I have been coming here at least once a week for the loaded fries. They are so good. I love the acidity within these fries. I love that. This is a southern food that actually feels like I'm in the south. I love soul food so much and have been missing it here in Fresno and I finally found a place that is close to what I've had in the south. Such a welcoming environment with the owner she's such a sweet lady and such a welcoming person in the space. If you work downtown, this is definitely a place to go for lunch. read more

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I ordered the fish sandwich and the chicken sandwich. Well worth your money. The service was quick and it was a very clean nice location.

My favorite soul food restaurant in Fresno! Hands down the best. Sometimes I will be walk here from work and get me a nice hot fresh plate. I am very very selective of where I get my greens from due to a lot of places putting way too much sugar in their greens. NOT this place! Perfectly seasoned greens you don't taste any sugar. Just how they should be! I have absolutely no complaints about this establishment. Nice and professional staff and great food that's made with love. Thank you for the professionalism and hot fresh food. Would give more stars if I could. Peace and blessings to you all. read more

I devoured this food entirely too quickly. It was yummy. It satisfied cravings. I was full after. Service was good. He place is small and I took to go. I'd definitely come back. read more

Chicken King - Red beans and rice special - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

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Everything went amazing U know when u eat home maid food !!! All the food we ate is home maid !! One Word BOMB!!!!!! Every bite we took was on point !! Shout out to Helen !! Thank u Helen for treating us like royalty !!! Hats off to the cooks so out going !! Thank u for a great lunch R & M Gonzalez read more

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ALL HAIL THE CHICKEN KING! Arguably some of the finest fried chicken in Downtown Fresno and the reigning monarch of traditional, American fried chicken shops to all its loyal patrons. The reason is obvious. It all starts with their fried chicken, which is perfectly prepared. The chicken is brined in traditional, Southern-style buttermilk. It has an unbelievably crispy crust, is seasoned just right, and the meat is so juicy. Each batch of battered chicken goes into the deep fryer at the time of the order, is set on a timer, and is closely monitored. This virtually guarantees the fried chicken is not overcooked and dry. Conversely, there is no soggy and excessively oily skin. Each bite into one gives you that ideal crunch and is oozing with flavors and juices from the meat. The sweet potato pie here is pretty amazing as well. It is naturally sweet and rich, subtly spiced and the pie crust is flaky and buttery. I am definitely ordering it again. Their signature sides include collard greens, creamy mac n' cheese, red beans and rice, BBQ baked beans, potato salad, and coleslaw. Other dishes on the menu include fried prawns, fish fillet (basa), beef tri-tip, hotlinks, and a rack of pork spareribs. In addition to sweet potato pie, other desserts include whiskey bread pudding, banana pudding, and peach cobbler. Dishes can be ordered a la cart, as a combo (with a side dish and drink), or as a sandwich. The combos are a good value. A two-piece (leg and thigh) combo, for example, is $10.45 plus tax. I also enjoyed the seafood combo (including fish and prawns) and all the sides I have tried. Nothing, however, can really compare to the taste and quality of their fried chicken. There are a number of worthy local challengers to the throne but, for the moment, I would agree that the Chicken King definitely lives up to its name. So reign on and take your rightful position as the preeminent maker of fried chicken! read more

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The owner Helen Coole at this establishment is super kind and sweet. She opened up early for myself and my coworkers on our lunch break. The bbq ribs were amazing! They make everything from scratch mixed with love! Coleslaw was fresh and the creamy Mac n cheese was so delicious and cheesy. Tucked away downtown Fresno. Perfect for lunch and catering all your events!! Go check them out!! read more

Chicken King - Fish - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

I should have read the other reviews in that the food takes a while, but it was worth the wait! I had the fish fillet with chicken thigh. The fish fillets were TO DIE FOR. Flaky, crunchy, cooked to perfection with a savory blend of seasoning that was just right. I had the fried chicken after and compared to the fish, it could have used a bit more seasoning. But it was also cooked for perfection. The collard greens was tasty. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Ambiance was ok - clean with plenty of open seating. I'll be back for more next time I'm in Fresno. Nice to find a decent soul food spot that speaks to my soul. Next time, I will have to call ahead or order online. read more

It's a small downtown spot, very clean and everyone is polite. The menu's are very helpful and do is the staff! I ordered the #1 and the Mac and cheese is so cheesy and d'lish!!! The food is such a good touch to the soul. The price is reasonable! I'd eat there everyday if I could! I definitely recommend.. read more

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Hhhmmmm.....what could improve you ask? Everything!!!!! So they open at 11am but I went at about 140pm and they were out of smoked chicken and greens already. Learn food management please. So I opted for baked beans ( watery regular beans from a can) eeww and the Mac n cheese no flavor and mushy. The tri-tip omg weird taste and smell and sliced in a bowl. My fried fish was undercooked as well. Crispy on outside still needed cooking on inside. When this place first opened years ago it was great. I don't know what happened. Won't be going again. Spent all that money and ate nothing read more

