Ezell's Famous Chicken

Their tasty fried chicken in either regular or spicy flavors are done just right. The side dishes are OK with the rolls being the best of the bunch. The parking lot can be a bit scary, but if you ignore everyone and look like you are on a mission (& you are!) you don't usually get bothered. If it's good enough for Oprah ... more

Terrific food and it's nice putting money into local economy. more

On par with sneaking in a fat goose liver on a low cholesterol diet - Ezell's Fried Chicken clogs the arteries, coats the tongue, and lightens the mood (but not the belly). The original crispy is just the right blend of salt, spice, crisp, fat, moist, finger-licking, crumb-inducing, bib-picking, exqusiteness. The spicy can be quite the bomb to the unsuspecting. But to the connoiseur of heat, it is just perfect. What needs improvement are their cole slaw and mashed potatoes. Perfect for the indulgent evening in front of the television with a cold brewski. more

Introduced to this chicken through our company catered luncheon, I've been hooked ever since! This is an old local establishment well known for their chicken. So good, it took me 45 minutes driving to MLK to Jefferson and 23rd to find it. They are across Jefferson High School. It was well worth it. Expect casual take-out foodfare. Don't forget the sweet potato pie. Yummm... more

Ezell spicy is great although you do need to watch out for times when the kids are coming across the street from the school- the lines are absolutely crazy then. more

Okay, I'll admit it. I try to stay away from all things fried, but if I'm going to indulge, Ezell's is a favorite. Their chicken is really great, and I love supporting them because their owners are so nice. The owner would drop by bags and bags of fried chicken to one of my past places of employment... it was a mad dash to get as much as you could! more

Even driven along 23rd Ave near Garfield High School and smelled the glorious odor of fried chicken? Ever wonder what the masses of people are doing standing at 23rd/Jefferson? Mmm, mmm chicken. That's what it is all about. Ezell's is by far the best fried chicken in Seattle. I lived 2 blocks from Ezell's for over 4 years and I can say that I ate their chicken about once a week and still would come back for more. I'm still not sick of the succulent, juicy, fried chicken-y goodness. After moving away I have to admit I miss the odor of chicken that envelopes the neighborhood in the late evening. Old school fans of Ezell's swear by the Spicy Strips, and I would agree. Get a side of hot sauce or ranch dressing and now you are talking TASTY. Order up some mashed potatoes, baked beans, and a Faygo soda and you will have the true Ezell's experience. But be forewarned, the spicy strips go fast. If you go at the end of the day, you may be out of luck. Some people may be sketched out by the location or ocassional mean muggin' by the local neighborhoodies. Don't be deterred from your quest to enjoy good chicken. It is all good in the 'hood and everybody loves Ezell's. I know what I am having for dinner TONIGHT! more

The main source of fried chicken for me growing up was KFC. Because of this, I never really craved fried chicken. Until now. I had heard a lot about Ezell's, but only recently got around to trying it out. Now, there is a good chance that Ezell's will contribute to my early demise. I really like the 'spicy' version. It isn't really all that spicy, but instead flavorful. I guess calling it 'flavorful' on the menu, might make the 'original' seem unappealing. Also, make sure you get an extra roll. I think it absorbs some of the grease, which may keep that heart attack at bay. There's no seating, so be prepared to get it to go, or eat it in your car. more

There is an Ezell's lingo that the girl who took my order let me in on...when ordering the crispy always ask for spicy because it sounds better (because crispy = spicy and original = original but both are actually crispy). The chicken was very tasty, didn't seem greasy, and was even good 2 hours later when it was cold. The sides were great (I had the coleslaw which was surprisingly good, the mashed potatoes and the sweet roll which is a must). I would recommend sticking with the spicy or the original because my friend got the chicken strips and they weren't as crispy as she wanted. The Ezell's on 23rd has a parking lot which is a plus but it can be hard to find a spot since they only do take-out and so everyone eats in their cars. more

