There’s a joke among most of my San Diego-based friends who are in the know. The joke is that the San Diego Chicken Pie shop on El Cajon Blvd. is where you go before you die.
It’s not that the chicken pie there is really good (it is) but the average age of a Chicken Pie Shop patron is above 60. On any chilly weekend, you can see several elderly gentlemen donning their Members Only jackets with pride.
Why the high age ratio? Perhaps the wallet-friendly meal. Or the seemingly canned soft veggies that accompanies the chicken pie.
The basic chicken pie dinner which includes whipped potatoes, coleslaw, a roll with butter, a veggie and a dessert. All this for $6. The cost decreases significantly when ordering a la carte. Just ordering a chicken (with a roll) is $3.35.
If pie isn’t your thing, they also serve chopped steak, fish fillet, baked ham, chicken fried steak, sauteed chicken livers, burgers and much more. But the best bet is the chicken pie. The crust is flaky, the turkey and chicken interior is tender and the pie is filling. And the coleslaw isn’t too bad although someone described the rolls as being “hospital food.” I guess that a little part of me likes hospital food because I devoured the rolls.
Being about half the age of most patrons doesn’t bother me because it’s good, cheap comfort food. But I’ll pass on the veggies next time.
My Burning Kitchen 
I was hoping to scroll down and see you in a Member's Only jacket. No such luck.
Funny post!! My parents, who today celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary, used to eat here ALL the time when we first moved to SD in 1979… they still go there on occasion.i've tried to find something other than a salad here to eat but to no avail. FYI, they cook with lard here, or so they told me. Some folks like that…"Oy! Such a bargain!" as the old Jewish couples in there have been known to crow…
I love this place…though I haven't been since Dan and stopped hanging together… He loves it and we went a few times… before that it was Mike I'd go there with frequently cuz it was the only place he could afford to "treat!" LOL…your photo of the pie makes me want some…. oh! hey! i said that about your strawberries too… hhhm, i see a pattern emerging. late night insomnia and your blog=hunger pangs! 🙂 just kidding… well, almost. hugs.
JustJenn-Ah ha ha… well the scarlet red Members Only jacket I used to wear in elementary school has went the same way as the Punky Brewster type shirt I used to wear. Seriously one Sunday afternoon, I counted three Members Only jackets.Kleopatra–Oy yes. A very good deal. The place seems so old school.Photogirl–Maybe you need a return trip there and I'll treat! 🙂
Another post that brings back good family memories! My grandfather's first laundry was 2 blocks from the Chicken Pie Shop when it was located on Fifth and Robinson; back in the day.That was our family's favorite place to lunch after church when we were kids!
Hi Mrs. Wong–Honestly when I was posting, I was thinking of you the entire time! I like how certain foods bring you back.
Looks pretty similar to La Palma Chicken Pie Shop. Mmm!!