Had the Spicy Jumbo Chicken tenders I had the 3 piece but I ate one lol I should of got the 2 piece didn't realize how big they were. I love how everything is home made. Way better than chicken shack in my opinion You should try it also got the creamy Mac N cheese it was on point! read more

Chicken King - Spicy 7. (3) Jumbo Spicy Chicken Tenders and 1 reg. side & drink. - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

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First time at this place. My family wanted some chicken and while browsing Yelp we found this place close to where we where at. Very good choice. Louisiana food style. We order the 2 piece chicken and it come with one side. We've got 2 orders one with fries and the other one with Mac and cheese. We also got a 4 piece chicken with potato salad. The chicken was very flavorful and juicy. The potato salad was delicious. The Mac and cheese very creamy. The fries were good. We wanted to go back today Saturday but we didn't know they only open weekdays. Definitely coming back. read more

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The first bite was a revelation - the outer coating was impossibly crunchy and well-seasoned, while the chicken inside remained tender and juicy. The blend of spices created a harmonious symphony of flavors that danced on my taste buds. read more

Chicken King - 3. 4 Pieces Chicken - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

I usually have had a pretty good experience here. In the past before the Pandemic my chicken always tasted fresh and flavorful. My order took a lot longer than expected even though I had placed my order online and waited plenty of time before I arrived. Although I know they cook to order the flavor was off on my last order. Chicken flavor was not as good and was too greasy. Also, I ordered potato salad but was given yams instead. Yams were good but I was really craving their potato salad. Catfish was on point. Sides are on the smaller side. Wish I had a better review, I probably caught them on an off day. No indoor seating offered at this time. To-go orders only. Hope they can return to normal soon. read more

Chicken King - Chicken and Southern Fried Fish Fillet Combo - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

Honestly the best fried chicken in the Valley. The favor and juiciness of the fried chicken will have you feeling like you're in the south. And don't forget the potato salad! Helen and the staff are also the best to see! Support local! read more

COVID-19 phase: My mother ordered 2 smoked chicken breast sandwiches. The worker was nice and said it would be ready in 20 minutes. We went to go get it. Workers were masked and masks are required. They were busy! When we got there we waited a bit. Checked out the menu! Everything sounded really delicious! There's definitely a lot to try! We waited a bit longer and got the order. The smoked chicken sandwich was very delicious! Wow! Worth the wait! Fresh lettuce and tomatoes too and loved the hot sauces they provided! Added a nice spicy kick and made it even better! My mother said hers was good too! Definitely look forward to trying their other foods! Good service and great food! Highly recommended! read more

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The price was too high for the food that I got. And of course the food was good. I had the beef broccoli over rice with bell peppers and onions. read more

Chicken King tasted a lot more like Popeyes Chicken but small portions is not worth paying for it. I'm suprised Chicken King really does taste like Popeyes but today's lunch was disappointed in value to ratio. For almost $20 dollars u get a tiny chicken leg quarter and small amount of sausage how sad. Also their fried fish filet was too salty in my opinion. 4 piece fried chicken 3/5 not too bad tasted like Popeyes. Fried fish filet 1/5 too salty Hot links sausage and tiny chicken leg quarter 1/5 almost $20 not worth the ratio to value They got high reviews on Yelp but they weren't able to satisfy me or my wallet. You can get more and better portions doing this at home or somewhere else. Sad to say this is my first and last time ordering here good luck chicken queen oops I meant King LMAO. read more

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First I have eaten here many times during the pandemic via doordash and the food was delicious and always arrived hot and fresh. My kids would always get chicken and their delicious waffles and I usually got the fish and prawns which was also always good. Today I went on my lunch break. The place is a little hole in the wall but nice& clean. Had tables inside as well as outside. So I ordered their special of the day chili beans &corn bread, a piece of fish&chicken and collard greens. The chicken was good nice and crispy and the fish man the cook can really cook some fish. That was the star of the meal. Now the chili was meh, had to doctor it up(ketchup,salt,and a little sugar) and looks like they put ground turkey AND ground beef in it. Corn bread was okay a little dry but guess I'm just use to my grandma's corn bread which tastes more like cake lol. Now the greens I use to love their greens. They use to be so flavorful with chunks of I guess neck bones in it but today it lacked flavor and had not one piece of meat in it. I was extremely disappointed that I spent almost $10 on that "Large" container of greens:( Also I asked for extra tarter sauce and hot sauce and got neither as well as nothing to eat with. All in all I would probably still eat here I would just make sure I got everything I needed in my bag before leaving. read more

