This place lived up to expectations on our Route 66 journey! We had the buffet - and it was great! Chicken and waffles, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, rice, corn fritters - who knew they could be so light!! Bourbon chicken.....I ran out of room on my plate and in my stomach! The place is also very cute - love the huge chicken collection! The staff seemed to know a lot of the clientele and were very friendly! We would definitely go back - but you've got to plan ahead - it's really the only meal you will need that day! read more

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I stopped by Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket after seeing it from the road. It's right off Route 66, but kinda hard to miss, this place feels like one of those spots you stumble on by luck. The place has that classic diner look, a little loud, smells amazing, and everyone seems happy to be there. Including the staff, they were super friendly. I got the fried chicken basket. Half a chicken, four pieces. Looked perfect when it came out.. golden, crispy, hot enough to burn your fingers a little (in a good way). First bite, the crunch hit, then that juicy inside...oh man, that's real fried chicken. Seasoned just right, not salty, not bland, that simple, old-fashioned flavor you can't fake. It's just place that you will find really good chicken. And I'm definitely be coming back for more. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Fried chicken - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

We were driving Route 66 from Chicago, and timed it to have dinner at Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket. The restaurant is very old school inside which gives you memories of old time diner's along the route. There is a cool Route 66 sign out front for photo ops too. We were immediately greeted and taken to a table. Being as we were there more for an early bird dinner, the place wasn't too crowded yet, but there were other diners. Our server was bubbly and friendly. She came to take our drink order and bring fresh hot biscuit rolls. We explored the menu and of course it would be chicken of some sort. Mr. Bee chose the special which was 2 dark meat pieces of chicken and I chose the chicken tender basket. With orders placed, we enjoyed our beer and wine and the casual atmosphere. After about 30 minutes we began to wonder what happened to our order. We waited a few more minutes and our server did come by to tell us it was coming soon. Several more minutes went by and our plates were delivered to the table. Mr. Bee was a little disappointed to see his chicken legs were not fried, but had more of a spice mix on the outside. While they were very good, it wasn't fried and he realized he should have read the special more thoroughly. My chicken tenders were just that, tender and perfectly fried, crunchy on the outside while still juicy on the inside. There were probably 8 or 9 chicken tenders in the basket, way more than I could eat. The Mac and Cheese was cheesy and creamy, just like grandma's. We enjoyed our dinner, and would go back if we found ourselves on Route 66 again. There is plenty of parking out front, the restaurant is tucked away a bit in an industrial area. Just know that while the chicken will be worth it, I think it is cooked to order, so the food does take some time to come out. But the staff was friendly and attentive. The chicken theme in the restaurant makes you feel if you are eating in someone's home. read more

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Fun, fun place!! It's been eons since I came here with my Mom. We use to come here quite a bit when I was a child. We met some friends there and decided to dine in the bar. We wanted to be entertained and drink a bit. The guys being car guys they loved their Rt 66 decor. They also had lots of chicken tchotchkes around the dining room area. Fun nostalgic place!! The bartender told us about their buffet so I went to check that out and they seemed to have everything that they have on the menu so we all decided to go with that. We had everything- chicken, corn fritters, and surprisingly they have a great rigatoni with vodka sauce! All was very yummy! They have some gambling machines in the back of the bar if you care to mess around with that a bit. They had lots of large flat screen tv's and had the Olympics on which was fun. There was lots of picture taking opportunities as well. read more

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Renowned for their famous chicken dishes, they occasionally offer a prime rib dinner special for under $20. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - $19.99 Prime Rib Dinner Special - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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My karaoke girl's luncheon was at Dell Rhea's. We enjoyed the lunch buffet and it was so fresh, tasty and soooo many delicious choices!! Two homemade soups, untenable choices to make your own salads and hot food choices galore! Not only their famous fried chicken, but also grilled chicken!! Sloppy joes, chicken meatballs....plenty of tasty veggies, potatoes and hush puppies!! Want dessert? They've got a nice spread including brownies and custards. It's a family friendly establishment with a wonderful accommodative staff!! GO!!!! read more

