On our way to Sedona, I remembered a write up in the Phoenix magazine highlighting Four 8 Chicken in Cottonwood, a neighbor to Sedona. The article highlighted the owner, Merkin Keenan, from the band Tool. This is his latest adventure in food. The restaurant is clean, open and well suited for tables, high-tops and bar seating. The wait staff was helpful and johnny-on-the- spot with service. The lite and airy decor is a fresh look on Main Street. We ordered two dark meat pieces of spicy fried chicken, potato salad and hush puppies. We also had the spicy chicken tenders, green chili mac and cheese, and fennel slaw. The chicken was crispy and perfectly moist. A spicy flavor was lacking. The potato salad was under cooked and had salt sprinkle throughout, a bit more than needed. The hush puppies were delicious and had a dipping sauce of spicy aioli. The green chili mac and cheese was good, however the fennel slaw had a heavy mayo base and overwhelming licorice taste. There wasn't anything to balance the licorice flavor of the fennel and it was needed. Our expectations were not high but we were excited about the reviews we read. The chicken was very good and tasty. I feel the sides needed to be refined and more attention to details. I don't feel the need to return and had hoped for a good overall meal. Four 8 Fried Chicken will hopefully fine tune the food to match the restaurant vibe. read more

Four 8 Fried Chicken - 2 pieces of spicy chicken fingers with green chili mac and cheese and fennel slaw - Chicken Shop Near Me - Cottonwood, Arizona

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Great fried chicken, moist and flavorful. I like the spicy fried chicken. The sauces that accompany the chicken are great, I like the mustard sauce and the spicy aioli. The sides are very good. I recommend the french fries, green chili mac and cheese, potato salad, and the waffles. Eating in: the service was great, fast and courteous. Eating out: the service was fast and courteous. The restaurant is a modern build in old Cottonwood. Good place to relax and have good food read more

Clean, fun and unique atmosphere. Our server was welcoming and helpful with the menu as this was our first visit. Chicken is organic and large in size. The potato salad has a very unique flavor. Not saying it is the best I've had, but definitely and thankfully not heavy into the obvious (mayo, dill, etc.). Not sure what the ingredient was, but if you try it, it will be a unique taste. The street corn side was very good having a nice 'kick' to it. As for the chicken, it too was unique in flavor. I like VERY hot and spiced food, especially chicken and told that to the sever. She said she'd give me the hottest, but be aware since everyone has a different definition of "hot", their hottest is nowhere close to being hot. You'll need to ask for a bottled sauce to get it the heat to be where it should be. Nonetheless, it was good quality chicken. Be aware they serve no beer or liquor products. But, you won't leave hungry. read more

First visit. It was just okay. Upon entering there is a female mannequin styled larger than life with a chicken head r that is positioned standing on her head with a wide stance. This was my "view" during the meal -- bleh! Spicy chicken is spicy but good. Non spicy chicken is bland. Wish they had a medium spice. Device was good with waitstaff explaining the history of the owner. read more

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We were pretty excited to give Four 8 a try while in town. This restaurant is located on Main Street, in the middle of town with parking close by. It wasn't too busy on a Saturday, mid-day. Our server came by to grab our drink orders and offered samples of mead which we tried out. It wasn't for us, but my husband ordered some cider instead. There were 4 of us eating, including my son, so we ordered two four piece full plates (breast, full wing, leg, and thigh) with one regular seasoning and one spicy seasoning. Each plate came with 2 sides. We selected the fennel slaw, sourdough waffle, hush puppies, and elote off the cob. Out of all of items, I liked the sourdough waffle the most, hush puppies were pretty good, and the other two sides were just okay. Given that the chicken was supposed to be the highlight, it fell a little flat for me. It did arrive piping hot and the breading was nice and crispy, but unfortunately, the pieces didn't have as much flavor as I was hoping for. We got some sidranch for dipping, which made the flavor better but still, not my favorite. It was very clean in the restaurant and bathrooms. If you're looking for a casual drink and like wine, cider, or mead, give this place a shot. I'm not sure if we'll return but it was fun to dine at a local spot! read more

