JR'S Chicken is a no-frills type place that offers pretty good, though admittedly a humble menu that more than makes up for the lack of ambiance. The service is friendly and overall, it was a great experience. This is a great option instead of fast food and it is cool to support a local business. I had the chicken and it was definitely something that I would recommend. read more

Love this place I've had it twice now and both times it has been amazing. Their chicken is always hot, juicy and flavorful and their Mac n cheese is wonderful. Their service on the phone was really good and I cannot comment on the ambiance since I've never actually been in the restaurant. Would definitely recommend read more

They changed the recipe for the potato salad and now it's disgusting and tastes like it came from a grocery store instead of homemade. Please go back to your other potato salad. It was the best for years and years. read more

They are slipping. I have been a loyal fan of yours for a long time. But my last couple of visits have been very disappointing. 1.) The prices are getting very high. I realize this is the norm for restaurants these days, But. $30 for food for two? 2.) The chicken breasts used to be big and juicy. Last two times i they have been small and very dry and overcooked. 3) Cleanliness of the store was just terrible. Bad smell restrooms just stunk. I honestly dont know if i will be back any time soon. read more

We went to Bourbonnais, IL to get the pickup serviced and we saw this place on Yelp and decided to try it. It is a very good place. The food tastes like home cooking, especially the fried chicken. I would recommend this place. It's a little out of the way, but worth the drive. Try it out. read more

It is probably the best chicken I've ever had. Very juicy and not too salty. The dining room is small but very nicely decorated. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed. read more

The food was good and fresh. Chicken hasn't changed in years always great. People are friendly and helpful. Nothing fancy just great food.

Bought a almost $40 order just so all the food could look and taste how it looks..the gizzards had absolutely no crunch, but that may be because the batter wasn't stuck on them. They were also very chewy and salty. read more

JR's Chicken - So these there my gizzards I paid almost $8 for...they taste nothing like gizzards... - Chicken Wings Near Me - Kankakee, Illinois

Great food , great value and great service. A great hometown atmosphere. You can't go wrong.

61 miles south of Chicago's loop, off Interstate 57, one will wander into the pleasant town of Kankakee, population around 30,000. Following a treaty signed by the US and Potawatami Indians in 1833, the town incorporated in 1854. The adjacent town of Bourbonnais has a pop of around 18,000. The cities were founded at the junction of two major Indian trading trails and the navigable Kankakee River. Today general manufacturing and food processing are the driving economic forces. Don't recall that I've ever been through here before, but found myself in town to observe the Chicago Bears training camp; they've called Bourbonnais "training camp home" since 2002. Needing nourishment I sought local opinion on where the old-timers go, and was pointed to JR's Chicken, with locations in both cities. I opted for the Kankakee stop, for no particularly reason. The street portion of the building houses a take-out counter which appears to do a brisk business. The back portion is a full bar, dining room and video poker cubby. Chicken in their name and chicken is their game. They also have a modest daily buffet with two or three entrees (including chicken of course) and an equal number of side dishes. An amply stocked salad bar is also present. I passed on the buffet, unusual for me, and it did look appealing. But I've been on a catfish jag lately, and JR's was willing to accomodate. (They had it on the menu). It was divine. Two crispy breaded fillets, I chose slaw and fries for a salad. Minor objection from me to the fries, which were extruded potato product, not my favorite, but were made passable in this case with a longer fry time. I suspect. The fish breading as lightly seasoned and tasty. Slaw is good, finely diced cabbage with a dressing that is both sweet and sour at the same time. Same description for the tartar sauce (except no cabbage, obviously). Travel companion did go for the specialty of fried chicken, which really is outstanding, crispy fry breading hiding very moist chicken. Sides were loaded baker and fried okra. Dinner plates come with a soft roll and dairy spread. Service was over the top. Mid Saturday afternoon, maybe a third full. read more

Never had a bad meal here and I eat there frequently good service as far as food you going to come back for more

This local chicken joint is a family favorite. The chicken is great and they make a macaroni salad like I've never had anywhere else. We don't go often because it's kind of pricey for what it is but we enjoy it when we do. read more

Chicken is delicious along with the sides! Broasted is the new fried! Ordered the chicken salad the following week and was not really excited about it. So I will stick to what they are good at, CHICKEN! Yummy!! read more

I went back to get chicken and a slab and apple salad. Good stuff. Happy customer & Pepsi on my cheat day.

