390786 Wed Apr 11 17:00:44 -0700 2007 20 2 Los Angeles Area 0 2472268 Thank's to all the Chowhounder's who recommended Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken. My "honey" and I were in Culver City yesterday and I couldn't stop thinking about fried chicken and didn't have the address with me. I asked the cashier at Trader Joe's if he knew where it is and he did. We got to Honey's Kettle at 10:45 and the gentleman opened the door for us. He was very friendly and gracious. I had the 2 Piece Meal, breast and wing, biscuit and fries. BF had the Daily Special, 2 wings, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, biscuit and cole slaw. There was honey and a some kind of red sauce. I'm here to tell you, it was THE BEST fried chicken! Crisp, crunchy, moist, delicious. Everything was very good. The order took about 20min. Can't wait to go back. Wed Apr 11 17:00:44 -0700 2007 71206 Barbara Ladden 1 2674171 The OWNER seems like a nice guy... but honestly, the girls at the counter are almost unanimously hostile. Honestly, I stopped going there because it was always unplesant. I sent a friend from Sweden there, just this week because he asked about fried chicken. He came back with a "horror story" about how he was treated and he didn't like the food. Also the Chicken has gone WAY downhill from when it opened. For me, the place is a big disappointment. Tue Jun 19 11:15:09 -0700 2007 2472268 106436 Shenzino 2 2674213 I've never been treated badly there, but Honey's Kettle isn't my idea of truly great fried chicken. Chicken in a thick beer batter just isn't my idea of what fried chicken should be like. It's okay, but it's not homey. (It's also always been too greasy, like no one ever took the time to drain it.) All my black friends compare Honey's Kettle to Golden Bird (which I've never had), somewhat unfavorably. The biscuits are great, though. Tue Jun 19 11:27:44 -0700 2007 2674171 100515 Woolsey 3 2674458 I agree, their chicken doesn't appeal to me at all. Tue Jun 19 12:31:53 -0700 2007 2674213 21341 hrhboo 3 2685206 When you say your black friends compare Honey's Kettle to Golden Bird somewhat unfavorably, do you mean they think poorly of both, or Honey's compares unfavorably to Golden Bird? I've never had Honey's and based on how everyone slams the service, I don't think I ever will. But I've had Golden Bird many times and in my opinion, that stuff is da best, bar none. It makes Roscoes seem like eating a Swanson frozen dinner. Fri Jun 22 13:11:16 -0700 2007 2674213 10764 monkuboy 4 2685391 The latter - that Honey's Kettle compares unfavorably to Golden Bird. My friends are L.A. natives and, like you, quite fond of Golden Bird. Fri Jun 22 13:55:52 -0700 2007 2685206 100515 Woolsey 1 2674198 the owner (older gentlemen) is soooooo nice and accomodating, i love it when he is there with his wife because the service is amazing........however, when the cat is away the mice are lazy, stupid and indifferent. i hate going there but the chicken keeps draws me back. Tue Jun 19 11:22:57 -0700 2007 2472268 10704 wilafur 2 2674371 Does anyone know what the owner's schedule is? Maybe someone can post when he's at work, and then people who like the food but hate the service can drop by... Tue Jun 19 12:08:13 -0700 2007 2674198 16826 banjoboy 1 2674664 I also went to Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken this past weekend because of Chowhound recommendations and I wasn't disappointed! I prepared myself for the bad service (which wasn't TOO bad), ordered the 4-piece dinner meal, and the food came out pretty fast! The bisquit was really, really good, and the fried chicken was wonderfully crispy. I couldn't move after eating all that food, but I'll definitely be going back! Tue Jun 19 13:12:31 -0700 2007 2472268 95894 jennp 1 2674708 I'm also in the "won't go back due to bad service" camp. The chicken was pretty good, but not stellar in my opinion (then again, I did live in Atlanta for a decade before moving out here...) The experience that was the final straw is when we walked up to the counter to order, the cashier glanced up at us, and then proceeded to spend literally half a minute finishing her text message on her cell phone before saying a word to us. When I'm in CC, I head a couple doors down to Tender Greens... now THAT's good eatin'! Tue Jun 19 13:21:24 -0700 2007 2472268 70047 Dav 2 2676375 I agree with everyone about the bad service. When I wrote about the 1st time we were there and enjoyed the chicken, I was so enthusiastic, I did forget to mention the strange person behind the cash register with the blank stare. She overcharged us $18.00. We told the owner/manager and he straighted it/her out graciously and quickly. Tue Jun 19 23:39:01 -0700 2007 2674708 71206 Barbara Ladden 1 2684693 My kids, who think KFC is just fine, can't stand