Fried Chicken & Wings
Looking for fried chicken and wings in Airlie Beach? Whether you like them crispy, sticky, spicy or absolutely loaded with sauce, there are a few cracking options around town.
From karaage chicken and hot honey wings to big share plates and classic fried chicken, here are some of the Airlie Beach restaurants serving up chicken worth getting your hands dirty for.
The Garden Bar Bistro
Sitting amongst the yachts at Coral Sea Marina, Garden Bar is a pretty good spot to get stuck into some wings with a cocktail and a waterfront view.
The Chicken Wings come eight to a serve and can be tossed in either honey soy or a spicy sauce, with ranch dressing on the side. They also make their way onto the Garden Bar Share Platter alongside spicy fish tacos, citrus pepper calamari, garden salad, chips, garlic bread and sriracha aioli.
Grab a table overlooking the marina and settle in. Wings, cocktails and a Whitsunday sunset is a fairly hard combination to argue with.
Mulligans Sports Bar
Mulligans goes pretty hard when it comes to fried chicken. Right in the middle of Airlie Beach, this sports bar has wings, karaage and a seriously loaded fried chicken burger on the menu.
The Pot of Gold Karaage uses crispy tempura chicken thigh with your choice of ginger sweet chilli, miso glaze or buffalo sauce. The Swing It Wings come by the half kilo with options including buffalo, hot honey, miso glaze, Jameson BBQ and ginger sweet chilli.
Still hungry? The Hot Honey Chicken Burger packs crispy chicken thigh, American cheese, pickles, crispy onions and ranch into a toasted brioche bun.
Anchor Bar Airlie Beach
Perched on the hill above town, Anchor Bar serves up fried chicken with one of the best elevated views across Airlie Beach.
Their Fried Chicken Wings come covered in a chicken gravy glaze and hot sauce, with house pickles and slaw on the side. If you’re with a group, they also feature on Anchor Bar’s legendary Can’t Decide Share Platter alongside smoked lamb ribs, fish bao, ceviche, calamari, pork croquettes, cheeseburger sliders and chips.
It’s a big feed, and with cocktails, cold beers and views stretching across Airlie Beach and the Coral Sea, there are worse places to settle in for the afternoon.
Laguna Airlie Beach
Right beside the Airlie Beach Lagoon, Laguna has a few different ways to get your fried chicken fix. The Karaage Chicken Strips come with harissa mayo, while the Chicken Wings are coated in a house bourbon BBQ glaze.
If you’re sharing, the Laguna Taster Plate is the way to go, loading smoked bourbon wings and karaage chicken alongside spring rolls, pulled pork tacos, corn ribs and plenty more. There’s even a karaage chicken option in their Slider Selection, served with slaw, corn salsa and harissa mayo.
Add lagoon views and a cold drink and you’re pretty well sorted.
Finding Fried Chicken & Wings in Airlie Beach
There’s something pretty hard to beat about crispy fried chicken, a cold drink and a warm Whitsunday afternoon. Around Airlie Beach you’ll find everything from classic chicken wings and karaage to hot honey chicken, sticky sauces and big share plates designed to get everyone involved.
You can keep things central around the Airlie Beach Lagoon and main street, head up the hill for views across the Coral Sea or make your way towards Coral Sea Marina for wings and drinks amongst the yachts.
Fried Chicken for Lunch or Dinner
Fried chicken works just as well for a quick lunch as it does sitting around with a few drinks later in the evening.
Airlie Beach has plenty of casual places to eat, particularly around the main street and foreshore, while the wider Whitsunday dining scene gives you everything from sports bars to waterfront restaurants and relaxed marina dining.
Whether you’re staying in the middle of Airlie Beach, over towards Cannonvale or exploring the surrounding Whitsundays, there are plenty of places to turn lunch or dinner into something a little less serious.
Wings, Karaage and Plenty of Sauce
Half the fun with fried chicken is deciding what goes on it.
Around Airlie Beach you’ll find everything from buffalo and hot honey to bourbon BBQ, miso, ginger sweet chilli and plenty of spicy sauces. Some places keep things simple with a bowl of wings and dipping sauce, while others throw fried chicken into burgers, sliders and big sharing platters.
It’s the kind of food that works particularly well when you’ve got a group together, a few cold drinks on the table and absolutely no interest in keeping your hands clean.
More Casual Dining Around Airlie Beach
If fried chicken isn’t the only thing you’re chasing, there’s plenty more casual food around Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays.
The main street is packed with pubs, bars and restaurants, while the Airlie Beach foreshore, Coral Sea Marina and waterfront areas around town give you plenty of places to eat with a view. Head a little further towards Cannonvale and you’ll find even more local restaurants and cafes away from the centre of town.
From burgers and pizza to seafood, steak and live music venues, there are plenty of options for an easy lunch, casual dinner or a few drinks while you’re exploring Airlie Beach.