Nearly 60-Year-Old Eatery Named ‘Best Hole-in-the-Wall’ Chicken Joint in Kentucky

If you want great chicken, you have certainly come to the right place if you're in Kentucky. Colonel Harland Sanders and KFC are to be credited with the Commonwealth's reputation in this regard, but look beyond the big brand and you'll be delightfully surprised.

I've had fried chicken from a local IGA and little hole-in-the-wall eateries that knocked my socks off. Simply put, we know chicken here in Kentucky, and we are all thankful for that.

Best Fried Chicken

Locals in eastern Kentucky and travelers who find themselves in that part of the world are thankful for a restaurant that's been serving up critically-acclaimed fried chicken for nearly six decades. Quite recently, it was named the "best hole-in-the-wall" fried chicken in Kentucky. It was in 1966 when Joe Peck opened Joe's Drive-In Chicken. It's a drive-in, yes, but that walk-up window is exactly how it's been since day one in Whitesburg, and then, a few years later, it's current home in tiny Isom, KY.

Hey, I have no problem eating exquisite fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cole slaw on a picnic table on the side of the road. And neither do these Joe's Drive-In Chicken devotees.

Joe's Drive-In Chicken Reviews

Hailey Spangler -
"One of my absolute favorite restaurants and the best fried chicken and coleslaw that you’ll ever eat!! I cannot recommend this place enough. The people are so nice and the service is quick. If you’re ever in the area give this place a shot and you won’t be sorry! My husband and I now live 1.5 hours away and still drive all this way just to eat here. We love it!!"

Laura Bergner Owens -
"The chef I stopped here with LOVED the fried chicken, mashed potatoes and other sides. Amazing atmosphere! Just a really fun place to stop when you're in the area."

Freddie Large -
"Drove about 45 miles one way to eat here because someone told me about the good food well I wasn’t disappointed in the chicken dinner one bit took me awhile to find it but was worth finding I will be back."

I might drive 145 miles for the kind of chicken they're talking about. Actually, I'd have to drive 300 miles, but clearly it's worth it.