27 Best Chicken Restaurants near Lake Forest

“Love this place there food is so clean and tasty. Best chicken spot I have been to. I have been to almost all of them from Dave’s to hotties to Breds. But this one by far is the tastiest and most juicy. If you like your chicken juicy and crispy this is the place to try. Try them out asap if you havnt yet.“

“El Pollo Norteno has some of the best mexican food I’ve ever had the pleasure of trying. Chicken is always juicy and flavorful. The burritos are exceptionally good, but my favorite menu item is definitely the torta de pollo. Staff is always kind and very helpful, and this location is always clean. Pro tip: get the chips and guac and the red salsa!“

“Food was great. Staff even greater.

Worth noting... building may be due for a full repipe... as a result the women's restroom is pretty heavily rusted.

Sitting on the toilet (admittedly as a broader broad) feels like you're waiting for suntea in granny's rocker on the porch. Needs a new flange and to be remounted at the minimum.

So as to avoid having to do it again sooner, rather than later, consider the repiping.

Of note the manager seemed like this is one of his biggest stressers... trying to get his bosses to agree to the job, while trying to still assuage customers who go through the experience.“

“The Chick-Fil-A in Foothill Ranch is excellent! The chicken nuggets, waffle fries, Mac and cheese, and fruit cups are always freshly prepared and absolutely delicious! My two toddler sons and I go to this location approximately twice a week, and every visit I am always impressed by how good the service is and how incredibly CLEAN everything is. My sons absolutely love coming here, because the food is so yummy and they love playing in the indoor playground. Additionally, the owner of the Chick-Fil-A is amazing! She is very kind, helpful, and generous with customers. She takes the time to talk with my toddler sons every visit and it is evident that she truly cares about providing guests with a great experience! This is literally the BEST Chick-Fil-A location, and I highly recommend checking it out!“

“Outstanding experience at Dave’s Hot Chicken. Logan delivered top tier service the moment I walked in. He greeted me right away and asked what I was in the mood for. He listened, then guided me to the exact combo that fit what I wanted today. No upsell. Just good advice.

The restaurant felt clean and organized. The music was on point and created a relaxed, upbeat atmosphere. Service was fast and smooth, exactly what you want from a quick service spot.

Logan set the tone for the entire visit. Great food, great energy, great execution. I will be back.“

“I usually don’t like writing reviews, but Austin at the Dave’s Hot Chicken drive-thru in Irvine really inspired me to write one. He was honestly one of the friendliest employees I’ve ever interacted with. His enthusiasm and kindness made the whole experience feel really positive. It’s rare to have someone be that genuinely nice and energetic, especially in a quick drive-thru interaction. Austin definitely deserves recognition for making my day better.“

“I know this is very late, but I still wanted to give a shout-out to Moe at Dizzy Bird.

I stopped by on Christmas Eve with my family and placed a big order. After I paid, I realized I forgot to order fries. Moe immediately took care of me and didn’t even want me to wait or go back in line to make another payment. He just grabbed them for me right away and got me taken care of.

He was genuinely kind and didn’t make it a hassle at all. I really wanted management to know how awesome and genuine he was. Also, every time I come here, the team behind the counter is always super friendly, kind, and welcoming. This isn’t my first time here, and the service is consistently great. Definitely one of my go-to spots.“

“As others have said, tastes great, but the value isn’t there with the tiny portions. Owners, Please take a look at your portions and cogs. At the current price point, I don’t understand why a healthy serving isn’t possible. Even the soup is only half the container… come on.“

“My brother recommended this place since him and his team from the office come here for lunch often and it definitely is the real deal! The loaded fries were perfect and the chicken sandwiches themselves are what I'd hope a crispy chicken sandwich would be, also the Texas toast is top notch, 5 stars for sure!“

“Randomly stopped here on my way to visit my family. Tried the wrap, it's a great portion, and it was so tasty for $7. The chicken tender in it was so crispy and there was actual meat not just breading. I didn't find the white meat dry at all. Tried the mash potatoes as a side and it was good. I will def come back here when I'm in town.“

“Got my food at the Newport Location. Much smaller location, a few tables, better for pick-up. Other than that, the food is wonderful! Got the Dave Bites w/ Fries. So flavorful! Dont even really need the sauce, but that's also tasty. Got the Oreo top Shake w/ Strawberry ice cream YUM!!! Thay might have to be a staple everytime i order lol“

“Food is really high quality and very generous!! crispy chicken always fresh and delicious! 🥰 very friendly and helpful staff! 🥰 the space is not wheelchair accessible really tight but they return it back for there friendly staff and quality of food. Highly recommend bbq chicken tustin 🥰“

“This is from a month ago. But I had a great experience at Chick-fil-A because of Danny. From the moment I arrived, he was friendly, respectful, and made me feel welcome right away. He was outside in the drive-thru. Even with everything happening, he stayed calm, professional, and efficient. He took my order quickly, got everything right, and kept the line moving smoothly. I was surprised from a kid that young working so well. I will for sure be coming back again.“

“I love this place. Good delicious wings, good fries and good beer. Sports on their big screens. I order on their simple website for pick-up and it is consistently good. I just eat a few wings (take the rest home) and drink a mango cart. All things considered, prices are reasonable.“

“I was just casually grocery shopping and couldn’t resist the smell of frying chicken, so naturally I ordered some—lol. It turned out to be such a pleasant surprise! I love that they offer so many different flavors to choose from. The chicken was perfectly crispy, incredibly juicy, and packed with flavor. The white dipping sauce was amazing. Highly recommend!

