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The Chicken Pie Shop is an iconic restaurant in Fresno's Tower District, and they've been dishing the same delicious cuisine in the same location since 1956. It had been YEARS since I'd had a chance to visit this wonderful restaurant, but Friday, May 26, 2017, as I was passing through Fresno, I was able to sample a delicious, "old school" breakfast, just like I'd remembered from my last visit, many years ago. As with all of my reviews, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: Chicken Pie Shop, located in the heart of Fresno's Tower District, on Olive Ave.
Photo: As you walk in the door, you're invited to seat yourself, which is not a problem, as this restaurant is very spacious. The case contains a small assortment of deli items, and the tall, stand-up case, is for pre-made chicken pies to take home and bake. It's a little past 8 on this Friday morning, and the restaurant didn't have any chicken pies made yet. No worries, as I was in the mood for breakfast. The single server on duty, Jerri, is at the check-out station helping a customer.
Photo: The dining room is immense! This is the view as you enter the restaurant from Olive Ave. Note the enormous double counter in the center of the restaurant, and the naugahyde upholstery. Pure 1950's... To add to the atmosphere, 1950's pop music is playing in the background.
Photo: Side view of the dining room, with the gigantic counter in the center of the photo, and the kitchen to the rear. The decor is pure 1950's, and I don't think anything has been updated since the restaurant opened back in 1956. I like it that way, and after reading other reviews, it seems like the staff and customers like the "old school" decor and "feel" of the restaurant. The decor reminds me of a cross between a diner and a cafeteria. The photo doesn't do justice to how gigantic in size the dining room is. I noticed that only about half the lights are lit... I wonder if that's on purpose, or if they're blown out?
Photo: The kitchen, from the check-out station. This isn't your average restaurant kitchen, as they have all the slicing, dicing, and baking equipment needed, including a huge oven, to make the delicious chicken pies the restaurant is famous for.
Photo: Here's a portion of the breakfast menu. Chicken Pie Shop is serious about breakfast, as breakfast is available any time the restaurant is open. I wasn't very hungry, so I went for eggs and potatoes, but upon closer inspection, I notice a "Chicken Pie Omelet," which seems appropriate for this restaurant. The menu features mostly "comfort food," and the selections remind me of the hearty, delicious, variety of food favored in the nation's heartland.
Photo: Jerri picks up an order for another customer at the window to the kitchen. She and the chef were the only two employees working on this early Friday morning, but she told me staff would arrive around 9 to get started on the day's chicken pies.
Photo: My server, Jerri, brings my breakfast to my place at one of the huge counters. As I placed my order, I let her know that I'd be taking photos for this article, but when breakfast arrived, she seemed a little surprised that I snapped her photo. She told me she'd been working there for over 20 years. Most of the other diners were regulars, as they all called her by name, and she called many of the other diners by name. Such a great, friendly restaurant!
Photo: Jerri snaps my photo as I get ready to enjoy breakfast. Photo gives a good idea of the "old school" decor, right out of the 1950's. Don't you love the green upholstery and the green counter tops?
Photo: I ordered eggs, homestyle potatoes, along with biscuits and gravy. If you prefer, you may order hash brown potatoes or toast, but when biscuits and gravy are offered, it's my de facto standard. This breakfast was simply amazing! Chicken Pie Shop is famous for their breakfasts, and I can see why. My breakfast was cooked to perfection, and delicious. It is interesting to note that as I ordered my breakfast, I asked Jerri of the homestyle potatoes came with pepper and onion, and she said they didn't but the chef would be glad to add them if I desired. I told her to add them on, and look at what I got! White onion, along with red and green peppers, which really added to the breakfast. The gravy was thick, rich,and contained many chunks of sausage. The biscuits are baked in-house, and were absolutely perfect. This breakfast really highlighted the expertise and skill Chicken Pie Shop when it comes to a delicious breakfast, and "comfort food" in general. Great retro dining in Fresno's Tower District! If you're in the mood for an excellent meal, at a reasonable price, served in a 1950's style diner, you owe yourself a visit to the Chicken Pie Shop. Chicken Pie Shop Copyright(c) 2017 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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