The best in Barberton chicken, have been eating here for over 60 years. Don't go to Ohio without going here for dinner!

Lady who takes orders is rude. She has a hard time understanding. Sides are real small.

Over priced and didn't taste like I've had before. Ordered for my mom, my son and myself and none of us could even eat it. Called our food in for carry out, was told 25 mins, got there and had to wait another 20 mins and there were only about 6 cars in the parking lot! read more

Our visit to Belgrade Gardens added to a beautiful Sunday after our visit to the annual Barberton Mumfest . We were promptly seated and served by our attractive and helpful waitress, Stephanie. With all the staff shortages in the restaurant industry and without a reservation, we were pleasantly surprised by the service. I chose the Garden over other "Barberton Chicken" restaurants because of it's varied menu, including my favorite, chicken paprikash. My wife chose the chicken tenders and both dishes were a hit. Be advised, that the "small" portion is more than sufficient, but we did enjoy "take home" the next day. Choose the cole slaw as one side. It has fine cut cabbage and a tasty vinegarette, not creamy base. Stephanie advised me that I might not want the chicken and dumplings soup as a side, since the paprikash has more than enough dumplings - thoughtful and appreciated. Be aware that this is not your more typical Czech or Austrian paprikash. This is Serbian and influenced by Hungarian and Turkish cuisine - in other words, the vegetable soup base for the chicken is hhhhhot. My apple sauce side cooled things down along with the generous pour of house wine that we both enjoyed. Restaurant and grounds are well maintained, ambiance is pleasant with pictures of folk costumes from Serbia and scenes from that country. I don't toss out five stars randomly, but why not, especially when you receive good value and service in a pleasant setting especially in these tough times for the service industry read more

Quintessential Barberton Fried Chicken...they have THE BEST hot sauce. Their pork cutlets are huge and just as tasty. This is my favorite place when the cravings for juicy chicken and hot sauce kicks in! read more

Great place for chicken. Sit and eat in a relaxed dinning room with great food and fantastic service.

Coming here is a step back to a different time, maybe even a parallel universe. It's paper placemats and comfortable decor that was last in style when Reagan was campaigning. It's stiff black coffee that your grandfather drinks after dinner. It's friendly, it's comfortable, and will lead you to question whether you can have nostalgia for things you never really experienced. Sure, people might knock the decor or landscaping, but that's not what this place is about- it's about a different time and place, before we'd all heard of remoulade or gotten concerned about gluten when we're not celiac. It doesn't want to be 2016 because frankly, its fine in the year it lives in. It doesn't need to drastically change its identity and become something else, but needs to be this solid rock, this axis around which other restaurants pivot. The food itself is brilliant. The chicken is seasoned simply and solidly. The breading is thick- be ready for that. It doesn't take away from the chicken however. In fact, it seems to lock the fat and juice in better than any other fried chicken I've ever had. This is by no means diet food, and anyone who's concerned with carbs should just keep going. The portions are filling, almost uncomfortably so. A typical lunch will put you into a coma and obviate the need for dinner. Food purists, leave your pitchforks at the door. Everything seems deeply natural and simple. The cole slaw is aggressively fresh, and the hot sauce is simple, filling, satisfying, and rustic. The fries are actual potatoes, without a hint of filler. read more

This is the best fried chicken and hot sauce place in Akron. I had it as a child and retuned almost 30 years later with fresh eyes. This is not precooked chicken--you have to wait and it comes out fresh and hot. The hot sauce with fries are as good as I recall. Yum! The cold slaw was the only disappointment as they add too much sugar to it. The service is slow but it's worth the wait. I will be back! read more

