430623 Sun Aug 12 19:37:59 -0700 2007 39 9 New Orleans 0 2839090 I finally got to eat here last Friday after having been very disappointed when they were not yet open during Jazzfest. I love good fried chicken, and it is very hard to find these days. Fiorellas used to be good, but the recent postings on this board made me avoid the place. So I was so psyched. I went with one other friend, and the place was about three quarters full when we got there, no waiting (well, at least for a table). We both ordered fried chicken and butter beans and had brought quite an appetite. Wel, it took an hour and 15 minutes to get our food. I understand that the chicken is cooked to order, I appreciate that. But I'm sorry, I KNOW how long it takes to fry chicken. And like I said, the place wasn't even full and most of the patrons already had food on their plate. What are they doing: frying one piece at a time? The wait staff said nothing about what was going on and offered no apology. I went back to the bathroom and saw no one that looked like Willie Mae in the kitchen, everyone was much too young. When the food finally arrived, the chicken was WAY too salty, and I like salt! Of course we were famished and ate every single bite. Butter beans were excellent. I was so disappointed in what I had hoped would be a truly New Orleans experience. I guess next time I'll stick to Jacques Imos (he KNOWS how to fry chicken ala the late Austin Leslie), but they were closed for summer vacation. Sun Aug 12 19:37:59 -0700 2007 63353 rphillips9 1 2839908 Ms. Willie Mae is no longer in the kitchen (she's 93 or 94 now, I forget which). Her offspring are running the place now. Mon Aug 13 07:06:55 -0700 2007 2839090 12023 Hungry Celeste 1 2839962 Just fill everyone in Willie Mae had a stroke and is in Poor health, lets cut the family some slake Mon Aug 13 07:26:49 -0700 2007 2839090 86894 localfoodie 2 4668444 no offense, but aging & death is a part of of every human family, not just the Maes. should we cut all the restaurants some slack? also no offense, but it was really slow when i was there a year ago, and have read similar here. Sat May 09 08:10:26 -0700 2009 2839962 143137 kibbles 1 2840017 That's sad to hear. I went there a few months ago and my FC was spot on. Mon Aug 13 07:43:47 -0700 2007 2839090 41361 iknowwhatitmeans 1 2842361 I haven't been to Willie Mays, but I can tell you about Coops and Fiorella's. I was at each in the past couple weeks to compare fried chicken. Coop's chicken was teeny-tiny. I think they accidently used one of the rabbits that they put in the jambalaya or a pigeon. The jambalaya on the side was excellent though. Fiorella's chicken was wonderful when I had it last week. I asked what was going on there and was told by a waiter that the place was sold about 6 months ago and they lost all their kitchen help because the former owner wasn't paying them and the 2 main guys moved to different cities. It tasted like they had their act together when I went. It was big and juicy and very flavorful + the mashed and gravy tasted home made. Went to Jaque-imo's about 2 months ago and would put them in second place out of the three. Jaque-imo's side dishes were pretty weak though. Mon Aug 13 17:37:07 -0700 2007 2839090 119026 crazy4eating 1 2843520 WMSH was never a bastion of quick lunch service even before the storm, and no one familiar with the place would expect otherwise, particularly if you order the fried chicken. Chances were then and are today that, if others in the place order chicken before you, the wait will be longer. I never order it if I am expecting to get out of there in an hour. When I was there last week (I have been five times in recent months), with a near full crowd in the dining room (which I was happy to see), I ordered the stewed veal knowing it was already prepared. The two young waitresses are very efficient and cordial, although I miss being served by Slim. The one time I ordered the fried chicken it was a little salty, but nonetheless delicious. As an aside, if you want great fried chicken, try Cajun Seafood on N. Claiborne. I picked up a piece last week, when buying beautiful and inepxensive boiled and raw shrimp, and it was out of this world. Its an odd place, with a combination of soul food, chineses food, as well as boiled and raw seafood, but its worth a stop for the adventuresome. Tue Aug 14 07:04:04 -0700 2007 