Poll-oh Boy! A Visit to Amigo Joe's Chicken

By Ian Froeb Tue., Feb. 15 2011 at 8:00 AM

Ian Froeb

It was sometime last summer when I first noticed the sign along Hampton Avenue advertising Amigo Joe's "American Fried Chicken" restaurant. Now, you rarely see "American" added to the name of a fried chicken joint. It's redundant. Here, though, it made sense: Amigo Joe's is a Mexican restaurant. Intrigued by the sign -- especially its cartoon chicken logo -- I made a note to return.

Yesterday, finally, I did.

Ian Froeb

Amigo Joe's Chicken is located next-door to its namesake restaurant. It's a single room, with chicken-related décor and a pleasant earth-tone color scheme. The menu is fried chicken and sides, period. The chicken is available as a two-, three- or four-piece meal, each with two sides and a biscuit, or in eight- or twelve-piece packages (with three sides and four biscuits).

The chicken is prepared in a pressure cooker. The batter is crisp, if a touch crumbly in spots, simply seasoned with salt and pepper and a hint of mild heat. The meat is moist and agreeably greasy. Overall, I'd rate the chicken fairly highly. Not as good as Porter's Fried Chicken, but better than such standbys as Hodak's.

The sides I tried, baked beans and corn, were decent. The beans' sauce was sweet but had enough of a tang to keep that sweetness from becoming cloying. The corn was standard-issue.

Amigo Joe's Chicken is open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Amigo Joe's Chicken
5901 Southwest Avenue
314-645-1995

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Amigo Joe's, Amigo Joe's Chicken, fried chicken, Southwest Gardens restaurants

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Tom L

Ian, try to go to King Edwards on Saturday. They have PoBoys then...ummmm, oysters...

Rich

This place sucked!!The sides looked and tasted as if they came off a hospital tray. The Chicken was some of the worst I've ever had. This review is a total joke!!! I think whoever wrote it is just trying to get a rise out of people by saying Hodak's isn't good.Oh look it's Ian Froeb. Surprise,surprise!The "Shock Critic". He just loves it when people dis-agree with him. He somehow equates this with some sort of talent he thinks he possesses.In other words he creates his own buzz.Pathetic!!!!!!

Indianadave81

Wang

IanFroeb

I bow to your use of exclamation points, Rich.

Mike N.

Ian, what do you think of King Edwards Chicken? I think it's pretty stellar stuff, although I wish they had a spicey version (they do keep Frank's Red Hot on the tables, so that helps.)

IanFroeb

This is one of those places that I've always meant to try but then never remember to visit when I have a spot in my schedule. I'll try to stop by soon and let you know what I think, Mike N.