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Category: American (Traditional) [Edit]
Knotts Berry Farm MarketplaceMon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
"THIS IS A MUST-SEE! I absolutely love this place. I originally came here because of a friend's birthday party, but have been back since.…" read more »
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Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner. It's apparently why the theme park had to open up.
Back in the day this place was probably amazing..but now thanks to commercialization its not as good as it used to be.
I went to the to-go area which is probably no different from the actual restaurant (except for the whole waiter thing).
The workers were super unhelpful. They were like 15 year old punks who probably hated their job so why would they be spunky and friendly?
I was with a group of my 4 close friends. We bought the $29 dinner which had 22 pieces of chicken a pint of mashed potatoes&gravy and 1 side (we picked corn).
Sadly, the chicken was sitting out under hot lights. They weren't fresh to order which made me sad.
I doubt the restaurant's chicken is any fresher. I hate restaurants that are "famous" but don't live up to the hype!
The Knott's dinner is still very traditional (southern) food. You get biscuits with boysenberry jam (which is delicious by the way).
Sadly, I would not come here again unless I was in the area.
It seems like this place went too mainstream and lost its way. I miss the fresh home cooked friend chicken meals.
If your ever on the buena park side of town, stop and visit the historic Mrs. Knotts'.
The fried chicken is crispy, juicy and good and the biscuits, my goodness, oven fresh and they melt in your mouth and if you like they have their own special preserves. Their boysenberry punch goes so well with this meal and then there are the pies, wow!. You will be too full but take one to go.
I prefer to go during the week because of the weekend crowd that are there for the theme park.
Awesome traditional American good eats right here!!! I've been here a couple of times already and the service is fantastic! I don't remember if we had the same waiter both times but I just remember whoever it was they were both pleasant, accommodating, and cheerful: definitely a crowd pleaser considering that my party ranged from 10-25 people and both times that I was here we were all engaged by the waiter's charm and wit.
And for $15.90, you can choose between the infamous Fried Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken and Dumplings, Broiled Chicken Breast, BBQ Ribs, Fettuccine Alfredo, and so much more! And in addition to that, it all comes with Buttermilk Biscuits, Mixed Green Salad, Cabbage seasoned with Ham or Sweet Kernel Corn, Chicken Noodle Soup or Cherry Rhubarb, and a dessert choice between Boysenberry Pie, Apple Pie, Vanilla Ice Cream, or Boysenberry Sherbet. And I can guarantee that you'll leave with a full stomach and can even take home leftovers. (that's only if you're all about portion control and don't devour everything in site).
As for the food, it was yum-yum-licious!!! The homemade Chicken Noodle soup was so flavorful and filled with lots of vegetables and noodles, it wasn't too hot or too cold but just at the right temperature. The Chicken Pot Pie was smothered with gravy, giving the crust a nice mushed texture where you can taste the chicken goodness and veggies that were in it. The Fried Chicken on the other hand was perfect, the skin was crispy, the chicken breast was tender and juicy, and each bite was filled with lots of rich flavor - just be prepared to leave with food coma.
I love me some friiiedd chICken. And boy was this good. Before heading into the theme park I had to tend to my stomach first. We asked around and everyone said we had to try this fried chicken. Authentic fried chicken at Knott's? Couldn't be all bad right. It was early in the morning around 10 am and the line was out the door already! Because I was so hungry I said I couldnt wait and we opted for the "chicken to-go" right next door. When we got our order we were amazed at how little we got for a hefty price tag, but it must be good right? Heck ya! There wasn't one peice of meat left on the bones when we finished and the mash potatoes were out of this world. I'm sad we didnt get to enjoy a whole meal of everything. But we didn't want to splurge on just chicken. I would definitely come back for more and try the restaurant this time.
Hm.. I'm not sure if I really understand the raves about this place. Their fried chicken is just like any other fried chicken... with the taste and smell of old oil... gross. Maybe the oil is as old as the restaurant? Just kidding... I kind of like the old/historic feeling of the restaurant but I kept feeling as if Mrs. Knotts was going to pop up and ask how I was enjoying my meal.
When I was a kid, my great aunts and uncle made a big deal about going to Knott's Berry Farm to eat fried chicken. I didn't understand this at all. Why would you go to an amusement park to eat chicken? See, the whole idea of Knott's Berry Farm ever having been an actual berry farm went right over my head.
I eventually did eat fried chicken here when I came with a friend's family, including his extended family of aunts and uncles who were raving about the fried chicken all the way here. I thought it was OK, but I was still disappointed to have driven all the way to Knott's--this was before I could drive so I had no idea how close it was to my parents' house--and not gone on any rides. The feeling was similar to going miniature golfing at the place that used to be across the street from Disneyland, although I actually love(d) miniature golfing while I found fried chicken just OK.
