Buck's!

Buck’s Review - Wicker Park - Chicago - The Infatuation

"Combining two things you like should always net a positive result. We like Neil deGrasse Tyson and we like space. But we love listening to Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about space. Fried chicken is delicious. Cold beer? Sign us up. But what we really want is fried chicken washed down with a cold beer. And that’s exactly what Buck’s is all about: fried chicken in a bar setting. If you like fried chicken and beer, then you’re going to like Buck’s, a restaurant with a bar mentality that happens to serve good Southern food. A platter of fried chicken or fried chicken sandwich is the highlight of any meal, and you can round it out with shrimp and grits, mac and cheese, collard greens, and pimento cheese. Also, biscuits - beautiful, beautiful biscuits. They’re addicting, and we’d opt for more biscuits over most other sides. Buck’s is the new concept from the Carriage House owners in the same space. The interior maintains much of the same characteristics - with a lounge-like area in front and main bar area past that - and it’s ideal for a casual eating experience with friends for either dinner or brunch. They don’t take reservations, which means you might need to hover to get a table if one isn’t free. But be assertive in the hovering process and make sure people know you’re not afraid to slap them with a chicken drumstick and dump honey on their head to land a table. Buck’s is basically a bar, after all, so those kinds of antics are fine. Food Rundown Biscuits EAT. ALL. OF. THE. BISCUITS. They are delicious. We go heavy on the honey with them, but butter and jelly are acceptable too. Fried Chicken The main part to any meal, unless you go with the sandwich. This fried chicken has a super thick and crispy shell. We’re talking an entire armor of fried crispy stuff. The inside is hot and moist though, and we like to eat it with a bit of honey or butter on top. There are options for regular or spicy, which has a good kick but isn’t overbearing. Shrimp & Grits Creamy grits and shrimp with the heads, plus ham and a bit of gravy. Heavy duty, but it’s a small side so you don’t have to worry about filling up on. Good stuff. Pimento Cheese If you generally like pimento cheese, you’ll like this appetizer with toast, veggies, pickles, and pepper jelly. The veggies and pickles are great to dip in the cheese. Fried Green Tomatoes Uneventful. Skip them. The O.G. A messy sandwich, but one worth ordering. Boneless chicken thigh and pimento cheese on a biscuit with sausage gravy. Chicken Fried Steak Hot sauce in my bag. Hot sauce in my bag. A fried chicken sandwich for those who love hot sauce in addition to horseradish ranch and sweet pickles. Collard Greens Not bad, but you don’t necessarily need them. Mac & Cheese Similar to the greens. Solid mac and cheese, but nothing out of the ordinary. S’MORE BISCUIT A chocolate s’mores biscuit with toasted marshmallow and salted caramel. Not bad if you want something sweet." - Sam Faye