The service was fast and friendly we had to wait a bit because our waiter was serving a busy section. The fried mushrooms came first as an appetizer and boy, did they come, a huge side and delicious great dipping hoarse radish I think but mild and really tasty my husband had the chicken fried steak and I had the catfish with onion rings instead of fries. Everything came hot and delicious they did not disappoint. Reasonable prices and down home flavor a slight noisy atmosphere in a good way. We will return read more

See all

Unfortunately, the dining experience fell short of expectations. The food didn't quite hit the mark in terms of quality and taste, and the service was frustratingly slow and chaotic. read more

I've been coming to this restaurant for over 40 years. Today I ordered a half chicken with the two sides. I don't know what or why but the coating was so thick that it came off in thick pieces, not sticking to the chicken. I did mention it to my waitress, who asked in the kitchen and did not receive any explanation as to why it was that way. Was it a change in the batter? Was the fryer too hot? I don't know, but if it happens again, I will likely stop driving from West County to get a chicken dinner. The service was excellent as usual and I was asked if I wanted to get new pieces of chicken. I declined, figuring that it may be the same problem, if they don't know why it happened to begin with. read more

The best fried chicken title in St Louis is a farce. This bland cornmeal style coating is tasteless. The sides were okay, average at best. I find Lee's and KFC way better when it comes to fried chicken and every relative of mine that has dipped, rolled and fried chicken in a skillet. Very disappointing for all the hype. read more

Tried Hodaks for first time. Appetizer :potato skins Meal: sticky wings and onion rings Drumsticks, mashed, carrots and Mac n cheese Chicken was hot juicy and yummy! Got food quickly. Server was adequate but not incredibly friendly or knowledgeable read more

Hodak's - Drumstick Dinner - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

Great home cooking! Their fried Cod is delicious. Great tradition in downtown St Louis!

Dropped in looking for something tasty. I had the fried drumsticks and fries. Chicken was ok, could have used some more seasoning.

Great Food! Great Customer Service! Lenny was courteous, friendly and the food was fantastic! My recommendation for a date night or just hanging out with friends! read more

Hodak's is a St. Louis tradition. My family has been coming here since they opened in 1962. We've shared so many memories and meals here as a family. The best is that I now get to share my love of Hodaks with my own children. I think the what gives a restaurant like Hodaks such staying power in St. Louis is consistency. The chicken plate has been exactly the same from when I was a kid. A plate of hot crispy juicy chicken piled on top of crinkled cut fries and vinegar and oil slaw has been my go-to meal for years. I've never been disappointed my a meal there. The space hasn't changed much either. They was an addition put on maybe in the early 90's and the place has been exactly the same since. The team and the service they provide is prompt friendly and professional. If you're coming in from out of town for a hall game or event, definitely worth checking out. If you're a local and haven't been yet, what are you waiting for???? read more

Truly a St. Louis staple. The chicken is top tier. We don't know how they do it. Staff has always been nice and the dining areas, though seperate, are both nice individually. We will always come. read more

Really fine experience at Hodak's this visit. The draft Yuengling was served at the perfect temperature- icy cold. The chicken dinner was outstanding and not a long wait. The server Richard was attentive and professional. The only bummer was the daily side of Lima beans, of which, I am not a fan and substituted. Go just before the Cards play to avoid the crowds. read more

Hodak's - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Best chicken in St Louis! Have been a landmark forever. Be prepared to wait on game days. Has been a birthday tradition since I was in my teens. Used to be free on your actual birthday. But now it's 50% off. read more

It was my friends turn to choose the place we went for lunch & she chose Hodack's. I ordered the special "patty Melt. The Swiss cheese & onions were hard to find and the patty was clearly a frozen patty you get in bags at a big box store. It was bad, no flavor ,w/ pretend sear. Her chicken strips looked like pressed chicken. Learned there is now a charge for using a credit card. Sad it's gone down like this. read more

I've been dining around St. Louis for years, and Hodak's has been a staple for just as long. The chicken is undeniably good--fresh, hot, and satisfying when you order it. But here's where people often go wrong: Hodak's fried chicken isn't meant to be taken home and eaten cold. Once it cools down, you might notice an aftertaste from the oil. So, the key is to dine in, order the chicken fresh, and pair it with a side of their delicious coleslaw. You can always count on Hodak's for a tasty meal, but make sure to enjoy it on the spot for the best experience! read more

Great food and service. Chicken is always GBD and moist. Everything is good there. The chicken liver is so yummy. read more

First time at Hodak's and was not disappointed. Apparently they are well known for their fried chicken. I ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken with coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and green beans. They use the same breading on the chicken fried chicken if they do on the fried chicken so I felt like I had that experience. My wife got the roast beef meal with Mac n cheese, French fries, and green beans. The roast beef was really good and so was the Mac n cheese, however, the French fries were AMAZING! To top it off our server, Summer, was great!!! Really nice home cooking style restaurant! read more