My dad eventually explained how out of the way Orange County used to be in the 1940s and '50s, before there were freeways and everything southeast of Montebello was orange trees. As a kid, I could never get my head around the fact that this thriving, polluted metropolis I lived in was ever a bunch of citrus groves. These days, I can just imagine how long it would have taken to drive all the way from Boyle Heights to Buena Park without freeways. It takes forever to get from East L.A. to Orange County on Whittier Boulevard, and that's with traffic lights and more than one lane of traffic in each direction.
But I think the quality of the food has worsened over the years. It's been awhile since I've eaten here (I've been a vegetarian for years now), but I remember not liking the chicken here all three times I had it. The service was cute in a wow-those-old-people-are-still-working kind of way, but it's also depressing.
Trust me this, for $20 a person you can arrive here hungry and you'll certainly leave full. The fried chicken meal comes with either salad or soup (creamy chicken noodle, which I sampled and was actually pretty good), either cherry rhubarb slaw or cabbage, either corn or green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, a breast, a thigh, a leg and a wing of fried chicken and a piece of pie (apple, boysenberry or peach I think) and a scoop of vanilla ice cream to top it all off. See what I mean....you definitely won't be leaving without a belly ache.
Their famous biscuits came fast and fresh from the oven. Using their signature jams (strawberry, boysenberry, grape or orange marmalade) and butter these were extremely delicious. Pillowy and soft, I ate an entire basket myself. Next came my salad which was good and fresh, nothing extraordinary but also not just day old chopped up iceberg. The veggies were fresh.
The cherry rhubarb slaw was okay, it was too sweet and syrupy for my liking, I should've opted for the cabbage. The corn was good as corn should be. The mashed potatoes were good, slightly above average and the gravy was nice. The fried chicken was tasty...again, slightly above average. The seasonings were good and it was fried perfectly. It wasn't dried out and not too greasy. I wasn't particularity blown away by it but it held it's own. I would certainly recommend it.
Now the boysenberry pie with vanilla ice cream was tremendous. As it should be, its made fresh every day. The good thing about this place is that they are so extremely busy that they can't help but serve fresh food. The pie was sweet but not overly so and the crust was perfectly flaky. The ice cream wasn't made onsite but added the perfect touch to a great dessert.
The staff was extremely pleasant, service was quick, the place was friendly and clean. This is a fantastic spot to bring a family....and fill up their stomachs with a nice "home cooked" meal. Just don't expect to do a whole lot of moving or shaking afterward, and I wouldn't recommend doing the rides post-meal.
I have photos and a more in depth review on my personal blog.
After a long, hot day at Knott's Berry Farm, how can one NOT go to the Chicken Dinner Restaurant? Yeah, it's not the most glamorous joint I've been to, but they certainly serve up honest, good old fashioned food in an unpretentious atmosphere.
I got the roasted turkey dinner and he got the fried chicken dinner. Both entrees come with the following: creamy chicken noodle soup and small green salad to start; mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, a choice of cabbage or corn, and half a tray of fresh biscuits. To top things off, you get apple or boysenberry pie for dessert. For $15.90 per entree, this is an obscene amount of food, and needless to say, we went home with a shit ton of leftovers.
My meal was quite good, but unremarkable. My BF's fried chicken, though, was AMAZING! I think it is even better than Ezell's in Seattle, though it is a close call. They put some delicious but unidentifiable herb or spice in it that just puts their fried chicken in a class of its own. I can totally see why people lined up the street for two blocks in 1944 for this fried chicken!
Mrs. Knott's is a tradition! My family have been coming here since I was in elementary school during our family vacations to the Southern California theme parks.
Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner at Knott's Berry Farm offers reasonable prices for their dinner options. For $15.99, you have a choice of any dinner plate, with complimentary biscuits being served throughout your meal (with Knott's famous jams) soup AND salad, a side of sweet corn or cabbage, and at the end your meal, a nice slice of boysenberry or apple pie, or boysenberry sherbet or vanilla ice cream.
I ordered the Country Fried Steak with Potatoes. My portion size was decent though given all of the extras that come before the meal. The steak was a bit tough to cut and bite into, to the point where my jaw started hurting.
The rest of the family ordered the Chicken Dinner. The meal was so quiet as everyone was too busy to open their mouths for talking. Looked nice and juicy, with a nice layer of crispy skin on the outside. All I cay say as spectator is that their plates of chicken were clean after with some mashed potatoes after. Mashers were nothing special, just very fluffy...with a rich gravy.
