Let me start off by saying the waiter we had looked exactly like Tom Hanks and he was super friendly. Like so friendly. Anyways service was fast and courteous. The booth had some crumbs but the turnover time seems to be quick so it's fair to have oversight. The menu is very moderately priced (always nice!) and they had plenty of options to choose from. I would choose this place again! read more

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"Grease" is the word. Greasiest fried chicken I have ever experienced. All the food here taste the same, like old "grease" that is long over due for a change. The cole slaw is flavorless, the crinkle french fries are mush, and Mrs. Paul makes a better onion ring. Why people think this is the best fried chicken in St. Louis is beyond me. read more

Best block in the Stl! As many of my Yeeps are well aware of, I love Blues City Deli. It's one of my favorite places in the universe. However, just down the street from the BCD is another one of my favorite places to eat, Hodak's. I've become a bit of a regular at this establishment, to the point that workers are starting to recognize me. Apparently, I'm not the only person sucked into this place. I see many of the same patrons when I come into Hodak's. Does it come as a surprise? This place is about the most friend/family oriented place in town, just like the good people at Blues City Deli. I keep mentioning the deli because Thursday nights have become the perfect pairing of these two establishments. After a few drinks and some blues music at the deli, Hodak's is almost always the destination after the show. Sometimes before it ends! I get a hankering for that chicken, and my feet are on the move! The draft beer is dirt cheap at Hodak's! I asked the bartender for the specials, and he said that they didn't have any. However, Bud Light drafts are regular priced $1.75. Not a bad deal indeed! On the top of the glass, it simply says, "Welcome Home." I like that quite a bit. Despite what some of my Yelp brethren say about the food, I have never, ever been disappointed. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but it's so true! I've even branched out from the chicken. Gasp! Many of the regulars have made suggestions, too. I still think the half order of chicken is the way to go, but I'm also a huge fan of the sticky wings. Hot and sweet! There's a reason why Hodak's has been around for over fifty years. I can really feel the sense of community there. The food is great. I just feel fortunate to be so close to two St. Louis staples, just down the street from one another. read more

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Although this is known to be a fried chicken place, I did not enjoy the fried chicken that I had. Its atmosphere, chicken wings, service, and apple pie are what earned it its 4 stars. I shared a chicken drumstick dinner, chicken wings with Momma's Sticky Sauce, and a slice of apple pie with my friend. The fried chicken in the chicken drumstick dinner tasted as if it was almost breaded rather than fried (due to the type of oil they fry it in), and the meat on the chicken was dark meat that was not very good. It came with two sides though, and we opted for fries and peas (which were good). The chicken wings were the best that I have had in St. Louis. The sauce was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, the wings were cooked to perfection, and the chicken on them was high quality. They have a variety of desert options, and my friend and I decided to try the caramel apple pecan pie. Our server told us they had run out of the pie that we wanted, but he brought us a slice of apple pie with a scoop of ice cream for free. This was the best apple pie I have ever had, and both the crust and filling were delicious. The atmosphere is also very cool. It has a sports-bar-esk vibe with a bar, booths, and tables, but there are pictures of chicken all throughout. Very unique experience. read more

The chicken is descent nothing to write home about. I wouldn't make a special trip to go and get it tho. The batter would seem to be better suited for fish than chicken The batter is a cornmeal based From the frys to the cole slaw..they suck big time read more

Perfect place to sit down with the family and enjoy fried chicken done right! Service is fast and friendly. Has an old STL feel to it while still being a family style restaurant! read more

Fabulous fried chicken! Easily the best in St Lou. I'd get it to go though and avoid the restaurant itself if I could. My sister never wants to come here because the restaurant is super crowded and very smoky. You wind through the restaurant as you wait in line so there is no avoiding the smoke as a good part of the line is in an apparent smoking section, it made my nieces eyes water a lot. She cannot in good conscious bring the kids here, its just too smoky. Also I do not like that sitting at certain tables, people waiting are just hanging over you, it's creepy. Food alone is absolutely stellar five star for it's type. Prices are a bargain, they have my fave crinkle fries but the atmosphere does not work for anyone sensitive at all to smoke or not wanting such close contact with so many people. read more

