Derek S.
Yelp
We stopped through Wagner's on the way home to Indy to break up the drive. My wife, son, and I each got the fried chicken dinner because when in Rome, right?
The chicken was super hot, juicy, and fresh. The ingredients are pretty straight forward, with the lone twist being the fact they skillet fry the chicken in pork fat, but they lean heavy into the black pepper - I'm a fan, but just a warning for those who aren't. The sides are just OK: the mashed potatoes are saved by the gravy and the green beans are plain Jane, but they remind me of the ones my mom used to make. The service was terrific and everyone was incredibly friendly and attentive.
Was scrolling through the reviews after the fact and I think some folks are being overly harsh with this place. Yes, it comes with the James Beard distinction, but a big part of earning that award is the "no frills" approach: it's basic, traditional, reliable, and charming. Wagner's is located in Oldenburg, a 600-person town in the giant Nowheresville between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. I barely had cell service there. Is the meal mind-blowing? No. Are the green beans canned? Yes. But, is the chicken hot, crispy, and tasty? You bet! It's rural Indiana, guys!
You want a prototypical Beard experience? There's an amazing Ed Lee place in Louisville that's 100 miles away, or you can trek to Chicago in around four hours to spend quadruple the price on something more upscale and oretenoois. This place *isn't* that... and, for a family-owned fried chicken joint, that was perfectly fine with us.