After the meal, I ordered the Apple Pie, and my sister had the Ice Cream, we turned it into an Apple Pie a la mode to share, as we were both too stuffed to order our own. What's nice is that Mrs. Knott's gives you the option to take your dessert home instead of being forced to have them bring it out. They tell you they know from experience that most folks are too darn full.
All in all, a great family tradition established back in the days, reasonably priced dinner with lots of sides.
OK,
Let's not over do it everyone! The best chicken around!!!! Please!!! Yes its a good place to eat after a long day at the park. Especially after Halloween Haunt at two in the morning! But. I would never make a special trip here to find parking and eat! There are plenty of other location that offers much better chicken. I do have to admit, their boysenberry punch is the best!!!!
3 stars doesn't mean this is a bad place. It is like going into a time warp and if you like good old fashioned fried chicken, this place is better than Roscoes Chicken and Waffles. That said, it isn't a place you want to frequent because it is pretty old and not too well kept up. And for me, the food is so heavy I normally get a stomach ache (as I did this last visit).
However, if you do go, get the boysenberry punch and the biscuits are from heaven. I've had both the fried chicken and the chicken and dumplings, of which both were good. Parking is free and the restaurant doesn't seem to be as in the past when you had to wait in line to get in.
I don't know if I just went on a bad day, but yikes, it was not what I recall. I was really craving biscuits, which were actually excellent, slather them with boysenberry jam and it can't be beat, but my chicken was dry and my salad was drenched in dressing. The cabbage looked like it had been sitting in the pot since yesterday and my rhubarb was all watery. What happened to the awesome cherry syrup they used to put on it back in the day?
I asked for water with lemon and it was really bad tap water. Don't most places serve at least filtered water these days, even if its from a tap?
Mrs. Knott's used to be a treat for us, growing up my dad would take us there on special occasions. What a disappointment. I don't know if I will try it again.
3.25
Considering it's attached to an amusement park you would think it's gonna be bad food. This isn't really the case because the food isn't good per se, but it's not bad either. I think the feeling of fun family memories brings up the ratings a lot. It has gotten a little bit more expensive over the years, but a place that has got some kind of weird charm. I must say though the biscuits combined with their jam or jelly are 5 star worthy. I guess you have to eat here to know what I'm referring to, but don't go way out of your way for it...
Every once in a while my friend(s) and I will decide we want chicken n dumplings. This place is what we mean. Not just any. We want the biscuits, soup, etc. that come with. We don't even mind standing in line when there are empty tables. We also always say we will share, never do, eat too many biscuits before the chicken and dumplings show up, and swear that NEXT TIME...
I am NOT crazy about the salad-I am suspicious of the freshness of the lettuce, and somehow the place never seems quite, well, clean.
I had a bit of a nostalgic moment when we ate hear on Saturday. I used to come here as a kid with my family and I hadn't been in a long time.
I had the lunch chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, corn, biscuits and a green salad. I ordered the white meat which cost almost $3 more, but it ended up at around $15. The chicken was nice, but the batter was just okay. The mashed potatoes were good, but the gravy was just so-so.
The parking is easy and the service is really good.
We had four adults and two kids and it cost about $77 with juice drinks.
If you stop by you must try the Fried Chicken Dinner....it's what made this place famous. Throw in some pretty good biscuits, mashed potatoes, creamy corn and you have yourself a meal!
Honorable mention: Fried Chicken Dinner
I love fried chicken. Anything from KFC to the legendary Lolo's Chicken & Waffles in Phoenix.
What's even better is when that chicken has a story behind it. Cordelia Knott started serving her famous chicken in June 1934 with the help of her 5 daughters to help out in the dining room. News of her chicken spread rapidly and since 1934, 20 million guests have eaten chicken at her restaurant
Knotts Berry Farm theme park started off a little side project by her husband to entertain the long lines of guests waiting for her chicken and this has now grown into a fully fledged great theme park
However, Mrs Knotts chicken restaurant continues to serve great chicken, both as a full service restaurant or as takeout.
The restaurant retains a lot of its old world charm. There are various options on the menu, depending on what side dishes you want with your chicken and whether you want dessert.
The chicken is lovely - moist on the inside with crunchy coating but perhaps a notch below Lolo's However, the biscuits, which come served hot, wrapped in a towel, are to die for - slightly crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
I would also recommend you try one of the pies. Typical American sized portions abound here
I love Knotts Berry Farm and will dine here every time I visit the park
What else can I say about this place that 100 other people haven't said before??? Awesome fried chicken, not too greasy, perfectly fried, and crispy. Green beans and mashed potatoes/gravy were good, and not disappointing. The boysenberry pie hit the spot right on. My only complaint were the biscuits as they were more like a hybrid of a biscuit and dinner roll.
