This contest started on 10/26/23. This contest has a winner.

* Win A $10 Fran’s Chicken Haven Gift Card.

Jeff Eats got a $10 Fran’s Chicken Haven Gift Card to give to one of you guys!

The game- the first 10 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair!

The $10 Gift Card is good at Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781.

You can check menu/prices at franschickenhaven.com.

Posted on March 13th, 2019 ·

***** Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781.

Let’s just call this tale a “2019-Public Service Announcement”….

Just a quick observation- You guys do know that most cardiologists don’t know dick-about fried chicken!
In any event…

If you “need” to eat absolutely off the chart-dynamite fried chicken (like Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats needed to do last night), read on…

Posted on December 28th, 2015

***** Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781

Let’s just call this- a Jeff Eats’ “Certain Things Bear Repeating” story…

Jeff Eats just has to laugh- when the Sun Sentinel seemingly “year after year crowns” PUBLIX FRIED CHICKEN the best in South Florida! There is an old Irish saying- “Give Me A Fu@king Break.”

Long story short, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have been- on and off (see below-as to why “on and off”) “taking-out” fried chicken and “various” sides from Fran’s Chicken Haven in Boca Raton for something like 23 years!- and I gotta tell you -that this joint’s fried chicken/sides are absolute dynamite! Trust Jeff Eats on this one – trying to rank the “best” in the food reviewing game- is a dumb no win game…with that in mind, what I do know, is that Fran’s fried chicken is off-the-chart good and that after you eat it- you will never-want to voluntarily buy or eat Publix fried chicken ever again!

If you want to eat outrageously delicious fried chicken…Fran’s Chicken Haven is a must try.

You can check menu/info at franschickenhaven.com.

Posted on July 5th, 2013

***** Fran’s Chicken Haven, 1925 North Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 395-0781.

Got something terrific for you…

That’s assuming that you aren’t a “follower” of NYC Mayor Bloomberg–in that you don’t need “Big Brother” (and no, I’m not talking about Janis’ group) to tell you what you can and can’t eat…

Real fast… from 1964-2000 a woman named Fran (thus the name Fran’s Chicken Haven) and her husband Joe, operated a “hole-in-the-wall” fried chicken joint—Fran’s Chicken Haven in Boca Raton. Maybe 3 tables and 4-5 counter seats. In a nutshell, amazing fried chicken and assorted sides. In 2000 the couple retired and sold the business—for the past 12-13 years Fran’s has had 3-maybe 4 different owners who slowly but surely wrecked the business. Jeff Eats may not be the sharpest pencil in the box, but I do know that when something ain’t broke, you don’t try and fix it…one owner changed the batter-mix and added latin sides, another made the joint a kosher chicken restaurant-closing on Friday nights and all day Saturday—hopefully you get the picture.

Since Fran and Joe sold the joint, Jeff Eats who had previously been a real-steady customer, has maybe picked-up chicken 7 or 8 times in the ensuing years.

Now the news…two brothers- Jake Stuart (aged 19) and Chris Stuart (aged 32) both born and bred—Boca Ratonians—bought Fran’s a month or so ago…and have literally “brought” it back to where it was taste-wise during the Fran & Joe era. How does Jeff Eats know all this? Because…Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats ala Marvin Gaye heard it through the grapevine—and yesterday, picked up an 8 piece fried chicken, French fries, onion rings, fried corn nibblets order—and I gotta tell you, the food tastes just like we “remember” Fran making it…the “boys” told us that the sale/purchase of the business had included all of Fran’s original recipes and that they had visited with Fran and Joe (who still live in Boca Raton) to get a feel on how to run the joint.

Let me leave you guys with this…if you like fried chicken, fries, onion rings, fried corn nibblets—-then you gotta get over to Fran’s Chicken Haven.

One final thought…

Jake and Chris— When the crowds start pouring in, which they will—don’t even think of renaming the joint- Stuart Brothers Chicken Haven or some such variation!

