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    The Chicken

    3.7 (205 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
    Updated 1 week ago

    The Chicken Photos

    Business Info

    THE CHICKEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Chicken

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    Reviews With Photos

    Hot sauces
    Jason K.

    The Chicken is The Bomb. Great food x Great Service x Fun Atmosphere = awesome chicken spot in Iowa. Pretty much everything here is fried, so know what you are getting into. That being said, everything we tried was awesome. Portions were also huge, so we did not even come close to eating it all. Here's how the tale goes.. Two weary travelers stop in after work based on a recommendation. We are immediately seated, greeted with a smile, and introduced to an incredible beer list. We decide to start with the broasted wing special and cheese curds because we are hungry fellas. While waiting for that, we order entrees. Well the curds and wings come and are great. About halfway through, we look at each other and realize even more food was a mistake. We mix up the beer choices, and dive into the main courses. Nothing gets finished completely, our belt buckles are introduced to new holes, and we finish up overly full. To sum it up, everything was great, but don't let your eyes lead the way. This cautionary tale was brought to you by work trips and expense reports everywhere.

    Entrance
    Monty D.

    What can I add that the name doesn't state: The Chicken. This restaurant is a fried chicken road house - in all senses. You can see in my pic the big chicken. As you can see from my other patio pics, on good weather days, there is plenty of seating. It's a medium sized restaurant, and on this afternoon there was a waiting line to sit inside. I have a pic of the bar, which emphasizes the roadhouse vibe. I should mention that all 10 TVs had sports on them. I could keep up with my favorite teams without turning my head. Being first-timers, we had to try the Hot Chicken Sundae. As you can see from my pic, this is a layering of biscuit, mashed potatoes, fried chicken breast strips, gravy and topped with onion rings. Okay, the best part was the fried chicken: plentiful, moist, crunchy coatings, seasoned well with a bit of pepper heat. The onion rings were as crunchy as they looked, but didn't have very flavor. The rest was okay. The side of sweet corn was also okay. I'd go back for the fried chicken and the vibe.

    Classic chicken sandwich, Nashville Hot on a brioche bun.
    Moo O.

    Moo The Chicken, 4221 SE Orilla Rd. A, West Des Moines, IA 50062. Classic chicken sandwich Nashville Hot on a hand breaded, and fried on a brioche bun. Chicken bacon ranch, two strips of bacon with Swiss cheese. Great service along the Great Western bike trail from Des Moines to Cumming. Moo The Chicken, 4221 SE Orilla Rd. A, West Des Moines, IA 50062 7/5/2025 https://www.thechickenorilla.com/

    Nashville Hot Dinner
    Todd B.

    4.2* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 5* Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 4* (Probably) Total check/person: $24 06/12/2024 We have had discounts from kid's athletics fundraising cards to try this place for several years and finally got over to try it this summer. While the exterior on the East side didn't look like much, the front (North) side looked much more inviting and lively - with tables and a modern look. Unfortunately, we arrived from the South and didn't see the front side until leaving (see pictures of each side below). I did like the corrugated metal and rustic wood decor - giving it a bit of a old farm building feel inside. We started with a Salty Chick and an Orilla Sunset (see picture) drink - and really enjoyed both of them. For our meal we ordered a Nashville Hot Dinner (see picture) and a Chicken Strip Meal (see picture). The chicken was good and we really liked the fries - hearty, crispy on the outside & soft and hot on the inside. Best of all was the Carolina Mustard and Bang Bang sauces on the side - we loved both of them! While this is a bit out of the way for us since we live up in Urbandale and don't get this far south very often, we did enjoy our stop for dinner and would recommend it if you are in the area. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Chicken sandwich
    Ronnie T.

    Christina O was fantastic and the chicken was amazing . Waffles and grill chicken was superb , chicken sandwich was top notch . Keep up the good work

    Garth P.

    Interesting roadhouse style place. Great food, excellent service, vegetarian options. Definitely worth the drive.

    Best chicken and waffles I've ever had! Nashville hot
    Tony H.

