Chicken Louies Making a Comeback

 

Food Adventures has some secret scoop.  It is so secret in fact that we can’t release all the details of the deal, but we can tell you . absolutely that an iconic chicken stop is about to be reborn in Dayton.

Chicken Louie’s, a favorite for decades in the Dayton area, had a shop on N. Main St. and a store on the west side called “Lou’s Broaster Hut.”  Known for their broasted whole wings served plain or spun in one of 3 sauces, this “carryout only” spot became legendary in status.  Known for soulful sides, and late hours, people would travel miles or just walk up to the window to get a taste of Lou’s famous chicken.

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON THE DEAL:

— In 1958, Chicken Louie’s began slinging wings in Dayton, and locals went berserk over the broasted style of cooked wings.  Marinated overnight, then deep-fried in a pressure cooker, the chicken had a distinct taste and the sauces complimented the chicken perfectly.  The menu featured wings, legs, thighs and breasts, and literally showed the price of each from 1 to 100 pieces.

— Chicken Louie’s hit hard times in the turn of the century, as Lou had to take care of his ill mother.  He ended up closing for a while and selling to  his managing partner who ran the restaurant a little past Lou’s death in 2012.

— Chicken Louie’s was resurrected in 2014 in an unlikely place.  The same managing partner opened a side shop in the Super Subby’s restaurant in Miamisburg on Main St.  The shop served a limited Chicken Louie’s menu of wings, pies and broasted potatoes.  The location had spurts of greatness but never took hold in the Miamisburg community as expected.  As business dwindled, the Subby’s closed in December, 2018.

— Two private investors have stepped forward and bought all of the original equipment and recipes from the Chicken Louie’s establishment.  They will not only offer the famous broasted chicken wings, but they plan to offer the full original menu.  This means legs, thighs, broasted potatoes in butter, peanut butter pies, sweet potato pie, fish dinners, shrimp dinner, dinner rolls, cornbread and all the sides you remember.  Also available will be the 4 famous sauces: BBQ, mild, medium and hot.

— The plan is to open the first Chicken Louie’s in the city of Dayton proper, sometime before fall.  A site has been bought, signed and sealed, but we are not at liberty to disclose the exact location.  We can tell you that remodeling is about to begin.  The site layout will be similar to the popular carryout location on N. Main Street, that served up good food for decades.

— The strategy is also to open a 2nd store eventually in the north or west Dayton area.  Again, we are not at liberty to disclose exact location plans, which would be premature of the 2nd location at this point.

Rarely is a Dayton iconic restaurant reborn from the ashes.  But, this will happen, and Miami Valley foodies will once again be able to enjoy Lou’s chicken.  Until the site opens, we will be licking our lips and deciding how many wings, pieces of shrimp and fish we are gonna order with our broasted potatoes.

See you at the window of Chicken Louie’s… real soon !

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Feel free to browse our gallery below of Chicken Louie favorites.