I hadn’t been to LA Chicken in over 2 years, so when S wanted fried chicken, I thought it would be time to go for a revisit. LA Chicken is a hidden gem in Richmond, in a small complex off Cambie and No. 5 Road. You probably wouldn’t blindly walk into this shop unless you’ve heard about all the good stuff. Nothing is fancy about the exterior or interior. Old school menu board with ambiance that does not make you want to stay, but the fried chicken is probably the best in town. Run by a family, most people say LA Chicken is better than KFC or Church’s, and I have to agree.

We got the Dinner Combo for 2, which includes 6 pieces of fried chicken, a medium order of fries and gravy. You can choose between spicy or regular, or have a mix of each. We went for the regular and the skin was super crispy and the meat was moist. Tender and juicy in the inside, and crispy on the outside. It also wasn’t overly salty. However, 2 weeks later, we went for the same combo, and we found it to be overly salty. It seems to normally be less on the salty side, but I’m not sure what happened with that batch.

As for the fries, they were underwhelming. Fries weren’t crispy and they were well under-seasoned. Unless you use the gravy, the fries are pretty bland. The fries were just not good. Stick with the chicken and skip the fries. Gravy was alright, but I found it a little too salty.

Prices are a bit higher than your fried chicken chains, but it’s still reasonable. Service is also really friendly, but expect some waiting time since there are always line ups during dinner time. Get the chicken to go as the ambiance really isn’t that great. Parking is also a bit of a nightmare in that small complex, but you can park near the residential areas and take a short walk over.

Pros:
– Chicken is moist and crispy
– Service is very friendly

Cons:
– No ambiance whatsoever
– Always a line up

Price Range: $10-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 1
Parking: 3
Overall: 3