This California Institution In San Fernando Valley Serves Unforgettable Fried Chicken
The fryer sets the pace. Oil snaps and batter turns crisp while the room fills with an aroma that quiets the table. Hunger feels welcome here and waiting feels worthwhile.
Food like this does not rush or explain itself. It earns attention through sound and smell and timing.
Les Sisters’ Southern Kitchen brings deep Southern comfort to California through recipes rooted in family tradition and care.
Fried chicken arrives golden and confident with a crust that speaks first. Jambalaya follows with warmth that builds slowly and stays with you. Sunday beignets close the loop with sweetness that feels earned instead of flashy.
The menu stays focused and the kitchen stays honest. Every plate shows restraint and pride rather than shortcuts.
Some places do not need hype. They build loyalty one bite at a time. California knows where the real comfort lives and it has the soul food from this restaurant to prove it.
Winnetka draws regulars who show up with expectations and leave satisfied. Les Sisters’ Southern Kitchen holds its place because the food feels personal and dependable.
One visit becomes a habit. The next visit feels necessary. The story continues at the table where patience finally pays off.
1. Nearly Four Decades Of Family Tradition
Clara Huling, Roda Hadi, and Willie Stanford opened Les Sisters’ Southern Kitchen back in 1986 with a simple mission: bring real Southern cooking to the Valley.
Today, the owner Jessica Huling keeps that vision alive, maintaining the same commitment to quality her family started decades ago.
The restaurant sits at 20450 Nordhoff St, Winnetka, CA 91311, where it continues to welcome both longtime regulars and first-time visitors. Family recipes remain at the heart of everything served here.
The kitchen prepares each dish with the same care and attention that made the restaurant famous nearly forty years ago.
Generations of Valley residents have grown up eating here, creating memories around tables filled with fried chicken and cornbread.
Walking through the doors feels like stepping into someone’s home rather than a typical restaurant. Staff members greet many customers by name, knowing their usual orders and asking about their families.
This personal touch stems directly from the founding sisters’ belief that good food tastes even better when shared with people you care about.
2. Golden Fried Chicken That Sets The Standard
Ask anyone in the Valley about fried chicken, and Les Sisters’ name comes up almost immediately. The restaurant’s signature dish features a golden, crackling exterior that stays remarkably grease-free even after frying.
Each piece gets seasoned with a blend of spices that creates layers of flavor without overwhelming the tender chicken underneath.
Diners can choose between hot and mild varieties depending on their heat tolerance.
The hot version adds a kick that builds gradually, while the mild option lets the chicken’s natural flavor shine through the crispy coating.
Both versions arrive at the table still crackling, with steam rising from the perfectly cooked meat inside.
What makes this fried chicken different from other Southern-style versions is the texture of the crust.
It shatters when you bite into it, creating that satisfying crunch people drive across the Valley to experience.
The seasoning penetrates through to the meat, ensuring every bite delivers full flavor rather than just a seasoned exterior coating bland chicken.
3. From Chatsworth To Winnetka
Les Sisters’ originally set up shop in Chatsworth, where it first built its reputation among Valley residents.
The move to Winnetka came later, but the restaurant brought its loyal following along with it.
The current location has become just as beloved as the original spot, with the same warm atmosphere and home-style cooking. Chatsworth customers didn’t hesitate to make the drive to the new location.
Many regulars say the food tastes exactly the same, which speaks to the consistency the kitchen maintains regardless of address.
The Winnetka space offers comfortable seating and a layout that accommodates both small groups and larger family gatherings.
Location changes can make or break a restaurant, but Les Sisters’ proved its success wasn’t tied to a specific building. The recipes, hospitality, and dedication to quality traveled seamlessly from one kitchen to another.
Today, the Winnetka location feels like it’s been there forever, with neighborhood residents treating it as their go-to spot for comfort food.
4. A Menu That Goes Beyond Chicken
Fried chicken might be the star, but the menu offers plenty of other Southern classics worth trying. Shrimp jambalaya arrives loaded with plump shrimp, spicy sausage, and rice cooked in a rich, tomato-based sauce with Cajun seasonings.
Collard greens get slow-cooked until tender, with just enough seasoning to bring out their earthy flavor without making them bitter.
Macaroni and cheese here isn’t the boxed kind. The kitchen bakes it until the top develops a golden crust while the inside stays creamy and loaded with real cheese.
Black-eyed peas, another menu staple, cook down with seasonings that make them hearty enough to serve as a main dish or satisfying as a side.
Sunday brings a special treat: fresh beignets dusted with powdered sugar. These pillowy squares of fried dough arrive warm, with a light, airy texture inside and a slightly crisp exterior.
Cornbread muffins accompany most meals, offering a slightly sweet contrast to savory dishes. Every item gets made to order, which means wait times can stretch a bit during busy periods.
5. Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Step inside Les Sisters’ on any given day and you’ll witness something increasingly rare in modern dining. Staff members call out greetings to regulars by name, asking about kids, jobs, and upcoming events.
This isn’t forced friendliness or corporate training at work – it’s genuine connection built over years of serving the same families.
Many customers have been coming here since the Chatsworth days, following the restaurant through its move to Winnetka. Some bring their children, who grew up eating here and now bring their own kids.
The dining room often feels more like a community gathering space than a commercial restaurant, with conversations flowing between tables and strangers becoming friends over shared meals.
This atmosphere stems from the founding sisters’ original vision of creating a place where people felt welcome and valued.
