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    The Chicken

    3.7 (210 reviews)
    Closed • 10:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    The Chicken Photos

    Business Info

    THE CHICKEN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - The Chicken

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    Reviews With Photos

    Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs
    MaryAnn S.

    The Lenten Season gives you an opportunity to try new places that offer crispy fried catfish served up at The Chicken. The fried catfish are small catfish tenders that are fresh, tasty and really good. Add a veggie such as cole slaw and you have a meal. The wait staff is attentive to your every need in an atmosphere that is down right cozy.

    iowa hot
    Kris S.

    went on a Sunday of memorial day weekend, early lunch. hubby had iowa hot, i had the mother clicker sliders (spring menu). this was the best food I think ive had there. hubby said his was good. Ana had a small pizza half cheese and half pepperoni. she enjoyed it. Michelle did a lovely job as our server. the patio area was lovely. Note to self: don't order the Wilson's cherry cider.

    Original chicken sandwich
    Kelly K.

    Fun, casual restaurant. The relaxed vibe is great. One of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had in my life. Would definitely go back.

    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.

    Breakfast menu
    Janella N.

    Love this place! Laid back setting, everyone welcome, and come early because they get busy around dinner time especially on the weekends. Love the guys behind the bar who make any trip to their restaurant SO worth it! Shout out to Ross and Danny, and Jordan and Hannah too! Must try the mini beers shot! Also they offer local beers and spurs on tap and they have the best mules in town! We've tried different food dishes and everything is so good!

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great location, perfect stop to bike to. Food is average at best. Beer selection is decent.

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    3 years ago

    Breasted chicken is always amazing! Love their fried pickles and cheese curds. Great location on the bike trail.

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    3 years ago

    Always great food and a great atmosphere. Love stopping there when I'm on the bike trail.

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    If you what chicken lol recommend coming here really good food and especially the desserts

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    4 years ago

    Very very good! Huge portions, friendly fast setting. If you haven't been, check them out!

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Soooooo good! We've been there several times. My favorite is chicken and waffles. Everything we've had was delicious.

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    4 years ago

    Excellent food! Fun atmosphere!! Friendly service! One of our favorite places to eat!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    We come here all the time and it's always a great experience. The food and the tap selections are awesome.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    The loaded Mac & Cheese in someone else's plate sure looked better than it tasted. Not a favorite like some of the other things on the menu.

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    4 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Sometimes the food is spot on. Other times way off. Service is very good and ambiance is okay.

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

    I got food poisoning from their buffalo wings. That being said I'd rather have that again than their chips and queso.

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    Page 4 of 6

    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!

    Smitty's Tenderloins Shop - Breaded Tenderloin

    Smitty's Tenderloins Shop

    4.1(200 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    •$

    After a long day of driving, we stopped for the night in Des Moines and decided dinner needed to be…read morea true Iowa experience -- a pork tenderloin sandwich! My wife had never had one, so we chose Smitty's Tenderloin Shop, and this turned out to be much more than just a good meal. Knowing how HUGE Iowa tenderloins can be, we wisely split the King Tenderloin. It arrived exactly as expected -- a massive, thin, crispy, golden-brown tenderloin absolutely dwarfing the bun. More importantly, it tasted fantastic! The pork was tender, the breading crispy, and it delivered exactly what I wanted from a classic Iowa tenderloin. We also tried the fries and handmade onion rings, which were excellent. But what really made our visit memorable were the people. We met sisters Wendy and Mindy, who were absolutely delightful. We spent quite a bit of time talking and laughing with them, and they eventually introduced us to owner Ben Smith. Ben took several minutes to talk with us and shared some of Smitty's history. He started working here around age eight, learned every part of the business and eventually worked alongside his father carrying on the family tradition. You quickly understand why Smitty's has become such an important part of the community. The old-school atmosphere, red stools, checkered floor and decades of newspaper clippings on the walls only add to the experience. Some restaurants serve you dinner. Smitty's made us feel welcome. Fantastic tenderloin, wonderful people and a genuine piece of Des Moines history. If you're visiting Des Moines and want a true Iowa pork tenderloin experience, Smitty's Tenderloin Shop is absolutely worth the stop!

    Wow!!! What a perfect stop!! Simple sandwich done…read moreperfectly!! A staff that makes you feel like family the minute you walk in the door! Couldn't have made a better stop on our road trip back home!!

    Photos
    Smitty's Tenderloins Shop - Restaurant

    Restaurant

    Smitty's Tenderloins Shop - Plain tenderloin

    Plain tenderloin

    Smitty's Tenderloins Shop

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    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).

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    Capital City Grill and Brew Pub - Fish & chips

    Fish & chips

    Capital City Grill and Brew Pub

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    The Chicken - chickenshop - Updated September 2026

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