Harold’s Chicken Shack

Chicago, United States

2.5

Open now

17 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 312-733-1401
Website:
myharoldschicken.com
Address:
1014 S Western Ave, Chicago, IL, 60612
b/t Taylor St & Fillmore St
Tri-Taylor
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
740 ftOakley & Taylor
0.8 miWestern Avenue
0.8 miIllinois Medical District
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch
Bike Parking
No
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
No
Attire
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Drive-Thru
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Chicago) 19:27 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Harold’s has been a Chicago South Side institution for many years and is known for its uniquely prepared chicken.

arold’s fried chicken is different from that served at other fast food chicken restaurants in two significant ways. The first is the cooking medium. Harold’s chicken is cooked in a mix of half beef tallow and half vegetable oil, while most other chains use only vegetable oil. This provides a taste that is more similar to the traditional home-​cooked fried chicken that was invented in the American South.

The second major difference between Harold’s chicken and most other restaurants is that at Harold’s, the chicken is not fried until it is ordered, while most chains fry their chicken in large batches and store it on warming racks until it is purchased.

Hope yo see you in one of our many locations.

History

Established in 1950.

Established in 1950 Harold Pierce (August 11, 1917 — March 8, 1988) was an African-​American entrepreneur who founded the successful Harold’s Chicken Shack restaurant chain in Chicago.

Pierce was born in Midway, Alabama and moved to Chicago in 1943 from Freemanville, Alabama to work as a chauffeur for Jack Stern, a furniture store owner. By 1950, he was running a small restaurant with his wife, Hilda, on 39th Street. The H & H specialized in chicken feet and dumplings. Pierce thought that he could adapt his recipe for fried chicken, and a friend, Gene Rosen, who ran a poultry shop nearby, offered him some chickens to experiment with. The resultant recipe caused Pierce to open Harold’s Chicken Shack at 47th and Greenwood in 1950.

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Nearby

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17 reviews of Harold’s Chicken Shack