Hodak's - Roast Beef Dinner - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

After hearing about this place I finally stopped by and gave it a try. I will point out chicken is not my favorite food so I am far from an expert on the subject. I tried the breast of the 1/2 chicken order and it was hot and fresh out of the fryer. I thought it to be rather bland and tasteless. I think most of the flavor in fried chicken comes from the seasoning and the coating and the piece I had tasted totally void of any seasoning. I guess I'm not a fan of cornmeal coating and prefer seasoned flour. The coleslaw and fries were average and nothing to brag about. The service was very good. read more

Went to this family favorite restaurant on a Tuesday, right after the lunch rush. Walked inside, on the takeout side of the restaurant. A nice young man walked over to me and my guest and told us we could seat ourselves. The decor is warm and inviting, nothing fancy. Reminds me of a time gone by, but comfortable. We sat in a booth, near a window and positioned ourselves in a way that would allow us to see the majority of the dining area. It's a very family oriented place. The tables and chairs are grouped together for plenty of conversation and food. I've eaten here before, many years ago (between 7 - 10yrs ago). The food, in my opinion reminded me of home. So, to say the least, I was excited to come back home. The waitress came shortly after we sat down, greeted us, provided menus and took our drink order. The diners, at this time of the day, were sparse throughout. A elderly couple came in 7 min after we sat down, across from the booth where we sat. The waitress greeted the couple and provided menus. Then left and returned with our drink orders, Told us she would give us a few more minutes to look over the menu. By that time it had been 12 mins since we sat down, so I said I was ready to order. My guest and I ordered the fried Chicken dinner with slaw and fries. Within a few minutes the waitress brought out our meal. Faster than expected, but everything was piping hot. The chicken was crispy and tender. Unfortunately not as seasoned as I remember. Originally I thought maybe it was me, so I used hot sauce. Later, after asking my guest what they thought about the meal, they repeated the meal was ok but needed more seasoning. A bit disappointed, but I will probably give it another chance at another time. read more

Hodak's is one of our favorite places to go, especially around Christmas! The food is always delicious, service is awesome, and the atmosphere is fun. Today, Tim was our waiter and his service is always exceptional. We recommend Hodak's any chance that we get! read more

Unpopular opinion: I do not particularly care for the breading on the chicken at Hodak's :( I like thick crispy breading, this is more of a soft cornmeal style breading. It's a preference difference. That said, they have huge portions, their food is tasty and the service is friendly and quick. I like that they have so many menu options and a lot of the dishes have a homestyle feel to them. We tried the "icepick" hotdog and WOW it was awesome! Also, the sweet tea is TOP NOTCH! read more

See all

The service was excellent, super friendly waitress. Food was just "ok. " I honestly can't understand what all the rave reviews were about with regard to the "homemade"coleslaw. Very unremarkable. Husband potatoes were instant potatoes. I ordered the chicken strips, as I felt a half chicken was too much, and only wanted breast meat anyway. My strips were not real hot, and the breading was not real crispy. Husband had the chicken fried chicken, which the waitress described to us as a "patty". When it came, it was a full boneless breast, and not meat that was pressed together (which was a good thing.) I should've ordered that, although the gravy was your typical white gravy, that is usually put over biscuits. Again, I don't think it was homemade, but rather from a mix. Overall don't understand what all the hoopla is about??? read more

I consider myself a non famous food critic. I have been to thousands of restaurants in the United States and Hodak's by FAR has the best chicken I have ever had in my life. I bought a T-shirt and frequently tell people here in Ohio that if they ever make it to STL, Hodak's is a MUST!!!! read more

Just meh. We stopped in for the chicken of course. It was delicious. I ordered 2 of the cod lunch specials to go. Unfortunately I did not realize it came with spaghetti, Cole slaw and potato salad. I thought it would have fries like the other meals. So when I got home the fish was a gross mushy mess and the sides had sloshed all around in the containers. Really disappointing read more

Hodak's - Mushy cod - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Let me start by saying how beautifully the restaurant is decorated for the holiday season! It really shows the care and time put in to make a festive environment for all customers as well as employees! The fried chicken is advertised as "the best"...it was ok, but it wasn't my favorite--I've had tastier. It would be nice to have a choice to order pieces that are all white meat ( like two breasts), not Just whole fried wings. Next time, I think I would try something different on the menuy read more

See all

Small town feel in the city, with good food. I had the Nashville hot sandwich and onion rings. Not at all a healthy choice, but the sandwich was good, and the onion rings were very tasty and crispy. Seems to be a lot of regulars that go there and the waitress treat you like they know you too. I hear their fried chicken is really good, I didn't have any but it looked good. read more

