The best french fries Palm Beach County has to offer? Try these

The french fry. A staple at most restaurants , but seemingly always playing second fiddle to some scene-stealing handheld wedged between two slices of bread.

Whether it's a "burger and fries," "BLT with fries," "club sandwich with a side of fries," it's always the same. It's no different than Frances "Baby" Houseman being stuck in that corner. Well, the time has come for someone to say "nobody puts french fries in a corner — or on the side."

Yes, this summer it's time for the mighty french fry to shine on its own. With the Olympics being held in France, all things French should get some extra love. (So what if french fries were actually invented in Belgium, just go with it.) In addition, here at home, July 12 is actually National French Fry Day.

Will this double shot of summer lovin' be enough to propel those delicious, salty, starchy, sticks of deep-fried goodness from sideshow to mainstage? We'll see.

Here's what Palm Beach Post readers had to say about our area's best in a recent —albeit highly unscientific — survey. And we've also thrown in Post reporter Nicole Danna and Eddie Ritz's respective favorites as well.

Reader Favorites

Five Guys

Taking top honors in our readers' poll, this chain started in Washington D.C. in 1986 and now boasts over 1,700 locations across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Palm Beach County is home to six of them with restaurants in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Boca Raton. Using only potatoes from Idaho, their fries are described as "boardwalk-style" fries that are cut fresh daily and cooked twice in 100% peanut oil. This makes them firm on the outside and "mashed potato" on the inside. In addition, if you ever been, they do not short change you on the serving size.

Jon Smith Subs

Coming in a not-too-distant second place, these fries are always cooked to order and come at you as hot as you can handle. Like Five Guys, the folks at Jon Smith don't scrimp on the portions and the fries are usually bursting out of a serving cup that's struggling to contain them. Being made to order, Jon Smith will even cook them any way you like. Whether it be extra crispy or a quick, light fry, said Crystal Nieves, the manager at the South Dixie Highway location. "We'll do them anyway you like."

Palm Beach Post reporter picks

Honor Bar

Palm Beach Post reporter Nicole Danna writes that though the french fries at Honor Bar in Palm Beach are: "listed last under "snacks and sides," they could be the highlight of your visit, making for a perfect midday lunch or happy hour bar snack when paired with a cocktail or glass of wine. Why? Because these aren't just any fries, but rather Chipperbec chipping potatoes, a high-starch variety made for deep-frying without burning or absorbing too much oil. A lengthy prep process lets you know Honor Bar takes these fries seriously. Cut fresh each evening, they're julienned into matchstick-thin slivers, then placed in an ice bath overnight. Before service begins, the cut potatoes are gently par cooked and fried to-order. And they fry up beautifully, arranged in a mountainous, tangled pile upon serving. Each sliver delivers a delicate and naturally sweet flavor and a crispy, satisfying crunch. They're served lightly seasoned, with the option to add more with a shaker reserved for just such an occasion. A medley of flavors, it's easy to spot the onion, garlic, and rosemary although the blend."

Chick-Fil-A

Yes, there are hundreds, probably thousands of Chick-Fil-A restaurants across the country. There's a reason: It tastes good. One of their menu's standouts is definitely the waffle fries. Cut in a waffle pattern, when these perfectly salted french fries are placed before you the magic begins. Not only do they stand on their own as delicious, but with that waffle pattern they become the ultimate vehicle for taste exploration and experimentation. Yes, ketchup is always welcome, but at Chick-Fil-A let your imagination run wild with sauces like sweet & spicy Sriracha, garden herb ranch, zesty buffalo or even, the once semi-secret Chick-Fil-A sauce. Go even bolder with a mix, they're your french fries, it's your world, live it! ~Eddie Ritz

Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post , part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com . Help support our journalism. Subscribe today .

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The best french fries Palm Beach County has to offer? Try these