After seeing the Michael Symon "Food Feuds" featuring Belgrade Gardens and White House for "Barberton style" fried chicken, I was surprised. My dad grew up about 10 minutes from Barberton. My grandparents still lived there. We visit them all the time. How had I never heard of that style of food, or either of these places? "Oh. Well, we always used to go there when I was a kid. Your great-grandparents loved Belgrade. But usually your grandmother wants to cook when we visit, so..." Still curious, we ended up having a chance to try Belgrade Gardens, ordering a family size bucket to take to my grandparents to see if it was as good as they remembered. First off, at my grandmother's request, we asked for "All white meat" on the bucket, thinking we'd get some chicken breasts and then a bunch of wings. NOPE! What we got ended up being two full size buckets loaded with 12 massive chicken breasts each, quart sized containers of "Hot sauce" (a paprika, rice, onion, and sweet hot pepper side dish) and vinegar cole slaw, and a massive bag full of fries. The chicken was crispy and flavorful without being greasy, and the breading had a satisfying crunch without masking the chicken. The fries suffered a little bit from being taken home, getting a bit limp due to the steam, but still had decent flavor. The cole slaw was fantastic, tart and crisp, and the hot sauce was my favorite, with a nice satisfying sweetness and a slow building burn. The order also came with several slices of bread, half dark (pumpernickel?) and half white that were great for sopping up the leftover juices from the slaw and hot sauce. The family bucket supposedly serves 5. I can tell you it served six with room for everyone to take home leftovers, though part of that might be from the "whoops" with getting all chicken breasts. Still a great value and very delicious. read more

Good lord, am I really the first person to yelp this place? Before I start, let it be known that I haven't eaten here in a few years and that I have no idea if it's even there anymore (but I hope so, since it's been open since the 1930's. I am jealous of each and every one of you that live near this place... The chicken is just pure awesomeness. Breaded perfectly and pan fried in lard. The crust on the fried chicken is arguably better than Stroud's in Kansas City. If you love the crust, get an order of chicken backs. There's barely any meat on it but plenty of greasy crisp breading. Also get an order of the dumplings. They are hand formed, very lumpy and comes in bright red paprikash sauce. Not many people order these, but they are my favorite item on the menu. Don't forget the hot sauce, which is more of a spicy tomato rice stew. And also.. awesome. If you pass within 100 miles of this place and love fried chicken you owe it to yourself to check this place out. If you're a local that's been ignoring this place because it seems perpetually full of old people, please give it a chance. The food really is that good. read more

I'm not going to say Belgrade Gardens has the best chicken I've ever had but it's up there for sure! I'd compare the breading to maybe the outer crunchy crust of a hush puppy. If you're expecting or wanting Churches or KFC type chicken, go to those restaurants. The hot sauce is sweet n tangy, the fries are like good ol skin on fair fries and their dumpling soup is ridiculously good. I really like vinegar based cole slaws, theirs is great. My mom's parents came from Hungary shortly after ww2 and Belgrade's food is very similar to the food I grew up with. The restaurant even has a smell that reminds me of grandma's kitchen haha It's not a modern decor, so what?! Its clean and tidy, it's fine. Each time I've left I've been satisfied and ready for a nap. read more

Belgrade Gardens Barbeton, Ohio Tuesday January 3, 2012 Four Stars When in its snowing in Ohio, you should go get some Barbeton Chicken at Belgrade Gardens. I ordered the Regular Original Chicken: A Breast, a Thigh, a Wing, and a Back + 3 sides. Apparently, I did not know you could order chicken backs, which is the chicken's spinal column (mine including the kidneys). The Fry Style is very unique: Chicken is breading with bread crumb and fried in lard. The outside is extremely crunchy but inside is super-moist and juicy. The breast meat was by far the best - just oozing with flavor and chicken juices. I chose the whipped potatoes, green beans, and their hot sauce as my three sides. The potatoes were good. The green beans felt like they came out of a can. The hot sauce was really interesting. The name "hot sauce" is a misnomer, because it is a not hot but rather well spiced Spanish rice with tomatoes (kind of a country salsa). I tried it on everything, and it was really tasty. But if you like heat, I would request some Frank's Red Hot, which made the chicken amazing. I can't wait to try the White House Chicken (next time I am in Ohio). read more

