It's been 2 yrs since being here. Back in Chattanooga area again, Champy's is a MUST STOP for us. They never disappoint. Inside it's ani eclectic array of old license plates, dollar bills on the walls and overall fun to sweep your eyes around the room. The chicken is moist, flavorful and just plain delicious!! Service was quick but we weren't in a hurry. My husband & I ordered the 8 piece family, 1/2 thighs, 1/2 legs, with fries & coleslaw. My husband had the chicken, sausage gumbo.... He rates it right on top of the best he's has tasted. I would say.... defined and good place to stop, with family, friends or whatever reason you can think up. Just stop and enjoy yourself with good food. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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This is painful to write. At least once per year we stop at Champy's MLK outlet as we drive between Texas and Washington, DC on business. For nearly ten years. A must-stop. Highlight of the drive. For the first time, today was different. The very friendly young women who first greeted us and guided us through the menu years ago are gone. In their place are unfriendly young ladies who would far prefer to chat with each other than provide even acceptable-level service. We were tolerated, not welcomed or even checked on to see if we wanted anything. I waited and waited for her to notice me at about ten feet away as I waved my empty beer can in hopes of getting a second one. Finally I had to interrupt the conversation between the waitresses by raising my voice above their conversation, "excuse me, may I have another?" Again, we were there early today. Just before 5:00 PM. That is how timing works when you are on the road. So the place was nearly empty. They weren't busy with customers. They were busy chatting amongst themselves. As we completed our fried chicken (still very good), she came by and did not ask if we wanted anything else but simply said "ready for the check?" It was a way to make us feel like we needed to leave. To add insult to injury, we passed by the hostess table outside on our way to the car as we left and we happened to pass between two Champy's young female employees chatting at the hostess station and blocking the way out. We had to say "excuse me" and walk between then as they kept talking to each other. Never did they bother to say "thanks for coming, please come back soon." So maybe after all this time...we won't. read more

A return visit to Champy's is always on the menu when we visit Chattanooga. You get exactly what you expect, and the expectations for great fried chicken are high. We walked in a little after 1:00 on a Sunday and were seated right away. We sat on the patio, which was delightful, and enjoyed the smooth country live music while we ate. We had a Buffalo Wrap, Chicken Tenders, Dark Meat Meal, and half chicken at our table, and all were excellent. The chicken is always crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, just the way great fried chicken should be. All of our sides were good as well and included: Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Mac and Cheese, and Fries. I didn't get any photos this time, but take a look at everyone else's as they would pretty much be the same, LOL read more

Holy moley I was not ready for this!!!!! Chicken tenders - fantastic! Crispy and flavorful Green beans - honestly, I truly believe these are the BEST green beans I've ever had. And that's saying something given all I've had. Mashed potatoes and gravy - good but gravy seened a bit watered down. Mac and cheese - Meh. Decent but not much flavor. Middle of the road. Tamales - absolutely AMAZING!!!!! Definitely worth ordering. Wonderful spices, a bit spicy which adds another dimension too. Dipping sauce - omg this is so next level! Perfect balance of cream and flavor makes this one of the best dipping sauces I've ever had for chicken too!!! Wow. Now I see why this place is called Champys. Can I give this place more than 5 stars, pretty please? read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Disregard the charcuterie - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Heard a lot about Champys so we had to check it out. Love the ambiance, a renovated garage converted into a Southern-style bar/casual eatery. A little kitchy sure but it fits. We got to choose our table and had friendly service the whole time. Note that although the service is pretty good, the food coming out was a little slow. We got the 3 chicken tender basket, catfish basket, the smoked buffalo wings, and banana pudding. The buffalo wings were the highlight. Great smokiness coming through the wings. Just a little bit of heat from the buffalo sauce. Highly recommend. Everything else was pretty good. The chicken was tender, and good crisp to the outside, and good seasoning. The catfish was pretty good too although they were pretty thin so didn't get quite as much of the crunch to tenderness contrast that I like in a catfish. Also, their tartar sauce is too sweet. I prefer more tang on the sauce. I think the sauces run sweet as I thought the champy sauce was a little too sweet over mustard-y. Good fries with great texture and seasoning. I also got the green bean sides which were a little soft but great, depth of flavor as it was clearly cooked with pork. The potato salad was good if not memorable. The kids loved the banana pudding. A little too much of the cream and not enough pudding but otherwise worth getting. All in all a strong chicken spot to visit while in Chattanooga. read more

