I’ve seen old advertisments and post cards for the Chicken Court, but never knew much about it. I moved to Windsor in 1989, and I didn’t recall it being open when I first came here.
A full page ad from the 1954 Visitor’s Guide to Windsor and Essex County.
—————————–
Regular reader Darren, worked at the Chicken Court, from 1986 to the 1988 closing and sent along these artifacts…
A pair of old poscards of the interior.
A scan of the letter employees recieved on Valentine’s Day, 1988.
Of couse, any good photographer would bring his camera along to work, and here are a few photos he took:
A pair of photos of the bakery.
A few of the basement Banquet Room.
The cake table
The laundry room
A few from upstairs.
I can remember many a cold night when this place made a nice cozy reprieve. A good place to stop in for a warm meal and a good cup of coffee. Patrons working out at the YMCA which used to have it’s main entrance on Pelissier would also pop in after their evening workouts. This was one of the establishments that made Windsor’s downtown a great place top hang out. Anyone out there remember Biff’s?
I was hoping you would find some sort of old ad in one of the old local listings. I remember shooting some video of the outside while in high school with my friends Chris Anolin and David Girard. David was filming but i lost touch with him. Wish I could find him.
I don’t know what bar it is now. Been a couple shootings there I believe. Sad how Pellissier has gone downhill since the 80s. The Chicken Court used to own the parking lot at the corner of Pellissier and Wyandotte too, the one with the little Photomat booth on it. I used to work there from time to time too for the restaurant. The family used to own a couple houses on Victoria behind the restaurant too. One was the owners and another was their daughter’s. But I think they were sold off after the bankruptcy.
A lot of us young people were working there at the time though and had a lot of fun. I still see some of the waitresses that worked there downtown from time to time too. Some of the ones who were there for years and years. The restaurant was always in competition with Tunnel Bar-B-Q. We used to cater some huge parties too. Not just at the restaurant but off location.
Thanks for posting this too.
I tried to find the postcards since those are scans i did some time back, but could just find one, which is the first one you posted. It says this on the back:
“Welcome to the Chicken Court, 531 Plessier St. Windsor Ont. Canada. Tasty chicken, steak and sea food dinners. Home made pastries & rolls. We cater to weddings and banquets. Tel. CL. 2-7226, Windsor. Prop. Andrew Kominar.
The street was spelled wrong on the postcard.
The image was published by Sterling Photos, 1055 Armoury St. Niagara Falls. No year is on the postcard though.
I vividly remember going to the Chicken Court as a teenager on a date. It was a “classy” place to frequent in those long ago days. I can still taste the corn fritters that were served with a small dish of honey!
I vividly remember going to the Chicken Court as a teenager on a date. It was a “classy” place to frequent in those long ago days. I can still taste the corn fritters that were served with a small dish of honey!
The best desserts in town bar none- all we have left in that vein is TBQ downtown…
The bakery ladies there were so sweet ; ) it was always so hard to keep away from eating the desserts there. I think my favorite was a strawberry pie/tarts. i wonder if those ovens are still down there. would be so hard to get them up. there is a elevator but it’s very tiny. many large walk in fridges and freezers too. sad that all it’s been since then is bars.
I remember going to the Chicken Court on Labour Day, 1972, when my brother-in-law and his new bride held their small wedding reception there…and we had to pay for our own meals! Got to love hippies…and good thing the food was worth the price.
I’m a native Detroiter and went to Chicken Court with my mom and grandma at least six or seven times a year during the 1960’s. I loved everything in the Chicken in the Basket. I think the coleslaw was my favorite but the fritter and the rolls are right up there! I’ve always wondered if anyone has the recipe for the coleslaw. I liked it with a dollop of the thousand island style dressing on it.
One of my favorite memories is Mother’s Day where every mother got a little sampler box of chocolates.
I know all these posts are from almost three years ago, I hope someone will connect with me.
Thanks!
Janet Jaeger
immanuel@modempool.com
i wish i had the recipe to their delicious mocha cake. it was a christmas tradition in our family to get a mocha cake and i looked forward to it. if anyone has that recipe please post it for others to enjoy
Remember many a date where we shared the best Black Forest Torte I’ve ever had!
