The Charlottesville 29

Good news: Charlottesville has a legit Harold’s. Bad news: they’re moving.

In Chicago, where the legendary chicken franchise began, quality can vary from one location to the next. The variance stems from the hands-off approach of founder Harold Pierce, who launched the first Harold’s Chicken Shack in 1950, before franchising to family and friends. Franchisees have since grown beyond that intimate group, and unlike a chain, the locations are independently owned, so, while menus are consistent, quality and procedures may vary. North Side Chicago residents have been known to travel all the way to the South Side for their favorite Harold’s, passing a dozen others on the way.

Pierce died in 1988, and Harolds Chicken Corp. is run by his children, Kristen and J.R., who are prioritizing consistency across franchise locations, which now span eight states. But, nowhere is Harold’s more beloved than Chicago. As Pierce expanded Harold’s, the transplant from Alabama to racially tense Chicago didn’t risk opening in White neighborhoods. “They’d kick my ass out,” Pierce said. Instead, it became a fixture of the Black community and part of its culture, celebrated by musicians like Common, Kanye, Rhymefest, Chance the Rapper, and Kendrick Lamar. “Everything about Harold’s is Black, and everything about Harold’s is really Chicago,” said culture scholar Arionne Nettles. “It’s like the best of both worlds for someone who has that specific identity.”

Harold’s Comes to Virginia

Harold’s would not be so famous if not for the food. People swoon. Serious Eats calls it the best fried chicken on Earth. Pierce’s original focus was sourcing and cooking to order. Despite the basic, order-at-the-counter setting, this is not fast food. It takes at least 14 minutes to fry Harold’s chicken, but they say it’s worth the wait. While wings (“fried hard”) may be Harold’s signature, some swear by the other fried chicken pieces and fish. “Mild sauce” is the franchise’s signature sauce, like a combination of barbecue sauce, hot sauce, and ketchup. Some regulars slather it on everything.

If Chicagoans sneer at a Harold’s on the next block, imagine what they might think of one in a strip mall in central Virginia. Is Charlottesville’s Harold’s any good?

In a word, yes. A Charlottesville native with Chicago roots runs the kitchen, and it shows. Though I don’t have the experience of comedian Larry Legend, who has ranked Chicago’s Harold’s, I find the chicken at Charlottesville’s Harold’s to be outstanding. Crispy, juicy, flavorful, and nearly impossible to stop eating. And yes, worth the wait.

Unfortunately, we’ve got just a few more days to enjoy it. The Charlottesville Harold’s is moving to Richmond, and will end Charlottesville operations in January. Even after the move, though, you can still get your fix, as Harold’s plans to maintain a Charlottesville presence via a food truck and catering. Follow along on their website and Facebook page for the latest.