Worth the heartburn. Really crispy fried chicken. No frills but also not super expensive. Good for takeout, would not recommend dining in stores read more

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. read more

Juicy, delicious fried chicken at great prices. And stays open late -- including delivery quite late -- even as everyplace else seems to (maddeningly) be closing earlier and earlier. Also, I don't know whether ordering late has anything to do with it, but they sometimes add extra pieces to my go-to all-dark-meat bucket. A few times it looked like they might be compensating for the fact that a few of the legs were on the small side, but I'm not sure that's what's happening. Regardless, that's been a pleasant surprise. As delicious as the chicken is, leftover pieces seem to lose a tad more taste/texture in the reheating than I might expect. But that's not a big deal. One thing I definitely don't understand is the raves for the rib tips. I love rib tips, but the ones I got were extremely greasy and with a lot of little broken pieces of cartilage. In fact, that was the first thing I ever ordered there, and was so turned off by them it took at least a year until I decided to give the chicken a try. Damn, one less year to enjoy those tasty fried cluckers! Tried mashed potatoes recently and they sure seemed like instant. At least the gravy was good. Always remember to have cash on hand, no credit cards. read more

Amazing fried chicken! Best I've ever had. The honey bbq sauce on chicken bits is to die for!!!

Hand down, this is the best fried chicken in Evanston. Forget Popeyes. This place uses clean oil, and the chicken is perfectly crisp and juicy on the inside. The fries are also the bomb. When you order your chicken, unless you like it sauced, I would recommend that you ask for the BBQ sauce and hot sauce on the side. The chicken doesn't really need it. It's that good. I recommend that you order ahead and then pick up the deliciousness, otherwise your order may take 15 minutes. There isn't a lot of room to sit. You are there for the chicken. Pick it up and then enjoy Evanston's best fried chicken. Chicken Shack compares to the famous Harold's Chicken Shack. In fact, I like Evanston's Chicken Shack better. The chicken is always good, and you don't have to pick up your food from behind bullet-proof glass. In fact, it may be the case that this place was originally a Harold's that left the franchise. read more

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. read more

Better than Harold's. I swear this is Bisquick gravy with crack and special seasonings...I could swim in the gravy from here. The fried chicken here is on point as are the slices of Wonder bread and dump truck amount of hard fried fries you get with your order. Cash only, and don't bring any scare business. Better than Harold's, and the best privately fried chicken you're gonna find up north. Word. read more

I adore fried chicken, and I think Chicken Shack is not only the best tasting fried chicken in Evanston, but also the most affordable. Delicious happy mouthgasms. That is all. Also: $10 minimum for credit card! read more

I've been going to the restaurant for a few years. No matter where I move to in the city, I make my way to Evanston to get some chicken bites with extra honey barbecue sauce. read more

We just ordered Fish n Chips and a Biscuit. Unfortunately, this was the worst stuff we had ever ordered. First of all, they have not changed their frying oil in some time. We should have known better, because as soon as we entered, the fried oil smell was unpleasant. While some of the fish tasted ok, there was too much salt on the breading, and some was undercooked. The oil taste terrible, which is what you get when you do not change the oil often enough. Not only does it taste horrible, but it is in fact very unhealthy for you. The french fries were also really bad pretty much Tasteless. French fries, vary quite a lot, but usually they are not this bad. If you want top notch French Fries, get them at Al's Beef. As for the buttermilk biscuit, dry and horrible too. Altogether a terrible experience. Given the numerous great reviews, perhaps the day to day quality is not reliable, or maybe it depends on who is in charge of the cooking. We didn't try the Chicken, but if it is cooked with the same overused oil, it cannot possibly be good. In any case, the food was so bad we had to throw it all out, which we rarely do. read more

5 stars for the absolutely delicious food!! The chicken is cooked perfectly, the biscuits are moist, and the sides of mashed potatoes, cheese fries, red beans and rice, and the coleslaw all compliment the chicken perfectly. The only thing that really had me almost giving a 3 star review, is the service. In face I would go as far as to say that the service is barely 2 stars. I'm all for giving a person the benefit of the doubt, the service industry can be super tough, but when you order from a place several times, and the person has an attitude each and every time, you tend to stop blaming it on them possibly having a bad day, and blame it on their poor quality service and perpetual bad attitude. I have been cut off while placing my order all 3 times I have ordered, and barked at when it took me barely an extra second to make a decision on my order. Do not work in a field that requires you to interact with people if you are so gosh darn bad at it, or just generally dislike serving others. read more