2839090 23765 pilaf 2 2937557 Is that the place that advertises Live and Boiled Seafood Chicken Daiquiris? Thu Sep 13 08:20:28 -0700 2007 2843520 126830 Mr. Gunn 1 2852804 Overrated and over priced Thu Aug 16 15:11:05 -0700 2007 2839090 29085 nospice 1 2858671 I would just like to say that I have not been to Willie Mae's but I plan to go real soon. I was just watching food tv and Willie Mae's was voted as having the BEST Fried Chicken in America by Bon Appetit Magazine, and also won the won a James Beard Award. These are very high honors for any restaurant. Ms. Willie Mae has retired and her family now runs the restaurant. Can't wait to get to N.O. to try Willie Mae's Sat Aug 18 20:01:29 -0700 2007 2839090 120321 luvnofood 2 2858717 There is a special running on Food Network about Bon Appetit's top restaurants in America, and they did a nice little piece on Willie May's and how Katrina affected operations. NO ONE is awarded a James Beard by accident--the place sounds and looks great, and I hope to go soon. I really appreciate this type of establishment sticking around for the sake of family and community and sharing the love of food with others. Sat Aug 18 20:25:27 -0700 2007 2858671 117273 kmnola 3 2863016 I've recently discovered this forum-and since we are" obsessively" planning our trip in October(5 days in our favorite city) I am all ears when I hear New Orleans--I caught the Food Network piece- What a wonderful few minutes with Willie Mae and her family!! It spoke to the rebuiding-her retirement and family continuing the traditions at Willie Mae's---so with tears in my eyes--I added a stop to our places not to miss,sometimes it's NOT all about the food! So--long wait or not, salty or seasoned to perfection, we can say we had the experience and with any luck at all, maybe Willie Mae will be there that day watching over her dream!! Mon Aug 20 13:26:20 -0700 2007 2858717 119749 cheerstonola 4 2886302 Does anyone know Willie Mae's hours of operation? Much appreciated! Mon Aug 27 12:39:03 -0700 2007 2863016 96219 mikemill 5 3895009 I have never been there so do not "shoot the messenger" if this is not correct but I saw this on another website relative of reviews of this restaurant .. The hours of operation are Monday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It took me about two hours to find that information, so hopefully this is helpful to anyone else looking it up Wed Jul 23 13:23:56 -0700 2008 2886302 212518 FIONAPUSS 6 3895601 See. Willie Maes closed again http://www.chowhound.com/topics/539228 Wed Jul 23 16:26:24 -0700 2008 3895009 147713 speyerer 4 2903287 Lovely post, cheerstonola. Planning a stop at Willie Mae's in October, also. Sat Sep 01 12:59:35 -0700 2007 2863016 99791 Soulcat 4 2911352 What is crazy is that I have lived in New Orleans for more than 5 years and until recently I had never heard of Willie Mae's OR Chowhound. Now I am posting on Chowhound and I ate at Willie Mae's for lunch today! After the Food Network special I did some googling and found this thread on Chowhound. Luckily for me I planned ahead. We arrived soon after they opened the doors at 11:30 am and left around 1:15pm. The timing was quite laughable but like cheerstonola said, we viewed it as an overall experience instead of just a lunch. I was also doing "research" for an article I was writing on how dining contributes to the overall branding of New Orleans (my kinda research). http://attheparade.blogspot.com/2007/09/branding-of-city.html Lil Dizzy's, you're next... Tue Sep 04 21:57:22 -0700 2007 2863016 124795 SkippyT 5 2911443 Willie Mae is a very nice woman. The chicken is not all that great, though. You are better off at Crabby Jacks(Jacque-Imos) or Fiorellas for that bird. Tue Sep 04 23:27:39 -0700 2007 2911352 72633 mythomane 6 2916817 that's weird. i kept kicking myself for not getting the chance to try Willie Mae's while there for Jazz Fest, since it was still closed (i kept callinng them to no avail and no answer). anyways, i heard about fiorella's and since we were already on decatur, we hit that up on another day. and it was really good, and had expected it to be tourist crap, or maybe due to my low expectations it quite surprised me a lot. Thu Sep 06 12:01:03 -0700 2007 2911443 10866 kevin 5 2937480 Had good fried chicken from Lil Dizzy's 2004 at Jazz Fest with spicy potato salad. Had it on site post-K and it was really