I know this is kind of heresy but there isn’t good fried chicken in the Bay Area and I’ve traveled the country in search of fried chicken. I can’t tell you how many times people have said “omigod you have to try so and sos” only to be disappointed over and over.

The best I’ve found in the US is Howlin Rays in LA (obviously) followed by Ms T in Chicago followed by the Gus’s chain.

In the Bay Area, KFC is still the most reliable.

I'd agree SF could have better Southern-style fried chicken. But at the KFC level Krispy Krunchy Chicken is pretty damn great :)

I haven't tried KKC yet. It's on my list. Also, Thomas Keller's fried chicken is wildly overrated also. Perfect fry but very unseasoned. Not worth a trip up.

Strongly depends on your taste, so here's some very different styles:

miss ollie's (oakland) minnie bell's (emeryville) 900 grayson (berkeley) lois the pie queen (oakland) hopscotch (oakland)

If you just can't leave SF, try Town Hall.

+1 for 900 grayson (esp - their version of chicken and waffles)

Giant Chef in concord too.

Bojangles is the truth. These days whenever I find myself back in Durham once a year, I always stop by CookOut for their tray and Bojangles for chicken and the biscuits and the gravy.

Legend has it they put crack in that chicken that's why it's so good.

Biscuitville. Why won't they expand?

There are some good Korean fried chicken places in Sunnyvale. It's a bit lighter than normal fried chicken, still just as delicious.

Get the fried chicken sandwich from RT Rotisserie (they do deliver) - it's the fast-casual arm of the acclaimed Rich Table restaurant.

All of the food at RT Rotisserie is incredible (their menu isn't large), but the fried chicken sandwich is especially notable (along with the lamb pita sandwich).

Yeah sando and the buttermilk rotisserie chicken is legit

NC resident here and when I saw fried chicken I thought Bojangles. It never gets old to me.

Smithfield Chicken and BBQ also has a lot of locations in the southeast and has very good fried chicken.

I did not had a chance to try it myself before quarantine started, but a couple friends of mine independently raved about Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen in Berkeley.

Can only speak for the east bay but Minnie Bells in the Emeryville public market is my favorite. For a different flavor check out Abura ya in Oakland too

Popeyes is a good one. They've got Tuesday's Leg and Thigh for a very cheap price.

I personally like their Chicken Sandwich and 2 Can Dine deal.

Oh man, so many options. Good thing i love trying them all :D

Traditional style:

RT Rotisserie, Brenda's, Hard Knox, Rusty's Southern, Brown Sugar Kitchen

Personally I'm a fan of the non-Southern-style fried chicken

Wing Wangs, Hot Sauce and Panko, San Tung, Rintaro

All Time Fav is Tokyo Fried Chicken in Montery Park (LA)

Everything is just perfectly cooked. chefs kiss

The Front Porch is aight, it’s not the south though. Oakland has some downscale places that are more authentic. And then there’s great Korean fried chicken but that’s a whole different game.

Hard Knox is pretty great

Not a lot of good fried food here.

I have only found one reasonably good fried fish place and most of the french fries in the area aren’t great.

San Tung in SF has some incredible chinese fried chicken