    My wife and I have been wanting to try this place for a while and never get to that side of town. We went there on a PubPass- they had great beer selection. They also had a great food menu. I got the Nashville hot chicken and waffles- they were some of the best chicken waffles I've ever had. It's also right on a bike trail so if you're in that area riding bikes, I would recommend going. The only complaint is that is really warm in there. It would be a perfect place for a patio day as well. We will definitely be back!

    Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders
    Landen W.

    We went for Nashville hot chicken. The fries were amazing, but the chicken sandwich was really not spicy at all. If you wanted a chicken sandwich, it would probably be a good place for you. The staff was very kind. Our only complaint was just that the chicken wasn't hot and was under seasoned.

    Jolene M.

    Some of the best flavorful hot chicken. The Iowa hot chicken is a dry based rub and that heat level is good. Not burn your mouth heat, but a perfect blend of flavor and spice. They also serve hot chicken Nashville style using buffalo sauce. As an added bonus there is an amazing selection of local beers and speciality cocktails.

    Chicken fried chicken, country potatoes, scrambled eggs, Bloody Mary.
    Penelope A.

    I had heard great things and was not disappointed. I had the chicken fried chicken breakfast which came with country potatoes and eggs any style. The chicken was perfectly crispy and nicely seasoned and topped with a delicious gravy. I loved the country potatoes too. My fiancée had the chicken tender grilled cheese which had all of the qualities of a great grilled cheese with crispy outer, soft cheesy center, and the crunch of the crispy chicken tenders took it to a whole other level of delicious. I had a Bloody Mary which was tasty, but not spicy at all. I would order it again and ask if they could make it spicy. We were happy to find that they carry Fair State brewing Mirror Universe which is a favorite of ours and hard to find in Iowa. The decor inside is a cozy farmhouse style with barn board etc. The patio is spacious and looks like it could accommodate larger groups. They were busy, but the service was great and our server was very attentive and courteous. The host was very friendly and communicated well too. The food came out quickly and was nice and hot.

    Southwestern Salad - Onion Rings - Flight of drinks!

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    8 months ago

    Fries were old and chewy chicken also dry not up to the quality standards of normal. We are long time customers disappointed with this time

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    2 years ago

    Was amazing food , cool atmosphere will definitely go back I had chicken , side salad n corn big pieces had enough for lunch next day

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    1 year ago

    Broasted chicken is fantastic! Best chicken in town. The onion rings were good too.

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    Ask the Community - The Chicken

    Does anyone know if the outdoor seating is dog-friendly?

    Only service dogs are allowed on the patio.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Capital City Grill and Brew Pub - Pretty limited menu.

    Capital City Grill and Brew Pub

    2.4(10 reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$

    My Father and I enjoy a running discussion on how the Des Moines Airport can be International…read more Maybe it's an occasional charter that goes to Mexico or it connects with Chicago or other Cities that have International Service? In any event, DSM is a small and under-served Airport that is nearly impossible to lose your way. Once through Security, there are slim pickings consession-wise. There's a new stand, a couple snack counters, and the Capital City Grill and Brew Pub. The later part of the Title is a bit of a misnomer as I found the draft beer selection to be somewhat limited, few if any Iowa-based choices, and no on site brewing. What's most surprising is the huge amount of real estate that this place occupies, and easily enough to hold a full flight. And there's plenty of nice tarmac views if that's your thing. One of the differences between me and Gayle is how we handle extra airport time before the plane is ready to board. I'm happy to grab a paper, order something fast at the counter, and then sit down at the Gate for the duration. Gayle prefers to find a sit-down place, order a Bloody Mary pre-flight, and relax by being served. The Capital City Grill is the only such place at DSM. Service was friendly and relatively quick, the food was better than what I was expecting, the drink prices were of course high, and free Wi-Fi was nonexistent. Yet it's not such a bad thing to stop staring at the electronics and actually talk with each other. And with a nice view of the outside, it was a most pleasant way to enjoy our last minutes in Iowa before we headed home.

    I had a nice chicken Caesar salad here before my flight back to Denver. This is a pretty typical…read moreairport sit-down restaurant. Staff were pleasant if a bit harried (it was very busy). Food was good, ambiance a bit noisy (but that's expected).

    Photos
    Capital City Grill and Brew Pub - Fish & chips

    Fish & chips

    Capital City Grill and Brew Pub

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    The Chicken - chickenshop - Updated May 2026

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