New ‘Chicken Ranch’ Opening on North Main near Sunset Heights Will Serve Actual Fried Chicken

NEW ‘CHICKEN RANCH’ OPENING ON NORTH MAIN NEAR SUNSET HEIGHTS WILL SERVE ACTUAL FRIED CHICKEN Former Chicken Ranch, La Grange, TexasBut will it be home to the Best Little Drumsticks in Texas? Josh Martinez, the chef behind the Modular food truck and (until recently) Goro & Gun downtown, and partner Paul Sedillo plan to open an actual fried chicken joint in a not-yet-disclosed location on North Main St., Alison Cook reports. And they’ll be naming it in honor of the establishment of uh, musical repute first brought to widespread public attention back in 1973 by a series of teevee reports by then-new Channel 13 reporter Marvin Zindler, and again later by a Broadway musical and a follow-on movie starring Dolly Parton, Burt Reynolds, and Dom DeLuise. (Not to mention, separately, a haw-along tune by ZZ Top.) But unlike its historical namesake in La Grange (pictured at right in its glory days), the Chicken Ranch “on the fringe” of Sunset Heights won’t be renting out hosted rooms by the hour — it’ll be frying up chickens by the order, though the birds will be available in either regular or “spicy Louisiana-style” versions. Sedillo tells Cook he plans to install a black velvet painting of Zindler in the restaurant when it opens this fall. [Food Chronicles] Photo: Fayette Heritage Museum and Archives via The Signal

7 Comment

  • ‘Dolly’s Breast of Chicken’ will be a big hit.

  • I had heard a rumor at the East Sunset Heights Association meeting the other night that a restaurant being run by very reputable chefs was going to open in the old Blockbuster building at the corner of Cavalcade and N. Main. This may be the one.

  • Yeah, good luck competing with a little “chicken ranch” called …..Popeyes.

  • Babe’s does well in North Texas – this place could be similar if they do it right.

  • Also talk of someone reputable moving into the old Bellissimo on N Main. Fingers crossed for coffee or bagels… though prol unlikely.
    Once construction is done on N Main btw 20th and 610 it’ll be ideal for new businesses to move in. Where it will get tricky in a hurry is scarcity of parking spots.

  • Probably going in at the old Bellissimo’s. Heard a chicken place was renting the old restaurant and the electronics shop next door. Fried chicken and local beer sounds like a great combo. Can’t wait for the brewery to open too!

  • According to the permit on the door, THe Chicken Ranch will be moving into the old Bellissimo’s location…N. Main at E. 25th St.

    When the “Zelko moving” rumor came out, I’d hoped they;d be moving to the old BLockbuster.