Harold’s Chicken Shack

I didn’t have a pleasant experience at this location I frequent Harold’s at different locations and the food is excellent but every time I come here the service is subpar the food not so good and last time I was there I had to wait 45 minutes for my order which was small there were several people that came in after me ordered more food than me and received their food a lot quicker then me I was almost to the point of walking out and asking for a refund I am not going to come back here anymore they lost my business

I’m never going back to this location. Twice in a row they screwed up my food. Friday I ordered the six piece special. When I arrived home and opened my order the chicken pieces looked as if they came from a sparrow. The meat was tough and stringy. We tossed it. A waste of money. These were the tiniest toughest and nastiest bird parts I’ve ever seen or tasted. If they were even bird.
This is not the first time there’s been problems with this location. My visit prior to this one I was given stale bread and they forgot my coleslaw with the order. On a previous visit the food was over salted. The food and service used to be excellent at this location. They’ve declined to the level of crash and burn. Like baseball, three strikes and you’re out. I’m done. I’m pissed that they felt it was okay to serve miniature animal parts passed off as chicken.
To add insult to injury, they don’t have the decency to answer their phones most of the time. On the rare occasions someone picks up they place you on hold then disconnect you.
In retrospect I should have saved the pieces of alleged chicken and had them analyzed by the health department.
Warning to all future customers eat at your own risk.

This is one of a long chain of Harold’s restaurants. This particular restaurant is pretty good. They have daily specials with wings and fries. I got a 3 piece chicken meal for exactly $ 5. The chicken was pretty good but the fries were a bit cold. They were also a bit stingy with the napkins which when you’re eating chicken is a problem. There was also no bathroom or larger tables for more than 3 people who want to eat together. Overall not the worst setup but it could use some work.

I agree with another reviewer. The staff is very friendly but was not a fan of the fried chicken here. I am told Harold’s is Chicago favorite but I though the chicken was over seasoned and dry. I think they should change out the fryers more. The chicken and fish tasted almost identical only varying in texture. Next time I am in Chicago will try again and different location. Maybe I did not come at a good time.

Staff was great — Food was TERRIBLE. I’ve been to this location twice since they opened and both times the food is not typical Harolds, however the food yesterday was awful. I ordered large & small catfish and chicken. I spent $ 22 and my family would not eat the food.
All of the food tasted like it was fried in week-​old grease, the fries were old and were either double fried or fried earlier in the day and reheated (did not eat). The fish was extremely hard and greasy and had a spicy seasoning we didn’t ask for (kids could not/​did not eat). The chicken had a ton of salt/​pepper and was like rubber.
I grew up with Harolds and this was not what I’m used to. I will NEVER go back.

This Harolds chicken customers service is horrible. I’ve had more than my share of bad experiences but this one takes the cake. I ordered my chicken to be fried hard at 9:44pm and I received this mushy chicken after waiting 20 minutes. So I called at 10:15pm to say it was messed up and the young man told me to return. I returned at 10:38pm; only to find the store was closed. I was so mad; I only ate a few fries and returned the entire meal. I asked them to give me a 6 wing and a 6 piece dark for the lie that he told me and for the inconvenience as I did not get to eat any food the previous night and they kept giving me the run around for the manager until I returned the entire meal at 5:30pm because I had been waiting on a return phone call since 11 am. I wish it could’ve been better but unfortunately I’ll be spending my money in better places. Gas isn’t free!!!

THE best Harold’s of four I’ve been too! The Food AND Service were amazing! Livers were perfect and the facility was very clean. Had a great time laughing and engaging with the staff. They were professional and even acknowledged me when I approached the counter though they were busy with customers in front of me.

Ordered 85 dollars worth of chicken n fish n was terrible disappointed. We order from here several times and this time was the worst. No extra sauce n chicken n fish were drier than a mouthful of sand. not very good service the last few times. Maybe they’ll review this and change they style…

I usually don’t give bad reviews, but since this is the second time I’ve got a bad order of wings, I must vent. Is this Harold’s under new management. The wings barely had any meat on them and you think if they’re giving you tiny wings you could get a few extra, forget it. Also, you have to ask for coleslaw and 12 wings and one tiny cup of coleslaw, really. This Harold’s has got my business for the last time.

Good clean Harolds. Food has been consistent and the staff is always respectful.

