I’m not sure how to emphasize how good the Plaza Inn‘s Fried Chicken is. Let me just say this: it is the best fried chicken I have ever eaten. (Yes, that includes Homecomin’, which is incredibly tasty as well.)
Fact: Plaza Inn’s Fried Chicken — literally — is the best.
Plaza Inn Sign
Plaza Inn is located on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., and its exterior is quintessentially Disney. So many great details on the awning and posts, not to mention the swirls of wrought iron on the sign.
Plaza Inn Entrance
Plaza Inn has both indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is dwarfed by the Matterhorn and the entrance to Tomorrowland in the background. It’s a cool juxtaposition that you can only find in a Disney Park.
Plaza Inn Outdoor Seating
Outdoor seating is beneath large, fancy umbrellas. Lots of delicate white chairs and tables dot the patio area, which has a relaxing vibe.
Plaza Inn Seating Area
Inside, you’ll find the Plaza Inn has a unique set-up. The restaurant is actually a buffet character spot for breakfast, so there are several stations designed to maximize the options of a buffet. For lunch and dinner, though, you visit specific stations to select specific items.
Plaza Inn Buffet/Ordering Area
But there’s really only one station that you need to visit: Chicken.
Plaza Inn CHICKEN!
Seriously. Chicken. But, hey, in case you just have to know about the other options, the menu provides insight. The Pot Roast is quite good, and I love a good Cobb Salad.
Plaza Inn Menu
But my heart only belongs to one meal. The menu highlights “distinctive herbs and spices,” and that’s totally the key to the addictive nature of this Fried Chicken. Specialty, indeed!
Plaza Inn Chicken Meal
I did want to try a couple of desserts as well because… Carrot Cake! AND Strawberry Shortcake!
Plaza Inn Yumminess
But first: golden brown, crispy, crunchy, salty, juicy Fried Chicken! Served with two classic comfort food side dishes: yummy Mashed Potatoes covered in gravy and tasty Green Beans. A Biscuit finishes off the plate, making this meal big enough for two.
Plaza Inn Chicken
Here’s a close-up on that unbelievable FRIED CHICKEN.
Plaza Inn Chicken: Just Gaze Lovingly for a Moment
This meal has well-earned its legendary status. Right up there with the Monte Cristo Sandwich at Cafe Orleans, it’s a tried-and-true Disneyland MUST-EAT.
Okay, phew. Moving on. Because I lurrrrrve Carrot Cake, and this is a good one! There’s a nice, thick layer of Cream Cheese Frosting on the top, plus decent layers of frosting in between layers of moist Carrot Cake. A duo of sauces frames the cake and provides a little extra tang.
Carrot Cake
The Strawberry Shortcake is also terrific. A moist and generous Pound Cake Round is sliced in half, filled with sweet Whipped Cream, and drenched in Strawberry Sauce (with tons of strawberry pieces!). A sprig of bright green Mint completes this really well-done, classic dessert! Note that this one is seasonal.
Strawberry Shortcake
The Plaza Inn is amazing (understatement!). The location can not be beat, and the the decor screams everything we love about Main Street, U.S.A. Plus, the food is phenomenal! So don’t miss it on your Disneyland trip!
Are you a Plaza Inn fan? Tell us about your favorite dishes in the comments below!
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This chicken is delicious! I’ve only been to Disneyland once but I had to try it and it was amazing. I wish they would bring this to WDW (where I visit more often); I’d line up to get it every trip.
The DLR is on my bucket list and that includes this fried chicken and a Monte Christo! I wish they’d get those sandwiches at WDW!
We agree with you – as great as Homecomin’ fried chicken is, Plaza Inn is just a little bit better. But not much. However, the best we ever tried was in Nashville at Uncle Budd’s Catfish and Chicken. It didn’t destroy the Plaza or Homecomin’, but it was the best we ever ate anywhere.
Ahh, the fried chicken at the Plaza Inn. Delicious! The chicken and the corn dogs at Corn Dog Castle are must-dos everytime we visit DLR.
And for those who find the full chicken plate to be too much food, or if you just want to stop in for a snack, the Plaza Inn will sell individual pieces of chicken or just a side dish, so you can get just a drumstick or just some mashed potatoes! That or the Bengal BBQ skewers are the best savory snacks at the resort!
It looks like you got 4 pieces of chicken but only 3 are listed on the menu. Is it an optical illusion or did you really get an extra piece?
Jordan, AJ tells me that she got three pieces, although I’ll admit that it looks like four. What a delicious optical illusion! 😛
Does anyone know how this compares to the fried chicken at 50s Prime Time Cafe? That’s our favorite and Im wondering how this ranks beside that.
People just don’t believe me when I tell them that Disneyland has the best fried chicken. That, or they assume I don’t know what I’m talking about (but I’ve tried a LOT of fried chicken). We go to the Plaza Inn whenever we visit the park. Any time in the past when we decided to try something else, I regretted it afterward that we missed out. It is SO good! We just went again in November and it’s still delicious.