Somebody reach out to Michael Stern. His Roadfood review is sorely out of date. The business is still there, but it's no longer owned by the Brown family. Some other family runs it. The chicken is edible, but not memorable. The pieces are pretty small as well. Not worth a detour. read more

Wayside has kinda fallen off in the last few years and I think at this point browns is my favorite fried chicken in the area. It's inside of a gas station so expect a grab and go situation for takeout. No frills, just simple, good fried chicken. read more

Wow. Need gas and a snack this is the place for you . Was in town and relatives told me about this. I was skeptical but the chicken was very tasty ! Crisp skin and juicy meat. And you get to pick what piece you want . If I had a craving for fried chicken I would definitely come here and get some. 9/21 Had to go back today and checkout the inside. The delicious smell of fried chicken is in the air as soon as your enter. We already had dinner plans or I would have scooped up one of the awesome chicken meal deals. Instead picked up some peach cobbler for dessert . Friendly folks. Love this place read more

See all

This is a well kept hometown secret. A hole in the wall that serves the one of best home cooked fried chicken. A friend who grew up in Charlottesville recommended that I stop in (he knows I love good tasty food... thanks Kevin). Make sure you stop in and taste this old school fried chicken offering that's served by the friendliest people. read more

See all

Hands down the best fried chicken in Cville! Succulent small pieces of chicken that are hot, perfectly seasoned, and crisp. Not the overly greasy fatty chickens in other places. This is high on flavor and juice. The chickens taste organic. Better than it ever was despite change of ownership. I've eaten every gas station fried bird in town and this is my go to on a rainy day. read more

Brown's was the first stop in my September Chicken Crawl 2k20! Living in Cville for a significant amount of time, I've heard about Brown's fried chicken from friends and fellow foodies. As I never got around to actually trying their chicken, why not start the journey there! Located on Avon St, Brown's is situated a mere 5 min drive from Downtown Cville. While the physical location does not have outdoor seating, customers can enjoy their chicken in the neighboring Belmont Park (literally the next street over). I got a box of chicken (which came with a couple of rolls), breaded potato wedges, and mac'n'cheese.  Crunch - Decent, slight crunch. Not heavy on the breading (which I really appreciated).  Flavor - Really well seasoned, not too salty. From breading to actual meat, everything is well balanced. Not spicy.  Succulence - Nice and juicy~ Each piece was perfectly cooked! Heartburn - Pleasantly not oily at all. Everyone who came with me was able to eat multiple pieces without their stomachs feeling uncomfortable afterwards.  How good does it taste cold? - Chicken retains juiciness despite being cold. Hot take, thought it tasted even better cold.  Sides - Chicken paired well with all the sides. Potato wedges were DELICIOUS. Surprisingly, the potato wedges had more crunch than the chicken, but I'm not mad about it. Mac'n'cheese was nice and cheesy, noodles didn't stick to each other. Loved that it was flavored with pepper. The rolls were fluffy and soft. Definitely recommend dipping it in the mac'n'cheese.  Overall, I get the hype! Not realizing that gas station chicken was a thing, I didn't know what to expect, but Brown's was an amazing gastronomical experience! read more

See all

Super tasty fried chicken. Definitely the best in cville. Like other reviewers said it may not be the fanciest looking, but it is so delicious! Crispy, perfectly salted, and not greasy! It's like the fried chicken you crave but never manage to find. This one is it! read more

Please Ignore The Following Reviews: 1. People who have not tried the food. The chicken is not dried out, it is crispy, savory, and delicious. The sides are all excellent. If you arrived late or near closing time, I suggest you come around lunch time. Leaving a negative review because you couldn't or wouldn't eat here is problematic to places that work hard to put out a quality product. 2. People who don't enjoy chicken. Yes, people have told me they don't like Brown's because they don't eat meat. Great. 3. People disgusted with its location. Yes, it's in a gas station. That is part of this location's appeal; it's a genuine hole in the wall. The food tastes great and they wouldn't be allowed to operate if they were dirty, which, in my opinion, they aren't. 4. People irritated at how a manager is speaking to a customer. I get it, this can irritate me, too. But 1 star? Get out of town. I've been going here for years, and the old and new management has been nothing but kind to the people I've seen order. This, along with Wayside Chicken and Mel's Cafe, is some of the absolute best fried chicken in Charlottesville. Best of all, it's affordable! Please support this place, spread the word, and learn what the hype it all about. read more

Brown's - My chicken meal. - Convenience Stores Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Nice courteous staff and awesome chicken. Love this place! If you buy 10 gallons of gas at their new stylish pumps you are rewarded with 1 free piece of chicken. Hot dern, insert fire emojis. read more

Brown's - Convenience Stores Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

See all

Staff members are friendly!! They have everything you need, from eggs milk butter super convenient!

