Excellent chicken. .been coming here since 1986 can be a litte greasy but we don't eat all the skin anyway. , not good for you. .its less salty than KFC ..Fast service. .nicely wrapped to keep hot in a box and brown paper. . Corn fritters can be very good when they're fresh. . Sometimes they cook ahead and then re fry them. .not so good when you know how good they can be. . Fries a litte soft... more

I'll always have a soft spot for Chicken on the way. Not the best chicken in the city but the price, the amount of food, and the corn fritter can't be beat. The kensignton location is a calgary institution!

This is a busy place that's always a good sign.
The wait to get my food was about 10 mins for fresh batch.
The chicken was seemed really dark, like it was over fried crispy and dry.
It was way too greasy for my taste.
I was little disappointed as I was see so many good reviews. Are they having an off day or is the chicken always fried really crispy?
I rate fried chicken that's well fried but... more

We love chicken on the way. The chicken is piping hot, very fresh and very very juicy. The fries are amazing. The fritters a re unique and good. The fish is same as the chicken, out of this world. Only drawback is its pretty greasy, but of course it's deep fried, battered food so what do you expect? Once in a while, especially after a long bike ride or hike, it's not a game changer, and you... more

My dad tells me stories of COTW from when he was a little boy and how he's get commissioned to get food for a neighbor and was given a piece of chicken as payment on a semi-regular basis. As a firm believe that things were better in the old days, he still loves Chicken-on-the-way because it's the same place 50+ years later. That being said it was a bit of a fixture in my childhood too because... more

So.... What's the hype? Over salty and overcooked fried chicken? My chicken was not that good at all.... Where are the spices? Smallest drumstick in the world too, what gives? I did enjoy the gravy and corn fritter but that's kind of sad when I enjoyed those more than the chicken. Fries? Oily and soggy. Unless this was a one off experience I don't see how anyone can enjoy this chicken if you've... more

Went there at 10 o'clock on a Tuesday night chicken was fresh, delicious, muffin things were outstanding, and the fries were great to o everything great

Fried chicken is my second love (next to bacon of course!) so whenever I have the opportunity to indulge in fast food I always opt for deep fried poultry.

This location is the original Chicken on the Way (I've noticed a few have cropped up in different quadrants of the city) and although it's not actually "on the way" for me, I'll still go the distance to come here.

Set up cafeteria style,... more

I little expensive for the quality but great taste. The fries are okey. Crunchy and delicious.

Hole in the wall, you will love the food

Passed by this place and had a craving for fried chicken. This place would be something you will see on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. I would say its in between a Drive in and a dive. Simple, no frills, just good fried chicken is what they serve best. There is no place to dine here as its take out... more

Finding put about this place is probably the best thing to come out of a lousy date in awhile. I was told they had the best fried chicken in town, and although I haven't tried any other in town, it was a very good. Just enough crunch to meat ratio, and without all the traditional fast food grease.

I ordered one chicken breast, two chicken strips, and three corn fritters for only $8.85 post... more

I Dream about this Chicken

If you are looking for a deep fried chicken meal, then this is the only place to go. I rarely succumb to this type of food, but I dream about Chicken on the Way deep fried chicken and occasionally give in to temptation because it is by far the best you will find anywhere. The corn fritters are also worth... more

Placed an order Friday 20th at10:30am for a 12:00pm delivery. Didn't arrive until 12:45. This was ordered for a birthday celebration at work and there was only 15 minutes remaining in the lunch break to eat. Disappointing.

The Kensington kings of fried chicken for over 50 years!

Driving home hungry, I see the bright yellow sign on the corner of 14th St and Kensington proudly displaying in crooked lettering "5 pce Hungry Man Dinner $10!" Try as I might, I couldn't find a suitable argument to counter the suggestion. Ok Chicken on the Way, you win this round, it's gonna be a stuff my face with fried chicken kind of... more

Fast lunch

Fast service tasty food good location close to downtown easy to find valking distance from downtown during lunch time little bit busy

Classic chicken

Great fried chicken and fries but not much more on the menu. Next to trendy shopping district. It's a classic treat. Take out only

Amazing Fried Chicken

This place has been around for as long as I can remember, and it's family run apparently. If you like fried chicken this is the best in town! It's all to go, and you have to wait 10 min to get the food, but worth it.

Worst food poisoning I have ever had. Apathetic b@!%h of a so called manager could nt bother to apologize. I hope it burns down... more

Great fried chicken

Consistantly good fried chicken - usually large and moist/tender pieces, but not always so.
Good serving of fries with your order and try the fritters - honey water dipped and not something common in Alberta.
This is the original location - they have started to franchise out into other places in Calgary.

The perfect place to grab a snack to share for a trip to Riley park. Don't forget corn fritters and honey! Reminds me of being a kid again!

Listen to the reviews:

Get the corn fritters. Delicious. Fresh and hot and crispy on the outside.

And beware of the bland chicken. It's really bland. Even though the crust is good and the chicken is totally fresh and hot. Might want to go home and open up a few bottles of dipping sauces!

