TheJesster wrote:Is this place going to become a patio destination similar to Big Star? Beautiful people hanging out all day getting drunk? Or is it more of a go, eat, and leave type of patio?

I would say no. At Big Star I feel like there's a 2 hour wait no matter what time I try to go (and have therefore never eaten there...only had drinks. ). I've seen the Parson's patio crowded, but it's much more laid back, the tables are nicely spaced out so people aren't on top of each other, much more of a rag-tag crowd, and much easier to get a table.

I've had the fried chicken, hush puppies, and funnel cake. The chicken was delicious the next day...I wasn't really into it when it was served to me. It was slightly over-done. Hush puppies were delicious and the funnel cake was funnel cake.

The negroni slushies are strong and a bit on the bitter side, which is good. However, like the poster above, I find myself going back for the Micheladas.

curious to see what Parson was pumping out of their kitchen I paid a visit this past Friday afternoon. Baked in the afternoon heat while sipping Hams and whiskey.

tried (2) pieces of their fried chicken a'la cart - not a bad deal for $5. Chicken was good, a nice batter crust. The meat, just ok - juicy but heavily brined.. Id give the fried chicken a C+.:



Been eating quite alot of fried fish and fish sandwiches this summer, alot of perch, but some salt water items as well. Parsons was serving Pollock, I went with the fish sandwich, no cheese and no hot sauce. I said yes to the salw and pickles. Batter on the fish was a tad salty, fish was just ok compared to some of the fish I have had lately.



I dont know, I wont be rushing back, I liked the cheap beer & whiskey and the chicken was ok, but when I am coming into Chicago fried chicken is one of the last food items on my mind. Glad I tried Parsons though.

Parson's is serving lunch now and they have a (very) slightly different menu than for dinner. The difference is a rotating sandwich special and a fried chicken sandwich available only at lunch. Today's (this week's?) special was a smoked pollock salad sandwich on pumpernickel with arugula and pickled peppers. It was very delicious.

The fried chicken sandwich consisted of "Fried Amish Chicken, House Made Coleslaw, American Cheese, Hot Sauce, North Star Pickles." It was amazing; probably the best thing I've eaten at Parson's, yet. All the sandwich ingredients synergized to make a sum greater than the parts. I definitely plan to return ASAP to eat some more of that sandwich.

We also had a spicy tomato soup with hominy and pork belly that was very nice on this cold day and reminiscent of pozole.

Also, the negroni slushies are $5 at lunch!

fropones wrote:Also, the negroni slushies are $5 at lunch!

Burying the lede, my friend.

Parson's has become one of my favorite spots. I just find it to be a very fun and welcoming place, where the food and beverage are both outstanding. I stopped in recently for lunch and the experience was, once again, terrific -- exactly what I've come to expect from it . . .


Michelada
My favorite rendition in the city.



Negroni Slushie
As mentioned above, these are $5 at lunch. I believe my wife had 2.



Pimento Cheese Toast
This and a couple other items were sent out for us by the kitchen. I was really glad we got to try this. On my early visits, it was not one of my favorite items. But it's been tweaked and I thought the flavors and textures were just about perfect.



Jambalaya Arancini
This is a newer item and I really enjoyed it. Not only was the texture perfect, you could also really taste the jambalaya elements, especially shrimp.



Hush Puppies
Solid, as always.



Grilled Chicken
I'd not had this item before but I thought it was really nice. It had great flavor and was cooked perfectly, with crispy skin and ultra-moist meat.



Fried Chicken
The main event. One of my very favorite renditions in town. I love the hard fry they put on this bird, as well as the distinctive flavor of the crust.

I'd forgotten they were open for lunch, so thanks, fropones, for the heads up. If I carry this out for my office lunch, my co-workers will probably write songs about me.

=R=

Just ate here with a few adults and young kids. Really enjoyed the food and the service and loved how accommodating the the manager (owner?) was to help our group get a table. We sampled the hush puppies, which had an excellent somewhat spicey dipping sauce, as well as a pimento toast appetizer, which was delicious. Really liked the fried fish -- extremely light and piping hot and also enjoyed the fried chicken. The fried chicken is a different preparation-- coating is very thick and well-fried with a bit of a kick and meat was awfully juicy. It was very good, though I probably prefer a "White Fence Farm" style if I were solely in a fried chicken mood-- but I'd definitely return here to sample a bunch of things, chicken included . My favorite item had to be the fish sandwich, which was served piping hot with a slaw and some amazing pickles and hot sauce. This item definitely had some spice to it, which made it all the better. Fantastic!

Very nice lunch today. Half fried chicken, fried fish, coleslaw and navy bean soup. The chicken was excellent with a wonderful crunchy crust covering juicy chicken, augmented by the habenero sauce in a squeeze bottle. The fish was also fine with a deloicately crunchy exterior.