Update
I had to come back — this place seriously has the best fried chicken in town. I ordered three half chickens (onion, hot honey, and spicy garlic), and every single one had perfectly crispy batter. I also love that they give you two full packs of pickled radish.“

“Great service! We've been here before and like it a lot! We both got bowls with the purple rice and a side of the Korean street fries! The toppings in the bowl went so well with everything and is a good amount of food! Everything was so good and the rest of the menu with the kimchi burgers looks great! Will definitely be back to try everything on the menu“

“10 out of 10 completely. if you're looking for that chicken that just falls into pieces as you take a bite this is a spot to go to it is amazing and tender“

“Food is always good and yummy. Love their sweet tea and kids meals are the best.“

“This is one of our best and fav place. They are 5 stars in all areas. We visit very often.

Food (5/5) : Chick-fil-A spicy chicken sandwich is our all time favorite and The Best. No one can beat them!

Service (5/5) : I observed some management change in recent past and after that they have improved a lot in this area.

Drive through wait time (5/5) : Very fast. Great work.

Atmosphere (5/5) : highly cleaned inside and we have a fav high table (road side). The best.

Overall we enjoyed all our visits and repeat customer for Sure.

Appreciate the team for their great 👍 work“

“We had to wait about 5 minutes for our food but it was worth the wait! The chicken was really good! I've been to other locations where the chicken was terrible. So much so that this was the last time I was going to try KFC. But I will be back to this location only!“

“This location runs like a machine. The drive-thru looks chaotic at first glance, but they’ve got people outside taking orders, moving lines, and keeping everything efficient. You’ll think it’s a 20-minute wait and be out in five.

Food is exactly what you expect. Clean, consistent, and done right. Chicken sandwich is always solid, waffle fries hit, and the sauces carry more weight than people give them credit for.

As someone who works locally, I pay attention to operations, and this place is a case study. Clients ask me about places like this when they’re evaluating areas to live because it reflects how well-run a neighborhood is. Sounds small, but it matters.

Staff is polite, quick, and actually seems trained. That alone separates it from half the places out there.

You don’t go here for surprises. You go because it works every time.“

“This has became one of my go-to spots in Irvine when I’m craving popcorn chicken, and honestly it might be the best popcorn chicken in Irvine. The texture is perfect—super crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside—and the seasoning is really flavorful. It’s way better than typical fast-food fried chicken, which often has bland meat and thick batter. The batter here is light and crispy, and the chicken inside stays really juicy.
I also highly recommend the spicy chicken fillet, which is pretty unique compared to other fried chicken places nearby. The spice has great flavor and the chicken stays crispy and juicy. It’s one of those items that once you try it, you’ll want to order it again.
My coworker ordered the chicken sandwich and loved it too. She even said it was better than Chick-fil-A, which says a lot because she eats there all the time. According to her, the chicken was bigger, crispier, and tasted fresher.
Definitely one of the best fried chicken spots in Irvine.“

“Excellent service by the staff (Ben and Violet-so courteous and pleasant. Ben actually asked several guests if he could refill their drinks or get them anything.)

Super positive vibe here, food was good and the place was CLEAN“

“I ordered the spicy original and the soy garlic wings. The wings are fairly large (compared to Wingstop) so the 8 piece small is enough. Both flavors were really good with the spicy original being more like just a just a small kick than actually spicy.“

“Logic is missing those days. Young kid cuts me off in line. Turns out he is only applying for a job. So instead going ahead with customers she ask the manager regarding job openings... Let's see how the food is... Usually eat at in and out because over there the always made fresh when ordered. In the past here felt like sandwiches keept warm. Food was good. Service some senior girl didn't listen asked for no salt. Fries 🍟 still full of salt :-( Ohh told her for here but everything packed up to go. Look at how much we wasted for a small sandwich... No wonder we are the most wasteful C in the world. Staff need better training!“

“The fried chicken is on point. Good crunch, taste, everything right. The fries could be good, but they’re always soggy when doing take away. Soggy already at pick up. I really wish you would stop using closed boxes, trapping all the moisture. Instead use the same type of boxes as for the chicken, so the fries stay crunchy as well.“

“Five stars, every single time! This Chick-fil-A is the best. The food is always amazing, fresh, and exactly what you expect (and crave). The restaurant is immaculately clean, which matters so much when visiting with kids, and the kids’ area is fantastic (spacious, fun, and always spotless)

Jeanne is incredibly kind and welcoming every time we visit. She goes out of her way to make our experience great, especially when I’m there with my kids, and that level of warmth doesn’t go unnoticed. She genuinely makes us feel cared for, not rushed or stressed.

This is hands down one of our favorite places to eat as a family. Great food, a clean and kid-friendly environment, and exceptional service… thank you, Jeanne, and thank you Chick-fil-A!“