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View Full Version : Best Way to Drive to Knotts from Disneyland to get some boysenberry pie and chicken



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ktrm
05-27-2007, 01:24 PM
So, I've been searching this site for good places to eat off-site from DL and its sounds like Knotts Berry Farms chicken and boysenberry pie is a must. I am staying at the Hampton Inn in Garden Grove. Should I get back on 5 North to La Palma Avenue or should I go West on Katella to 39 North? Is the place to buy the chicken easy to find? Is there a drive through or is it only sit down and should you order ahead?

Thanks.

Darkbeer
05-27-2007, 01:54 PM
First off, the main restaurant is Sit down only. But next door is a Mrs. Knott's Chicken to Go store, with to go service. I prefer the restaurant, it is very reasonably priced, and they do offer free parking (3 hour maximum).

No drive thru at the Chicken to Go, but they have a few 15 minute only parking spaces in front of the store. No need to order ahead.

As to how to get there, there are a couple of choices, one is the freeway, and the other is city streets, to me, it is about the same, the city streets during rush hour, and the freeway when traffic is light.

To get to Knott's via the freeway, I would just go North up Harbor to the I-5 north exit. Take that to the 91 freeway west, once onto the 91, the first exit is Beach Blvd. At the end of the off ramp, make a left onto Beach Blvd, going south. Stay in the right lane and just past La Palma, make a right to the Main Knott's entrance, go straight down the road, past the theme park entrance and the crosswalk, the Chicken Dinner restaurant and then the Chicken to Go store is on the right, as is the 15 minute spaces. (clearly marked) The free parking, if you can't find it in front of the shops is on the left, just past the T.G.I.Friday's.

To get back on the freeway, follow the road (one way) to the traffic light, make a left, then another left at the next light, you will be on Beach Blvd. Go up Beach to the 91 east exit, and stay in the right lane and get onto 5 south to Harbor Blvd, and back to your hotel.

As for city streets, you can take Chapman, Katella or Ball east to Beach Blvd (Route 39), and then head north to La Palma Blvd. Make a U-turn and enter the Knott's Main Entrance and find a parking space.

DianeM
05-27-2007, 02:04 PM
There is no drive through and only small sit down tables in the bakery next door. You don't need to order ahead - actually, I don't think you can. Follow the directions to Knott's Berry Farm and enter as if you were going to the park. We take the freeway, unless it's rush hour, then we take Katella. There will be guards directing traffic at the Knott's drop off spot (at the actual park entrance). Right past this is a shopping area. The take-out area is on the right, and we've usually been able to get a parking spot right in the shopping area (if not, I will go in to get the chicken and my husband will drive off to get gas instead of coming in). It's before the place where the wooden roller coaster goes over the road. The parking is free, but they don't allow long term parking. It's just for the shopping area. There is also a sit down restaurant, but I haven't eaten there since I was a kid, so I can't tell you much about it.

Don't forget to grab jam and butter for the biscuits and hand wipes from the counter. While you are there, you might want to stop in the bakery (attached to the chicken take-out) and get something for breakfast. We also generally go a couple of doors further down and get Knott's jam/jelly. You can get some kinds in the store, but they make a lot of varieties that aren't easily available. Their fudge is good, too, but I usually hold out for Disney's. I would kill for a piece of Knott's boysenberry pie right now <sigh>. Heck... we've even run out of jam since our last visit.

Also - when I travel, I generally take some flatware and a couple of heavy plastic disposable plates and large plastic cups. I hate eating with take out plates and plastic knives and spoons, and the little glasses in hotel rooms just aren't big enough.


So, I've been searching this site for good places to eat off-site from DL and its sounds like Knotts Berry Farms chicken and boysenberry pie is a must. I am staying at the Hampton Inn in Garden Grove. Should I get back on 5 North to La Palma Avenue or should I go West on Katella to 39 North? Is the place to buy the chicken easy to find? Is there a drive through or is it only sit down and should you order ahead?

Thanks.

mousey_girl
05-27-2007, 02:24 PM
I have found just taking Ball to Beach is pretty easy. It probably isn't the quickest way, but it is an easy drive.

tod
05-27-2007, 03:32 PM
If you're not from around here, the easiest way to go is west on Ball (or Katella) to Beach, north on Beach to Knott's.