Service is excellent. Super duper friendly staff, super helpful too.

The chicken really isn't my style.... more

A great spot for fried chicken, this place had constant traffic inside the small stand up order line which can only mean delicious food. Excited I ordered the bonus , 3 prices, fritters and gravy for $8.50.

This place smelt good and the food was heart stopping.

Feel Good Chicken

This take out establishment serves some of the area's finest comfort food. Not to much on the outside of the place but the chicken is good!. Too bad they were closed for renovations last time I was through the area. Make sure you try the fritters for a tasty treat!

Classic Fried Chicken and Aggressive Panhandlers in the Parking Lot (Several Times

Hello, dear Tripadvisor Friends!
Food is always consistent (classic fried chicken- we get the Hungryman dinners). They need security in their parking lot, as we have had to brace ourselves to ignore/deal with aggressive panhandlers. This has happened several times. We let the staff know this last time, and they said they'd deal with it.
We don't need people shouting... more

Finally tried Chicken On The Way after a late night driving around and looking for something to fill our bellies. I couldn't believe how busy it was. By the time we got home, the fries were kinda soggy and I wasn't amazed. The chicken was hot, tasty, and CRISPY (which I love), but it lacked seasoning and to be honest I found it a little bland. As much as it kills me to say it, I still prefer... more

i love fried chicken, and i love COTW. It's a dirty, late night secret kinda place- like i want to order some chicken and eat it alone in the dark so I don't have to share, or be embarrassed that I ate like, half a chicken just now...

It is crispy, and always juicy inside (not greasy, juicy and moist!) The pieces are bigger than other chains- especially the breast which is actually a whole... more

Fried chicken is one of those things that contains every necessary element in really good comfort food. I love the experience of biting into a piece of freshly fried chicken, the sound and feel of the crispy skin, yielding its savoury bounty of tender, juicy meat with the perfect proportion of fat to lean. It's heavenly and soul warming.

That said, there are not a lot of places to get good... more

This place really is quite decent. It's not 5 star fried chicken. It's simply the only fried chicken joint in calgary. And it's been around a while, so people start deducing that it is therefore the best. Which is silly.

If you've ever had fried chickin in the USA and then you come to C O W, you may concur that this place is missing something. You got a place like Frenchy's, and it's delicious... more

A Calgary classic.

There is just something about this place, it seems to come pre-ordained with nostalgic feelings of warm summer days and memories of gatherings with family and friends. And the "cock" related jokes never seem to get old.

Take away from chicken on the way is ideal for picnics and back yard gatherings.The eats are good, and you can beat local farm fresh chicken - which makes... more

This was NOT my meal but I tried this beautiful 3 piece meal, every part of it - fried chicken, fries and coleslaw, not to mention a little fritter that was thrown in.
I try to watch what I eat and fried chicken is not my thing but it is M's thing so in we went and he zipped through the line inside this funky take-out chicken place while I waited in the car. Fast service and he said his 3 piece... more

Okay so this isn't a review, a remembrance of times past ( during university a million years ago, graduated in 1990), a roommate worked at COTW and brought food home every night - my mouth is drooling thinking of the corn fritters dipped in honey and the gorgeously crisp fried chicken that KFC could never hold a candle to (and nothing ever tastes better than free food). Since then have only... more

Chicken on the way is located in the corner of Kensington Road NW, you really can't miss it!! I must admit, I have these weird cravings. I've been craving some crispy greasy chicken alot lately and I've driven past Chicken on the way multiple times but when I first mentioned Chicken on the way to Spence, his response was "Yuck!" So after a while I kept avoiding it and avoiding it, not thinking... more

Yes. Time for the Yardbird suite.
Try to go when it's busy. Most defintely fresh times! Great yardbird, top fries -- although it should be noted that a friend of mine notices CoW has been using potatoes with a higher sugar content recently, they black up as a result -- Which I prefer personally. Gravy tastes like chicken gravy. Really good chicken gravy. Well worth the trip. Go with bulk chuck... more

This place is, how shall we say! um not good, but not bad.

I have had better this is true, but i have also had worse the crazy part is THIS WAS AT THE SAME DARN PLACE.

I'm not sure what goes on in this place, interms of consistancy.
First time i went here was with a few friends and the food was AMAZING. The chicken was cooked perfect, The fries were bloody great, the little ball things, were... more

I've lost count of how many times I've been to Chicken on the Way. It's the best fried chicken I think I've ever had. Seriously. I don't know how they do it but it's worth the trip across the city. And their corn fritters are amazing too.

It's a tiny little place and when it gets busy, look out. The line will be out the door and the parking lot a hopping. The counter staff is always friendly... more

There are actually plenty of good things going on here -- the service was friendly and fast, the price was right, and I enjoyed the fries quite a lot. But none of that made up for the chicken, which I found a bit bland and too crispy.

I'm glad that this place is around and that a lot of people love it, but the two star Yelp text of "Meh. I've experienced better" really fits for me.

In KFC if I wanted dark meat, the price is the same, no special ordering that costs extra and whatever mumbo-jumbo is involved in the pricing.

