Pioneer Chicken
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A wonderful blast from the past! Food was fresh and the chicken and strips had that great crunch I remember. The service was good and the cashier was friendly. Thanks for keeping this childhood favorite around!
I do believe social media hyped this place up a bit. I went with someone who used to eat at Pioneer all the time years ago and both of us were left disappointed. I was told it does not taste the same as years ago. Chicken,fries, and biscuit lacked flavor. The gravy tasted like gravy mix and chicken bouillon mixed together. Spicy rice didn't taste too bad. Inside did seem really clean. We came rather early. Staff was attentive, kind of wanted us to hurry up and order when we were the only ones in there. All in all, I'll try to give the other location a try but this one was a bust for me.
I came here after seeing Joshua Weissman give this place an S tier review in a Youtube video. Never having heard of this place, I really really wanted to try it. I'm always up for good fried chicken! And it was a solid recommendation! This is probably one of the crispiest fried chicken I've ever had. He was right in describing it as almost glass like? It doesn't like cut you're teeth, it just kind of shatters in a very very satisfying way. That being said, the only reason it's not getting a five star is that I think it's lacking in the flavor department? If they had a spicy option I'd totally get that instead. Or any sort of seasoning. As is, it kinda tasted bland to me? It's fine when it's hot and fresh I supposed, but I found myself wishing for the flavor profile of places like Jollibee's and Popeye's. Interior was clean and quite classic!
Wow what a blast to the past stepping foot inside Pioneer Chicken! It looks like nothing has been updated since it was built and I love that! The food was made fresh as I had to wait for it and it was piping hot when I got it. And to have an orange bang with it was icing in the cake! Chicken was nice and crunchy and tasted great. The spicy rice was really good and I wish I ordered a large side of it to take home. The biscuit was good and the wedges were nice and crispy. Next time I'm in the area I'll definitely be back!
Hella old-school fried chicken! I wish they had locations closer to me, but whenever I'm in the area, I'll definitely make a point to visit. I got the 3-piece combo with all thighs, rice, and coleslaw for $15 out the door--that's not bad. I was mainly looking for chicken-only deals, but still good. It's been so long, I forgot how spicy the rice was, and the coleslaw was nice and crunchy! The guy taking my order said fries came with the meal, but I didn't get them?? Overall, bomb chicken.
We love pioneer chicken, super crispy, and delicious. It was lunch time so busy and reasonably loud.
I honestly don't understand why I have never stepped foot in this establishment since my childhood or most of my adulthood. Today was finally the day! Haha. I ordered the 9 piece chicken strips side order of biscuits and onions rings. All I gotta say is wow. The batter is light and crispy the tenders just come apart the biscuits are sweet soft and airy and the onion rings were legit too. I am definitely a customer now and will come back to both locations! Service is great and ambiance is clean and straight to the point. Give this place a chance and explore their entire menu.
Amazing! The Chicken was pretty and crunchy, the fries were good. The service was very well. Even the Ambiance was amazing. 5 Stars!!
The food was excellent juicy very crispy a little greasy, but delicious. The place is super clean got an A rating and the people are very nice helpful only things they only take cash or a debit card.
(4/5) Tried Pioneer Chicken and went with the 4-piece chicken strip meal with potato salad, coleslaw, and a biscuit. * The chicken strips were well-seasoned and juicy, though the portions ran a bit on the smaller side -- still the standout of the meal (5/5). * The potato salad was better than I expected, just could've used a little more flavor (3.5/5). * The coleslaw leaned slightly dry, but the seasoning was solid (3.5/5). * The biscuit looked promising but didn't quite deliver in flavor (3/5). The drive-thru took a bit longer than expected, but the staff was friendly and professional. I didn't dine in, so I can't fully speak to the ambiance; however, the interior decor felt nostalgic and brought back childhood memories of going to Pioneer with my family. Overall, a solid experience, but at $19, the portions should be more generous. For a four-piece meal with two sides and a biscuit, no one should be left hungry. I'd still come back to try other menu items and see how they stack up.
I had no idea there was a Pioneer Chicken so close to where I work until my best friend picked me up for a birthday lunch. We were heading somewhere else when we spotted the sign and instantly decided to stop. Growing up in Los Angeles, my family would order Pioneer Chicken often, so seeing one still around brought back a flood of nostalgia. We parked in the lot and placed our order at the counter. I'm happy to report that the food still tastes just like I remember from my childhood--crispy, flavorful, and comforting. The restaurant itself feels like stepping back in time, with that old-school charm intact. They accept cash, card, and tap payments, and even have a drive-thru for added convenience. I couldn't resist grabbing some extra food to take home and share with my wife. It was such a fun surprise to rediscover a piece of LA history that's still serving up great fried chicken.