The wife and I had a great Lunch here Saturday afternoon. 2 piece fried chicken, 3 piece fried fish, Jambalaya arancini, Pimento Cheese toasts, slaw and butter beans rounded out a fun afternoon. We had all this a couple drinks each and out the door for $55 before tip. They were finishing brunch which is available from 9-3. The regular menu is also available during this time. Shrimp and grits as well as the corncakes with shredded pork and fried egg looked worth another visit to try those. Service super friendly. We had a great time and can't wait to return.

Am i missing something? (actually I think I know the answer, the cocktails) Last night had one of the most overpriced blah meals in a long time. I have waited for the hype to die down on this place and honey butter for a while now. Traffic was slow so we chose Parsons as it was closer. Two of us split a whole fried chicken, an order of hush puppies and an order of some kind of fritter. Nothing was bad, but nothing wowed me at all. Chicken kind of hard and slightly overcooked, decent bland flavor (actually, it seemed better cold for lunch this afternoon, we had two pieces left over). The two fried "bread" add ons were both OK but they did not seem to be enhanced by any of the special ingredients listed on the menu. No veg no potato no dessert two six ounce glasses of soda came to $60 with tip. Not a ridiculous price but nothing was really great. Is this a hipster emperor with no clothes situation. As long as a place has a good selection of craft beers, infusions for a cocktail program and old timey food we are all supposed to love it.

Hipsters I love you, get a group to rent a zip car or van on Saturday and drive to Ladd for Rips chicken. See what really good fried chicken tastes like. After car and fuel costs you will still be ahead of the game, Bring some back for your pals just like Johnny Chickenseed.

babaluch wrote:
Hipsters I love you, get a group to rent a zip car or van on Saturday and drive to Ladd for Rips chicken. See what really good fried chicken tastes like. After car and fuel costs you will still be ahead of the game, Bring some back for your pals just like Johnny Chickenseed.

Johnny chickenseed...... Funniest thing I have read in a while.

For me, Parson's has it backwards: you should have to wait an hour inside with the tiny picnic snacks as a courtesy, in order to then be seated in the bitchin' beer garden with the wonderful drink menu.

As it stands, the dour, brow-knitted concern of "I'm sorry, it'll be 90 minutes for food" is totally undermined by the "so wait in this comfortable picnic table full of beautiful people with no lines for awesome cocktails and beer." At least for summertime, they are guaranteeing the food to be anti-climactic, and it really is, in my experiences.

Both the signature hard-fried chicken (two pieces for $6 with no sides) and the "Parson's hot" ($2 more for bread, pickles, and cayenne) are admirably tasty and pretty insubstantial, and not easily configured with sides to make a filling meal for under $20. While appreciating their craft, I was more surprisingly delighted by a recent three-piece Popeye's Waffle Chicken Tenders. Slaw, beans, and salads were very simple, homestyle, and dear. Scratch table hot sauces haven't done anything for me. I'm craving a Troha's or Mini Hut chaser soon.

The garden is everything right - great service, good layout with tables and benches, shade and sunshine, umbrellas, set back from the street, and very reasonably priced and justly-praised drinks like the slush and michelada. I know I could go there just to drink without pretense, but next time I might just reinforce with a Kow Kow eggroll trick, put in the reservation for food, enjoy a cocktail, and then pretend I've been called somewhere tremendously important before ordering the main course.

Just got back from a quick lunch at Parson's. Excellent, friendly, attentive service. I'd echo others in saying that the food is good, not great. The chicken sandwich was juicy, but the combination of the breading and the brioche-like bun came off as a bit too greasy (I point the finger at the bun, I think it detracts from the sandwich). Salt cod fritters and cole slaw ok.

Let's put it this way: I'm sure I'll go back to Parson's, but if someone in the party is in the mood for a chicken sandwich, I'd suggest Analogue.

The special Parsons Hot Chicken Sandwich, that they're running through the end of February, is absolutely destination-worthy. It's a crispy boneless breast (prepped in the Parsons Hot style), topped with slaw, American cheese, aioli, pickles and house hot sauce.


Parsons Hot Chicken Sandwich (lousy cell phone pic)

The Loaded Hash Browns (bacon, griddled onions, american cheese, creme fraiche, scallions, house hot sauce) were no slouch either.

Along with a Michelada, this was a damned fine, indulgent lunch.

=R=

I'm glad to see a place dare to use American cheese.

MACGA

mclarksox wrote:I'm glad to see a place dare to use American cheese.

I believe there is now an executive order mandating this.

cilantro wrote:MACGA

LMAO!

mclarksox wrote:I'm glad to see a place dare to use American cheese.

It was a righteous choice and really set the tone for the entire sandwich, which was decidedly munchable.

=R=

mclarksox wrote:I'm glad to see a place dare to use American cheese.

