Surprisingly good fried chicken for a random gas station. Happened to see this on Yelp and we decided to stop by and try it since it was on the way back. They were almost sold out towards the end of the day. The chicken skin had a good crunch to it. read more

Who knew that all it took to enjoy great fried chicken in Cincinnati was to visit a corner Marathon gas station in Pleasant Ridge? Well, apparently, EVERYONE but me. The owner is quite friendly and his menu offers an enticing selection of chicken preparations (fried, tenders, sandwiches) and a varied list of side items, including jambalaya, red beans and rice, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, and those addictive honey biscuits. Jay's is a Krispy Krunchy Chicken franchise. The franchise started in Louisiana back in the late 80s, in the heart of Cajun country. They've now got more than 2000 locations nationwide. I'd like to think Jay's location is the very best. Because it is. read more

Jays Chicken - Cajun chicken tenders, honey biscuit, red beans & rice. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Busy gas station fast food spot. The fried chicken is the best I've had in the area and the sides were great too.

Great chicken. Biscuits were great too. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area

I had heard rumors of the deliciousness of this chicken for several years and finally stopped in to try it. I ordered the tenders special and found the chicken to be hot and fresh. Service was also friendly and efficient. Definitely worth a stop if you're hungry in the area. read more

Jays Chicken - Chicken tenders special - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Delicious boudin balls, tender and juicy chicken strips, a tasty dipping sauce, and fluffy honey biscuits... this is great on-the-go food! Yes, it's a Marathon gas station, but this was darn good chicken. Not sure how a Louisiana Cajun style roadside chicken takeout ended up in Cincinnati, but I'm glad they did! With 16 more hours on the road ahead of us, this quick stop hit the spot perfectly for breakfast. And we weren't alone- there was a steady stream of customers getting chicken while we were there. In addition to being a great spot for chicken, they had a convenience store, and, of course, the gas station! read more

Jays Chicken - Front - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Stopped to get gas and happened upon this chicken spot within the gas station. The smells were getting my attention so I started talking to KeKe, the server. She said that people drive from all around to come get their chicken. I took the bait and decided to get a two piece dark with a biscuit. The chicken has Cajun seasoning that wasn't spicy at all. So I preceded to devour my chicken. The chicken was nice and crispy while piping hot. I had to let it cook for a moment so I could eat it. The crust wasn't really anything to write home about. The actual meat was good, however I still wasn't overly impressed to the point I'd come back for more. Popeyes chicken is just as good if not better. I'd actually rather eat Indie's in comparison. Now the butter biscuit with additional butter topping stole the show. It was on harder side but the taste was soooooo delicious. While the biscuit was very impressive I wouldn't come back for more of this food. They had sides but I didn't get any of them. read more

See all

Chicken is awesome, but hard to get at the end of the day because he sold out. Also doesn't work on Sunday or Saturday. When we're able to get the chicken hot it's great chicken in Cincinnati. read more

Had never been here before, doing a yoga training one exit north, head good things and shot down the red bank exit for some fried chicky!! I got the $6.99 special ( ate it over two meals ). The size and flavor of the tenders were perfect and the potatoes were right there too, great value. I'll be back on my next friend chicken crave!! read more

Jays Chicken - Taking this BBQ sauce to the face like a champ! Love Jay's 3 Pieces Chicken , biscuit & fries! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

A co-worker recommended this as a "really good chicken place" I agree. I didn't try the sides but a thigh and a honey-butter biscuit. Chefs kiss.​ read more

7 minutes agoNEW They have their hours listed as closing at 6 PM. I drove up from northern Kentucky. I waited in line for 15 minutes on Friday the 17th approximately 4 in the afternoon. I finally get up to the window to order, and the guy told me he's closing up for the day does not want to put on any more chicken. Pretty unprofessional way to run a business. I don't give a crap how good your chicken is. read more

