Michael Y.
Yelp
I've always heard stories about Pioneer Chicken from the 1970s and how popular of a place it was. But ever since Popeyes bought them out, I was under the impression that Pioneer Chicken was now only a story from the past. That's why when I found out there were two locations of Pioneer Chicken remaining, I had to drop by and see what I have been missing for all of these years.
Walking up to check out the menu, the restaurant decor instantly hit me with a sense of nostalgia. Booth seats? In the shape of wagons. The carpet? Low pile? The walls? Full of black and white pictures from the past. And the menu? Analog with replaceable number cards. With old school music from the 70s playing, this made me feel like I was teleported to the 1970s. I really appreciated the attention to detail. For this visit, I came with a small party and thus chose to get the 12 piece Econopac which was $43.99 and an order of Chicken Gizzards which were $8.99.
The 12 piece Econopac comes with three large sides to which we selected the mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and macaroni salad. And for the amount given, it was worth it for practically 44 dollars. The 12 pieces of chicken came with 3 breasts, 3 thighs, 3 legs, and 3 wings. And with three large tubs of sides, it was easy to eat over the course of two meals with a few people helping. That being said, the value is definitely there if you are looking to share with others. As for the Chicken Gizzards, the price to portion ratio was even better. The tray easily had more than 20 pieces alone. And with the size of each gizzard being so large, I wish I had more! Looking from a price to portion standpoint, it is definitely very good.
The flavor of the meat was simple, yet done right! The chicken batter was very fried in comparison to the meat. But despite that, it was very crispy. With a very light peppered seasoning on the outside, the savory flavor was tasteable in the meat as well. The chicken itself was moist and juicy which really solidified how well the chicken was made. As for the sides next, the mashed potatoes were light and fluffy. Combined with the gravy, they were subtly savory, meaning that the gravy did not add too much. Moving to the macaroni salad, the side was sweeter than I initially expected. But nonetheless, the pieces of macaroni were both soft and creamy. The coleslaw had a similar taste to the sweetness of the macaroni salad. But with the mix of cabbage and carrots, the coleslaw brought a needed crunch to the food. For last, I enjoyed the gizzards as much as I loved the chicken meat. The exterior was fried just as much as the regular pieces. But with a more chewy interior, the gizzards seemed to have more fiber and were defined in their taste.
There is something very simple about Pioneer Chicken that really hits home. In fact, it is one of the few places where less is truly more. With robust chicken and a basic selection of sides, the food checks all of the boxes and truly goes "back to basics" in the best ways possible. But even with their strong foundation, Pioneer Chicken has unique items such as their Chicken Gizzards that really make them stand out in the crowd of different restaurants. The restaurant was very well maintained and one of the most faithful "time warps" I've personally seen. All of the former being said, Pioneer Chicken is definitely a 5-star worthy place to get some fried chicken and I would definitely come back in the future.
