Martin’s in Montgomery Serves Fried Chicken the Meat-and-Three Way

A plate of fried chicken with three Southern sides is a fine reason to pull into a strip-mall parking lot, and Martin’s gives that simple promise plenty of weight. The exterior is unassuming, but the food arrives in the generous, familiar fashion people hope for when they sit down to a proper meat-and-three.

The chicken is the centerpiece: well seasoned, crisp on the outside, moist beneath the crust, and not burdened by grease. It is the sort of fried chicken that does not need much explanation once the plate is on the table.

Martin’s keeps things casual and unfussy. Come in for lunch, an early dinner, or a meal with family, and the tone is comfortably hometown rather than formal. Friendly, helpful service and a warm greeting help the room feel easy from the start.

The meat-and-three format gives fried chicken the company it deserves. Rather than treating the sides as an afterthought, Martin’s builds a meal that can include a little starch, something green, and one of those dishes that makes you reconsider how much room you actually have left on the plate.

Cheese grits are among the choices that turn a chicken dinner into a full Southern spread. Mashed potatoes with gravy bring the expected comfort, while macaroni and cheese handles the rich-and-creamy assignment with no need for fuss.

For vegetable-side territory, the offerings have included string beans, collard greens, coleslaw, and okra and tomatoes. Potato salad is another familiar option. Availability can vary, which is not a bad reason to look over the day’s choices before automatically ordering the same three things.

Portions tend toward generous. Leftovers are common enough here that a meal can continue at home, a useful little bonus when the table has been especially persuasive.

Hot corn muffins or cornbread muffins arrive early in the meal, giving the table something to work on while the main plates come together. Butter has been part of the routine, and honey may be available for those who prefer a little sweetness with their cornbread.

Sweet tea belongs naturally beside this kind of lunch. Unsweetened tea, lemonade, and water have also been available, but a cold glass of sweet tea with fried chicken, greens, and cornbread is hard to improve upon.

Fried chicken may be the house favorite, but Martin’s offers enough meat choices to keep a mixed table happy. Roast beef, wings, dark meat, and catfish have all appeared among the entrée options, so not everyone has to be in a chicken mood.

The pulley-bone chicken is one to notice when it is available. It has become a repeat-order choice for diners who know to look for it, the sort of specific cut that adds a little local personality to an otherwise straightforward menu.

Catfish can make a substantial alternative meal. One version of the order has included two whole catfish with rice, coleslaw, and green beans; the fish is seasoned and crisp, while the slaw brings a cool contrast to the fried entrée.

A meat-and-three meal does not require dessert, of course, but homemade meringue pie by the slice has been among the options. After a full plate and a corn muffin or two, sharing a slice may be the sensible route.

Monday has also brought a dressing special memorable enough to inspire return trips. Daily offerings are worth checking when you arrive, particularly if dressing, pie, or a favorite side is part of the plan.

Martin’s suits the unhurried rhythm of a sit-down meal. Food comes in a timely manner, but this is more a place to settle in over a substantial plate than to race through a quick stop between errands.

The dining room can have a lively, moderately noisy feel during busy periods, while a quieter takeout visit can be a different experience altogether. Sunday lunch, especially around churchgoing hours, can draw a crowd. Some parties get seated promptly, while larger groups may have a wait.

The restaurant is walk-in oriented, and reservations are not generally needed. It has accommodated groups including a party of 12, making it a practical option when a family gathering or a table of friends wants one restaurant with plenty of familiar choices.

There is free parking in the lot, though the layout has occasionally taken a first-time visitor a moment to sort out. Once inside, the formula is admirably direct: choose a meat, select the sides, welcome the cornbread, and prepare for a plate that may be larger than expected.

Takeout is available, including catfish orders, but the full appeal is easiest to appreciate at a table with the tea poured and the sides spread out in front of you. For travelers driving through Montgomery—or heading home from a beach trip—Martin’s makes a satisfying detour from the usual road food.