I'm not normally a fan of fried chicken, which is odd because the idea of anything fried NOT tasting good is out of this world. But for some reason I never cared for crispy outside followed by the white meat inside. That or chicken was just not my thing. Give me some beeeeef!
But even with this skewed image of chicken, every time I've gone to Knotts there's two places I have to get food. First, the funnel cake. There's really no substitute. But the second place is Mrs. Knott's Chicken. Why? Well, it's pretty good.
The line goes out pretty long during peak times, But if you go during the odd hours, you can get yourself a seat without too much trouble. Considering this chicken has been made the same way for close to 90 years, I think they're getting something correct with it.
And if you go by the rumors and legends, you'll be surprised to know that Mrs. Knott's Chicken is haunted. Not only during Knott's Scary Farm, but during the rest of the year. If you sit in the windowless back dining rooms you may often feel the specter watching you eat. Either that or you have a bad case of gas.
But said ghost is of an old woman. At least that's what the legend has been. Is it true? Who knows. I'm sure I've just attracted one more reader to go here now. Even though I'm surprised that this wasn't in more reviews. I mean, who doesn't write it down when a Ghost takes your order and expects a 20% tip after the meal is done?
Over all, when it comes to eating at Knott's, there's really no better options than to come here. It just adds to the setting of the old theme park.
I'm giving it a 5 because of those biscuits. THOSE TINY, ADDICTING, UNLIMITED, BISCUITS. I don't know what's so different about them - they have a sourdough taste to them. I didn't think they'd be so small! But it didn't matter to me after I had my first one - I just kept eating one after the other. With butter. With jam. With honey. Dunk it in your soup. Dunk it in your gravy. ALLLL GOOD.
They have good chicken noodle soup. I didn't know why it was green, probably from seasoning, but I didn't care. It was gooood.
Their chicken was alright. I wish the skin on my chicken was crispier. But the actual meat of the chicken was nice and moist. The mashed potatoes are alright too - they're not so creamy and it has a mineral/chalky texture to it.
If you get the hot wings, WATCH OUT. They're really hot. It won't take more than 3 wings for you to feel it. You can get that sauce on your finger, lick it, AND YOU'LL FEEL THE HEAT. I like that they're actual chicken wings, not just drumettes/party wings or whatever.
The mozzarella sticks are REALLY stretchy and cheesy. Their garlic fries are really good too - they kinda taste like carne asada fries if you really think about it.
In the beginning, I thought the service was really slow, but I was okay with it later because our waiter was really nice and generous with the water and biscuits.
You'll get really full. :) Bring home food for the next day.
Setting the scene: Music (Coplands American Suite) and scenes of rolling fields of wheat, majestic mountains, crashing waves, herds of wild buffalo, Lincoln Memorial...and the deep, baritone voice of James Earl Jones: "The great American legacy is founded on the greatness of our cultural history." More music as we fade to scenes of traditional American food...hotdogs, macaroni and cheese, pizza, cheese fries.."America's greatness is also in it's culinary heritage. We defined the standards for truly great American cuisine."...and finally, fade to a plate of steaming Mrs. Knott's fried chicken with all the fixin's. "Stake and confirm your claim as a true American. Knott's fried chicken..." and final fade to Norman Rockwellian scenes of multi-ethnic families, veterans, a few celebrities hoisting up and saluting us with drum-sticks....
Okay, as you can see, hubby and I are hooked. It's not the greatest fried chicken dinner, but if you are in the SoCal area, it is, as George Patton might say, "America loves fried chicken, and will not tolerate broasted or baked chicken, this is why America has, and will never, accept anything else!"
The experience and ambience is pretyy institutional. The only exceptional item is the home-made buttermilk bisquits. Salad reminds you of airline food, rhubarb is nice and tart (something most of us would probably never order or make), corn should be left on the plate as a garnish, and mashed potatoes are just a notch above what you would scoop out on any buffet line (except Bellagio - that's another post ).
The chicken is nicely done. It's on the dryer side compared to KFC, and mildly seasoned compared to Poppyes. For those on a low sodium diet, it's a once-a-year treat. The entire dinner must pack a lot of salt. We've ordered it for dine-in lunch, brunch, and dinner, and must say, the dinner portions are the tastiest - much more moist than the earlier servings. Take out buckets are very dry by the time you get them home (and doesn't reheat well - eat it cold).
