If you listened to our season one finale, you know we embarked on a culinary adventure across town, exploring everything from hidden gems to gourmet hot spots, and yes, a whole lot of fried chicken. Montclair has a reputation for being a “food town”, boasting over 233 dining establishments according to Trip Advisor. But in one particular part of town, there’s a cluster of fried chicken places that is worthy of some sort of official designation. We call it a fried chicken oasis.
If you haven’t heard it already, the episode featured a “highly unofficial, extremely delicious fried chicken taste test.” It was quite a day. We gathered at Farnoosh’s house with the full Montclair Pod crew, plus spouses and kids who served as our judges. (Please note that as a professional journalist, I had to remain neutral and couldn’t pick a favorite – we didn’t award trophies… because the eaters were truly the winners.
The oasis in question is cluster of six fried chicken spots near Lackawanna Plaza that are all within 100 or 200 yards of one another. As I noted, this kind of thing “doesn’t really happen in nature too often.” It was something I didn’t even realize until we did this exercise. Another key factor? These are all places where you can buy fried chicken in bulk.
Let’s dive into the six contenders from the Lackawanna Plaza oasis, in the order we tasted them:
- Urban Chicken: This has been a long-time go-to fast-food chicken place in Montclair, around almost as long as I’ve lived here. Even after sitting for about 45 minutes to an hour after pickup, it remained “unbelievably crunchy and still moist”. Other comments included, “It’s crunchy. It’s juicy. I love Urban Shake” and “it was juicy. Cooked just right. Not greasy”.
- Cornbread: This spot had a bit less crunch than Urban Chicken. The flavor was described as more “floury”. Opinions on Cornbread were mixed. One judge, Evan, felt it was “better than urban” because “the inside is very juicy”. However, another judge, Tim, found it “just kind of soft,” with “not a lot of crunch and the chicken doesn’t have a lot of flavor”, a sentiment I agreed with. Despite this, one child judge still found it “really yummy”.
- Pineapple Express Barbecue: Chef Lauren Hirschberg, a Montclair native and chef-owner of both Turtle and the Wolf and Pineapple Express, is also part owner of Pineapple Express Barbecue in Lackawanna Plaza. This chicken looked “a little different,” appearing “a little fancier”. It was notably “super crunchy”, had a “beautiful look”, and offered “different seasonings than you’re used to in most fried chickens. It’s more complex. It’s got some zip. It’s got some smokiness”. Taste-wise, it was called “really good” and “very tender”. Chef Hirschberg explained that they wanted a gluten-free fried chicken at Pineapple Express, leading to a different recipe than the one at Turtle and the Wolf, with a “different brine,” butchered pieces, and breading. He mentioned there might be a “kiss of smoke” on the chicken as it sits in a smoker used as a holding container.
- Good Chicken: This is a Korean fried chicken place, founded by two recent Montclair State graduates. They offer various sauces but also regular crispy and spicy crispy options. Good Chicken typically serves only legs and wings. This chicken was praised for tying with Urban Chicken and being “not too salty,” “a little less salty than urban, but it’s, you know, it’s not underseasoned”. It also had a “great crunch”. It was a favorite for many and noted as a positive “local homegrown story”. The spicy version was highlighted as having a “better spice” than Popeye’s because “it’s not just hot”.
- Popeye’s: A well-known chain and an “old favorite” for some, including myself, having eaten it since I was about 13. It’s also one of the few places open late in Montclair. Visually, it had “more batter” than the others. The taste was described as “spicy, crunchy, juicy”. Some, like Anthony Bourdain, have called it the “superior chicken”. However, my take was that “it has that Popeye’s taste, but you can tell there’s like this has been engineered within an inch of its life”, and I didn’t like it as much as the others, finding Good Chicken spicier. One judge even refused to eat it because it was “Too spicy”.
- Lyon’s: Lion’s is a small place with a varied menu, including fried chicken. It reminded some judges of places like JFK or Kennedy Fried Chicken from New York and has been around for a while. The chicken looked “really nice”, had a “very nice crunch, nicely seasoned”, and was called “very good”. One judge immediately declared it their “number one”. Another felt it was “just right,” being “juicy, soft on the inside, and seasoning,” but added, “If there was crunch on this, then it would be number one. But there’s got to be crunch. I like crunchy crunch”. I thought it was “underrated” and happy that many people loved it.
While the Lackawanna Plaza area offers a remarkable concentration of fried chicken spots, Montclair’s notable fried chicken scene extends beyond this oasis.
Jefferson’s Cafe at 88 Maple Avenue is a must-mention. This black-owned business serves up unbelievably good southern cuisine – but the chicken is an incredible standout, described as “excellent” with “real care and craft. As Ali declared, “That was the win for me to be quite honest. Like I was singing the praises of Jefferson’s”. The “skin is so good”.
We also encountered delicious fried chicken in other contexts. At Minoru, we tried Japanese fried chicken, or “karaage,” described as an “amazing bite” and “incredible”. And, of course, Turtle and the Wolf was where Chef Hirschberg’s famous fried chicken originated. It started with a bit of “mystique” as a “secret menu” item, sometimes requiring pre-order. When COVID hit, they quickly pivoted to a takeout model centered around a fried chicken boxed meal, which proved so reliable they’ve kept it going even with normal dining resumed. Chef Hirschberg was inspired to create this dish after an experience at Gus’s Fried Chicken in Memphis, wanting to recreate the shared experience of eating together from a large tray.
Montclair’s food scene is dynamic and constantly evolving. Chef Hirschberg believes the scene has grown with more serious operators and high-level backgrounds, and he thinks Montclair “will probably live up to that hype that has it’s been riding on for the last 10 or so years” in the next couple of years. Max Gray of Chow Town Food Tours even calls Montclair the “Paris of Essex County,” suggesting its cuisine measures up to “international standards”. The density of diverse food options contributes to this reputation.
Our fried chicken taste test was just one delicious snapshot of Montclair’s vibrant culinary landscape. It showcased everything from local hidden gems getting well-deserved love, like Lyon’s and Good Chicken, to successful small chains like Cornbread, established favorites like Urban Chicken, a nationally known chain like Popeye’s, and innovative restaurant offerings like Pineapple Express and Minoru. Even after trying six places in one go, plus others recently, there’s always more to explore.
