Hillstone has fervent fans nationwide, and its San Francisco followers are no different. The entire menu is a solid order, including the free-range rotisserie chicken, which comes roasted with crushed herbs and an apricot glaze, served alongside black beans and rice.

From the same team as La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, Jaranita is a colorful chicken shop that burst into the Marina at the beginning of 2021. The Peruvian menu centers on a rotisserie chicken, spun over mesquite charcoal, and available whole or by the half, as a complete dinner with fries and salad. But there are also tempting cebiches, empanadas, and lomo saltado, and true to the neighborhood, there’s brunch and happy hour action with bright cocktails.

Part taqueria and part rotisserie, Bonita has a Mexican bent on its Mary's free-range rotisserie chicken, which can be ordered at the counter as a half or whole chicken, or shredded into tacos, burritos, bowls, quesadillas, and more. You can eat it all there, but it's more comfortable to take it home to Netflix (or order it online).

For a straightforward option, Perry's has a simple half roast chicken served with fingerling potatoes and seasonal vegetables underneath in its jus. It's moist, just salty enough, and very satisfying.

One of the OG chickens in town, Roli Roti serves its juicy, golden-brown birds from roving rotisserie trucks. They're at markets every day of the week and set up shop regularly at the Ferry Building. Add sides like roasted brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes and dinner is served. (For non-chicken enthusiasts, Roli Roti's porchetta is also extremely excellent.)

From Rich Table's Evan and Sarah Rich, this is the neighborhood rotisserie restaurant of your slightly-elevated-but-mostly-really-casual dreams. Counter service, takeout, and delivery yield beautifully roasted, buttermilk-brined chickens, cauliflower, or pork belly. Eat any of those three on their own, atop a salad, or in sandwich form, then follow up with soft serve. A second location now also serves just off Divisadero.

Souvla's whole roast chicken is available on its own or rounded out with juicy potatoes, a side salad, and your choice of yogurt dipping sauce. As for the chicken itself, it's Souvla's signature spit-roasted, feta-brined rotisserie chicken.

A roast chicken list without Zuni is no list at all. Because this is the roast chicken that started it all, and one that will forever be the city's top chick. But there are rules associated with this chicken, and you should know them. First and foremost, the kitchen needs an hour to cook it, and second, you cannot order it in advance. It's a pricey entry at $68 for a whole chicken with bread salad, but one that's shareable and well worth it.

An Aussie-style chicken shop spun into Noe Valley in fall 2021, serving rotisserie chickens, duck fat potatoes, and lemony broccoli salad. The owners are a brother and sister who grew up in Sydney but now live with their families in the neighborhood and understand the desperation of busy parents, tech personalities, and everyone else who would rather not cook their own dinner tonight. Step right up to the counter for takeout, or wind through to the back to kick it under fringe umbrellas on stripy deck chairs.

Charbroiled chicken is the name of the game at El Pollo Supremo, which is family-owned by a very enthusiastic crew for the past 22 years. An entire chicken is just $14.99, and there is a plethora of Cuban sides to round out the meal, like various rices, beans, salads, potatoes, and more.