Service can be good if you end up with a veteran, but hit-and-miss if you get the seasonal part-timer. You can tell that this is production line food.
I wouldn't go with a large group unless you are prepared to wait. And the wait can be awful with screaming and restless children and smelly, sweaty bodies. That said, hubby and I were there last night. Arrived around 5:30 pm, parked at TFIF, walked over, and got seated within 20 minutes. Not too crowded for Knotts...we knew what we were going to get, and got what we expected.
Do this at least once in your life!
Surprisingly good chicken, biscuits, and boysenberry -- especially for a theme park. Prices are fair, considering that this is located in a theme park. And no, you do not need to purchase a ticket to Knotts to eat at Mrs. Knotts. Nor do you need to purchase parking... there are designated two hours parking spots for the restaurant.
Additional Notes:
- There is also a takeout section.
Huge disappointment. I've been wanting to try this chicken for the longest. I've heard the hype on numerous occasions and even just recently viewed it on the Food Network, so I knew it was time to try this place out.
1st there was an obvious line, no biggie until we got sat in groups of 10 in an old banquet looking hall.
1st come the biscuits, I'm content.
Then comes the boysenberry punch, which I was very excited to try. It was basically KOOL-AID -_-
3rd. The salad. bleh. Everything reminded me of cafeteria style food.
4th The chicken, mashed potatoes w/gravy and corn comes.
Some of the worse mashed potatoes and gravy I've ever had. Watery and powdery for sure. What a bummer.
The chicken was so so.
Boysenberry sherbet - ehh
$50 dinner.
Will return? No.
Mrs. Knott's Chicken. Did you know you could park at Knott's and just go to the shops and restaurants? Wow. I totally had a blonde moment. How have I never made a trip out to this restaurant? I've been living in the general area for years and happened to miss this spot all the time!
My friends kidnapped me one evening after I had already ate and brought me to Mrs Knotts. How could they do this to me???? I basically took a bite of everything but had some biscuits and boysenberry pie of course. The chicken was actually good! I don't generally like fried chicken nor do I like the skin on chicken but it was tasty! The biscuits were small but yummy. The pie was UBER delicious and even better with some ice cream. Everything as a whole was good except the soup was a pass. Big portions so you better be hungry! Don't take the whole meal home like I did.
Also I am told that people generally wait a long time to get seated here but we came during a weeknight evening and the wait was quick! Don't come during the weekend!
:)
Its know a tradition to stop by here once a year with Grandmas. I will give them 3 stars for their Fried Chicken Lunch. I was able to order extra mash potatoes and gravy and passed on the corn. The biscuits are addicting especially after spreading them with Knott's jam. Not as good as grandmas homemade though! I also enjoy a Sarsaparilla or Root beer w my lunch.
Service was better this time than last. I skipped the pie since last time I discovered the pie was not good enough to warrant the calories, rather have Polly's Pies.
Tips:
Get their by 11:30 AM to hopefully beat the lines.
You can park for free up to 3 hours by TGIF restaurant.
Some of my best childhood memories are packing into my mom's minivan with my brother and parents and heading down to Knott's Berry Farm. Now, remember, I'm from Bakersfield, so this was a big deal! When you don't live around the corner, you don't get to go nearly as often. The night before Knott's or Disneyland was a sleepless, night-before-Christmas kinda night! I loved it! And I always wanted to eat at Mrs. Knott's... but every single time I went there, the line was out the door. My parents, not being a huge fan of waiting amongst screaming kids and annoying tourists, always said, "Next time, sweetie". Well dammit, this past Saturday afternoon, I had my next time!
Not necessarily with my parents, but I was with my brother, his lady friend, and Manfriend. My brother and his girl had been to Knott's the day before, so we met up with them for a bite to eat. Of course, the ever-present line was there, but since I was coming all the way from Long Beach, my brother did most of the waiting, and I slid into the line (with a few disgusted looks from the old folk in line behind him) right as they were getting ready to seat us. Impeccable timing I have, right?
We were sat and one of the first things I noticed was the heat! Apparently, Mrs. Knott did not believe in AC, because they def didn't have it on. Our server was so pleasant and helpful, if this review were purely based on service, it would be 5 stars for SURE.
The menu is surprisingly pretty vast. But everyone knows what you come here for, so of course, I got the namesake fried chicken, along with everyone else in our party.
The fried chicken lunch comes with soup or salad, corn (which I substituted for the cabbage laced with ham), and as many hot biscuits as you can stomach (which for me, was a lot). I made the mistake of choosing the salad for my starter... it was weak. Iceberg lettuce with a cherry tomato and Hidden Valley-esque dressing. Blah blah blah. Manfriend and brother's lady friend knew what's up, as they ordered the chicken noodle soup. I had a few bites of Manfriend's and it was pretty good.. more of a creamy chicken noodle. Not necessarily the best soup I've ever tasted, but miles ahead of that poor excuse for a salad.