This is the second time I've eaten Ezell's chicken and I was just as impressed as the first time. I ordered the original (vs. spicy) which still had some kick plus the mashed potatoes and sweet roll--all were delicious. The chicken was perfectly fried and the beautiful thing is that it doesn't even appear greasy. Ezell's is worth all the hype. more

While I think the chicken recipe is good it is a hit or a miss on whether or not you will get fresh hot fried chicken which is delicious or cold, dry fried chicken which is disappointing. I would perhaps sample the chicken or check it out in your car to make sure it's fresh or just ask them if it's hot. I am a total city girl and lived in the CD but the parking lot loiterers can be intimidating at times. It does not really bother me but I know it would bother some folks. more

I have been living in Seattle for 6 years, and I have always meant to go to Ezell's, but for some reason, never made it...and I really had no excuse living in Cap Hill. Anyway, long story short, got lunch there the other day and the service was quick, the price decent, and the food absolutely excellent. We got both the spicy and regular chicken, biscuits, and a couple sides. If you go there around lunchtime (during the week), there will be a ton of Garfield high students hanging around, but they were all polite, so it was no big deal. If you are looking for healthy food, don't go here, if you are looking for really tasty fried chicken in a to-go environment, this is definitely your place. more

Although their regular chicken is unremarkable, their spicy fried chicken is delicious. I would describe it as zesty rather than spicy, as it is not very hot. Whatever the case, the blend of spices in it is just delicious. Until Popeye's opened in Renton, this was probably the best take-out fried chicken in the Seattle area. The "biscuits" aren't really biscuits, but rather sweet bread baked in muffin tins, and they are scrumptious. I always orders extra biscuits when I visit Ezell's. There is no dining area; this is a take-out only eatery. Be mindful that this is in a neighborhood with high crime statistics; it doesn't bother me, but I don't think my mother would feel comfortable in this neighborhood by herself. more

Not liking Ezell's is almost unpatriotic. With Ezell's, it's not what's inside that counts, but rather what is on the outside. Whatever they use to fry their chicken has to be at least one part pure evil, otherwise it wouldn't taste so good. I especially like their crispy chicken. That combined with their rolls seem to round out an order quite nicely. more

If you want fried chicken, then you really shouldn't even consider anywhere except Ezell's. It is cheap, and it is the best. I believe that about covers it. more

My extensive experience with Ezell's - yes, we love it! - is that go during peak hours and get the best chicken around. If the chicken sits for a while, it gets dry and not so good. I raved about Ezell's to some Burien friends and they said a new Ezell's near them wasn't very good. So we went. They had racks and racks of fried chicken ready to sell at 11 am. We purchased some and it was dry. Ezell should know better! The wait for fresh chicken isn't that long. Buy it fresh and it's the best! Think I'll go get some now! more

I might be the only person in Seattle who doesn't love this chicken. I find it to be okay, but then fried food is generally pretty tasty, so how hard is that? The location can be dicey, but generally safe. I sampled some of their sides which were also okay, but not great. To me, nothing really stands out about the experience other than being slightly afraid walking to my car. more

The fried chicken here is so good, you'd swear wizards magicked it up. The meat is moist and juicy while the outside is crisp and and perfectly seasoned and it even stays crisp in the car ride on the way home. The biscuits taste homemade, like something your mother or grandmother whipped up. more

Ezell's has the best fried chicken, and their spicy recipe is especially good. Best of all, their chicken stays crisp, even during the long ride home. And, as the other reviews noted, their biscuits are amazing. The wait isn't too long, but even if it were half an hour the food would be completely worth it. more

i'm not usually a fried-chicken person, but even i cannot resist ezell's amazing chicken. its crispy and flavorful and well-priced. the biscuits are just like my grandmother used to make. even though it's a bit out of the way, i find my car driftin towards it against my will. there's no place to sit, so be prepared to eat in your car, because it's impossible to wait until you get home. more