My husband and I had the opportunity to stop by the Riverside Food Lab a few weeks ago and we found our way to Baba's Hot Chicken. We came by on a weekday during lunch and it was surprisingly busy both at Baba's and the Food Lab in general. This didn't deter us from adding another hot chicken place to our list of spots to try. Staff was super friendly, patient with questions, and efficient with preparing food. The food was crispy, fresh, and oh so delicious. Being that it was lunchtime, they were pretty busy, but the taste and presentation didn't suffer as the staff masterfully worked through orders. We ordered a few things to try: - 1 Hot Baba Sandwich with fries - 2 Baba's Hot Tenders - 1 Baba's Loaded fries All chicken were ordered with mild heat and it was the perfect spice level. A little kick, but loaded with flavor. The slider was generously packed with two crispy tenders and perfectly fried french fries. Their house sauce was tasty and complemented the chicken well. The loaded fries were...LOADED. House slaw, chicken bits, nacho cheese, ranch, and house sauce. The portion was large and though it was a burst of saucy flavor, it may not be a reorder for us as it was just a little too much (in a heavy way) when eaten with the flavorful chicken offerings. Baba's Hot Chicken is a contender in the hot chicken game in this area of the Inland Empire, but I may not be as bold to rank it the best of the whole I.E. We would definitely revisit if we were in Riverside and in the mood for hot chicken and would recommend it to anyone directly in the area looking for a quality experience and quick meal. read more

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Great service Quality food Reasonable prices The chicken is fried to perfection, not greasy or dry! Taste so fresh and juicy!! Everything is done so well from the chicken to the fries to the Mac n cheese !! Highly recommend trying !! read more

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This restaurant is located inside the Riverside Food Lab. There's 90 minutes of free parking. Riverside doesn't have a lot of hot chicken places so having Baba's is a great addition! Lance was really nice and helped me out and gave me some recommendations. I ended up with a Baba's Hot Sandwich at medium spice with crinkle-cut fries. I also tried the Mac & Cheese. Overall, the ingredients were hot and crispy, perfect. I thought the spice level of medium was not actually spicy at all. As someone who can tolerate spice, I would recommend a higher spice level. The fries were perfectly cooked and crunchy throughout but were not burned or dry inside. They were soft and moist while having a distinct crunch to them. I really enjoyed the fries here. The mac & cheese was very cheese and tasted good. If you had gotten a higher spice level for any of the other mains, this would be a good addition. Overall, I think the good here is solid if you're looking for a hot chicken place in the IE to eat. read more

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tl;dr atrocious service meets forgettable chicken at this Riverside Food Lab stall Riverside Food Lab is a modern food court in downtown Riv, offering a plethora of trendy options. Built next door to the FOX Performing Arts Center, the spacious Food Lab makes the most of some prime real estate. The uber industrial space is accented by polished concrete floors, high ceilings with exposed ductwork, and dim mood lighting to emphasize each stall's own neon sign. Both indoor and outdoor seating options are available. A friend and I visited the Food Lab this past week and decided to share items from several restaurants, including Baba's Chicken. The stall is relatively bare, highlighted only by a minimalistic menu and a mural of their chicken mascot along the back wall. The menu draws inspiration from Nashville hot chicken, hyping up their premium quality chicken meat within each of their entrees. We opted for the classic Baba's Chicken Sandwich (Hot), and we specified that we wanted it a la carte (without fries). The sandwich itself was large enough to split generously. The chicken, while crisp, was one-dimensional in flavor (spicy), and the slaw and House Sauce were similarly bland. While Baba's food is certainly passable, the staff member working during our visit was incredibly rude. As we ordered, he consistently cutting my friend off and brushing off her questions. To make matters worse, he didn't call her name when our order was ready, despite us standing right in front of the counter. We eventually had to go up and ask for him to recheck for our order. At ~$10 (after tax and tip) for a relatively bland chicken sando and poor service, Baba's is a no from me in the future. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Baba's Chicken Sandwich (bottom right) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

We ordered the hot chicken sandwich snd it was very flavorful! The size is pretty big and will keep You full! The line was pretty long and it goes in between seats. The place is pretty tight because there's so many places to eat however people were respectful. There's a parking garage that leads into the food lab. The staff was really nice! read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Hot chicken sandwich with fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

