We Ranked The Best Fried Chicken In Ohio And These 7 Spots Made The List
One Ohio fried chicken dinner comes with a side called hot sauce, and it isn’t a sauce at all. It’s a rice and tomato dish spiked with hot peppers.
I love that detail so much.
That quirky side traces back to Serbian family recipes from the 1930s. Ohio fried chicken has more surprises than that, too.
Think Amish buffets, a diner with over 20 kinds of pie, and Korean chicken served with pickled radish.
I went looking for the spots that make families plan a drive around dinner. The list stretches from Lake Erie country down to the Cincinnati suburbs.
Some places feel like Grandma’s Sunday table, while others feel brand new.
Each one earned its place for a different reason. So which crispy, crunchy, gravy-ready stop sits closest to your house?
1. Belgrade Gardens
Few restaurants can claim they helped give a whole city a nickname. Barberton is often called the Fried Chicken Capital of the World, and this farmhouse restaurant has been frying since 1933.
The style here is Serbian, built from Old World family recipes. The chicken is cooked in lard, which gives it a flavor you won’t mistake for a drive-thru bucket.
Then come the classic Barberton sides. You get vinegar-based coleslaw, crisp fries, and that famous hot sauce made with rice, tomatoes, and hot peppers.
Families have easy choices here. A kids’ menu and high chairs make it simple to bring the little ones, and the parking lot usually has plenty of room.
Want to feed a crowd? The menu even lists a 24-leg order with large fries, plus dumplings and cutlets for anyone who wanders off-script.
Plan around the schedule, since it’s closed Mondays. Hours can shift, and Sunday afternoons tend to be the busiest stretch of the week.
Barberton sits just southwest of Akron, so it’s an easy trip for Northeast Ohio families. Dinner and a slice of local history in one stop is a pretty good deal.
Address: 401 E State St, Barberton, OH 44203
2. Soho Chicken + Whiskey
Southern cooking found a happy home on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. Here, fried chicken gets a modern twist without losing its crunch.
The menu leans into Southern comfort with real personality. You’ll spot fried chicken with macaroni and greens, shrimp and grits, and fried green tomatoes.
Don’t skip the biscuits. They’re homemade and arrive with appleberry jam and herb butter, which sounds like breakfast and dessert holding hands.
Speaking of breakfast, Sunday brings a brunch window from late morning to early afternoon. Chicken and waffles show up then, and that’s a combo kids rarely argue about.
Dinner runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings, and the restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday. Reservations are recommended, especially for brunch and weekend dinners.
The room skews more grown-up and trendy than some spots on this list. Older kids who like trying new flavors will probably have a blast, though.
Street parking lines the area, and outdoor seating is available when Ohio weather cooperates. It’s a fun pairing with a stroll around the West Side Market neighborhood.
Address: 4211 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113
3. The Eagle Short North
Spoonbread might be the most fun word on any menu in Columbus. It’s a soft, skillet-style cornbread, and it sits right beside the fried chicken in the Short North.
The chicken comes in sizes from a quarter bird up to a whole chicken. A drizzle of spicy honey adds a sweet kick that keeps you reaching for one more piece.
Biscuits arrive with blackberry jam and honey butter. Mac and cheese, collards, and horseradish mashed potatoes round out a seriously Southern spread.
Got a big family? There’s a fried chicken night option that feeds four to six people, which makes ordering a lot less chaotic.
Parents will appreciate the practical stuff. You’ll find a kids’ menu, high chairs, and changing tables, so the diaper bag crowd is covered.
Hours run from lunch into late evening, seven days a week. That flexibility helps when a day at nearby attractions runs long.
Parking along High Street can be tricky, so a paid garage may be your best bet. Saturday evenings get busiest, so a weekday lunch could be smoother.
Address: 790 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215
4. Ron’s Roost
German potato salad next to fried chicken is about as Cincinnati as a plate can get. This west side restaurant on Race Road serves exactly that combo.
The fried chicken comes in big pieces, and portions lean generous. You’ll also find BBQ, ribs, and prime rib if someone in your crew wants a change.
The sides carry real local flavor. German hot bacon slaw, chicken livers, and mock turtle soup give the menu a deep Queen City accent.
Picky eaters have room to breathe here. There’s a kids’ menu, high chairs, and a salad bar for anyone who wants to build their own plate.
A fireplace adds a homey touch on chilly Ohio evenings. The dining room is spacious, which helps when you’re wrangling a big family group.
It’s open seven days a week, from lunch through early evening. Friday and Saturday nights tend to be the busiest, so lunch is a smart move.
The free lot usually has plenty of spaces. That alone can save a parent’s sanity after a long drive across town.
Address: 3853 Race Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45211
5. Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen | Amish
Broasted chicken and fried chicken on the same buffet line? In Holmes County, that’s just a normal Tuesday at this Amish country restaurant.
The hot food bar is the main event here. Alongside the chicken, you might find pot roast, meatloaf, pork spareribs, fish, stuffing, and mashed potatoes.
The buffet schedule varies, and daily specials rotate. A quick check before you go helps you plan which day fits your crew.
Save room, because the pie list is long. Coconut cream, peach, pumpkin, and pie a la mode all show up on the menu.
Families get plenty of support with a kids’ menu, high chairs, and changing tables. The salad bar gives veggie fans something fresh to pile on.
Reservations aren’t accepted, and there’s usually a wait. Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than Friday and Saturday afternoons.
It’s closed on Sundays, which is common in Amish Country. Mt.
Hope sits on State Route 241, making it an easy add to a Holmes County day trip from Canton or Akron.
Address: 8101 OH-241, Mt Hope, OH 44660
6. Schmucker’s Restaurant
More than 20 kinds of pie is a strong argument for eating your chicken quickly. This Toledo diner with yellow brick walls is famous for its pie case and serves fried chicken too.
The chicken arrives crispy outside and moist inside, the way diner chicken should. Pork chops, chicken and biscuits, and chicken tenders sit nearby on the menu.
A full-course option can include a slice of pie. Chocolate peanut butter and cherry are two flavors that show up on the lineup.
Here’s the twist: this is a breakfast and lunch spot. Doors open early in the morning and close mid-afternoon, so dinner plans won’t work.
Pancakes and biscuits with sausage gravy make an early stop tempting. Kids can order from their own menu, and high chairs are available.
The setting is small and casual, with a classic diner feel. No reservations are taken, so expect to wait during the late morning rush.
It’s closed Sundays, and parking is usually easy. Reynolds Road sits close to I-475 on Toledo’s west side.
Address: 2103 N Reynolds Rd, Toledo, OH 43615
7. CM Chicken
Pickled radish might not be the first side you expect with fried chicken. At this Korean spot in Liberty Township, it’s the cool, tangy reset between crunchy bites.
Korean fried chicken is all about the shell. Here, it comes with crispy outer layers and generous coatings of sauce or seasoning.
Portions run large, so sharing is a smart family strategy. Start with the CM Fried Chicken Original if you’re new to the style.
The menu goes beyond chicken, too. Curly fries, coleslaw, fried dumplings, and Korean hot dogs give everyone something fun to try.
That variety makes it a great pick for adventurous kids and cautious ones. There’s a kids’ menu and high chairs for the youngest diners.
It’s closed Mondays and stays open into the evening the rest of the week. Friday and Saturday nights get busiest, and reservations are accepted.
Liberty Township sits in Butler County, an easy hop from Cincinnati or Dayton off I-75. With a free lot nearby, it’s a tasty way to wrap up our Ohio chicken tour.
Address: 7206 Towne Centre Dr, Liberty Township, OH 45069