Yelp votes Greenville fried chicken joint best in SC. Here's what reviewers had to say
Looking forward to gobbling down on a bucket of juicy fried chicken tonight? If you live in South Carolina, you have many options, although the answer to whose chicken is the best in the state might depend on who you ask.
On Monday, July 1, Yelp crowned a Greenville restaurant the best place to eat fried chicken in South Carolina.
Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, located on 420 Laurens Road, received numerous five-star reviews by the platform's Elite users, who said they would visit again, urging others who haven't to follow suit.
Why are fans raving about Rocky's and what's on the menu? Here's what to know.
Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack was inspired by Nashville
Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack takes pride in being one of Carolina's locally owned, independent restaurants, according to their website. Inspired by "Nashville style" hot chicken and southern soul food, the restaurant prepares its chicken to order. Chicken flavoring starts from scratch, with spice gradually added from mild to extra hot, depending on the customer's palate. Customers will be glad to know that the chickens served are naturally raised. Quality, local ingredients are also sourced.
There are three Rocky's restaurants in the Carolinas, one in Arden, N.C., and the other in Asheville, N.C., so please make sure to check which location you are ordering from before placing an order. It should also be mentioned that Yelp is not the first and surely will not be the last to write about Rocky's. Over the past few years, publications like Food & Wine, HuffPost, USA TODAY, and Southern Living have also noticed the restaurant, among others.
What's on the menu at Rocky's?
The menu at Rocky's starts with fried pickle chips, fried mac poppers, fried green tomatoes, and fried coconut shrimp. Chicken breasts, legs, thighs, tenders, and wings are available to order, topped off with a pickle and served with two slices of white bread on the side. Over on the green side, there are various salads to choose from, like your classic chef salad and garden salad. Fans of Chicken Salad Chick should try ordering the chicken salad salad, made up of a lettuce mix, sliced tomatoes, onions, crispy red cabbage, shredded carrots, and a scoop of creamy, shredded chicken.
What are fans saying about Rocky's?
Rocky's commitment to quality in food service and decent pricing are two reasons why Yelp users keep coming back for more. But what customers truly can't get enough of is the hot chicken, which was repeatedly described as "amazing." One Elite user wrote the following about the restaurant who also praised the chicken pot pie:
"I love this place! The food's amazing, the people are always helpful, it has a good vibe. But the main star is the food. I've had a couple different chicken sandwiches and the pot pie and all have been delicious. Even my super picky husband really likes it. It will be a regular place when we go out to eat."
Rocky's also sounds like the type of place you want to bring the whole family to. Elite users have expressed their appreciation for the restaurant's large outdoor patio, with some sharing memories of dining while watching the sunset:
"It was so pleasant sitting outside in the crisp fall air, with the last bit of sun before sunset and under the outdoor heaters!"
Yelp's 2024 best fried chicken restaurants in the South
∎ Eugene's Hot Chicken, Birmingham, Alabama
∎ Chicken Fire, Orlando, Florida
∎ Rock's Chicken & Fries, Atlanta, Georgia
∎ Royals Hot Chicken, Louisville, Kentucky
∎ Chicken's Kitchen, Gretna, Louisiana
∎ Faye's Kitchen, Moss Point, Mississippi
∎ Slappy's Chicken, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
∎ Rocky's Hot Chicken Shack, Greenville, South Carolina
∎ Mama's Chicken Kitchen, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
∎ Streets Fine Chicken, Dallas, Texas
∎ Wooboi Hot Chicken, Herndon, Virginia
Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at ntran@gannett.com.