Four 8 Fried Chicken - Two 4 piece chicken plates with Elote off the cob / Hush puppies / Sourdough waffles / Fennel Salad. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Cottonwood, Arizona

I hope this is the right place to write the review for Four 8 chicken. I couldn't find anything listed as that though. They do sell wine here, so I think it is the correct place? Headed out of Jerome to Cottonwood. Found the chicken place. Was a fun kind of atmosphere. I didn't feel like the food was outrageously priced or anything and was excited to try Maynard's recipe. It was good. The sandwich was a little small, so I would probably just order the wings or tenders next time. I'd certainly go here again. The food was good. We also tried the mead flight. I believe the meads were all hydromel's and the ones we tried were sparkling and crisp and well done. They were not super complex, but they were all done well and hit the spot and we ended up picking up some cans. The environment is a long modern room with bar stretching across it. The staff was friendly and helpful. I didn't try the wines, maybe next time. read more

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With a bit of apprehension, we tried Four 8 fried chicken. We didn't know what Mead was and we weren't sure if fried chicken were going to be enough to satisfy our taste buds. Wow, what a surprise this place is to eat at. The mead was excellent tasting. The fried chicken was some of the best we've ever had. I am a big fan of potato salad and they have some of the best potato salad I have ever tasted. It's a must if you eat here. The staff was very helpful very knowledgeable and very friendly. Service was fast complete and served with a smile. The interior decor is inviting and clean. We highly recommend eating here and taking a chance you won't be sorry. read more

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We were pretty excited to try this place! It's only been open for a little bit and the food is fairly good. Between all of us we were able to try every side dish and the one we'd for sure get again were the hush puppies! I like fennel salad and it was so fresh, it helped balance the chicken. Some of us got tenders and some of us got drumsticks, it seemed like the two had different batters and both were delicious! Fair warning, those "little" side dishes held a LOT of food! Looking forward to going back! It's a fun spot with good food. read more

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No complaints here! Entered, found a spot to sit, and ordered fairly quickly. Our server was kind and came back to check on us every so often. We enjoyed looking at all the chicken decor...especially the chicken mannequins! We all got chicken with several different sides. It was crunchy and cooked perfectly. I got the "spicy" chicken, but it wasn't consistently spicy or overly spicy. I think this just had to do with the batter. The coleslaw and elote was my favorite sides. The mac and cheese was alright, but wasn't very cheesy for some reason. The hush puppies were okay, but I'd try a different side in the future. I'd definitely come back and try more. The prices and the food were worth it! read more

This place is now a food truck who is still delivering their tasty chicken! Be sure to check them out at their new location. read more

Four 8 Fried Chicken - Menu - Chicken Shop Near Me - Cottonwood, Arizona

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What a cool venue. We love the off-beat decor and casual ambiance. Service was great. The menu is not extensive but still lots of options. I love the southwest version of hot chicken - it's spicy but not overwhelming. Love the fennel slaw and the hush puppies were fabulous!!! Definitely will be back. read more

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Cool place in the old Merkin tasting room. Chicken comes in 2 flavors regular or spicy. I was feeling daring and ordered the spicy chicken sandwich. It definitely had some heat but wasn't burn your mouth spicy. The slaw on the sandwich was tasty. I ordered hushpuppies which had jalapeño in them. I never eat this type of food. I ate it all, it was that good. Service was on point as well. read more

I mean, the best chicken tenders you will ever have. Warning, they are BIG. The hushpuppies and elote are excellent. Best hushpuppies ever! The decor of the place is super cool. Very relaxed. We had great service. Loved the mead. They must cook each order as ordered because it does take a bit for the food to come out. But it is HOT. Dipping sauces were really good too. read more

This review is for the atmosphere, staff, and mead at the bar. We will come back to sample the food. We visited on a Saturday afternoon and the establishment was deserted. We are fans of MJK and wanted to check out the restaurants interior decor on recommendation from our server at Merkin Vineyards. It did not disappoint. Eclectic and styled after a comedy group that dressed as...chickens. Maynard to a T. The staff referred to it as "haute chicken yoga." We enjoyed some samples of the bottled mead, had never had it and bought a bottle as a gift. Great staff and atmosphere. We will be back. read more

