This is a true Americana classic place along Route 66. The fried chicken is spectacular and worth a stop. Some menu items come with the salad bar (fun, like an old school salad bar/supper club style salads), and people rave about the full buffet but I've never been able to figure that out - what's included, the price, when it's offered, etc. Definitely wear your stretchy pants though - and come hungry, because portion sizes are LARGE and the food is delicious. read more

This is a review for their catering- placed an order for their family turkey dinner 3 days in advance to be picked up at 5pm. We got here at 5 and the food was not ready. The lady at the desk couldn't even provide an estimated time of when it would be ready. We had a crying baby in the car so definitely not ideal having to wait for an unknown amount of time. It ended up being 15 minutes later. From past take out experience, they are never ready when they say. I would have thought the catering would have been better since we called 3 days in advance. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

Such a fun and delicious experience. Dell Rhea's is an old school Route 66 restaurant. The chicken is absolutely delicious - I've been several times and have done the buffet, which is great, and tried other menu items. service is always super friendly and quick to serve. Worth the stop! read more

This is a classic joint. I feel like they just keep getting better over the past few years. A handful of years ago, not a big fan. Now, they keep doing it right. We are talking basic meat and potatoes type of place BUT, they are doing a great job of it. The servers are great and the place is always clean. They have a room that is their bar, with plenty of seating, in case there is a game or live entertainment. They also have a main dining area. They have a fried chicken sandwich that is juicy and tasty. They have a special sauce with it that has chunks of pickle in it. (I order the double of that sandwich in order to eat the second piece for lunch the next day.). The parking in front can be hard BUT they have plenty of parking on the s read more

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The food was excellent! Service is attentive and friendly. I went there earlier today and it was a bit crowded and very busy, but I can definitely see why. I will be back. They have just about everything and lots of Route 66 nostalgia. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Chicken Tenders Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Stopped by for the buffet on Sunday for $22.99. Haven't been here in about 30 years. It was fair at best. Highlights was the chicken dumpling soup and the salad bar. The rest was ok. Buffet was well stocked and clean. Chicken was nothing special. Dining room is tight. Not much room between tables. I would sit in the bar area next time. Buffet is awkwardly situated with not much room to maneuver. The hype is really Route 66. I wouldn't go back for the buffet. Maybe the chicken dinners are better. I wanted to love it. read more

Do I have to give it any stars? My bad for giving this place a second try. Both times I ordered two of the half chicken dinners $25.00 each. Both times the chicken was dry, cold and smelly. How hideous that this place has been in business for as long as it has and treats its customers this way. Oddly enough when I called to place my orders to go I asked the young man if the half chicken dinners were fresh and he replied all of our chicken is fresh so I went ahead and placed my order. What a disappointing joke 50 bucks down the toilet again. stay away from this place. They don't value their customers!! read more

I stopped by Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket after seeing it from the road. It's right off Route 66, but kinda hard to miss, this place feels like one of those spots you stumble on by luck. The place has that classic diner look, a little loud, smells amazing, and everyone seems happy to be there. Including the staff, they were super friendly. I got the fried chicken basket. Half a chicken, four pieces. Looked perfect when it came out.. golden, crispy, hot enough to burn your fingers a little (in a good way). First bite, the crunch hit, then that juicy inside...oh man, that's real fried chicken. Seasoned just right, not salty, not bland, that simple, old-fashioned flavor you can't fake. It's just place that you will find really good chicken. And I'm definitely be coming back for more. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Fried chicken - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