Go back the same way.

Personally, I'd take the 5 to the 91, get off at Beach, and go south to Knott's, but I've lived here all my life and I can imagine how spooky the freeways are for newbies.

--t

ktrm
05-27-2007, 05:42 PM
If you're not from around here, the easiest way to go is west on Ball (or Katella) to Beach, north on Beach to Knott's.


I am not local at all but LA freeways don't confuse me too much except the carpool lanes. I always want to use them but they seem to let you off at different places and you can't always seem to get on them. Definitely confused about them.

mousey_girl
05-27-2007, 06:13 PM
I'm comfortable with the freeways, but the day we ended up at Knott's there were some serious freeway shutdowns. I was driving around that mess, decided to stop and do some shopping.

SANDYMARIE
05-27-2007, 06:26 PM
They should have a delivery service. :)

tod
05-28-2007, 10:39 AM
I am not local at all but LA freeways don't confuse me too much except the carpool lanes. I always want to use them but they seem to let you off at different places and you can't always seem to get on them. Definitely confused about them.

Okay, if you're fearless --

Take the 5 north to the 91 east. Get off at Beach. I believe that Beach is divided at this point and you have to commit to going south. What you have to do is head left from your direction of travel on the 91.

When you're on Beach, keep your eye out on the right. There is a large billboard-size sign that says "Knott's Berry Farm." Go up half a block, take the fork in the road to the right and you're there. Try to go straight instead of left into the parking lot across the street.

Reverse the process to get back to Disneyland. If you can get in the carpool lane of the 91, there is a carpool-lane exit to the 5 south and a carpool-lane exit to Disneyland Drive. Remember to save your Disneyland parking receipt; It's good all day.

--t

r-we-there-yet
05-28-2007, 10:20 PM
The wife and I have heard about the chicken at Knott’s. Is it as good as some people are making it sound?

tod
05-29-2007, 10:26 PM
The wife and I have heard about the chicken at Knott’s. Is it as good as some people are making it sound?

At the risk of overselling it...

Yes!!

"Lighter than air buttermilk biscuits" sounds like a dopey ad man's phrase, but it's true. add some Knott's jam and they're even better.

The chicken is perfectly cooked, in a tasty crisp crust.

People do not line up for an hour to be disappointed again. When you get in line, casually ask people if this is their first time at the restaurant. Your fellow line members will tell you more than I have.

--t

MouseWife
05-30-2007, 09:10 AM
I'll second that. {it being really good chicken}

When I mention it to people, 90+% of them know what I am talking about and how they love it and always have to get it.

Last time I went I picked up some to eat on the way home. In line, this gentleman was buying a big bucket to take home with him...and he had a long drive with him. He said he always does it.

{biscuits, jelly, butter, beans, it is all good!!!}

The freeways~ I find them daunting. If you are in the carpool lane coming north from the 5 then it won't let you out soon enough to get over to your exit. And I recall something about when we went back onto the freeway Knotts, is there no North offramp or something. {I don't remember where we were going, this probably has nothing to do with your driving, just wanted to add how the freeways can be a bit much if unfamiliar with them...}

Syndrome
05-30-2007, 10:05 AM
Yes, great chicken and don't forget to try the creamy chicken soup!

Does anyone remember how much the chicken dinner is? We're going to DL in about two weeks and I'm thinking we're gonna go here for dinner one night. I remember it being pretty cheap.

SANDYMARIE
05-30-2007, 12:23 PM
The chicken dinner is EXCELLENT!! So is the breakfast! If you can do both.:) :) :) :)

TTFN

Pat-n-Eil
05-30-2007, 12:57 PM
Yes, great chicken and don't forget to try the creamy chicken soup!

Does anyone remember how much the chicken dinner is? We're going to DL in about two weeks and I'm thinking we're gonna go here for dinner one night. I remember it being pretty cheap.