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Great chicken at a reasonable price. 4 piece full plate, wing, theigh, leg, and breast for $20. Sat at the very long bar since dining solo. A glass of ice water was quickly served. Great bartender took my order quickly. I don't think they serve beer or mixed drinks. This place had to be a full service bar in the past. They serve mead and maybe some wine. You may want to check before visiting. All seating is downstairs. Upstairs is the kitchen. The chicken was excellent. Potato salad is made in-house with red potatoes. It is so refreshing not to have potato salad from a bucket. Get the cornbread too. Nice staff. Very friendly. read more

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I am a local and have been dining at Maynard's restaurants since they opened. This new one does not disappoint AT ALL. Food amazing and the Duros de Harina was a wonderful surprise. The server was fantastic and I cannot recommend highly enough. read more

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Food was great, portions were lacking in my opinion for the cost. They only had one server and it was hard to get him to remember we had ordered food or drinks. Other tables also had to remind him. Overall not bad but needs a bigger portion of food for the price and better service. Maybe hire more servers? read more

Best fried chicken I've ever had! No need for sauce because the seasoning is spot on. Unbelievable! I tip my hat to the chef ‍

Great food, fabulous service, and amazing ambiance. The server was especially helpful and accommodating!

Can you believe that they fry their fish in the same oil as their chicken? How gross... They are very nice but this is disgusting... Fishy chicken What a TooL... read more

This place is great! The staff were very kind and funny, the food was fast and delicious, and it is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Keep up the good work! read more

Nothing special. Cafeteria food served with sugary mead. Really wish they had more options than wine and mead, chicken places need beer! And maybe better chicken. read more

We actually walked out before receiving our food. The waitress and waiters made us feel super awkward while waiting for the food. It took a ridiculous amount of time for something very basic read more

Four 8 Fried Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Cottonwood, Arizona

I like Maynard, but he misses a beat a lot of times. Who has a hot chicken restaurant without serving beer? I went there and was offered Mead and Cider. Are we in the 13th Century? Seriously, I was as incredulous as the waitress was clueless. Oh yes Squire that's all we serve here at the Faire Renaissance is Mead and Cider. Maynard, here is some incoming: Who loves fried chicken? Guys love fried chicken. Who will not patronize the place that serves fried chicken but does not serve beer? The answer is guys. You serves beer at your restaurant in the sky. How about installing a few beer taps at your hot chicken restaurant. I think it will be a great improvement. read more

Very disappointed, never will go back again.. I was a regular customer since they opened. We tried to order food and was told to come back because he couldn't cook , so we came back 30 min later to the same employee smoking a cigarette and giving me a attitude as I simply was asking if I can order food .. we ended up leaving since we didn't want him to spit in our food . There is no need for custoner service to treat anyone like that , especially with kids present. I will never visit again and suggest to go to another restaurant. read more

New restaurant in town. Love the decor and service was excellent. Had the fennel slaw and potato salad with chicken tenders. Fabulous! Tasted the 4 8 sparkling mead which was a little sweet for my tastes. White dry wine was very good. Great meal! read more

We went for the name behind it but was very disappointing. Chicken was not really flavorful. Cornbread was dry. Hush puppies disappointing. Honestly, save your money and try somewhere else read more

Nice light breading. Food lacking in flavor. Chicken had gristle throughout. Food could be so much better with some salt and spices. Generally disappointing but will try again in hopes the food improves. read more

Best chicken sandwich in cottonwood, new fried basket so good - made with fresh potatoes. Love trying their different lemonade flavors they offer, today was mango and it was too tier. read more

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Visiting from Southern CA, the family and I were desperate to find a place to eat at on Thanksgiving night and they were open and busy! My husband got their $25 Thanksgiving plate and I got the Southwestern sandwich and both were delicious. Appreciate the awesome hospitality and would recommend this place to anyone who loves fried chicken and great drink selections ! read more