Free piece of chicken with gas purchase will get you hooked. You will want more! My husband loves fried chicken so we have had it most every place it's served in Charlottesville. Brown's is way up the list! read more

Inexpensive and decent fried chicken. Not great even when I was super hungry. Too salty though for my taste.

Not having grown up in the south, I hadn't realized that gas stations not only can sell fried chicken, but they can sell finger-lickin GREAT fried chicken! I'm grateful for numerous C'ville friends talking this place up to me and was finally able to make it out (still open for take out during the pandemic!) to pick up lunch for our family of 5. I only sampled the chicken and the potato wedges, but both were crispy, greasy, and flavorful! I was especially impressed with how moist the chicken is! read more

To call this chicken earth changeingly stupendous would not begin to do it justice. So far, Brown's chicken is the best thing I've eaten all year. Even better, fill your tank up with more than 10 gallons, and you get a free piece! (10 cents lower per gallon than any other station I'd seen in a week of travel). Wow! read more

I Mett the owners tonight. I had no idea they sold chicken. I was visiting Charlottesville tonight on business. Before I left town I had the opportunity to stop by their chicken establishment. It is located in their gas station. Don't let that stop you. I bought three beasts, 3 thighs, and 6 wings. They were out of legs. The special was $12.99 They also have Mac & cheese, potato wedges, Cole slaw. The skin is thin and fried. The chicken is very moist and tender. It has a very special flavor that is unbelievable. It is not greasy either. I am very picky about my fried chicken too! Please visit Browns in Charlottesville, VA. Not far off I-64. 5 star great. Good like Prices Fried Chicken in Charlotte, NC. Get you some! It is truly finger lickin great! Not just good! read more

Brown's - Best fried Chicken around! - Convenience Stores Near Me - Charlottesville, Virginia

Best fried chicken!! Ordering during the shut down was fast & easy. And so, so yummy!

Very unsafe food handling. Very poor customer service. The new owners are very disrespectful to everyone.

As a longtime Wayside customer, I felt the need give Brown's a fair shot. Browns chicken was the most moist fried chicken I've ever had. The breading was on the lighter (thinner) side and not noticeably seasoned. Wayside certainly offers a touch more of the crispy well-seasoned skin. But I'm really splitting hairs.... both are outstanding. The staff was super friendly and happy to help. My 8piece box ran me $12. Wayside is typically $10 read more

The fried chicken is so delicious!!! The sides are good too! Very nice staff!!! Hometown favorite!

The fried chicken did not disappoint. Saw reviews and was in cville and decided to try. It was really good. Ordered the Mac and cheese and it was absolutely what I needed at the moment. While the food was great, the staff was also great. They make you feel like you come in all the time! Everyone is a regular which I loved about this place. Everyone was nice and so welcoming. Yeah it's a gas station but if you've never been, walk inside and pick up some good food. Prices were reasonable too. read more

Brown's Fried Chicken is a must have in Charlottesville. Their chicken is tender, well-fried, and moist. It's difficult to get the balanced combination of fried chicken texture and deliciousness, but Brown's executes their mainstay perfectly. Their potato wedges are pretty solid, and the mac and cheese was serviceable (but nothing special) for the little shop that it is. Brown's is actually finger lickin' good. Don't know why you'd go to any other shop for fried chicken. read more

I had heard of Brown's via a "best of" fried chicken list. The place is more of a convenience store/gas station with food in the back. The fried chicken and lotto seem to be the main draw. There is a 12 piece for 12.99 special that is a very good value. We also got some drinks and macaroni salad (very good!). We also got potato wedge which were ok, but may have tasted better fresh? We were planning on taking the food for a picnic at a local winery. BF thought fried chicken was very excellent, 2 others thought it was good, and 1 thought it was just ok. For the purposes it was really good. They also conveniently have ketchup and hot sauces that you can take to-go. read more

Honestly some of the best fried chicken in Charlottesville! I appreciate the prices and the sides. I also love that when you fill up your gas there you can also get a piece of chicken! Make sure to come here and get the best fried chicken in town! read more

