Ball's Fried Chicken Prepares To Make Its Triumphant Return

When you think of local eateries in Lake Charles that have reached icon status, only a few come to mind- and one of those is Ball's Fried Chicken.

Just like many other businesses in the lake area, Ball's was delivered a bad blow from Hurricanes Laura and Delta. Their business was too damaged to reopen to the public. Also like everyone else in SWLA, the restaurant has had to deal with their insurance company dragging their feet with payments after the storms.

Owner Reginald Ball Jr. told KPLC they're waiting for the Health Department to give their final check of the restaurant before they can open their doors to the public. He also said a lot of locals had the impression that Ball's was closing up shop for good. Thankfully, that's not the case. Their establishment is a part of the community and Ball said closing the business was the furthest thing from his mind.

They hope to open their Common Street location in a few weeks.

I can still remember the first time my taste buds were blessed with Ball's Fried Chicken. I was working at a local factory as a shipping and logistics manager. One weekend, we had a large order to send out and I had to be there to supervise to make sure everything went as scheduled. The guys at work were always talking about Ball's Fried Chicken, so I decided to give it a try on my way home.

I ordered a three-piece mixed with red beans and rice and fried okra. It smelled so good, I knew I couldn't wait until I got home to eat, so I just tore into it in the parking lot. I started by popping an okra, and this perfectly fried morsel of goodness piqued my interest even more. I knew I had to try the chicken next. I went for the chicken breast first, and boy was I surprised at how juicy it was. The spice was so nice on the deep-fried batter and from that moment on, I was hooked. From that day forward, any time a friend or family member has come in from out of town and asked for a restaurant referral, I always include Ball's.