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I finally came to Barbeton to taste the chicken. This style of chicken is totally different experience than the Southern Style Fried Chicken. This is bread crumb breaded chicken that is fried in lard. The chicken is extremely crunchy to the bite on outside. It is unbeliveably moist and juicy on the inside. As I break the chicken breast apart, the juice just pops out. I chose the french fries and they are hand cut home fries. The so called "hot sauce" is a hot spanish rice with soupy consistency. I was hoping to the real hot sauce. I also ordered the "dumpling" and it was delicious. The dumpling has a al-dente consistencty with spicy papprikash sauce. My grand finale is the awesome coconut cream pie. The coconut custard is full of coconut meat texture and flavor. The meringue is so good. I had a very good experience with the food. The service is a little on the slow side. When we went there, it was really after the lunch rush. The dining room is huge. It looked as the "bus boy" took the afternoon off. Almost half of the dining room section we were in, had dirty dishes left over from lunch rush. There weren't much people there but the clean tables were not kept up. Would I go back? Defnitely and I am going to try their other ethich dish. read more

I am not a tourist. I am an Akron/Barberton native and both my family and I are seasoned Akron restaurateers. First impression: this place is dirty and apparently understaffed. We passed 7 dirty tables on our way to ours (yes, I counted). Second impression: You have to be VERY hungry to remotely enjoy this food. If you do wind up at Belgrade, do yourself a favor and get the chicken. The fish, the burgers and the pork chops are a definite 'no-go'. Having said that, the chicken is 'OK' at best. The breading is really thick, cakey and heavy and doesn't exactly present that light-airy look or taste that you look for in really good fried chicken. It's decent, but it is by no means exceptional. As far as side dishes are concerned, you are better off with a naked plate of chicken. The fries are greasy, cold and dull; the mashed potatoes are hard and lumpy; and their 'famous' hot sauce is nothing more than lukewarm Spanish Rice. If you are a person who enjoys vinegar-based coleslaw then you might give theirs a whirl. It really does seem, however, that the coleslaw is really just a heap of shredded cabbage marinated in vinegar and served as a mountain in a tiny dessert bowl. There is WAY better food, chicken and atmosphere all over Akron. If it's chicken and a family atmosphere you're looking for, head to the Hartville Kitchen. Their chicken punches Belgrade's in the face and the environment and service are outstanding! read more

I have no idea how anyone can rate Belgrade Gardens lower than 4 stars. I have had fried chicken in every corner of the country, and Belgrade has, hands down, the best fried chicken I've ever had. The chicken is incredibly fresh, juicy, and delicious. The breading is very simple, with salt and pepper as the only seasoning, and needs nothing else. For side dishes, the hot sauce is a must. This concoction of tomatoes, rice, and peppers is about as good as it gets. Mashed potatoes are ok, but I would get the green beans or fries instead. Simply one of the best restaurants the Akron area has to offer. read more

I've always loved Barberton chicken, and the other Belgrade in Green has been my favorite. I went to this Belgrade last summer and it was DREADFUL. It was so bad I haven't been back to any Barberton chicken place since. The chicken tasted off/old, the coleslaw tasted like dirt. Fellow Yelper, Bobby Y, posted a few pictures of food inspections from Summit County Food Safety, and I started browsing the website today. Look at what I found for this Belgrade from a recent inspection. Wow. read more

Belgrade Gardens - A recent Summit County Food Safety inspection report of critical violations - Chicken Shop Near Me - Barberton, Ohio