Noooooope! Gizzards unseasoned and baked? Fried green tomatoes are trash server by Oscar the grouch himself, Mac and cheese was was seasoned with air.... Mad disappointed son read more

Outside looks like a bar, inside is diner. Friday lunch, menu or all you can eat chicken or walleye with corn or green beans, salad bar & soup. That's what we chose, both meats.Nice salad bar with old favorites. Mac salad has a twist, it's very good.Plates came out, 2 PCs chicken, mashed & gravy, green beans, another plate 2 PCs of walleye. Hubs said chicken is equal to his favorite place. Waitress was circulating, refilling drinks & the hot food. They were doing a big carry out business as well. read more

I'm surprised I'm the first one to review this little gem. I travel for work, so whenever I land in a new spot, my M.O. Is to hit up the apps which tell me where's good to eat. I found a few positive comments about this place being a good lunch joint on another site, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Jr.'s is a little hole in the wall, by the railroad tracks (no, really!). Blink and you'll miss it. The outside looks a little run down, but the full parking lot at noon (and streetside filling up) told me to press on. Open the door and you can see the place is a haunt for regulars; a small bartop counter to your left and alternating booths and tables to the right. This out-of-towner was invited to grab a seat anywhere and a friendly waitress took my drink order. There's a small board with "specials" on the wall, but after watching a few happily-munching folks, I could tell ordering anything but the "buffet" would be the fodder of a new-comer. The sign on the wall advertised a lunch buffet from 11-2, a dinner buffet on Wed and Fri from 4-8 and separate Saturday and Sunday buffets. The cost for each was between $7-9, which is cheaper than some TV dinners! I visited during lunch, so the rest of this review reflects the time. The buffet could possibly change during dinner/weekend meals, so keep this in mind. Toward the back of the place, (just ahead of a dividing wall, carving out a busy to-go order station) are two buffet tables. To the right, is a well-stocked (but under-visited) salad bar and soup station (Chicken and Beef Barley). To the left (swarming with people) is a station with a handful of offerings. Fried Chicken Pieces, American Chop Suey (or goulash as known in some parts), pulled pork,mashed potatoes, green beans and chicken gravy. Wanting to be well-rounded, for this review, I grabbed some of each! The main event- the chicken: crispy, well-seasoned crust was yummy, but for me it's also about the meat... And Jr.(assuming it's his recipe) did not disappoint. It was juicy and flavorful, and definitely worth naming the place after! The sides: Mashed potatoes/gravy- good, creamy and just the right hint of seasoning. Chop Suey- elbow macaroni, tomato and meat sauce and red kidney beans (a first for me) mixed all together, it was very tasty. Green beans- canned, cut green beans. Nothing special, but a good staple from my childhood. Pulled pork- an unexpected bonus. I'm a BBQ aficionado, and this was some of the best I've tasted in some time! A little char with a SLIGHTLY sweet tomato and onion based sauce. Awesome! After I returned to my seat, the waitress checked in to make sure I was good and I enjoyed my meal, returning for another chicken drumstick and scoop of pork. The waitress returned again to refill my drink and remind me that the salad bar had some cold desserts (puddings) and that there was also pie as an option. (I didn't ask, but I assume it was an additional cost.) After gorging on the buffet I was in no shape to eat dessert! I waddled out, pleasantly fed for under 11 bucks including tip. If you're on the fence, give this place a try. I will be back here at least once before I return back home to the Northeast! read more

JR's Chicken - The buffet stations at lunch. - Chicken Wings Near Me - Kankakee, Illinois

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Best fried chicken in town! So crispy and tender. We stopped tonight for the buffet and the service was top notch!

The Macaroni salad was old and dry. I picked it up around 7pm. Never had a issue with it till now. I didn't eat it all only took two bites. I throw it away because I told them to keep the receipt that night, I couldn't return it the next day. read more

My bother loves to eat and I wasn't in the mood for a lot of foods. I asked him what restaurant nearby had a good salad bar where he, I , and our mother could go for dinner. He suggested JR's Chicken. I said, "Really, it sounds like a fast food place?" He said, "No, its not." As we approached JR's chicken, I said, "It looks like a fast food place, it doesn't look like they have a salad bar." Then, we pulled around to the back of the restaurant and saw the large parking lot and the restaurant space. Apparently, my brother remembered, it was also live country music night. When we walked into the restaurant, it was like stepping back in time (before mine). The restaurant was small with a bar off to the side. A half - wall on the other side of the restaurant separates the restaurant from the take out section. Large, unused coolers off to the side of the take out area look like they were from the 1940s/1950s (also before my time). It made me think of the fried chicken place in the movie, "Mildred Pierce"...and had the ambiance of a honky-tonk bar akin to something that would be in Lanford, the infamous town in the Roseanne Show. We were taken to a booth by a female server (I'm being politically correct) and not saying waitress). The restaurant was a moderately crowded. In one corner of the restaurant was an ensemble of three crooning a country music jig. Upon closer inspection, it was clear the three were grandfather, father and son (about 10 years old) coming together to entertain the diners. The grandfather was the active singer, the father was accompanying him, and the son stroked a guitar with the occasional OMG I'm playing guitar in front of all these people look on his face. The server told us that their special for the day was $6.95 for all you can eat fried chicken and salad/soup bar. I lived in Chicago's Wrigleyville for a while and $6.95 buys an appetizer or a glass of wine. The salad bar was standard, not huge. It had about four different salad dressings, several prepared salads (bean, potato, cole slaw) and some dessert salads and pudding. Aside from the lettuce being wilted, it was still fresh and all the other salads tasted good. Between the three of us, I think we tasted most of them. The soup bar had chicken noodle and minnestrone/ beef soups, both good and hot on a very cold day. The fried chicken was served with green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a biscuit. The chicken, by itself, was crispy, hot and very good, worth the price of dinner by itself. The mashed potatoes were good (not real potatoes). The green beans were canned...but good. I did have a second piece of chicken per the all you can eat deal. Diners can order all dark or white meat. I highly recommend JR's. The food is worth the price and its an interesting people watching place. My 82-year-old Italian mother is a master cook also complimented the chicken (her compliments are rare in restaurants). : ) read more