I must say this place is the BOMB.....Anytime i go to E-Town(Evanston) i have to stop in and get an order of Bits. This is large chicken nuggets with fresh french fries and to slices of bread at the bottom to soak up all grease. You must eat the bread at the bottom to fully understand how good the food is and was. And please make sure you get the sauce on your food. Do not get it on the sides. Because if you get it on the side you will run out of sauce quickly.....So i say hey if ever in E-Town stop by. FYI: Don't respond to some of the Bums standing outside. Unless your a nice person who is willing to share your food or money...! read more

Let's start with the decor. It looks DEFINITELY SKETCH compared to the luxury apartments right across the street. However, that's never stopped me from having some good fried chicken. I have to be honest and say I have never been to Harold's. Nevertheless, chicken shack is definitely one of the best fried chicken places on the northshore! I always either the two thigh two leg all day special which comes to about $6.50 which includes a basket of fries and some stupid cole slaw side. For more people, I get the 12 bucket dark meat special. The dark meat is so moist and juicy, and the batter is always good. I've had the catfish nuggets, which are great, fried mushrooms and okra are ok, but sadly that's all I tried. Fries are definitely not fresh, but that's never stopped me from enjoying me some fried goodness. This is my go-to place to comfort me during some rough times, so I've had some fond memories of here. Don't be scared and stop by for some great chicken! read more

CASH only - booo, but the food here is so cheap, you should have $5 on you to eat. I had their "fish chips" which I was hoping was different from buffalo chips, and it was. Very good. Tender fish inside of deep and crusty fried goodness. Not deep fried so they spared me the extra oil. Fries were good too. Smaller than steak fries and seasoned. The small order was enough to feed me twice. I will be coming here again. The place inside is pretty shoddy, but the food is good in my experience. read more

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. read more

I frequent this place very often. Although fried food is generally easy to please, I think mainstream Popeyes is so solid that it's hard to beat that bar. At least out of the south. It's hard for me to say which is better Popeyes or chickenshack because I havent had them side by side but they both hit the fried chicken spot every time. Differences: Chicken Shack skin is less battered. You still get that awesome fried crispy skin but just slightly less than popeyes. I think the chicken is a bit less moist/tender as popeyes but very good nonetheless. I've tried a few of the sides as well - fries, fried okra, fried mushrooms, mac and cheese. none of these were worth trying twice imo so I usually just stick with the chicken. With 8 or so people, you can get a party size for a good price. read more

An Instant Classic. I am in the midst of attempting to reproduce the BBQ Sauce as we speak. And the bits...atop some grease-soaked bread; an unforgettable childhood staple read more

Finally had a chance to return here after being absent for a few years. As good or bettrr than I remember. I apologize, and will never stay away this long again. read more

This place saved my life multiple evenings. Order ahead. Get the half dark. Instead of getting sauce on the side, let them put it on themselves because you'll get more in the bargain, and you'll get it on the fries too. Cash only! (It's only $5!) Buy a drink can from the vending machine. Walk home. Turn on a movie off a Netflix you've been meaning to see because you're not gonna want to get up when you're done. Enjoy. This was my life for the last two years of college. And I loved it. I really did. This chicken is the best fried chicken in Chicago, and it's actually in Evanston. read more

Sometimes a girl just needs some fried chicken. The fried chicken was on point. Crispy (a little too much breading in parts but for the most part, very well breaded and fried) and fatty enough. The meat was delicate and well cooked--not dry at all. The fries--meh. These definitely came out of a bag; the kind you can buy at the grocery store and you could have fried it yourself BUT this isn't their selling point so, whatever. The bread, why? Next time, I just want chicken chicken chicken. Or maybe I'll try the fish. And the biscuits. HEH. This place is definitely a hole in the wall kind of place--the seating is sparse and there aren't any frivolities that come with it. The workers are nice but to the point. They offer a WIldCard discount (only if you get two chicken dinners or more) and they accept credit card (minimum $10). read more

are you fucking kidding me?! $5.33 tax in for PURE UNADULTERATED GLORYYYYYY. The kind my viking ancestors dreamed of. Daily special, go with the hot sauce. cheap and cheerful, a far cry from the rude bastards at the wiener circle read more

This place is AMAZING. Anything less than five stars is an insult! The chicken is always fried fresh which is a nice touch, and strange as it is to say the fries are amazing too. It's cash only though...a bit of an inconvenience but it does prevent me from buying it all the time (my waist thanks me for that!) read more

Delicious fried chicken! My boyfriend and I split the small bucket and it was evenly divided with two of each part of the chicken. I usually hate fried foods but for some reason I didn't mind this fried chicken that much. The meat was nice and juicy and the fried skin comes off easily so you can choose how much fried goodness you want to consume. We also got a side of mash which was disappointing and not very flavorful even with gravy. Definitely a comfort food, definitely would go back when I get my next fried chicken craving. read more