Down below is the original June 20, 2006 Jeff Eats’ review for Fran’s Chicken Haven:

***** “Fran’s makes some of the best fried chicken that you have ever tasted. This joint has been around something like 40 years and is an absolute hole in the wall. Basically a take-out joint, there are a few tables and a counter for those who want to “dine in.” FRIED is the word here…shrimp, corn, french fries, onion rings. Everything is absolutely delicious.

Don’t tell your cardiologist about this joint.

Fran’s is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.”

This contest started on 10/25/23. This contest has a winner.

* Win A $25 Matteo’s Restaurant Gift Card.

Jeff Eats got a $25 Matteo’s Restaurant Gift Card to give to one of you guys…

The game- the first 25 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair! The winner will be notified by e-mail.

The $25 Gift Card is good at Matteo’s Boca Raton and Hallandale locations- check matteosristorante.com for menu/ info/ Matteo’s Restaurant, 233 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 392-0773 & 1825 East Hallandale Boulevard, Hallandale 33009, (954) 455-4050.

Posted on May 6th, 2016

***** Matteo’s Restaurant, 233 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33432, (561) 392-0773 & 1825 East Hallandale Boulevard, Hallandale 33009, (954) 455-4050.

For our purposes we are gonna call this Matteo’s story “A Public Service Announcement”…it might be too late to use it – for Mother’s Day but Father’s Day (for the uninformed- Father’s Day is Mother’s Day without presents) is another story!

Anyway,

If you guys are looking for delicious Southern Italian food, great service, huge portions, reasonable prices- you gotta checkout Matteo’s which has a joint in Boca Raton and a joint in Hallandale!

Straight up, Matteo’s is handily one of Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats’ favorite Florida- Italian restaurants. No bs- we’ve been eating at Matteo’s for years- and every meal- has been right on the money!

Printed down below are previous Jeff Eats’ Matteo’s stories…

Posted November 26, 2015

***** Matteo’s Restaurant, 233 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton Florida 33432, (561) 392-0773—&—1825 East Hallandale Boulevard, Hallandale, Florida 33009, (954) 455-4050.

A recent email received by Jeff Eats.

Hey Jeff,
Been reading you for years.
Love the site.
Great picks.
Just curious if you don’t mind, Where are you, Mrs. Jeff Eats and Family “eating” this coming Thanksgiving?
Once again, love the site.
Happy Holiday
TURNER
____
TURNER:

Assuming that you aren’t gonna pull a Michael-Captain McCluskey-Sollozzo “scene”on me…

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats and Family- are “eating” at Matteo’s Restaurant in Boca Raton at 7pm. Nothing like good solid-Pilgrim food!-fried zucchini, penne ala vodka, chicken cacciatore, baked clams, linguine in white clam sauce, broiled pork chops, veal marsala- to help us remember Plymouth Rock and Tippecanoe & Tyler Too!

Just so you know, Matteo’s in Boca Raton is one of “our” favorite Italian joints in Florida. Matteo’s food kills and its service is about as good as it gets. If you wanna “see” what a top-shelf restaurant is suppose to be- you eat at Matteo’s in Boca Raton. By the way, “we” also-really enjoy Matteo’s Hallandale location, same great food and service- but Boca Raton is- the Eats’ neighborhood so the Boca Raton joint- is an easier and more convenient outing for us!

Happy Holiday to you and your family.

Posted on August 24th, 2014

***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday-8/24/14- Matteo’s- Boca Raton, Hallandale)

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items.

Broiled Pork Chop
$16.95

Matteo’s
233 South Federal Highway
Boca Raton
(561) 392-0773
&
1825 East Hallandale Boulevard
Hallandale
(954) 455-4050
matteosrestaurants.com
Latest Review: 11/27/09

Trust Jeff Eats when I tell you that Matteo’s broiled pork chop “covered” with grilled onions/mushrooms/cherry peppers is absolutely off the chart. The chop is HUGE and every time I’ve had it, it was a challenge to finish the whole thing. I’m telling you, this chop is something very-very special.