The thrill is gone. Last three visits since the new owner and I no longer enjoy the food. Most recently the prime rib was a joke. I guess for $20 you should not expect much. Asked for medium rare and they brought out a well done piece. Asked for something more medium rare. Brought out a medium well slice and she said it is best they can do. I got there right when it was available at 4pm. Mysteriously the table next to me was served 3 medium slices just after mine. Obviously they're using select meat, the cheapest cut available, as it was over chewy. Being over cooked doesn't help with the chew also. Not much flavor either. Got hassled twice for sitting in their parking lot waiting for 4pm. They said it is a private lot and I need to leave, as they're expecting a busy night. I told them a second time I was coming in. Definitely should've just left the second time the owner harassed me. When I went in at 4pm there were 23 open parking spots near me. I used to enjoy my visits with the previous owner Pat. I actually was on the segment that was filmed there by Chicago's Best TV in 2012 and could be heard saying "they have the best fried chicken in the world." Not any longer. read more

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We are big DDD followers so on out second trip to Joliet I thought let me try to find a restaurant in the area. I came across Dell Rhea. We arrived on Sunday at 11:30 AM, the restaurant opened at 11 and was already about 1/4 full. We opted to do the buffet even though I hardly eat anything, lol.(I maybe ate half a plate of food) the buffet was completely stocked with fresh delicious food. The chicken, obviously with the restaurant is known for, was absolutely delicious. It was extremely juicy, and the breading was a very different texture. I also tried a corn fritter, Belgian waffle, hashbrowns, garlic bread and chicken dumpling soup. Each item was actually very good, hot and fresh. The chicken dumpling had the biggest and most amount of chicken ever, lol. Service was also very good. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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What a fun experience and stop on the Route 66 line! The food was fantastic and well seasoned, with a very nice selection for the price ($17) and the staff were super friendly and welcoming. I loved the decor with all of the memorabilia in the hallways. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Lunch Buffet $17.00 - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Stopped by for an early Sunday dinner. First time here. Plenty of parking. Separate bar area inside the restaurant. Friendly wait staff who properly explained the menu. Had the chicken dinner. Texture of the fried chicken was not to my liking. The batter used made the chicken hard. I think they used cornmeal. The chicken was also dry but seasoned well. Like the mashed potatoes, fried chicken livers, and corn fritter. Salad bar had a variety of vegetables, fruits, and pasta but many pieces of the lettuce were wilted and discolored, making it unappetizing. They really should discard those. My Old Fashioned was made well . read more

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Driving from Chicago to Los Angeles we were enticed by Dell Rhea 's Chicken Basket on old Route 66. Originally serving delectable fried chicken out of a Route 66 gas station to hungry travelers on the Mother Road in the late 1930's, Dell Rhea's now serves in a welcoming dining room with a roaring fire in the fireplace. We were warmly greeted with a welcoming smile. We decided to share a fried Chicken Sandwich with fries and coleslaw to eat on the road. The brioche bun was fluffy and an excellent compliment to the floured deep fried chicken nestled on a bed of lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Yum!!! The fried chicken was juicy and flavorful. The French fries were crispy on the outside and well cooked on the inside. Yay! We loved our first visit to Dell Rhea's with its historic connection to Route 66. We vowed that next time we will schedule enough time in our travels to linger in the dining room and order the famous fried chicken basket for dinner. We can't wait! read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket is a great stop on old Route 66! - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Dining at this restaurant is a family-friendly, enjoyable experience in itself! It is a national heritage location, I believe, set right on the historic Route 66. Our oldest daughter & family took hubby & me here for Mother's Day lunch. I admired the adorable interior decor... chicken-themed, of course. The four walls have a connecting ledge upon which sit all sorts of ceramic and carved chickens decor. So cute! We liked the all you can eat buffet, but the one entreé they're supposed to be famous for - the fried chicken - was too salty! I really liked the salad bar. Everyone's favorite were the little waffles that were like cookies. Service is very friendly, happy, welcoming. I would bring out-of-town and foreign guests here for an authentic Midwest American dining experience! read more

It's a very nostalgic place to go. The service was wonderful. The food was just ok tonight. #iraeats #iraeats1 read more

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Classic old school fried chicken place. The only thing I would get is what they do best, the chicken. Ordered with green beans, mashed potatoes (really good), and a OK biscuit. Salad bar came with dinner. Good enough and fresh. Great place to go once in a while. Not the best fried chicken but way better than most. read more

Food was decent. Ordered a wine at the bar beforehand. Really a .29 cent surcharge on a small glass of wine? Annoying money grab turnoff! No thanks,,, read more

Granted I only had the lunch buffet to go, but the food was marginal and definitely a little pricey.

