A Cozy Evening at Curly’s Chicken House ☆★★★

    Curly’s Chicken House is a family-owned restaurant tucked away against Jerusalem Hill in the small town of Elmira, New York. The restaurant has been serving the area since 1955 and in their decor, they reflect a focus on family and community. The walls near the counter are lined with family-themed gem art, local sports team plaques, and a bulletin board full of local activities, fundraisers, and flyers for school events. I can’t forget to mention the adorable half-wall of chicken figurines to the right of the front door when you walk in. It’s a warm, inviting environment with clean facilities, country music, and kind staff.

    My dad and I sat down at table four near the kitchen and were greeted by our waitress within five minutes of arriving. It was a Monday at 6:00 PM, and when we got there the restaurant wasn’t busy with only three other families seated nearby. Despite the establishment’s name, the menu consists of a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options at different reasonable price points. The dinner options include items such as sourdough melts, steak dinners, BBQ, mac and cheese, turkey pot pie, etc., and of course, chicken.

    We started with appetizers consisting of mozzarella sticks and onion rings. They each cost $8.99 and the portion sizes were large. The mozzarella sticks, while bigger than average, had a thin, doughy breading similar in flavor to a corn dog. They were accompanied by a small cup of chunky marinara sauce, which stood out to me as I’m used to thin, runny marinara. On the other hand, the onion rings were well-balanced. The breading was crispy but not too crunchy, and I was pleased that the entire onion didn’t slide out of its sleeve with the first bite. The ranch dressing that came with them, while thin, was flavorful. 

    I ordered the Curly’s Big Burger which can come four ways: mushroom and swiss, Mexican style, classic, or bacon cheddar. I chose the bacon cheddar and with it came two well-done patties, a white bread bun, crunchy chunks of lettuce, tomato, two slices of bacon, cheddar cheese, and a cup of mayonnaise on the side. Altogether, the ingredients were well-balanced and made for a pretty good burger. One aspect of it that stood out was the bun, which was buttery and soft and brought the burger up a level. On the side, I ordered French fries, which were deliciously battered, lightly salted, and crispy. The Curly’s Big Burger with fries came out to be $12.99.

    One thing Curly’s is known for is their rotisserie chicken, which is what we thought my dad ordered when he chose the Cluckin Big Chicken Bowl. However, what he received was hot, crispy, moist chicken tenders that were buried in a mountain of mashed potatoes and topped with shredded cheddar cheese and gravy. We both tried it and immediately agreed it was different but good. Neither of us had ever had chicken tenders buried in mashed potatoes, but the combination made for a great comfort food. The potatoes were soft and creamy and the gravy was velvety and full of flavor. The Cluckin Big Chicken Bowl will run you $19.99.

    Curly’s is also known for their pies with options ranging from classic cherry to peanut butter. I ordered the chocolate cream pie and we took it to go as the restaurant was becoming busy. It was around 6:45 PM when we left, so it was a good thing we came at 6:00. The pie wasn’t overwhelmingly chocolatey, and the consistency of the filling was soft and creamy like chocolate pudding. The crust was flaky and, similar to the pie filling, wasn’t too sweet. For a slice of pie, it was $5.25. 

    Ultimately, my experience at Curly’s Chicken House was delightful. The restaurant is full of nostalgic charm that makes you feel welcome upon entering. Service was quick and our waitress was attentive even as the restaurant became busier with the dinner rush. Our food was hot, reasonably priced for the portion sizes, and everything tasted delicious. If you’re ever in the Elmira area, I would recommend paying Curly’s a visit at 2100 Lake Rd Elmira, NY. Their menu can be found on their website and you can also follow them on Facebook for updates and more information.