Harold’s Chicken

As a lover of fried chicken, I was super excited to learn of this place. I am also a huge fan of hole-​in-​the-​walls so was doubly excited when I pulled up. It can be tough to find but is located on Gammon across the parking lot from Woodman’s. It’s in a short strip of shops including a U.S. Cellular shop and India House both of which have much more prominent signs on the side facing Gammon.
We walked in planning on taking our food to go. There was one person in line ahead of us so we figured it would be no big deal. The guy working the counter was very friendly and explained that a second worker had called in sick so it might take longer than usual. We ended up waiting nearly an hour. I wanted to leave but my friend insisted we wait it out. The inside is a bit dingy and no one came in to eat their food there. We watched a lot of people come in and pick up orders long before ours was ready. Once we got our food the guy explained about how everything is made to order and, of course, orders-​phone or in person-​are made in the order they are taken. To slow things even further was the sick co-​worker situation leading the one guy to answer the phone (which seemed to be ringing non-​stop), take walk-​in orders, cook and ring people up.
The chicken, as promised, was excellent. The fries were nothing special. I’m not sure the chicken was worth the hour wait. If I come back, I’m definitely phoning my order in ahead of time.

I first had Harold’s on the south side of Chicago. Needless to say, I was thrilled to see one in Madison! The food is great, and the service is top notch to boot. The people crying about being called a fool need to get thicker skin. Obviously the byproduct of «Everyone gets a trophy». Check it out, you won’t be disappointed!

This place is totally worth a visit. You won’t be disappointed. Awesome chicken! You might even be able to catch a movie ;-)

In terms of the food, Harold’s really deserves 4 stars, but the unstable service quality definitely drags down the whole experience.
I usually get their fried chicken dinners or fish and wing dinners. The chicken is for the most part excellent. I’ve had a few times where it over a bit over done and dry, but most of the time, it’s fine. Their fish has a corn meal coating and it’s actually really delicious. Very light. The sauces are ok. The mild is like a sweeter sauce and the hot is a less buttery version of a buffalo sauce. I always get my sauce on the side, so my chicken doesn’t soak up the sauce and get all soggy. I once showed up to a potluck party with one of their wing buckets, I was definitely everyone’s favorite person that day.
On to the service part. So if you go in and order, it usually takes about 15 – 20 min since they fry upon order. I’m fine with that, I like my orders to be fresh. But like most people, I don’t always have the time to wait, so like most people, I try to speed things up and call in the order ahead of time. Uuummmm… yeah, about that… if you call to place an order it’s like a 50% chance no one would answer. This happens throughout the day/​evening. Also, even though there are no mid-​day closed hours posted, I have physically went there during off peak lunch hours, but still acceptable lunch hours (like 2pm), and the doors would be locked, but open sign on! Not sure if employees are playing hooky and boss doesn’t know, or they can just randomly shut down. Back to the calling in orders. So there’s a chance no one will answer, so you’re thinking, maybe they’re THAT busy… so once i went there, after unsuccessfully calling. I walk in and there was one other customer there. ONE! Yea maybe I just missed a huge frenzy blah blah… or maybe they really need to work on some serious employee training.

My experience with Harold’s Chicken Shack has been akin to the search for the holy grail, Monty Python version. As long as you don’t go out of your way, and know that it could be closed at any time of the day, you might possibly experience holy chicken heaven.
It felt weird seeing Chicago related paraphernalia on the walls, just because we’re in Wisconsin, and FIBs, and the Wisconsin Minnesota game was on. But true to legend, our ¼ dark order was crispy, juicy, and Matt W.‘s pro tip to use the white bread as an oven mitt was helpful. The mild sauce had a little tang and sweet, and the coleslaw was refreshing but on the sweeter side. Fries were crispy and well seasoned, and since we asked for sauce on the chicken and not on the side, the fries got a little helping of sauce too.
It helps if you shop regularly at the Woodman’s nearby — just swing by and see if anyone’s inside or if there are customers milling around. Seems like Saturday around dinner time worked for me. The neon Open sign and store hours mean nil.

After having my mind blown from trying Harold’s Chicken Shack for the first time in Chicago, I was severely disappointed when I came here. Granted, Harold’s seems to have started in Chicago, but I did not expect this much of a difference in taste for almost twice the cost. Specifically, they do not use Harold’s signature hot sauce, only normal hot sauce, and their chicken is much less flavorful and a little drier than in Chicago.