This review is only for the lunch buffet. Maybe I'm not the target demographic for this place as a 26 year old woman. I saw this place had great reviews, has been visited by guy fieri, and seemed like a place where you get really good fried chicken so I stopped by. When I sat down they recommended the lunch buffet and said that if I ordered, it could take 30 minutes (even though the restaurant was maybe 1/4 full). So I tried most of the lunch buffet and it was pretty disappointing. I first got the ribs, something labeled as corn fritter but it was just like a corn dog bite, and a piece of fried chicken. All of the meats I got were lukewarm to cold. I will say, I saw someone else cut into their fried chicken and it had steam coming out so I'm not sure why my chicken was cold. The fried chicken was incredibly disappointing - not very moist at all, not crispy, just bleh. Popeyes chicken is 10x more delicious. I later tried the bourbon chicken which was just also not great but at least warm, and the rest of what I tried (marinara pasta, corn bread, biscuit) were all just fine. I would have expected the biscuit to be really good here too but alas. I noticed that the demographic was like 60+ and I could definitely see how this demographic would enjoy the way this food tasted, it had kind of an old fashioned bland taste. Me personally I live in Chicago and have had many outstanding dining experiences so maybe I have a different standard. Overall it was very disappointing food considering guy fieri featured them on his show, I can only assume the food made to order is what he is talking about. The interior was nice and the service was decent. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

Very good soup-salad bar included with some dinners or with the buffet. Very good fried chicken, crisp and not greasy. Buffet on weekends with fried chicken, ribs, veggies, corn, hush puppies, mashed potatoes, and deserts. read more

An old place with friendly people and good food. Look for the cute chicken related ornaments about, a Route 66 historical marker outside, and an open fireplace in the fall and winter. The prices are a little on the high side, so look for specials. I like to get the Chicken Dinner for $20, which includes their famous fried chicken, steamed string beans, and home made mashed potatoes, along with their soup and salad bar. I add one of their old fashioned soda bottles for $2.50 and take one to go for $2.50, so my total out the door plus tip is about $30. But they have a lunch buffet for $15, a bar, and slot machines for those looking for a more affordable good time. This place is always packed with families. (Reposted from 2022) (Removed Request to Join Yelp Elite, as I Mainly Review on Google Maps in 2025) read more

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My family comes here often. The vibe is very homey and comfortable - perfect for family dinner or brunch. They have a buffet but I always get their chicken sandwich. Their chicken never misses, it's always juicy and tender and their service is always extremely friendly and welcoming. read more

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Okay I'm going to be so real right now. We ordered the fried chicken basket and fried shrimp. We had to wait like 40 minutes for our food. THEN when we got it, the shrimp is so overcooked. Like it went to the depths of hell and back. So rubbery. I thought the chicken would be better but no. This was the DRYEST dark meat chicken I have EVER had. How do you make a fried chicken thigh dry? Idk. Not worth the money or wait. read more

Classic diner but better! Amazing staff, cozy space, and wonderful food. Fried chicken was hot and crunchy. Make sure to get the actual fried chicken and not tenders. Foot long cheese sticks were unbelievable!! 3 different cheeses and dipping sauces. Don't sleep on the specials. I'll be back. read more

OBSESSED. This is such a cute location on historic Route 66, with lots of nods to that history. But the food here is really incredible!! There's a fabulous soup/salad/dessert bar, biscuits, and AMAZING fried chicken! Portions are wildly generous--I definitely had leftovers for days. I STRONGLY recommend this place for a fantastic, fresh comfort meal! read more

