The ever increasing popularity of chicken sandwiches have turned them into a staple fast food item across the nation. Each year billions of these juicy, crispy and greasy entrees are served and devoured in the United States. Though a few large chains dominate the market space, smaller restaurants and vendors continue to emerge, offering a new take on the modern classic. In Vienna, Popeyes and Chick-fil-A are the go-to big name chicken places, but how do they stack up against the competitors? I set out to try the fried chicken dishes from three other competitors in the area and get a definitive answer to the age-old question, which bird is best?

Situated in Cedar Park Shopping Center right off Cedar Ln, Red Bird is a recently opened halal chicken venue, offering fries, mac and cheese, coleslaw and chicken sandwiches at affordable prices. You can get your chicken at any spice level ranging from Mild to “Fck you cra.” The chicken sandwich is topped with a mild slaw, which works to balance out the spice of the crispy and tender chicken breast. Though the sides that come with the sandwich are average at best, the standout of Red Bird is the juicy chicken sandwich topped with their house-made cilantro slaw and drizzled with “Big Bird Sauce,” a sweet, creamy dressing with a hint of tart. For only $15 you can get two sandwiches, fries and mac and cheese, making Red Bird an affordable yet tasty way to satisfy your chicken craving.

Next on the plate is Chi Mc, a Korean fried chicken eatery located in Danor Plaza right off of Maple Avenue. Chi Mc offers a variety of chicken options including wings, drumsticks and tenders, all of which are coated with a mild or spicy soy garlic sauce. Though it has the largest price tag of any of the restaurants I tried, the crispy chicken is paired well with their seasoned truffle fries or breaded mozzarella sticks. Their large menu provides more options than any of the other places I tried, so if you get tired of their well dressed and succulent chicken, there are a multitude of other foods readily available. Overall, the convenient location, friendly staff and delicious cuisine make Chi Mc a must-go for the unacquainted. 

The last establishment, Dave’s Hot Chicken, is seated right off Leesburg Pike and offers chicken sandwiches and tenders at seven different spice levels. Comparable in price to Red Bird, you can get two large sandwiches and a side of fries for only $13. The crispy chicken breast was topped with a powdery blend of seasonings and spices, a soft bun, pickles and “Dave’s Sauce.” The mayonnaise based “Dave’s Sauce” balanced the salty spice of the chicken, while the pickles provided a sweet and fresh component to round out the overall taste. The crinkle-cut fries were generously seasoned and had just the right amount of crisp to them, making for a palatable pairing with the main course. Though Dave’s certainly did not invent the classic dish, it refined it into a pleasing blend of flavors and spice for a reasonable price.

While each venue had its own individual strengths and weaknesses, they all offered a tasty fried chicken experience with various options for side accompaniments. Red Bird stuck out due to its affordability as the cheapest of the three, as well as its unique and refreshing coleslaw topping. Chi Mc presented the most varied side dishes, and a larger variety of chicken options than the others. Chi Mc also had the most distinctive flavor, due to its Korean spice and soy garlic sauce. Dave’s Hot Chicken was a more well seasoned and slightly pricier version of Red Bird, and had a similar mayonnaise based sandwich sauce. Chick Fil A and Popeyes offer a simple sandwich which is decent on its own, but when compared to the flavors of the three dedicated fried chicken places, they offer no real competition. Overall each of the three restaurants fried up a tasty platter of chicken, likely to earn the affection of all Vienna customers that try their cuisine.