Amazing chicken from my childhood just as good as I remember. Back in the day I was lucky to have a Pioneer Chicken in the city I lived in. Sadly they are down to 2 locations in Southern California so this was a treat. Brought chicken to bring to my brother's house all the way in Long Beach and it was still warm and crispy! Had to get strips and corn on the cob too. Was low key hoping to see the corn on the cob rolling in circles in the yellow butter sauce. LOL. Cashier was patient while I tried to decide how many of each thing to order. The dining room is straight out of the 80s but it was clean and well maintained. I brought home the leftover chicken to eat the next day and it was just as delicious. I just microwaved it a bit then threw it in the air fryer.
With just 5 booths and 4 tables, this Pioneer Chicken spot is smaller than expected. Opened in 1961, Pioneer once had 270 locations throughout the US. They sold the franchise to Popeyes back in 1993, and now there are only two stores left. Checking out the menu, I was surprised to see that they sell Fish N Chips. I didn't know if this was a new thing, but when I did a quick search, I found out that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did a Fish N' Chips TV commercial for Pioneer back in 1983 - So there it is! Now this was my first time back to a Pioneer since the Clinton Administration, so I was determined to have the 2-piece Chicken Dinner with Spicy Rice and Mashed Potatoes. I'm glad I stuck to my guns, because the meal was pretty darn good. The chicken was moist and tender and the orange batter was very crispy and flavorful. The Spicy Rice was tasty and actually spicy!!! The Mash Potatoes were fine, and the biscuit was not at all dry. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. The food and a fountain drink with tax, was under 15 bucks! At those prices, I can't afford NOT to eat here!!!! Next time back, I will have the Chicken Tenders, and maybe I will try the fish. Nostalgic and tasty, Pioneer Chicken does harken back to another era, and that's a good thing.
14 hours ago
2 months ago
The wife and I have been craving Pioneer Chicken for a while. I've been eating Pioneer Chicken for over 40 years, so we decided to visit one of the only two locations still open--the Bell Gardens location. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The coleslaw had absolutely no flavor, and the chicken just didn't have the taste I remember from back in the day. The biscuit was also really bad. After waiting so long to satisfy that craving, the whole experience was a letdown. What disappointed me even more was the customer service. The employees had absolutely no personality--very dry and almost robotic. Whatever happened to good old-fashioned customer service? SMH. Unfortunately, this will be my last visit to this location. I'm going to have to give the Boyle Heights location a try and hopefully they still have it going on. Crossing my fingers! For anyone thinking about trying Pioneer Chicken again, save your money and skip the Bell Gardens location. Hopefully the Boyle Heights location can bring back that old-school Pioneer Chicken experience I remember. read more
5 months ago
Honestly the food critics on social media overhyped this place. Pros: Chicken tenders (not in pic) was crispy & juicy, mac salad & mash was good nothing spectacular, nice batter on fish Cons: Batter on chicken tasted like burnt chicken or old oil, fries were mid not that fresh, the biscuits werent biscuits its basically a cooked dinner roll super dry. The chicken thigh was super dry as well. Tried this place out because we saw the foodie ppl on socials going crazy bout it but definitely overhyped, wont come back again. I'll give this place a 5. read more
2 days ago
17 days ago
A wonderful blast from the past! Food was fresh and the chicken and strips had that great crunch I remember. The service was good and the cashier was friendly. Thanks for keeping this childhood favorite around! read more
22 days ago
I do believe social media hyped this place up a bit. I went with someone who used to eat at Pioneer all the time years ago and both of us were left disappointed. I was told it does not taste the same as years ago. Chicken,fries, and biscuit lacked flavor. The gravy tasted like gravy mix and chicken bouillon mixed together. Spicy rice didn't taste too bad. Inside did seem really clean. We came rather early. Staff was attentive, kind of wanted us to hurry up and order when we were the only ones in there. All in all, I'll try to give the other location a try but this one was a bust for me. read more
8 months ago
I came here after seeing Joshua Weissman give this place an S tier review in a Youtube video. Never having heard of this place, I really really wanted to try it. I'm always up for good fried chicken! And it was a solid recommendation! This is probably one of the crispiest fried chicken I've ever had. He was right in describing it as almost glass like? It doesn't like cut you're teeth, it just kind of shatters in a very very satisfying way. That being said, the only reason it's not getting a five star is that I think it's lacking in the flavor department? If they had a spicy option I'd totally get that instead. Or any sort of seasoning. As is, it kinda tasted bland to me? It's fine when it's hot and fresh I supposed, but I found myself wishing for the flavor profile of places like Jollibee's and Popeye's. Interior was clean and quite classic! read more