We tried it for the first time yesterday. We had read the reviews, and ordered , taking other helpers advise. We ordered an eight piece order of chicken, Mac and cheese, and a couple biscuits . We both agreed the chicken had very good flavor, the Mac and cheese was very good, but be warned it had red pepper flakes in it. And then the biscuits. Very good, buttery flavor, and drizzled with honey. My advise, allow 2 pieces of chicken per person, Mac and cheese, and a couple extra biscuits for each!!!!!!( we didn't try the wings yet, but they looked very good. ) One last thing, we went there on Sunday the first time, and found out no food on Sunday. Also, there is always a line, so be patient. It's well worth it!!!!! read more

Tried this for the first time after hearing it had great reviews. Chicken was piping hot and fresh. There was a bit of Cajun seasoning making it just a touch spicy but not too bad. The best was the buttery, honey biscuit that was sweet and hot a great combo with the chicken. In other news, a friend ordered it for a party Friday night, never had confirmation about the delivery and had to go back online to determine THEY had cancelled her order without notifying her due to not having a driver. So, we had to scramble for plan B for chicken. So a couple points off for that, but overall, good comfort food! read more

Jays Chicken - 2 piece chicken with a biscuit - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Nothing like gas station fried chicken. Some of the best fried chicken in the southeast can be found at gas stations but most of them are mom and pop operations. Jays chicken is, as the signs outside and above the counter read, Krispy Krunch fried chicken, a chain operating out of convenience stores. It does taste better than most fast food fried chicken chains, although only when you get them fresh out of the fryer, which isn't often at Jays because the people that run the gas station and convenience store are also doing the cooking. So most of the time you're getting chicken that's been under the warmer for quite a while, leaving the chicken dry and not as crunchy. The sides are typical of fast good chicken chains save for the boudain balls. Jay's takes a decent swing at the iconic Louisiana staple, though very likely it's pre-made frozen from the Krispy Krunch people. You can find Krispy Krunch at quite a few gas stations along the interstates in the southeast and those are usually run by a team of people separate from those running the convenience store so you'll get the chicken fresh and see that it's pretty good fried chicken. Jays chicken not that unique but pretty good if you get it fresh. read more

Mind blown by this tiny place inside of a gas station. The batter is thin!!! The cajun flavor is on point. The curly fries taste better than the wedges. I enjoy the nap after eating this every time. Best fried chicken in Cincinnati. read more

Listen if you haven't eaten here go right now This man has the best chicken you can get around ky Cincinnati oh I've been to Popeyes KFC etc this blows that shit out the water like I live 35 minutes away and I will not get fried chicken anywhere else I drive here from now on!!! read more

Best chicken in Cincy! Only negative is their limited hours (not usually open for dinner time)

I moved to a new place last month just up the road from this place. Several people told me to check it out and it is a hidden gem. Yes it's inside a Marathon gas station but don't let that fool you. The food is great. This will be my go to fried chicken spot when I don't want to deal with the hassle of making it downtown to The Eagle. I got a 2 piece combo and unlike other places you are asked which type of pieces you want. I was able to get 2 chicken breasts in a combo without paying extra which is very rare in my food travels! My wife had potato wedges for her side and I had mac and cheese. The potato wedges are thick cut with a mild Cajun seasoning. They were great. Disclaimer on the Mac and cheese. Although it is a pretty good side they have a kick to them bc red pepper flakes were baked in. If you like spicy Mac and cheese it's a good compliment to the chicken. Speaking of chicken both of my pieces were nice and juicy cooked inside of a flavorful but not overbearing breading. The last highlight of this meal was the honey biscuit which is melt in your mouth good. Will return often to this spot. You know it's good when people in the gas station overhear you tell the cook it's your first time and you need a second to look over the menu. Recommendations were flying in from everyone who all said this will be our first visit and not our last. read more