No registration required
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
This location is for carry out only, not that you would want to sit and eat in here.
It looks like a whole in the wall but the food is great if you’re looking for some fried catfish, chicken, gizzards, or liver. Basically if you’re looking for something fried!
I had the catfish meal for lunch. It was warm and flaky but not too salty. Call to order ahead of time if you’re on a time crunch.
The young cashier was talking on her phone while taking my order then started a FaceTime conversation when she she was handing over my order. The cook was also on his phone while making my food which seems kind of gross. The staff and aesthetics of this location are extremely ghetto BUT they must be doing something right because I’d go back for the catfish!
Place rating: 3
Bellwood, IL
When I found out about this location being opened 5 minutes away from my job, I was happy but at the same time skeptical because all Harold’s Chicken are not the same. The Harold’s on 87th & Dan Ryan is the best.
I asked my co-​workers about this location. They said it was just «OK». One day I decided to give them a try. Anybody that knows me personally… I am a VERY PICKY eater! If I have 1 horrible experience, I won’t go to that restaurant ever again in life! Anyways, I ordered the 4 wing meal with the fries and drink. I placed the order over the phone because I didn’t want to wait. When I got there, it was a line. I had to wait a little while for my order. WHY call ahead if I STILL have to wait once I get there?! Maybe I didn’t have to wait if the cashier wasn’t talking on her phone while she was working! She was talking on her phone while she was packing the orders and on the register too! Who does that?! Cell phones carry germs! I want my food clean! Talking on the phone when you’re on the clock and supposed to be helping customers! I can’t even touch my phone when I’m on the clock at my job!
Ok…about the food. It’s pretty good. I would say second place. Hot, fresh, and delicious, but like I said, all Harold’s are not the same. I would definitely go back, but if I see that girl in her phone while she’s on the clock one more time, I’m going to say something!
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
I have tried several times to get food from this location to be rudely told they were completely out of all chicken… and then «everything». Harold’s chicken is good but not worth the rude treatment. I highly doubt they were completely out of everything. However if they do run out of food they should probably post a sign saying what they are out of. Staff during the night are rude and simply stated: jerks.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I’m SOOOOO GLAD this location is open. it’s close to our apt. the food has ALWAYS been great… NEVER a disappointment…
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
Take out only, looks like they just opened but I guess it’s been a while. Your choices are chicken wings, chicken livers, chicken gizzards, fried chicken… get it? But, for any place that has the audacity to offer one type of menu item, it better be good, and Harold’s Chicken held its own. The skin was crunchy and flavorful, and the chicken hot and tender. Takes a bit to be fresh-​fried to order, but a good lunch stop if you’re in the area.
Place rating: 4
Cupertino, CA
I loved their cat fish fillet dinner combo… I usually take out when I’m too tired on weekdays. Their hot sauces are good and they’re open late nights. I found the kitchen very clean compared to a few others I’ve visited.
Place rating: 2
Chicago, IL
2 stars only because the food was decent. I called in at 8:13, told my order would be ready in 15 minutes. I arrived at 8:23, paid for my order. Only to watch people order and get then get their food before me. My order was ready at 8:44. What’s the point of calling in at all? It wasn’t even crowded. Probably not crowded because of the customer service issues. The staff was polite enough, but evidently not organized. I was given a phone number for the manager Theresa. Asked for her business hours, none known, but they gave me her number. I will be calling Monday morning.
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
This is by far the WORST HAROLDS EVER!!! I don’t know about everybody else but fried chicken is meant to be crunchy. When I get my order my food is soggy as if it’s been sitting for a long time. But that’s the least of my problems, the customer service here Sucks! They always on the phone, snickering, and when they see you come in they never speak the wait for a while before they come up to u. Also they don’t wear hair nets can you say NASTY!!! IT’S BEYOND GHETTO. The problem is to many young females who are very immature this resturant will never get my service again. For great chicken go to J&J fish & chicken located on kedzie n chicago ave. Great fish n chicken n so fresh and the service great u get more for ur money unlike harolds.
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
This place has great food but the service is terrible. Girl at the register did not even say hello and was extremely rude, I will make the trip to another Harold’s due to the customer service. The owners really need to reconsider hiring someone who is friendly and has at least the common sense of not being so rude!
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
I work in the area near this Harolds and it is terrible. The customer service is the worst I’ve come across. The young lady working the cash register and answering the phone needs to be fired immediately. Her attitude is terrible. It is almost impossible to get someone on the phone to place a call in order. I only have 30 minutes for lunch and do not have time to walk, wait, and walk back to my job, so being able to phone in an order is very important.
The one time I visited this location, I tried to place a phone order, however, no one answered the phone. I decided to go ahead and walk over and there were several people comng in picking up phone orders. When the lady at the front was asked why the phone wasn’t being answered she became irritated and did not answer the question. So I had to wait the 10 – 15 for my food that I was trying to avoid.
The food is just OK. It’s Harold’s — nothing spectacular. It certainly is not worth over looking the piss poor customer service. I have no idea how this place stays in business with that miserable lady working the register.
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
This place is so pathetic. I called today to order a 2 piece wing dinner and the girl says I cant place a 2 piece order over the phone (Although I do it every tuesday, but ok)
When I get there, she asks what my order was, and I told her directly that I tried to place my order but u said I couldnt place a 2 piece over the phone. And she said, «well you cant» Thankfully, the manager/​owner (someone of high authority) was there and he corrected her and also included, «that if someone wanted to place an order for a small fry, you place the order»
Both of the girls there are ridiculously rude. I was actually paranoid to even eat my food because they are both caniving, ghetto, hood ratted little girls. Its so ridiculous that people dont understand that your customers pay YOUR wages. Without them, you have no business.
I will NEVER BE BACK TO THIS PLACE.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
Everyone is always saying how lucky we are to have a Harold’s come into our neighborhood, so I had to check it out. Yup– pretty awesome fried chicken. My mom likes gizzards, so we also got those too. Thumbs up for sure!
Place rating: 1
Costa Mesa, CA
Worst Harold’s location I’ve been to. I’ve been to three or four locations, and this is just the worst in terms of service and quality of food.
If you want tiny pieces of chicken, which is over fried and stale, and you want to wait about 20 mins for your order to be ready, even though there was nobody ahead of you, then go here. If you want good fried chicken, then go somewhere else. All they basically do is fry the chicken a bit, and put it in the refrigerator, and then when you order it, they take it out the freezer or whatever, fry it some more, and give it to you. WTF is that?
Place rating: 1
Chicago, IL
As a Southsider Harold’s is always a good quick meal. I was excited to see a new location near my house and that’s where the excitement ends. I go in 10 mins before close and turned away because I guess the crew wanted to enjoy their weekend early. How can you support a black business if the customer service is never any good? Harold’s is only about 3 months old and you are turning away customer’s already? I hope the owner reads this and realize his staff have lost a potential customer and any recommendations.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
Still love any Harolds. Although this one is new and I had put it up when it first started to show signs of opening, it finally did.
I think that the taste of Harold’s at this location will eventually catch up to the rest, but regardless, its awesome. There is no sitting area or in dining, just pick up and go. Which is good, considering there are less then 8 parking spaces in the parking area.
Snuggled between Subway Sandwiches and Jason’s Chinese Wok, gotta love it that some variety has finally made its way to Western and Taylor, I’ve waited long enough.
Now the taste of the gizzards and chicken. Not bad, not bad at all. I like my meal drenched with hot sauce not on the side, and I enjoy the fries they provide, but the bread I am really not into. At least it absorbs any oil that’s for sure, don’t get me wrong, I use to love carbs of bread, but enough with the chicken and gizzards in their drenched filled glory is enough to give you a heart attack, not literally but you get the point. Seriously, not a bad place, I just hope I don’t get hooked enough to come by everyday. I JUST MAY!
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
I have been waiting for this location to open for nearly 10 months. I eagerly awaited its arrival and was let down… slightly. My love for fried chicken may be too great to give this a less than «A-​OK» rating. The meals are cheap and affordable for the amount of food you receive. However…
The chicken wings were small. I got a bucket of 24 and I am hoping this was a one time instance. I came around lunch time, so that may have already been a factor playing against me. The chicken wings came with a spicy sauce that had a good amount of heat and taste. In fact, I still have some sitting in my fridge.
I also ordered the chicken gizzards. They were well made, and had a good consistency in them. I got them the only way they should come, with fries and hot sauce and ketchup drizzled over everything.
I will return with a new review after I get a ¼ chicken dinner to see what that will be like. I will also give them another shot at the chicken wings to make things right.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
Its open as of today and its delicious. More to come!