What a gem! Walking down Main Street, and we saw this place on the corner. Menus looked good. Food tasted even better. The corn bread was great! read more

Seemed like a strange combination of meads and sparking wines with fried chicken. Beer or mixed drinks not served. It was very busy there today and obviously not enough staff. I tend to stay away from deep fried foods, so knowing that now, I probably would not return. I wish them luck. read more

Such high hopes for this place but the experience fell flat. Mead and fried chx would have been a great combo but the food was very mediocre- chicken truly did not have much flavor, any yumminess at all that a good piece of fried chicken (especially a sandwich) gives. There was no "ooo yea" reaction, you know what I mean? The ambiance in there is incredibly bright, sterile feeling and uninviting with weird, kinky chicken-masked mannequins. The mead is alright, the original is definitely the best, just felt quite gimicky. Our bartender/server was a very nice guy and that was the saving grace. This place is like a project that was procrastinated on and put together last minute. read more

In Phoenix? Make the short drive up and try this place out. Not in Phoenix? Add Cottonwood to your next travel itinerary. From beginning to end everything was amazing. Unexpected menu items like hush puppies with homemade dipping sauce, golden brown waffles and green chili mac n' cheese with just the right amount of heat, were perfect additions to this really unique fried chicken. We tried three different kinds of chicken: the tenders, then some whole pieces (breast and leg) and my favorite, a classic chicken sandwich. The outer layer of crisp was more than flavorful and was different than any fried chicken we've ever had. So many different flavors on the table tonight that you don't get at your run of the mill fried chicken joint, fennel, sage, chili, jalapeño, aioli, and on and on. Like wine? They have a monster array of local wines, other beverages and even homemade gelato, and qualified knowledgeable staff to help you decide what you need. Did I mention the Hawaiian roll the sandwich was on and the generous helping of bread and butter pickles? (They even offer a plant based 'chicken' patty too). Just put your phone down and head to old town Cottonwood, Arizona. It's yummy. read more

Four 8 Fried Chicken - The "Classic" Fried Chicken sandwich. The "Southern" version had jalapeño and looked great too. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Cottonwood, Arizona

Service and ambiance were great. The food, meh. Ordered 2 piece white with potato salad and hush puppies. Chicken was juicy, ordered MJK style which is supposed to add a kick. I felt the batter lacked flavor. Potato salad was not good, small cubed potatoes with lots of celery. Again not much flavor. Hush puppies were the winner on that tray. Overall, the food just needed more seasoning and lacked flavor. I won't return. read more

The decor was cool and server nice. However, the chicken which is supposed to be the highlight was not good. It was soooo salty. I couldn't get past it. I wish it tasted good. The chicken was moist though. My Mac and cheese was ok. read more

The service was excellent and the server was very friendly. Had their spicy wings and they were delicious! I plan on returning! First time I tried the mead & I thought it was very light & delicious! read more

Mixed reviews from our table. The chicken batter is a good amount of spice and very juicy meat. The sides were all great. We didn't love the chicken tenders as the batter was a different flavor. Not the best chicken we've had but would go back for sure. read more

Four 8 Fried Chicken - Four piece mix with two sides - Chicken Shop Near Me - Cottonwood, Arizona

Our server was terrific. We had fun conversation. The prices were ok. But what blew my mind was we ordered the chicken pot pie on special. $16 bucks. It was a joke. Barely one bite of chicken (and this a chicken joint) and the portion was SMALL. No more. read more

We are locals and try to support local businesses. Our first trip to Four 8 Fried Chicken was a disappointment. The chicken tenders were greasy and not very tender. I'm not sure what the green beans are supposed to represent, but it sure isn't the South. They were basically raw with some bacon mixed in. The potato salad was unseasoned potato chunks with mayonnaise. The only GREAT thing we had was the hush puppies. They were delicious, but definitely do not need the aioli dipping sauce provided for them. The place was not at all busy at the noon hour and maybe this is why?? Not sure I would ever go there again, and that's extremely unfortunate. read more