Probably the BIGGEST BLT I've ever had. Service was lovely; kudos to Jemell. He was so nice. This place packs a punch when it comes to their variety of offerings. My husband really enjoyed their chicken sandwich. I really liked their seasoned fries and I especially LOVED their queso Mac n Cheese. OMG. Come here and bring the family. read more

Figure out what the excitement is!?! I've gone in there two times and was so disappointed each time. The service is fine but the food I can't taste the difference between eating coleslaw and fried chicken because neither one of them have any kind of taste that I can distinguish so I noticed that there are a lot of senior citizens which may be an almost 60 I'm getting close to that age, but I don't know maybe it rest on its reputation or maybe the people that go there don't understand what real fried chicken inside items taste like because I could never get it But it's popular so I it's hard for me to fight it read more

The batter isn't seasoned. The chicken is bland. The service is mediocre. I've only experienced the catering so I can't comment on the ambiance. Just based on the food, I'd NEVER go to the restaurant. Their recipe hasn't changed from 30 yrs ago when I had my 1st office job in the city. The chicken was terrible then, and it's still terrible now. read more

Noble is a really good wiener and made my sons 10th birthday and meal very special. We really enjoyed the chicken and appetizers. What a great place to go for crispy chicken birthdays. read more

Best in Saint Louis!!! This is where you want to take your family.Best fried chicken in the Midwest read more

If you know Hodak's from years - even decades - ago, rest assured. It's exactly as you remember it. Hodak's offers traditional fried chicken dinners with all the fixin's. Other entrée choices include shrimp, fried fish, country-fried steak, and chicken livers (yes, it seems everything is fried.) They're also known for wings and fried mushrooms. Portions are VERY generous; in fact, I've never tried their desserts because I've never had room. The fried chicken is moist and tasty - some of the best I've had in town. Seasoning is light, which I don't think is a bad thing; it tastes like chicken instead of spices. Chicken livers are absolutely perfect, and enough for about three meals for me. As other reviewers have mentioned, the mashed potatoes and gravy are unremarkable and the fries are the fat crinkly sort that never seem crisp enough. Cole slaw is vinegary (not creamy) and on the acidic side. Salads are mostly iceberg lettuce. We've gotten take-out from Hodak's a couple times during the pandemic. It's really easy; just order and pay online, then call or text when you arrive at the designated curbside pickup spaces. I was disappointed in the way my last order was packed; a three-section styrofoam container held chicken livers, mashed potatoes and gravy, and slaw. The vinegary dressing from the slaw got into the other compartments, so the chicken livers on the bottom were soaking in it; I couldn't eat those. read more

Hodak's - Chicken livers dinner to go. Also came with a couple slices of white bread. - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Got the Nashville chicken sandwich with Mac / fries and let me just say, it was totally banging. I meant to include a photo of it but I ate it too fast. The place is very cute and the staff is very nice, will totally go again. read more

Years ago this venue's dishes were genuinely homemade tasting. Having grown up raised by an OG country G Ma, I know how to make a true country meal. Our recent visit's experience was different in a less quality way. The chicken was average. The mashed potatoes tasted like a box mix. The cole slaw was bland & watery. Man friend & I were both taken aback a bit & decided too much had changed (not for the better sadly). read more

The food is good, not long of a wait time whenever I go, the portion sizes are well worth the monies.

Delicious wings for Super Bowl and the friendliest service, love this place!! An institution on Gravois!

Tim, our server was wonderful. As always, the food was terrific. In my opinion, this is the best fried chicken in the St. Louis metro area. This is my first time having their fried mushrooms. They were terrific. The ranch horseradish mix that they give to dip the mushrooms in was also wonderful. read more

Hodak's - Freshly Breaded Mushrooms - Small - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

See all

I had the spicy BBQ wings with potato salad and queso Mac and cheese. I was satisfied with the taste and the amount of food I got. A couple of my family members didn't care for the coleslaw they got. Service was really good. Kind of an old school feel. Overall a nice place to get some chicken. read more

Hodak's - Spicy BBQ wings with potato salad and queso mac and cheese - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Been going since a small child with the parents who remember a chicken dinner being $.75, that just cracks me up. I still prefer the appetizer Wingett. read more

Went to Hodaks after the Cardinals game in June 29. We had a friend from out of town with us celebrating his birthday. There were 8 of us total and Tim had no issue splitting checks for us either. Tim was our server. He was fantastic. Very friendly, attentive, and personable. The food was fantastic, as always. I have been going to Hodaks since I was a little girl, will turn 60 this year. It is an amazing place to eat. Love the Whole Wing dinner and their fried mushrooms. Worth the trip every-time! Ask for Tim to be your server, you won't be disappointed!! read more

Very good Bacon Cheeseburger. Fresh toppings, good beef flavor and overall nice bite. Employees all friendly which made lunch better. read more

Hodak's - Bacon Cheeseburger - Southern Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri