Iconic Chicago restaurant Harold's Chicken opens in Phoenix. Here's why it's a big deal

​Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this article misstated the name of Harold's Chicken Shack owner Rodney White EL.

In mid-October at a small storefront in south Phoenix, the first Arizona location of Harold's Chicken Shack opened its doors.

Owner Rodney White EL only has one word to describe the restaurant's debut: bananas.

"It's been bananas, you hear me?" he said about a week after the opening, speaking to The Arizona Republic on the phone. "We anticipated it would be a good turnout, but we didn't anticipate it would be that big."

The counter-service restaurant is the first Arizona outpost of iconic Chicago eatery Harold's Chicken Shack. A similar restaurant, which isn't associated with Harold's, called Chicago’s Chicken Shack also opened this fall in Tempe. 

Why is Harold's Chicken a big deal? 

For those unfamiliar with the Windy City food scene, Chicago fried chicken may not ring a bell. But for those in the know, there's one place to go for the regional specialty and that place is Harold's Chicken Shack. 

The chain, which started in the 1950s, primarily has locations on Chicago's south side and in the south suburbs. Additional restaurants have opened across the Midwest in states including Indiana, Iowa and Illinois. 

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On the menu, look for fried chicken, of course, but also fries, coleslaw, catfish and other sides, like fried okra. It's the fried chicken, however, that's the star of the show and it may or may not look like the fried chicken with which you're familiar. 

White EL says part of the draw of Harold's fried chicken is that it's "dropped fresh," or fried to order. It's often coated in lemon pepper seasoning and served with mild sauce that's essentially a cousin of barbecue sauce and ketchup. 

"Barbecue sauce has its own distinct taste," White EL clarifies, however. "Harold's is introducing (mild sauce) to the world."

How the iconic Chicago chain landed in Phoenix

White EL, who currently splits his time between Chicago and Phoenix, will move permanently to the Valley this fall. He was drawn to the Southwest because he has family here, he says. 

White EL says he first approached Kristen Pierce, daughter of the restaurant's founder Harold Pierce, about opening a Harold's Chicken Shack franchise in Phoenix several years ago. 

"We just came to her with the idea," he says. "Her aim is to make Harold's Chicken a household name." 

It took several years to select the right location, which White EL found near the southeast corner of 16th Street and Baseline in south Phoenix. The restaurant, which boasts bright red and green walls, slid into a tight space in a small strip mall. 

While there are some restrictions around how franchisees prepare the chicken at their own Harold's restaurants, White EL says there's room for flexibility with the menu. The Phoenix restaurant, for example, serves fish, shrimp, jalapeno poppers and fried okra in addition to chicken. Most menu items cost under or around $10 — an 8-wing dinner costs $8, while a large catfish dinner sets customers back $10. 

White EL also says former Chicago residents will recognize the taffy grapes, which are made by coating seedless grapes with candy and nuts. 

"That's a Chicago tradition that we do," he says. 

White EL says the many former Chicago residents who now in the Valley have been hugely supportive of the restaurant so far. 

"Everyone was saying they were taking off work (or the opening)," he recalls. "They stretched around the building at like 9 o'clock. We didn't open until 11 a.m." 

Details: Harold's Chicken Shack, 1635 E. Baseline Road, Ste 105. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 602-675-1082.

Reach the reporter at lauren.saria@azcentral.com. Follow her on Instagram at laurensaria, on Twitter at lhsaria and on Facebook at facebook.com/lsaria.

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