#harold's

The lighting and posture makes it looks like they've found El Dorado or the Ark of the Covenant in Reading, Pennsylvania

"Harold's [FatVonFree Remix] (fender bass, guitars, & organ by Leory Freeman Jr.))” by Freddie Gibbs    

The siren call of a new washing machine

After a busy workday on July 7th 2020, I was feeling too beat to cook dinner, so we made a takeout run. Harold’s Fried Chicken happened to be having a pop-up nearby; we really enjoyed when we first had it at Taste of Chicago almost exactly three years before.

Just like we remembered, the fried chicken was amazing! We ordered some dark meat, and both the leg and the thigh were SO juicy and tender. For someone who seldom deviates from Honey Butter Fried Chicken, I was pleased to be so pleased.

We had similarly high hopes for the chicken tenders, but unfortunately I thought they were pretty dry and far less appetizing overall. I also didn’t find myself loving the fries, which I tend to like a little more crispy. 

Luckily for us, there was plenty more delicious food to be had. I am a sucker for fried okra, and Harold’s manages to make this deep-fried delicacy actually taste...delicate! That must be some kind of spot-on dredge. 

And lastly, we rounded out the meal with some vegetables...drenched in mayo! I love coleslaw with fried chicken, and this did not disappoint. The coleslaw was finely chopped, quite wet, and nice and sweet, just like I like it. 

The story goes that the founder of Harold’s Fried Chicken, Harold Pierce, started the restaurant because other fried chicken restaurants avoided setting up shop in the Black neighborhoods in Chicago. Over 60 years later, this city has been blessed with multiple Harold’s locations, and it still stands up against more modern takes on fried chicken. If you are looking for amazing, traditional, southern-style fried chicken and a Black-owned business to support, you will love Harold’s.