BRYAN
PROFILE CHICKEN OIL CO.
STORY AND PHOTO BY MICHELLE WULFSON
Beer and Burgers
A staple in Aggieland
S
ince opening in 1977, the Chicken
Oil Co. has weathered major
growth in Bryan, and while
many restaurants have come and gone
during that time, the Aggieland staple
continues to draw in all walks of life.
“We believe in being true to who
we are and being the business that
people have come to know and love
over the last 40-plus years. With the
town growing as much as it has, it just
means more people to welcome into
the Chicken Oil,” said Chicken Oil
Co. owners Jennifer Ganter and Katy
Jackson.
Originally a gas station owned by
Don Ganter and Donnie Anz, the duo
began making sandwiches and burgers
to be served out of a walk-up window.
Realizing they wanted to move
forward as a restaurant and leave the
gas station behind, Ganter and Anz
developed dishes like their Tijuana
Fries composed of french fries topped
with jalapeños and chopped bacon
secured between two layers of melted
cheese.
Now, the full menu offers Texas bar
classics – burgers, salads, chicken fried
steaks and their famous Tijuana Fries.
The burgers – specifically the Snuffy
burger – come recommended by the
chef himself, ranging in size from
quarter to half pounders.
Visitors won’t see gas pumps at the
29th street landmark anymore, just an
eclectic planked building that has been
expanded upon over time with unique
knick-knacks and decor covering every
square inch inside and out.
Located in the heart of Aggieland,
“We believe in being true to who we are and being the
business that people have come to know and love over
the last 40-plus years.”
it’s common for the restaurant to
be seen as a part of Aggie tradition,
however Ganter and Jackson see
the 29th street landmark as more of
a community tradition that simply
includes Aggies.
“It’s a tradition for Aggies to
come in after graduation and it’s also
a tradition for judges and attorneys to
come in for lunch on Friday’s. Being
part of those and other traditions is always
something that we take pride in,” said Ganter
and Jackson.
Both A&M graduates, the owners
understand the importance of tradition – the
website and menu heavily boasting, “We
haven’t changed a bit, and we ain’t plannin’
on it.”
With a successful run of dishing out the
best bar grub in town, why change a thing?
T HE T EX AS F O O D I E
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