Restaurant in London, United Kingdom
Chick 'n' Sours
100ptsSharp fried chicken, casual price, central London.
About Chick 'n' Sours
A focused fried chicken restaurant on Earlham Street in Covent Garden, Chick 'n' Sours applies real technique — brine, batter, fry temperature — to a format that usually coasts on novelty. Pair that with a sour-led cocktail programme designed to cut through the richness and you have one of central London's better casual dinner options at this price point. Easy to book, best suited to groups or informal dates.
Quick Verdict
Chick 'n' Sours is one of the sharpest fried chicken restaurants in central London, positioned squarely at the casual end of the price spectrum with a format that punches well above its cost per head. If you want serious technique applied to fried chicken — crisp, seasoned properly, paired with sour cocktails that actually complement the food — this Covent Garden address on Earlham Street delivers. Book it for a relaxed weeknight dinner or a low-key group meal rather than a formal celebration.
The Space and Experience
The room at 1A Earlham St is compact and direct: counter seating, close tables, the kind of layout that encourages quick decisions and loud conversation. It is not the place for a quiet anniversary dinner , the spatial logic here is high-energy, informal, and built around sharing plates and cocktails moving fast. For a date night with low pretension and real flavour, it works well. For a business dinner, look elsewhere.
The kitchen's focus is narrow, and that is the point. Fried chicken done with genuine attention to brine, batter, and fry temperature puts Chick 'n' Sours in a different category from generic fast-casual options in the area. The sourness in the concept is not an afterthought , the cocktail programme is built around acidic, fermented, and citrus-forward drinks designed to cut through the richness of the food. That pairing discipline is what separates this kitchen technically from peers working the same format.
Covent Garden is well-served by the Tube (Covent Garden station is a short walk), making this a practical choice before or after theatre. Given the compact room and the popularity of the format in this part of London, booking ahead on weekends is sensible , walk-ins are more viable midweek. The booking process is direct, with availability generally accessible without the weeks of lead time required at London's higher-tier restaurants like CORE by Clare Smyth or The Ledbury.
For context on what else London's dining scene offers at various price points and styles, see our full London restaurants guide. If you are planning a broader trip, our London hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide are worth checking alongside.
Who Should Book
Chick 'n' Sours makes most sense for groups of two to six who want flavour-forward, affordable food in central London without the formality or price of the city's tasting-menu circuit. Solo diners comfortable at a counter will find it an easy, no-fuss option. It is not the right call for special occasions that require a sense of occasion in the room itself.
Compare Chick 'n' Sours
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chick 'n' Sours | Easy | — | ||
| CORE by Clare Smyth | Modern British | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Restaurant Gordon Ramsay | Contemporary European, French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library | Modern French | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| The Ledbury | Modern European, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Dinner by Heston Blumenthal | Modern British, Traditional British | Michelin 2 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
What to weigh when choosing between Chick 'n' Sours and alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are alternatives to Chick 'n' Sours in London?
For fried chicken at a similar price point, Coqfighter and Morty & Bob's are reasonable alternatives in central London. If you want a step up in format and budget, Bleecker Burger shows what a focused, single-protein menu can do with more polish. Chick 'n' Sours on Earlham St holds its ground on flavour and value for the Covent Garden area specifically.
What should a first-timer know about Chick 'n' Sours?
It's a compact, counter-heavy space at 1A Earlham St — expect close tables and a loud, quick-turnover atmosphere. This is not a lingering dinner venue. Come for the food, eat, and move on; the format rewards that approach. If you want a quieter or more spacious experience, this is the wrong room.
Can Chick 'n' Sours accommodate groups?
Groups of two to six work well here; the layout can handle that range without much friction. Larger parties should check the venue's official channels, as the compact room at Earlham St is not built for big bookings. For central London casual dining, it's a practical group option at this size.
Is Chick 'n' Sours good for a special occasion?
Not the obvious choice. The room is casual, the format is fast, and there's no ceremony to the experience — which is the point. If the occasion calls for great fried chicken and no fuss, it delivers. For anything requiring atmosphere, privacy, or occasion dressing, look elsewhere in central London.
Is Chick 'n' Sours good for solo dining?
Yes. Counter seating at 1A Earlham St makes solo visits straightforward — you're not occupying a table meant for two or four. The pace of the room suits solo diners who want to eat well without drawing out the experience. It's one of the more comfortable solo lunch options in the Covent Garden area.
Can I eat at the bar at Chick 'n' Sours?
Counter seating is part of the core setup here, so eating at the bar or counter is a standard option rather than a fallback. It suits solo diners and pairs particularly well. If you specifically want a table for a group, book ahead to secure the right configuration.
How far ahead should I book Chick 'n' Sours?
A few days ahead is usually enough for weekday visits; aim for at least a week out for Friday and Saturday evenings. The room is small and fills quickly during peak Covent Garden hours. Walk-ins are possible at off-peak times but not reliable if you have a fixed window.
More restaurants in London
- CORE by Clare SmythClare Smyth's three-Michelin-star Notting Hill restaurant is one of London's most credentialled tables, holding La Liste 98pts, World's 50 Best #97, and a 4.7 Google rating across 1,460 reviews. The à la carte runs £195 per head; the Core Classic tasting menu is £255. Book Thursday or Friday lunch for the best chance of a table — dinner is near-impossible without 6–8 weeks' lead time.
- IkoyiTwo Michelin stars, No. 15 on the World's 50 Best in 2025, and a dinner tasting menu at £350 per head before wine: Ikoyi is one of London's hardest bookings and one of its most credentialed. Jeremy Chan's West African spice-led cooking applied to British organic produce is genuinely unlike anything else in the city. The express lunch at £150 is the entry point if the dinner price is the obstacle.
- KOLKOL ranked #17 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2024 and holds a Michelin star — the most compelling case for a progressive Mexican tasting menu in London. Booking opens two months out and sells out almost immediately, so treat it like a ticket release. If the dining room is full, the downstairs Mezcaleria offers serious agave spirits and kitchen-quality small plates as a genuine alternative.
- The Clove ClubHoused in the former Shoreditch Town Hall, The Clove Club holds two Michelin stars and has appeared in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list consistently since 2016. Isaac McHale's tasting menus draw on prime British ingredients — Orkney scallops, Herdwick lamb, Torbay prawns — handled with technical precision and a looseness that keeps the cooking from feeling ceremonial.
- The LedburyThe Ledbury holds three Michelin stars and the #1 Star Wine List ranking in the UK — making it the strongest combined food-and-wine destination in London at the ££££ tier. At £285 per head for the eight-course evening menu, it rewards occasions where both the kitchen and the cellar need to perform. Book months ahead: availability is near impossible, especially at weekends.
- Hélène Darroze at The ConnaughtThree Michelin stars and a La Liste score of 95 points make Hélène Darroze at The Connaught one of London's clearest cases for fine dining at the top price tier. The tasting menu builds intelligently across courses, the redesigned room is warm rather than stiff, and the service is precise without being suffocating. Book months ahead — midweek lunch is your most realistic entry point.
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