I had heard good things about Harold’s Chicken, and I was itching for some righteous fried chicken on this particular day. I stopped in around 2:00pm, lunch time for many people.
There were three guys sitting in back, perhaps eating lunch themselves. One man approached me and asked if he could help me, and I attempted to order some food.
He said to me, «I can’t do it, I have a meeting. I’m trying to open another restaurant.» Wow, what a joke. Why oh why would you open another restaurant if you can’t serve food at lunch time, with three guys sitting around? Isn’t selling food the general idea of a restaurant? Furthermore, why is your open sign lit and your door open if you’re about to leave and not serve anyone?
I would review the food as well, but seeing as how I didn’t receive any, this review will do until I’m proven otherwise.
Maybe I’ll try Harold’s again, if I’m in the mood for wasting some more time out of my day.

Not too bad! Just plan on waiting for the food… not in a bad way. They make the dinner to order so everything was fresh, hot and tasty. I will visit again when I am hungry for some great fried chicken. My only complaint was that they only had soda in a plastic bottle. No refills and poor choices. The service was above average and decently friendly.

Harold’s is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get…
A week earlier, Harold’s flakey operating hours foiled a lunch date between Miss Joyce and I. The sign on the door indicates Harold’s opens at 11 AM, but at 11:40AM, the door was locked and the lights were off. Just Harold’s being Harold’s, according to Miss Joyce.
Fast forward five days: I’m making a Woodman’s grocery run and see the lights on and customers filing through Harold’s door. Throwing caution to the wind, I dashed through the front door and thus began my maiden Harold’s experience.
The employee working the front counter greeted me and handed me a menu. It didn’t take much time for me to decide on the ½ chicken dinner special (2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 slices of white bread, cole slaw and fries for $ 6.99) with the hot sauce on the side. Because everything is made to order, I was told my food would be ready in 15 to 20 minutes. No problem, I sauntered over to Woodman’s and grabbed the handful of items on my shopping list. I returned 20 minutes later, grabbed a seat and after my lunch was delivered to my booth.
SWEET
BABY
JESUS!
When I looked down upon my newfound bounty, I realized I just entered fried chicken heaven.
The sides of the flimsy cardboard serving tray were bulging from the sheer mass of my order. No anorexic birds served at this chicken shack. My first attempt to tackle one of the drumsticks results in burned digits — confirming that this chicken was fresh from the fryer. No heat lamps… check.
Pro tip: the white bread served with the dinner order has amazing insulating properties — use it to protect yourself when making a move on the first piece of chicken.
The exterior boasted a crispy exterior shell that gave way with a loud crunch on every bite. I learned that Harold’s still uses ½ beef tallow /​½ vegetable oil in its fryers. The seasoning was spot on as well.
The interior was the juiciest chicken I’ve ever had. My server left a dozen napkins on the table for good reason — I had juice running down my hands and dripping down my chin.
Pro tip 2: Do not go to Harold’s on a first date or before a job interview.
I absolutely loved the tangy cole slaw. It had the right balance of sweet and sour elements and had a wonderful crunch. The only negative is the thimble-​esque serving size. More cole slaw please!
The fries were the weakest link of the meal — a little soggy but well seasoned.
Unlike the colorful encounters experienced by my fellow Unilocalers, my visit was uneventful. Nobody called me fool and the bootleg DVD guy was nowhere to be found. The server came by and cleared my table. On the way out, she politely reminded me that I could order ahead next time if I didn’t want to wait the 20 minutes. However, I was only paying partial attention. In my mind, I was already planning my return trip next Monday when the ½ chicken (dark meat) dinner is only $ 4.99.

First visit to Harold’s. The posted sign says 20 minutes, I think it was longer. My ½ Mix Chicken was very good even though it was somewhat over cooked. Maybe the fryer temp was too high because the white meat pieces were tasty and the dark meat pieces were delicious. The breast was full size not bisected like the white suit guy places. The sauce was very good, too.
Next time I’ll try the catfish as well as getting more chicken and a bottle of sauce. I’ll also phone my order in so it’ll be closer to ready.

I really enjoyed Joyce G’s review. It got me out of bed, off my can, and without Pre-​ordering, went there to experience the place. I can not recall a more honest, down-​to-​earth place to get freshly prepared, excellent chicken. If you expect fast-​food speeds, go get your hormone-​infused chicken at a national chain.
The people here are excellent! Not a chain! If you don’t have 15 minutes to wait for excellent chicken, please call in your order in advance. I am willing to invest in this establishment… based upon the quality of the food & the atmosphere.
The customers that came in while I waited for my order were acknowledged, and welcomed. The staff actually cared about their customers, and the quality of the meal. I opted to skip the wings included with my order, and they actually reduced my total bill to reflect this change.
Nowhere, will you find better chicken and staff honesty than at Harold’s!
Please realize that this is a small, owner-​operated establishment that will give you exactly what you desire… if you can give them a bit of time to prepare your meal, only after you place your order. Anybody that has been raised on chain-​food, will be excused for their impatience… at their loss.
PLEASE…call in your order… and enjoy a great chicken meal… in the store or to take-​out.
Rick Scollon

I tried going here at 7:30 on a Sunday. The open sign was on and the hours posted said they were open until 9. Too bad they were closed when I got there.