greasy. Hope your meal is better. Thu Sep 13 08:01:37 -0700 2007 2911352 118263 JazzyB 6 2938192 i'll most likely get shit for this, but Fiorella's on Decatur in the Quarter makes some damn good fried chicken and goes well with a few pints of the local Abita amber. Thu Sep 13 10:59:47 -0700 2007 2937480 10866 kevin 7 2938529 I completely agree. Thu Sep 13 12:17:04 -0700 2007 2938192 99087 mhiggins 7 2939868 I don't think you're crazy. I've been to Fiorella's alot. I think it just got a bad rap for a little while because the old owner was on his way out, so he didn't care much anymore, and the new guy came in and had to get some experience. All the meals I ate there have been right on for the most part since mid '07. Thu Sep 13 18:45:51 -0700 2007 2938192 119026 crazy4eating 8 3154915 Unfortunately Fiorellas has been sold to new owners! I went there recently and had the worst fried chicken I have ever tasted!!! The old recipes and techniques are long gone! The service is as bad as it ever was! Don't even consider this place now! It's yummy chicken days are long gone! I'm sooooo sad. Seriously, it's terrible now! Mon Nov 26 08:02:47 -0800 2007 2939868 145630 Nolachef 7 3154919 Wrong, wrong, wrong. The good chicken is gone! Stay away from this terrible restaurant! Mon Nov 26 08:03:40 -0800 2007 2938192 145630 Nolachef 8 3157856 Actually, the good chicken is not gone and, in fact, it hasn't changed much. As someone who has eaten there, pretty regularly, for the last twenty years or so, I can safely say that it's pretty close to what's been coming out of that kitchen for a very long time (Slim, Willie Mae's son, is frying it most of the time and as he was doing that years and years before the storm, it's hard to see how it's changed much based on the cook). Some things, like the stewed chicken and the stewed veal, are better than they used to be. If I had any gripes at all they would be that I wish they would add to the side menu and give more vegetable choices. Other than that, it's not that much different than it was. Yes, it's slow. Yes, the service people leave a bit to be desired in both the efficiency and the politeness dept, but, generally, it's still what it was and probably what it will be for a long time to come- a good, little neighborhood lunch spot that has really good food. Terrible? Not hardly. Tue Nov 27 06:10:18 -0800 2007 3154919 145885 Hadacol 1 3157993 Our meal there last week was just fine. The bottom line is, if you want "white linen" dining and service,go somewhere fancy. I would have liked my meal a little quicker,too,but guess what, I felt blessed to be able to even GO to WMSH after the hurt it took.The pork chop was superb and we had friend chicken for DESERT also. The "relativity" factor for a restaurant (atmosphere,history,price,staff) etc. has to always apply to a fabled joint like this,so lighten up cookie don't go scarin' people off!! Tue Nov 27 07:07:24 -0800 2007 2839090 145269 caborojo 2 3158058 I also went to WMSH and experienced slow indifferent service of very average food. I didn't feel particularly blessed to have the opportunity to spend my money there. This is a restaurant folks not a shrine. There is no correlation between the history, the strength, the power and good cooking. Customer support comes with a consistently good product. The new management has to get respect the old fashioned way, they 
have to earn it. Good luck to a New Orleans icon. How get to work Tue Nov 27 07:33:06 -0800 2007 3157993 136947 State St. 3 3158164 Willie Mae's is not and never was an "icon." It's a neighborhood hole-in-the-wall that was discovered by foodies within the past few years, won a James Beard award, and then was championed as a cause by do-gooders in the wake of Katrina. I sincerely doubt that even 5% of New Orleanians knew about this place five years ago. Tue Nov 27 08:07:37 -0800 2007 3158058 15011 Chris Martel 1 3169409 Speaking of Fiorella's, their fried chicken is not that good. There's too much seasoning. You're better off at Popeyes or Piccadilly. Fri Nov 30 16:22:53 -0800 2007 2839090 131682 jamtart 1 4427564 I talked my husband into going over to Willie Mae's and he's a vegetarian. Always willing to please his carnivorous wife, we waited, waited and waited some more just for a menu. We displayed amazing patience that day at Willie Mae's, but after sitting for what seemed like an hour, we