This is hands down the BEST location for Harold’s as every time we come to Chicago, we drive out of our way from downtown, to come here. It never disappoints when it comes to the food and customer service. They never get the order wrong and the staff is always so friendly. The ritual is to always order it on the day we leave and now it is customary for everyone to be smacking on chicken and fries, on the road.

I love Harold’s Chicken but surprisingly I get their catfish dinner which is so good. It is a boneless fillet seasoned to perfection and I recommend it with mild sauce on it. On Sundays they have it on special for only 3.99 and it is a large portion.

UPDATE 2÷9÷15:
The woman who called you «baby» no longer works here. However, the man working the fryer calls you «buddy», so I guess that’s still nice.
Best food. Best staff. I’m here about once every two weeks and I’ve never experienced poor quality food or service. If you like being called «baby», this is the place for you. When I die, bury me inside a Harold’s shack.

The service and food can be hit or miss at this location. There are times when I have walked out due to poor customer service
There seems to be a rotation of people behind the counter. Some are great and very courteous! Others, need to be fired because they have attitude problems. I can have an attitude right back and take my business elsewhere…(Which I usually do.)

The store is super clean, the service is excellent & the food is phenomenal! This is the only place in the area that you should go to for chicken! Your food is cooked fresh to order! You won’t get something that’s been sitting under a warming lamp for 20 minutes, they don’t even have warming lamps! The place is always full with satisfied customers, but you won’t spend too much time waiting for your order. The cooking area is right up front, in your face, so you can watch as they cook your food and see the cleanliness of the service area. As I said, the place is super clean & I noticed that they’re constantly keeping up with cleaning. I’m always treated pleasantly by the employees, they’re the best! Hats off to the management & employees, they do an excellent job. I won’t go anywhere else for chicken! Pass up all those other places and make a B-​line straight to Harold’s in Matteson, you won’t regret it!

I see why people warned me not to go to Harold’s in Matteson. Ordered a 6-​wing w/​sauce on the side. Got just hatched chicken wings, 1 toasted piece of bread with hardened grease spots, half-​filled container of coleslaw and 1 SMALL container each of hot and mild sauce– since I got baby wings the 2 was enough. NEVER going back. I need regular sized wings or atleast a few extra if I’m gonna get chick wings, atleast 4 oz of sauce each and even though I don’t eat them, 2 slices of soft spongy bread and a full container of coleslaw.

Great chicken with polite and professional staff this is great. it’s clean, prices are good a little busy on friday but it’s worth the wait I think.

I just called to see if they deliver. Before I could ask the question, they told me to hold, but I could hear the girl talking to someone else for five minutes. Are you kidding? I guess I’ll find someplace with better customer service.

Okay University of Chicago students and Alum, here’s my chance to crap all over the pride and glory of your school! The thing is… I just can’t do it.
Harold’s Chicken is the real deal, yo!
The most reasonably priced of all four of the Chicagoland Buffalo Wing franchises, Harold’s embodies what good wing eatin’ should be about: Cheap, tasty, and fast.
A Southside Chicago favorite with a fiercely loyal following bordering on religious fundamentalism, University of Chicago students often compare their faith against Northwestern’s Buffalo Joe’s located in Evanston. I think I even heard President Obama once reference: ‘This place is the Sh*t!‘
The Breakdown:
Service: Non-​issue. Most locations you order through bullet-​proof glass, although the one in Matteson does not. There’s also a waiting period for your food, approx. 10 minutes. However, keep in mind, this means they’re cooking your food to order, FRESH, not picking wings off of a drying pan that have been sitting underneath a heat lamp all day and drowning them in sauce.
Price: Unbeatable. They give you the WHOLE WING! Not just the wing tip and drummy separated and counted as two!
Ambience: It’s different, I’ll give ya that! If you want to take in some authentic Southside Chicago culture, this might be the place for you! This location is the friendliest I’ve been too.
Food Quality: Oh man… it’s freakin’ great! There’s a reason these places are springing up all over Chicago like pot plants in Jamaica, the food here’s excellent! Their wings are big, juicy, and flavorful. They also give you fries and a slice of bread with your order. Total freakin’ AWESOMENESS!!!

This nice, new Harold’s doesn’t have the bulletproof glass of some Chicago locations, but it has the same great food (the best fried chicken there is, at amazing prices) and most of the charm, too.