These 8 Georgia Restaurants Earned Their Place Among The State’s Top Fried Chicken Spots

One family kitchen in Georgia serves about 100 tons of chicken breast a year. I had to read that number twice, and then I got very hungry.

That figure says a lot about how seriously folks here treat a golden drumstick. Another spot on this list soaks its chicken for 12 hours before frying it in peanut oil.

A third hands heaping platters to strangers sharing tables built for ten.

I love that the history runs as deep as the gravy. You’ll find kitchens tied to civil rights meetings, communal lunch tables, and traditions that started in the 1940s.

One even shares a building with an old gold mine shaft. That detail alone sold me.

So which bird deserves the drive? Eight kitchens, eight takes on the same humble bird.

I have a feeling your napkin is about to earn its keep.

1. The Busy Bee

Twelve hours is a long time to wait for anything, but this chicken spends half a day soaking up its marinade. After that, it gets a light breading and a swim in peanut oil until the outside turns crisp and golden.

The Busy Bee has been feeding Atlanta since 1947, and its story goes far beyond lunch. The restaurant served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Fittingly, the cafe sits right on the street that now carries his name. That connection turns a simple lunch here into a small history lesson.

National food circles have noticed too. The cafe earned a James Beard America’s Classics Award in 2022, plus Michelin Bib Gourmand honors in 2023 and 2024.

So how should you order? Go for a half chicken if you’re starving, a two-piece if you’re pacing yourself, or six wings if crunchy edges are your favorite part.

Sides matter just as much at a soul food counter like this one. Mac and cheese, collard greens, and candied yams round out the plate, and peach cobbler waits at the finish line.

Smothered pork chops and black-eyed peas also show up on the menu. Still, the chicken is the headliner here, and it knows it.

Keep an eye on the walls between bites. Autographed photos of famous guests hang around the room, so you might spot a familiar face or two.

The doors open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and takeout is available if you’d rather eat in the car. Expect a wait at busy times, especially Sunday afternoons, so a little patience goes a long way.

Address: 810 M.L.K. Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30314.

2. Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room

Strangers become tablemates fast when a platter of fried chicken is heading your way. At this Savannah lunch spot, you sit at big shared tables that seat about ten people, and the food gets passed around family-style.

Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room has been serving boardinghouse-style meals since 1943. The same family still runs it, which makes the whole meal feel like a Sunday dinner you got lucky enough to join.

Don’t bother hunting for a printed menu. The dishes change daily, and the bowls simply keep coming.

Fried chicken anchors the spread, and it earned a spot on Yelp’s 2025 list of the Top 50 Fried Chicken Spots in the country. Around it, you might see cornbread dressing, sweet potato souffle, black-eyed peas, collard greens, and red rice with sausage.

Butter beans, okra and tomatoes, and mac and cheese often join the party too. Pickled cucumbers add a tangy break when your plate gets a little too golden.

Now for the practical part. Lunch runs Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and reservations aren’t accepted.

That means lines often form along Jones Street before the doors open. Arrive early, bring comfortable shoes, and enjoy the pretty historic block while you wait.

Bring cash or a check, since cards aren’t part of the deal here. Street parking costs money and can be tricky to find, so plan a few extra minutes.

One more tip before you set your heart on a visit. The restaurant takes a winter break each year and usually reopens in mid-February, so check the calendar first.

Address: 107 W Jones St, Savannah, GA 31401.

3. Mary Mac’s Tea Room

Don’t let the words tea room trick you into expecting dainty sandwiches. This Atlanta institution has been dishing out hearty Southern comfort food since the 1940s, and fried chicken sits right at the center of it.

Mary Mac’s Tea Room dates to 1945 and still draws a mix of locals and tourists along Ponce De Leon Avenue. The dining rooms have a homey, old-fashioned charm that matches the food.

Here’s a fun quirk to know before you sit down. The tea room uses its own unique ordering style, so don’t be shy about asking your server how it works.

Once you’ve figured it out, the fried chicken is the obvious starting point. Portions are generous, so you may want to plan on a to-go box.

The supporting cast deserves attention too. Cornbread dressing with gravy, sweet potato souffle, and tomato pie all make strong cases for a spot on your plate.

Craving something other than a drumstick? Chicken and dumplings and chicken pot pie keep the poultry theme going in a softer, saucier way.

Save room for dessert if you can manage it. Banana pudding and Georgia peach cobbler are tough to turn down, especially with a tall glass of iced tea.

The kitchen serves lunch and dinner daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Weekends get busiest, especially Sunday afternoons and evenings.

Good news for planners is that reservations are accepted. A private dining room is available too, which makes this a handy pick for a family celebration or a big group lunch.

Address: 224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308.

4. Buckner’s Family Restaurant

Any restaurant on a road called Bucksnort already has a head start on charm. Then you sit down and discover the food spins toward you on a giant lazy Susan.

Buckner’s Family Restaurant in Jackson serves its meals family-style, with bowls loaded onto a rotating tray in the middle of the table. Give it a gentle turn, grab what you want, and pass the fun along.

The numbers here are wild. The kitchen goes through roughly 100 tons of chicken breast a year, and the signature chicken is made fresh daily.

Around that golden centerpiece, the spread changes from day to day. You might see BBQ pulled pork, collard greens, coleslaw, black-eyed peas, green beans, creamed corn, and sweet potato souffle.

Soft rolls help with any leftover juices on your plate. For dessert, peach cobbler and blackberry cobbler make a sweet case for one more helping.

This is a third-generation family business, and the whole family pitches in. Gospel music often plays in the background, adding to the down-home feel.

Timing matters, since Buckner’s only opens Thursday through Sunday. Doors open at 11 a.m., and closing times shift a bit depending on the day.

