Hickory Roasters

Kind of in a hidden location. I came across Hickory Roasters by accident. Good food. Reasonably priced. Great menu. A step above the fast food chains.

Been eating here on and off for the past 20 years. I have only eaten the roasted chicken and I have never had a bad meal, the value is outstanding. This is basic American fare, not gourmet just good basic tasting food, a working mans restaurant. The chicken is well seasoned and it is served hot as are all the hot sides. The sides taste homemade because they are … they serve real vegetables, real potatoes, and real macaroni and cheese. Important, the food is served on real stoneware plates with metal utensils, no paper plates or plastic forks and knives! The portions are ample, you don’t get the idea that they are worried about portions when they take a large serving ladle and scoop out the sides, 2X minimum. You will not walk away hungry.

Go with the chicken dinner. Recently tried a wrap and it was disappointing, but the chicken is out of this world good. Lots of side options too.

Unassuming with a side of coziness, this place felt like home and the staff felt like an extended family. Very peaceful and calm, the restaurant recreates the atmosphere one may find at their home with the addition of all the foods we have all come to love and enjoy as staples of our culture and Society. A+

Pot roast was very good. everything was fresh. Fast friendly service. It reminds me of Boston Market but much more fresh. I will definitely be back. Prices are very reasonable.

This is the definition of a «hole in the wall» type of place. The food is fresh and rates great! Ordering is a bit odd but you’ll figure it out when you get in line. As always, I factor in the price when reviewing the food. You can’t get fresher and better chicken in the area in this price range. It feels like eating at home.

Tried this place for lunch, had the half chicken with two sides and a drink for ten dollars. Little expensive for lunch but not really a fast food restaurant so the price reflects that. The chicken was good/​tasty the sides were ok, average. Free refill on drink, so that was a little plus. The place was crowded, at times during lunch almost out the door, so people like what they are getting and they have a following. Not expecting five star dinning, but it is a good average meal.

Ate here today the food is pretty darn good the chicken was moist and tender the green beans in a tomato sauce was awesome, price was reasonable will be going back

Went for lunch today
Haven’t been there for at least a year. It was so disgustingly dirty, I couldn’t believe it. Curtains were filthy and lamps had so much grease and dust built up on them. Will never go again. Can’t believe the Health Dept has not been in there. Gross !

Did I go to the wrong place? I can’t even imagine how anyone with taste buds could eat here. The staff is very friendly but that’s it. The food is cafeteria grade at best and frankly just disgusting.
The chicken was smoked and dried out like it had been sitting for days. The display of sides looked like the cafeteria at Ikea. Everything looked fake and obviously it had been reheated several times. The corn was the most bland corn I have ever tasted. When you ate it was juicy full of water because it had probably been sitting for days. The roasted potatoes had a kick yet they were bland. How can you mess up potatoes? The mac and cheese was definitely out of a box.
After a couple bites of each item I was so grossed out I ended up throwing it all away. To top it off for the next day I had the worst stomach ache. Why anyone goes here beats me. The place is just downright gross. Honestly Mcdonalds next door would taste 10 times better and if you want a chicken dinner with good sides I recommend going to boston market. At least there its fresh and doesn’t make you sick.

Everything is homemade. Chef has been here for 18 years and it’s family owned. Wood Roasted Chicken is great and tastes exactly as it did when I was here 10+ years ago. Great seasoning, crispy skin and moist meat. We also had the ribeye sandwich which was so so good. Grilled perfectly and seasoned right, we were delighted. Grilled buns, fresh side dishes — yes the Italian green beans were just like my grandmas. Really happy this mom and pop place is still around and doing well.

Great tasting chicken! Always get the half chicken with two sides. No complaints. Mashed potatoes are decent too.

The windows and the entrance door need to have the grease cleaned off. Cute place, nice employees. Only bought the chicken just to taste what the review was raving about. It was alright. No complaints.

Their food is okay. Not the best pulled pork I’ve ever had. Their sides taste like they’re from a box. I think their mashed potatoes are from a box but they cook some real potatoes and mix them in. Over all, $ 20 for two people and lots of food was worth it.

Was I expecting ribs as succulent as the Franklin BBQ in Austin, or a juicy pulled chicken plate like I’ve tasted in North Carolina? Hell No. The last time I checked I was in Rolling Meadows, IL, and hoped that the BBQ was as decent as the Unilocal reviews.
I tried both the chicken & the ribs, and while both had a «smoky» flavor, both were extremely dried out. «Falling off the bone» is a term most of us would equate with above average BBQ, however In this case, even though the meat literally fell from the bone, it had been held in a warming cabinet for an extended period.
Side dishes were purchased from a restaurant supply company, either frozen or from a can/​box. Corn muffin was the outlier. It actually tasted good!
To salvage the BBQ ribs ribs, I cut the meat off the bone, and fried it up with some leftover rice, veggies & soy sauce. Now that was some awesome fried rice.

Traveling and wanted some home cooking/​southern/​comfort food and saw great reviews for this place.
I should mention we are from the south and know real southern/​comfort/​home cooking.
Walked in with high hopes that were quickly dashed.
The workers were super nice and they have free refills, so that’s good… BUT the
Mashed potatoes are instant, thin and watery.
Mac and cheese is thin, bland and watery.
Green beans are made in a marinara sauce… enough said about that.
The corn is dry, hard and weird, a few times I thought I was eating teeth.
The chicken is average at best.
The barbecue sandwich is straight up manwich sauce from a can.
The corn bread was actually really good.
We asked for lots of extra butter and tried to doctor it all up… but a pig in lipstick is still a pig.
If you know good southern cooking or are craving/​wanting to try real southern cooking don’t let this be the place you do that in.

I go as often as I can. It’s very good, all of it! The chicken is my favorite though. The lady at the counter is very nice too. Not much more to say, really. I always leave full and satisfied!

Delicious food! Love the ribs! Great mac n cheese and baked beans. Had the steak sandwich the next time again not disappointed rundown but the taste of the food is phenomenal the prices are great you have to try

The mother cluckin best chicken to be Q’d this side of Harlem Ave.
Wood smoked. Roasted. So tender. So succulent. The smokey flavor rips the tastebuds off of your tongue.
The sides are solid. Tasty. Homemade. Satisfying.
Coming back for dem bones, for sure.
The apple crisp is crunchy sweet heaven.
This place is simple and done well.

Hickory Roasters has been in Rolling Meadows since 1993, but it seems like it’s been there longer… like maybe when Rolling Meadows was just a small town and not a sprawling suburb. It’s the kind of food, service and atmosphere that one would expect from a small-​town diner located a little more down-​state. It’s cafeteria-​style food, but really GOOD cafeteria-​style food, and a nice change of pace from all the neighboring corporate bullsh*t.
First off, the chicken is really tasty! Nice and juicy and falls right off the bone. I love their tomato and cucumber salad, delicious! One of the best things is you can get a meal with a basic protein and then 2 sides of your choice, customizing it to be as healthy or un-​healthy as you like!
Don’t come into this place expecting 5-​star food, come in expecting some delicious rotisserie chicken and a choice of sides and friendly service!