We have been loyal customers of this restaurant for over 20 years, which makes sharing this experience incredibly difficult. We chose this venue for a special graduation dinner for a party of 13, expecting the excellent service we have always known. Instead, it was the worst dining experience we have ever had. Despite the bar being empty, our first round of drinks took an exceptionally long time, and our second round never arrived at all. The food service was completely chaotic, as every single one of our appetizers was incorrect, my mother-in-law's entree was served at the same time as the appetizers, and three other entrees were wrong. One guest's entree never arrived at all, and when we finally tracked it down, it was brought out 45 minutes late. Throughout the night, requests for simple condiments were completely ignored.The most unacceptable part of the evening occurred at 8:30 PM, when staff began mopping the floors around our table with heavy ammonia. The chemical smell was so overpowering that it ruined the environment, forcing us to pack up our food and leave immediately. Our bill was over $400, which included an automatic 20% gratuity that was completely unearned by the staff. I called a few days later and was promised a callback from the owner. When that did not happen, I followed up myself. While the owner was nice and offered a complimentary future dinner, a voucher does not undo the stress of a ruined milestone celebration. Given the severity of the service failures and the physical discomfort caused by the chemical cleaners while we were eating, a complimentary meal is not an adequate resolution. We loved this restaurant for two decades, but this experience was deeply unpleasant. read more

Food is always good, reliable. Home cooked feel. Adorable chicken decorations. Christmas decor is everywhere in December! Service always prompt. Very homey, family place read more

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Been going since they originally opened when there was no I-55. Food is still real good even without original owners. I was 3 years old and had beer from a shot glass.. I do miss the chopped liver on the salad bar. That was always a favorite. Always fresh food thru out the years.priced more than reasonable read more

My family and I have gone there for years. Had an out of town guest on Friday to celebrate a birthday and have been talking about this place for years to her. Food was great as usual. Around 4ish a man came to the table and asked us to leave cause he had a reservation for that table? Never identified himself. Restaurant was not full all day multiple tables in dining room open and bar completely open. I guess cause we were not drinking and spending $$...even the lady at the next table said "that was rude" I was soo embarrassed. We are 70 year old ladies and wont be back. read more

The restaurant feels like walking into someone's home. It's quaint. Currently it's decorated for Christmas. The fireplace is a cute touch. I love how it makes you feel like you've traveled back in time. The Route 66 information is a great photo op. I wasn't thrilled with the lighting but it was okay. Our server was Vicky. She was very thorough but she didn't hover. She answered all of our questions. The green beans are a good portion. Easily two people could share. Actually of the portions were very generous. I liked the sauce on Chef Patrick's wings. I loved the black cherry soda. That's all I'll say. read more

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Dell Rhea's has always been on my list since we drove Route 66. Being from Chicago, we were in town for a family wedding. The chicken is AMAZING. I had the buffet which was so nice. My husband had a chicken sandwich. Right when you walk in you are greeted as family and the service is out of this world! They should right a book on customer service! read more

Disappointed. Ordered: same time, same place & same order as the past week . Sadly this weeks order was not even near comparable. Picked up order w/in time frame given, actually ealier. Fried shrimp w/fries were greezy & disapointingly soggy. No comparison to past weeks order that made me want more of the same. Todays ordered tasted like it was pulled from the buffet. Yuck. Advice: order on site, not a pickup. The previous week order was delish. Not so for this week. Shrimp weren't cleaned or deveined this visit. 2 stinconsistency? A Good Hurrah for past week. Why the inconsistancy this week? D. If you like consistency dont count on it. read more

Classic spot and a great lunch buffet. One of those places everyone should check out once with the history and all. The chicken dumpling soup is good too. However, the cream of mushroom soup would be my only negative. One of the worst soups I've had I'm sorry to say. Very kind staff! read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Outside - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Wow. Not good. I was forewarned but wanted fried chicken. Tasted more like fried smelt. Not good.

