Devotees of KJ’s Local Grindz in Kaneohe are familiar with its famed fowl fare.

The savory, crisp fried chicken and slightly sweet furikake chicken have for years been the top sellers at the Windward City Shopping Center plate lunchery. But KJ’s boneless garlic chicken, breaded, fried and slightly sweet with a punch of garlic, is catching up, said owner Lynell Itomura.

KJ’s is not just about chicken; the menu is varied and includes other proteins, not all of them fried. More about those options in a moment.

About the business: Itomura opened KJ’s in 1997 after a divorce, naming it for her daughter Krissy and her son Jason. With no real restaurant experience, she lost $46,000 the first year. Losses progressively lessened, but she listed the business for sale.

Her brother Joel encouraged her to “shock the people” by offering six pieces of chicken on a plate, Itomura said. Then, exposure on OC16’s “Local Kine Grindz,” plus more on KITV and KHNL, had people lined up out the door to try her food. The lines are more manageable now, but happily for Itomura and her family-run restaurant, they still exist, especially at mealtime. Portion size has since gone from six pieces of fried chicken to five, but business hasn’t suffered.

Son Jason Wannomae does opening prep, frying chicken and otherwise working the kitchen. Krissy and husband Jonathan Ukauka work the front of the house. Mom writes checks and does the shopping, and works her food brokers for the best deals. She buys 1,400 pounds of chicken twice a week, so even a penny-a-pound difference affects the bottom line, she said.

How to order: Peruse the possibilities while standing in line. There are dozens.

Choices range from burgers starting at $2.75, including a popular barbecue cheeseburger for $3.25, to plates for $8.50 to $9. Large, full-size plates include a Hawaiian plate with kalua pork, laulau and rice; chicken or pork adobo; mahi­mahi or shrimp dishes (served with 10 “good-size” pieces of shrimp); and more. “We have a Filipino cook,” and the guisantes (pork and peas) “sells extremely well,” Itomura said.

KJ’s is cash-only. Phone orders also are accepted, and recommended if you want the most popular items, as it takes 25 minutes to cook one batch of 80 to 100 or so chicken pieces. Catering pans also are available by advance order.

What to order: The fried chicken plate has five bone-in chicken thighs, rice and a side for $9. All that chicken doesn’t fit in the box, so two pieces are wrapped in foil and placed alongside. If that sounds like too much food, a miniature version is $5.40 and comes with two pieces of chicken. The boneless, breaded, fried, sauced and sprinkled furikake chicken plate is $8.50. Other miniplates cost $2 less than the full-size versions.

Many a parent of young ’uns will get one full-size plate to share with their offspring because the portions are so large.

Regular-size bentos comprise rice with furikake, a hot dog, piece of chicken, two strips of furikake chicken and a Korean drumette, and are $8; minis are $3 without the furikake and Korean chicken pieces.

While McDonald’s recently started offering breakfast all day, KJ’s has been doing it “forever,” Itomura laughed. Plates are $5.50 and come with three eggs, rice and a generous meat portion. Portuguese sausage plates, for instance, come with an entire 5-ounce sausage, sliced up.

Smaller appetites can be sated on the cheap with plain musubi at 95 cents, or meat-adorned varieties from $1.25 up to $2.50 for a barbecue chicken-topped rectangle.

Side-dish options include corn, green beans, kim chee, tossed salad or KJ’s unique mac salad, made with spaghetti, tuna and mayonnaise.

Grab and go: KJ’s is on the Longs Drugs side of Windward City Shopping Center, in the L-shaped building anchored by American Savings Bank and Genki Sushi. KJ’s offers seating for about two dozen, but much of the business is takeout. Parking usually is available even when the shopping center is busy.

“Grab and Go” focuses on takeout food, convenience meals and other quick bites. Email ideas to crave@staradvertiser.com.