I don’t know what these other people are talking about but we absolutely LOVE Harold’s chicken it’s by far easy better then any fast food or other restaurant in the area the chicken is juicy and flavorful as well as the catfish we eat takeout from here at least once a week! Yes the restaurant may not be the most upbeat professional place but get over it if u want good fried chicken and fish ull go to Harold’s chicken! Will never eat KFC again!

I know its a chicken shack. I knew what to expect. But really? A couple was before us in line that had already ordered. We stood there for 5 – 10 minutes with not so much as an «I’ll be right with you» or «It will be 15 minutes.» If they had tried to communicate or even take our order and take a long time, I wouldn’t be writing this. After we walked out, «bootleg DVD guy,» as he so eloquently seems to be known, came outside after us and asked if we wanted to order anything. Nah, I’m good. I won’t hold my breath for Madison to get a decent chicken joint.
A week or so before this, we tried to place a to go order on the phone. No answer after a few calls. We decided to just go there. It was closed during normal business hours with no sign or phone message. Fool me once…

This chicken was delectable. As a Harold’s connoisseur from Chicago, I know my fried chicken. This Harold’s actually seasons their chicken, making for a splendid feast. I would want a tad more sauce, but more can simply be ordered. The manager is a great man who understands food.
I give this Harold’s 5 out of 5 clucks!

I was happy to find that this place doesn’t stray much from the great Chicago tradition of Harold’s Chicken. Want a fountain drink? You get a styrofoam coffee cup. Need napkins? Here’s a roll of toilet paper. Bread? We’ve got Wonder Bread. It all sounds lousy but it is part of Harold’s charm and I wouldn’t have it any other way. So quit bitching about Bootleg DVD guy. Buy a damn movie or let the man run his business.
There’s not much to say about the food that hasn’t already been said. The fried chicken is fresh, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Coleslaw is also some of the best around but be sure to get a larger order, since the standard side that comes with your chicken is about the size of a ketchup cup. Personally I like the wonder bread: wrap a piece around some chicken and dip it in the hot sauce — it really cuts through the spiciness and makes for a delicious chicken sandwich.
Yeah, the service is inconsistent but I’ve never had a problem there just dropping in, getting my chicken order and leaving. They’ve gotten all my large orders right. But then again I’ve never dined in, done anything to warrant getting called a fool, or tried some stupidity like trying to order right when the store opens or closes.