Evanston Chicken Shack - That fried drumstick with that Honey BBQ sauce. Yum. - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I used to live across the street, and I'm pretty sure all those fried chicken breasts and catfish nuggets took a year or so off of my lifespan. But I'd probably give up another year, because Chicken Shack really does it right! Their chicken and fish are always fresh, and fried consistently to perfection. Every bite from a Chicken Shack meal starts off with a crunch, with batter and skin fried well--not too greasy or over-fried, followed by tender, juicy meat. I will say that the seasoning can sometimes be a bit salty (at least, compared to other fried chicken I've had), but never overpowering or detracting from the overall meal. Their menu is also a bit complicated, but once you find which fried item works well for you, a weekly visit will become irresistible. read more

amaaaazing. i'm soooo glad i live close to this jewel. best fried chicken and fried shrimp everrr.

Mmm mmm good. A friend ordered take out from this place, and it was delicious. (Even after one hour from when she picked it up). I only ate one piece of the thigh, but wished I had stomach space for more. The chicken was completely juicy and the skin extremely crunchy. And don't forget the hot sauce! It had just the right amount of kick to it. Definitely one of the top 5 fried chickens I'd ever eaten! read more

Yum. Yum. Yum! Tiny place with two tables so most people get their's to go. We ate in and did okay. Soda comes in cans from a vending machine. We tried rib tips, fries, catfish nuggets and the chicken strips. All YUMMY. The hot sauce was so good! We will be back if we are in that neck in the woods again. read more

I used to live a few blocks away on Sherman in college and would go to Chicken Shack all the time. I can't think of my college years without thinking of chicken shack. It smells like delicious fried chicken for a whole block before you get there. Planning a trip back to Chicago and will definitely visit. We don't have fried chicken like this in NY. Call ahead. Bring cash. Bargain buckets are the best. read more

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! read more

I've been here a bunch of times, and the chicken has always been on point. After experimenting with the menu, I can confidently say the honey barbecue bits (popcorn chicken, bbq sauce, fries) have been my favorite. I got them with a side of ranch, and my taste buds were engulfed in a fiery pit of pure ecstasy for a solid 15 minutes. The portion/price ratio was also on point, because I was absurdly full when all was said and done. Keep it up homies read more

Evanston Chicken Shack - The only thing one should get here (bits). - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I went here once because I had heard legends about it throughout my time at Northwestern. Most of them revolved around the idea that the Shack was selling more than just chicken. If they are selling something illicit, they are also sprinkling it into their fried chicken. IT IS INCREDIBLE. That said, I devoured the meal deal that I ordered and returned to work. I spent the rest of the day fighting a food coma and a stomachache. I haven't returned because I'm still trying to decide if the physical agony is worth experiencing again for that delicious chicken. read more

Like others said - cash only, call ahead (everything is cooked to order, that mean 15-20 minutes). But the payoff - fantastic fried chicken - the best I've ever had. Go! read more

Simply great fried chicken! The batter is very well seasoned and so deliciously crisp when all is said and done. read more

Evanston Chicken Shack - Just Great Chicken - American Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

This is among the Best fried chicken joints I've been too. Its a must if you're in the area. Everything is good! read more

Without a doubt, my go-to restaurant for comfort food. After living across the street for a couple years, I've been at least a hundred times, and the fried chicken is the best I've ever had. "Three chicken tenders tossed in Louisiana Hot with the sauce on the fries too" might be my favorite meal on Planet Earth. read more

So good, so fresh, so juicy, so CRISPY. Went here with a friend for dinner yesterday and definitely regret eating lunch and breakfast before I had this meal because I wanted more. Freshly made to order! I got greedy and bit into my chicken immediately after I got it and paid the price by getting my hands burnt with squirting hot chicken juicy goodness. Can't say I will become a regular because then I will get a heart attack in a couple years but this is definitely my new go to fried chicken place. YUM! read more

we love it there is no place to park or sit down but we went to whole foods down the road bought are drinks and had a nice table to sit at a real nice evening after a hard day at work read more

Best fried chicken tights I have ever tasted! Crispy outside and so juicy inside. Better than KFC. The most frequent order for me is darkmeat combo. Wings, legs and fried mushrooms are also good. I think y'all won't want to miss the best fried chicken in Chicago area. One more thing needs to be improved is the environment, not that clean, but most customers takeout, who cares. read more

Whenever I order from here I always feel bad I didn't pay more. This is serious fried chicken done seriously. It's just the best. Puts all that hoighty toighty hipster fried chicken to shame. read more

Great Chicken! Terrible rib tips.....cold, nasty, greasy......Shrimp from Sea Pax not hand breaded, frozen pre made, very small and not worth the money. read more