didn't appear to be tons of sauce on the outside, but most of the sauce is between the). They were fried to perfection in a light, crispy batter. Truly some of the best fried chicken I've had. The sandwich also contains Cole slaw and cucumbers. The sauce was exceptional. Very spicy and flavorful. With two thighs, this thing is a massive meal that could easily be split between two people. The macaroni salad was delicious as well. The creaminess paired with the sandwich's heat perfectly. Atmosphere is solid - quiet area with seating inside and out. Beer and soft drinks are both available. I don't often give out 5 star reviews, but this meal deserves it, no question. If you enjoy fried chicken this is a place you need to visit, even if it requires a trip across the city. If you can't handle serious heat, go with the regular sandwich and I'm sure you'll still love it. read more

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Yum! I've always enjoyed fried chicken. My husband, not so much but he loves sandwiches. So if you put fried chicken in a sandwich, I can get him to try Basilisk. It did not disappoint. It's in the Zipper which always seem like a good choice. My eyes zoomed in on the fried chicken and the double fried hand cut fries. I was slightly salivating while I waited for the sandwich seeing previous ones go out. The sandwich is actually a pretty good deal, $8 for two or three pieces of juicy, crisp, fried chicken thighs for your sammy. It has some good cole slaw and some delicious quick pickles. But to me, the best part (besides the chicken) might have been the Pearl Bakery bun! It was substantial and held up for my meal, perfectly thick and slightly buttery toasted. Yeah...it's pretty awesome! The fries are delicious as well. I find Portland's fries kind of lacking usually. These were hot, crisp and with a sprinkling of flavor seasonings. They go well with the sandwich. They also have $3 Shiner beers, I had the grapefruit but only because I wanted something effervescent to go down with my fried chicken. So things to be prepared for, it's a big sandwich. You may need multiple napkins. And most importantly, you will probably go into a food coma afterwards. But these are small prices to pay to enjoy a delicious sandwich and then complain when all other fried chicken sandwiches pale in comparison! read more

Basilisk - Delicious juicy hot fried chicken sandwich with Shiner beer - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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This is a review for a single dish, an exquisite umami flavor bomb of pure guilt multicultural Americana. Dan Dan fries. I've run into so much mediocre food in this town over the course of a year. Then, every so often, some genius stroke of lunacy awakens me again to food's possibilities. How would Canadian poutine become truly repatriated in America? Believe me, many have tried. Well, at Basilisk, the definitive answer has been given by pulling together all of Portland into one late night sop for the alcoholically indulgent hipster set. Which is to say, mixing this town's absurd history and reality into a coherent whole. Take some French fries. Crisp ones, that offer up a little shatter on the way to their meltingly soft interior. Add pickles, to capture Oregons county fair roots of origin, a nod to the old meat and potato logger town that still exists in parts. Throw in peanuts and peanut sauce that bites with a mellow burn, lighten it with cilantro and lime, calling forth the strong Asian presence that informs so much of the food here. Taken together, pop the mouth with sweet, salty, sour, savory and spicy. Cover almost all food textures except for the slippery. $7 5 stars. Thanks for reminding me of how a few ordinary ingredients, handled skillfully, can still woo. Thank you. read more

Basilisk - Dan Dan fries. A vegan masterwork. - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

If you're looking for the best fried chicken sandwich in Portland, look no further. This is hands down the greatest chicken sandwich in the city. Great batter on the chicken, fried perfectly, not greasy, perfect coleslaw, and a soft bun. This sandwich is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Don't expect a fancy place to sit down to eat this masterpiece. Just go into the next room and sit at a long table with a number, but you will not be disappointed. read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

My friends and I recently visited Basilisk on our trip to Portland a few weeks ago. We had just gotten back from the Portland Japanese Garden & International Rose Garden so we were starving. What we ordered: - Fried Chicken Sandwich ($9): A fried chicken thigh with pickles and cabbage slaw. - Fried Chicken Salad ($9): Baby greens, sesame vinagerette, soft boiled egg, garlic noodles and avocado. - Side of Fries ($4) Overall the food was good and the chicken was super crispy and nicely season but also moist! The portions were pretty big so we were pretty stuffed after our meals. If you have the chance, try to dine in their patio/outside it's definitely a chill vibe especially if the weather is nice. read more

Basilisk - Fried Chicken Sandwich - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Their fried chicken sandwich is to die for. Crispy, flavorful, juicy chicken and delicious fries. How can you go wrong with that combo?

