Willie Mae's Venice

I haven't been to New Orleans in decades, so I was thrilled to hear that Willie Mae's was opening up here in Los Angeles. I went to their first operation at the Colony in West Los Angeles, which is set up for take up, but there are picnic tables (with shade) on the side of the co operative restaurant operation, as well as plenty of city parking directly behind the building. 

On my trip there, I got the massive family portion with cornbread, with sides of greens and red beans with rice. The chicken was a bit spicy (which I like) and very juicy, but also quite greasy. I reheated the leftovers at home and that helped render out some of the grease. The red beans and rice were fantastic; I could have easily made a meal of just that one side!

I hoped the actual restaurant in Venice would do better; I am very happy to report that not only was the chicken perfect, with great crunch, tender and juicy, but also NOT greasy at all! They offer a side salad for $6.95, just to help all of us say we ate something fresh and green ;)

The gumbo was very salty, oily, and the crab was overcooked, so I would stick to the fried chicken. (Stevie's Creole on Pico still is my gumbo go to spot).

I got the wings with red beans and rice for $19.95 The red beans and rice needed some hot sauce this time, but they were still delicious.

My dining partner got the 1/2 fried chicken for $24.95 with cabbage side. 

Their cabbage is sweetened, so if you like yours that way, this is a good side for you. 

Note that the Venice location is closed on Tuesdays, so plan your visit during non rush hours (i.e., not the week-end), and you will find great service, excellent fried chicken with a bit of heat, and a taste of new Orleans without having to deal with jet lag.