Brown's Chicken - does it still taste better?

I did a search and it didn't turn up a thread on Brown's Chicken (and Pasta). Maybe it doesn't deserve one??

Anyway, I was driving on Broadway and noticed the former Burger King>Burger Delights space is going to be a Brown's. Now I haven't had Brown's since I was a kid - maybe 10/11 years old. I have fond memories of the fried chicken.

I love fried chicken. Even run-of-the-mill-sitting-under-aheat-lamp-grocery-store-variety will work if I really get the craving. Harold's is my favorite and I like Popeyes & KFC even.

How does Brown's compare?

viaChgo wrote: I like Popeyes & KFC even.How does Brown's compare?

Then I think Brown's will compare very favorably.

I worked for Brown's some years ago (did TV spots for Portillo, the owner whose brother owns the chain of the same name), so I ate a lot of Brown's and competitive products (like KFC). I thought Brown's offered a meatier bird, and the fried coating seemed "flakier," but this may for many be a distinction without a difference. Still, if I had to chose among the three places, I'd go with Brown's.

Hammond

My aunt always got a party tray from Browns when we had gatherings at her house. It's good but form ethe reason to eat there are the fried mushrooms. Those I love, perfect amount of breading, not the thick nasty pasty heavy breading you get at most fast food places, these are light and flaky and the mushrooms still retain some moisture and flavour.

Octarine, you beat me to it!

When I was single and lazier about cooking, I would frequent the Brown's a few blocks from my house on a regular basis. I think their chicken is very good for a fried chicken chain, but the real reason I love Brown's is those mushrooms. In fact, sometimes I would just order a pound of mushrooms for dinner.

I haven't been to Brown's in a couple of years now, but there is one near the house. I see a mushroom run in my immediate future. . .

Suzy

Had no idea they had mushrooms! If they were on the menu way back when, I don't think I ever ordered them. I'll have to try them out once it opens.

Browns' chicken's benefits aren't so much for better breading, but in the chicken itself. Popeye's has alway served a rather scrawny chicken.

That being said, there are few (if any?) Browns outlets that serve the spicy variety anymore, so an occasional spicy Popeye's meal is nice.

On the side dish front: Browns 'shrooms are indeed terrific. They used to have an orange-colored cole slaw that I liked a lot (tasted pretty much like Kraft french dressing), but I haven't seen that in years.

On the other hand, Popeye's dirty rice is always tasty, and their onion rings (not available at all outlets -- some have 'petals' which are not very good) are tasty, wide rings with a spicy batter, usually prepared fresh because they're not ordered often.

Now, go find "Dirty, Dirty Rice" by Timbuk3 and play it over and over (available on "Edge of Allegiance" and the live album, "Espace Ornano")

Our congregation feeds a soup kitchen once a month. While people initially put in a great deal of effort cooking up home made stuff, we eventually found that Brown's chicken was the most appreciated item we could bring.

Nothing wrong with Brown's at all. When wife & I were just married, the Brown's near the house was a regular stop. I think it's still there on the corner of Oakton & Crawford in Skokie. The chicken was always solid (and yes I dug the 'orange' cole slaw) but the mushrooms are the best I've tasted and for good measure we'd order a side of fried gizzards. Chewy but what taste!

I think a couple of them gizzards are still lodged in an artery of mine...

jnm123 wrote:...and for good measure we'd order a side of fried gizzards. Chewy but what taste!

I think a couple of them gizzards are still lodged in an artery of mine...

whoa! They have fried gizzards! It just keeps getting better! I just hope it's not a location-specific menu item.

viaChgo wrote:whoa! They have fried gizzards! It just keeps getting better! I just hope it's not a location-specific menu item.

I believe gizzards are a standard menu item at Brown's.

The fried gizzards are the whole point of going to Brown's, just terrific!! For a bit of trivia the original store was called Farmer Brown's and was located on Harlem just south of 79th Street. He was actually a chicken farmer who decided he wasn't getting the right price for his chickens and opened a fried chicken stand.

The other interesting thing is Brown's "whole" chicken is 8 pieces, compared to KFCs and (I think) Popeyes "whole" chicken of 10 pieces. Let's count the parts of the chicken....2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breasts....makes 8 in my book. The Browns birds are meatier; just larger in size. Like what you would buy at the store if you were buying chicken.

Mushrooms with gravy to dip in.....MMMMMMMM.

Browns does taste better! Homemade still the bestest!

viaChgo wrote:whoa! They have fried gizzards! It just keeps getting better! I just hope it's not a location-specific menu item.

They've had fried gizzards and livers at every Brown's I've ever been to, although I haven't been to one in a few years.

When I used to take my grandmother grocery shopping on the weekends, every now and then she'd want Brown's for lunch--No chicken. Just livers, gizzards, and mushrooms. Those were some good lunches.

Best,
Michael

I was at the Cass Ave, Westmont location quite a while ago, and they not only had livers and gizzards, but hearts, as well. This was posted on a hand-written sign, so they may not always have the gizzards and hearts.

I used to frequent the Belmont Ave, Downers Grove location, and preferred the chicken and livers from there. Unfortunately, they closed that one after Portillo bought the chain.

'Tried the York Rd, Elmhurst Brown's not long ago, and was disappointed with the chicken. It wasn't as crispy/crunchy as it used to be at the Belmont Brown's. I'm not sure the chicken/batter quality is as good and as uniform across locations since the Portillo acquisiton. They now have Italian Beef, Hot Dogs,Burgers and other stuff. Maybe it was better when they concentrated more on the chicken/pasta thing.

