I’m always willing to travel for good fried chicken.

And not knowing anything about hen house BBQ in Southington, I was expecting…I don’t know, but not what I found.

First, this is a former dirty Chinese food restaurant.

In the good way that Connecticut has wonderful dirty Chinese food restaurants around.

While I came for the fried chicken, there was a meal option, the Dark Combo #2, that has dark meat fried chicken and 2 ribs.

Count me in.

Fried Chicken

This was mostly tasteless, sadly.

The crust is mostly cornmeal, which overpowers the meat.

The pieces themselves are concerningly small, without much meat.

Also, the chicken is overcooked.

Not bad, but one to maybe skip.

The Rating: Fried Chicken

6/10

Ribs

Far from traditional BBQ, this is Chinese Char Siu.

That sweet bbq flavor that makes for beautifully red/pink meat, like the pork in a pork fried rice.

The meat is very tender but there is a problem with it.

There is so much gristle and sinew.

While eating, you actually end up losing about a quarter of the ribs to tough sinew.

A shame, because the flavor is nice.

The Rating: Ribs

6.5/10

Hen House BBQ

Address: 192 Main St, Southington, CT 06489

Hours: Sunday 11AM–9PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday 11AM–9PM
Wednesday 11AM–9PM
Thursday 11AM–9PM
Friday 11AM–9PM
Saturday 11AM–9PM
Menu