After devouring their Chicken sandwich I am heavily debating moving to Portland, so I can eat here everyday. Hands down- the best Chicken Sandwich I have ever had. read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

One of the best fried chicken spots I ever been too. Fresh ingredients and good flavor. Fried chicken salad was refreshing and it had cold sesame noodles read more

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This is my favorite place to get fried chicken! I allllways get their fried chicken noodle salad bowl but their sandwiches and Dan Dan fries are also heavenly. The noodle bowl comes with a bed of spring greens, topped with cold ginger noodles, a medium boiled egg, avocado, and their chicken (poached or fried- I prefer the fried). Pair with a beer from Baerlic and you're good to go! read more

Basilisk - Friend chicken noodle salad and a can of lager from Baerlic Brewing co - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I really liked this place, got food to go and it was done pretty quickly it took about ten minutes, and the pick up experience was great they had a little thing of hand sanitizer by the pick up window to use after ringing the little door bell. The fries were good just very salty, and the Mac salad was alright the green onions were a great touch. My wife had the vegetarian salad she was unimpressed there wasn't much in it. I had the fried chicken sandwich and it was really good, all of the toppings and the HUGE piece of chicken all went together so well. So good. Wish it were closer I would come so often. read more

Basilisk - Fried Chicken Sandwich - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Warning: The chicken sandwich served as Basilisk bears no resemblance to the insipid mystery chicken meat sandwiches turned to rubber under the heat lamps at McDonald's. If you like those, then by all means avoid Basilisk. That said, the sandwich I obtained at this eatery around the corner from Sandy Boulevard, monitored by the Basilisk -- part serpent, part rooster with dragon wings -- is the best I've ever tasted. The chicken pieces came with a great coating that maintained its crunch. They were big, meaty and flavorful. It was served on a soft, buttery bun from Pearl Bakery and topped with cabbage slaw and a house-pickled cucumber. The fries were doubled-fried. Partially cooked, cooled and dunked again in oil, that allows the fries to cook perfectly inside while creating an outer crunch. It's the way all fries should be handled. There appeared to be plenty of street parking. I pulled up right in front and I saw several other open spaces throughout the neighborhood. With Sandy Boulevard and its Green Mile, I imagine Basilisk could become a favorite of the "herb" crowd. But it's great for the rest of us, too. read more

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This place was on my list of places to try during my MDW in PDX. We got the Dan Dan Fries and the Nashville Hot Chicken to share. The fries were absolutely delicious but gigantic. I love that they took a spin on the original Asian noodle dish and used a peanut butter sauce, chopped pickles and fries. The fries were nicely fried and were still crispy after being drenched in sauce and toppings. I'd never tried Nashville hot before so I was expecting a very spicy buffalo style sauce. Instead, it was a very paprika, smoky flavor, still very spicy. If I come back, I think I'd just get the regular sandwich and load with the hot sauce on the counter. I also wish they just sold the fried chicken itself without any bread or salad. My sister and I are big bread eaters and the Texas toast that accompanied the chicken wasn't anything special so we just didn't eat it. Come hungry and with a crowd! read more

It was absolutely terrible. We forced ourselves to eat every single bite, even that last little one. Place next door sells drinks and a beer pairs pretty well with spicy chicken. Literally the best fried chicken I've ever had. Thanks so much! read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Outstanding fried chicken sandwiches and fried chicken over salad. The chicken is always crisp and very moist on the inside. The chicken sandwich is huge for the price and we always split one as it is too much for us alone. They also have rotating soft ice cream flavors which are most often yummy! read more

Stopped by first thing from the airport on the way downtown. Really good first food experience in Portland. Friendly staff. Fried chicken salad was point, the combination of ingredients made for a nice mix. The fried chicken was really good, had a nice spicy (maybe not the right word?) kick to it. When the weather is nice the outdoor seating makes for a really chill experience. I wouldn't say I had to come back when I go back to Portland but wouldn't say no if someone asked, even if I've been here before. read more

Basilisk - Fried Chicken Salad - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Service was amazing. Pretty decent sized line but it did not take long to get our food. The chicken sandwich is perfect. Great flavor, crunch and the pickles and coleslaw were mellow as to not overpower the sandwich, but still fresh and flavorful. First time but I will be back soon. read more

Basilisk - Alert! Missing sandwich - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Absolutely huge portions. We all ordered fries and it was a big mistake. We definitely only needed to order one for the three of us, and honestly we didn't need them at all. Two of us (including myself) ordered the chicken sandwich, and my mom ordered the chicken salad. She liked her salad- I didn't try it though because I had a lot on my own plate. These chicken sandwiches are huge and you definitely don't even need to get a side with them. I haven't had a whole lot of fried chicken sandwiches in my day, except at fast food establishments, so maybe I'm not an expert. Drink Tip: They only have glass bottle sodas, so if you're not into that then you can go to one of the other places in the same building and get a fountain drink. The zipper (building it's in) has some pretty cool looking businesses, so I'd probably check something else out if I came back. That being said, this place was pretty darn good and I'll be back. read more

Affordable, freshly made food. The chicken legs are juicy and crispy. The sauce was like honey mixed with chili oil. They seem pan-seared, whereas the chicken on the sandwich is more breaded and deep fried. It's literally too huge to eat, so I removed one piece of chicken from the sandwich and set it aside for later. The fries are like thicker-cut double fried In N Out fries. Yum. Every one was light and crispy. The absolute best part of the meal, however, was the Mac salad. Out of all of the Mac salad I've had in my life, this is somewhere at the top. It was a perfect addition to the chicken sandwich on a sunny day. The cornbread with strawberry butter sauce is yummy. It's very dense, and the sauce is necessary. You'll want to drink it. Don't. read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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The chicken sandwich is the reason I go there. It's massive and delicious!! So is the pasta salad read more