Review Visit: May 4th, 2021 This place gives a cluck! I'm not sure how I discovered Dell Rhea's originally but it has been on my list of places to visit since 2014. I know it was featured on an episode of 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives' so maybe that is where I heard of it. However I was made aware of it doesn't matter as I finally got to mark it off my list since I was in the area and knew I needed to try it. I stopped in during an hour-long lunch break from work and thought it was a place where you ordered at the counter and took a seat. Wrong. This is a full-fledged restaurant with an optional buffet if you should want to stuff your face until you pop. I snagged a table in the far corner and got to take in the restaurant as I looked over the menu. One thing I noticed was a distinct smell if you took a big enough breath. I am not sure what that smell was but it was just a bit unpleasant. Not enough to sour the appetite if you breathed normally but enough to take note. The place also had a bit of a grime to it but that could be due to the sheer age of the place. I know it's been around since the 1940's, whether that adds to the charm of the place or detracts from it is up to you. As I sat there and waited for my Buffalo Chicken Sandwich to come out, the waitress put a biscuit with a honey packet in front of me. I looked around and noticed other people with the same thing, so this must be an appetizer they give out to all patrons, similar to chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants. I ended up dipping my biscuit in the honey on the plate to avoid getting my hands too sticky. I enjoy a good accompaniment to my food and this biscuit was delicious. Easily a top 5 biscuit in my book (not that I am keeping track). This got me excited at the prospect of what my sandwich will bring. I didn't have to wait too long before my main meal was placed in front of me. The chicken sandwich dominated the basket and I had to snack on a few of the fries to be able to grasp the sandwich in a way that didn't make a mess. The fries themselves were okay. Nothing special but also nothing awful. Just your standard french fry. Since I was on a time crunch, I inhaled my chicken sandwich. I typically eat fast, so that wasn't an issue. What I did encounter with trying to eat fast was that the buffalo sauce was indeed hot. I had to stop a few times to catch my breath and drink some water before I could continue. The sandwich came with blue cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. I learned while scarfing the food down that I wasn't a big fan of blue cheese. Not that it took away from the sandwich, just a personal preference. The sandwich itself was really good. It burned my mouth (in a good way), cleared up my sinuses, and hit the spot. It was more than enough to fill me up and I sometimes have an endless appetite. I couldn't finish the fries that came with it but half of that was due to not finding the fries all that tasty. If I was in the mood for a chicken sandwich and lived in the area, this is the place I would hit up. I might have to see if I can find the episode of 'Diner's, Drive-Ins, and Dives' that featured Dell Rhea's to see what it's like behind the scenes. read more

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Got the travelin pack for take out. 8 pieces of chicken, fritters, mashed potatoes and gravy and biscuits. Reasonable prices. Chicken was crispy, big pieces. I was impressed with the flavor and juiciness of the chicken. They have a buffet as well which was popular. Would recommend. read more

Everything about this place is great. Service, food and atmosphere. We threw an 80th surprise party for my Mom and they could not have been more accommodating. Georgie was so helpful getting things setup and Dee (and I forgot the other server) were both so kind and wonderful. We are so thankful for this great staff and restaurant! read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Party setup. - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

A couple years ago I came here from a suggestion from a relative. I ordered a rack of ribs and got just that, PLUS the plastic it was wrapped in. Everything was covered in sauce and cooked. I was two bones in and what I thought was bark was plastic! I spit out what I had in my mouth and asked for a manager. They asked for a re-make but I was so discussed with what they did in the kitchen. I got a $20 discount only. The plate cost more than the comp. Thanks Del Rhea, never gone back since. read more

DDD - The Chicken Basket, as it is today, opened in the summer of 1946 on Historic Illinois Route 66. Because of the amount of traffic and distance from Chicago, the Chicken Basket was the perfect stopping place going to or coming from Chicago. Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket has been in countless Route 66 documentaries and travel books on Route 66 and has visitors from around the world on a regular basis! "Our goal has long been to serve our customers the freshest, most outstanding food. We also promise to provide you with the best service in the world. We would like to thank you for 60 plus years of loyalty, and we would like to ask for another 60 years of that same loyalty." Fried chicken (GF) was exceptional and the Mac'n Cheese worthy of Guy's praise! Season 5 Lunch time buffet was filled with hot and delicious food options! Bldg was decked out too - and server was great! read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Mac N Cheese - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

Very crowded when we went. Guess that's always a sign that food is good. Had the chicken basket. Fried chicken was very yummy. I was very excited to try the corn fritters, they were good. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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It's been a while--mom & dad and I loved it! Salad bar, homey tablecloths, great fried chicken! Memories! read more

I met some friends here, for lunch today. I cannot believe that I have never been here before. The food was absolutely delicious, fresh, and then all you can eat? I just don't like the fact that this is not good for my diet. I think it's time to stop my diet. lol the staff so polite, and consistently running around making sure everyone had what they needed. This will be my go to place now with my kids and grandchildren and whomever feels the need to treat me as well. read more