Ooooooh man. This place is so good! I got the classic chicken sandwich with fries so I could share it with my kids and it was packed with flavor! Checked in on Yelp and got the free Mac and cheese and I would buy that by the bucket load. It is sooooo creamy and delicious. It isn't heavy like other mac's I've had, which is good, and sets it apart. It is so good. Luckily I read someone else review about parking, but turn right before the Food Lab and there is a parking structure in the back that had loads of parking and it was free for the first 90 minutes! Perfect. Everything was delicious and the employees were so nice! Food came out quick and hot. Overall, a great place to get a chicken sandwich. read more

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Door dash order came with missing drink and no sauces even though I paid for extra sauces. Food was cold as well. Terrible quality and I will not be ordering from here again read more

I remember eating this for the first time and not being able to get the spicy chicken sandwich out of my mind for a good week. Everything from the crispiness to the tenderness, I nearly cried QQ The fried pickles are best eaten when fresh and they're just the perfect amount of sour and crunch. Top tier! It was so addicting and fun to eat. The mac and cheese was standard, very much cheesy. The wait can be a bit long, but it's understandable considering how delicious and popular this is. I can't wait to come back.. read more

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Riverside food lab does not disappoint, I love coming down to Riverside for Baba's Chicken for the service the food and the atmosphere. The menu has a variety of different options and combos I always like getting the Baba's sandwich combo which includes a sandwich, one side and a drink. The sandwich which you can chose the level of heat you'd prefer it to be from classic, medium, hot and extreme, I personally go with hot the amount of heat you get from the chicken does not mute all other flavors in the sandwich which includes coleslaw, pickles and Baba's special sauce the amount of seasonings that are used to make the chicken are simply amazing. The mac an cheese to go with it makes the combo even better but personally it is Hands Down best Spicy Chicken Sandwich in the Inland Empire!!! Be sure to check them out on your next visit!!!. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Baba's Sandwich Combo - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

so my wife and hi came to have dinner and look what i found! it seems they mark their chickens with markers or something and when i messaged the business, they claimed it was coleslaw! i ordered only two tender that didnt come with any coleslaw, and how did coleslaw get inside of this tender? cole slaw just doesnt seep through like this! What a ridiculous alternative of words. All I am gonna say, is the quality of this place turned into another mcdonaldization. Been a customer since 2021, thanks alot of for this good experience. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - marker mark inside chicken tender. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

Looking for some spicy delicious chicken? Well you found it. The chicken is fat and juicy, the jalapeño slaw is so fresh, and that bun! They do not leave you lacking or left wanting here. With two big pieces of chicken on each sandwich and your desired level of spice you can't go wrong. The lines will confirm you come to the right place. Don't forget to check in for the free Mac !! read more

Paula was the best employee with customer service I will most definitely come back thank you again Paula for the amazing food she recommended the chopped chicken lol so yummmmmmyyy:) read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Babas chicken so good omg ima come back with my family - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

Cant complain about the food taste, it was good. Giving it a low rating overall because customer service is not great. The girl with pink hair was so rude!! Also, we asked for NO coleslaw in our food and they still added it. Can't even follow simple directions read more

I was in riverside for a few days for a concert and I stopped here twice. The both cashiers I've had were super nice and accommodating. Jada was super nice and very helpful with suggestions items that they liked. Isaac was super nice too. The food was really good I got the same thing twice highly recommend checking it out read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

SOOOOOOOOO BOMB !!! this has to be the best Chick Sammich I've tried in a LONGGGGG time.. bye Popeyes.. Chik-fil-a who? I ordered the Chicken Sandwich w fries and my spicy level was extreme! Def had a kick to it. It's doable if you enjoy spicy food. The flavor of the chicken was so delicious from the spice to the batter... bomb.com I ordered the Mac n Cheese as an extra side. It practically falls apart in your mouth. Super creamy ! I loved it! I used door dash and everything came hot ! read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Chicken Baba's Sandwich Combo EXTREME - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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I was overall very impressed with my trip to Baba's. I went for medium heat with the sandwich and Mac & cheese for the side . The chicken was very juicy and flavorful with just the right amount of spice . The Mac was perfect in my opinion and made a delicious side. I can't wait for my next visit. Side note, this place is located in the "FoodLab" and gets busy with a long wait at times but thankfully the bar two steps away offers a great place to wait, cheers! read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - the interior of the restaurant - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

