With summer winding down and probably not too many nice weekends left in Chicago to sit outside and eat, we made our yearly pilgrimage to Honey Butter Fried Chicken in Avondale.
Ok, “yearly” is doing some heavy lifting there. We haven’t gone the last couple of years, but before that we went every year… well, for like three years in a row or something, I don’t know. My wife loves sitting on their patio in the summer with a pile of fried chicken, so I’m not going to complain. And now that our son has become a huge fan of fried chicken and chicken wings, it felt like the perfect excuse to get back.
Honey Butter Fried Chicken at a Glance
- Where: 3361 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 (Avondale)
- Price: $$ (sandwiches $13.50 to $15, 4 piece chicken $23, kids meal $9)
- Vibe: Counter service, big patio with umbrellas and a covered spot by the back door
- Order: Honey Butter sandwich, the 4 piece with corn muffins, Strips Kids Meal
- Skip: The regular french fries
- Good for: Families, summer patio days, anyone who thinks butter should be a food group
A Little Honey Butter History
Honey Butter Fried Chicken comes from chefs Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp, who met in culinary school at Kendall College and ran an underground supper club called Sunday Dinner Club for years before opening this place on Elston in the fall of 2013. The whole idea was fried chicken done right: antibiotic free, cage free, humanely raised chicken, plus those corn muffins and a tub of whipped honey butter. They’ve been pretty vocal about paying their staff well, too, which is nice to know when you’re handing over your credit card.
I thought there used to be a bunch of Honey Butter locations around town, and I wasn’t totally making that up. They opened one in Glencoe in early 2024, and it closed about ten months later. These days the Elston spot is the one and only full Honey Butter restaurant, with a stand at the United Center and a seasonal Honey Butter Beach Club spinoff on Clybourn. If you want the real thing with a patio, Elston is it. If you want to see how our first visit went back in the day, here’s our original Honey Butter Fried Chicken review from 2019.
The Restaurant and That Patio
Inside is a decent size, especially for a place that isn’t a typical sit down restaurant with servers and all that. You order at the register when you walk in, grab a number, find a seat, and the runners bring your food out to you. Nobody is taking orders at the table. It’s counter service, and it works fine.
The patio, though, is the reason we come here. It’s big, with a lot of seating options, bright yellow tables, and umbrellas at most of them for when the sun gets to be too much. There’s also a bit of an overhang right outside the back door, so if it starts raining you can still eat outside without your chicken getting soggy. We had an Uno deck going with the kids while we waited, which is about as relaxing as a Chicago Saturday gets.
In the past they’ve had some lounge chairs and a fire pit in the back corner, but that wasn’t there this time. I’m not sure if it’s gone for good or if it just wasn’t out yet. Maybe it comes back for fall. If anyone knows, tell me.
The Food
We were here for the fried chicken, and that’s it. The menu does have other stuff, like salads, a pimento mac ‘n cheese, schmaltz smashed potatoes with rosemary gravy, and brunch items on the weekends. But fried chicken was the mission, so that’s pretty much what we ordered, along with a couple of sides.
The Honey Butter Sandwich
I went with the Honey Butter sandwich ($13.50), which is about as simple as it gets: fried chicken breast strips on a bun with their signature honey butter melted over the top. You can swap in their Fire Butter if you want some heat, but why would you when honey butter exists?
I forgot how good this sandwich is. The chicken is fried perfectly, it’s juicy, the seasoning on the crust is excellent, and the honey butter is still absolutely incredible, sweet and salty and melting into every bite. This is what I came for, and this is why we’ll be back. You can’t go wrong with their fried chicken and honey butter. I’d reorder this without thinking twice.
My only complaint, as with everything these days, is the price. The sandwich by itself is $13.50. That’s no sides, no drink, no nothing. If you want fries or a side with it, the Sandwich Meal bumps you to $18.
The 4 Piece Meal
My wife and son split the 4 piece ($23), which comes with four pieces of chicken (a mix of drumsticks and boneless breasts and thighs), four corn muffins, and a cup of honey butter. The chicken came out dark golden and crunchy, and they devoured all four pieces while I got to “help” with the corn muffins.
The corn muffins are shaped like little honeycombs, and they are a must, especially with the honey butter spread on top. My only issue is the size. I just wish they were bigger! Easy recommend. If you want extras, the Muffin Pack gets you five corn muffins and honey butter for $7, and honestly, you should.
The Strips Kids Meal
My daughter went with the Strips Kids Meal ($9), which is all white meat chicken strips, fries or a mini side, a corn muffin, and your choice of honey butter or a dipping sauce. She went with ranch. It was a solid portion for a kid, and honestly this might have been the best deal of the day. The move here, if you’ve got little ones, is this meal. No question.
The French Fries
We also ordered a side of french fries ($6), and I’d probably skip these. I don’t know what’s going on with them. Maybe it’s the way they cut the potatoes, or something they do before they hit the fryer, but they’re almost like puffy fries, if that makes sense. It seemed like there was a light breading or coating around the fry itself.
They were light, not dense like a potato usually is. It was weird. Maybe it’s just me, and I prefer the more traditional french fries I’m used to. Someone let me know if I’m alone here, or if they do something to their fries on purpose. If your table is split on sides, skip the fries and go with extra corn muffins or the mac ‘n cheese instead.
Is Honey Butter Fried Chicken Worth It?
Overall, we love this place. We’ve been bringing the kids for years, they love the food and the patio, and most importantly, my wife loves it. Does it feel a bit on the expensive side for what it is? Yes. But will that stop me from thinking about that honey butter long after we’ve left? Of course not. I’m thinking about it right now.
I definitely recommend checking out Honey Butter Fried Chicken, especially on a nice day when you can grab a table on the patio. It’s some of the best fried chicken I’ve had, it’s juicy, it’s seasoned perfectly, and it’s topped with that delicious, delicious honey butter.
If you’re working your way through the city’s chicken spots, it belongs right up there with the places on our best fried chicken in the Chicago area, and it’s a fun contrast to the chicken and waffles at Parson’s Chicken and Fish. We’ll definitely be back.
AntiFoodie Rating: 8.5/10
Honey Butter Fried Chicken FAQ
Where is Honey Butter Fried Chicken in Chicago?
It’s at 3361 N. Elston Ave in Avondale. That’s the only full Honey Butter restaurant now, since the Glencoe location closed in 2024.
Does Honey Butter Fried Chicken have outdoor seating?
Yes, and it’s the best part. There’s a big patio with umbrellas at most tables and a covered area by the back door if it starts to rain.
Is Honey Butter Fried Chicken kid friendly?
Very. It’s counter service, the patio gives kids room to breathe, and the $9 Strips Kids Meal comes with fries and a corn muffin.
What should I order at Honey Butter Fried Chicken?
Get the Honey Butter sandwich or a piece meal, and don’t skip the corn muffins with honey butter. I’d pass on the regular french fries.
Do you need a reservation at Honey Butter Fried Chicken?
No. You order at the counter, grab a number, and find a seat, and the runners bring your food out to you.
