yo-mama opens at 1735 34th Street South in st. pete this weekend | yo-mama fried chicken

A new concept from Tampa-based fast-casual chain Salem’s Fresh Eats is making its debut in St. Pete this week.

Yo-Mama Fried Chicken will open this Saturday, April 18th at 1735 34th Street South.

When asked about the inspiration behind the new concept, Salem Gharsalli, founder and CEO of Salem’s Fresh Eats, replied with a smile, “I just really like fried chicken.”

He explained that the fried chicken at other fast-food restaurants didn’t meet his standards, so he decided to convert the former Salem’s location into a new, chicken-centric concept.

In 2021, a new Salem’s was built next door at 1701 34th Street South, leaving the former restaurant space available for Yo-Mama’s new buildout.

“I crave chicken like everybody else, I crave food like everybody else. If Salem’s doesn't have it, I will try to get it somewhere else,” Gharsalli told St. Pete Rising. “But we really think Yo-Mama is going to be a hit.”

After spending the last year remodeling the roughly 2,000-square-foot building, Yo-Mama is finally ready to welcome its first customers.

Yo-Mama’s menu revolves around fried, bone-in chicken, crispy baked chicken, and tenders.

The restaurant is designed to be homestyle, with an emphasis on to-go and drive-thru orders, and just five tables in its dining area.

Guests can order two-piece, three-piece, or five-piece meals, which come with one side, a cheddar cheese biscuit or cornbread, and a small drink. Prices range from $8.99 to $15.99.

In addition to chicken, Yo-Mama also offers crispy baked salmon.

All sides are displayed in hot and cold cases at the front of the restaurant to ensure freshness—a detail Gharsalli and his team take very seriously.

Cold sides include coleslaw, and a variety of salads, while hot sides include mac and cheese, potato wedges, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, pesto pasta and seasonal vegetables.

Gharsalli said he wanted to offer a range of fresh, vegetable-based sides for customers seeking healthier options.

The menu is designed to be customizable, so customers can build their own bowls with different bases such as spinach, pasta, beans, or rice, topped with their choice of protein and sauce. Bowls start at $14.99.

“Without this team, this business cannot run, but without the people who are coming in to buy the food every day, we would be nothing,” Gharsalli says. “We're going to give the customers something that nobody else is giving them.”

Gharsalli launched Salem’s Fresh Eats in 1988, offering made-to-order dishes like burgers, gyros, chicken tenders, and sandwiches in a fast-casual setting.

Yo-mama offrs baked, meditterean-style lemon pepper chicken thighs and drumsticks | yo-mama fried chicken

38 years later, the local chain has 14 locations in Tampa Bay with several more on the way. Gharsalli, who values being a hands-on owner, oversees the chain’s operations himself.

Eventually, Gharsalli plans to open several other Yo-Mama locations in St. Pete and beyond.

“I always tell the customer, ‘I don't want to make money from you today; I want to make money from you the rest of your life because you're going to keep coming back,’” he explained. “It is very important for me to be good to the customer every time they come, so they keep coming back. We're not forcing anybody to come, but they have to love us and trust us.”

“We've been here for over 30 years, and we would like to see all of our customers for another 30 years,” he added.

After this weekend’s soft opening, Yo-Mama Fried Chicken will be open from 10am to 10pm daily.

Head to the restaurant’s Facebook or Instagram for the latest news on its menu, operating hours, and more.