It seems like a lot of fancy pants places are putting American cheese on burgers. It may be the new hotness (or if I've noticed it, clearly it's last week's hotness)

leek wrote:

mclarksox wrote:I'm glad to see a place dare to use American cheese.

It seems like a lot of fancy pants places are putting American cheese on burgers. It may be the new hotness (or if I've noticed it, clearly it's last week's hotness)

Sorry to derail the thread, but I prefer American cheese (or similarly mild on a burger). I find that a lot of cheeses, and a lot of toppings, mask the flavor of the beef, and it's the juicy, rich beef flavor I really want.

ronnie_suburban wrote:The special Parsons Hot Chicken Sandwich, that they're running through the end of February, is absolutely destination-worthy. It's a crispy boneless breast (prepped in the Parsons Hot style), topped with slaw, American cheese, aioli, pickles and house hot sauce.

it was indeed a very tasty sandwich, I'd like to go back and try the fried chicken dinner.

leek wrote:

mclarksox wrote:I'm glad to see a place dare to use American cheese.

It seems like a lot of fancy pants places are putting American cheese on burgers. It may be the new hotness (or if I've noticed it, clearly it's last week's hotness)

I think that a lot of people are getting a bit sick of everywhere only serving "10 oz triple patty burger topped with creme fraiche, 7000 year aged bacon and arugula $16" and a handful of places are capitalizing on it and going with the thin patties and american cheese that has been tried and true and not only is impossible to do wrong but incredibly easy to elevate.

The worst burger I've had in a long time was topped with pulled pork, fancy cheese and I think chili and bacon but the beef tasted awful and nothing worked with each other.

I just hope someone starts serving curly fries.

We may have been pushing the season (it was maybe 50F outside) but we ate on the Parson's Patio on Sunday afternoon and had a grand time. Except for the grilled chicken, which was undercooked, everything we had was great (and the grilled chicken was good, just not as good as it could have been). The Parson's hot is my new favorite. I'm already a huge fan of the hard & crunchy coating on their fried chicken, which I know a lot of people don't like. Good times in the sunshine day drinking

Rumors are Parson's may be opening up another location on Halsted, near Fullerton. Working on confirming, but that would be huge.

Edit:
Confirmed - https://chicago.eater.com/2017/7/28/160 ... rk-chicago

Lincoln Park is Officially Getting a Parson’s Chicken & Fish

https://chicago.eater.com/2017/9/15/163 ... loor-intel

Sweet Willie wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:The special Parsons Hot Chicken Sandwich, that they're running through the end of February, is absolutely destination-worthy. It's a crispy boneless breast (prepped in the Parsons Hot style), topped with slaw, American cheese, aioli, pickles and house hot sauce.

it was indeed a very tasty sandwich, I'd like to go back and try the fried chicken dinner.

I was just here this evening and it still is indeed a tasty sandwich and actually better than I remembered, chicken thigh had amazing flavor and was cooked perfectly. Sandwich is now on the menu, must be popular.

For folks craving insane heat, they offer a very amped up version.

Speaking of locations, Parsons is looking at a Nashville TN location.

Edited to add: they now serve raw oysters, the VA oysters served were on point, well shucked with lots of liquor still present. Didn't dig the citrus mignonette, orange flavor was overpowering.

Sweet Willie wrote:Speaking of locations, Parsons is looking at a Nashville TN location.

This project is well underway . . .

nashvillepost.com wrote:Work on the future space of Parson's Chicken & Fish in the May Hosiery Co-Op complex in Wedgewood-Houston has taken a step forward with the issuing of a major permit.

Valued at $1.05 million, the permit will allow the renovation of one of the complex’s industrial buildings. The address is 425 Chestnut St.

Nashville-based Concord Building Group is the general contractor.

Land & Sea Dept. has enlisted Nashville-based architecture firm DAAD Group to handle the interior design. Including outdoor seating, the space will be able to accommodate about 200 patrons.

Chicago-based Land & Sea Dept., the parent of Parson's Chicken & Fish, was hoping to have had the restaurant open by the end of 2017.

Parson's Chicken & Fish specializes in street food and soul food, primarily fried chicken and fish. The eatery has its Parson's Beer (pictured) brewed by Chicago-based Revolution Brewing.

The Food Biz: Work underway on WeHo chicken joint

=R=

Parson’s Chicken & Fish will open its Lincoln Park location on Tuesday night at 2435-39 N. Halsted Street.

https://chicago.eater.com/2018/12/17/18 ... -sea-patio

Parson’s Chicken & Fish Expanding Into Andersonville, With Plans For Spring Opening

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/11/06 ... g-opening/

Dave148 wrote:

Parson’s Chicken & Fish Expanding Into Andersonville, With Plans For Spring Opening

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/11/06 ... g-opening/

The Andersonville neighborhood Facebook group has been all over this. The worst part was that they painted over the beautiful mural on the patio that Stone Fox had commissioned.