Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar in Charlotte was like Christmas for this Chicago transplant
At 39, I’m a bit too old to get excited about Christmas.
As we know, it’s a holiday for kids to be overjoyed with the prospect of acquiring toys, video games and other playthings. Battery-operated trinkets don’t do it for me anymore, though.
But fried chicken does. Well, let me rephrase that: Authentic fried chicken from Harold’s Chicken by way of my native Chicago is better than any gift good old Saint Nick could pull from a sack and place under a bedazzled tree.
This past Saturday was Christmas. Why? I would get to indulge once again at Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar on East McCullough Drive a day after its official grand opening in Charlotte.
Because it is better than KFC, Bojangles, Popeyes and even whatever home-cooked chicken your parents prepare.
Yes, that darn good.
Around 11 a.m., just as Harold’s was opening, the wife and I piled into the car and drove the 4.6 miles from our home to the University City location, nestled between Chex Grill & Wings and Tea Fusion.
Is the Charlotte Harold’s like the Chicago Harold’s?
Upon walking up to the restaurant, we could see there was already a decent line forming. That, however, was nothing new for me to experience. I have witnessed busy lines at the various Harold’s spots I visited throughout the Chicago area over the years.
But this was a little different. At the front of the line, I was expecting to see people picking up takeout wings from the fast-casual joint, just like in Chicago. Instead, I saw people sitting at tables — a sit-down dining experience.
This was new.
Also novel was just the operation of placing an order. The counter attendant didn’t stand behind a thick glass barrier to take your order.
That person was now behind a mid-century modern tabletop.
The menu wasn’t affixed to the wall that featured bulky black and red letters complete with aged photos of meals and sides.
At the reimagined Harold’s, you select items from a laminated one instead.
The wife ordered 1/4 white dinner (one chicken breast, one wing) with fries and orange juice. Yours truly scanned past the mozzarella triangles and sweet potato tater tots and went straight for the wings. I ordered a four-piece dinner and fries with mild sauce. In my youth, I’d get two extra wings, but my fitness trainer likely wouldn’t approve these days.
Harold’s: The vibe
While we waited for our food, I had the opportunity just to take in the new-look Harold’s. All the walls were black and white, creating a lounge-like feel. Sultry R&B music blared from the sound system as folks sat at the bar and sipped on mixed drinks while eating various fare.
A host greeted patrons in line and asked whether guests would be opting for takeout or eating inside. At one point, the host informed a group of three that it would be a 30-minute wait to be seated because of the established crowd.
Who would have thought it was ever possible to observe my favorite chicken shack — which is a Black institution in Chicago — turn into something resembling a casual dining chain family restaurant?
Harold’s: The food
Now to the food.
After a several-minute wait, the hostess yells “MARSHALL!” to signal our order is ready. I sprang from my seat in the waiting area to grab the bag of fried goodness positioned in the white paper bag that features the trademark caricature of an ax-wielding man chasing a frightened fowl.
I was a bit skeptical, though. Would the chicken live up to its reputation? The four wings were there, along with a handful of fries lightly covered in mild sauce and one piece of white bread on the side to complete the ensemble. The only thing missing was the small cup of coleslaw.
Just three bites into the meal, the familiar taste was there. The chicken was as crispy and tender as it has been forever. The fries were solid despite being sprinkled with seasoning salt. A slight drawback, but it didn’t diminish the encounter. The lone piece of bread went down with no issue.
Satisfaction was the verdict.
For one day, I had the opportunity to go back in time while also being thrust into the future.
Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar, in its 2023 state, wasn’t an attraction for me. It was always the chicken.
The owners — Eliot Mosby and Bobbie Robinson — got it right.
For that, I was thankful to feel like a Chicagoan again.
Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar
Location: 440 McCullough Drive, Ste A-100, Charlotte, NC 28262
Cuisine: American, fried chicken
Instagram: @haroldschicken_charlotte
This story was originally published February 7, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