Just so we are straight with each other, Matteo’s is one of the best Italian joints in South Florida. Jeff Eats has literally eaten there countless- times and the food and service are always top-shelf.

Matteo’s is an absolute must try!

_____________

Posted on November 27th, 2009

***** Matteo’s Restaurant, 233 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton Florida 33432, (561) 392-0773—&—1825 East Hallandale Boulevard, Hallandale, Florida 33009, (954) 455-4050.

Certain things in life bear repeating…

Matteo’s with locations in Boca Raton, Hallandale is one of the best Italian restaurants in South Florida.

If you check…Back on March 19, 2008, I did a writeup on Matteo’s. I absolutely love this joint.You can check Matteo’s menu/prices at www.matteosristorante.com.

Matteo’s has 2 South Florida locations…Boca Raton, Hallandale…on average, I am probably in either the Boca or Hallandale joints at least once a month.

Matteo’s food is delicious. Matteo’s service is outstanding. Matteo’s prices are not-exactly “cheap,” but if you’re sensible when ordering, you won’t need a second job to pay the bill…Matteo’s features both family-style and individual portions. Matteo’s is a “white-tablecloth” joint, but your tee shirt/shorts ensemble will work.

Matteo’s started out as a Long Island joint…check the website for NY locations etc…Not exactly sure when its first S. Florida location (Boca Raton) opened, but from day-one Matteo’s has been a “homerun”…its enormous NY following, translated into an enormous South Florida following.

Look…I could go on and on about this joint…

I am telling you, that if you want terrific Italian food, served by a professional staff…with a management team that makes you feel like you are family…then you want to absolutely positively eat at Matteo’s.

You now know “again” about a sensational Italian joint that is not to be missed.

_____

Posted on March 19th, 2008

***** Matteo’s Restaurant, 233 South Federal Highway, Boca Raton Florida 33432, (561) 392-0773—&—1825 East Hallandale Boulevard, Hallandale, Florida 33009, (954) 455-4050.

Matteo’s is a Southern Italian Restaurant. Matteo’s has 2 South Florida locations. Matteo’s is not cheap, but you won’t go to the poor-house, if you order sensibly. Matteo’s serves both family-style and individual sized portions. Matteo’s food is absolutely sensational. Matteo’s wait-staff is probably the best in all of South Florida. Matteo’s is always jammed.

Check Matteo’s website www.matteosrestaurants.com for menu/pricing/details.

Matteo’s is one of my favorite Italian Restaurants.

End of story!

Originally posted on 1/27/15.

* The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?

Recent e-mail from reader Jay Tepper.

Hey Jeff,

I just turned 70 my wife is 68. We moved to Tamarac from Princeton, New Jersey 7 months ago. So far so good, we really enjoy the south Florida easy going lifestyle.

We came across your site purely by accident. We had typed in Hungarian food in Tamarac on Google and your site popped up.

We really enjoy your site. I wanted to mention that we tried your Uncle Lui’s pick and it was fabulous. We also have been to Char Hut on your say so and that was another winner.

Just wanted to tell you to keep up the great work and and while I am here, which group was better the Stones or the Beatles?
___

Jay Tepper:

Glad that you and your wife found Jeff Eats and that you are enjoying what it has to say.

On The Rolling Stones v. The Beatles, that’s purely a subjective call. Personally, I’m thinking The Beatles… What I am sure of-is that The Beatles are far more famous.

The proof is in the pudding.

Quickly tell me the names of The Beatles on “She Loves You”…now just as quickly, tell me the names of The Rolling Stones on “Satisfaction.”

See what I mean?

Thanks for reading…

***** Ana’s Killer Empanadas, 1445 North Congress Avenue, Delray Beach, Florida 33445, (561) 765-6485.

Got a real good empanada “bakery” for you guys to checkout, Ana’s Killer Empanadas in Delray Beach.

