I'm actually SO surprised I haven't written a review for Budlong yet?! This has been a long time coming.... What's not new: the chicken, is in my opinion the best in the city. The sheer SIZE of these things, and they are fried to perfection. One sandwich is enough to fill you which I appreciate. The pickles that they use too are thick cut and balance with the chicken well. The more pickles the better!! What is new: these fried chicken wraps. OMG. I don't want to compare them to a mcdonalds snackwrap because that would be offensive to Budlong.... because the ones BL makes are just out of this world. As expected, the chicken size is great, it actually fills the wrap. I ended up ordering both the hot honey and the bbq. Both were awesome I just wish I got something with a little more spice. But I still will be ordering these again! I also tried the fried pickles for the first time which were great! I just wish they used dill pickles instead of bread+butter (I assumed they used this?) because they were a bit too sweet for me. But if you like bread and butter pickles you will love these. Next time I go I neeeeeed to try their plant based nuggets. I'm not vegan, but I LOVE vegan foods, and think more restaurants need to follow suit! Also on my list is the Peach Hand Pie and the Banana Pudding... I think that speaks for itself If you haven't been into Budlong - WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! Get yourself some chicken and thank me later :) read more

This is a great fast casual spot for a delicious chicken sandwich! The service is efficient and friendly. The food came out very quickly so it was fresh and hot. The portion of the sandwich is quite large! Between 2 people we shared the original fried chicken sandwich with a side of fries and coleslaw. We were full and satisfied. The chicken itself is really crispy and filling. The fries were well-seasoned too. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - The Original Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The chicken is so juicy! If you like spice I would definitely go for the holy hot level since it really wasn't all that terrible. Coming from California, this was a great spot to go to for a chicken sando craving. They have a kiosk to order from if you're feeling a little too antisocial as well. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - The Original Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Honestly the best fried chicken I've had in my life. Tried it for the first time last night and had to come back the next day. The prices are reasonable and the service is great. The workers are also very friendly. read more

We had a great experience at the Budlong in Lincoln Park! Manny was awesome & SO helpful throughout the meal. We tried a few different items on the menu, including their delicious Southern Style chicken sandwich with pimento cheese (Nashville style!) as well as the creamy Mac and cheese and the banana pudding which was SO good. Plus, it was pretty cheap for everything that we got! The interior was rustic & homey, and it is so clear that a ton of effort was put into making this a cool spot to be at. I'd highly recommend it! read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Southern Style Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Best fried chicken in the world. The food was to perfection, everything on the menu is made with care and like my grandma made it

Budlong Southern Chicken may be known for their Nashville Hot Chicken, but I was most impressed with the Nomad Hot Dawgs! We got the Fast & Furious and loved the Asian fusion dog. Another surprising thing I loved there- the cornbread - definitely more like dessert! Bonus: service was 10/10; Manny was the best! read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ordered the chicken tenders and a side. The food came out hot. The service is good, no frills, they brought out my food to me. The ambiance is okay, very lowkey. You problaly walk past this chicken shop if you're on Armitage. I believe it is a good value for a meal, hard to find a bargain like this in the area. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Front area - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The food was unbelievable and somehow the service, provided by Rumaldo, was even better. Will be back soon.

I'm always looking for new favorites and decided to try Budlong. I figured a chicken sandwich and fries would be a decent meal, but I'm not sure how much I actually liked it. There was a bit too much pimento cheese for my liking and it overwhelmed the flavor of the chicken. The fries, however, were very tasty with their seasoning. I'm not sure it's quite worth the price though given that it cost me $18 whereas I can similar quality for cheaper and better meals for the same price. read more

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my favorite local comfort food. quick service, delicious options, and in a great location.