We were driving Route 66 from Chicago, and timed it to have dinner at Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket. The restaurant is very old school inside which gives you memories of old time diner's along the route. There is a cool Route 66 sign out front for photo ops too. We were immediately greeted and taken to a table. Being as we were there more for an early bird dinner, the place wasn't too crowded yet, but there were other diners. Our server was bubbly and friendly. She came to take our drink order and bring fresh hot biscuit rolls. We explored the menu and of course it would be chicken of some sort. Mr. Bee chose the special which was 2 dark meat pieces of chicken and I chose the chicken tender basket. With orders placed, we enjoyed our beer and wine and the casual atmosphere. After about 30 minutes we began to wonder what happened to our order. We waited a few more minutes and our server did come by to tell us it was coming soon. Several more minutes went by and our plates were delivered to the table. Mr. Bee was a little disappointed to see his chicken legs were not fried, but had more of a spice mix on the outside. While they were very good, it wasn't fried and he realized he should have read the special more thoroughly. My chicken tenders were just that, tender and perfectly fried, crunchy on the outside while still juicy on the inside. There were probably 8 or 9 chicken tenders in the basket, way more than I could eat. The Mac and Cheese was cheesy and creamy, just like grandma's. We enjoyed our dinner, and would go back if we found ourselves on Route 66 again. There is plenty of parking out front, the restaurant is tucked away a bit in an industrial area. Just know that while the chicken will be worth it, I think it is cooked to order, so the food does take some time to come out. But the staff was friendly and attentive. The chicken theme in the restaurant makes you feel if you are eating in someone's home. read more

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Fun, fun place!! It's been eons since I came here with my Mom. We use to come here quite a bit when I was a child. We met some friends there and decided to dine in the bar. We wanted to be entertained and drink a bit. The guys being car guys they loved their Rt 66 decor. They also had lots of chicken tchotchkes around the dining room area. Fun nostalgic place!! The bartender told us about their buffet so I went to check that out and they seemed to have everything that they have on the menu so we all decided to go with that. We had everything- chicken, corn fritters, and surprisingly they have a great rigatoni with vodka sauce! All was very yummy! They have some gambling machines in the back of the bar if you care to mess around with that a bit. They had lots of large flat screen tv's and had the Olympics on which was fun. There was lots of picture taking opportunities as well. read more

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We have been going to Dell Rheas for 35 years and tonight we had a table of 5 with 3 friends who were new to this restaurant and came based on our recommendation. We all ordered the buffet and the food was good as usual. It was a Sunday at 4 and not a full house by any means. After an hour and 15minutes the manager came to our table and told us we needed to leave as he needed the table for a reservation!! There were two other tables -one a table of 5-that had been there longer than us AND there were empty tables available. We were absolutely blown away by this. Dell Rhea - we will never be back. Period. Anyone who wishes to relax and enjoy the buffet be aware they will throw you out if you sit too long!! read more

This place lived up to expectations on our Route 66 journey! We had the buffet - and it was great! Chicken and waffles, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, rice, corn fritters - who knew they could be so light!! Bourbon chicken.....I ran out of room on my plate and in my stomach! The place is also very cute - love the huge chicken collection! The staff seemed to know a lot of the clientele and were very friendly! We would definitely go back - but you've got to plan ahead - it's really the only meal you will need that day! read more

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Renowned for their famous chicken dishes, they occasionally offer a prime rib dinner special for under $20. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - $19.99 Prime Rib Dinner Special - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Very disappointed! After reading the reviews and seeing the DDD endorsement I couldn't wait to try this place. I had the chicken basket and was underwhelmed. Everything was flavorless. The fries were bland and not crispy. The coleslaw was creamy but blah. The chicken itself was good quality but not crispy at all. No crunch. No flavor except a couple salty bites. I don't know how anyone could give the chicken a rating above one star. The decor is nice and the staff was friendly but our server was not very attentive. I drove an hour to try this place but I won't be back since they fumbled their signature dish. read more

My karaoke girl's luncheon was at Dell Rhea's. We enjoyed the lunch buffet and it was so fresh, tasty and soooo many delicious choices!! Two homemade soups, untenable choices to make your own salads and hot food choices galore! Not only their famous fried chicken, but also grilled chicken!! Sloppy joes, chicken meatballs....plenty of tasty veggies, potatoes and hush puppies!! Want dessert? They've got a nice spread including brownies and custards. It's a family friendly establishment with a wonderful accommodative staff!! GO!!!! read more

