Open For More Than Half A Century, Lee’s Chicken In Nebraska Is A Timeless Dining Experience

Lee's Chicken in Nebraska is a longstanding favorite dinner destination. The Lincoln restaurant officially opened in 1945 and began attracting crowds with its impossibly juicy, crunchy, flavorful fried chicken. It's just as delightful to eat there now as it was back in the '40s!

Lee's Chicken evolved from a small hamburger shack on the corner.

It seated around 12 at that time, but additions to the building expanded the seating area significantly.

Lee and Alice Franks bought the little business in October of 1945.

While they had the entrepreneurial spirit, their menu just wasn't bringing in the customers they needed.

So Alice did what any good cook does: she got creative.

She'd read about peanut oil being used to fry french fries and found the idea interesting, so she purchased a tabletop deep-fryer for the restaurant.

When a customer came in one day asking for fried chicken, Alice wasted no time.

She butchered and dressed a chicken from the back yard, then prepared it using an old family recipe from Louisiana. And finally, Alice dropped the chicken pieces into the peanut oil, where they were fried to perfection.

Ever since then, Lee's has been known as the place to go for chicken.

The chicken dinners are probably the most popular menu item; order a two-piece or three-piece dinner, depending on how hungry you are.

If you'd rather opt for a boneless way to enjoy some chicken, you can order a chicken sandwich, chicken fingers, or even a chicken-topped salad.

There are also thoughtful offerings for vegetarians on the menu, such as a veggie burger.

Lee's also happens to serve some legendary sides.

Its onion rings are famous, according to the menu, and the breaded veggies are a must-try, even for people who claim they don't like vegetables.

During Lent, you'll also see all-you-can-eat fried fish nights at Lee's.

Keep an eye out on its Facebook page to see when you can enjoy this delicacy.

There's no better way to top off a delicious meal than with a slice of homemade pie!

Lee's offers dine-in, carryout, and catering options.

Visit Lee's Chicken on its website, or drop by Lee's on Facebook to keep up on specials. What's your favorite menu item at Lee's? Share your opinion in the comments!

For another timeless attraction in Lincoln, stop by Pioneers Park to view these pillars with a surprising history.