finally decided to leave after another couple came in, one half of the couple left to get cash after learning that they didn't take credit cards, returned to the restaurant and their order was taken before ours. Major disappointment for me since I really did want to give it a try. I'm happy to read the above review. Maybe I didn't miss anything after all. I would never go back. The service is simply put -- TERRIBLE!!! Tue Feb 17 22:51:06 -0800 2009 2839090 267794 Gallimore 2 4428384 Y'all would do much better going to McHardy's Chicken - 5 pieces for $3.89 and you'll hardly wait 5 minutes. There is only one bench to sit on at McHardy's, its really a take out place, but the fried chicken is superb. McHardy's is located at 1458 N. Broad St, New Orleans, open 11-11 Wed Feb 18 09:00:11 -0800 2009 4427564 245819 mimadeli 3 4645797 mchardys is gross. just go to fiorellas. ok. Fri May 01 10:48:11 -0700 2009 4428384 72633 mythomane 4 4652596 I tried McHardy's about a month ago. It was very good. I will go back. Mon May 04 09:29:59 -0700 2009 4645797 16057 south foodie 4 4668458 yeah wasnt impressed with McHardys. old chicken laying around, not much flavor. for fast food style like this i prefer McKenzie's Chicken In A Box. Sat May 09 08:16:52 -0700 2009 4645797 143137 kibbles 1 4668447 +1 Jacque Imos -- while 20 bucks for fried chicken is tough to swallow, the chicken certainly isnt. probably the best ive had in town. for cheap chickin McKenzie's Chicken In a Box gets my vote. Sat May 09 08:12:38 -0700 2009 2839090 143137 kibbles 2 4693468 My wife & I just got back from NOLA after visiting our son who attends Tulane. He had expressed great interest in visiting Willie Mae's, even after I told him there was a lot of dispute in this forum & others about the actual quality of the chicken there. Regardless, I told him we'd have to get there just about opening time for lunch on the early side, so that's what we did. And hey -- it was great. The fried chicken batter was very lovely, very light and extremely tasty. The service was solid enough. The sides -- especially the butter beans -- were excellent. We got four in and out for $60 or so -- this includes two large male college students -=- and we were all very satisfied. The place has a great vibe and was definitely worth visiting again. When we came out, a little after noon, the line was long, but that should be something well known to anyone who reads this list. Bring cash, get there as close to opening as possible, and you will improve your chances for a splendid meal. Mon May 18 07:29:39 -0700 2009 4668447 225511 fatheryod 3 5199195 Glad to hear that you enjoyed it. We too are going to visit our son at Tulane, for the Thanksgiving holidays (next week Tues.-Sat.). I love fried chicken and was interested in sandwiching Willie Mae's in (so to speak) somewhere in our eating schedule, which is awfully busy already (Commander's Palace, Domenica, Cochon, Mr. B's and Dante's Kitchen). I hope he really likes at least one of them. We're from Philly and he deeply misses an Italian hoagie from Sarcone's (as do I when I haven't had one for a few weeks). Sat Nov 21 18:24:39 -0800 2009 4693468 85331 larrybard 4 5199659 Introduce your son to the fried chicken at Dunbar's.....located at the corner of Dominican & Pine, just off of Broadway. Within walking distance of campus, over on the Loyola Law campus. Sun Nov 22 04:50:30 -0800 2009 5199195 12023 Hungry Celeste 1 5281199 Well i am sick and tired of people claiming Willie Mae's as the Best Fried Chicken in New Orleans. It is like Kayne West running up to center stage saying "willie Mae's is the best of all time" when all of New Orleans know damn well that it is BS. I will be the voice for New Orleans and speak for the people. Hell, i will say it ONE TIME and ONE TIME ONLY!!! POPEYES FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN IS THE BEST OF ALLLLLL TIMEEEE. Being a Patron for my whole life, i KNOW that Willie Mae is a guppy compared to Popeyes. If Popeyes was not a chain, i bet everyone (food network, travel channel, and etc.) would be all over the famous chain to broadcast the infamous glory of the mouth watering chicken. Come to New Orleans and see who is Chicken King. You want to see a line no matter what franchise you step in, come on over to Popeye's and see what the hype is about. Tue Dec 29 00:21:30 -0800 2009 2839090 1135274 saequoc