Hangry Joe’s has been showing up on my Facebook/Instagram ads and Nashville Hot Chicken just opened up in Logan Square. I figured tonight is a good night to try some new spicy chicken sammies.
Image 1: Fry The Coop (West Town)
This is a place I’ve been wanting to try for a while, but always forget when I’m thinking about where to eat next. Relative to these other two sandwiches, this was the thickest meat and the most packed with cole slaw. I also think it was tied as my favorite of the night. It was not spicy at all, but I only did the medium sauce. I’d probably go up at least two spice levels next time.
Image 2: Hangry Joe’s (Wicker Park)
I hade high hopes for this one and was expecting a monster-sized sandwich, but those social media promotions were too good to be true. If you look at the online menu, their sandwich looks absolutely massive, but all of the sandwiches were roughly the same size/girth. This wasn’t bad, but it felt kind of cheap. It’s a two tender sandwich, with not a whole lot of spicy flavor or added sauce, although the tenders seemed to be tossed in spice. I don’t think I’d go back.
Image 3: Nashville Hot Chicken (Logan Square)
This is another new spot and I think it rivals Fry The Coop (when you factor in price, it probably beats it at $7 per sandwhich). When it comes to the chicken, I still think Fry The Coop marginally surpasses this place, but I was equally satisfied with both. I’m definitely excited to try other stuff on the menu. That said, their blazin’ sauce is not that spicy so I’d have to go up 1-2 spice levels.
All that said, nothing has been able to rival Roost for me yet. When you have the option of using biscuits for buns, others can’t compete with their basic buns, in my book. Pictures skewed my expectations of the size of the sandwiches, all of which seemed smaller than anticipated. Budlong is still on my list to try, so whenever I try that I’ll update.
Places with spicy chicken sandwiches that I’ve tried, excluding Popeyes and Chick-Fil-A:
– Roost (my gold standard)
– Fry The Coop (open to having again)
– Nashville Hot Chicken (open to having again)
– Lucy’s (open to having again)
– Honey Butter Chicken (never again)
– Hangry Joe’s (never again)
– Hot Chi (never again)
– Parson’s (never again)
– Do-Rite (never again, their spicy chicken tastes no different than their normal chicken)
by xelanart