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Now THIS is how fried chicken is supposed to be. I stopped by Champy's while visiting Chattanooga, and it was the highlight of my afternoon. The fried chicken came out hot, crispy, juicy, and full of flavor. You could literally see the juices coming out of the chicken, and every bite was delicious. The customer service was excellent as well. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and attentive throughout the meal. I also enjoyed the atmosphere. The walls were covered in dollar bills and license plates, which gave the restaurant a lot of character and made it feel like a place with stories to tell. I found myself wondering about the history behind it all. read more

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I was sold undercooked, horrible, huge pieces of chicken. This location is going down. The food is subpar and never tastes the same. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Disgusting!! - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Clean establishment and attentive service. You don't come here for the ambience. Come here for the food. Fried chicken and fries did not disappoint. Good sized serving of extra crispy chicken in the 3 piece plate with 2 sides. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - 3-piece dark meat plate with fries and coleslaw - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

One of the best fried chickens I've ever had... and I have had a lot of fried chickens in my lifetime. The exterior skin is crisped to a perfection. Even the breast was juicy and not dry! The chicken comes out fresh and the sides are absolutely amazing! I loved the Mac and cheese, French fries and potato salad. The staff was so friendly, helpful and attentive. We arrived as a large group of 18 and were able to get a table by calling early. But be aware the back room is pretty warm even with the A/C. If you are in Chattanooga, this is one of the must stop by restaurants. read more

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Everything was so good! We had the sausage and cheese appetizer, fried chicken, chicken livers, chicken tenders, chicken salad, fried green tomatoes, and wings. They wings were a little too smokey for a us, but everything was a awesome! My mom raved about the livers for days. I could've eaten the chicken salad again and again. There is no kids menu, but they have a chicken tender basket that was perfect for our kids to split. read more

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m mm m. chic-kin! This is a review of my first visit on a very late afternoon on a Spring Saturday. After walking much of the day, we were in dire need of sustenance. Champy's was nearby and had decent reviews. +. Ambiance is that of dollar pinned walls resto bar. It was the hottest day of the year in the mid 80s so we sat inside which provided welcome AC. The main DR has a high ceiling so it felt spacious. There is a smaller side DR and a patio as well. ++. Food is southern fried chicken and sides. They only offer crispy style which arrived piping hot along with our choices of sides; green beans and chilled cole slaw. I expected string beans but we got Italian? flat beans in nearly boiling hot liquid. It wasn't my favorite. But the fried chicken was moist with good crunch. My friend loved their chicken. I found their coleslaw refreshing and delicious. It was properly chilled, had a light mayo base with faint hint of vinegar. ++. Service was prompt, friendly and attentive. Our food came out in about 15-20 minutes. ++. Price is reasonable. $20-30pp and more if you order adult bevies . ++. Parking is free private lot and paid street. It's been a while since I had proper fried chicken and it only took a drive to another state to get them ;). MY RATINGS - - - Inhumane - - Disgusted - Don't bother = Missed the Mark +. Good ++ Better +++ EDIBLE... WHERE have you bee my LiFe! read more

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Such an interesting restaurant with a mix of locals and tourists. We were quickly helped and seated -- service was great throughout or entire meal. We were curious about their crawfish, but visited specifically for their chicken, so my group of 4 shared a Family Meal (12 Pieces) and we were absolutely stuffed. The chicken is well-seasoned, steaming hot, and so so so crispy. However, we all agreed that the sides were mid (mac and cheese, greens, and mashed potatoes). read more

Such good southern food and service was great! We got the Mac and cheese, potato salad and beans as a side all great and the fried shrimp and catfish were amazing! Great southern charm as well! read more