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Fantastic fried chicken. Exceptional service. Super clean establishment. I got the 4 piece meal with one side and a drink. The chicken was super fresh and the coating perfectly seasoned. The only issue is that the side order is just a little too small for the four piece meal. I ate it (mac & cheese) in three bites. Other than that, I'll keep coming back. I wish them much success. I'd love to see them grow. read more

Do not rely on open times! Google says they're open, their sign outside says 11-3 but they are not open. Thought they finally got things straightened out but have not. If this happens to you, Chef Pauls is amazing read more

Chicken king is a must eat. You could tell the food was cooked with love hot seasoned and fresh. There's a lot of other places surrounded Chicken king but quality of customer service will have me coming back, was a exceptional experience and really felt like a home cooked meal also the restaurant is clean. read more

Chicken King - 3 meat combo - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

The food took a little while, but it was fresh, and it was piping hot. The staff was excellent and took great care of me. I'd go there again in a heartbeat. read more

Helen is a god send. Her dishes are full of flavor. Her fried chicken is always moist and sides are great. Love the Mac n Cheese. Her staff are helpful, love going to her place. read more

Soo delicious. We ordered this for a company lunch and everyone was very impressed. We try to get local vendors, we want something that will fill up the husky men we have working at our place, and this did the job. The chicken was good, not soggy, not too fried, and big pieces. The Mac and Cheese was delish, not soggy, great cheese mix, the cornbread was bomb and just overall a great alternative to fast food or a chain restaurant. We would definitely come back. Especially for an order of our size, they had no problem fulfilling it and it all tasted great. read more

Chicken was bomb! Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside! Mac and cheese was nice and creamy. The cornbread was a bit dry. All in all it was a really good meal. Cheap too! read more

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I got lunch for work and it was forgot about lol but the food was worth waiting for towards the end. Mac n cheese had a nice creamy texture with some flavor. The chicken was really good also, next time I'll get the chicken and waffles. Too bad the peach cobbler wasn't available at the time also. All in all, very good spot to try. read more

So good I could cry. Chicken so crispy and made fresh to order, creamiest mac and cheese, fluffiest cornbread, juciest tri-tip, and the collards were an umami bomb finishing on a spicy note. Baked beans were so perfect, the exact right amount of sweetness balanced by a vinegar punch. My husband accused me of having a spiritual experience over the food...I told him that's what soul food is for. ;) The chefs clearly take great pride in their food, and the kitchen was clean enough to perform surgery inside it (having worked back of the house myself, it's not as common as you'd hope). Pride in every detail. We'll be back regularly. read more

Which food was fire good flavor definitely fresh I have asked him what's popular what do you sell a lot of he said everything is popular every single thing in here is good he was right about that definitely will be coming back to support this restaurant read more

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Great chicken tenders good breading; big pieces. Fries taste like McDonald's fries. Mac n cheese is really good. Don't serve ranch but they do serve hot sauce, ketchup, bbq sauce, and some others I didn't catch. Friendly service. Spicy isn't spicy in my opinion couldn't even taste difference between original tender and spicy tender. read more

Chicken King - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

Yum! I read a bunch of the recent reviews for this new downtown soul food spot, and had to try it. My friend loves soul food too, so it seemed like the perfect excuse to meet up after work before we hit up a movie across town. We were greeted with a smile and given menus. There's a great selection of smoked meats (chicken, tri-tip, ribs), fried chicken, fried fish and shrimp. I really want to try the Po Boy sandwich but I knew I had to try the fried chicken first. I got the 3-piece combo to try a bit of everything: leg, thigh, and wing. The combo comes with cornbread, a soda, and a side of your choice (out of 5 or 6 options). I got the collard greens. We were informed everything's made fresh and given an estimate (around 15 minutes). Lemme tell you, the chicken is worth the wait! It came out hot and super crispy. The brading is delicious, nicely seasoned without being overpowering. The chicken was so juicy that it's a bit of a hazard, it was dripping hot. Worth it, though, especially as I like my food as heat-hot as possible and am clearly too impatient to wait. The greens are cooked in pork and were very flavorful, though I found it a bit on the salty side. I prefer my greens as a blander antidote to the rest of the plate but I guess that's not what soul food is about. The cornbread was good. I also had a bite of the mac & cheese, which is on the creamy side (not cheddar-orange), I liked it. FYI, they're open til 7pm (shame, but that's downtown hours for ya). Since everything is made to order, if you're in for dinner be sure to sit down by 6.30pm. It's a small space but well lit and nicely outfitted and delightfully not sticky. There's a friendly atmosphere and we struck up a conversation with a couple of people who were in for take-out orders while we waited. All in I had a great first experience here and will be back to try more! read more

