MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN

MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN passes cleanly. The state put it at an A, 93/100, at its latest health inspection on February 18, 2026.

On health score it's safer than 52% of Indian River County restaurants we grade. Diners rate it 4.2 from 1,034 reviews. Menus here flag options for dairy-free diners.

Get directions Call (772) 567-5360

Restaurant details

Health grade
A (93/100)
Violations
7 total — 7 basic
Address
748 21 ST, Vero Beach, FL
Cuisine
Other
Categories
Chicken restaurant, Fast food restaurant, Restaurant
Price
$10–20
Rating
4.2 stars (1034 reviews)
Seats
52
Phone
(772) 567-5360
Website
Official website
Photo of MARYLAND FRIED CHICKEN
Photo: Herve Andrieu

Community Rating

Reviews via Google
4.2 Community-sourced rating 1,034 reviews
Read all reviews on Google →

What diners say — our read

This listing's ratings cluster at the two ends of the scale. Opinion on portion size is split — those reviews land at 3.3 on average. After that, front-of-house appears most often — 24% of the corpus, averaging 4.3.

A third strand, what it costs, appears in 24% of them at 4.8 stars. If you had to pick one number to represent this corpus it would be 5, the most frequently given rating (10 reviews). Older reviews score better than newer ones (4.2 recent against 4.8 earlier), so direction is worth weighing alongside the average.

On the inspection side the picture is cleaner: DBPR graded this kitchen an A (93/100), with 7 basic violations. Whatever the reviews argue about, sanitation is not the weak point. DBPR last walked in on February 18, 2026. Ranked against Indian River County, it is safer than 52% of the restaurants we score. The citations behind that grade include cross-contamination and wiping cloths.

Neither signal is decisive on its own here, which is why both are shown. The individual reviews are below, newest first, if you want the raw material.

Our own analysis of 17 reviews for this restaurant, set against its Florida DBPR inspection record. How we calculate grades →

  • June 28, 2026

    Still the best chicken, Coleslaw and fritters around

  • June 8, 2026

    Vero Beach FL. Best gizzards around. Very soft and not chewy. Got a half and half.

  • June 8, 2026

    It’s so nasty and ratchet

  • May 19, 2026

    I grew up with a Maryland Friend Chicken in my Georgia hometown and I was so excited to see this in Vero Beach! I was visiting with my mom and we had to stop in. Everything was so good! The service and cleanliness were top notch. I got the chicken gizzard dinner and my mom had a 2 piece chicken dinner. We both got greens as a side and agreed they were not the best. Everything else was so good. I hope to go back soon.

  • May 13, 2026

    Amazing!

  • May 6, 2026

    This place is terrible. Do yourself a favor just go to Kentucky Fried chicken honestly number one you come in here an hour before they close and they don’t have any sweet tea. I mean that’s ridiculous and the chicken looks like pigeons. tiny.

  • April 30, 2026

    I went there for the first and last time yesterday. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed with a few things. For starters, the place is filthy! yes, the walls to the tables could use a deep cleaning. The napkins are from a pull and tear bathroom type roll dispenser, which means the last person's hands touched the piece of towel you are about to use. The chicken was very fried almost to the point of overdone, sorry, but if you want. Fountain drink machine mixed the Pepsi wrong to where it tasted like a charge of seltzer water with a bit of Pepsi syrup. Not a very great experience all around.

  • April 12, 2026

    I ordered a two-piece dark meat meal with French fries and macaroni salad, and overall, the experience was underwhelming. The food was nothing to write home about, just very average. Unfortunately, the macaroni salad wasn’t all that either. On top of that, the service was lacking. There wasn’t much friendliness, and it definitely felt like customer service could be improved. Overall, it wasn’t the best experience, and there’s plenty of room for better quality and service. I will not return.

  • April 11, 2026

    ...it's all about the great chicken! There are lots of options from individual pieces to huge meals with all the sides. But the best advice I can give is, eat the chicken right away! If you take it home it still tastes great but it's absolutely the best if you eat it in the store hot from the fryer!!

  • April 8, 2026

    You forgot my French fries with order! Grrrrrr!

  • April 1, 2026

    Old school spot... food is always amazing..... One of those spots when you come home you will always have to hit... this is always where the natives come for a fast chicken meal that is always consistent and quick

  • March 20, 2026

    First time here, some of the best fried chicken I've had in this area. Food comes out very fast once you actually order. Similar price to KFC, but better food.

  • March 18, 2026

    I have to drive 26 miles to this location, but it is worth it!

  • March 17, 2026

    Love their chicken and livers!

  • February 26, 2026

    This place is THEE place for fried chicken! On today's visit I got a fried chicken sandwich. I got the spicy. The spice comes from the sauce that they toss it in. It comes w a side and a small drink if you order the combo. I do have one comment about the price. The combo was advertised at $6.50 but I was charged $8 + tax. I will be back. There used to be a location in Orlando on highway 50 that I used to frequent, so, now whenever I'm in the Vero Beach area I swing through. You should stop in too!

  • February 22, 2026

    Very friendly staff and delicious chicken .

  • February 21, 2026

    Great fried chicken, price and service!

Overall Score

64 / 100

  • Health inspection grade 40/40
    Grade A
  • Dietary transparency 3/20
    1 option listed
  • Community rating 17/20
    4.2★ average
  • Hidden-gem status 0/10
    Not flagged
  • Track record 4/10
    Stable, 0% clean

Composite score from health grade, dietary options, ratings, and inspection record — distinct from the state-derived health grade.

Opening hours

Monday
10:30 AM to 9 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM to 9 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM to 9 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM to 9 PM
Friday
10:30 AM to 9 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM to 9 PM
Sunday
10:30 AM to 9 PM

Inspection history

The following records are from Florida DBPR public inspection records, most recent first.

  1. February 18, 2026 · Routine - Food

    Inspection Completed - No Further Action

    0 high-priority · 0 intermediate · 7 basic

    • 08 — Cross-contamination: raw foods separated; food protected during prep/storage
    • 14 — Food-contact & nonfood-contact surfaces properly designed/maintained (×2)
    • 21 — Wiping cloths; clean & soiled linens; laundry (×2)
    • 22 — Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized
    • 23 — Nonfood-contact surfaces clean
  2. September 30, 2025 · Complaint Full

    Inspection Completed - No Further Action

    2 high-priority · 0 intermediate · 4 basic

    • 14 — Food-contact & nonfood-contact surfaces properly designed/maintained
    • 22 — Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized
    • 23 — Nonfood-contact surfaces clean
    • 35 — Insects/rodents/pests; outer openings protected against pests (×2)
    • 41 — Chemicals / toxic substances properly stored & used

This grade is calculated by us from Florida DBPR public inspection records — Florida does not issue official grades. How we calculate it →

Data last updated: February 18, 2026