LOCO CHICKEN — Restaurant in Kyoto

Wow.

You may be thinking how silly it is to eat something that is not Japanese while in Japan, but you certainly won’t regret it once you’ve had some fried chicken from here! This spot was recommended to us by the owner of Cavalier (amazing cocktail bar nearby). This place is a no frills fried chicken joint. They’ve got fried chicken platters, sandwiches, tacos, and wraps with many customizable flavor options. I got the Kyoto Habanero Chicken Sandwich, but I’m sure any of their options would be stellar because the chicken is the real star of the show. The chicken was huge, tender, and juicy, with flavor permeating throughout from the overnight marination I’m sure. The batter is different from the normal country fried style so it’s not as crispy, but the flavor and chicken quality are top tier. The spice wasn’t too overwhelming either, just a nice light burn. This is now in my top 3 for fried chicken. I lived in Nashville for 4 years and since then, I’ve been looking for fried chicken that’s on par with Nashville fried chicken. You would think you’d be able to find it in the NYC area, where I live now, but nope! I’ve found the best fried chicken in the most unlikely places: Big Island, Hawaii and now here in Kyoto, Japan.

It’s a super small spot, but you can do takeout. When we got there at 11am on Thursday, it was empty. We got our sandwich in 5-10 mins and were on our way. They take credit card. Oh and BONUS, the sandwich only...

4.5-5 cozy chicken restaurant with Hawaiian vibes and really good food! I regret not having 2 stomachs. We got Texas bbq burger, garlic butter burger with fries and coke, and a matcha lemonade. The chicken was crispy, juicy, and tender. It was a little pink on the inside. I know a lot of people feel icky about pink chicken but chicken is cooked at 74 Celsius. Chicken can look pink but still be fully cooked and safe to eat so don’t worry! The garlic butter burger was so good, so I’d recommend that one! And the fries were like in-n-out fries but better. The matcha lemonade kind of tasted like yakult + lemonade + matcha. The Texas bbq burger had amazing bbq sauce but I think more pickles and lettuce to balance out the heaviness would be good. I also wish they filled up some of the sauces since some of the hot sauces at the table were completely empty. We spent a little less than 3000Y for 2 people. It was...

Absolutely the best food I've ever had in my life. Literally, no other food in my life has blown me away like this before. After my first bite, it took me a couple of seconds to come back to reality. Had to get multiple dishes (T-Rex Burger w/fries, tacos, and chicken bites). All were phenomenal. There is SO much flavor. Their food is indisputable and can not ever be replicated. I will travel the world again and again to get a taste of their chicken. The workers were phenomenal, too. Very respectful, kind, and everything good. There were only 4 seats inside the restaurant, but I don't have kids, so it doesn't matter to me. They do "to-go" as well. Again... this is the best food I've ever had. This place is a must for visiting Kyoto. I hope they expand someday (hopefully to Tokyo). This restaurant made me feel so good to be alive. Cannot wait...