“We are passionate about our food and our staff – the cornerstones of any successful restaurant! We are proud of our food, we use wholesome ingredients that are grown/raised in a responsible, sustainable way from area farmers. Our commitment to the health and happiness of our team is shown in our great wages and benefits, including PTO, health insurance, paid sick leave, paid parental leave, and gain sharing.”

Fried chicken with honey butter; seasonal dumpcake with in-season strawberries and sweet corn whipped cream; Camchi fried chicken sandwich with fried chicken strips, fermented local in-season vegetables, and spicy mayo on a buttery bun.

If your expectations for a counterservice fried chicken spot aren’t very high, then you’ve never been to Honey Butter Fried Chicken. The line that regularly snakes out the door should be your first clue that this is no ordinary chicken.

Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp, who have become leaders in fair and sustainable restaurant staffing, source local, cage-free chickens, fry them, season them with spices, and serve them with corn muffins and soft pats of honey butter to slather over everything. Vegetables for sides like kale slaw come from local farms, and everything is plain delicious.

“Honey Butter Fried Chicken has been making swathes of Chicagoans feel like kids again when they dip their birds in that addictive honey butter.” –Daniel Gerzina, Eater