+++1 Creamy chicken noodle soup = teh Win!11!!11

The old man
05-31-2007, 11:22 AM
The wife and I have heard about the chicken at Knott’s. Is it as good as some people are making it sound?
No, vastly overrated. Try White Fence Farms outside of Chicago and someone said there's on in Colorado.

mkraemer
05-31-2007, 01:10 PM
No, vastly overrated. Try White Fence Farms outside of Chicago and someone said there's on in Colorado.

Seems kinda far to go for chicken if you're at Disneyland. :)

The old man
05-31-2007, 02:17 PM
Seems kinda far to go for chicken if you're at Disneyland. :)

:)

cstephens
06-03-2007, 09:17 AM
No, vastly overrated. Try White Fence Farms outside of Chicago and someone said there's on in Colorado.

I know a lot of people rave about Knott's fried chicken, but it doesn't do that much for me. I actually prefer the fried chicken at Plaza Inn and French Market.

DianeM
06-03-2007, 11:08 AM
Actually, Knott's fried chicken is good, but it's not the best part. I've never tasted anything as good as their boysenberry pie. The side dishes are very good, too. And the price is much better than anything you'll get at Plaza Inn or French Market. We generally get enough for leftovers the next day and pay less than we would pay for a single meal nearer DL. I think that, for a lot of people, it's a treat that they can only enjoy in S Cal. I'm sure there is better fried chicken in the world.


I know a lot of people rave about Knott's fried chicken, but it doesn't do that much for me. I actually prefer the fried chicken at Plaza Inn and French Market.

ktrm
06-10-2007, 06:22 PM
Just came back from DL. Thanks everyone for the advice. This was great food. $60 covered food for 2 children and 3 adults. We had enough food left over for another full dinner the next day in our hotel room. The boysenberry pie was to die for and the chicken was not greasy. I'm not a fried chicken expert, but it was the best I ever had. It will definitely be on my must-do list for future trips.

ktrm
06-10-2007, 07:41 PM
I forgot to mention what was included in the dinner. For about $15.75 I got salad, chicken noodle or rubard soup, mashed potatoes with white gravy, corn or cabbage with ham, biscuits and jam, fried chicken(a breast, thigh, leg, and wing), and boysenberry, rubard or apple pie. The rubard soup was especially good. I know it sounds weird but it was delicious. The kids meal for $6.50 included a jello starter(strawberry jello), mashed potatoes with white gravy, corn, two fried chicken legs, boysenberry punch in a cute, high quality snoopy sipper cup, and a snoopy ice cream bar. It was all a great value. It really was not too far from DL and the city street routes people suggested worked out just great. We were doing other sights than just Disneyland so it worked out well for us. The free parking for shopping and dining was and added bonus that MP readers informed me of. When I was a kid we used to go to both DL and Knotts Berry Farm so it was also sort of a trip down memory lane. I have not had the fried chicken at the Plaza Inn or the French market so I can't say which is better, but I can't imagine you get as much food. It was definitely a whole lot better than KFC.

mkraemer
06-11-2007, 10:44 PM
I'm really pleased to find this thread because we're planning on getting the Great America passes that also have admission to Knotts and Knotts Soak City. We've never been there, lo these many years of going to Disneyland, and well...boysenberry pie! Sounds like a winner!!

HTanner
06-12-2007, 12:39 PM
This is one of my two favorite off-site restaurants - although, I admit, I haven't been there in years.

The other is Canters - best deli, ever. The potato salad is to-die-for. Its located right near the walk of fame in LA. We always get the Brooklyn sandwich - about 1/2 pound of corned beef (or pastrami or turkey) with cole slaw on rye bread. Yum. No one ever goes hungry. Dad has been taking us there since we were kids - it was always our first stop in LA.

But the chicken place at Knotts is great, too. Especially that pie.

motomickey
06-12-2007, 02:14 PM
I know a lot of people rave about Knott's fried chicken, but it doesn't do that much for me. I actually prefer the fried chicken at Plaza Inn and French Market.

I am a native from Orange County and grew up on Knott's Chicken, but I like Plaza Inn just as good or BETTER--don't bother fighting the traffic just to get chicken--stay at the park and get some--you will not regret it! You can ask for 2 breasts instead of the white/dark combo if you want--I think it is only $1 more and they are HUGE!!!!!
Bon Appetit!