Real easy story to tell, yesterday, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “discovered” Ana’s Killer Empanadas and I gotta tell you guys, absolute dynamite stuff! Takeout bakery, order/pickup at counter, reasonably priced menu of a variety of in-house baked empanadas, open Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 7:00 pm/ Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm/ Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Let’s wrap-up Ana’s Killer Empanadas by saying that its empanadas “kill”- real nice selection of delicious fillings and sauces! Trust Jeff Eats on this one, despite having barely (and I do mean barely) passed Ditmas Junior High School, Erasmus Hall High School and Ithaca College Spanish, I kinda think I know my empanadas- and they are an absolute must try!

You guys can check anaskillerempanadas.com for menu/prices/info.

This contest started on10/21/23. This contest has a winner.

* Win A Ramones T-Shirt.

Jeff Eats got a Ramones T-Shirt to give to one of you guys…

The game- the first 20 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair!

Ramones T-Shirt (Retail Value: $21)

Official Ramones Merchandise
100% Cotton
Black Ramones Shirt
Preshrunk, Fits True to Size
Sizes Available: small, medium, large, x-large, 2x-large, 3x-large

* Humor!

***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday-10/22/23- Philly’s Finest Cheesesteaks & Hoagies).

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items…

THE CLASSSIC LARGE CHEESESTEAK
($12.99- 100% prime shaved ribeye/American cheese/caramelized onions)

Philly’s Finest Cheesesteaks & Hoagies
828 East Eau Gallie Boulevard
Indian Harbour Beach
(321) 622-8969
eatphillysfinestcheesesteaks.com
Latest Review: 11/22/22

The only thing I can say- If this joint was a whole lot closer to Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats’ Boca Raton abode, we would be real steady customers!

Posted on November 22nd, 2022.

***** Philly’s Finest Cheesesteaks & Hoagies, 828 East Eau Gallie Boulevard, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida 32937, (321) 622-8969.

Got a real good Philly cheesteak/ hoagie joint for you guys to checkout, Philly’s Finest Cheesesteaks & Hoagies in Indian Harbour Beach.

Real simple tale to tell, yesterday afternoon, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “discovered” Philly’s Finest Cheesesteaks & Hoagies and I gotta tell you- its food absolutely killed! Order/pickup at counter, inside table seating, full-boat reasonably priced appetizers/ cheesesteaks/ burgers/ hot & cold hoagies & sandwiches/ chicken wings/ salads/ beer menu, open 7 days a week 11am-9:30pm.

Let’s wrap Philly’s Finest Cheesesteaks & Hoagies up by saying- that the guys running this joint, know exactly what they are doing!

You guys can checkout menu/prices/info at eatphillysfinestcheesesteaks.com.

***** Maria’s Cafe, 10 Southwest Osceola Street, Stuart, Florida 34994, (7721) 781-5886.

Got a real good diner for you guys to check out, Maria’s Cafe in Stuart.

Real easy tale to tell, yesterday Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “discovered” Maria’s Cafe in Stuart and its food and service were right on the money! Inside booth, table, counter seating/ outdoor covered patio table seating, reasonably priced full boat- breakfast & lunch menu, open 7 days a week 7am-2pm.

Just between us, since 2006 (that’s when Jeffeats.com was born) I’ve been in more Florida “mom & pop” diners (not to mention bagel joints) than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook! With that in mind, I’m telling you guys, that Maria’s Cafe definitely ranks right up there as one of the best ones! Look! I know when something tastes real good, is priced right and when my coffee cup is continuously re-filled without my having to ask the waiter/waitress!

You guys gotta try Maria’s Cafe!

This contest started on 10/20/23. This contest has a winner.

* Win A $10 Burger King Gift Card.

Jeff Eats got a $10 Burger King Gift Card to give to one of you guys!

The game- the first 10 “reader-comments” received – will be entered in a “blind hat pick”! You can submit as many comments as you’d like but- Please, only 1- reader comment – per day…play fair!

The $10 Gift Card is good at any Burger King location (burgerking.com for locations, menu, info).

* Humor!