When I ordered @ chicken on the way it costs 5 dollars more for 8 pieces of dark meat versus the combo deal which gave random pieces of meat. In truth I wasn't even that hungry!?

Their corn fritters are good but not a big fan of their gravy, I honestly... more

It makes me sad when Calgarians don't recognize the gift they have in a classic establishment like Chicken on the Way.

Being a "transplant" to this city myself, I remain impressed by Chicken on the Way's classic fried fare.

The chicken is juicy and moist, while the skin is pleasantly crispy and flavourful. The fries are decent and the Corn Fritters are absolutely to die for.
No joke.
If I was... more

Although I dont eat meat, my friends wanted to stop in to pick up some stuff and I thought I would get some fries. I loved the kitch of this place. When looking around, it becomes obvious that little has changed here in the many years they have been open. I guess that is the appeal of a place like this. It is consistent. Good or bad, like it or hate it, it likely hasnt changed much at all.
When... more

I've come to realize that my enjoyment of Chicken-On-The-Way is directly correlated to my level of inebriation - the drunker I am, the more delicious it tastes!
That's not a sterling endorsement, I realize, as the person who's judgement improves with intoxication is a rare bird indeed!
Chicken-On-The-Way serves up a somewhat greasy, fully cooked bird, fortunately. In the sober, harsh light of... more

Best chicken next to Swiss Chalet. Always get the hungry man, their corn fritters are reaalllllyyy good. Quick and Fast. Would love some right now.

I love Chicken On The Way and upon frequently driving my better half from my home in Mission to Kincora it literally is just that. I am surprised at comments made by other yelpers because I find the chicken here grease free, in fact it tastes fresh and tender and crispy. Not cholesterol free! I ain't no fool! But I certainly don't have to use half a tree in serviettes to wipe the grease like... more

Yeah, food from Chicken on the Way is not great, but it's cheap and it's good for soaking up excess beer in your stomach.

The greasiest fried chicken you will ever eat. Perfect to pick up a box for a beer night with your friends, or if you're nursing a hangover. The best part for me is always the corn fritters (there are actual kernels of corn in them... who knew?). Keep in mind, this is not meant to be gourmet stuff. This is another one of those "Calgary experiences".

I always kind of wonder though... what kind... more

This is the kind of place where you wonder when the last time they changed the oil. This place has been around before KFC came to Calgary and will probably still be there after KFC is long gone. This is great drunk food!

All I have to say is that have I known that there was going to be a huge- grotesque chicken statue guarding the store, I would have picked KFC over it. My appetite never returned since...

As for the fried chicken, I agree with the fellow yelpers that it was greasy. In addition, it smelled a bit 'raw-chickeny' for me (I know there is no such word but no other word can sufficiently describe what... more

Years and years ago, I once manned a full-blown chicken joint that brought in every manner of person to gobble down the greased chicken pieces. It was really more of a convenience store that sold chicken, but the people went nuts for that s@!t. It baffled the mind. The slogan I came up with for it was this: "There are hundreds of places to get chicken in this town; this place is one of them".
... more

This place really creeps me out. Actually, it creeps me out hardcore. You can get a decent meal here for under seven bucks. Well...it's not decent. Truthfully, it's not very good. The chicken is mealy and as greasy as a majority of their chicken chomping customers.

The place is a landmark though and I find myself constantly using as a landmark when directing people around the city. The fries... more

My friend totally got me hooked on Chicken On The Way. I'm not actually a huge fan of their chicken; I think the flavour is just okay, but nothing special. Other people must really like it though, because there is a huge lineup every time I come here.

What keeps me stopping by here every time I visit Calgary is their corn fritters. These are so delicious. They are deep fried and have just a... more

This family run pick up chicken restaurant is THE BEST of its kind I have ever found (in several cities not just Calgary) I came out west in '67 and never before or since have I found a fried chicken outlet to compare. Their corn fritters are themselves worth the trip across the city. Hope they go on forever.

well the chicken is greasy but that is to be expected as it is deepfried, i found it was very good. as for the slowness and cold food i didnt notice that but i have only been there once

Not a happy camper with this establishment at all. Save your money and order from Kentucky Fried chicken instead, unless you like a big ball of grease build up in your belly!

Oh yes let the greese flow. Great food and nice tasting chicken!! If you are not on a diet of some sort! A must visit for anyone going to Calgary.

I've been going there since 1965, it's always the same, great deep fried chicken, chips and their famous corn fritters. When ever my friends come back to Calgary especially in the summer it's Chicken on the Way and Bowness Park for a picnic! I can still sing the jingle that was famous in the 60's.

Yes the chicken is greasy. It comes out of a deep fryer. For those of us who grew up in this neighborhood its like "home cookin". Every once in a while we gather for a chicken fix with a few beers and its like time stood still. If you first tried it in 1965 and went back yesterday - you would remember it well. Some things should never change and this is one of them. Kelli must have hit a bad... more

the chicken here is greasy....the food was clod and the service very very slow.......................would never go back..... more