What a cute place! Theres not too much warmth upon arriving but the ladies at the front were fine and recommended the Yo Mamma sandwich. I tried this with honey bbq flavoring and chicken thigh. It was flavorful and I'd definitely try other flavors and sandwiches. Star taken off because the bathroom was...well, it needs a renovation or just a good scrubbing. The whole restaurant really just needs a new paint job or cleaned with fresh water and soap. Did I mention how good that sandwich was though? I ate all of it. Don't judge me, yelpers! read more

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I found this place from tic tik and it was 10/10 the food was hot and fresh even though we went late. the vibes are great and the gentleman that helped us was even more amazing! Thanks again manny!! U made our first experience the best! read more

The service was great! The chicken was super tender, juicy, and nice and crispy, especially with their house sauce. Overall, I just really enjoyed sitting down and eating here. read more

Was craving some tendies after a long outing shopping for the perfect fitting sock with the future in-laws. Trying on socks can get tiring so I really wanted a gut-building meal. Had been ordering this place for years. Probably a reason why ive needed to go on Ozempic.... Ref attached picture of their "chicken tender" from last week. More like a chicken fry. I'll go to Burger King and have a real meal next time. It's a scientific fact that everyone likes length and girth with their meat.... I'll go back only if they change their name to BudShort Chicken read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Tenders - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

There was a mix up on my takeout order. I gave them a call and they corrected it right away. Great customer service.

TL;DR: Very scrumptious chicken sandwich and great spicy house sauce I ordered at the counter and took out the food. Once I got home, the food was still warm and crispy. The little to-go boxes are also very cute. The southern style thigh sandwich with fries on the side is the best way to do it. The 2 tenders with fries are fine, but less filling. The mac and cheese is cheesy, but could be better since it was more mushy and colder than expected. The ranch is a great addition and so is the spicy house sauce. I will get more sauces next time!! read more

If you haven't been here, you are missing out. This place is definitely worth your time and money to check out. If you know what good food is, then I'm pretty sure you'll think this spot is delicious. Atmosphere: interior design is perfect when you think of spicy chicken sandwich lol Food: delicious and delicious. Hot chicken sandwich, Mac and cheese, coleslaw, & tater tots Portion: great amount for what your paying Service: very friendly I brought half of the spicy chicken sandwich home with me and let me tell you... it taste even better lol read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Tater Tots, Mac N Cheese, Hot Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Well sad to say but this place is overhyped. The sandwich I got was average at best. The bun that it came with did no justice to flavor of the chicken. Flavor of meat was on point and I have nothing to say against that, but the slaw was missing on all points. Price that is charged for this sandwich does not equate to what you're paying for. The ambience of the restaurant was nice, with the dim lights and "old/antique" furniture you get a down south feel. My only issue with the sitting is that the tables were sticky, something needs to be done about that. Overall you're not missing much if you don't eat here.. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Chicken Deluxe Sandwich Coke Bottle - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Recommend the chicken and waffle served Saturday and Sunday 11-3. Went on a Sunday at lunch time and the restaurant was about half empty. Got the classic as the next level down was "naked" aka no spice at all. But even classic was too spicy for me. Would be great if they offered a mild option. Parking on Sundays limited but free on Armitage which was really nice. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Chicken and waffle in classic spice level - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fast,, personable service with great food. Jimmy was really helpful providing fast, great service. The salad was very fresh. The chicken was very good with a lot of unique sauces. Coleslaw and peach pie were tasty. read more

I'm reluctant to write this review because I used to love Budlong. You can TELL the quality of the food went WAY down. The Chicken Sandwich: chewy, small chicken, bread is subpar and breading isn't the same. Used to be tender, so big I could barely finish it. Mac n' cheese: just tastes fake I couldn't take more than two bites and now they add jalapeños? Not in a good spicy way. I'd rather eat Kraft. Biscuits: the most disappointing. They're stale, no flavor and the jam tastes like strawberry Smuckers... Biscuits used to be flaky and buttery, I could eat it by itself. Before they changed the jam, it tasted homemade even had seeds in it. Not a fan of this new ownership and it seems like I'm not the only one :( not very inclined to return read more

Our go-to chicken spot in Chicago! Can't go wrong with the Original budlong chicken sandwich (I get mine naked (no sauce) and husband loves it Nashville hot) with come back sauce and a side of fries! Enjoy! read more

Have been a regular lunch patron at this location for some time now. Today, I tried their newer menu items - Nomad Dogs hot dog. This was NOT good. This was one of the greasiest and worst hot dogs I've ever had. And $16+ for a hot dog and fries even if it was good might be questionable - but with it being a hot mess - I'm just not at all happy with my last experience here. Very likely my last visit as a result. read more

