Price Point: $12 for the fried chicken sandwich
The fried chicken sandwich at Chicken Shop (113 N. Green St., 312-521-8000; chickenshop.com/chicago) arrives impaled on a knife. While not the least bit threatening, this act does nicely show that the restaurant, despite its name, isn’t some hole-in-wall fast food joint in the West Loop. See, the Chicken Shop resides in the swank new Soho House, so prepare yourself for dim lighting and a full cocktail menu. You can even make a reservation, which all seems a bit excessive for a chicken joint, especially with a Harold’s Chicken Shack beckoning from a block away.
But as long as you know that you’re paying for the excess and the genuine consistency, you’ll find one truly satisfying sandwich on offer. (Along with a surprisingly great burger.) And after all, paying for creature comforts is kind of what the Soho House is all about.
This fried chicken sandwich is engineered for maximum crunch: Just look at the well-buttered sheen on the toast. Instead of a thick and unwieldy breast, the chicken is pounded until very thin, and fried until completely crisp. The single leaf of lettuce doesn’t do much, but some pickled chiles hidden under the top slice offer an unexpected pop of heat to each bite. Harold's can't really compete with that.