Ms Kim’s Fish & Chicken Shack

If you dont love this place then you dont know anything about fried fish, potato salad or mac n cheese. If you want some comfort food, this is your place.

If you liked the Mississippi Fish Shack you’ll like this place. Same nice lady that ran the fish shack owns this one. Outstanding!

Just do it!
Crushing!
Trust in Ms. Kim!
The best diamond in the rough in the town. Amazing service. Amazing food. Desserts are not too sweet and all made with LOVE!

I put off visiting this restaurant because I questioned the authenticity of some of the reviews. A few of the reviewers are extremely detailed and by people with only 1 review and that seems odd.
Although I am still suspicious of some of the reviews I read, I think Ms Kim’s does deserve my 5 star rating. The people are friendly and the prices are reasonable. The food was… excellent. I grew up in the south/​southeast and this is the type of food that I’ve really missed. It’s comfort food at its best, the portions are large and the flavor was perfect. I truly have no complaints and I’ll definitely be back.

I recently moved to the area and was craving some good old fashioned southern cooking, so I took to the internet (thank you, Unilocal!) and was really glad to find Ms. Kim’s. It’s a clean, sweet little diner-​style restaurant, not crowded at all for a late Saturday lunch, off the beaten track but really easy to get to. I took my food to go: a huge helping of perfectly cooked collard greens, red beans and rice. Ms. Kim was at the counter and cooking too. I must have been there during a shift change, as a couple of employees were leaving and saying goodbye to Ms. Kim. The camaraderie was heartwarming — a good sign of a place with integrity. I took my order home to reheat for dinner, but this little restaurant would definitely be a good place to sit down for lunch. It’s very inexpensive and the food hit the spot.
I’ll be back!

STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING!!! Go to Ms. Kim’s and get anything and everything.
We passed through Columbia, MO on our way to Kansas. Ms. Kim is a lovely host and an even better cook.
Fried Chicken:
Juicy
Crispy
Made with love
Comes with slice of bread
Cat Fish Fillets:
Juicy
Crispy
Made with love
Not fishy and I bet live caught
Comes with slice of bread
Hush puppies:
Crispy
Flavorful
Fully cooked
Comes with combo dinner
Lemonade:
A little too sweet for my taste
Collard Greens:
Tender and a little spicy
Red beans and rice:
On Fleek
Mac n Cheese:
Knockout
Fried Pickles:
Yes
Also Ms. Kim provides locally sourced ice cream from Giofre Apiaries sweetened with, you guessed it, honey. So, so… SO GOOD! There are many different flavors to choose from like Vanilla, butter pecan, caramel, salted caramel, pumpkin, egg nog and mint chocolate chip.
We had the vanilla and the salted Carmel to compliment the peach crumble that Ms. Kim had just baked.
Every time I pass through Columbia you know where I’ll be.

Amazing Southern Food at this cute little joint. I had the Shrimp Po Boy and my husband, who is from Georgia had the breaded chicken tenders and considered the food to be superb southern cooking. miss Kim was there and she is a sweetheart. She gave us a complimentary tea and apple dumpling since it was closing time. To top it off, bathroom was spotless, which makes all the difference when traveling with an infant.

Traveling across country, we found Ms Kim here on Unilocal.Though there aren’t many reviews, all of them have been glowing… and with good reason. Everything here is homemade and delicious, from the fried chicken and catfish down to the sweet tea. One of the special highlights was the collared greens, easily the best I’ve ever had.
This was a great surprise for us, we’ll be sure to swing by again on our way back!

One of my favorite spots in Columbia. I stop by at least once a week for the amazing Mac n cheese, fried shrimp and those delicious fried pickles. Ms. Kim is also one of the sweetest business owners you’ll meet

The service here was amazing! Ms Kim was such a delight and took REALLY good care of us! Food here was as good as advertised! It’s not far off I-​70 and totally worth it!

Amazing! Ms. Kim is super sweet and her special sauce is to die for! We got the fish and chicken diners with a variety of sides including greens, black Eyed peas and green beans. It was delicious!

In my endless search for a small, cute, proprietor owned restaurant on road trips, I finally found a gem! My husband (super picky eater) was even impressed with my find. The owner couldn’t be nicer or more accommodating. This is authentic, everything made in house, southern food. Most of us got chicken tenders, which were so meaty and tender and deliciously spiced. I got a side of mac & cheese which was scrumptious as well. My husband got the catfish and said it was fantastic. We will definitely be back on our way through Columbia!

I totally went back for lunch on today before leaving town. I was not disappointed. This time I got their kickin’ chicken with red beans/​rice and corn fritters. Hot damn!!! That was some sublimely spicy chicken. That chick from Popeye’s wishes she had this recipe! It was amazing. The corn fritters were fried bits of heaven. The red beans and rice a deeply satisfying blend of love.
I ended up buying a chicken coop (family pack) to take back home with me. The crew ate it and we all simply wished we had a place like this where we live.
Kim…with all the lawyers at Mizzou, you need to franchise that. It’s awesome!

Worth the wait. The chicken was delicious. The bird was juicy and the crust was crunchy. The crust was well seasoned and not too salty. The catfish was nice and flaky. The peach dump was the surprise stand out over the chicken. The hush puppies had a nice texture. The side dishes rounded out the meal. Try the okra, corn fritters, and fried pickles. Support this locally owned and super clean restaurant — and tell your friends. You won’t be disappointed.