Sunday afternoons are the busiest stretch, and reservations aren’t accepted. Thursday or Saturday mornings tend to be calmer if you want to skip a longer wait.

Short on time? To-go plates come in several sizes, from a Snack Pack to a Deluxe Combo Plate, and fried chicken is available a la carte for anyone who just wants the bird.

Address: 1168 Bucksnort Rd, Jackson, GA 30233.

5. The Smith House Historic Inn and Restaurant

Gold first brought crowds to Dahlonega, and fried chicken keeps them coming back. This mountain town was the site of one of America’s earliest major gold rushes, and its past still shows up in surprising places.

Take The Smith House Historic Inn and Restaurant, for example. The inn dates to 1899, and the property includes an actual gold mine shaft.

How many lunch spots can say that? It’s the kind of detail that makes a meal here feel like part history tour, part feast.

The dining room serves family-style Southern meals, with traditional fried chicken as the star of the table. Platters arrive to share, so this is a great choice when you’re traveling with a hungry crew.

Family-style dining also means less pressure to pick just one thing. You get to try a little of this and a little of that, then go back for whatever disappeared fastest.

Since it’s also an inn, you can turn lunch into an overnight trip. The rooms give you a reason to linger in the North Georgia mountains instead of rushing home.

Downtown Dahlonega sits right outside the door too. A walk around the historic square makes a smart plan after a big chicken dinner.

Check the hours before you go, because they shift through the week. The restaurant is closed Mondays and serves lunch only from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuesday through Thursday.

Weekend visitors get more flexibility. Friday and Saturday hours run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday service lasts from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Address: 84 S Chestatee St, Dahlonega, GA 30533.

6. Minnie’s Uptown Restaurant

Fancy plates are off the table at this Columbus lunch counter, and nobody seems to mind. The food comes on disposable plates with plastic forks, which keeps the focus right where it belongs.

Minnie’s Uptown Restaurant runs as a cafeteria, so you walk the line and point at what you want. It only serves lunch, which gives the whole operation a fast, focused rhythm.

Fried chicken is the headliner, but the competition is real. Fried catfish, pork chops, baked chicken, and meatloaf all fight for your attention.

Picking a meat is the easy part. Then you choose your sides, and that’s where the delicious stress begins.

Mac and cheese, turnip greens, black-eyed peas, okra, and rice with gravy are all in the mix. Cornbread dressing shows up too, along with a biscuit or cornbread to finish off the plate.

Portions run large, so arrive with a real appetite. A light breakfast is probably the smart move on Minnie’s day.

Somehow, the dessert case still calls your name. Red velvet cake, yellow cake with chocolate frosting, brownies, and banana pudding make walking past it nearly impossible.

The restaurant sits in Uptown Columbus, the city’s historic downtown district along the Chattahoochee River. Parking spots can be tough to grab nearby, so give yourself a few extra minutes.

Hours are short, so timing is key. Minnie’s serves from 10:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays and Sundays, stays closed Saturdays, and sees its biggest crowds on Sunday afternoons.

Address: 104 8th St, Columbus, GA 31901.

7. The Colonnade

Paper place mats, a basket of rolls, and a plate of fried chicken make a pretty convincing time machine. Atlanta has changed a lot over the years, but this Cheshire Bridge Road favorite keeps things wonderfully old-school.

The Colonnade is known around town as a local institution. Its menu leans into classic Southern comfort food, with fried chicken and coleslaw leading the way.

Meals come with a house salad and rolls, so you won’t start on an empty stomach. Portions are hefty, which means that salad is more of a warm-up than a side.

Want to share a starter first? Fried green tomatoes topped with pimento cheese are a very Southern way to kick things off.

The menu goes well beyond chicken if someone at your table is feeling adventurous. Prime rib with horseradish, salmon croquettes with Dijon sauce, fried catfish, and French fried jumbo Gulf shrimp all make an appearance.

Bold eaters can also try the fried chicken livers with horseradish sauce. They’re a classic pick for anyone who loves old-fashioned Southern cooking.

The retro dining room adds to the charm, and a fireplace gives it extra character. It feels like the kind of spot where birthdays and anniversaries have been celebrated for decades.

Plan around the hours, since weekday service starts at 4 p.m. Saturday runs from noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday goes from noon to 8 p.m.

Reservations aren’t accepted, and weekend evenings get busy. A free parking lot helps, so arriving a little early is your best strategy.

Address: 1879 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324.

8. Sisters of the New South

Savannah tourists usually stick to the squares downtown, but some of the city’s best soul food lives out on Skidaway Road. That’s where you’ll find this laid-back spot serving homestyle Southern cooking from scratch.

Sisters of the New South keeps things simple and generous. The menu runs on a classic meat-and-three setup, so you choose a main and pile on hot sides.

For this list, the seasoned fried chicken platters are the obvious move. Then the real decision begins, because the sides are just as tempting.

Mac and cheese is a natural partner for crispy chicken. Okra and tomatoes bring a classic Lowcountry touch that feels right at home in coastal Georgia.

Not in a chicken mood today? Smothered pork chops and fish and shrimp plates give you plenty of other paths to a full stomach.

Curious diners should also look for the soul rolls. They’re a fun, less expected item on a menu packed with comfort-food classics.

Dessert is a big deal here, and the cakes get plenty of attention. Banana pudding and sweet potato pie are also there to tempt you into one more bite.

The kitchen is open seven days a week, which makes planning easy. Afternoons and Friday evenings tend to be busiest, while mornings are usually calmer.

Getting your food is flexible too. Dine in, sit outside, grab curbside pickup, or order delivery, and free parking makes a quick stop painless.

Reservations are not accepted. That’s a nice bonus when the whole family wants a share of that fried chicken.

Address: 2605 Skidaway Rd, Savannah, GA 31404.