Good food, sandwich and Mac and cheese were both good. Just a little bit pricey for what it is.

I was initially introduced to HTC 3 years ago when Bryant did his first Yelp elite event at their very old location off Spruce Street now they've expanded because they've done so well. Today 50 Yelper's were lucky to get to be the first paying customers for Hot Chicken Takeover in their new location in Clintonville. I have to say Joe did very well for himself moving to this area of town with all the other big guys located next to him and across from his business. I'm sure his business is going to do very well in this area of town. I cannot wait for his next location to open soon in the Easton area as well! Today, I legitimately paid and was the guinea pig for this business. I went with my typical boneless warm chicken with the slaw and mac and cheese as the sides. Love the free check in for the banana pudding, definitely don't forget to take advantage that when you visit this location! Then after ordering that meal I sat at one of the benches with my Yelp friends and waited for my name to be called out to get my meal. I like that you don't have to pay extra for the ranch dressing because some places nickel and dime you for every little thing but HCT doesn't. Enjoyed my meal thoroughly and chatting with my Yelp elite friends was a pleasure as well. Good job, HCT you did a great job serving and preparing these meals for 50 Yelp elites! Looking forward to many more delicious meals here in the future! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Their famous banana pudding, free with Yelp check in app. - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I've eaten at HCT multiple times. Had a terrible experience recently. I arrived at 5:40pm to a very long line. I avoided the drive-thru... this was a mistake. There was only one cashier for in-store transactions. All drive-thru orders seemed to be prioritized... probably because of complaints of the traffic wrapping around the corner, out the parking lot, and into the residential neighborhood streets. My receipt says I ordered at 5:58pm. My food arrived at 6:20pm--- after several customers who ordered after me. It took 40 minutes from start to finish for to-go food at this location. I am disappointed and will avoid this store in the future. The kicker? They asked for this review on the prominent signage throughout the shop. I figured it was only apt to share... read more

Good chicken! The sides are unremarkable. The service and environment are poor. The person taking orders at front, a young woman, seemed to be absolutely willful in ignoring us and taking our order. But other customers (that were friends?) would talk her ear off endlessly--all while we are anxiously waiting to put in our order. Very poor service. They seem to have contempt for certain customers--perhaps ones that look different from them. read more

Overrated! I have been wanting to go to HCT for years now, never could find myself around one during lunch until today. I heard it was the best fried chicken but pricey. Holy Cow, $10.50 for boneless breast filet. I was thinking that it was a meal that comes with something else. Nope. Well, to be fair, it came with 3 pickle slices and a handy toothpick and sat atop a slice of Wonder Bread. That is outrageous! For the price of that and a drink, I could have bought an 8-piece at Popeye's or a bucket at KFC. It was not the best fried chicken, no where near. I know my fried bird. This is no where near worth the cost. I won't be back. There is no way they are ever going to drop their prices. Reminds me of 5 Guys and the cost. If this was like Lo-Lo's chicken (taste-wise) it would be worth it. read more

As a semi-new resident to Columbus, I haven't had the chance to try HCT but I've had this recommendation numerous times! I was excited to finally get to try it & avoid the long lines that I heard are always there at north market (and after trying it I can see why) i went with the drumstick meal- I also liked the option of subbing the coleslaw for double Mac n cheese! The portions were huge and delivered fresh & quickly. I would agree with other reviews that the friendliness of the staff definitely stood out! Everyone was so nice & asking if we enjoyed our meals as they cleaned up. I also appreciated that Joe came around and thanked everyone for coming. I know this place is going to be a hit & I'll be sure to return! Another perk: free iced tea!!! (Sweetened and unsweetened) and homemade ranch! read more

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Just had the best meal at HCT! The drumsticks were delicious and the waffle fries were amazing. The staff was sweet and made sure the guests were happy. They have Coke Zero too.. I was a happy lady! Thanks again! read more

Good food. Good service. Would recommend to friends & family. Also, yelp needs to make it to where you don't have to write a story to give a good review lol. read more