Stopped at Baba's while visiting family and we were all really satisfied. The menu isn't huge, you can basically get chicken tenders, or you can get tenders on a sandwich. We all got sandwiches of one size or another, and they were darn tasty. The medium had a little less kick than I would expect from Nashville hot chicken, but it was just right for my parents. My one complaint is that there was a little too much dry seasoning on the chicken. The fries were a hit, and the Mac-n-cheese was pretty tasty, really creamy and velveeta-y lol. This place is also located in a little food court type thing with several different restaurant options, so if you're with a group that can't decide where to go, this is a great option! read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Baba's Hot Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

i usually LOVE babas and although sometimes the service isn't the best there has never been an issue with my food until today. it might've been because they were busy when i visited or perhaps a staffing issue however, they took a while longer than usual to get the food to me and when i did go ask about my order, i was surprised to see my order just needed to be bagged and when i opened it up they had given me the wrong spice level. although not a big deal to all, this was a little disappointing because hot tenders with babas quality are hard to come by and i come out of my way. both employees and management should be paying more attention to their priorities, even if that means adding an extra employee to ensure customer satisfaction! read more

If I could give an award out for professionalism, kindness, respect and amazing service it would go to Alli and Cece and others working the kitchen for the best service and fast pace work hands down. Babas chicken deserves some recognition for their amazing employees. Great job to who ever does the hiring. I can only assume the reason these employees work so hard and maintain such great service is due to amazing management. I am so impressed by the work ethics these young people have. It is crazy crowded here in the food lab in Riverside no place to sit or stand and Babas has 70% of the customers and the staff is staying polite, Calm and working fast. There are a lot of food service workers who could use some training from the upper management at this location . Happy employees make the best employees. Also, the food is always fresh and amazing. Way to Go Babas Chicken. #1 best Fast Food industry in my opinion and will be for you also when you give them a try. read more

Amazing amazing loved it always order the fries the other day ordered the Mac and cheese and it was sour idk why but never requesting that again but the other food is just amazing read more

My friend and I came here on 05.29 and there was a long black hair in the grilled cheese which she found while eating. We saw the lady cooking it, and the hair matched the one in the sandwich. I went to the front and asked to speak with a manager or a shift lead, which ended up being the lady who cooked our food. I told her I didn't want anything but I just let her know of how gross it was because seriously. I've had really bad experiences here and can genuinely say it has nothing to do with the employees but everything to do with the manager or the shift lead, expecially the lady I spoke to. She apologized but seemed so annoyed with the fact a customer spoke to her which was interesting, i'm not usually one to speak or write a review but I genuinely have never had a good experience, this was the grossest. Update: The owner reached out to me very quickly and apologized as well as issued a refund. He assured me that they will handle the situation. He was very kind and assuring. It was greatly appreciated. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

The food was banger, the serving sizes for the price in my opinion is worth the money. The spicyness of the food seemed a level higher than what we got but I didn't mind.. The service was great. The food came quick and even with a bunch of customers. read more

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I like this place for the spicy tenders I have gotten the sandwich as well but today I went with a loaded Mac and cheese and 2 tenders and some fries Everything was sooo good definitely recommend the location of this one is cool for social gatherings, they have college night every Thursday night the workers are nice to always busy forsure faster to order through the kiosk read more

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Heyyyy Food Lab! I had visited here before for Monty's, so I was pleasantly surprised to have been led here by Siri for Baba's Chicken! Thankfully there wasn't a line when I got there, because later when I came inside there was a line 10 people long! The wait after ordering the food wasn't too bad either! If you get the extreme- heads up! It is spicy enough to make your nose run! I got the hot chicken sandwich (PS it's halal!) and the loaded fries also in hot. It was sooooo good! The baba's hot sandwich also comes with fries, so if you get the loaded fries make sure to not get fries with the sandwich (unless you want more). The fries by themself were also very good!!! I loved the spices used. You truly get a lot of food with your order. The sandwich comes with two pieces of chicken. I already am looking forward to the loaded fries next time I visit! read more