Let me start with:
4 stars on the chicken, hood mentality.
3 stars for the catfish, decent service when you get it and attempts to run a small business.
Chicken is seasoned well but cooked a bit longer than I prefer.
Catfish has no season but the meal does and it’s more authentic catfish than JJ’s
NO STARS for the CRAP INCONSISTENT SERVICE AND I SPECIFICALLY ENJOYED THE FACT THAT THEY ARE UNABASHFULLY MISTREATING EVERYONE.
Told ya~ I’m equitable.
My first visit: Chicago in Bronzeville. Rain came and I had to scurry away.
So no chicken. (Summer 2012)
Second attempt, Naperville. Place closed (Feb. 2012).
Third attempt, Good Olé’ Madison location. Got 3 wings & waited. Tried to dine in but it’s dark so I wrap things up and leave. Decent flavor. Didn’t know they took cards so I came prepared with cash as my Chicagoan friends trained me over the years (and this was finally my first purchase). Sweet kid took my order. Accepted it was my first visit which took him aback. Explained the menu to me and the «sauce» and «slaw.»
Got good service =)
4^th attempt: Read the Unilocal reviews, LAUGHED OUT LOUD (literally) and looked forward to returning. This time — the wings were dark at the joints showing bruising. No worries~ I’ll talk to the guy that appears to be the owner. BTW: I looked and listened out for the crying baby and the dude claling everybody «fool.» I eagerly patronize equal opportunists — it’s time for MADISON to have such a place. lol
At this visit, I’m taught to call ahead and no wait necesary.
5^th attempt: Remember that call ahead directive?!? The hell.
No answer after 3 attempts. No visit. 6^th attempt = store isn’t open. Wasted trip.
7^th attempt: Call, no answer for 2 separate calls so we’ll go over which we see they are open but chatting on the phone. So we left — no order.
At this point: I’m disappointed but not bothered. It’s what can be expected.
8^th: My word. This last visit accomplished with my own personal discipline could not do NOR Boot Camp. I’m done. Here’s the deal:
1) Inconsistent pricing. Man this burns my buns. Read the Diva review if you think I’m playing. The menu says one thing. The person ringing you up will say another. At the end, if the girl is ringing you’ll pay more $ 2.99 for one piece of catfish, $ 2.75 on other days with her and $ 2 with everyone else.
2) I’m okay with the baby at work. Gotta do what you gotta do. On a to go order that I called in 15minutes ahead & got the Wednesday special — took 45minutes.
3) She leaves and dude comes in. Rather than him taking new orders that came through the door — HE CHANGES CLOTHES TO GO SIT OUTSIDE IN THE RAIN. This was a serious down pour that Wednesday. Comes back in dripping.
4) 2 boys leave out with their order complaing about the wait and scared of the area
5) 2 men that ordered at the counter but not ahead of me get their food so of course mine must be ready — I called my order in. NOPE~
5b — No one thought it would be smart to cook all of our orders together.
6) The cook is on his cell. Upside his head — no bluetooth just jammering away
7) Wet owner comes back in bragging how he loves the rain and couldn’t resist.
8) BOOTLEG DVD man never offered to sell me anything. «Why won’t any bootlegger try to sell me anything? I’m black»
9) The latest customers to walk in are confused as heck. Wet owner walks by us all dripping.
10) My special is finally ready — I ask for the drink. He says they’re out of cups… DRIPPING EVERYWHERE still… then offers me a throw away cup about 4oz with no lid.
11) Girl with baby comes back and we discuss the price differences. What she said, what’s online and what he said. And how just last week I paid less.
12) She tells me the website is wrong. The prices shouldn’t even be up. I’m like I know y’all went up on the chicken prices but there’s no way $ 3 for a piece of catfish. I challenge him and he says to her, «Baby she’s right. I didn’t charge her that before.» My thought: Oh well for today. Keep it.
I had to laugh to myself, smirk to them — said thank you and left.
Initally, I thought my beauty shop folks were just being Chicago Hood and Proud when they said Harold’s is «falling off» (this means loosing statuture) but I guess they are right. That bad chicken made me leave the wings alone and try the ¼ white combo — only breasts which are fantabulous. But this last visit is just that.
ORDER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Like everyone else said, it is really good fried chicken. For like 8 bux you get 2 big breast pieces and 2 full wings bread and fries and a dash of coleslaw. The bag weighs a couple pounds when you get it.
Yes you have to wait, only because it is made fresh. The store needs a sign though and yes, it looks like a daycare, there was a baby behind the counter but its part of the experience I guess.
It looks like they have pretty good specials throughout the week though.

Delicious fried chicken! Great seasoning and not the least bit dry. The breast pieces were a good size. Definitely call ahead to put in your order. I called about 15 minutes in advance and it was ready when I got there. Also, they smother all their fried chicken with sauce so if you like your chicken crunchier then ask for the sauce on the side.
Like others mentioned the sides are a bit odd — a forkful of coleslaw, piece of wonderbread and some fries. I wouldn’t go back for the sides but the chicken was worth it!
I don’t think I would ever eat in the restaurant — rough atmosphere — but there are tables and a tv. Much more of a to-​go place. Certainly a family owned business which I like to support over the big chains.

The food here is great and the prices are reasonable. I ordered the ½ white meat chicken dinner. The chicken consisted of two sizeable breast cuts of chicken, well-​seasoned and bathed in just the right amount of sauce, and two wings, which were smaller but nonetheless delicious.
I dock it stars for what I consider horrible service. After ordering I sat around the restaurant, waiting for my chicken to be prepared. While I waited, a large gentleman with a case of bootleg DVDs waited in the front of the store for the entire time while I was there. I never saw him order and he never received any food. I have no idea what he was doing there.
After about five minutes of waiting I asked for a glass of water, The attendant behind the counter got me a class, but acted as if I had offended him by asking. Later when he removed an order from the back I asked him if it was my order and he said «No fool. This is mine.» I am not making this up.
A few moments later he walked out from the back with his order and tells me that I am spilling my water. I looked below me and did not see any spilled water. I checked by the fountain to see if I had spilled there. I hadn’t. I checked the shelf behind me and found that indeed there was no spilled water. I don’t know what the attendant was talking about, though I did get the strong impression that he was trying to intimidate me.
Finally, the wait for the chicken should have been 10 minutes. Mine was 20, and it wasn’t really that busy. I was in a hurry and this made me late.
So yeah, there’s some real solid food here, but I hope you don’t have to wait around for it while the staff tries to intimidate you.