Our entrees came out rather quickly, as I figured it might, considering we ordered what the restaurant specializes in. The portion size was pretty good, especially for lunch. Manfriend decided after his plate came that he wanted the "all white meat" option instead.. our server had his plate whisked away and a new one in front of him in seriously, less than a minute. I was impressed.
The food was alright... chicken was juicy and had a crisp, golden skin. And the mashed potatoes were creamy.. pretty standard. They were drowned in a creamy chicken gravy, which I used to dip the chicken in. The cabbage was pretty sorry... limp and flavorless. I definitely could have done without it. And one more thing... WHAT is UP with restaurants serving nasty-ass Nestea in place of real, brewed iced tea!? Gross.
All in all, it was definitely comfort food, something your grandma would make. Not the best, not bad. I'm glad I finally got to experience the wonder though. Ok, maybe my hopes were a little too high.. But its still worth trying out!
This place doesn't need a review, it speaks many words all on it's own.
I always get the chicken dinner that comes with salad, soup, corn, mashed potatoes, two pieces chicken (upcharge for all white meat), and dessert.....for just $14!! Great, great food.
I think they last time I came here when there was a long line out the door, I was a little kid....but lately I come during the afternoons or on Monday nights when there aren't that many people around...so I would suggest going then that way you don't just wait in the line (they don't take your name and let you wait around somewhere, you HAVE TO stand in line, or you lose your spot in getting sat). That's just how it is. Bow down to the chicken.
If you're in the area, go check it out. The chicken is crispy and tasty without being greasy, the fresh-baked biscuits melt in your mouth..boysenberry jam is pretty good, although I'm not a huge fan of boysenberry.
I hear the lines can get ridiculous (like, 2 hours!), so try to make it before rush times.
If you're NOT in the area... don't suffer through LA traffic just because of this. The drive back is a killer when overcome with food coma.
Surprisingly not happy with this place.
Waited 35 minutes in line to get in, which was good at least because you know how much longer it's going to be until you get a table.
Atmosphere was overall depressing, dim and kind of dirty. When we were seated, our table had water rings on it and there was corn and biscuit crumbs on the seats. Waitress was nice, but seemed tired. The waitresses in general looked tired, and kind of silly in those huge, poofy, lacy dresses. The waitresses from the mid-twentieth century looked more fashionable in the pictures.
Read on Yelp that the portions were huge so ordered Mrs. Knotts' chicken dinner (regular size) and an appetizer-garlic fries for me and the bf. Out came the biscuits which looked pretty great (you get like a dozen of them) but didn't taste right. I actually like KFC biscuits better.
Next came the soup, which was really almost like a gel, and tasted as if it was watered down and then made into a gelatin with a lot of cornstarch. No soul in the soup!
The salad was your typical bag iceberg mix, with a good Italian dressing you could expect from a Kraft bottle. At least it wasn't brown like someone earlier mentioned in a review.
Lastly, the chicken with corn and potato came out. Everything there was pretty good, but by that time we were kind of grossed out. The fries were so oily that we could spoon yellow oil out of the plate, and it made the fries soggy. Plus, there was some kind of grated cheese on the fries, like a weak Parmesan or something, that made the matter worse. I was hoping for the crispy stuff with the heavy garlic you get at a good ball game.
We took the pie to go (apple is good) and vowed to exercise. The atmosphere alone is too dank for a return trip, but the food was not good. It's like the chicken plate itself is pretty good, and they sort of half-butt the rest of the meal around it. $15 is way too much to charge for a meal with bag salad mix and canned corn. Sorry Mrs. Knott. Your restaurant looked/sounded great back in the days.
Mrs Knotts Chicken Dinner " OHH YAAA!!!!!
I luv this place I've been going there as a kid and always had a great time! The Fried Chicken is awesome it has unbelievable seasoning and the pieces you get have plenty of juicy meat! 5 stars
The Mashed Potatoes with that creamy gravy oh your going to luv it!! 5 stars
You also get a salad I get it the best French dressing it has that perfect tang to it. SOOO GOOOOD!!!!
The Star of the show is the BISCUITS!!!!!!! are you kidding me!!! with butter and BOYSENBERRY JAM and they just keep bringing them.