There was this hole in the wall fried chicken place I used to go to when I was living in Missouri, and still can't find anything comparable. So relocating to the area and hearing about this place, I just needed my fix! What I like about Chicken King is that it's an unpretentious small restaurant downtown that if you blink, you might miss it. They offer meal combos, a la carte chicken and sandwiches. I ordered the fried chicken wing combo that comes with 3 wings (big in size, at that), cornbread, and a choice of side (I ordered the potato salad 4/5). The chicken had a good batter but was unfortunately room temperature warm - if not, borderline cold so it didn't excite me as much. If it were not for that, I think this place would deserve another star. Would I come back? Sure, I would love to try their tri-tip sandwich! read more

Chicken King - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

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So with the name,"CHICKEN KING" they have nailed doing chicken well. Fried or in a Sammie, delectable! Cooked to order so super fresh tasting and the BBQ beans stuffed with bits of pork, creamy Mac and cheese and coleslaw just a tad sweet means Yum! Everything is served in a to go box but you can eat in their tiny dining area. Incredibly casual and quick service in a Friday night. read more

Chicken King - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

New BBQ place in Fulton is really good! My son and I had lunch during their first week. It's a VERY small space, very narrow - 4-5 tables in the left and a counter with stools along the right. Order station is at the back of the room and you can see food being made through a window and door behind that. Self serve Coca Cola products were to the right of the cashier. Hope they get iced tea. We ordered the tri tip sandwich combo and 3 wing combo with yams. I struggled with choosing green beans. Next time. The combo came with a small piece of cornbread. My in laws would live this cornbread. I prefer fluffier with a little sweetness. My chicken wings came with a side of hot sauce. I prefer wings tossed in sauce but these wings were so good, I didn't care. These aren't breaded wings but they do have a crust. It's what KFC has always aspired to be. Next time I'll order a chicken meal because wings just make you want more of their crunchy crust and tender meat. And I need to try more sides. My yams were good, spiced and and tender, sauce was a little thin. The son's tri tip was tender and VERY garlicky. Came with a side of good BBQ sauce, couldn't tell if it was homemade or not. There was a lot of meat and the bun was big and soft - could have actually held more tri tip ha! Fries that came with sandwich were just ok. There was a crowd the entire time we wait d and ate our food. They have some fish dishes I'm coming back for. And jambalaya. Wishing them much success in downtown Fresno. read more

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Hot New!!! Stopped in after work nice crowd inside the restaurant of older individuals. Staff was very attentive and helpful like they were waiting for my order. Food came out fast and fresh. Got bbq combo with chicken, Mac n Cheese, and potato salad. Chicken was tasty i like that they offer bbq sauce on the side and don't smother the meat with it. Mac and cheese was real tasty might get a large order of that next time. Potato salad was ok not exactly how i like it but whateves. i wanted to try a side order of shrimp but that option not available yet also looking forward to trying their whiskey bread pudding. Looks like this new southern restaurant might have some competition for the other soul food options in town! read more

Chicken King - Bbq combo plate- Chicken, Mac n Cheese (Yesssssss) and potato salad $13 - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

Great food. Very flavorful and the service was just as impressive! Hidden gem in downtown Fresno

The flavor of the chicken is delicious! I literally was in awe with every bite. The crunch was perfect. It was not dry nor oily. It was just right. However, I knocked a point off for customer service. I couldn't tell if my online order didn't go through on their end or if it wasn't ready yet. The communication was just not there. I had to read visual cues and body language to figure out what was going on. The shop is small but had chairs for waiting during COVID hours. I can tell it is pretty popular because of how many people were waiting inside. read more

Southern Fried is perfection here at Chicken King. Cooked as ordered, perfectly seasoned, crispy and still hot after my two block walk back to my desk. On my first visit I ordered Chicken and greens as a side and it's official fresno has an authentic Soul Food Restaurant. My co-worker raves about the fish, so on my second trip I tried the fish and chips. If you are looking for a meal that taste like home cooking. I highly suggest the fried fish and chips. I hope the jambalaya returns to the menu, that was next to try but heard it's not available anymore. Maybe once they get a social media page up and running it can be a monthly special. read more

Chicken King - Barbeque Near Me - Fresno, California

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The chicken is excellent, the Mac and cheese isn't very good in my opinion. The restaurant is tiny so get it to go.

We placed an order here Saturday morning before the business even opened. Thelma was so nice over the phone helped us put in the order for the right amount of people. The food was great! The chicken was juicy and fresh and the ribs were very tasty! We had forgotten one of the sides that we had ordered and they were so kind that they called us and offered to give us a discount when we come back again. Fortunately we were not that far away and were able to pick I up the forgotten side dish. Big thank you to the chef and the 2 gentlemen working there this past Saturday. Your service was amazing which is very hard to find these days! read more