Wow what a blast to the past stepping foot inside Pioneer Chicken! It looks like nothing has been updated since it was built and I love that! The food was made fresh as I had to wait for it and it was piping hot when I got it. And to have an orange bang with it was icing in the cake! Chicken was nice and crunchy and tasted great. The spicy rice was really good and I wish I ordered a large side of it to take home. The biscuit was good and the wedges were nice and crispy. Next time I'm in the area I'll definitely be back! read more
Hella old-school fried chicken! I wish they had locations closer to me, but whenever I'm in the area, I'll definitely make a point to visit. I got the 3-piece combo with all thighs, rice, and coleslaw for $15 out the door--that's not bad. I was mainly looking for chicken-only deals, but still good. It's been so long, I forgot how spicy the rice was, and the coleslaw was nice and crunchy! The guy taking my order said fries came with the meal, but I didn't get them?? Overall, bomb chicken. read more
4 months ago
We love pioneer chicken, super crispy, and delicious. It was lunch time so busy and reasonably loud. read more
I honestly don't understand why I have never stepped foot in this establishment since my childhood or most of my adulthood. Today was finally the day! Haha. I ordered the 9 piece chicken strips side order of biscuits and onions rings. All I gotta say is wow. The batter is light and crispy the tenders just come apart the biscuits are sweet soft and airy and the onion rings were legit too. I am definitely a customer now and will come back to both locations! Service is great and ambiance is clean and straight to the point. Give this place a chance and explore their entire menu. read more
1 month ago
Amazing! The Chicken was pretty and crunchy, the fries were good. The service was very well. Even the Ambiance was amazing. 5 Stars!! read more
2 days ago
2 months ago
The food was excellent juicy very crispy a little greasy, but delicious. The place is super clean got an A rating and the people are very nice helpful only things they only take cash or a debit card. read more
11 months ago
(4/5) Tried Pioneer Chicken and went with the 4-piece chicken strip meal with potato salad, coleslaw, and a biscuit. * The chicken strips were well-seasoned and juicy, though the portions ran a bit on the smaller side -- still the standout of the meal (5/5). * The potato salad was better than I expected, just could've used a little more flavor (3.5/5). * The coleslaw leaned slightly dry, but the seasoning was solid (3.5/5). * The biscuit looked promising but didn't quite deliver in flavor (3/5). The drive-thru took a bit longer than expected, but the staff was friendly and professional. I didn't dine in, so I can't fully speak to the ambiance; however, the interior decor felt nostalgic and brought back childhood memories of going to Pioneer with my family. Overall, a solid experience, but at $19, the portions should be more generous. For a four-piece meal with two sides and a biscuit, no one should be left hungry. I'd still come back to try other menu items and see how they stack up. read more
I had no idea there was a Pioneer Chicken so close to where I work until my best friend picked me up for a birthday lunch. We were heading somewhere else when we spotted the sign and instantly decided to stop. Growing up in Los Angeles, my family would order Pioneer Chicken often, so seeing one still around brought back a flood of nostalgia. We parked in the lot and placed our order at the counter. I'm happy to report that the food still tastes just like I remember from my childhood--crispy, flavorful, and comforting. The restaurant itself feels like stepping back in time, with that old-school charm intact. They accept cash, card, and tap payments, and even have a drive-thru for added convenience. I couldn't resist grabbing some extra food to take home and share with my wife. It was such a fun surprise to rediscover a piece of LA history that's still serving up great fried chicken. read more
Amazing chicken from my childhood just as good as I remember. Back in the day I was lucky to have a Pioneer Chicken in the city I lived in. Sadly they are down to 2 locations in Southern California so this was a treat. Brought chicken to bring to my brother's house all the way in Long Beach and it was still warm and crispy! Had to get strips and corn on the cob too. Was low key hoping to see the corn on the cob rolling in circles in the yellow butter sauce. LOL. Cashier was patient while I tried to decide how many of each thing to order. The dining room is straight out of the 80s but it was clean and well maintained. I brought home the leftover chicken to eat the next day and it was just as delicious. I just microwaved it a bit then threw it in the air fryer. read more
1 month ago