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Was in the neighborhood and decided to drop by The Food Lab cuz I know they got some good eats! Saw this place and looked up some of the reviews and I was sold! Who doesn't love a good Nashville hot spicy chicken sandwich?! I got the medium spicy sandwich that comes with French fries. Let me tell you...OMG! This sandwich blew Popeyes chicken sandwich out the ocean! This sandwich is crispy with just enough spice. The chicken is juicy and fresh. The bun is soft but holds up well to the large pieces of chicken. The French fries are crispy but not too crunchy with a soft inner. The meal comes with a side of ranch and a side of their flavorful house sauce. Ketchup and honey are also offered. I also received a side of the Mac n cheese for free with Yelp check-in. The only criticism I have is that the napkins are wimpy. They don't hold up well to all the juiciness that runs down your hand as you eat your sandwich. But who cares, this is a lick your fingers kinda place anyway. read more

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The flavor is good although the mild chicken is not spicy. I would recommend medium. The reason for giving 3 stars instead of 4 is that the service is very slow and the bun we got back was very burnt. I also saw one of the workers wipe his nose with the back of his hand and not wash his hands. The second worker cooking uses gloves, hair net, and a mask, which I appreciate. TLDR: slow service, burnt bun, inconsistent cleanliness among staff, good flavor read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

DONT I MEAN DONT get the hot or extreme chicken even the hot was the spiciest thing I ever had I could not even finish it

I had a horrible experience today at the riverside location the food was cooked well and they messed up my order and when I asked to make sure it was my order try bey claimed they gave me the right order and that was my order b her the food was not cooked well I asked mild for the heat level Cause mild is spicy but not tom spicy The one I received was more spicy than normal They messed up my order when I was ordering once I received it I checked it and it was wrong so I went to talk to the employee about my order they were very rude and unprofessional They were not helpful The issue didn't get resolved The worker didn't have customer service skill She didn't know how to do her job right To order the like was very long The employee was very slow Also this place is pricy in top of the bad experience I had mi work be doing here again And won't recommend anyone here unless Simone apologize and make it right Make it up to me for there mistake if they do this I'll return here and give them a chance and I'll consider about referring people here again I never had a issue until today read more

First time here. I had the MINI BABA COMBO. I've been to many Nashville chicken restaurants and this one was ok. Not bad. But was probably last on all I've been to. I ordered hot level and it was not hot at all. The side I chose was macaroni and cheese, and it was good. Service was good. Baba' is located at the food lab in Riverside. So there are many other places to choose from as well. It's pretty loud inside but there's a lot of outside seating as well that is not loud. read more

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Last time I came here service wasn't all that great this time around alli helped me and made it worth my while she was amazing excellent customer service 10/10 read more

I LOVE baba chicken! Especially the pickle fries. The Cesar salad is also super refreshing, it's amazing.

I've eaten at Baba's Chicken multiple times. The fried chicken sandwich here is not bad. The flavor is good, the sandwich is SPICY at the spicy level, and the service is very friendly. I like the crinkle-cut fries and their house sauce as well. I didn't like how the sandwich is 2 chicken tenders under a bun. I wish it was one single piece of chicken. It also doesn't seem like the chicken was brined in anything so aside from the outside seasoning, the chicken is flavorless. Brining would also make the chicken juicier. I've ordered the spicy fried chicken sandwich here 3 times and the chicken was on the dryer side all 3 times. Compared to Howlin' Rays, the chicken is not nearly as juicy. I think Popeyes has a juicer chicken as well. White meat can still be juicy if it is brined and cooked properly. Contrary to popular belief, chicken doesn't need to be cooked to 165 degrees - it can be maintained at 155 degrees for a minute and all the bacteria will be killed (not sure if they're legally allowed to do this). The resting period once 155 is reached will make the sandwich safe to eat. While this place does satisfy my fried chicken sandwich cravings, it would need to be almost at Howlin' Ray's level of goodness for me to justify spending that much more over a price of a Popeyes sandwich. Unfortunately after giving this place multiple tries, it does not cut it. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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Absolutely love this place I always get the same thing (medium spicy baba sandwich). But it's my favorite chic sandwich!

