Ezell’s Famous Chicken Will Open Its First Oregon Location in Tigard February 4

Lewis and Darnell Rudd, brothers and co-owners of famous Seattle chicken chain Ezell’s, collect celebrity chicken stories. They remember how Steve Harvey tucked into his green room order of fried chicken before he made it to the green room, how George Forman ate an eight-piece meal with four rolls in one sitting. They call NFL offensive tackle Walter Jones “four now four later,” for his eight-piece he eats half of while sitting in the restaurant. They saved the fax from producer Quincy Jones, requesting a shipment of chicken for Reverend Jesse Jackson’s birthday.

Soon, their customer base will include a new clientele — Oregonians. Ezell’s will open its first Oregon location February 4 within Washington Square Too, the development near the mall on the other side of the cemetery. The restaurant’s menu will be similar to the other locations in Washington: The chicken can come in specialty cut white-and-dark-meat wings or in tenders, Cajun-style spicy or not, with sides like mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, and slow-baked barbecue beans. Ezell’s has a few other things outside the world of traditional fried chicken, including golden-fried okra and gizzards. The restaurant is particularly known for its warm rolls, baked fresh each morning; sweet potato pie and peach cobbler also come out of the oven every day. The restaurant has been celebrated by everyone from the Seattle Times’ Bethany Jean Clement to Oprah Winfrey herself.

Late last year, Rudd announced plans to open a new Ezell’s location on Washington Square Road, which has somewhat recently attracted international names like Din Tai Fung. The two saw the spot as a natural choice, similar to the Bellevue location of Ezell’s; still, down the line, they hope to open several more locations in the state. When they open their first location, however, they’re celebrating with a bang: The restaurant will serve $1 pieces of fried chicken and a roll from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. opening day, donating the proceeds to Tigard High School PSO for teacher grants and student scholarships. Take a look at the menu below:

Correction January 22, 2020, 3:18 p.m.: This story has been corrected to show that Ezell’s is opening in Washington Square Too, the development on Washington Square Road on the other end of the cemetery, as opposed to Washington Square Mall, the larger mall a half-mile away.

• Ezell’s [Official]
• Ezell’s menu [Official]
• Even More Fried Chicken Comes to the Portland Area in January 2020 [EPDX]