We are big DDD followers so on out second trip to Joliet I thought let me try to find a restaurant in the area. I came across Dell Rhea. We arrived on Sunday at 11:30 AM, the restaurant opened at 11 and was already about 1/4 full. We opted to do the buffet even though I hardly eat anything, lol.(I maybe ate half a plate of food) the buffet was completely stocked with fresh delicious food. The chicken, obviously with the restaurant is known for, was absolutely delicious. It was extremely juicy, and the breading was a very different texture. I also tried a corn fritter, Belgian waffle, hashbrowns, garlic bread and chicken dumpling soup. Each item was actually very good, hot and fresh. The chicken dumpling had the biggest and most amount of chicken ever, lol. Service was also very good. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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My husband and I both ordered the turkey dinner which came with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, stuffing & cranberry sauce. We asked if corn could be substituted for the green beans and were told yes. The turkey was just OK as well as the mashed potatoes and gravy. The stuffing was a lump of mush. The corn was like rubber with little flavor. The cranberry sauce was awful. The portions are large but the quality of the food could be much better. For the price we'll have second thoughts about returning. 8/24/26 read more

Stopped by for an early Sunday dinner. First time here. Plenty of parking. Separate bar area inside the restaurant. Friendly wait staff who properly explained the menu. Had the chicken dinner. Texture of the fried chicken was not to my liking. The batter used made the chicken hard. I think they used cornmeal. The chicken was also dry but seasoned well. Like the mashed potatoes, fried chicken livers, and corn fritter. Salad bar had a variety of vegetables, fruits, and pasta but many pieces of the lettuce were wilted and discolored, making it unappetizing. They really should discard those. My Old Fashioned was made well . read more

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What a fun experience and stop on the Route 66 line! The food was fantastic and well seasoned, with a very nice selection for the price ($17) and the staff were super friendly and welcoming. I loved the decor with all of the memorabilia in the hallways. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Lunch Buffet $17.00 - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Driving from Chicago to Los Angeles we were enticed by Dell Rhea 's Chicken Basket on old Route 66. Originally serving delectable fried chicken out of a Route 66 gas station to hungry travelers on the Mother Road in the late 1930's, Dell Rhea's now serves in a welcoming dining room with a roaring fire in the fireplace. We were warmly greeted with a welcoming smile. We decided to share a fried Chicken Sandwich with fries and coleslaw to eat on the road. The brioche bun was fluffy and an excellent compliment to the floured deep fried chicken nestled on a bed of lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Yum!!! The fried chicken was juicy and flavorful. The French fries were crispy on the outside and well cooked on the inside. Yay! We loved our first visit to Dell Rhea's with its historic connection to Route 66. We vowed that next time we will schedule enough time in our travels to linger in the dining room and order the famous fried chicken basket for dinner. We can't wait! read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket is a great stop on old Route 66! - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

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Dining at this restaurant is a family-friendly, enjoyable experience in itself! It is a national heritage location, I believe, set right on the historic Route 66. Our oldest daughter & family took hubby & me here for Mother's Day lunch. I admired the adorable interior decor... chicken-themed, of course. The four walls have a connecting ledge upon which sit all sorts of ceramic and carved chickens decor. So cute! We liked the all you can eat buffet, but the one entreé they're supposed to be famous for - the fried chicken - was too salty! I really liked the salad bar. Everyone's favorite were the little waffles that were like cookies. Service is very friendly, happy, welcoming. I would bring out-of-town and foreign guests here for an authentic Midwest American dining experience! read more

We went there with five people for dinner,service was fine and food was good.When my party was done eating the manager comes up to us and says he has party coming in and needs table.We were only there 1 hour and 15 minutes and there were other tables they could of used.So the people in my party won't be going back and either will be any one I know. read more