I think 2 Stars IS MORE THAN GENEROUS! I ordered via delivery and was EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED ON SOOOO MANY LEVELS! While the delivery box and items were presented as a "delicious" assortment-the opposite was true! The Mac and Cheese tasted like "pure butter" no cheese! The Chicken Sandwich was NOT TENDER and after two bites it hit the garbage can. The Cole Slaw looked "healthy" but was unflavorful... For me, sad that I spent the money as I had been wanting to try their Chicken Sandwich and sides for over a year! BUMMER! read more

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I love this place. It's great for comfort food, and the portions are huge, so you easily get two meals out of it. I've only ever ordered from here, but each time the food was great. The budlong biscuit is to die for. I can't get anything from there without ordering the biscuit with my meal. It comes with butter on top (though you can removed) and the option of jam on the side, which is also delicious. You get a good portion of it, and I always has some left for toast the next day. I usually get the tenders, and they are also very tasty. They've always arrived hot and crispy, and they are large, so I get a great meal and then some out of it. I personally like to get them naked with the comeback sauce on the side. I have gotten the hot chicken sandwich, both naked and classic, and preferred it naked with the sauce on the side so I can control how much heat the chicken packs. However, both were delicious. The fries are standard, but still good, and both the tenders and sandwich comes with pickles. I've had the farm slaw as well, which was great (not pictured in the photo, that was my own coleslaw) and I would definitely get it again. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Chicken Tenders with comeback sauce on the side, Budlong Biscuit - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow. That's the best word to describe this food. My friend and I came because he kept seeing ads on Instagram, so we decided to try it out. And let me say, they did not disappoint! We got the hot chicken sandwich, I had mine with the slaw on the side along with a side of fries and Mac and cheese. We also had 2 beers. The food was fantastic. I legit can't wait to get back and try some other items. The spice level was PERFECT. I'm not sure if I could handle spicier, but the hot was spot on. And the pickles. Lord, the pickles were blessed by the man upstairs himself. Idk why they were so good, but they were amazing! Lol. And they have brunch! I'll update the review once I indulge in that one weekend. 5/5 stars would definitely recommend! Popeyes chicken sandwich doesn't have anything on this! read more

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I just really did not like this place. I had the sandwich and the tenders, The sandwich was okay the flavor was really lacking and there was definitely not enough heat to support it. The tenders were barely edible, The texture was so odd. I don't know how their breading their chicken but It wasn't good. Otherwise the staff was nice and the place look like a nice spot to sit at but the food just did not taste very good. I do have high standards for fried chicken But there are better restaurants literally down the street. read more

The bag says Budlong, the box says Budlong, but what's inside doesn't even come close to resembling the Budlong we had from 2016-2022. Like a few other recent reviewers, the Budlong has been one of my go-to favorite takeout spots for a few years. After seeing the new menu, I was happy to pay up for a 3rd tender given the increased food costs seen everywhere. I only had tenders and fries, but it was clear upon opening the box that the quality of the food has dropped across the board. The fries were fine (though they were never the main draw here) but the tenders were tiny (think 1/3 the size vs. what you see posted in older photos on Yelp). The once homemade bread and butter pickle slices are now gone, replaced with smaller generic stand-ins. I wasn't surprised to read that the reopening and menu changes are aligned with plans to franchise and grow the brand to over 100 locations. RIP to the old Budlong. Thankfully we have other options like Roost in town! read more

What happened to the quality of this place? The tenders used to be delicious and a typical size. We noticed quality slipping a few months ago with a price hike but look at how gross these tenders are? They're over cooked, skinny and so small. Missing the old budlong - time to find a new go-to chicken spot. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Small, over cooked tender. - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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End of an era, it's just not the same. Have eaten here 3-4 dozen times over the past 6 years living in Chicago. What started as an elite entry into the budding chicken sandwich craze has turned into nothing more than a cheap imposter. Quality of ingredients has taken a significant hit in order to reduce the overall price of the menu. The previously high prices were at least worth it for a matching food product. In-store service is the only part that remains a plus. Now they are average at best in every regard. At least prices were lowered to match the dramatic change to a sub-par supplier. No one tells you you're in the good old days until you've actually left them. Won't be back much more read more