We went here because it recently won a contest on the Food Network's "Food Feuds" program, as the best version of Baberton chicken. The second place restaurant was called "Whitehouse Chicken." We drove for nearly an hour from Cleveland to get here, with the understanding that Belgrade Gardens offered a unique style of fried chicken that has its origins with the Serbian immigrants who settled in this area at the turn of the 20th century. The restaurant itself is unimpressive. It's decorated in 1980s "Applebees" style with vinyl padded booths and kitschy Eastern European prints on the walls. The wait staff is predominantly later 40s or 50s women who appear to have been there forever. While some seemed pretty attentive to their tables, ours was hard to get a hold of and not very solicitous when she did happen to meander by our table. The clientele was all white, as was the staff, and when I walked in with my partner, who is Asian, you could feel the eyes following us. Clearly they don't get too many Orientals in them there parts. There was no hostility, but there might have been some suspicion ... we get that in a lot of rural Ohio towns. The median age of the place was probably 50, and it was clear that a lot of the people were locals who had been going there for decades - very Midwestern. We both ordered the fried chicken, which comes with three sides. I got the green beans, cole slaw and fries and my partner got the green salad, fries and a cup of soup - chicken dumpling. They also brought us out a basket of bread, which was several slices of white and black bread. It really seemed like nothing special; it had the consistency of any sliced bread loaf you might get at the grocery store, and it was served at room temperature. They brought out my tiny dish of cole slaw and his salad at the same time. I quite liked the type of vinegar based slaw that they served; it had a nice sweet & tangy flavor, but I felt it should have been brought out with the meal. The salad was a small plate with a few pieces of chopped iceberg lettuce, a cherry tomato and a slice of cucumber - very underwhelming. The dressing for the salad came in a foil packet like you might get from a hospital cafeteria; I think the brand was "Foodclub." The chicken soup wasn't bad. I tasted it and one of the dumplings, which was more like a thick, homemade pasta shell. If you're familiar with kreplach, it was like that but with no filling. When the chicken finally came out of the kitchen, it was pretty good. We both got the dark meat plates, and the chicken was juicy with a nice crunch to the breaded skin. It's not like heavily breaded chicken that one most often associates with "fried chicken," rather it appears that they dredge the chicken in flour and what ever other spices they use (I think mainly salt and pepper) and then fry it. It forms a thin crust on the chicken, but it's not the crumbly, crunchy kind of coating. I had thought that the chicken was supposed to come with a sauce of tomato and red pepper, or so the Food Network had described it that way, but I guess that is extra, because ours came sauceless. When I asked for some ketchup, they brought out a small plate with ketchup packets on it ... they were at least Heinz. My green beans were clearly from a can (probably Foodclub as well) and they weren't seasoned at all. The fries were fresh cut and plentiful - perfectly fine, but nothing impressive. While I'm not sorry we went, I certainly have no plans to go back. If you're in the area and want a taste of something local, give it a shot, but don't go out of your way to try it. read more

It was like going to Grandma's for dinner. Perfect fried chicken! No oil or grease pooling under it. My husband had the rotisserie 1/2 chicken , it was tasty too! Only available on weekends though. Old farm house converted family farm! Plenty of food. Friendly service. Looking forward to trying the hot sauce next time we come!! read more

I love their chicken and hot sauce but I usually get their food to go and I don't understand why my order is always wrong when I check it out when I get home! 1st time I wanted double hot sauce and no cole slaw, I got double slaw. Alright no biggie but a little upsetting so I gave them another try. I like the back on a chicken dinner but it only comes with a large so I ordered a large, guess what, the back was there but they shorted me a thigh! Great! I said I was done after almost 2 years I had a craving for their chicken so I thought they can't screw up 3 times in a row with me, can they? Yes they can! I thought I want a back but I'll make it simple and just order a small dinner leg/thigh) and add a back. She read it back, I said perfect and thank you, guess what I got? 2 legs and a thigh! They need quality control in the kitchen because their is a bunch of idiots in there and need someone counting for them cause they seem like they have trouble counting to 6 as a large dinner contains, not 5! Idiots! In the kitchen! Nobody checking! will never give you another nickle and tell everybody how your manager is not engaged, terrible! Dine in? yea you have control. Take out? Good luck! Check it out before you leave the parking lot, no quality control to make sure what order is what you get! It's ashame cause I love their food but tired of being ripped off on take out! Straighten up kitchen! Kitchen manager sucks! If you even have one? read more