The friendly staff is as impressive as the food here. Rayette at the bar served us and she is a sweetheart and very attentive. We shared a half fried chicken and oh-my-goodness that chicken is AMAZING! We watched other dishes come out with beautiful sides and I (Johnnie) was drooling. The potato salad looks marvelous although we didn't have it. 1. Get the half fried chicken. 2. Say hello to Ray-Ray at the bar; she's so nice! read more

Not nececcarily my favorite type of food, but if you're looking for a place to take grandma out to dinner, you'll get five stars from her. I'm basing my 4-star rating on what it is, not food I like best. The menu is mostly fried chicken, roast beef, barbeque and anything else that goes with mashed potatoes, a vinegar based slaw and over-cooked green beans. The fried chicken is a bit underseasoned, but it is crspy on the outside and tender in the middle, as it should be. Everything comes out hot and fast, and the waitstaff are personable. They definitely make their money off of quanitity, because the food is bargain-priced. The restaurant decor is St. Louis historic country-fied. 'It's clean (I'm a stickler for cleanliness in restaurants). If you're looking for a cheap family night out with the kiddos, the kids meals are dirt cheap and the kids portions are great. I recommend it to those who like the whole fried up and barbequed thing. People who do, drive from afar to get their Hodak's fix! read more

You may ask why only 2 stars? Then you look at my other reviews and chalk it up to me being a curmudgeon. The truth of this is, for a restaurant voted & devoted as the best fried chicken in STL it lacks the flavor and seasoning I come to expect in great fried chicken. It is as simple as that. The fried mushrooms were among the best I have ever eaten. The service was impeccable, your drink is never empty. The servers and staff are some of the friendliest, especially for a Sunday church rush crowd. The sides were not quite as good. Mashed potatoes were the standard reconstituted freeze dried potatoes, nothing great but definitely worth eating. Then I got the Mac n Cheese, a flavorless, runny cheese sauce concoction that I couldn't choke down. The most disappointing part of the meal is the fried chicken. Having eaten some of the best fried chicken at James Beard awarded restaurants,' the standard is set at these levels. This chicken was served piping fresh, with a generous cornmeal coating fried to perfection. One bite and the coating detached and came off the breast in one large piece. The meat had no flavor and was on the dry side. What I mean by no flavor is just that, no salty flavor, no other spices to give it flavor and definitely no spicy heat that many enjoy. You might as well have just thrown some shake-n-bake on it and cooked in a Betty-Crocker 350 degree oven. It would have tasted better. So, if you ask why I don't give this place more stars., I believe that should explain it. A word of advice, not that they asked me, try to use kosher chicken or maybe a brine to flavor your meat prior to the batter & fry stage. But what do I know, as Hodak's is voted yet again another readers choice for STL. Congratulations?!?! read more

Always a great place to go when in St. Louis. Things have changed a lot in the neighborhood but the food is good and the staff is great. They close earlier than years ago and the lines to get a table rarely happen now. Still we never visit St. Louis without a trip to Hodak's. read more

First off Hodaks is known for great chicken, and the do not disappoint on that. I have been a number of times and I don't think I have ever swayed away from the half chicken dinner, its just that good with reasonable prices.If you are in the mood for some great fried chicken, give Hodaks a try. Hodak's was also featured on an episode of Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels along with Fitz's. read more

Excellent service and great food! Menu largely focused on fried chicken and didn't see anyone having anything else. As a result, they do it well. The portions are very generous and well prepared. Our food arrived hot and well prepared. The sides were all excellent as well. Also enjoyed the appetizers and had some of the best fried mushrooms I can recall. I recognize this place is an institution and has been doing what they do well and it has served them well for many years. Would be interesting if they would consider having a regular and spicy option for those of us who like a little kick in our chicken. Cannot say enough about the great service we received. Look forward to going back sometime soon in the future. read more

Love the fried chicken, French fries and service. Dinner was busy but everyone was moving to keep soda cups full, and we had a good time.

