Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket, the best out here.

Encouraged by some comments to an earlier post here this week, I am also suggesting Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket in Willowbrook, IL. We have been going to Dell's since 1966, which was 20 years after they opened on old Route 66.

Dell's serves the best fried chicken in the western suburbs in my opinion, and about the only place I have not tried is Harold's in Chicago, but eventually I'll get there too. I love fried chicken.

Their web site: http://www.chickenbasket.com/

645 Joliet Road
Willowbrook IL
(exit I-55 at Route 83 north and follow the signs)

I have a closeup photo of their Chicken Basket somewhere. When I find it, I'll add it somewhere here.

Well,

I found my photo of Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket, but I need some advice regarding how to post it here. Not sure what I need to do.

JollyCholly

JC,

I have to agree with you on this one, but also know that a number of people will disagree. The thing with Dell Rhea's is how different it is from anything else available. DRCB's is coated in breadcrumbs, not a flour mixture, and sometimes it can be a little greasy.

Anyway, DRCB used to be one of my favorite lunch stops when I worked a little closer.

Flip

JollyCholly wrote:Well,

I found my photo of Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket, but I need some advice regarding how to post it here. Not sure what I need to do.

JollyCholly

Some tips on that are available here.

Del Rhea's has been posted about several times before. I agree that it's pretty good chicken. Generally it is made from larger birds that the nearby White Fence Farm. However WFF has a lot more atmosphere gong for it.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=2130
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=46325&

As a follow up, here's my photo of a basket of Dell's fried chicken, taken last fall.



Jolly Cholly

I've been to Dell Rhea's once for the lunch buffet. I know it's very hard to judge the quality of a restaurant based on their buffet as opposed to the regular menu. Is the buffet chicken very different from their regular menu chicken? I've noticed this with Home Run Inn's buffet in Darien, their pizza on the buffet is not reflective of their pie on the regular menu. I want to give the Chicken Basket another shot because I've heard such great things. Any recommendations for sides to go with the chicken?

Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive Ins & Dives will be filming at Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket this Thursday and Friday.

There was no mention of time on the flyer.

Since Del Rhea's is about 2 minutes from where I work I have been there a few times, for the lunch buffet(a great deal, although a nap at my desk is in order after a vist), as well as for dinner, and visits to the bar. Its a friendly place with good service.

Last night to allow some of the traffic, and snow to die down, my wife and I went to Del Rhea's. We sat at the bar, and I indulged in a large glass of Patron, and Miller Lites(5 for $10). My wife ordered the 4 piece chicken basket(Tuesday special price $8.95) served with biscuis, fries, and cole slaw. I ordered a monterey ranch chicken sandwich with fries, and a cup of chicken and dumplings soup. My sandwich was pretty good with bacon, ranch, a thick slice of cheese, and a flavorfull chicken breast. The fries were ok, and the chicken and dumplings was very good, and really hit the spot on a snowy night.

As for the fried chicken, they fry it to order which is nice, they seem to use a different style of breading, or crust than I have become used to living out in the Fried Chicken Capital of Northern Illinois(La Salle County). More of a breading than a batter, and the chicken was pretty moist, and I thought it was ok. My wife liked it, but when I asked her how it compared to Rip's Tavern which she tried for the first time on Saturday, she said Rip's Tavern's chicken was much better. Like I said I thought Del Rhea's was ok, better than KFC, or Browns, but not as good as any fried chicken I have had out west at places like Rip's, Hanks Farm, Monari's, & Carretos, to name a few.

Made a trip to Dell Rhea's for the lunch buffet today. My first time there, and I have to say I enjoyed the chicken. The bread crumb coating is different, but I liked it. It was light and crispy, which was surprising given the fact that it was sitting out at a buffet. The chicken exploded with juiciness when you bit into it. The chicken and dumpling soup was really nice. Corn fritters suffered from the buffet treatment. Cold and soggy. I think they have potential to be good if fresh out of the fryer. Mashed potatoes and gravy were pretty good. Among the other random things on the buffet, a mini burger which was actually decent. The burger still had a bit of pink to it and the bun was flavorful. The other stuff was kind of boring looking: pizza, mostacolli and some pork ribs with kraut and bacon.

$8.99 for the lunch buffet is really good value.

I know it seems nuts to have a burger at Dell Rhea's but they have a Wednesday special - 1/3 lb Black Angus Burger, $2.00!
Anyone tried it? I'm really tempted to make the drive for lunch this Wednesday.

I hate the chicken at that place. Look how light it is. The breading falls off in spots. I was never so dissapointed when I ate there. I would rather have Popeyes any day. I have not tried Rips but its awfully far away. I would rather have broasted chicken. The broasted chicken at the Great Escape in Schiller Park is good. Nice and crunchy and brown, juicy. Yummy. I guess everyone has different tastes.

I've only been to Dell Rhea's once and I was really disappointed in the chicken. I suppose it's one of those unique ways of making fried chicken that would appeal to those who grew up with it, but I didn't, and it didn't work for me. It definitely doesn't hurt for their business that it is considered a must stop place on Route 66 for people all over the world. But it reminds me of how popular and beloved Chicken Annie's and Chicken Mary's outside of Pittsburg, Kansas are (featured on Food Wars on Travel Channel). They were nothing more than hospital food quality, a huge letdown. But that's all those people have, so they have no choice but to love it. And they certainly grew up with those places, which may have seen better days.

The recent resurfacing of this thread reminded me I never posted about my first visit a couple years ago. Bottom line: as expected, I liked the vibe of the place, but somewhat unexpectedly, enjoyed the food a lot. I don't know how much being some of the first customers of the day influenced it but almost everything tasted very fresh and carefully prepared.



Chicken dumpling soup is clearly freshly made and very good. I could happily make a meal of this.



There are few surprises on the salad bar except the freshness and quality of the offerings. Pickled beets, multi-bean salad, cole slaw, potato salad, creamed kidney beans, cottage cheese and pasta salad—it's all there. I sampled just about everything and only the pasta salad was a mushy disappointment. That orange stuff at 2 o'clock on the plate is their signature cheese spread, made with cheddar and cottage cheese. The recipe goes back to the Chicken Basket's early days and is tastier than it might sound. Sort of a Yankee version of pimiento cheese.



Chicken is simply but carefully prepared in the breaded, not battered, style. Mashed potatoes and green beans, made from fresh ingredients, are far better than the afterthoughts they'd be at many restaurants. Even the biscuit and gravy were pretty good.



Fried pies are offered for dessert, something you don't often see around here. Nicely done, almost greaseless.



Pat Rhea, Dell's son, has been running the restaurant since his father's death 20 years ago.



Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket
645 Joliet Rd
Willowbrook IL
630-325-0780
http://chickenbasket.com/

I am glad you enjoyed your meal there. Everything looks good but the chicken and it looks like nice people run the place. I have even been there and I would like to support it but..... Sorry that chicken does not entice. Do not like it one bit. But different strokes for different folks. The soup does look good though.

We went to Del Rhea's a couple of months ago and were not impressed. The chicken was more like breasted chicken - A similar batter-dipped coating. I prefer Southern-style fried chicken with breading, such as that served at Chalkboard or Stanley's in Chicago. My gold standard is the chicken I've had in the Memphis area, e.g. Earl's Hot Biscuits in West Memphis, Arkansas. Del Rhea's rendition was a big disappointment.