Honey's. Nor can I. It's a shame too because we live walking distance away and used to like Smitty's before it went into the crapper. As far a Honey's chicken, there's a metallic aftertaste that I'm sure comes from whatever foul chemical concotion is used to brine the chicken. It's something I may be extra sensitive to the same way that I fine the taste of high fructose corn syrup objectionable. It's cheaper, better and easier to go to Albertson's or Pavillions for fried chicken. Fri Jun 22 10:51:59 -0700 2007 2472268 16652 KayZee 2 2684713 I go pretty regularly to Albertson's, and while the chicken is good, it's not in the same league as Honey's Kettle, imo. The brining makes a big difference -- the meat is often too dry for my taste at Albertson's. I haven't tasted the metallic aftertaste you describe at HK, but would suspect that comes from the copper kettle, not the brining. That said, service is every bit as slow as people suggest. I always have to wait -- even when I call ahead and the place isn't busy. PS: Is there Popeye's in LA? Much better than KFC, imo. Fri Jun 22 10:56:57 -0700 2007 2684693 18466 a_and_w 3 2684810 Popeye's is indeed in L.A. Off the top of my head, there's one on Hollywood Boulevard, maybe a block east or west of Cahuenga, and one at the corner of Figueroa and Adams. I'm sure there are more. Fri Jun 22 11:26:13 -0700 2007 2684713 100515 Woolsey 4 2684864 North Lake in Pasadena, almost across the street from Roscoe's...which is next to a KFC! Anybody want to come do a chicken tasting? Fri Jun 22 11:43:45 -0700 2007 2684810 11478 Will Owen 5 2684982 Then head down to Pollo Campero... Fri Jun 22 12:13:28 -0700 2007 2684864 100515 Woolsey 3 2684910 Popeye's is usually great, unless it has sat for too long! http://direct.where2getit.com/cwc/apps/w2gi.php?client=popeyes&template=search Fri Jun 22 11:56:29 -0700 2007 2684713 10864 sel 3 2685654 There's one next to CVS on Hollywood Way in Burbank. Fri Jun 22 15:19:31 -0700 2007 2684713 66535 teach 3 3567058 Well, since we're talking about what is better, I think Louisianna Fried Chicken is the best fried chicken on the planet, if you like your fried chicken a little spicy. They have one located in Pasadena as well, on North Lake, above Washington Blvd. It beats Popeye's hands down! I'm getting hungry now just thinking about it. :-D Sun Apr 06 11:51:36 -0700 2008 2684713 181265 rachill 1 2685646 Another tip if you want to pick up an order, the DON'T make your food at all in advance even if you way when you're going to be there. Be prepared for them to START the food when you get there. I'm not sure why they even have call-ahead when this is how they operate it, but oh well. I also agree about the bad service, there's something very off-putting about the counter girls, I thought I was the only who was so disgusted by their rude attitude that I stopped going. The very short girl is the worst! Almost every time I went there I ended up changing my order because she was so unwilling to communicate or actually focus on doing her job. It's a real shame, too. P.S. I know the owner is there during the weekdays, and I have read he is definitely not there on Sundays. Sat's I'm not so sure about. Fri Jun 22 15:15:51 -0700 2007 2472268 100843 roasted138 2 2688009 Well, I had posted a topic about Honey's Kettle. I received different responses, like those above. Weekly, I order food for our office, and I decided to throw caution to the wind and make this large order my first try with this establishment, and just make a really big order (about 70 people) from Honey's Kettle, last Thursday, for a Friday morning pick up. I mainly, only dealt with Vincent, whom I guess was the owner. He was very friendly and helpful to me. Now, about the food: *Biscuits - pretty much the most decadent restaurant biscuits I've ever run into in L.A. They taste like they already had butter and honey on them, though you also get more of both. *Chicken - Admittedly, I am more used to a crumb-like or breadey breading, but I have to say, I did like the breading. And every piece of chicken that I had, was nice and moist. And mind you, I had an order of about 160 pieces, that I did not even taste until I brought the chicken back to Santa Monica. *Catfish - This was equally good, and as well as tartar, they offfered a piquant and spicy dip, that I preferred. *Hush Puppies: These were satisfying, but did not hold up as well, for the drive back to the office. Perfectly acceptable, but I bet they are much better hot and fresh. *Salads: I find personally, that about 95% of all mac, potato salads and cole slaws are not worth even eating. None of these were the best I've had, but they were all good, and therefore better than most. And to consider they did all three well, says something. Sat Jun 23 18:14:04 -0700 2007 2685646 105785 fergusmccool