After six years of slinging its popular fried bird on California Ave. in West Seattle, local favorite Harry’s Chicken Joint has permanently closed. The restaurant posted a goodbye message on Instagram Saturday night, with video of its neon sign shutting off, and its bio now reads “retired.”
Earning kudos for its flavorful skillet-fried, buttermilk-brined poultry and welcoming vibe, the no-frills shack had established a loyal following in the neighborhood. But shuttering wasn’t a complete surprise. On January 1, Harry’s posted a message on Facebook indicating that 2019 would be its last year of operations: “no regrets, no reruns, no spin-offs.” Then, in recent weeks, it scaled back its hours from Wednesday-Saturday to Fridays and Saturdays only. Comments from customers on Yelp and West Seattle Blog indicated that owner Bruce Cougan — who named the place after his late father — would be retiring, and a Facebook post from the restaurant seemed to confirm this.
Harry’s did not respond to a request for comment on the closing and confirmation on Cougan’s retirement at publication time, but a voicemail message said, “It’s been a great six years — we appreciate it.”
