Harold's Chicken Shack No 2

This Harold's is the bomb!!! It is always cooked fresh, however you may have to wait forever but I don't mind when it's being made fresh. The chicken is really crispy and fresh.
You may have some locals standing out front at times which is my only down fall. The customer service isn't the greatest either, but hey this isn't a 5 star steakhouse so it doesn't bother me. It is definitely at bit pricey compared to other fried chicken joints but worth it.

Number2 is located in the up and coming Woodlawn neighborhood near the CTA Cottage Grove Green Line. The chicken is always cooked to order. With that said, I advise anyone to call ahead because your order will take about 15 minutes.

The wings are always delicious with the cole slaw and fries. I always order my wing with the mysterious mild sauce.

I must complain about customer service. A couple of days ago, I ordered my food and when I came to the glasss window, the guy who was at the register was staring at me like I interrumpted his work. If he is reading this, remember that customers are always the lifeline of the business.

There are two Harold's close to the U of C: 53rd and 64th and Cottage. I prefer 53rd. Let me tell you why.

While I do think that the chicken at this location is better - fresher, crispier, more saucy - and that it comes with a greater abundance of fries [53rd seems to have cut the fry allotment some time in early 2011] - it is substantially more expensive and only includes 1 (as opposed to 2) pieces of white bread. For my typical meal, the 1/2 dark with S&P hot and dark sauces, I pay somewhere under 5 at 53rd unless it's on special (Sun-Wed), in which case I pay 3.51. HOT DAMN! At the 64th-st. location, today, I dish out 7.17 for that same meal. Although I was not given a receipt, I think this cost reflected tax and extra-sauce fees, neither of which are extra at the 53rd st. Harold's. I didn't see any signs about specials, and while I was there,a woman came in and asked whether there was a lunch special and the answer was in the negative.

In addition to the other advantages, the crew at this Harold's seems more personable and sociable. At 53rd they're all business, probably because they have more of it. At 64th, the wait is longer, but that's not really a problem, because you can always call in to either location.

However, the other reason I prefer the 53rd location is because I feel unequivocally and consistently safe there. Walking down Cottage to the 64th location does not confer the same sense of security. Even during the day, it is a relatively more risky endeavor.

Note: Sam O. who also reviews the 53rd and 64th locations, disagrees with me and has the exactly opposite preferences. Without giving specific reasons, he claims that he "still wasn't very impressed" by the chicken at 53rd. Surprisingly, he writes, "By the way, this location [53rd] has the nerve to be more expensive than the other Harold's in the city! LOL."