Jays Chicken - 2 piece breast combo and delicious honey biscuit. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Doesn't look like a place that would make good chicken since it's out of a service station but OMG SOME OF THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN I'VE EVER TASTED. I think about it a LOT. read more

Place actually closes at 5pm weekdays. Not able to order. Too bad. Crazy way to run chicken joint?? read more

One of the best meals I have eaten recently came from a gas station No, no, don't take pity on me, no need for that. Honest! The gas station is the Marathon at the corner of Highland Avenue and Kennedy Avenue, in the Pleasant Ridge\Kennedy Heights area, and the food was from Jay's Chicken, which operates inside the Marathon station there. I arrived late, about an hour before close, so the selection was somewhat limited. I picked up a couple of chicken tenders, which were very good with just a hint of spice, and a couple of biscuits. The biscuits are on the small side, and look a bit like muffins - but were phenomenally good, especially with a little bit of the honey butter the fellow manning the stand offered to me. It looks like they not only have fried chicken by the box, lunch, or piece, but also cajun/creole influenced items like red beans and rice, jambalaya, cajun-style fish, and boudin balls. I am looking forward to going back soon at an earlier hour to sample some of these other items, and to get some more of those wonderful biscuits Recommended read more

Jays Chicken - Jay's Chicken Kennedy Heights - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

So, Jays chicken. Well, it's decent chicken, probably better than kfc, not as good as Lee's. The sides are pretty lackluster, skip the mashed potatoes. There is no seating, and it's located in a gas station. Some people think that's cool, but that's just because it's not common for the area. I have had tons of gas station chicken and this is marginally better than most. It's worth stopping at if you are a foodie, but skip it if you are anyone else. read more

Jay's Fried Chicken--in the Marathon station at the corner of Highland and Kennedy--is the real deal. I got a big, crispy chicken breast, a couple of boudin balls (ground sausage and rice deep fried in a ball), and a honey butter biscuit. The breading on the chicken is substantial and flavorful, with plenty of juicy chicken inside. The boudin balls (pronounced "booDAN," don't embarrass yourself like I did) were surprisingly delicate with a slowly building spice. And the honey butter biscuits--I mean, it's a soft, warm biscuit soaked with honey and butter. There's no way that's going to disappoint. I asked about the jambalaya, which someone had recommended to me. They were sold out, which apparently happens often because people come in and buy the whole batch at one time. I'm definitely trying it the next chance I get. The guys who work there were super friendly. I overheard one of them telling the customer ahead of me to buy the gas station's fountain drink instead of theirs because it was cheaper. tl;dr: Eat at Jay's. But maybe slice some tomatoes and make a big green salad to go with it, because that was some major grease consumption. read more

See all

When a fried chicken craving hit, I consulted with Yelp and the reviews told me this would be a great option to try. Gas station chicken has always been hit or miss in my opinion, but when people rave about a particular place, that usually means it's legit. I was expecting the standard menu with meals based on the number of pieces of chicken and sides. I really wanted a 3-pc combo with a chicken breast and a couple wings. The man behind the counter informed me he'd just sold out of his wings and it didn't look like he was planning on making more (it was only like 6:00 by the way). Instead of leaving and going elsewhere to get what I really wanted, I just got some chicken strips and wedges. I asked for ranch dressing (ignorantly assuming you get at least one sauce with chicken strips) but he said it was an additional $0.50. *Hard pass and an eye roll* The food sits out in a heating case so by the time I got my chicken strips, they were pretty dried out as were the wedges. I was very disappointed in the entire meal and I regret even buying those chicken strips. That being said, the reviews all told me the chicken strips aren't even what you come for...lesson learned. Maybe I'll try it again one day after I've mentally blocked out those sad chicken strips. . read more

Best fried chicken in Cincinnati! Seasoned and prepared to perfection. Watch yourself become insatiably indulgent. Don't let the placement of this franchise sway you from patronizing them. They're pretty efficient. Call ahead for large or special orders. read more

