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.“

“Everything was amazing all around. The customer service was on point. One of the workers Kathy was on point, she checked up on us and she just was amazing. The food was great really spicy but that’s the experience we went for when we got the roulette. If I could give ten stars I would.“

“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.“

“First time ordering fried chicken from this place.
I ordered 24 pieces of the legs and thighs.
I wanted to order all legs. But unfortunately not possible.
The chicken tasted really good and crispy.
Though my family prefer the legs more, so ended with lots of thighs leftovers, but all the chicken legs were gone.
I wish they'd allow the option of just chicken legs like Popeyes. I'd come back more if there's that option.“

“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.“

“The Reaper chicken.
That's what I've been seeing on social media.
I got it. It was hot, but not as hot as everyone made it seem.
Don't get me wrong, it was delicious and very spicy. But it's not for the weak. 👍“

“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 🥰“

“I’m always the first customer in the morning, picking up breakfast for my two girls. They love the Sausage Burritos and Hash Browns! The food is always fresh, and the crew is so kind and welcoming, always smiling. Chick-fil-A makes our mornings brighter.“

“Great experience here! We love eating here when we come from out of town but I messed up ordering on the website and picked boneless instead of bone in on over half our wings but they fixed it without any issues!
Great service! Needless to say we will be more careful next time.
Great wings and food as always!“

“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“

“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!“

“Staff here are so nice and helpful! After soccer my son wanted quick food before his next game so we pre-ordered the food and ran in to grab it. Due to the busy time they were running a little behind but they saw him in his soccer game asked if he was going to a game and after him informing them he was in a hurry to the next game they rushed to get the order to him. The young redhead gentleman was especially nice and made my son feel cool with his compliments. Super awesome employees!“

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

“The best chicken sandwich, It was delicious. I would start on the mild side and work my way up because some of the flavors can be very spicy if you’re not prepared. Other than that, everything was delicious and I would definitely recommend this place as the best chicken sandwich in Victorville .“

“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“

“Hello, I just wanted to come here to express my feelings about my expierence in this chic fil A, I went through the drive-thru in this location yesterday and I had the best experience I have had in a drive-thru for a while, there was this gentleman working alone outside, his name was Abdul, he was very patient and polite with us taking a while to order, even though he was alone, he provided us with a great experience and great service, the order was 100% accurate and he helped me understand all about the rewards in the app, he's a very nice person and cares about the guest's feelings, from now on this is the location I will be headed to for drive-thru orders.

Thank you for your kindness.“

“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.“

“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.“

“Convenient location, wasn't as busy as the parking lot indicated, the atmosphere and service was wonderful. They were able to handle my special order with no pickles. Hot and fresh really friendly, cheerful staff. Grandkids love the peppermint milkshake and kids meal“

“Excellent and Authentic Korean Fried Chicken
The global phenomenon of Korean fried chicken has set an incredibly high bar for flavor and texture, and bb.q Chicken in Quail Hill consistently rises to the occasion, establishing itself as a fantastic local spot. For anyone seeking a high-quality and truly authentic experience, this is a benchmark for how it should be done. They have their cooking process absolutely dialed in, delivering on the promise of what makes this style of chicken so revered worldwide.
The magic is in the batter and the fry. The chicken achieves that signature, shatteringly crisp exterior that crackles with every single bite—a clear testament to a masterful cooking process. Yet, beneath that wonderfully light and airy crust, the chicken inside remains incredibly juicy and tender every time. It’s a brilliant textural contrast that they nail consistently, creating a final product that never feels heavy or greasy.
Choosing the Golden Original is like a litmus test for any great chicken spot, and here it passes with flying colors. It allows you to fully appreciate the clean flavor of the poultry and the expertly seasoned, delicate crust. However, venturing into their sauced varieties is where another level of fun begins. The Secret Sauce is a standout, offering a beautifully balanced sweet and spicy glaze that clings to every nook and cranny of the crispy batter without ever compromising its crunch. It’s sticky, addictive, and delicious. Pairing any order with their pickled radish is essential; the cool, tangy crunch provides the perfect counterpoint.
Overall, it's our delicious and reliable choice whenever we're craving top-notch Korean fried chicken. We're always happy with our meal here and would definitely recommend it to any enthusiast.“

“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!“