Believe it or not, the Queen City has become something of a fried chicken hot spot over the past several years. Four new eateries boasting fried tenders and hot chicken have popped up in the last year, joining a multitude of established joints that have been feeding the hearts, souls and mouths of the Southern-loving Cincinnatians for decades.

From hole-in-the-wall gems to hot new spots and classic joints we know and love, these are your best bets for some damn good fried chicken.

Libby’s Southern Comfort 35 W. Eighth St., Covington Covington eatery Libby’s Southern Comfort is helmed by Brad Wainscott, whose local culinary lineage extends to longstanding Kentucky mainstays The Greyhound Tavern and Tousey House Tavern, which are owned by his father. Fried chicken reigns supreme on the menu, in addition to other popular items like goetta hush puppies and oysters on the half shall. Libby’s also serves a wide drink menu that features vintage bourbons, Cheerwine bourbon slushes and Braxton beers, among other options. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hitching Post 4535 Kellogg Ave., East End “World’s Best Fried Chicken” is this diner’s claim to fame. The no-frills eatery also offers burgers and Tall Stacks (overstuffed double-decker sandwiches) in addition to traditional classics like meatloaf and liver and onions. Photo via Facebook.com/HitchingPostKellogg Photo: facebook.com/HitchingPostKellogg
The Eagle OTR 1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine The Eagle is nested inside a retired post office and has a relatively small menu, comprised of fried chicken, sandwiches, snacks and several side dishes. Booze-wise, they serve 100 kinds of beer and have about 15 different brews on tap. The fried chicken is free-range, all natural and sourced from Ohio farms. Opt for a whole, half chicken (white and dark meat) or a quarter of a chicken (select white or dark). The artichoke dip is a must. Photo via Facebook.com/TheEagleOTR
Purple Poulet 603 Sixth Ave., Dayton Dayton, Kentucky’s Purple Poulet brands itself as a Southern bourbon bistro, emphasis on the bourbon — and the hospitality and service. The eatery is well-known for their Southern fried chicken, offering five different menu items featuring it, including the fried chicken and waffle and “claim to fame” fried chicken dinner. Photo via purplepoulet.com
Joella’s Hot Chicken 180 E. Freedom Way, Downtown; 2440 High St., Crescent Springs Taste the flavors of the South at Joella’s Hot Chicken, offering Nashville-style hot chicken with the perfect amount of spice and sauce of your choosing. They also offer handmade sides, desserts and sweet tea. Photo: Jesse Fox
Richie’s 1301 Linn St., Price Hill; 4871 Reading Road, Saint Bernard; 110 Woolper Ave., Avondale Richie’s is a great place to find top-notch, no-frills soul food in the Queen City. Their spicy chicken is made in house, along with their fish and hot and spicy potato wedges. Photo via Richie’s Facebook
The Greyhound Tavern 2500 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell The Greyhound Tavern has been a Fort Mitchell institution since the 1930s. You won’t want to miss the divine fried chicken, the ginormous onion rings or the Hot Brown. It’s family-style fried chicken night on Mondays and Tuesdays, with generous portions of bird — rolled in secret-recipe herbed flour and fried — mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw and biscuits. Photo via Facebook.com/GreyhoundTavern
CHX 1211 Broadway St., Pendleton CHX is owned and operated by Hickory Wald — the team behind 3 Points Urban Brewery, Nation Kitchen and Bar and Rhinehaus. Their signature menu item is Bantys, which are “lump-sized” chicken pieces named after a wild and soulful breed of Indonesian chickens called “Bantam,” in two different brined and golden-fried finishing options: original or hot. In addition to Bantys, the chicken joint also offers salads, sandwiches and shareable sides like CHX nachos, fried cheese curds, wavy fries and more. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hyde Park Hitching Post 2715 Madison Road, Hyde Park This classic Hyde Park eatery is known for its “pot ‘n pan cooking” and some really good fried chicken. The restaurant uses fresh chicken, hand-breaded with their signature recipe batter. They offer a variety of different dishes, including family-sized fried chicken meals with sides, chicken baskets, a generous breakfast menu and homestyle dinners like Aunt Ruth’s Homemade Meatloaf or country fried steak. Photo via Facebook.com/HydeParkHitchingPost
CityBird Tenders 1344 Vine St., Downtown; 11309 Montgomery Road, Suite D, Symmes Township The deep-fried offspring of The Eagle in OTR, CityBird is owned by Thunderdome Restaurant Group, dishing out cage-free, all-natural chicken paired with housemade craft sauces. CityBird’s “house-brined, fresh fried” chicken leans more toward tenderness than crispiness, but still packs a considerable punch. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Hook Fish & Kitchen 1920 Linn St., Price Hill; 5000 Reading Road, Saint Bernard; 1 Glendale Milford Road, Woodlawn Eat what you love and love what you eat at Hook Fish & Kitchen. Or, order it from the comfort of your home — they deliver fresh chicken, fish and sandwiches right to your door. Four different locations for your convenience to try one of the area’s favorite chicken spots. Photo via Facebook.com/MikesFish
Money Chicken 300 E. Seveth St., Downtown The team behind Pleasantry has brought a unique spin on chicken to Cincinnati’s Central Business District: a “chef-driven fast-casual” chicken eatery that holds on to values of rich flavor and sustainable sourcing, but operates in a capacity to accommodate downtown lunch and dinner hours. Photo via Facebook.com/MoneyChicken
Fiery Hen 26 W. Court St., Downtown Located on downtown’s Court Street, Fiery Hen offers a menu featuring Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, catfish, burgers, fried green tomatoes, brisket and more. Sides run the gamut from black-eyed peas with bacon to honey cornbread and macaroni and cheese. There are also moonshine flights, in partnership with Ole Smoky Moonshine, and 14 taps of local beer, among other beverages. Photo: Hailey Bollinger