The thrill is gone. Last three visits since the new owner and I no longer enjoy the food. Most recently the prime rib was a joke. I guess for $20 you should not expect much. Asked for medium rare and they brought out a well done piece. Asked for something more medium rare. Brought out a medium well slice and she said it is best they can do. I got there right when it was available at 4pm. Mysteriously the table next to me was served 3 medium slices just after mine. Obviously they're using select meat, the cheapest cut available, as it was over chewy. Being over cooked doesn't help with the chew also. Not much flavor either. Got hassled twice for sitting in their parking lot waiting for 4pm. They said it is a private lot and I need to leave, as they're expecting a busy night. I told them a second time I was coming in. Definitely should've just left the second time the owner harassed me. When I went in at 4pm there were 23 open parking spots near me. I used to enjoy my visits with the previous owner Pat. I actually was on the segment that was filmed there by Chicago's Best TV in 2012 and could be heard saying "they have the best fried chicken in the world." Not any longer. read more

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Chicken Basket is one of my favorite spots! The chicken is always crispy, fresh, and delicious, and I absolutely love the mac & cheese. The restaurant has an old-school charm that makes it feel unique, and it's a fun place to eat. The food is consistently great, and the service is always friendly. Definitely worth stopping by! read more

Hello! It kills me to write this review because I eat here frequently with my family:( We chose to eat dinner at Dell Rhea's for their big Route 66 event this evening. While the event was Awesome, I wish I could same the same about the food. Unfortunately, the only option they had tonight was the buffet. I made a small salad first and found a large long black hair in my salad, which mistake do happen! No biggie, I discretely brought my salad to the host stand so they can switch out the lettuce and ranch dressing super quick for the other guests eating. Not only did they NEVER switch it out, but I then started noticing many unsanitary actions happening. I saw kitchen staff with no hats or hairnets, and they were not even wearing gloves changing out the food. Absolutely Disgusting! If they were doing this while many " Famous celebrities" were dining right next to us, I wonder how sanitary they are on a regular day? To top it off, not 1 employee even apologized and they still tried to charge me for a meal I didn't even eat. When I say I was discrete, my entire table didn't even know what happened until I asked to look at the bill. I will never eat here again! Not because of the hair in my salad, but because they didn't even switch out the lettuce or ranch dressing for the other guests. Very disappointed and disgusted. Sorry, I had to inform people about the bad news. The health department NEEDS to do a pop up visit. Oh, and they made me select atleast 1 star! I would have given a 0.​ read more

It's a very nostalgic place to go. The service was wonderful. The food was just ok tonight. #iraeats #iraeats1 read more

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Food was decent. Ordered a wine at the bar beforehand. Really a .29 cent surcharge on a small glass of wine? Annoying money grab turnoff! No thanks,,, read more

Classic old school fried chicken place. The only thing I would get is what they do best, the chicken. Ordered with green beans, mashed potatoes (really good), and a OK biscuit. Salad bar came with dinner. Good enough and fresh. Great place to go once in a while. Not the best fried chicken but way better than most. read more

This review is only for the lunch buffet. Maybe I'm not the target demographic for this place as a 26 year old woman. I saw this place had great reviews, has been visited by guy fieri, and seemed like a place where you get really good fried chicken so I stopped by. When I sat down they recommended the lunch buffet and said that if I ordered, it could take 30 minutes (even though the restaurant was maybe 1/4 full). So I tried most of the lunch buffet and it was pretty disappointing. I first got the ribs, something labeled as corn fritter but it was just like a corn dog bite, and a piece of fried chicken. All of the meats I got were lukewarm to cold. I will say, I saw someone else cut into their fried chicken and it had steam coming out so I'm not sure why my chicken was cold. The fried chicken was incredibly disappointing - not very moist at all, not crispy, just bleh. Popeyes chicken is 10x more delicious. I later tried the bourbon chicken which was just also not great but at least warm, and the rest of what I tried (marinara pasta, corn bread, biscuit) were all just fine. I would have expected the biscuit to be really good here too but alas. I noticed that the demographic was like 60+ and I could definitely see how this demographic would enjoy the way this food tasted, it had kind of an old fashioned bland taste. Me personally I live in Chicago and have had many outstanding dining experiences so maybe I have a different standard. Overall it was very disappointing food considering guy fieri featured them on his show, I can only assume the food made to order is what he is talking about. The interior was nice and the service was decent. read more