There's no question that Baba's Chicken has built a reputation and such a reputation that I drove from Fontana to Riverside during a pandemic to finally try out what the buzz is all about. We utilized the online ordering system and went with the Baba's Big Bundle to feed our family of 5 with an children's order of two tenders and extra fries. This big bundle comes with 2 Baba sandwiches, 2 minis, 2 sides of Mac & cheese, and 2 sides of French fries. They do not allow modifications or substitutions. We went with medium and thankfully, we didn't dare go for hot because I might not be alive to type this review. That's pretty dramatic, but the medium did give a little kick and I am rather OK with hot foods. Taste wise, you're getting an amazing meal with a extremely tasty sandwich and sides. There's no question about the quality of the food and taste. Their side sauce is delicious and a perfect combination, reminds me of the Raising Cane sauce, but way better. The only complaint I have is that they mixed up our order a bit and gave us three medium instead of two medium and two mild, which meant one of us had to eat something spicy that we wouldn't typically do. As mentioned, the medium isn't incredibly spicy, but does have a kick to it. Price wise, you're paying roughly $12/person with tip if you order what I did and I think we actually could've done without the extra fries which would've brought our price down. Nonetheless, it was really good food and I will DEFINITELY return. Don't forget to order online where you can track your order then when it's ready you can walk into the main area off of Market St and tell them your order #-- the food lab's setup is incredibly convenient and I was in and out within minutes. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Baba chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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I ordered their chicken sandwich combo, mild heat, with french fries. The portions are huge and the food is very filling. The spice level was nice. Although it was their mild level it still had a kick. The fries were hot and crunchy and they have a really good ranch. The sandwiches can be a little messy to eat since it is two tenders, and I do wish it came with a little more slaw, but overall it was an enjoyable meal and I'd eat there again. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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So this is not our first go round with the hot chicken sandwiches... my kids said they were good. I felt like the buns were a little burned on top and the chicken to crispy, but as long as they enjoyed who am I to judge. (The momma)lol not the best to me considering when we came for our YEE it was delicious... read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Sons chicken sandwich. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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I came here on a Friday night and I ordered just a hot chicken sandwich alone and the worker looked like he definitely did not want to be there so immediately service was not great. The chicken sandwich alone is also pretty pricey. But overall the sandwich itself was really good although it did feel super oily and you definitely need a ton of napkins to eat this. It's still a good chicken sandwich although I feel like it was lacking quality this time around. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Left: medium Baba's Sandwich Only & right: Baba's Hot Sandwich Only - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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This place is inside the food lab and I love the hustle and bustle of the place. There are a lot of different food options inside and a bar as well. It's very busy yet modern ESC atmosphere. The food is amazing. My favorite is the loaded mac n' cheese. But I started with the fries first. I have tried everything here and I get it HOT because I love spicy. Sometimes it is like a mild but other times I'm blowing my mouth cause it is SPICY. So it IS INCONSISTENT when it comes to spice levels. But I am ALWAYS giving them my money. read more

Super crunchy on the outside, tender and tasty on the inside. Toss your Popeyes in the trash and come to this place instead. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Oh goodie - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

Key Points: - Another great hit at the Riverside foodlab - Great place for Nashville style chicken sandwiches The Mrs. and I came here to get take-out. At the time of this writing, it was the beginning of the COVID pandemic, so dine-in was not available, and take-out was our only option. We heard about this place from some friends, so knew we had to try it on one of our days off. Food: - Baba's Chicken Sandwich: Their signature chicken sandwich. We ordered it at a spicy level of medium. A perfect blend of crispy, spicy, savory, and juicy chicken. The buns were perfectly fluffy, sweet, and soft. Even though it was already seasoned with their House sauce, It came with an extra side of sauce to add more, just to your preference. - Loaded fries: We were excited to try this after seeing the pictures, but to be honest, we were a bit let down. The sauce, chicken, and coleslaw definitely went well with the fries, but we felt it lacked flavor in comparison to the sandwich. This was strange, as most of the ingredients were essentially the same. The fries got a little bit soggy under all the "load" as well. Perhaps this was a problem of getting it as take-out? Overall, great food. Will definitely come back again. Glad there's a place for Nashville style fried chicken sandwiches in Riverside. Next time we'll try the tenders. read more

Baba's Hot Chicken - Baba's chicken sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Riverside, California

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