Let me put it this way... I HATE fried chicken. I will make the trip to Hodak's for their fried chicken any day though. My order (for the past 20 years) is: Potato skins (the best I have ever had, make sure to eat the bacon and cheese on the plate!) The special with fries and slaw You get half a golden fried chicken. It's incredibly meaty-every piece. A breast, thigh, leg, and wing. The fries are crinkle cut and perfectly cooked every single time. Perfect with some salt and ketchup. And the slaw is vinegar based and a great balance to the greasy meal. Been coming here my whole life and have been seeing the same owner, bartenders, and servers the entire time. Best fried chicken, best atmosphere. read more

Bland fried food. We had high expectations but the chicken and mash potatoes didn't have any taste. The mushrooms were freshly fried and were ok but nothing memorable. The kids liked the chicken strips and the thick fries were good. The service was excellent. The waitress was very, very friendly and helpful. Wish the food had been better quality. read more

Hodak's - Fried chicken and thick French fries. - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

The star attraction here is the fried chicken. Unlike most fried chicken joints that try to overwhelm you with extra crunchy skin and too many seasonings, Hodak's fried chicken has a light breading that complements the genuine flavor of the chicken. The portions were very generous and at a price of $7.99 for a half chicken with slaw and fries the value is tough to beat. The deep fried mushrooms were delicious. These were some of the biggest and most delicious mushrooms I have ever had. The dining room was clean and the staff was very welcoming. We had no problem getting exactly what we ordered. read more

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Four stars because I love fried chicken. I had the fried half chicken meal with french fries. It comes with slaw but I passed and got double fries. The chicken was pretty good. Wasn't great, but definitely worth the time and effort. The fries were standard issue. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. The ambiance was excellent. read more

Hodak's wins the Post-Dispatch "Best Fried Chicken in St. Louis" honor every single year no matter what, from what I can tell. Based on this streak, we decided to eat our last summer vacation meal here... It was okay. Just okay. And that makes me wonder about the state of fried chicken in St. Louis. And/or the honesty and integrity of the local paper's editorial staff. The chicken wasn't bad. It wasn't dry. It wasn't undercooked. It wasn't greasy. It didn't taste weird. It just wasn't AWESOME. From a technical standpoint, you couldn't gripe about the chicken. There was nothing *wrong* about it. Whoever made it knows how to fry chicken. It just didn't have that certain something that can elevate fried chicken from being "meh" to being "holy f-ing you-know-what, I want to eat fowl until my gut ruptures and I die while gnawing on the bones!" Chicken Annie's and Chicken Mary's down in SE Kansas? Great fried chicken. The old Brookville out in the middle of nowhere (haven't been there since the relocation to Abilene)? Great fried chicken. Stroud's in KC (too bad they shut down the one on Holmes, which ruled)? Great fried chicken. I know of others. Hodak's isn't among them. The service was a little slow, but the place was a little busy. Everyone was nice. The parking seemed ample. I'd eat there again if I lived nearby, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. read more

Hodak's - The menu says "Welcome Home," but my mom's fried chicken tended to be greasier and more burnt than Hodak's. - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Mediocre at best, it wasn't bad, wasn't great. Probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone when you could get more flavor from KFC fried chicken. There was no herbs or spices in the breading, honestly would be surprised if there was even salt and pepper. Fries were meh. The coleslaw was probably the best thing on the plate and I don't usually like slaw. Overall decent sized portions but definitely not hurrying back anytime soon (Also is there really a need for two parking lots that big? Seems like a waste of space) read more

We are fried chicken lovers who don't really eat fried chicken all that often. We have tried King Edwards and Porter's which were OK, not exceptional. (I still need to get some spicy at Porters). We decided we were way past due to try Hodak's, after living in St Louis for over 20 years. We went with the D's for some of this iconic food. I think that the composite Yelp rating of 3-1/2 stars has this landmark place pegged just about right. The place is BUSY, but the line moved pretty fast. Mr D and I shared a platter of Chicken Livers while the ladies looked the other way and tried to pretend they were somewhere else. Needless to say we all ordered chicken. Is it good? Yes. Is it special? Not really. This is just fried chicken, pretty well unseasoned except for salt. I at least like a good dose of black pepper in the coating and I won't complain about cayenne pepper as well. Ms T was not as complimentary as me, rating it 2-1/2 and would not return. I would probably do it again with out-of-town guests because it a place you have to go. I think I liked Porter's a little better, but have not had them side by side. To be honest, I think I like Lee's spicy better than all three of these local joints. None of them are as good as what we had recently at Amigo Joe's. read more

Took my bestie here today for the first time. She is from St. Louis but lives in Florida. She read my review about Hodacks and she told me this is one of the places she wanted to visit. I am happy to say she loved the fried chicken. Something tells me this might be on the places she needs to go on future visits back to St. Louis. I still got the fried chicken but we tried the toasted ravioli as an appitizer. It was wonderful. It was served hot, was crispy on the outside and the inside was full a flavorful meat mixture. I would definitely get it again. read more