First experienced HCT during a Yelp event over the summer and was pretty impressed and ready to try it on my own! Finally had a chance to stop by the Clintonville location a few weeks back - overall, good food but definitely want to give another try to improve their "star" rating. The Clintonville location is definitely much larger than expected, and they have a small parking lot, which is a bonus. I arrived shortly before 5PM on a Saturday night, and was surprised that the line was already decently long. Luckily, the line went quickly so didn't wait terribly long. However, I wound up waiting about an hour to actually receive my food. I couldn't remember what patrons were in front of me, so I didn't want to pester and ask when my order would be ready, and I didn't have anywhere to be, so I didn't mind waiting for a bit. However, after about 50 minutes, I noticed that a good number of people who placed their order much after me were already on their way out. After asking one of the kitchen staff about the status of my order, I had it in my hand within 5 minutes. Unfortunately, there wasn't really an explanation or apology for my long wait, which was a little disheartening. But at the end of the day, the food was tasty enough and my evening calm enough that I didn't mind too much. In terms of eats though....I'm not a vegetarian, but I opted for the seitan chicken just because I was intrigued by the concept. I am a wimp with spice, but tried the "warm" level - definitely a kick and my nose ran the entire time, but provided a nice flavor! The seitan in no way tastes like fake meat - the texture is on point, and if I didn't know it wasn't chicken, I definitely would have been fooled. For my sides, I tried the coleslaw and mac and cheese. First thing, the sides are huge - I wound up saving the mac and cheese for another day, but it was worth the wait. It had great flavor (maybe some garlic and onion in it?) and was incredibly creamy, even a few days later. The coleslaw was also tasty, maybe a tad heavy on the vinegar so v acidic, but I always appreciate a non-mayo based slaw. Overall, a great meal and very filling - I definitely want to give the actual chicken a try on the next go! Despite the slight mishap with my order, I enjoyed my meal at HCT and appreciated getting to try it outside of the Yelp event. Hoping the slight ordering kinks get worked out before my next visit, and I'm already looking forward to trying the real deal chicken! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Seitan chicken, slaw, and mac - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My girl Katie (sp?) hooked me UP!! She put me on to putting the Hot seasoning on my mac n cheese and HUNTYYYYY I'm never going back to just regular schmegular mac!! Thanks again Katie for the amazing food today!!! I'm coming back ASAP!!! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - HOT Ma's Mac and Cheese - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

They are very expensive. I order the vegan nuggets and get a piece of bread with it. The price is $9.95. I like the vegan ranch. Wonderful customer service everytime I stop in. read more

A staple at the North Market and Cintonville- this chicken spot is your momma's fried chicken w attitude. Spice range from Cold (no spice) to Holy (Hell). The two slices of bread soak up the extra spicy goodness. The sides are classic southern fare- mac and cheese, cooked perfectly w the right amount of cheesiness! Cole slaw is not tricked up and plays well w the other side- not needing the spotlight. The new baked beans are very sweet (I picked up a hint of root beer- but don't totally trust me on that one) and takes you back to those summer cookouts. The banana pudding is a perfect conclusion to an old school fried chicken dinner. The open atmosphere and sprawling checkered tables (Clintonville) reinforce that summertime cookout feel when you, your family and friends gathered to break bread. Lastly, the staff and service were spot on. Hot chicken up! read more

Having lived in Columbus for almost 4 years now, I've heard plenty of hype around Hot Chicken Takeover, but I'd never taken the time to investigate just how deserving it was. But given that l'll be moving shortly, I made it a priority to check it out. As you probably already assumed from my star rating, I was a little disappointed. Maybe 3 stars is a little low because I was expecting so much, but I was just not impressed. I got the warm heat rating because my spice tolerance isn't quite as advanced as other's. The chicken was very good but it wasn't anything special in my opinion. The spice was there but didn't have spectacular flavor. The Mac n cheese was a little grainy and not good to be honest. The sweet tea, which is free, was bomb, but was basically diabetes inducing. (I think my sugar elevated to unsafe levels after just one cup). The one bright spot was the banana pudding. That was amazing. Overall, not impressed and HCT did not live up to it's hype. There are plenty of people who would go to war to defend this place, I simply am not one of them. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Warm boneless chicken with slaw and Mac n cheese. - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Lunch special with 3 tenders was fantastic! Great value I could barely finish the large and hot juicy tenders! Nice hot waffle fries with a drink and ranch make this a goto lunch if you are in the neighborhood. Warm had a nice kick I think hot would be too much for me. super friendly staff although you do order from a kiosk which I am never a fan of but the Millennials seem to like them. read more

The chicken is delicious (though oily - have napkins ready!) and the business model is outstanding. This place is fantastic.

Nashville-worthy hot chicken in Ohio...count me in! I like my chicken on the hot side so I stick with HOT, which is the right amount of heat for me to still enjoy the flavor. You're able to order just drumsticks too, so that's a great bonus. The MISS B'S BANANA PUDDING is wonderful and is a don't miss dish, especially if you are trying to cool your mouth down after a hot chicken feast. Expect long lines at prime time but it is worth the wait. The parking is relatively easy when if the line is out the door, so that's good. If you feel like chatting the system like we did, order online while you're standing in line and then you can proceed directly to the "pickup orders" side. They ask for WAY too much personal information, though, so just prepare to get your information hacked at some point. Just remember that they won't call your name out for pre-orders, So you'll have to ask for your food. Don't forget to have some of their excellent sweet and unsweetened tea. It's free! read more

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HCT Is Columbus' best fried chicken. Period. As a fried chicken connoisseur, HCT is the best chicken I have ever tasted. This was my first visit to their Clintonville location. I have been going to their North Market location regularly for the last two years. The chicken is unreal. They offer 4 flavor profiles: cold, warm, hot, and holy. Don't be deceived. Warm is spicy. Hot and Holy are just as advertised. My friend ordered holy today and couldn't finish. That being said, he is a huge fan of spicy food and only orders the hottest sauces any time we get chicken. This is the first time I have seen him struggle. Not my cup of tea. I always order warm. With this, HCT has perfected the art of the ideal amount of flavor and spice. It is just right. If you don't like spice at all, the cold option is delicious as well! (And not really cold) Their marketing/design scheme reflects that of a low-country farm. The inside of their restaurants feature wooden crates as wall decals and red-checkered table accents. Seating is family style and the portions are huge. Overall, HCT is the best in the area for delicious chicken and if you live in Columbus and haven't tried it yet, you are most certainly missing out! Get to Hot Chicken ASAP! read more

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Bland, nothing to brag about. My husband doesn't flinch at the hottest flavor. Their banana pudding is good tho.