Staff members take time to chat even during busy periods, remembering favorite orders and dietary preferences.
New customers quickly notice the difference, often commenting on how the friendly environment enhances their dining experience.
Regular patrons sometimes linger after finishing their meals, catching up with staff or other customers they’ve gotten to know over the years.
6. Made-To-Order Means Worth The Wait
Nothing at Les Sisters’ sits under heat lamps waiting for someone to order it.
Every dish starts from scratch when you place your order, which explains why meals take longer here than at fast-food chains.
Chicken gets seasoned and fried fresh, sides get plated hot from their pots, and everything arrives at your table still steaming.
Smart diners call ahead or order online to cut down on wait times, especially during lunch and dinner rushes.
The restaurant’s website and phone system make advance ordering simple, allowing you to time your arrival for when your food will be ready.
Even with advance notice, expect some waiting during peak hours – quality cooking simply takes time.
The made-to-order approach means your food tastes exactly as it should rather than like it’s been sitting around.
Fried chicken stays crispy instead of getting soggy, greens maintain their texture rather than turning mushy, and everything reaches the proper temperature.
First-time visitors sometimes get impatient, but regulars know the wait delivers results that justify the extra minutes.
Watching the kitchen work also provides entertainment, as cooks move efficiently through orders while maintaining their focus on quality.
7. Two Piece Tuesday And Other Weekly Deals
Budget-conscious diners circle Tuesday on their calendars for the restaurant’s most popular deal.
Two Piece Tuesday offers crispy dark meat chicken with fries for just $5.99, making it one of the Valley’s best food bargains.
The promotion draws crowds, so arriving early or calling ahead helps avoid the longest waits. Other weekly specials rotate throughout the month, giving regulars reasons to visit multiple times.
The restaurant announces these deals through its website and social media, where followers can check current offerings before heading over.
Family packs provide another value option, bundling multiple pieces of chicken with sides and cornbread muffins at prices lower than ordering items individually.
Even without specials, portion sizes here deliver solid value for the money. Sides come generous enough to share, and chicken pieces run larger than what many chain restaurants serve.
The combination of quality ingredients, careful preparation, and fair pricing explains why people keep coming back even when they’re not chasing a particular deal.
Tuesday remains the busiest day by far, with the dining room and takeout counter both seeing steady traffic from opening until closing.
8. Catering That Brings The Soul Food To You
Les Sisters’ doesn’t limit its reach to people who can visit the Winnetka location. The restaurant offers catering services that bring authentic Southern cooking to parties, family gatherings, and events throughout the Valley.
Family packs serve five people with twelve pieces of freshly fried chicken, sides, and cornbread muffins, all packaged for easy transport and serving. Larger events can arrange custom catering menus that include the restaurant’s full range of dishes.
Jambalaya, greens, mac and cheese, and other favorites travel well when properly packaged, arriving at destinations still hot and ready to serve.
The catering team works with customers to determine quantities based on guest counts and appetites.
Many Valley residents have discovered that Les Sisters’ catering elevates their events beyond typical party food. Guests often ask where the food came from, leading to new customers discovering the restaurant.
The same made-to-order quality that defines the dining experience carries over to catered meals, with nothing prepared too far in advance.
Ordering catering requires advance notice, especially for larger events or weekend dates when the restaurant stays busiest with both dine-in and takeout customers.
9. Vegetarian Options In A Meat-Focused Menu
Fried chicken dominates the menu, but vegetarian diners don’t have to skip Les Sisters’ entirely. Collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread all fit plant-based diets, offering substantial options beyond sad salads or token veggie sides.
These dishes receive the same attention to flavor and preparation as the meat-centered items.
Collard greens here get cooked until tender but not mushy, seasoned with spices rather than meat for flavoring.
Black-eyed peas arrive creamy and filling enough to serve as a protein source alongside other sides.
Cornbread muffins provide satisfying carbs with their slightly sweet flavor and crumbly texture that pairs well with the savory sides.
Vegetarians dining with meat-eating friends or family can build satisfying meals from the sides menu.
Ordering several vegetable dishes creates a varied plate with different textures and flavors, much like traditional Southern dinners that feature multiple sides alongside the main protein.
The restaurant doesn’t advertise itself as vegetarian-friendly, but the options exist for those who look beyond the chicken-focused items.
Calling ahead to confirm preparation methods helps ensure sides meet specific dietary requirements, as recipes sometimes change or get prepared differently than expected.
10. Operating Hours That Fit Most Schedules
Les Sisters’ Southern Kitchen keeps a limited weekly schedule, making planning ahead essential. The restaurant opens on Tuesday from noon through the evening, offering a solid window for lunch and dinner.
After that, the doors remain closed for several days, reopening briefly on Friday for a shorter service period that wraps up before the night gets too late.
Sunday and Monday are both closed, as are Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The condensed schedule reflects a focus on quality over volume, allowing the kitchen to stay consistent and the staff to avoid burnout.
When Les Sisters’ is open, food is cooked to order and the pace stays deliberate, so arriving earlier in the service window helps avoid feeling rushed.
Because the restaurant is only open on select days, crowds tend to build quickly, especially on Tuesday afternoons and during the early portion of Friday service.
Guests planning a visit should arrive with enough time to order, wait, and enjoy their meal before closing. Checking hours ahead of time is always wise, since holidays or special circumstances may affect availability.