I'm not really much of a fried chicken eater, because most of the time (depending on where) it disagrees with my stomach. Hodak's is an exception. I'll break it down: Speed/service: 3/4 Place was busy (about half-full), but the waitstaff was attentive and they were friendly. Expect to be called 'hun', 'sweetie' and 'love' (haha)! Portions: 4/4 They hook you up when you get their dinner specials and combo platters. Not sure about everything else. Taste/quality: 3/4 Food comes out fresh and hot, and usually doesn't take that long to get to your table right after you order it. Some might say its bland, but that's why they have salt, pepper, ketchup and BBQ sauce at your table. I don't know if they have hot sauce options or not. The crinkle-cut fries are awesome (by the way, they're my favorite kind of french fries. Hopefully yours too). Value: 4/4 Yes, as mentioned above, you get a great deal for your meal here. Another thing to note: they usually offer fries and slaw with every combo/dinner, but you can change it to onion rings or most sides and its no upcharge. Usually places charge extra if you want to change things. You gotta love that. Its a rarity that I spend $12 and I walk out full! read more

What can I say about Hodak's that would make this review quasi-original? They make the best chicken in St. Louis, and that's not lip service; Hodak's has been voted the best in STL since 1991. They also serve this famous chicken at prices that are nothing short of egg-straordinary. (I couldn't help myself.) You can get a whole chicken with two sides of your choice (and the portions are huge) for under ten dollars! In fact, they sell that meal for $6.75! With prices this good and food this amazing, it comes as no surprise that Hodak's is always packed, but even with the noise level and the wait staff running around like, you got it, decapitated chickens, this place is worth all the trouble of waiting for a table and your meal. read more

Hodak's - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Hodak's, to sum up in a couple words that not only describes their food but their overall respect for Saint Louis patrons... Terrible with a greatest in awful. If I could compare Hodak's to a musical it would be the Phantom of the Opera because it is both alluring and frightening. We love the idea of an angel of music but in reality it is just a deformed, jealous manifestation of days past. Sure, your chicken was probably good about 25 years ago, when the dining options were limited, I mean it was the 90's, and Saint Louis had just filmed a movie about the end times in the film "Escape from LA." That's right, downtown mirrored what "dystopia" would appear to be, a lot like your food. It seems your "chicken" has won (awards), it's easy to grant yourself accolades, and maybe, just maybe, if you put all that hard work into your kitchen as you do in your parking lots, for invisible customers, maybe, you would be recognized on a national scale. Your pettiness, and obligatory nature make me vomit in my mouth as I drive pass that carnage you call food. I've had better food out of an MRE bag with a 100 year self life. Your staff is just as rude, your food is inedible and the very presence of this restaurant is a reminder that you are not apart of southern or mid-western hospitality, but part of a small minded, closed off, "where did you go to high school" mentality. The audacity to own all the parking lots, is a calling card for insecurity and self loathing. Instead of embracing other cultures and restaurants in the area and a place for people to park to enjoy the benefits of Benton park you choose to hire intimidating assholes to stand in a parking lot shooing people away from your competition. Your food should entice people, and your generosity should entertain all walks of life. But since your food can't hold a candle to even fast food restaurants you try to intimidate customers of other restaurants... well I have news for you, your self awarding asses can bugger off, because I'd rather park in the street and Uber to nearby restaurants then try my hand at your goons or your goop. I feel sad for the chickens that end up being destroyed in your mobile one deep fryers. You should have called your restaurant "repeats" because I guarantee you will taste it twice! All in all I wish I could rate you zero stars, because there is no glimmer of hope, you have destroyed all chances of it. I only pray that the chickens find peace in the next life, because being apart of Hodak's is truly hell. read more

Carry Out: Great chicken! Huge Portions! Very cheap! Great fries! (Even survived the trip home.) Baked beans were *meh.* Coleslaw was vinegar based, so my husband did not like it as much. My husband liked King Edward's fried chicken more. We have yet to try Porter's. read more

We had the original fried chicken plate. Honestly probably the best fried chicken I have ever had. I will 100% eat here every time I'm in town. Also the coleslaw was unreal good! No matter what you order You must get the coleslaw ! read more