With just 5 booths and 4 tables, this Pioneer Chicken spot is smaller than expected. Opened in 1961, Pioneer once had 270 locations throughout the US. They sold the franchise to Popeyes back in 1993, and now there are only two stores left. Checking out the menu, I was surprised to see that they sell Fish N Chips. I didn't know if this was a new thing, but when I did a quick search, I found out that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did a Fish N' Chips TV commercial for Pioneer back in 1983 - So there it is! Now this was my first time back to a Pioneer since the Clinton Administration, so I was determined to have the 2-piece Chicken Dinner with Spicy Rice and Mashed Potatoes. I'm glad I stuck to my guns, because the meal was pretty darn good. The chicken was moist and tender and the orange batter was very crispy and flavorful. The Spicy Rice was tasty and actually spicy!!! The Mash Potatoes were fine, and the biscuit was not at all dry. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. The food and a fountain drink with tax, was under 15 bucks! At those prices, I can't afford NOT to eat here!!!! Next time back, I will have the Chicken Tenders, and maybe I will try the fish. Nostalgic and tasty, Pioneer Chicken does harken back to another era, and that's a good thing. read more
This is my first time coming to Pioneer Chicken in a long time more than forty years, I have try their chicken I remember it was golden brown and crispy when taking a bite. They are only two Pioneer chicken restaurant left one of them is Boyle Heights and this one that my wife and I are at is in Bell Garden. When we stepping into Pioneer Chicken you go back to Pioneer Chicken in the 80's it hasn't changed it looks the same can I remember. The menu looks the same but the prices went up it's not 80's prices. We were looking at the menu and decided what to order we decided order a three piece meal with two side on the side we ask for potato salad and mashed potatoe and also including a biscuit. Then my wife wanna get a fried fish she remember get them years ago. We waited for our number to be called then we notice more people were coming in to the restaurant and ordering Pioneer Chicken famous crispy golden brown chicken. They call our number then I went to pick up our meal,the chicken looks golden brown delicious. Took a bite of the chicken one bite I can hear that crunch biting in the chicken it was tender and juicy and batter was crispy and golden brown it was so good. My wife said the chicken was juicy and tender and that crunch that she remember then my fish took a bite of the fried fish it was gold brown and really good. I took bite of the potato salad it was good and then the mashed potatoe it was so good and I can taste the chicken gravy it was good. The biscuit was good but I add it some of gravy to the biscuit it add more flavor that was mind blowing. Overall the staff was really friendly and the restaurants always look clean we need to come back again. read more
12 days ago
I grew up in SoCal and I remember coming to Pioneer chicken in the late and early 1990s. I remember coming to Pioneer chicken for a full chicken meal up until my family moved to Texas. The last time I had pioneer chicken, was over 20+ years. What I walked in and reminds me of what it was before old school menu, old school diner meal, if I like a time capsule from 1990s. The chicken was exactly how I remembered it, beer battered, not a thick batter, but thick enough that it was ultra crispy. Juicy tender interior meat. I don't know how they were able to cook a crispy exterior with such juicy wet interior meat but it was awesome. Normally I rip off the skin and just eat the chicken but coming to pioneer I have to eat every single last piece, including the fry. The fish was good too, had like a tad sweetness to the white meat. I'm assuming it's cod. Great spicy hot rice so it's nice to mix the rice and a creamy cold cole slaw. When you eat into the rich fried chicken, add a little bit of hot sauce to sort of change up the flavor profile. Then when you take another bite, add that creamy cold coleslaw, and it reset your palette. Go for another bite and take a bite of that meaty rice and I really appreciate that. It has a little bit of spice to it with chunks of chicken meat in it. The fish definitely is a good choice. You can't go wrong with it and I love how it comes with a side of tartar sauce. Nothing special about the tartar sauce just good tartar sauce overall great meal how to get a hat so I can wear it and represent Pioneer chicken in Texas. The biscuit on the other hand, nothing sucked. It was dry no flavor. I took one bite and didn't even touch it again. It needs moisture butter something. They do not accept credit card so if you use your debit card, they charge you a $.75 fee so if you don't want to pay by debit bring cash. read more
7 months ago
First off, this review will probably end up hidden under "other reviews that are not currently recommended." Yelp isn't fair about when you leave an honest review & will either delete this review or hide because this is no longer an honest review site. Anyways, I hadn't had Pioneer in about 35 years so we decided to go! The service was slow & it took some time for our order to be ready. The chicken was not too greasy & was tasty. Everything was crispy & hot. The takeaway was there's no free refills on drinks! Also, they nickel & dime you on condiments. Why do this to your paying customers? Nothing on the tables either. At least put napkins because it's fried chicken! The booths were uncomfortable too so when you're done eating, you want to leave. I guess that's why they designed them like that. I'd go back again. read more
