Best fried chicken in South Carolina is at this restaurant, Yelp says. Why it’s No. 1

A South Carolina restaurant serves fried chicken with a kick — and fans can’t stop craving it.

Now, the restaurant tops a list of the state’s best places to eat fried chicken .

Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack in Greenville ranked No. 1 after the review website Yelp determined the top fried chicken joint in each state. The website studied five-star reviews left over time from “Elite” users, those who are active on the platform.

The results were published July 1, ahead of National Fried Chicken Day on July 6. Though the crunchy dish has its own day of celebration, customers have raved about Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack month after month.

Why do fans love the fried chicken?

On Yelp, fans couldn’t get enough of fried chicken they said was crispy, juicy and flavorful. Many loved their meat with a dose of spice — offered in levels that range from “don’t want to go over the edge” to “you’re just crazy.”

“We pay homage to ‘Nashville style’ hot chicken and southern soul food ,” Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack wrote on its website. “We prepare our unique fried chicken to order and it all starts as ‘plain.’ From there we can add the spice from mild to extra hot (lots of folks just love it without the spice).”

In addition to the chicken, some Yelp users praised the side dishes, which include corn pudding, collard greens and mac and cheese. Several top-tier reviews about the customer service also helped the restaurant on Laurens Road earn 4.2 of five stars.

In addition to the Greenville location, Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack has two restaurants in North Carolina. Those restaurants — both in the Asheville area — missed out on receiving that state’s fried chicken honor from Yelp. Instead, Slappy’s Chicken in Winston-Salem was named the fan favorite, McClatchy News reported.

Two South Carolina restaurants among ‘most outstanding’ in world, new rankings show

Seven South Carolina seafood joints rank among the nation’s best. Why fans love them