This place has been talk of the town lately, so after my husband said he wanted fried chicken for dinner I told him to stop at Jay's and bring it home. He got a couple breasts for himself, strips for me, with some sort of buffalo ranch dip, a side of cole slaw, mac and cheese, and biscuits. We put it all together and dug in from the comfort of our own couch. Let's get the 'meh' out of the way. The strips were good, but nothing to write home about. I was very unimpressed with the sauce we got. I'm honestly not sure what the other options are, but next time I'll get something else for sure. The rest of our food, however, was excellent! The breasts were flavorful, crispy and delicious. The mac and cheese was creamy and heavy as if it were homemade. The cole slaw was finely chopped with just the right amount of dressing. The fries were well seasoned and had a great, different consistency than I've ever had before. They were like thick cut curly fries. And the honey biscuits were an awesome end to the whole meal. Never thought I'd be writing a review about chicken we got at a gas station, but here it is... And it's amazing! We'll be back for sure. read more

Wow- ya know, I like to call myself a connoisseur of sorts- and it is hard to find good fried chicken. I am upset that I have lived in cincy for 15 years and have only tried this today. I will be back. Even the friggin honey mustard is on point. I am kind of snobby about honey mustard, and theirs did not disappoint. Everything down to that sweet butter biscuit was so tasty. Seasoned perfectly, and the service was awesome! Any cultured foodie would know- holes in the walls & mom and pop shops are the best- but I would have never thought gas station chicken could be this good! Do yourself a favor, stop being bougie, and try it!!!! read more

Went to Jay's on a Sunday to try their chicken had heard so much about it was so disappointing to find out they are closed on Sunday. However we did go back today this afternoon to give them a try . We'll let's just say we will be back. We bought an 8 piece chicken with macaroni and cheese and biscuits with honey on top. I am so glad we have leftovers. The biscuits are so good it's like having a dessert. read more

I would give this place more stars if I could! Amazing, delicious chicken. And the honey biscuits are to die for. Very affordable too. We got a 3 piece white meat meal, a 3-tender combo and 3 extra biscuits for about $15. We will be driving the 45 minutes to get chicken from here often! read more

For gas station food this place is definitely worth a try. The chicken was crispy, and the potato wedges are bomb . The boudin balls were different, not sure how I feel about them. This place is in a small gas station, so it can get crowded. There are no seats or anything so Carryout is your only option. I definitely recommend this place, I'll be going back to try their other sides and meals! read more

The food was good. Better than other fast food chicken places around in my opinion. And it was in a gas station. The service was also really great, the guy running the stand was super friendly. It is take-out only just so everyone knows. When you enter the gas station the chicken stand is obvious and they have a display case with chicken and fish ready to go. I ordered 8 pieces of dark meat and he didn't have that already cooked but he told me he could get it ready in about 7 minutes which didn't bother me so I waited. Also picked up some honey biscuits, boudin balls, and fries. And then he tossed in some free mac n cheese, must have been my lucky day. Maybe it was close to closing time and he didn't want it to go to waste, but either way it was nice and made me happy. The chicken was extra crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The breading was noticeably salty so make sure to have something to drink when eating it. But overall good fried chicken. The biscuits were soft and buttery and fluffy and dense and sweet and savory all at once. I don't know how they managed to embody so many qualities in one biscuit but they were slathered in honey butter and were delicious. The boudin balls, which are fried rice and pork balls, have a crunchy crust and are soft and creamy inside. These are delicious and definitely worth trying if you haven't had them before. The fries are large seasoned potato wedges and were also good. The mac n cheese is creamy with red pepper flakes mixed in so they have a bit of spice. Actually everything here has a bit of spice, the chicken, boudin balls, fries, and mac n cheese all have some Cajun spice mixed in which is a definite plus in my opinion. I also saw fish, jambalaya, and coleslaw on the menu so maybe I will try those on another visit. The benefit to it being in a gas station is that you can get just about anything you want to drink. The station has a decent beer selection with local and craft beers so I grabbed a six pack of Rhinegeist while I waited for the chicken to fry. If you like fried chicken I definitely recommend giving this place a try. The price for the 8 piece dark was only $7.99, that's a dollar a piece for good sized drumsticks and thighs which is great. read more

Jays Chicken - Fried chicken, mac n cheese, boudin balls, fries, and honey biscuits - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I love this restaurant its your normal fish and chicken joint! It's awesome! Would definitely recommend getting some grub from here!!