Wow.... Talk about expensive... 13pc dinner over $30.... Perhaps it may have been worth it if u sat and enjoyed the atmosphere but I got my first Belgrade chicken To go. I didn't ask about price when I called... I sure should have. This is chicken... Not an exotic fowl. Chicken is not supposed to cost that much. But.. Maybe I am a cheapskate and this isn't a bad price. You be the judge on that. Chicken was good.. Its fried chicken, pretty hard to screwup. Sides were good. Bagged nicely. Was ready when I got there. So 3 star is based purely on the price. read more

My GF grew up near Barberton and "Barberton Chicken" is almost like an institution. With unbiased eyes and taste buds, I found their lard-fried chicken to be only OK. Sure it was crisy on the outside and juicy inside but the seasoning was not impressive. I think they only use salt and pepper. The sides were also small. For the price (over $20 for a dinner meal), I found this to leave me wanting. I feel like an $8 meal at Popeyes is a lot better both in taste and value. read more

This is a chicken house, and they do good chicken! I ate here with my husband, dad, and stepmom on a Friday night. No wait. We all got white dinners - the small (1 breast) or the regular (2 breasts). Our waitress, Hristina, was awesome. We started with bread - the rye was a little stale, but the white was more of an Italian and good. The fries were fantastic. Dad liked the vinegar-based slaw. The "whipped potatoes" are not potatoes-they're "potato product" and they taste it. The green beans are awful! The side salad is a LOT of chopped iceberg with some veggies on top - served fresh and cold, but too much bland lettuce for me! I ate what I could. The other side we tried is "hot sauce" - it's actually Spanish rice. Too spicy for most of us lightweights, but Dad liked it. read more

We have been going here as a family since my mom was a kid. It is worth the drive to get there. They have the best coleslaw anywhere and I have yet to figure it out at home. For me, the nostalgia is everywhere since the place hasn't changed much since I was little. I love that. I have lost so many places and neighborhoods due to "progress" it is nice to have something stay the same. I love the chicken. It is always hot and juicy. Bones go in a coffee filter lined basket on the table and you get wet wipes when you are done. ( I always thought that was so neat when I was little) The pies are good too, so save room for the coconut cream. Michael Symon ruled it the best on "Food Feuds" for a reason. It simply is. read more

Went to the Belgrade Gardens this evening and had some "world famous" Barberton chicken. Guess I can cross that off my bucket list. The experience was just okay. Not great. It's not a place for foodies in my opinion. That is, I would not suggest anyone go out of their way and drive a substantial distance (as we did) to eat here. If you happen to be in the area and want to give it a try, fine. It's not that the food is bad, it's just nothing extraordinary. I can see how someone who grew up eating here might have fond memories. However, if you are trying the chicken for the first time as an adult, expect to be seriously underwhelmed if you've heard the hype about Barberton chicken. Sometimes different doesn't mean better, it just means different. The fried chicken Belgrade serves IS different (NOT better) then traditional southern fried chicken. The crust on the chicken is thick, but not really crispy. Taste and texture are just okay. Seasoning is average. Furthermore, I didn't find anything special about the "hot sauce," which is rice in a tomato sauce served as a side. Belgrade Gardens has been in business for many decades, and it appears their clientele is aging with the business. We were there on a Friday evening around 6 pm and almost ALL the other patrons were quite elderly. Plus Belgrade closes at 9 pm on Friday nights! In conclusion, based on my experience, I can't give high marks to Belgrade or Barberton chicken. It was okay, but I don't have any plans (or desire) to go back. read more

As seen on TV, ya, I came for the fried chicken and it was good. I had lunch between 3 and 4, and everything was fresh and hot. I'm the grandson of Ellis Island era Croatians and the whole set up tastes and looks like the old timers would want it. I don't think I would drive from Cleveland, but it was worth the detour off the highway. God Bless Yelp and GPS read more

