Chicken Diva

My husband and I came in for some chicken wings and cornbread. The chicken was juicy, but not bursting with flavor. The cornbread was sort of bland. I used a ton of hot sauce on both to kick it up. I get all the good reviews, as I can see the food appealing to lots of people. I think I just prefer spicier, more flavorful food.

Southern food in the North (Bay).
I read the recent write-​up of this brand new southern food place in San Rafael from SF Gate:
That excellent and well-​written article was good enough to convince me to go. Plus, I needed to do some work up in Fairfax anyway.
The newest chicken place is located and sharing the spot in the historic Jackson Court Café, which is also located across the street from the San Rafael transit center. The temporary hour of operation is only open on Friday nights for dinner and lunch and dinner on Saturdays.
As I walked in, I placed my order to Miss «Diva» herself (owner & chef) Rachel Griffin (no relation to Blake from the LA Clippers). From the menu, the most popular item is fried chicken. And that is what I ordered: the leg and thigh meal with a choice of two sides and cornbread for $ 15.00. The two sides I chose were fried okra and Cajun fries.
As I was waiting for my meal getting prepared, I was reading her article again posted on the wall. Miss Griffith has done a lot and receives many good feedbacks from a variety of sources. The leg and thigh parts take a while to cook. So be prepared to wait and hopefully you will get an excellent meal. This is why we have mobile-​devices to keep us occupy while waiting.
After a 15 minute wait, I finally got my meal. The fried chicken was crunchy with a moist and juicy interior. The fried okra had a nice crisp of the okra. The fries were tasty and spicy with the sauce. The cornbread was sweet and moist. My meal:
As I was enjoying my meal, I was looking at another renowned item that is being served here and also a popular item: Sweet potato pie parfait. Amazingly, my appetite is somewhat back and I ordered two of the decadent treat (one for me and another to take home to my daughter). For $ 6.50, I get crumbled sweet potato pie and vanilla ice cream mixed in with a whipped cream topping. Oh my, this is one amazing treat with all the ingredients blend in well. I definitely saved the best treat for last. My parfait:
Luckily I have an iced chest cooler in my car. And the treat made it home in 30 minutes without any traffic. The parfait melted a little for my daughter to enjoy and she loved the treat.
I did find time to chat with Miss Griffin. She is currently looking for a permanent spot so she can show-​off her cooking everyday to her customers. I hope she does, because I would love to come to the hopeful new location more often for lunch and dinner.

Most people are generalists who do a lot of things well enough but there’s this other category of people who are specialists. They change the world in different ways than generalists, by narrowing their focus onto one specific objective. David Byrne’s film, «True Stories», was all about specialists who pursued their passions with a single-​minded devotion. Each one had me believing that their pursuit (from topiary carving to the study of the naked mole rat) was the most important thing they could be doing, and this is the way I feel about the Chicken Diva.
The Chicken Diva’s passion appears to be the perfection of the chicken wing. To say she’s become a master of her craft is almost an insult. I don’t even consider myself a fan of chicken wings or of most deep fried foods but I know that the Chicken Diva’s wings were perfection. Fried to order in canola oil, these meaty wings hadn’t even a touch of greasy. The luscious skin adhered to the meat and each bite was the perfect blend of chicken-​outer and chicken-​inner. I never actually knew there could be so much tasty meat on a wing.
The Diva’s wings are about $ 1.75 apiece or you can place large orders which will net you some price discounts. The wings are perfection and not to be missed.
The Diva’s meals also come with some sides, some of which don’t live up to the perfection of those wings. I liked the cornbread and the «mac & cheese», thought the dirty fries (seasoned with Old Bay + a sweet/​sour sauce, $ 4) were just okay, and couldn’t stomach more than a single bite of the «Country Greens» or the «Green Beans with Smoked Turkey» ($ 4 each).
Chicken Diva is a pop-​up located inside the Jackson Café, a place with zero ambience. It’s currently open on Fridays and Saturdays only, but you can follow them on Facebook to get regular updates about their days/​hours. It appears that lots of people get their orders to-​go or call in ahead so that their orders can be ready when they arrive. Given that the wings are cooked to order and that the Diva is pretty much a 1-​Diva operation, this might be a good option. It can, otherwise, take a while to get your order.
For dessert, I couldn’t pass up the Diva’s «Sweet Potato Turnover Parfait» ($ 6.50) and would advise you not do so either. The parfait is a perfect, rich mix of homemade sweet potato turnover and vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream and a cherry. It’s a real retro-​satisfying end to a Marin soul-​food meal.

I used to have to drive out of Marin to get decent fried chicken until I cane to The Chicken Diva. Rachel is amazing. She does it all. It’s the best fried chicken I have ever had and you have to get extra for leftovers. The chicken wings are so delicious the next day cold. The corn fritters are to die for. Next time I am there I am going to try a desert. So happy my friend Charlene took me to this spot. It’s a great find for Marin folks that love fried chicken.