It's hidden in a gas station. I got crispy chicken, biscuits, Jambo, mac cheese and biscuits. So delicious !! I love the biscuits the best. My mom literally couldn't stop eating haha. The man who served us is super friendly too! Will definitely come back for more fry chicken. read more

Very personable owner. Well worth the trip into the gas station. Two pieces of chicken, 2 boudin balls, and side of jambalaya for under $9. Chicken still piping hot when I got home, jambalaya is great, and the biscuit with honey was gone in 10 seconds. Definitely recommend, especially with them being open so early. read more

Damn good chicken, and if you get the family meal you can feed 4-6 easily. Their sauce options are the BOMB. And the staff there (from the gentlemen behind the kitchen counter, to the gas station owner) are so lovely and pleasant. Will be returning. FYI: not a place to eat in at. Definitely to-go / carryout. read more

This fried chicken is amazing!! And at such a good price! I'd never thought much about stopping for it, being gas station chicken, but after reading some other yelp reviews - I decided to check it out. Well seasoned, juicy, crispy, and the honey biscuits that come with it are so buttery and delicious. Highly recommend if you are in the area! read more

This place never disappoints. Some of the guys and myself were having a passionate discussion of who had the best chicken in Cincy. Mind you this was approx. 3-5 years ago. Thrown in to the mix was Jay's, a place that none of us had even heard of. At the time I lived in Springdale and it wasn't exactly near by. But an occasion came where I was in the vicinity with this same guy. We were contemplating places to go eat and he asked had I been by Jay's yet. Apparently I responded too slowly. This was followed by well I'm buying and since it's my money we're going to Jay's. The location will throw you a bit because I was not expecting to pull into a gas station. But overlooking that, the food was excellent. I frequent them about once every 2 months but I have not had a bad thing there. My daughters love the honey butter biscuits. Those alone are worth the trip. Hands down if there were more locations I'd be there more often. read more

I would declare this a hidden secret. This place sits inside a Marathon gas station. Don't be fooled or judge a book by its cover especially when it comes to food. The chicken here is excellent. If you like crunchy skin, chicken cooked perfectly, and a great deal try this out. I have always been a fan of popeyes spicy fried chicken, and love Eagle down in OTR, but I can honestly say overall Jay's is the best all round choice for crunchy deep fried chicken. I recently moved near this place and would stop in and get gas. Every morning I would see Taylor (Tay) battering up chicken fresh. When I would come in the afternoon, I could smell the chicken, and wow did it smell awesome. Finally I tried it and became a fan instantly. I don't eat fried chicken everyday, but if I did, there is no question this is the place I would get it. For any foodies out there, give this a shot, I think you will be shockingly surprised. You can really tell Taylor is very proud of his chicken and takes pride in it. He should be proud with good reason, because Jays Chicken is so good. read more

I was a little taken aback by the fact that this place was connected to a gas station but boy was I in for a surprise. The chicken here is awesome but the biscuits are the best I have ever had. Kinda a combination between biscuit and cornbread with honey butter and did I mention that the owners wife bakes homemade cake by the slice. All I can say is definitely a surprise. read more

Great fried chicken and fried fish. It may look like a gas station but it's really a chicken/fish carryout that happens to sell gas too. Don't pass up the fried whiting. The potato wedges may seem like an afterthought but they are good too. read more