I have lived in Charlottesville for over 30 years and have patronized this business, when it was Stoneys to Browns to now. Before this current owner, Brown's chicken was the best in Charlottesville. In recent months I have tried it a couple times, but no longer recommend it or go there myself. The chicken is tough, dry, and tasteless. The 12 pc. special which used to be $12.99, is now 17.99 and not worth it. The price morphs into the $20s and then they do not give you a receipt. What does that say? read more

This is fantastic fried chicken and service with a smile. Support this lovely local business and get your NOM on! read more

See all

Delicious fried chicken and taters! Staff is friendly! Owner is delightful and friendly. A must try for fried chicken fans

We visited Brown's with the new owner last month. The chicken looked dried out and inedible. We couldn't bring ourselves to order any. Then, we witnessed the new manager/owner speaking rudely to an older customer. I had to walk out at that point. Maybe it's good, maybe it's not. Manners matter and quality matters. read more

The loss of Mr. and Mrs. Brown (they sold the business about five months ago) is most noticeable in the declining quality of the fried chicken sold at Brown's. While the chicken is acceptable, there is a clear drop-off in taste. I tried the chicken about a week after Mr. and Mrs. Brown turned the store over to the new owners and found the taste had been maintained. But several months later now, either corners are being cut or the skillful preparation of superior fried chicken is falling to the wayside. I suspect the gas still tastes the same as before. read more

Sure wish we didn't love this place so much.... Their expertly fried chicken has become an almost cult like obsession at our house. Both crispy and juicy, the chicken is a decadent little piece of Heaven. Most importantly to me, Brown's is owner-operated and there is very much a family feel to the place, which is as awesome as the food. It's like stopping into your mom's kitchen and viola, she's cooking something delicious all the time! read more

Browns is amazing. I've voted for them for "Best of Cville" for the past few years because it's *that* good. The chicken, potato wedges, coleslaw, Mac salad, and potato salad (really, everything) are my personal faves. The store carries everything I need for a "quick shop" and I love stopping in because the folks behind the counter are so, so pleasant. Not just pleasant in a "thank you for your business" way, but in the most genuine and neighborly way that makes you want to stop in just to say "hey". I'm truly spoiled to have a store around the corner from me like this one - thank you Browns!!! read more

Brown's fried chicken is the best I've eaten in many, many years. It tastes like my grandmother's chicken which I had always thought it was the best in the world. Brown's chicken is delicious, wonderful crispy skin but not too crispy like other places chicken and the meat is moist as well. I'm really trying to only go once or twice a week but it's hard - lol. The people are always so friendly...it's just one of my favorite places for takeout. Thank you, Brown's...keep up the great work!! I'm a fan forever. read more

I'm often lured to Brown's because you can get a free piece of fried chicken when you get 10 or more gallons of gas! FYI, the gas pumps say you have to prepay, but that's not actually true. One thing that's also notable about Brown's is the absolutely delightful service. Every single time I'm there, the employees are so nice. The inside has all the typical convenience store items. The chicken itself is pretty good, not the best I've ever had, but pretty darn good. I usually get a breast. I can't say I get the craze over the potato wedges, but the chicken is definitely tasty. read more

I love the Fried Chicken at Brown's. I eat here 2-3 times a month when I can break free at lunch. Service is always fast and very nice. The potato wedges are the stars. I usually skip the other sides and get all wedges. I Chicken is top notch too. If you are in the mood for some great home cooked fried chicken you have to come by Brown's you won't be disappointed. read more

What more can i say but browns chicken is the shit.. Best chicken in town and the sides are allways good too.

Great fried chicken and love the potato wedges. Potato salad is also one of my favorite sides. Probably one of my favorite fried chicken places in Cville. read more

Amazing fried chicken. Free thigh with my fill up. I will come back here for as long as I live in Charlottesville. You must stop here fill up and pick up a few items more than your one piece. 5/5 read more

Brown's fried chicken is amazing, and they have the creamiest macaroni and cheese in town. (My teenager, a mac-n-cheese expert, attests to this, and always wants me to stop in and get some when we drive by.) I go to Brown's once a week to get pump 10 gallons of gasoline in my car and get my free piece of chicken. The people who run the place are really friendly. read more

For a quick and convenient fried chicken dinner, you just can't go past Brown's. The staff are so friendly, the chicken always tender, and their potatoes are delicious. And such great value! read more

Still amazing and just wanted to add that this place was featured in food and wine magazine so dont just take my word for it! The fried chicken is national publication worthy read more

This is the best fried chicken in town! And the best I have had before. They have all you need tucked in the side of their convenience store. read more