Finally got to try the infamous chicken sandwich...and yes, it lives up to the hype. There's something I love about simple places. Eateries that just focuses on one thing, and hits it outta the park. Such is how I feel about Basilisk. I imagine at one point the founders thought, people love chicken sandwiches. Let's make the best chicken sandy in Portland. Yea, and since this is Portland, we gotta have a vegetarian option. And just to show people we're not complete simpletons, let's make Dan Dan Fries. Not poutine, or chili cheese fries...Dan Dan Fries! I have no idea the backstory of this place or the founders, but when I saw that on menu...I just imagined the founder smirking, while saying "check mate". Anyway, the sandwich. First, it's huge. I tried taking a photo of the sandwich in my hand to show things in context. I think they actually fit two fried boneless chicken breasts in there. Despite the size, it's still manageable to eat by hand versus knife and fork. The fried chicken itself if fried to juicy perfection. I think what stole the show for me was the slaw in sandwich. It added the perfect amount of depth and and layers to the flavors...great touch. I'm typically not a huge fan of pickles and burgers. I usually find them distractingly overpowering. But here, they're sliced so thin and lightly pickled, that it blends in nicely with the lightness of the slaw and heaviness of the chicken. Finally, the brioche bun is the perfect thing to hold it all together. It's my personal bun of choice for any sandwich or burger, so I'm a bit biased on that one. Honestly, can't think of another chicken sandwich in Portland that would beat this...or maybe anywhere for that matter. read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We've eaten here a few times and always love it! The salad with chicken is my favorite, but the fries should not be skipped over.

How can you not want to try this place? Have you not seen the mouth-watering pics of their ginormous fried chicken sandwich?? At first glance from the photos, I was intrigued. Then after finding out that they use chicken thighs instead of the usual chicken breast, I was pretty much sold. Love me some dark meat! I had the fried chicken sandwich with a side of fries. Dude, the chicken sandwich... my goodness, just the way it was stacked was a work of art lol. I first took a bite of just the chicken and I liked how light the batter actually was. I ordered mine without the pickles, but I must say, the cabbage slaw complimented the sandwich very well. Two thumbs up! read more

Basilisk - Fried Chicken Sandwich w/ a side of fries - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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This is a great chicken spot in Portland! I came here from a recommendation! I wanted to try the chicken but I also wanted to stay a little bit healthier than what the sandwiches were looking like... I would recommend you just getting pieces of chicken. I wasn't that big of a fan of the salad dressing lacked sweetness read more

Basilisk - Fried Chicken Salad - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Located in the zipper. I heard about the zipper the first time through the architects who specializes in nonprofit designs so I was really excited to see the spot! We ordered the hot chicken plate and Dan Dan fries. We had just gotten salt and straw right before this so we were pretty full and we thought the portions were HUGE! The chicken is so spicy but it's definitely tolerable where we can enjoy it. The Dan Dan fries were fried very nicely and it's a nice touch that they have crushed peanuts over the peanut sauce. The space is like a cafeteria hall and they have cool swinging benches that are great for all those instagrammers out there! read more

Basilisk - New American Near Me - Portland, Oregon

If you have not yet acquainted yourself with The Zipper in northeast Portland, you really need to. The Zipper is situated on a long narrow corner near NE 28th and Sandy. Tucked inside you will find micro-restaurant gems, including Basilisk, offering perhaps the best fried chicken sandwich in town. The chicken sandwiches at Basilisk are no dainty affair. They are towering behemoths, piled high with corn-flake crusted fried chicken thighs squatting defiantly on a bed of tart house made pickled cucumbers and saucy, tangy cabbage slaw. The chicken is perfectly fried, not oily or greasy but gloriously crispy and crunchy. And all of this goodness is somehow sandwiched between a small, light bun. One bite and you will be hooked. Try the dan dan fries on the side, a revolutionary take on the classic poutine and fries. Tossed in a szechuan peanut sauce and topped with chili oil, crushed peanuts, chopped baby dill pickles, green onions, lime and cilantro these are a meal in and of themselves. Rich and complex with flavor, spicy, and succulent, you will not be able to eat just one. Order your meal and grab a seat in the food court area of The Zipper, made even better on sunny days when the doors roll up and you can lay claim to one of the outdoor spots. Tables are communal so be prepared to shoulder up with strangers and make new friends. Grab a drink from Paydirt if you wish. Then come back again and again to enjoy other fantastic micro-restaurants here including Wares and Chickpeadx. Tip: Sharing is caring. The fried chicken sandwich and dan dan fries are both so big, I highly recommend splitting the two with your partner in crime. read more

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