By the Baskets, I sometimes have to remind them dint worry I'm not shy
More Biscuits Please I'm always polite lol 5 stars
Yes theres always a line, but thats not going to wreck my good time lol
Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner tastes kind of bland to me except for the boysenberry pie and the sarsaparilla. It's O.K. food served in a family style setting. We went there for my mom's bosses mother's 100th birthday. It's also good for wheel chair bound folks like her. Ramps are located all over this place.
5 Stars for Mrs. Knott's Chicken Restaurant? Sure, why not. Like alot of born and raised SoCal kids I've been here off and on many times over the past 42 years, mostly around the Holidays for some reason. Tonight was maybe the first time where I didn't even stand behind one other party, at 6pm, to get a table, nice.
At first I was a little taken back by the $16 price of the full Fried Chicken Dinner but, as I'm walking out with a bag that weighs like over a pound with a huge piece of chicken, 8 delicious biscuits and a huge slice of apple pie I'm thinking, ehh, not to bad of a price maybe. OH, plus, I was stuffed full as it was.
What happened when I got my actual plate of fried chicken was maybe a first for me. But first I'll tell you I was kinda checkin out the table behind when they got served and was saying WOW it really is all about the fried chicken here, it looks so golden delicious and huge pieces. So, when they served mine from the kitchen I was a little disappointed, it was smallish and maybe a little overcooked? I thought the plates behind me must have all white meat or something and blew it off. Then, when the server came to check on us she said, UHH, is that chicken OK for you? I kinda shrugged my shoulders and she said I'm taking that back to the kitchen, they should have never served that. Weird but true. Needless to say the second plate-full was huge delicious golden brown tasty pieces.
All full dinners are $16. so with a soda and decent tip your looking at about $25. per dinner. Not too bad if you get some enjoyment out of the nostalgia aspect...I guess I'm a sucker for that!
Useless side note #39: My Dad swears he use to talk to Rudy Boysen at Pearson Park across the street from his family home when my Dad was a kid. My Dad's got alot of stories but, I think this one might be true. For sure they lived across the street from the park anyway!
Mrs. Knotts's Chicken is not the best fried chicken but I like going there. It comes with biscuit, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy & veggies. Seriously there's nothing special about this chicken, but everytime I go to Knott's I want to eat there. I came with a group of people and they LOVED the chicken. I would rather go to Roscoe's or Kyo Chon for fried chicken.
This restaurant is a great place to eat at before entering Knotts. I went a few days ago for Knotts Scary Farm and had an hour to kill. The food came fast. I got the chicken meal that came with 4 pieces with mashed potatoes and gravy. Salad, corn, bread, and dessert were also included in the price of around 15 bucks. The quality was excellent and the service was great. They are friendly. I will definitely eat here again.
I hate to down grade the place.. It's not that the fried chicken wasn't good...More so, that it just wasn't GREAT. Well it was okay, marginal at best. Like many ex boyfriend's in the sack I would have to admit I have had better.
Keep in mind this place is historic and the entire reason for the Knott's Amusement Park is because of this restaurant and the actual berry farm. Which is why on a Sunday afternoon I waited 45 min in line to get a table; I used to think Hollywood hot spots were hard to get into.
My dislikes was the horrible staff; they were well mannered and all but just old, runned down and tried.
-Our waitress was forgetful and had to be constantly reminded for the simplest things; i.e. rolls, jelly, side of mashed potatoes, drinks. She just seemed very lost and unfocused.
-The biscuits were okay but not as buttery and flaky as I would like, kinda dry and bite size.
-The chicken soup was the lamest part! I had a few spoon fulls and was not too happy with it. Just didn't have alot of chicken and bizarre seasoning that was not yummy.
I had the chicken pot pie which was good nothing to rave about. I mean the experience was all together just fine. Other people at my table all got the fried chicken. The waitress forgot to mention to you that the difference between the chicken dinner and lunch is not just pie at the end of the meal but the selections of chicken. When you order the chicken dinner you get 3 large pieces of breast and thigh but when you order the lunch you get a drum stick and 2 wings. Thanks for that information that was no where on the menu. It was like the unspoken rule of the army in regards to homosexuality "don't ask, don't tell ". But we did ask and were not told. Whatever.
Last words - "Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles is way better than this place!"
The chicken by itself earns 4 stars...but unfortunately everything that comes with the chicken brings it back down to 3 stars.
Went to meet a giant group of friends who reserved a table at the restaurant - if you have a large group, it's a good idea to call ahead since there is often a long line to wait in. After waiting for everyone in our party to show, we were led through a maze to the back of the restaurant in an empty room. There were several tables but they put us at a gigantic long table near the wall...it was sort of weird that we were seated that way since no one else was in the room.
