The Hidden Fried Chicken Gem Guy Fieri Found On Vacation In Montana

Montana is home to Glacier National Park, the fictional Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, and the best fried chicken your mouth has ever experienced. On a trip to Big Sky Country, Guy Fieri stumbled upon a gem of an eatery that Bozeman locals have flocked to since it opened its doors in 2013. It's called Roost Fried Chicken (known simply as "The Roost" by many), and it's so tasty that Fieri phoned his producers. Soon after, the "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" crew arrived to shine a spotlight on this restaurant. "It's juicy, it's tender, it's legit," the celebrity chef raved in the episode.

This place has everything from fried chicken by the bucket to fried chicken sandwiches to the dish that Fieri ordered up: chicken on a stick — a skewered, crunchy fried boneless chicken thigh with a homemade biscuit to top everything off. The chicken comes in traditional Southern Fried, Nashville Hot, or Sweet Heat flavors. It makes our mouths water just thinking about it. If you are searching for the best fried chicken in every state, Roost Fried Chicken should be on your radar.

The Roost has Tennessee roots

In addition to fried chicken, the Roost's menu boasts wings, collard greens, deviled eggs, fried okra, and locally made ice cream; however, if you are beginning to wonder how this Southern cuisine made its way so far north and west, there is an easy explanation. The Roost Fried Chicken tradition is rooted far from this region, and the eatery's history can be traced to the Appalachian Mountains, specifically Lookout Valley, Tennessee. 

In the 1950s, the owner's grandfather, Joe Darr Jr., opened a restaurant called Chow-Time. The Darr family served up Southern favorites like country ham, biscuits, and coconut cream pie. When they opened their second spot in Rossville, Georgia, fried chicken was added to the menu. While Chow-Time is no more, the restaurant's Southern fried chicken served as inspiration for the meals you can find now at the Roost, and it certainly caught the attention of Guy Fieri. So, if your next vacation or road trip plans take you through Montana, be sure to add Roost Fried Chicken to your best "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" restaurants. Don't forget to grab a glass of sweet tea to quench your thirst, too.