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I have been to Champys in Muscle Shoals and Huntsville. This one is my favorite because of the outside patio that's always open. The waitresses are really with it. Our tea is always filled. Fried green tomatoes are a good value at 12 for $12.00 with ranch. A lot of our family orders chicken tenders with two sides of slaw. The smoked wings are the best around. Big portions of fried chicken. For parking. The left side is free parking. The handicapped spot is free parking. The middle two lanes on the right side is free parking. Spots are marked. We were confused our first time. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - 3 piece white meat with two sides of slaw $14. - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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One of our favorite stops in Chattanooga! We're from out of town, but every time we're in Chattanooga, Champy's Chicken is one of our first stops--and for good reason. The food? Off the charts. The fried chicken is absolutely next-level--crispy on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside. It's the kind of meal that makes you stop mid-bite just to say "wow." The baked beans (loaded with ham hocks) were smoky and rich, the mac & cheese was indulgently cheesy and gooey, and even the cauliflower was packed with flavor. They don't miss a beat on the sides! Shout-out to Destiny for the awesome service--friendly, fast, and made us feel right at home. To top it all off, we got to enjoy live music from Tim and his friends, which added the perfect laid-back, Southern vibe to the evening. If you're visiting Chattanooga and love great food, cold drinks, and good people, Champy's is a must. We'll be back (again)! read more

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This place is an institution! We were visiting some friends in the area and they suggested we visit this spot - it was an absolute delight! Housed in what we assume to be the original shack, the place exudes character! From the dollar bills stapled to the wall, to the neon signage inside and out, to the crappy pickup lines written on receipts and displayed in the bathroom - this place has moxie! Our group of 10 samples many a fried delicacy - chicken, pickles, green tomatoes, hush puppies and catfish. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! One thing we've learned on our culinary travels is that fire chicken shouldn't need sauce...like at all. If it needs honey not sauce for flavor, it's not worth your time. This needed neither! Crispy, juicing, salty, magic! This is the sort of food that heroic epics are written about. Everything else was good, but pales in comparison! The beer selection was solid and the service was quick and friendly. If we ever have another kid, they're probably going to have champy as a nickname! Go check this place out if you're in town! You'll be happy you did! read more

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I saw the great reviews of the key lime pie from years back and couldn't find any new ones. So I decided the try the key lime pie. It was so disappointing a store bought one would've been better. There was no meringue, and too jelly like. Wouldn't recommend if you've had good key lime pie before, it's mediocre at best. read more

This is absolutely ridiculous! I requested CHAMPY's sauce when I placed the order. After I got home I realized they did not give me a single sauce packet. Drive all The way back across town and then was told all You can have is 6 sauces...FOR 20 pieces of chicken that was to feel 8 people. I spent almost 90 dollars on chicken strips and they would only give me 6 of their precious CHAMPY's sauce. Needless to say, WE WILL NOT BE BACK CHAMPY's. Keep your sauce and sucky service. There are many other chicken places in Chatt! read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - CHAMPY's sauce - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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My husband LOVED Champy's! He actually said it was some of the best fried chicken he's had dining out in a while! It was seasoned, the chicken breast was NOT dry at all, and just an overall great experience as first timers! He actually wanted to go back again on our second day in Chattanooga but I opted for variety. read more

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I've tried several things here. The fried chicken salad enjoyed and was surprised it included pickles in it, but I liked it. I also have tried the tamales which I really enjoyed. We first went there to try the fried chicken, which people told me that they really liked. The chicken was fine, but to me not something I'd write home about. There are other places I like the chicken better. read more

THE BEST chicken anywhere!!! Had the fried jalapeño poppers and tamales for an appetizer! Drank the 40's Miller High Life (Champagne of Beers). Morgan was a great waitress for us!! read more

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went in for a to go order and 4 girls at the hostess desk didn't speak to me. I asked where to go, they told me to go to the back. i ordered a family meal with drinks and extra sauce and got tea mixed with sprite and no sauce. i specifically asked for more sauce too and still didnt get any. the girls waiting on me were about my age (early 20s) and when talking to them the were quite literally putting more lip gloss on mid convo. when I was going to ask for all my drinks for my family meal, she gave me one and walked away. I waited an extra few minutes waiting to talk to her or the others, but they wouldn't come back when I waved. so I ended up leaving. felt under appreciated. and my order was totally messed up. waited 30 minutes for that. read more