This IS Barberton chicken. Yes, Barberton Ohio is the Chicken Capitol of the world. All the Chicken houses are similar. Fried chicken with sides of coleslaw, hot rice, cottage cheese, french fries, apple sauce or mashed potatoes. I grew up eating at Belgrades and a few other of our chicken houses. This was always my favorite. I even worked here as a kid on two separate occasions. The building, interior and menu haven't changed much in all these years. You feel like you are taking a step back in time as you pull into the parking lot. Even more so when you walk through the doors. Come in and eat some great food. I recommend their famous chicken, hot rice and french fries and they just might become your favorite too! read more

Belgrade Gardens has the best fried chicken and best hot sauce! Staff is friendly and wonderful!

Such good food! Their chicken is amazing, as are their other meals! The environment is very cozy and the staff is very nice and informative!! read more

One of my favorite places to go! All of the food on the menu is great! The staff is polite and helpful.

Too many health code violations to recommend this place. "Hand breaded" chicken is from a box in the basement.

Best chicken ever! Been coming here since i was child! I live in Georgia so I'm lucky to get a chance to maybe stop in once a year while visiting family. So when i do come i get lots to make sure i have some leftovers while I'm here. Ordered food togo today (because I had my dog with me and couldn't dine in) but it was still delicious. The girls upfront who look our order were super friendly. I got buffalo wings today to try for the first time & they were awesome! I'll have to get them again next year! I'm not a huge "hot sauce" or "dumpling" fan because I'm picky, but my family goes crazy over it! Must be good too! read more

My boyfriend and I went to Belgrade 's last night. He ordered the classic chicken dinner. I ordered the small all back dinner. He had a terrible stomachache after he got home. I had a stomachache when I got up. Needless to say we will not be going back. read more

The freshest chicken in Barberton. The price is WAY above the rest but I'll pay it when I want a good hearty meal.

Good chicken! I also ordered the homemade dumplings and they were good as well. The place is definitely a throwback to a different time in US history. Prices are a little high but I don't think you will be disappointed with the food. read more

I went on Father's Day. The food was great but the price wasn't. It cost $97.00 including tip for five chicken dinners. Too much in my opinion. You need to lower your prices a bit. I believe $20.00 for a large chicken dinner is a bit much!! read more

I had seen the two chicken places (Belgrades and White House) on several TV specials and had always wanted to stop in. Overall I was not exactly impressed. The Chicken is slightly above average. Sides are average but the bread was good. Overall for the price I'm not sure I would go back. If I was with someone who had seen the TV specials and was interested I would probably go back. The wait staff however was very friendly and the atmosphere was definitely reminiscent of a place my grandparents might have taken me as kid. read more

Went to Belgrades today on a whim. The service was slow and our waitress only offered us one refill on our drinks and it took over 30 minutes to get our food. After the long wait I would expect everything to be hot especially since they weren't even busy but the only thing that was hot was the chicken, the fries were barely warm and the coleslaw was soaked in vinegar. Not to mention my chicken literally had a pool of grease in the middle. I have definitely had better service and food at other chicken places in Barberton. read more

I will always and forever love Belgrade's Chicken, I grew up on it! I think it is the best chicken in the world and I will never be able to find anything quite like it now that I live in Cali. EVERYTIME I come home to visit the family about 20 of my relatives all go to Belgrades and eat their bomb ass chicken and catch up. Belgrade Chicken will always hold a special place in my heart! I miss you Belgrades!!! read more

Very over priced food .got two large paprika's chicken dinners to go cost was 42.98 won' t be going back

My family and I have been going to Belgrade's for years and we just LOVE it! We have always had wonderful meals here! How can you go wrong with their amazing fried chicken, yummy french fries, tasty hot sauce and one-of-a-kind coleslaw?! We go to this restaurant every few months - it's that good!!! read more