Fry the Coop (Oak Lawn) — Restaurant in Worth Township

I had a desire for Fry The Coop this evening, but I got the unction around 8:45 pm ish. I live about 15-20 mins from the Oak Lawn location, so I rushed over. I arrived in time to place my order at 9:05 pm ( as per my receipt ). I ordered the Nashville Fried Chicken Sandwich with Mild Flavor and Amer. Cheese. I also ordered House Fries and a waffle, with maple syrup and spicy butter.

Emma, the young lady that took my order was patient and helpful when I asked her to help me find a heat level that wasn't too hot. The mild flavor was selected from her kind suggestions.

Anyway, I didn't wait long after ordering. Less than 10 mins, and the order was called.

I got the food and partook of it in the car. What took place thereafter is the cause for this very long review. The meal that was prepared tonight was delectable.

I have placed about 2 orders from this location before. What I experienced this day was nothing like the others.

The chicken sandwich was fried perfectly crispy with just the right about of applied mild seasoning. One bite into this sandwich and I instantly knew the joy the original owners of this franchise had when they crafted these flavor profiles for this sandwich.

The bun was perfectly toasted. The slaw -just enough, tho I could have had one dollop more. The sweet pickles were crisp and a wonderful complement to the symphony of flavors. The sauce, that tied the sandwich together was equally delicious.

My waffle was just as tasty. The steam was still lifting from its crusty exterior, when I applied the spicy butter to it and the warm syrup helped to maintain the warmth of the waffle between each bite. It was buttermilk-y perfection.

I finished the meal in awe of just how well the meal was prepared and even still, so close to closing. I enjoyed my meal so much so that I felt compelled to call the restaurant to let the cook know how well he/she did.

The time was around 9:45 pm, ish and I knew it would be a stretch, but I had to let the wonderful human who prepared my meal, know how much I appreciated their efforts.

I called once, I called twice, said a prayer, and called one last time. To my delight, someone picked up. Praise God!

Joel picked up and to him I RAVED about how much I enjoyed my dinner. I told him everything I stated here and asked him to relay my sentiments to his team.

I told him to tell the cook, "He put his foot in this meal" a colloquialism that is commonly said from my culture, when someone cooks anything well.

Joel laughed, thanked me and said he'd return the praise to his team.

I had to not only verbally state my gratitude to Joel, but I also wanted to express it here.

Great job team! Y'alled killed order #268 on 5/29/24 @ 9:05 pm. Thanks for providing such great service this day and so close to closing.

God Bless you all. Happy cooking! and, Keep up the great work...

The food quality at this establishment has plummeted over the past few years. Prior to their expansion across the Chicago suburbs, Fry the Coop provided an authentic taste of Nashville in an area that crucially needed a palate revision. I remember when it just opened and the food was amazing, the atmosphere was bright, lively, and had kind staff. However, fast forward to present day, Fry the Coop feels hollow. The staff is somewhat abrasive, and the food quality is utterly atrocious and approaching stale.

I’ve given Fry the Coop multiple opportunities to redeem themselves, thinking that the abysmal food was just a fluke. However, after 3 successive lackadaisical orders I have given up hope on this once remarkable establishment. The food no longer exudes the care and love that once permeated throughout each bite. Better establishments exist nearby, that will actually tease and pleasure your tastebuds with excitement.

The constant downgrades in food quality and the decision to continually use inferior ingredients is an indicator of the exploitative practices used to cash in on the “Hot Chicken” hype of the mid to late 2010’s.

Instead of lining this dilapidated Coop with your hard earned cash, save your money to contribute to a finer establishment that emphasizes the customer and their experience over their own bottom line, an establishment that genuinely contributes and enhances the community that you live in. For now, Fry the Coop shall remain a wonderful memory of bygone days, but I hope one day it will regain its former luster and become a hub of delicious food and culture once...

This was my first visit to Fry the Coop after hearing great things about it for months! As far as taste is concerned, I was not disappointed. I'm always looking for a great Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, as that's become a favorite of mine the last two years. This sandwich was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, with absolutely great flavor! I also enjoyed the seasoned fries and the mac and cheese, both of which were delicious. I definitely recommend the seasoned fries over the regular fries, including ordering the cheese fries. Order the regular seasoned fries with a side of cheese sauce.. which brings me to one of the reasons this review did not get a 5th star.

The order I placed included multiple sandwiches and sides for four people. There was no marking or labeling on any of the sandwiches for me to know which sandwich was which. I ordered a Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with Medium hot, but there were also two of the same sandwiches with Mild heat ordered, and a Spicy Butter Fried Chicken Sandwich. I don't think the sandwich I ended up with was Medium heat, which was unfortunate. We also ordered cheese fries and an extra cup of the spicy butter, but didn't receive the cheese cup or the spicy butter, which was disappointing. Alas, I know how busy they were as well as the fact that we're dealing with some crazy circumstances with the quarantine.

I look forward to going back and trying more variations in the Nashville Hot Chicken, as well as the Chicken...