The hot chicken chunks were delicious, trust me. Buffalo sauce and potato salad were great also. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Hot chicken chunks - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Just stop if you are looking for southern indulgence... we had the tamales and chicken chunks to start -- perfect! I had the chicken, hubs had the catfish and son had the tenders. All were delicious-- no complaints and tons of food. Favorite (and sons) was the chicken chunks and hubs -- catfish and green beans. Can't go wrong. Green beans were like your grandmother made. Just stop looking - this place won't disappoint. Oh! Iris was lovely.. and attentive. 5 stars for the team. read more

Usually the foods pretty good. A bit of a wait sometimes. Always have games running on the tv's.

Great service. The fried green tomatoes were great, nice and thick, not soggy and the breading was done well. The fried chicken was basic, heavy breading. I prefer a spicier blend and felt I could get the same fried from supermarket. The green beans and Mac n cheese were very good. Overall not bad, but feel the restaurant could have better prices for what is it. Overall not bad to try. read more

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With big beers, decent fried food, and a laid-back atmosphere, Champy's is the perfect college spot. I finally made it over to Champy's on a Friday night - it was busy but not overly busy, so we were seated immediately outside. Our waitress, a student at UTC Chatt, and she was super nice and attentive. She really seemed to like what she did, which I appreciated! We of course had to order the fried chicken, since that's what everyone talks about. I got chicken tenders while my husband got a fried chicken sandwich. We've had a lot of fried chicken in our lives, but we were both pleasantly surprised with the chicken! Not the best we've had, but good and a good vibe! read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Chicken tenders and fried chicken sandwich - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

We had tonight after our state championship game. The food was all hot and delicious. Hope to be back next year after the game. Fun place and reasonable prices. read more

Don't miss out on this spot when you're in Chattanooga. With walls and windows filled with dollar bills as its wallpaper decor, it's got some darn good southern fried chicken and good cold beer. The best duo to hit the southern man's heart after a long day of work. Don't forget-it's got some Mississippi Delta Homemade Hot Tamales and that CHAMPY SAUCE. Open late night for those hungry travelers. The atmosphere is very laid back with a patio and country songs playing in the background. Also got big TV screens to watch your sports. read more

Champy's was a really good place to go have some really good chicken! Homemade and I give you a ton of chicken. The service we got was fantastic and friendly and I had a really good vibe. I would certainly recommend. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Fried Chicken Salad - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

Champy's is just a staple - kind of a "fall back" if we can't decide where to go eat. Fried chicken and tenders are always yummy! Champy's sauce is delicious ! Sides are really good - especially like the slaw. Tamales are awful - not sure who is taste testing these or why they're "famous"? That being said - you can't go wrong if you're looking for a casual atmosphere and good service. read more

What a cool spot! Great location and a convenient lot next to it with ample free parking for restaurant guests. There is even a drive-thru we didn't notice until we left. Cool! You walk inside to a bar area full of high-tops and a lot of personality. This spot is an eclectic explosion of sports gear, merch, koozies for 40's, and walls wallpapered with signed dollar bills. We were immediately brought through a set of doors in a different area of the restaurant, which had low top tables and another bar. Our server, Emily, was super prompt, friendly, and patient with our weird kiddos. :-) Our kids really liked the sweet tea she recommended. We ordered: -12 piece family meal (1/2 tenders, 1/2 white meat bone-in): best breading ever! Cooked/fried perfectly. Meat was tender and every bite was delish. The family meal came with 3 large sides- -Mashed potatoes and gravy: clearly homemade with chunks of potato intact. Tasty! Gravy had a slight kick from the pepper. -Slaw: Only 1 of 5 in our crew enjoyed this. Very raw onion-forward. -Fries: Beer battered and fabulous. -Champy's sauce, ranch, and honey mustard: Ranch and Champy sauce were our faves. The Champy sauce tasted like a mix of BBQ and honey mustard.- -Fried Green Tomatoes: Some of the best we've had since moving to the south. No frills or toppings...just well-cooked tomatoes in that amazing batter, fried to perfection. Served with ranch. Large serving. Just wish they gave more ranch. We loved the casual, fun vibes that were perfect for a friend hangout at the bar or an affordable and tasty family meal. read more