Hodak's - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Went here for the famous fried chicken. I was so disappointed. There was no flavor! It reminded me of school cafeteria food or retirement home food. I was expecting grandma's fried chicken, instead I was left with a boring unflavored generic tasting attempt. Won't be back. read more

Fried chicken wings were huge! Fried chicken livers were awesome! I'll stop by again next time I'm in town! read more

Hodak's - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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We've been going to Hodaks for several years - and it has always been great. Until today. We got right in, there wasn't a line as always before. That was very unusual because this restaurant has always been in demand. We ordered fried chicken and catfish - our old reliable usual preferences. The waitress was great, but the food was almost inedible. The chicken tasted like old grease. The catfish also smelled like old overused grease. The fish was served on slices of bread that were hard and dried up. Neither of us could finish our food. (unheard of). Maybe Hodak's is unable to get enough workers as so many other restaurants, which is not their fault. The business climate in our country is horrendous. The deterioration of the United States under our present leaders is devastating and sad to witness, and affects every business and individual. read more

I haven't been here in ages since I've retired. We used to come here quite a lot from work. The fried chicken was hot and crispy, as anticipated. The place is huge, but they weren't very crowded at the time we were there. My friend had fish and chips, and was kind of put off that it seemed more like fish sticks, instead of real fish. Lots of breading, but tasty. I'm sure we'll be back to try something different. read more

The BEST fried chicken in all of St. Louis!! I do not know what they do to make the chicken so crispy and juicy and better than anything else I have ever had! I'm not much of a person for fried chicken but I will drop everything to have lunch or dinner at Hodak's. I usually split their fired chicken meal with my husband because it is a full half chicken with 2 sides. When on my own, I will get the drumstick meal or a chicken tender meal. For sides, try the Mac n cheese. The green beans are served with ham pieces in it and are sometimes amazing and other times are soggy. read more

Hodak's is the Super Smoker's BBQ of the St. Louis chicken scene. Maybe 10 years ago it could pass for being among the best in the city. However, in those 10 years about 15 better restaurants opened up. I remember coming here for the first time back when I was in high school. I thought it was pretty good. In those days, though, most of the fried chicken I ate came from KFC so the competition was about as strong as my math skills. Now that I consistently eat at the giants of St. Louis(Porters, Southern, King Edwards, etc) I know what truly good/great fried chicken really is. Hodak's ain't it. It's not awful chicken. I mean...I've never really had awful fried chicken. I tend to love all of god's fried creations. With that said, it isn't great or even good. It's average. It's more like fried chicken soup with grease acting as the broth. Oh and the chicken lacks any flavor. It's just a big plate of "meh". When I finish I just sort of stare blankly out in to space with a scowl on my face wondering why I continue to waste calories on Hodaks. The price is good, though, and the portions are big so it has a few positives. However, there are so many places in STL with better chicken these days. read more

This place was highly recommended on a St Louis Cardinals group page on facebook. After eating here this past Saturday night, I can understand why. Outstanding food, outstanding service, great price. I will definitely be back when I am in town again!! read more

The best fried chicken in St.Louis. Service was excellent have been going here for over 20 yrs and they have always been consistent.

Food was bland, coleslaw was terrible bitter with to much vinegar. Mushrooms were great but I've been there previously and never had such an experience my waiter was nice and helpful. Over all ok. read more

All the sides were flavor lesss. And the chicken had a very thick coating of skin super fatty. The actual met was rubbery and the breading on the bread was tasteless and gritty. Will not be going back I don't know why it's been rated best chicken in St. Louis. It's just not right read more

Nice atmosphere & friendly staff, but the food was not very good. It did not look appetizing at all, & it did not taste good. It was not hot, just lukewarm. I asked for bread with my pasta & was given 2 slices of white bread. I was like, Huh? But again, the atmosphere was cozy & staff was friendly, however, I will not be going back. read more

Made the drive here Because it was a dear friends favorite restaurant and it was her 1st heavenly bday. I get why she loved it. So much to pick from. The fries are soooo good and they are famous for the fried chicken too. Hope to make the drive every yr. read more

First time here and it was pretty cool!!! The wings are huge as a matter of fact everything here is big!!! The food was good but nothing like I've been hearing. I would have loved for the chicken and the frog legs to have been seasoned otherwise it's just a bland crust! I recommend give a try and see what you think? I'm in no hurry to return. read more

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