HOLY. SMOKES. This is literally the best chicken I’ve ever had. I can’t believe how good it is. We went in for lunch, and to be honest, the service wasn’t fantastic but I think they were really short staffed, and you could tell they were really working hard to get everything out, so I won’t deduct stars for that. I got the chicken strips and they were SO GOOD. It’s a small, quaint place that really envelops the ideals of «southern cookin’.» Now that I have tasted this wonderful deliciousness, I won’t go anywhere else for my chicken/​fish hankerings.

Food is delicious here. The fried chicken is crispy and juicy. For sides I had corn fritters, mashed potatoes with gravy, and mac n cheese. The mashed potatoes were perfect and the corn fritters so tasty. Only downside was the mac n cheese. It was just average, nothing special. My boyfriend had the shrimp po boy. The po bot was good but could have been better if the bun was toasted just a bit. Overall service was friendly and helpful. Will come back for more!

Went in today for a quick lunch for take out. Immediately I knew that I wanted some fried chicken that I have been hankering for. My girlfriend had her eye on the catfish dinner. Now I must say before I say anything about the food I have to say the customer service here is great. I had initially wanted to order 2 breast pieces and was told that it would be a 20 minute wait because they didn’t have 2 ready and that it would be a 20 minute wait. Honestly, I didn’t mind the wait at but soon after we placed our order I was offered 2 legs and a breast instead of having to wait for 2 breasts. This was great considering I don’t mind dark meat and this means we wouldn’t have to wait for our food. They really didn’t have to do that but it was a really nice gesture and I appreciate any place that cares about customer satisfaction!
Now onto the food. This chicken is honestly the best chicken I’ve ever had in columbia! The skin was so crispy-​crunchy it was delightful! One thing I cannot stand is greasy soggy chicken. This chicken was perfectly crunchy and moist and juicy on the inside! My girlfriend also enjoyed all of her food. The catfish which she ended up eating later in the day because she couldn’t finish it all was STILL crispy-​crunchy hours later! everything was well seasoned and was so good and comforting. My girlfriend who is from St. Louis said that this food was comparable to anything there and said it is better than sweetie pies chicken! The price was also great for food that fed 2 generously.
We will definately be coming back for more. I’m already craving it now. Do yourself a favor and skip the fast food fried chicken and come here for some real family friendly service and some real comforting food!

Ms Kim’s is located in a tiny storefront in a dilapidated, half deserted strip mall in a semi-​industrial section of Columbia, MO. From the outside, it looks like nothing you’d want to visit. Inside, it’s a whole different story.
I had the buffalo fish, fried pickles, and hush puppies. Claire got catfish, red beans and rice, and collard greens. We split a soft drink.
The buffalo fish was crispy, perfectly breaded, and so meaty that if it wasn’t for the bones (more on those later), you’d think you were eating a piece of beef. The breading was not too thin nor was it thick and overwhelming – just right.
Hush puppies were the size of large marbles, as they should be. Keeping them smaller lets the outside brown nicely and still cooks the inside, so you don’t get raw dough. Flavor was mild and picked up «fish» from the oil. They were the best hush puppies I’ve ever had, outside of home made.
The catfish was excellent. Not mushy, not overcooked, and not greasy. Batter coating was smooth, perfectly cooked, and didn’t overwhelm the delicate flavor. Fish seemed very fresh; no off taste as is sometimes found in catfish.
Red beans and rice were nicely seasoned. Not too salty and not bland. Collard greens are not my favorite, but Claire declared them excellent.
The fried pickles were unusual, but very good. They seemed to be slices like those you would find on a hamburger, dipped in batter, and fried. Good flavor and texture. I wasn’t expecting pickle chips, but they were quite tasty.
Portions were adequate to large and presentation was decent. Food took about 12 minutes to arrive at the table, as everything is cooked freshly.
The staff is Friendly. Note the capital F. Expect to be drawn into a family discussion and small talk. When Ms Kim brought our food out, she sternly warned me that buffalo fish has bones. Eating here is more like eating at Ms Kim’s kitchen table and less like eating at a restaurant. If you’re not comfortable with that, you may want to get your food to go.
One last thing to note. This place is clean. As in spotless. I’ve never seen an eating establishment this clean, anywhere, at any price. I wish I could get her crew to come wipe down my home kitchen!
Price for our lunch came to $ 20. Well worth it. I expect this to become a regular spot for Claire and me.

Hidden gem… best fried chicken in Columbia hands down! Not too mention the fried pickles and the hush puppies are on point as well. My wife had the Apple Dump dessert which was amazing as well. The owner and staff were very welcoming and gave great suggestions. Can’t wait to go back and take the rest of the family! Cards accepted but help support a growing business and bring cash.

I’ve driven by this establishment numerous times in the past but never stopped in. Today a colleague and I decided to eat here for lunch. Parking was adequate and we noticed people walking out with their take-​out order as we entered the restaurant. The restaurant was sparsely decorated but clean and the counter person was very welcoming and helpful with a smile. They had a special going on [chicken and fish dinners at basket prices] which we thought was a great deal. The catfish was freshly cooked, light and not oily. The filets were crisp and tasty. The hush puppies were flavorful and the sides were very good (fried okra, slaw, black-​eyed peas and collard greens). Ms. Kim was available to help and even offered us free dessert because we didn’t get the free drink. We politely declined because we were stuffed and told her we’d return for more.
Overall, Ms Kim’s offers delicious, mouth watering and fresh menu items that I can’t believe we have not patronized this place more in the past. We had a great dining experience and judging from the affordable prices and other menu items, Ms Kim’s is going to be a go-​to place for us for years to come.