Little gem in small town Kankakee. Chicken is fresh, tender and seasoned to perfection. Not salty at all. read more

JR's Chicken - Glad I don't live in this town. This chicken is so good that it could lead to "Chicken Addiction" lol - Chicken Wings Near Me - Kankakee, Illinois

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Growing up, I came here with my Mom and Grandma often after church on Sunday's for take-out or to eat at the buffet. Don't be alarmed by the location or appearance... What you are about to eat is well worth it. The fried chicken is perfect and all the sides are tasty. "Crackaroni salad" as said by another reviewer, is a pretty good description. My Mom picks up a large container a couple times a month to get her fix. The other sides are all good too. They always give Hawaiian rolls too. Nothing fancy, just good. We have ordered catering for graduations and parties and no one is ever disappointed! read more

Great chicken and very friendly server. Had the Dinner Buffet and was not lacking for food. If you want good home style chicken in a little family ran joint then you are at the right spot. Traveling from Oregon on business and this was a great find. I'm very full so time to go for a walk read more

The food is tasty like it's homemade . The carry outs portions for dinners is ridiculously small for amount charged single serving are like 2to3 bites leaving you disappointed because food is good . The prices on salads are on the high side . This is main complaint and what keeps me not dinning their more often. Shouldn't walk away from meal wanting more . read more

Great food! the buffet is the perfect time to taste everything. The macaroni salad is famous, everyone loves it. Great to bring to any party or cook out. read more

JR's Chicken - Chicken Wings Near Me - Kankakee, Illinois

So disappointed! This place used to have the best chicken and liver. Not anymore...don't know if its just a bad day or a decline. The ladt time I got chicken the breast was pink on the inside. And the wing was dripping with grease! Went another time and the liver was so overcooked that it was inedible! No more JR for me. And viewing from the lobby the cooking area didn't look that clean. read more

Total dive and you MUST go there for lunch! Very good chicken on the lunch buffet and the BEST chicken soup the I've ever had in a restaurant. (made with the leftovers from the day before) Great prices too! read more

The chicken is great and the crackaroni, I mean macaroni salad is awesome.

Ok I'm a life long resident. Jr's has the Best fried chicken in the country far as I have had. And I travel a lot Great sides as well. The only complaint I have I feel their Kankakee restaurant buffet M-F cost @ $ 8.81 per person (drink not included) is to high! Most afternoon buffets in the area are $ 6.00 - $7.00. Oter than that. I recommend this place. On afternoons your best value would be to order off the menu. Unless your really hunger and could eat $8.81 worth of food! Menu items are good portions and you'll get full! read more

Always love this place but today is a different story. As always the food is good that's not the complaint for today. Ordered the 15 piece came with 3 side pints and got one with Mac salad (the best ever!) one mashed potatoes and was deciding on the third when was going to try something new but didn't want a full pint of something I might not like so I asked if I could split and have 2 1/2 pints (not a unreasonable request I thought, 2 half's do make 1 pint after all...) well the girl taking my order says "let me ask" and she looks into the sitting area and proceeded to ask a guy sitting at a table eating who apparently works there and must be her boss co-worker something and without even looking at her as he was staring out the window not verbally even he just shakes his head no and continues to stare out the window. If you ask me that's not very good customer interaction seeing as I was about 5 feet from him you think he could have looked at me and said something to the effect of sorry we can't do that due to the cost of the container which would have been 2 containers instead of one. I feel this place is really starting to go downhill as they are constantly going through employees must be something said to how it's being run now really too bad was a great place. read more

Best fried chicken in the Midwest! The salads are all great! Service is good. Atmosphere is good for what it is.

I love their food! When I am in the Kankakee area I love to make a stop to Jr's! It's definitely worth the 2 hour drive from Dekalb to Kankakee to have chicken, and meet up with my family! Service is great and the employee are friendly! read more

Just had it Friday for the first time....it was super good. I never eat macaroni salad but their salad was the best l ever had

Best fried chicken in the area, but I'll never understand why people like their macaroni salad so much. It has a really bitter aftertaste.

Prices are reasonable and the food exceeds my expectations, I've never had a bad meal. Macaroni salad and chicken gizzards are the best I've ever had. Servers have been exceptional and make me feel like a valued customer. My favorite place to eat when in the area read more