Pioneer Chicken

Recommends

Doug Millhoff

Joined 3 years ago

they're back!. I miss Pioneer Chicken as a chain.

The locations in Silverlake and Echo park have closed, leaving eastside and Olympic Bl, so you can imagine how disappointed I was a couple of years ago to discover this location was watering its batter down and ruining its chicken.

Well, yesterday i decided to give this location another chance. They still water the batter down a little compared to original recipe and east side location, but since Pioneer chicken was always a bit greasy and excessively crusty, so now they have it just right!

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the best

Joined 4 years ago

the best gizzards. they have the best deep fried chicken gizzards ,french fries, and wings in ca. don't go away thanx

Doesn't Recommend

jongry

Joined 5 years ago

Nothing like the original. Sorry but my experiences with this location have always been bad. The chicken is VERY dry and it doens't have the "original flavor". Nothing there, from the coleslaw to corn on the cob is good. If you are looking for the real flavor of Pioneer Chicken try the ones in East L.A. or in Hollywood/Silverlake. Those have been the best for me.

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cljr120

Joined 6 years ago

New Management, Same Great Taste, Remodeled!!!. This Pioneer Chicken holds the same classic taste as it always had. It is under new management but is still within the family. It was just remodeled with new wall paper, windows, and even flat screen plasma TV's on the walls!!! The service is even better with the same cook, but new faces such as a mother and son who are always doing the best working the counter. so go on in and indulge yourself!

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Editorial Review. Originally a popular SoCal fast-food restaurant chain, this independently owned franchise specializes in chicken.

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cactusheart

Joined 7 years ago

Yummy Pioneer brings back happy childhood memories!!. It was like stepping back in time:

The decor, the atmosphere of the whole place...even the ADS for the food are exactly the same as it was when Pioneer was in it's heyday....However, since THOSE days were back in the 80's, the place has a very aged, worn-out, sun-faded look.

The chicken was a bit greasier than I remember when I was a kid (maybe it's just me?). But the CRUNCH and the juicy flavor explosion I loved so much is still there....Mmmmmm ^_^

What takes points away from my rating are the BISCUITS! Blecchhhh....They now serve these freakishly large inbreeds of biscuit and dinner roll (which has often come served to me a little burnt on top). Sure it's fluffy, but hello?? Hello?? FLAVOR?? Are you in there? These are the same crappy roll-scuits that had me stop coming to the Pioneer on Sunset (well, one of the reasons anyway). Tsk tsk tsk....

Also, that old corn carousel is no longer there. In case you don't remember, Pioneer once had this circular shaped heating tray with wagon wheel-like spokes and it would rotate little cobs of corn around....Oh and did I mention the cobs were swimming in (about an inch deep of) hot, melted butter??

So, bottom line: This would be an okay place to take the family on a casual Sunday afternoon....

Stick mainly with the chicken....Plus, I strongly advise against buying extra for take-out...Unlike many other take-out foods that can taste better the next day, Pioneer chicken is DEFINITELY NOT one of them. The very thing that makes it great: the hot, crunchy flavorful batter, becomes a soggy, mildly flavored mouthful of lard. Buy just enough to eat at one sitting.