This message is for jennifer a couple comments up! The mocha cake that they had at the chicken court is the very same one they sell at the pastry table. My mom worked at the chicken court for years and as kids, my sister and I always got one on our birthdays. To this day whenever I pick one up at the pastry table, it takes me back to being a kid again!
The Chicken Court was one of the top places to go with a date after a major dance at Patterson Collegiate in the ’50s. I can still recall going there with Bonnie Sparling about 1953 or ’54, probably after the Melody March.
~ Aahhhh..I knew the Chicken Court was closed but seeing these photos has really brought that ‘notion’ home for me. The way the restaurant is shown by Darren is exactly the way I remember it, save for the disorder of the tables in the basement banquet rooms. In the main floor photo that shows the well, the last booht on the left was the ‘staff booth’ where we sat for our lunch or for a smoke. Yup, back then everyone smoked indoors. Hard to phathom today,isn’t it !!
The memories I have of the place are so near and some dear to my heart. Every experience I’ve had there have been wonderful ones. First of all, I had the pleasure of working there for some time in the mid 70’s. It was a very busy, popular place and as best as I can recall we had alot of tables each that we had to wait on & ensure each and every patron got the best of service. BUT, I loved the challenge and I was good at it. I got along with all my co-workers and with our supervisor who was a tough cookie but great to work with if you did your job. I also really liked Andy who was a prominant figure in the establishment. He took great pride in his ownership of such a fine place. And as some have stated, YES, the desserts were phenominally decadent, made right there in their kitchens every morning. I’m just reading here that The Pastry Table has the Mocha Torte. I’ll be paying them a visit !! 😉
A few years after I left the Chicken Court my son’s hockey banquet was in the banquet room downstairs. I believe he would have been 12 at the time….seeing that room brought tears to my eyes. He had won a trophy that was handed to him by Keith Gretzky, Wayne’s brother. I still have those pictures.
So, as I said it’s all GOOD & Great memories !!
MEMORY LANE,
Oh how I wish those days were back again,well those pictures have really brought back so many wonderful times with the Chicken Court.My family has worked for the restaurant many years.As my mother now 83 Stella Murdock served as a waitress and caterer for 30 some years
and my brothers Ron and Alan as drivers and cater assistant for years as well.My mother still talks of all the memories and meeting with all different types of people.Just a few to mention.The lions club members,Eugene whalen,Gorbachov of Russia Paul Martin Sr, and so many more to mention.I will mention a few names you may know of.Pauline Peppin,Tosca Jones,
Betty Delville,Loui Meconi Chef,Jan Suklowski Chef John Kacuchka Chef.Looking forward to any stories that may relate.P.S The desert were fabulous
Hello All,
My family used to go to the Chicken Court on occasion, but my memories of the place are pretty dim. I’m wondering if someone can help me out with something my friend just asked me about. She says: “Above each table in the main dining area, there was a wooden plaque – rectangular, but with jagged edges – and a cartoon of a chicken in a court with a description of what crime the chicken was charged with. I seem to remember that the description of the crimes was in the form of a rhyming poem, but that I can’t remember for certain.”
Thanks!
Calvin
Can not believe I found this site! Was looking up an address for a nearby hair salon and recalled the Chicken Court on Pellisier. My mother – now deceased – used to meet me there after my orthodontics appointment. It was a big trip into Windsor but always special because we got to have pumpkin pie and whipped cream after the appointment AND spend 1:1 time with my mom. Good times. Thanks for posting the pics. True to my memory.
My childhood best friend’s Mom worked there for many years and I had my wedding reception there. Just like the restaurant, the marriage didn’t last, but I’m sure I have pictures of it saved for my children somewhere.
I just purchased a 7 foot chicken with a blue hat and apron on it….My friend Earl thinks it was on the Chicken Court Restaurant in the 1930/40s. Does anyone have any memory of this? Owner of a large chicken, Mark
hey remembering this place as well 78 maybe? i think of chicken court every time i see the pastry table on tecumseh . had some good years ? remember me??