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This was definitely a diamond in the rough. We were in search a quick but well thought of establishment. So, google led us here and fortunately we were not disappointed. The tenders and fish were a great size for satisfaction and fullness. The atmosphere was pleasant and seems rather welcoming for a nice quick little outing on the town. Even the sweet tea, which boasts of Luzianne branding, dotted the I's and crossed the T's! Champy's was fast and served hot to us which is great on the service tip. Great for game watching and lunch breaking, so stop by if you're for a good chicken spot. read more

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The processed french fries were absolutely disgusting. Not sure what oil they're using in the chicken anymore, but it tasted as if it was two days old. Unfortunately, the quality control here has slipped tremendously. Bring on Gus's. A far better experience than where these guys are nowadays. read more

This place was recommended by a friend. And I am so glad I listened. They have the best fried chicken I have had in a long time. The smoked wings were amazing, but the sauce can be better. We ordered 1lb smoked wings (8 pieces) with half buffalo and half sweet heat. And a plate of 3 pieces dark meat with cole slaw & green beans. The place is very busy but we were lucky we beat the lunch line on a Saturday. Even though it was packed, the food came out at a reasonable time. The wings were very smoky, usually when I get smoked wings, the skin is not as crispy, but this wings was perfectly cooked. Sadly, the sauce did not stand out and it did not have any kick to it, we had to use the provided hot sauce. The fried chicken was so juicy and not over cooked at all, like how a perfect piece of fried chicken should be. Our waitress were super friendly and attentive. read more

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My wife got food poisoning from there not sure if it was from the chicken she had or the potato salad it was our first time there needles to say we will not be going back unfortunately sorry read more

What a fun and funky chicken joint. Some of the best fried chicken I have had . The green beans and mashed potatoes are down home cooking . I'm not sure what they were smoking in the smoker but it smelled amazing. It comes out hot and fresh. Downside there is not much for vegetarians. Be nice if they had some impossible nuggets or something for the vegetarian's out there. They also need to repaint their free parking spots, they are not mark well . Would love to come back, but it's hard when you have a vegetarian in your life there's not much for them. read more

Champy's Famous Fried Chicken - Southern Near Me - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Our first impression was an unenthusiastic hostess who seated us in a empty room when everyone else was on the patio. It was around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday night. Our waitress came to take our drink orders and slyly tried to mention to the hostess that she didn't want any more tables. I've been a waitress-- I know what it's like to get a table sat two minutes before closing but LETS BE REAL 6:30 p.m. is still considered the dinner rush, there's no reason this girl shouldn't be taking more tables. I felt like we had imposed so I looked up the restaurant closing time to ensure we weren't being rude and it closes at 10 p.m., goodness gracious. On top of feeling like an unwanted customer, the chicken in my spicy chicken sandwich was tough. When you claim to have "World Famous Chicken" you better have a decent supplier. I thought maybe I was crazy but my husband's chicken chunks were inconsistently tender and tough. Bummer. The fries were normal. The Mac and cheese is something close to the soupy cheesy sauce that Panera provides-- if you enjoy that. The breading is okay yet thin and not super crispy. The heat from my chicken sandwich melded the breading to the bread itself, which was subpar to me. The grand finale of it all was waiting about 10 minutes from the time we finished our food until the time our server, Carrigan, came to bring us the check. She was too busy doing her closing responsibilities to worry about her table. Go figure. Too bad we didn't have the server of the 11 top next to us. That server was both attentive, accurate, and friendly. Her table was cared for almost as fast as we were. This place is average at best but earns a 2.5 stars in my book. We won't return. read more

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Great chicken and ice cold beer. A good combination. The waitress stayed on top of things. We will be back.

Love their fried chicken! Still yummy the next day. We visit Champy's whenever we are in the area. read more