Japanese is one of the most popular cuisines in North America, thanks to the proliferation of sushi (now sold even in grocery stores) and ramen (the ultimate dorm room food as well as the focus of an ever-growing number of restaurants both plain and fancy). But there’s a lot more to Japanese food than sushi and ramen, of course — and one specialty that’s becoming increasingly popular in both the U.S. and Canada is karaage, Japanese fried chicken.
It’s said that the technique of deep-frying in hot oil was brought to Japan by Portuguese Catholic missionaries in the 1500s. In fact, tempura was inspired by the Portuguese, and may have gotten its name from a Latin phrase — “ad tempora quadragesima” (“in the time of Lent”) or “quattuor anni tempora” (“the four seasons of the year,” referring to the quarterly Ember Days) — both describing periods when eating meat was forbidden to Catholics and deep-fried vegetables took its place. (Speaking of cooking vegetables, these are 9 vegetables you should never eat raw.)
The term “karaage” occasionally refers to other kinds of meat, but these days almost always means chicken — usually thigh meat, marinated before frying. Unlike tempura, karaage is a fairly modern invention, first popularized in southwestern Japan in the 1920s. While American-style fried chicken is typically coated in seasoned flour or a flour-based batter before frying, karaage uses potato starch, with the chicken often fried twice to give it extra crunch. (If you’re craving the homegrown version, these are the best fried chicken places in America.)
Click here to find the best Japanese fried chicken in the U.S. and Canada
To find the best Japanese fried chicken in North America, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a list of the top karaage spots across the U.S. and Canada published by Yelp. Some of the places on the list specialize in karaage; others feature it on menus that might otherwise concentrate on ramen, izakaya fare (Japanese bar food), or Japanese-style barbecue dishes.
One restaurant on the list, Vecina in Phoenix, is a modern American place with Asian menu accents. Another one, Pony Up in Denver, is known for its variety of French dip sandwiches but offers a well-regarded “country karaage” as an appetizer. Poke-chan in New Orleans adds Japanese fried chicken to its poke bowls. Whatever the context, these places serve the best karaage in North America.
Vecina
> City: Phoenix, Arizona
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 158 reviews
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Curry Hyuga
> City: Burlingame, California
> Yelp rating: 5 stars from 341 reviews
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Pony Up
> City: Denver, Colorado
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 233 reviews
Kawa Ni
> City: Westport, Connecticut
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 230 reviews
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Toki Underground
> City: Washington, District of Columbia
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 2,270 reviews
Ramen Kumamoto
> City: Newark, Delaware
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 403 reviews
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Chop Chop Shop
> City: Tampa, Florida
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 488 reviews
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Okiboru Tsukemen and Ramen
> City: Sandy Springs, Georgia
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 262 reviews
Wagaya
> City: Honolulu, Hawaii
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 814 reviews
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Ramen Sho
> City: Meridian, Idaho
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 193 reviews
Ramen Misoya
> City: Mount Prospect, Illinois
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 892 reviews
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Buddha Lounge
> City: Lexington, Kentucky
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 132 reviews
Poke-chan
> City: New Orleans, Louisiana
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 132 reviews
Mami Portland
> City: Portland, Maine
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 88 reviews
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Gyuzo Japanese BBQ
> City: Rockville, Maryland
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 363 reviews
Izakaya Ittoku
> City: Cambridge, Massachusetts
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 516 reviews
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Johnny Noodle King
> City: Detroit, Michigan
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 738 reviews
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Zen Box Izakaya
> City: Minneapolis, Minnesota
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 642 reviews
Sojo Ramen
> City: Las Vegas, Nevada
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 328 reviews
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Hanon
> City: Brooklyn, New York
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 180 reviews
Noodle Boulevard
> City: Cary, North Carolina
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 598 reviews
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Meshikou
> City: Columbus, Ohio
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 407 reviews
Tamashii Ramen
> City: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 796 reviews
Ninja Ramen
> City: Hillsboro, Oregon
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 149 reviews
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Hiro Ramen House
> City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 412 reviews
Den Den Cafe Asiana
> City: Providence, Rhode Island
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 658 reviews
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Jackrabbit Filly
> City: North Charleston, South Carolina
Mr Max
> City: Irving, Texas
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 741 reviews
K’s Japanese Kitchen
> City: Provo, Utah
> Yelp rating: 5 stars from 123 reviews
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UMAI Ramen & Rice Bowl
> City: Herndon, Virginia
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 227 reviews
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> City: Seattle, Washington
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 377 reviews
Onnki Donburi
> City: Toronto, Ontario
> Yelp rating: 4 stars from 170 reviews
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Kingyo
> City: Vancouver, British Columbia
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 851 reviews
Yokato Yokabai
> City: Montreal, Quebec
> Yelp rating: 4.5 stars from 424 reviews
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