* WINNER OF THE BEST-​CHICKEN-​WORST-​EVERYTHING-​ELSE AWARD *
I don’t get over to this part of the Bay all that often but I recently made a trip to visit my sister and stopped to pick up a bite to eat on the way. What a cute little place! I’m told this pop-​up is only open a couple nights a week; I was lucky my timing was right to try it out.
I ordered 12 wings, mac & cheese, and cornbread. I guess the meal came with fries too. There wasn’t a lot of seating but it was sufficient for the small number of people waiting for to-​go orders, like myself. Chick. Diva serves as a café for the bus station during the day — I should take the bus more. I like not driving.
So let’s jump ahead 15 minutes. I’m pretty patient, but it’s fried chicken and I have somewhere to be. I waited another several minutes and asked about my order. I was told she was waiting on the fries. The woman working said «it’s cooked to order» and «quality takes time». …and then another fifteen minutes went by… #$%&! …and then another 15.
FIFTY-​TWO (52) minutes after I ordered, I received the best fried chicken I’ve ever had, and some fries that tasted like maybe she’d defrosted them from a frozen state before frying!!! I don’t know. I’m pretty sure they were Ore-​Ida crinkle-​cut. Bleh! They were not «quality» and NOT worth the wait. Rather than an excuse, an apology would have gone a long way here.
At least I don’t live close enough to be saddened by the idea I’ll never be back.

Chicken and cornbread were authentic and delicious. Exactly what I was in the mood for. My only quibble is that I wish she would put as much love into the other side dishes as she does the chicken– mac and cheese and collard greens needed a lot of seasoning. I will be back!

I never knew it could be like this.
Thank you Chicken Diva.

Good chicken. I should have bought more.

Excellent fried chicken. Crispy, perfectly seasoned coating on succulent chicken. The sides are authentic (I am a southern transplant, I know authentic) and delicious. Slightly sweet cornbread, creamy mac n cheese, and a perfect little corn fritter. I am so excited about this place, I will be returning and telling all my friends to go.

Rachael, where have you been all my life? Perfecting fried chicken obviously. My first thought after tucking into the Friday Special-​$ 10 for 4 wings and a side of Mac Cheese with roll was, can I have the whole chicken? Those wings were perfectly fried, not greasy at all. I wanted more. Even a drumstick. Tenders, anything. just more… We also tried the Corn Fritters, litle crunchy bites of sweet corn and batter. What could be better? The sweet potato turnovers hmmm. wow are they good.
I think she’s got a great thing going here and it needs more people to come and try it out. There’s PLENTY of room in the Jackson Café dining room for a big crowd so bring your team over there after practice and get ready to eat some great food! Pop in to this great little pop-​up and see for yourself.

I wandered by Jackson Café on Saturday and saw the sign for the new «pop-​up» restaurant inside. Ordered the 4-​piece wings and sweet potato turnover from owner Rachael herself and got to eyeball all the nice décor and photos of yummy food (by Rachael), plus chat with her about the restaurant biz and her promotion strategies while waiting for my take-​out order. Well photos are one thing, but how’s the food? Had to wait til I got home but the wondeful aroma almost overcame me in the car.
At home I whipped it out of the bag and wow… how can those wings be so hearty and so delicate at the same time? Wonderful crispy seasoned batter gives way to the most delicate wings my teeth ever crossed, almost like butter (but better). And did the turnover disappoint? Afraid not, obviously she is using some recipe not many people have access to, sweet but not too sweet, with a delicate yet crispy outside crust.
Well done Rachael! Those are the best wings I’ve had by a stretch! The only downside is you might have spoiled me for my birthday dinner. I will be back!

My sister & I had been wanting to eat at The Chicken Diva since it opened in June & Sunday, after a San Rafael Pacifics game, was the perfect time. We could hardly wait until the final out & I’m sure we laid down rubber trying to get over there! We introduced ourselves to Rachael, the owner/​mastermind, who was warm & attentive without hovering (thank goodness!).
We both ordered the Diva Dinner: 6 wings, mac & cheese, green beans seasoned with smoked turkey, & cornbread… wow! Everything was good, really well-​seasoned & plenty of it… the mac & cheese was creamy & I’m pretty sure I tasted 2 – 3 different cheeses, but the chicken was my favorite… big, fresh, perfectly seasoned wings, crunchy outside, tender & juicy inside… yum!
As if that weren’t enough, we each had to try a sweet potato turnover for dessert… the verdict: both of ours were practically gone before dinner arrived, so I’d say they were a hit! I look forward to my next meal at The Chicken Diva & plan to bring family & friends.
As my sister said: If you’re craving Soul Food that satisfies, check out The Chicken Diva in San Rafael (inside the Jackson Café)!!! They give you large portions, so your leftovers will be just as good (if not better) the next day!!!

My mom and I were on a mission for some fried chicken for days and when we realized we could juuust make it in time, we rushed over on Sunday before Chicken Diva closed for the evening. Though the staff were closing up, they graciously stopped what they were doing to make us two Diva Dinners.
Mom and I shared one as a picnic (there was plenty for two in one dinner) Mac and Cheese is real good, the sweet potato turnovers were a great surprise, not too crusty, not too sweet, just mmmmmm.
When I recently moved back to San Rafael after living in DC and I thought I was totally out of luck if I was in need of some goooood fried chicken. But now I’ve found Chicken Diva and am thrilled to have a go to spot for awesome soul food. Thanks Chicken Diva! fried chicken mission complete!

Nom nom nom!
Came here tonight for take out and was amazed! BF and I got the dinner special which is 6 wings, green beans, cornbread, and mac n cheese. Everything was delicious though it was a lot of food for me so I wound up saving half for tomorrow night (bonus!). The fried chicken was fantastic and I really want to see this business do well. Service was great and we’ll definitely be back… a lot.

Thank you Jesus! Finally, fried chicken worth tellin’ on a mountain about. Flavor ALL the way through. Crispy flavorfull otside. Mmmmm. Not oily. When I need comfort food; I go see the ‘Diva’ in San Rafael. Sweet potato turnovers! Wow! Crust is flakey and sweet. The filling is heavenly. You have to try one. I like my order to-​go. It’s not lady-​like to eat ravenously in public. Now I want some chicken from the Diva.