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket - American Near Me - Willowbrook, Illinois

An old place with friendly people and good food. Look for the cute chicken related ornaments about, a Route 66 historical marker outside, and an open fireplace in the fall and winter. The prices are a little on the high side, so look for specials. I like to get the Chicken Dinner for $20, which includes their famous fried chicken, steamed string beans, and home made mashed potatoes, along with their soup and salad bar. I add one of their old fashioned soda bottles for $2.50 and take one to go for $2.50, so my total out the door plus tip is about $30. But they have a lunch buffet for $15, a bar, and slot machines for those looking for a more affordable good time. This place is always packed with families. (Reposted from 2022) (Removed Request to Join Yelp Elite, as I Mainly Review on Google Maps in 2025) read more

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My family comes here often. The vibe is very homey and comfortable - perfect for family dinner or brunch. They have a buffet but I always get their chicken sandwich. Their chicken never misses, it's always juicy and tender and their service is always extremely friendly and welcoming. read more

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Classic diner but better! Amazing staff, cozy space, and wonderful food. Fried chicken was hot and crunchy. Make sure to get the actual fried chicken and not tenders. Foot long cheese sticks were unbelievable!! 3 different cheeses and dipping sauces. Don't sleep on the specials. I'll be back. read more

Okay I'm going to be so real right now. We ordered the fried chicken basket and fried shrimp. We had to wait like 40 minutes for our food. THEN when we got it, the shrimp is so overcooked. Like it went to the depths of hell and back. So rubbery. I thought the chicken would be better but no. This was the DRYEST dark meat chicken I have EVER had. How do you make a fried chicken thigh dry? Idk. Not worth the money or wait. read more

The restaurant feels like walking into someone's home. It's quaint. Currently it's decorated for Christmas. The fireplace is a cute touch. I love how it makes you feel like you've traveled back in time. The Route 66 information is a great photo op. I wasn't thrilled with the lighting but it was okay. Our server was Vicky. She was very thorough but she didn't hover. She answered all of our questions. The green beans are a good portion. Easily two people could share. Actually of the portions were very generous. I liked the sauce on Chef Patrick's wings. I loved the black cherry soda. That's all I'll say. read more

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Granted I only had the lunch buffet to go, but the food was marginal and definitely a little pricey.

Very good soup-salad bar included with some dinners or with the buffet. Very good fried chicken, crisp and not greasy. Buffet on weekends with fried chicken, ribs, veggies, corn, hush puppies, mashed potatoes, and deserts. read more

OBSESSED. This is such a cute location on historic Route 66, with lots of nods to that history. But the food here is really incredible!! There's a fabulous soup/salad/dessert bar, biscuits, and AMAZING fried chicken! Portions are wildly generous--I definitely had leftovers for days. I STRONGLY recommend this place for a fantastic, fresh comfort meal! read more

Food is always good, reliable. Home cooked feel. Adorable chicken decorations. Christmas decor is everywhere in December! Service always prompt. Very homey, family place read more

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Dell Rhea's has always been on my list since we drove Route 66. Being from Chicago, we were in town for a family wedding. The chicken is AMAZING. I had the buffet which was so nice. My husband had a chicken sandwich. Right when you walk in you are greeted as family and the service is out of this world! They should right a book on customer service! read more

Disappointed. Ordered: same time, same place & same order as the past week . Sadly this weeks order was not even near comparable. Picked up order w/in time frame given, actually ealier. Fried shrimp w/fries were greezy & disapointingly soggy. No comparison to past weeks order that made me want more of the same. Todays ordered tasted like it was pulled from the buffet. Yuck. Advice: order on site, not a pickup. The previous week order was delish. Not so for this week. Shrimp weren't cleaned or deveined this visit. 2 stinconsistency? A Good Hurrah for past week. Why the inconsistancy this week? D. If you like consistency dont count on it. read more