With such a large group, ordering takes a while but our main server was very friendly and accommodating to us. Most people ordered the chicken dinner but some opted for the lighter dinner, the chicken pot pie, the chicken & dumplings and the chicken fettuccine. I got the chicken dinner with all white meat (3 large pieces of chicken instead of 4 mixed pieces) which costs $15.90. I also ordered the boysenberry punch for $3.50...oh how I wish this punch was sold in stores! It's so yummy...the berry itself is a mix between a raspberry and blackberry (and loganberries?).
Before your food arrives, tons of hot mini biscuits hit the table...the butter on the table says it's butter but i really don't think it is. I would spread some delicious boysenberry jam on instead. =)
For the first course, you start with either chicken noodle soup or cherry rhubarb - the soup wasn't that good...soup too viscous & no chicken in sight. I think canned soup is better. The cherry rhubarb was pretty sweet/sugary...this one is a toss up.
For the second course, you get a small salad...the lettuce looked old and it was less than average.
Finally the chicken! It comes with a leg, thigh, wing & breast but since I opted for all white meat (an extra $2..85), I got three breast pieces. It comes with mashed potatoes covered in country gravy and either corn or cabbage seasoned with ham. I did not know that ham was a seasoning, but apparently it is...both were just ok - the same for the mashed potatoes as well.
The chicken was very good and obviously was the highlight of the evening. It was crispy...skin had good flavor and the meat was very tender and juicy. I had it for leftovers as well and it still tasted great. It is slightly bland...I'm used to some sort of seasoning to it but it doesn't even seem like there's salt & pepper on it. I dipped the chicken into tabasco for more flavor and that helped my taste buds.
By this time, many of us needed boxes to take home the rest of our chicken but we still had dessert left. You have a choice of vanilla ice cream, boysenberry sherbet, apple pie or boysenberry pie. I got the sherbet thinking it would be small but it was more than the slice of pie. It was pretty good but it tasted more like a blueberry than boysenberry. I now wish I had the pie..lol. Most of us couldn't finish our desserts so we gave them to our friend with a stomach like a bottomless pit to finish them...he did not complain one bit! =)
The restaurant itself seems old and dusty - it could use a remodeling. Also, when we paid, we found out that for our large group they would only split two cards...that made about half of our party get up and consult and ATM for cash.
Overall, the experience was just ok...even though I loved the chicken, everything else would not get me to rush back. I still like KFC (the Colonel and Korean-style) better than this but once in a blue moon it's fun to visit because as a kid my family loved it here.
FYI: There's a chicken "To-go" store next to the restaurant. I've bought from here before but I still think it tastes better eating in the restaurant. The to-go version makes it seem much more expensive and less tasty.
Eating at Mrs. Knott's Chicken restaurant when you go to Knott's is like drinking a beer at NASCAR, they just go hand in hand. I've been here countless times as a kid when we visited or more recently when I'm just in the area. The food is great, but what makes this a gem is the great and friendly waitresses. They joke with you and make you feel like home even if you are far from it.
Try any of the following and you'll be in luck: chicken fried steak, fried chicken, chicken and dumplings....the list goes on.
Don't forget to drink the boysenberry punch, I'll repeat that in case you missed it: get the punch! :)
I had heard sooo much about Mrs. Knott and her darned fried chicken which was supposedly sooooo good... Well... I was a bit disappointed there Mrs. Knott... quite disappointed...
But... yes... there is a but...
I really really enjoyed her creamy chicken noodle soup... and her tiny little biscuits with butter... ooh and her mashed potatoes... sooo... actually... everything but her fried chicken...
Although I must say...
Had I not been ready to explode from biscuits by the time her chicken came out... or had I been starving... I "MIGHT" have enjoyed the chicken some more...
I also blame her for making me sick and nauseous after going on all the roller coasters...
Extra super bonus points for the super friendly nice waitresses...
Everytime i go to knotts berry farm, i always eat lunch or dinner at this place. I only get one thing on the menu which is the Traditional Fried Chicken Dinner. This meal is huge and delicious for real cheap. It definitely fills you up. It comes with biscuits, chicken, sides, salad, and pie! You do have to wait a while for a table, but the restaurant is huge so it can go by fast.
The Traditional Fried Chicken Dinner is the way to go. Everything with it is delicious and my favorite are the biscuits that come out before the meal. If your not a big eater I would suggest the lighter meal option. Its the same food but less and a few dollars cheaper, however leftovers are always good to have. My only compliant is the prices are high considering it is not nice-dinning, but the portions are huge and you definitely get your monies worth. Great after a long day at Knott's Berry Farm Amusement Park.
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