2 years ago
Was in the area since I got my car worked on and decided to pick up some good old nostalgic Pioneer chicken. I haven't been here since I was a kid. I ordered the Pioneer special eight piece chicken for $22. I ordered to the drive-through. Get ready to wait cuz BABY!!! I WAITED!!! Sheesh. It tookn forever for my chicken to come and only tattoo cats were in front of me. Plus they charge 75 cents for card. That's different. The flavor, the crisp, the color is all coming back to me. I swear the chicken got better and better with everybody. So fresh and cooked. So much flavor and goodness and everybody. I miss this. read more
11 months ago
Soooo good!!! Just as delicious as I remembered! Chicken was hot and fresh and so crispy! Definitely recommend it! You will not be disappointed read more
6 months ago
I've been craving Pioneer Chicken. I haven't had this chicken since the 80's. It was a bit disappointing the chicken skin was not crispy and tasted a little bland. The mashed potatoes and gravy taste like I remember it. The service was great. They take cash and debt only. If you use debt. They charge you an additional 75 cents for the transaction fee. Inside was clean and well maintained. read more
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Going to pioneer chicken is like taking a visit into my past. Growing up in pico Rivera we had 2 pioneer chicken restaurants growing up. It was either pioneer or KFC. I loved pioneer and was always happy when this was on the menu u for dinner. Was sad when they started to close them down but since I worked in bell garden would frequent the one in bell gardens often. Moving away from here it was limited as to when I could come and get some and fortunately yesterday I was in the area and stopped and got some of their delicious chicken. The chicken was hot, juicy and tender and the breading just as delicious as I remember. I got the BBQ beans, mashed potatoes and a large side of their spicy rice. My favorite. I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture of the rice but believe me it's a definite must. The place is like a time capsule with all the decor or a by gone ahead when things were simpler. Staff was friending and place had a nice vibe to it. Wish they start to expand their places as this would give most chicken places a run for its money read more
2 years ago
Pioneer Chicken is nostalgic for me. Back in the 80's there were locations in Northern California where I lived. But I came to LA mainly to pay a visit and try the food at one of the last two remaining locations here. So I tried to order everything on the menu: Three piece: 9/10 the chicken is crunchy fried delicious but be sure to eat it while it hot and fresh because it's not as good later after it gets cold. Chicken Tenders: 10/10 Best I've ever had. Crunchy, moist supple, tasty, excellent. Fried Gizzards: 10/10 they were fried to perfection. Fried shrimp: 10/10 like little popcorn style chicken. So tasty with the cocktail sauce. Spicy rice: 8/10 comes with big chunks of chicken and the heat will actually sneak up on you. Mashed potatoes: 5/10 probably the worst thing I ate. Gravy was plain Jane. Mashed potatoes were straight out of a box. Baked beans : 9/10 good for baked beans standards. Not too sweet and the right consistency. Macaroni salad & Potato salad: 9/10 both were equally tasty. The potato salad had a nice vinegar taste to it and the macaroni salad reminded me of Hawaiian Macaroni salad. Fried fish: 10/10 meaty chunk of fish in a crunchy and batter. The service was great and I wish I lived close to one. read more
4 months ago
8 months ago
Pioneer Chicken is a MUST have if you're in LA or Bell Gardens. There are only 2 locations remaining in the World! The food is fresh, hot and crispy. The ambience is Old School Original 80's-90's the location look and feel has never changed. I had to bring my friend visiting from Thailand for the first time. He absolutely loved it! read more
9 months ago
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Ask the Community - Pioneer Chicken
Are you able to order in advance to avoid waiting? I want to order a large order but hate to hold up everybody else?
We did but had to pay in advance. There's a credit card or ATM fee if you don't pay with cash.
Do they sell the chicken salad sandwich or the spicy fried chicken?
They have a chicken salad sandwich and a chicken filet sandwich. It doesn't specify if it's spicy or not.
Are they currently open? Went last night around 8:15pm and they were closed. Pitch black inside! Called today, and the phone just rang.
Staff said they have lately been closing at about 6:30pm or sooner, due to staff shortages. The…
Do they take credit cards or Apple Pay /Android Pay?
They take credit cards but they charge 0.95 extra. They don't take apple or android pay... Or at least they had no idea what it was when I asked
Is there a way to order a plate with both chicken strips and fish here, I looked on the menu and only saw only chicken or only fish plates? Or do I just add a piece of fish?
More than likely u have to add
Is this a original pioneer Chicken ?the biscuit didn't look like that.
Yes, it's an original Pioneer Chicken. It's one of the last two left in the U.S
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