Goode Co. Debuts a New Fried Chicken Restaurant in Houston Offering Southern Eats To Go — Updated

fried chicken at Goode Bird

At noon on Sunday, July 12, the longstanding restaurant group Goode Company is debuting a to-go-only Southern restaurant. Called Goode Bird, it is operating from the Armadillo Palace kitchen at 5015 Kirby. The specialities include fried chicken, roasted chicken, biscuits with sea salt and honey butter, deviled eggs, breaded fried okra and slow-simmered collard greens.

“For years I’ve been wanting to open a ‘chicken joint’ where I could really let my Southern roots shine, and I decided that if there was ever a time when people needed a bit of comfort, it’s definitely now,” said owner Levi Goode via a press release. We want Goode Bird to bring back memories of casual weekend meals with the family, dishes made from scratch with simple ingredients and soulful seasonings and served with love.”

There’s a altruistic feature as well; Goode Bird is donating one percent of all sales to local charities.

Goode Bird logo
The Goode Bird logo. Courtesy image.

For the fried chicken, Goode Bird is using hormone- and antibiotic-free poultry raised in the the Texas Hill Country. To ensure moisture and tenderness, the chicken is soaked in a brine of buttermilk and Texas honey with thyme and other seasonings before deep frying. It’s sold in four different quantities: as a whole bird (eight pieces; two each of wings, legs, thighs and breasts) or half-bird, as well as a family meal for four or as a two-piece meal with two sides. (Goode Bird is also accepting larger orders for big groups; call ahead.) For those who want easy eating (or want something for the kids), chicken tenders are also available.

The roasted chicken, available in the same portions as the fried version, is seasoned with seasoned with fresh rosemary, lemon and garlic before going onto a spit to be cooked over fire fueled by smoky mesquite.

In addition to the collard greens and okra, other side dish choices include Pimento Mac & Cheese, Jalapeño Creamed Corn, mashed potatoes with butter, dirty rice, hand-cut French friesred beans and rice and skillet-made cornbread with green chiles, cheddar and jack cheeses. There are appetizers, too, such as Blue Ribbon Deviled Eggs and Green Chile Pimento Cheese.

In addition to this hefty lineup of popular Southern dishes, the menu includes several other options, including desserts. There are salads, such as the the BLT Chopped with thick-cut bacon, heirloom tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles, scallion buttermilk dressing and cornbread croutons; sandwiches, including the Goode Company Damn Goode Burger; and desserts. Of course, the legendary Brazos Bottom Pecan Pie is among the offerings, but there is also a chocolate cream pie, warm chocolate chip cookies and Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars.

The relaxing of Texas law, which now allows alcohol to go, also means that guests can buy and take home sparkling wines (there are three from which to choose), beer (including some from Texas and Mexico) and even cocktails. Those choices include the “Damn Goode” margarita, available as an individual drink and by the gallon; Double Birdie with bourbon, lemonade and sweet tea; Watermelon Mezcal Margarita, a double-sized Kentucky Aperol Spritz with Maker’s Mark, Montenegro, Aperol and a split (375 ml bottle) of Sofia Brut; and Grilled Lemon Julep with bourbon, grilled lemon juice, brown sugar and mint.

Goode Bird’s hours are Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Pick-up orders can be placed by calling (713) 999-4180. Delivery is also available through Doordash and Grubhub. Updated 7/22/2020, 1:06 p.m.: Although the restaurant initially planned to offer its food for delivery, as it turns out it’s been selling out through direct pickup orders. Third-party delivery is still planned “in the near future.”

The Goode Bird website and full menu will soon be posted online at the Goode Company website. For now, you can check out the menu at this link.

Comments (9)

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  • August 6, 2020 at 6:22 pmHarold Rud

    Chicken was disappointingly flavorless. Biscuits and cream corn were good. So much for counting on the Goode name.

    Reply
    • August 7, 2020 at 8:39 amPhaedra Cook

      Wow, really sorry to hear this! I’ve heard good things about the chicken up to this point. I hope you shared your feedback with the restaurant.

      Reply
  • July 23, 2020 at 12:52 pmPhaedra Cook

    Thanks so much for the update! It’s great to hear what is rolling out the gate that’s a must-try, and what to skip on, at least for now until its perfected. Mesquite gravy does sound like it could be overpowering. Glad that there are other good things to try, though!

    Reply
  • July 13, 2020 at 5:14 pmM

    I called and they aren’t partnered with DoorDash or Grubhub

    Reply
    • July 14, 2020 at 9:38 amPhaedra Cook

      Thank you for letting us know. That was the information we were given, so I will follow up and see what the deal is.

      Reply
    • July 22, 2020 at 1:10 pmPhaedra Cook

      Here’s the update on this, and I just added it to the article as well: “Though the restaurant initially planned to offer its food for delivery, as it turns out it’s been selling out through direct pickup orders. Third-party delivery is still planned “in the near future.”

      Reply
  • July 10, 2020 at 1:48 pmKB

    Wonderful! I love fried chicken and am thrilled to have a to go restaurant. Thanks!

    Reply
    • July 10, 2020 at 2:14 pmPhaedra Cook

      It looks amazing, too. Report back if you try it!

      Reply
      • July 23, 2020 at 11:16 amKB

        All the fried chicken was sold out for about the first week. I think they were surprised to have the huge response they did! But I picked some up on Monday, and I am very happy to say the chicken is wonderful. Tender, juicy, crispy, not overcooked with a nice balanced mix of spices. The birds are a very nice size so that the pieces are not tiny like the mutant chickens used at KFC.

        Sides: We ordered mac and cheese, red beans and rice, creamed corn, and mashed potatoes with gravy. The creamed corn is truly outstanding. Holy cow. That is good. The mac and cheese is also excellent, though the pimentos put off the younger ones. Red beans and rice were also excellent. The mashed potatoes are okay. I like a lot of cream and butter in mine, and these were kind of watery. The gravy suffers from a mesquite flavor. Why? Why? And the biscuits are meh. They need a lot of that wonderful honey butter they come with. But there is plenty of good stuff in the bag until the mashed potatoes and biscuits improve.

        Drive up was quick, efficient and very COVID safe. I hope they don’t stop this service when the world opens back up. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

        Reply