Budlong was previous my favorite restaurant (quick service) in Chicago, but no longer. I Previously gave it a 5, and I had an incredibly glowing review - but it's all downhill. Simply put, quality, portion size, and taste has taken a nosedive. Consumer's don't respond to lower prices and lower quality, it's been proven time and again. Budlong has taken a HUGE hit and the quality has really suffered. Rather than focus on what they do best, and their previous menu with wings, sandwiches, and tenders (where you just chose spice!), they've expanded. Different types of sandwiches and tenders, weird flavors - it's too much. Things like the biscuit have been TOTALLY reworked and not for the better. What was previously a fresh, clearly legitimate and unaltered piece of chicken is now a clearly manufactured patty. Don't even get me started on the "popcorn chicken", which is frozen. Tenders are half the size, sandwiches are 2/3 the size, and way lower quality. People will pay for quality, but the $10-ish combo of chicken is a way over saturated space. Red Light chicken 2 blocks away does a much better job and at similar prices, and at higher quality. Budlong, PLEASE, bring back the previous menu. You were one of, if not my favorite place in Chicago. Now I can't recommend you to anyone. read more

Not sure what has happened here but the quality and flavor have gone down the hill. They no longer serve chicken on the bone. The chicken was rubbery and smelled awful. The wings were caked with powder seasoning. It used to be juicy and so full of flavor but now it's just awful tasting. What has happened to this place? This was such a gem and now a sad state of yuck. read more

They get two stars because their fries are yummy and coleslaw pretty on point. WISH I TOOK A PICTURE OF THE BLOOD puddle on my plate surrounding my burnt chicken leg quarter.... Before I brought it back to the chef with the tiniest ego on the planet. The front end staff were cool, but teeny peeny in the kitchen got his panties in a bunch, with an attitude from the back "it's cooked" Hmmm okay dude. Your fryer is too high. Burnt on the outside and in a pool of bloody juices.... REALLY WISH I WOULD have taken a shot of dudes example of his standards. Lame. They get two stars because they suck a little less than Parsons. WTH is up with the burnt ass chicken batter trend? read more

I'd give this place a solid 3.5-4. What really deducted the 1-1.5 stars for me was that there really wasn't a crunch to my chicken sandwich. I got it delivered so idk if that played a part. The breading on the chicken was almost soggy (?) for lack of a better word. However, the flavors of the breading really redeemed the texture, as did the crunch of the slaw in the sandwich. I got the x-hot which gave me hiccups (how I know something is spicy enough)- soooo good. I also had a side of the mashed potatoes which were solid but a bit peppery for my liking. All in all a really solid chicken sandwich that's a step up from your every day Popeyes/ chick-fil a. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - X hot chicken sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a great hot chicken spot - Pros : ready super quick (placed an order online) Hot chicken sandwich was really good (got mild and it had a great kick to it) Crinkle cut fries has a good crisp Cons : mac and cheese was a bit flavorless read more

This place will not disappoint!! I went with a group of 6 and we ALL got the Hot Chicken and everyone devoured their sandwiches! Fries came on the side, so no need to order fries unless you want extra. Recommendations: if you like spicy, they have a spicier Hot Chicken option. Also if you're 21+, try their strawberry lemonade cocktail. VERY dangerous because it's so delicious you can't even taste the alcohol. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Hot Chicken Sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This is a Chicago classic for spicy chicken sandwiches. I think their heat level is outrageous. I enjoy spicy foods but even their lowest level of heat made my mouth hurt. I've had it a few times and it's definitely one I'd recommend for those looking for some heat but it's not a regular spot for me. read more

The Budlong Southern Chicken - Southern Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Their sauce is a bit spicey i had the original budlong and the sauce kinds made it overkill but their chicken is fresh cooked and breaded, nice snd juicy like a popeyes kinda read more

We used to love Budlong, but ordered it last night for carryout (Armitage location) about an hour before close and were extremely disappointed. I ordered 2 a la carte tenders ($4 each) which I've had before and they were reasonably sized in the past, but this time they were TINY. I also ordered the Cole slaw ($4), but couldn't eat more than a few bites because it tasted like it was going bad, ugh gross, slimy shredded lettuce, I can't believe they served it. This is unlike our other experiences, this is either a product of inflation, or maybe they changed distributors, but this was a waste of money. read more

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