If you want really cheap fried chicken, the Lisle Jewel has 8pcs for $5.99 (used to be $4.99). Bobak's has it even cheaper, when on sale... something like $3.99... but it tastes like it may have been brined... quite salty.

=gordon=

gordon_k wrote:...Portillo bought the chain.

The Mount Prospect location has a disclaimer that the Portillo that owns Brown's is not affiliated with Portillo's hot dogs, despite the fact that they now carry Vienna hot dogs.

Haven't tried a dog there yet. Anybody know if they have the radioactive relish?

JoelF wrote:

gordon_k wrote:...Portillo bought the chain.

The Mount Prospect location has a disclaimer that the Portillo that owns Brown's is not affiliated with Portillo's hot dogs, despite the fact that they now carry Vienna hot dogs.

Maybe not professionally affiliated, but I swear Dick Portillo, of Portillo's, and Frank Portillo, of Brown's, are brothers.

When I was a youg'un my father used to drive from Hillside to what I believe was the original Brown's on Harlem Ave & Roosivelt in Forest Park. This was pre Portillo and was outstanding Chicken Mushrooms and gizzards. This was considered a major treat.

gleam wrote:

JoelF wrote:

gordon_k wrote:...Portillo bought the chain.

The Mount Prospect location has a disclaimer that the Portillo that owns Brown's is not affiliated with Portillo's hot dogs, despite the fact that they now carry Vienna hot dogs.

Maybe not professionally affiliated, but I swear Dick Portillo, of Portillo's, and Frank Portillo, of Brown's, are brothers.

I'm not sure if they're brothers (they may be cousins or uncle/nephew), but they are definately related.

There's some signage in their Highland Park store which indicates that they are brothers.

I don't like Brown's as much as Popeyes but it's a lot closer to my house and it's a fairly decent consolation prize. We usually go to their web site and print a few coupons before heading over.

=R=

The York Rd, Elmhurst location, likewise had signage regarding the Portillos.
My recollection is that it said they were brothers, and that the two businesses were separate entities.

An especially missed feature of the erstwhile Belmont Rd, Downers Grove store, was the leftover orders of refrigerated cold chicken they sold for half price. I'd put them on a wire rack over a pan (to catch the drippings), and heat in a 350-degree oven, watching to be sure I didn't 'over crisp' them.

=gordon=

The "purists" in hiding must be having fits reading all of this talk of a place such as Brown's. Somebody, make a GNR "chain-wide" nomination! Good chicken, nice operation . . . I haven't eaten at Brown's in several years, but thanks for raising the topic.

I hope this isn't too far afield of the topic: Late one afternoon in 1979, having recently opened an advertising jingle house on Michigan Avenue, we received a frantic phone call from Weber, Cohn and Riley, an ad agency in the neighborhood. It seems they were presenting a new campaign the next morning to Brown's Chicken, and none of the jingle demos they had received from several New York music houses were even remotely usable. Could we come up with something in time?

One look at their lyrics told the story. You just can't make a song out of phrases like "farm-fresh eggs" and Grade-A chickens." So, we took out the blue pencil, started cutting, and minutes later all that was left was "It Tastes Better" and "That's The Thing About Brown's." I played and sang a little dixieland-style ditty into our mono tape recorder, sent it over and, having no choice, they presented it. Within a couple of weeks, everybody in Chicago was singing the song and, twenty-five years later, people still know, "bum bum ba dum--It Tastes Better!"

Paul SL wrote:I hope this isn't too far afield of the topic

Hardly, it was a great gift! I love knowing the story behind the story.

Happy Hanukah!

Regards,

Weber, Cohn and Riley

Wow, a voice from the past. I managed a large sports facility at the end of the 70's and beginning of the '80's and our agency was Weber, Cohn and Riley. We had them put us in contact with a jingle group (maybe Paul's). I remember talk of the Brown's Chicken jingle when they were pitching us for the work.

Paul Libman of Imagineers! Hi Paul!

Signed,

Fellow Old Ad Guy

The Brown's chicken finally opened a couple of weeks ago and I had the opportunity to try it out. I ordered leg/thigh combo w/biscuit and coleslaw, fried chicked livers, and fried mushrooms.

The chicken was very good fast food fried chicken. I'd have no problems getting my fried chicken fix from Brown's.

The livers were dry and overcooked. I was disappointed but will give them another shot. I'd like to try the gizzards as well. I wish they would sell a liver/gizzard combo.

The mushrooms were awesome! I didn't realize a fried mushroom could be that good. Maybe my expectations were lowered by the usual fried mushroom variety found at your average bar, etc.

Brown's is (or should I say was, as deep fried is now out of my diet) the local fast food fried chicken choice of this southern boy. It is one of the few chicken places that I prefer dark meat pieces over white. the portions are much larger than Popeyes and sucks much less than KFC. I actually kind of like the cole slaw as well as those weird biscuits they serve.

Guess I will have to try Brown’s as I never have. Used to like Popeye’s, a lot, but because of health concerns have been avoiding them for about 7 or so years. Visited them this Month, because of the people I was with, and wow. I was greatly disappointed. The spice was not there and the meat was almost nonexistent. Each piece had waaaay too much breading and not very much meat. Either they’ve changed or my memory has, or both.

Don’t plan on going again.

R.

when i want "natural" tasting fried chicken, i go to brown's. i think it's pretty similar to Church's chicken.

when I want spicy chicken, it's popeyes. when there's nothing else, i'll go to KFC.

and the mushrooms are very good.

Last year Brown's did a special mini-beef sandwich promotion. They were really good! However when I went back a few months later and ordered a full size beef after the promotion it was horrible. I think if they sold more beef, hot dogs, etc the takeout would be fresher and tastier. The ole catch 22 for now I guess though.