Fried Shack

Reviews

• ZS

  Zaid Sohail

  6 days ago
  5.0
  My go to place for any type of Burger in Madison. Hands down, one of the best, the consistency has remained solid ever since they opened and the flavors are phenomenal. The owner is one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of meeting and they’re the ONLY restaurant in Madison serving HALAL burgers! Fried shack has become a regular in our household and I will continue ordering from them! You can beat the taste and their prices!
• IM

  Iris MacPhetridge

  Jun 7, 2026
  5.0
  This is the best fried chicken you can get in a 100 mile radius in my opinion. Holy bajeezus. I got the masala fried chicken and the very hot masala fries. I’m starving just thinking about it. I rarely leave reviews but I will not shut up about this place. It is amazing.
• AP

  Allen Poulin

  Jun 5, 2026
  5.0
  Thanks for the Fast and Friendly takeout, ordered online for pickup. Text communication that followed was good for confirmation. All three dishes were tasty. Butter chicken , biryanis rice, naan, fried catfish, and loaded fries. Everything was a treat. I appreciate the switch you made environmentally conscious packaging too.
• LL

  Luz De Luna

  May 31, 2026
  5.0
  This had to be some of the best fried chicken we've ever had! We got the regular seasoning this time, but it was all flavorful, juicy, and perfectly crispy on the outside. I'm excited to try the masala seasoned chicken next time. We also tried fries, rice, and veggie samosas and it was all fantastic! You can tell the owners are really passionate about their food and work hard to give customers a good experience.
• RY

  Ryan Yanke

  May 30, 2026
  4.0
  Madisonians, and Northsiders especially, have a great option for some South Indian classics, not to mention a variation of Chicken 65 that's already got a local following. Do we go with Northside hot fried chicken and donuts at Zippy Lube or masala-spiced fried chicken with gulab jamun at nearby Fried Shack? Both, you say? Right answer. Remarkably, they're dishing this out of a kitchen inside a gas station. But that shouldn't surprise -- some culinary staples, such as po'boy sandwiches, are still served at their finest in the same humble settings. This is a story you root for. A warm, genial family trying to overcome the odds, and I think they have a chance. They deserve to. Search social media and you'll see them actively soliciting feedback and making adjustments based on that feedback. "Lunch is sacred," I often say. So, it seemed appropriate to try Fried Shack's Bhai-style chicken biryani, a dish served on celebratory occasions such as weddings. Biryanis vary widely by region in India, so I asked the owner what made Bhai-style unique among other biryanis available in Madison. He said it's the flavor, which comes from a special blend of warming (not hot) cinnamon, clove, and cardamom, all of which I picked up on. Fresh cilantro gave color and great flavor. They used long-grain basmati in lieu of seeraga samba, but each grain held onto its individuality. That said, this was a "glistening" biryani, so heavy in delicious ghee that you might think twice about eating with your hands. The rice lost some of its texture because of that. The meat-to-rice ratio was about 1-to-4, which is a lot of rice to take down in one meal. You'll probably have rice to save for later. The biryani's served with one hardboiled egg, which pairs really well with the spicy tomato chutney side sauce if you're a huevos rancheros fan. And the oniony yogurt raita, the dish's cooling element -- I'd bathe in the stuff, honestly. The one thing missing, to my taste, was some added crunch (pistachios?), but I think that's out of character for Bhai-style biryani. I followed up with rasmalai. Fans of tres leches cake, check this out! Rose-hinted sweet and chilled curd - immensely refreshing after a spicy biryani. Again, though, a little crunch (pistachios again?) would take it over the top. I emphasize that I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. However, I can see others may raising objections to the following: 1. I had three hunks of bone-in dark meat chicken, which was succulent, but some may feel cheated tossing those bones aside. "More chicken, less rice" -- they might gripe. 2. The oiliness. Fried Shack's location may be an advantage if the overhead cost is lower than competitors' rents and they can manage to keep menu prices down as a result. However, the evidence of inflation is already literally taped onto the in-store menu. My one real nettle - the name. "Fried Shack" does injustice to the quality they achieve and the uniqueness of what they're offering. Something like "Chennai Fry", "Chennai Fry Kitchen", "Masala Gold Station," or some variation might hit closer to the mark. But opinions will vary. One opinion that won't vary -- my opinion that Fried Shack and its owners are something special in Madison's food scene.