Let me just start by saying I absolutely love HCT! Some of the best chicken I have ever had with the perfect amount of spice and so many options. I have been in a lot and always had great service and good food. It has been several months since I have been in so consider me shocked when I went in for lunch and found out that you now have to pay for sweet tea and for ranch. The calling card of HCT used to be free sweet tea and free ranch. You now have to pay $1.50 for their small cup of sweet tea and the ranch dispenser has been moved from self-serve to behind the counter so that you have to pay for extra. For me, having ranch is just part of the hot chicken experience. You have spicy chicken but you are going to make people pay for each additional ranch. If it had been this way from the jump, I probably wouldn't have a complaint but since it has always been free, the sudden change to making you pay for it seems ticky tack and like they are nickel and diming you. The chicken (and sides) are already darn expensive but it's always been worth it for the quality of the food and the fact that you received a drink and free ranch as part of that price. I understand keeping up with inflation but how much does it really cost to make the ranch and the sweet tea? There is now way they were losing much money on those items so to make them additional charges now does not sit well with me. The way HCT is expanding like wildfire tells me they must be doing alright so I would just like to see a return of free ranch and sweet tea or at least give us more ranch cups as the base amount with the option to add additional and a reduction on the sweet tea price. $1.50 for that small cup is outrageous, especially if you are getting it to go and can't refill it. I do like the addition of chicken tenders to the menu. That is what I ordered this visit and they were very good. I also saw a Mon-Wed lunch meal deal that looked pretty good which was tenders and fries. Still 4 stars based on how good the food is and all of that but definitely a shame to have this change. HCT was a fairly regular stop for me with co-workers or for a good lunch when we were in the office since I work close to HCT but with the pandemic we are work from home and I haven't been at the office as much. With our return to the office in the coming weeks, I will definitely be considering other options in place of HCT due to the pricing and ticky tack add-on's. I was one of the biggest ravers and advocates of HCT before but now they will just be an every now and again stop for me, unfortunately. read more

I gave HCT another chance and I'm so glad I did. My sister was in town and I wanted to show her some Cbus staples. HCT seemed like one of those places she had to try. Plus, it didn't hurt that Jeni's was right next door. I got the hot drumstick meal and my sister got the warm dark meal. We both subbed coleslaw for double mac and cheese for an extra charge. My drumsticks were good and spicy--enough to make me sweat. One of my favorite things about HCT is their ranch. I love how it's free and self serve and how creamy and delicious it is. Also their free sweet tea seals the deal for me. So HCT, you won me over again. Plus, now that I noticed you have a drive thru, I might have to make a stop here in the near future. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Hot drumstick meal (subbed coleslaw for extra mac and cheese for an extra charge) - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I'm not totally getting the hype about this place, but this is good fried chicken, which is really all I want from a fried chicken place. I like mine salty greasy, not hot greasy, so the "cold" perfectly hits the spot, but the "warm" is still flavorful without being overwhelmingly spicy. The sides are decent, with the coleslaw better than the mac & cheese, and the sweet tea is pretty great. Service has always been prompt and super polite for me. It's a little pricey, but I tend to get two meals out of a visit, which makes it not bad at all. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

First off, I LOVE the small menu. It's chicken. I don't need 50 options. I went with the sandwich and did the classic hot. It was SPICY, but also SO DELICIOUS. If you don't want spicy, go a step down. This didn't ruin the flavor, but my mouth definitely felt it. It comes with double mac and cheese which is never a bad thing. There is coleslaw on the sandwich, but if you want a whole serving of it, switch it out with one of the mac sides. The sweet tea is delicious and they have Cheer Wine! The service was fantastic. Everyone was friendly. There is a hot chicken place in Salt Lake and it's good, but Hot Chicken Takeover is definitely superior. Make your way west please! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Hot Sandwich! - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

As the worlds worst vegetarian...... I love (yes, love) Hot Chicken Takeover. Why do I hold love for this establishment you may ask? Is it the food? Is it their acceptance and appreciation of the community? Their belief of everyone deserves a seat at their table? The many things they do for the blogging community? Their kick-ass employees? All of the above. You don't find many one-two punch restaurants in Columbus. First punch is their simplicity and deliciousness behind their menu. I praise everything from their menu design all the way to their palette-filled decor. Second punch is their mission and restaurant values that express a bigger sense of what restaurants should be. This chicken is the vehicle for larger missions beyond just chicken. Though I can't wait for the day I stop praising restaurants for this, their mission to actually care for their employees beyond a shift to shift basis is NEEDED in this world. I cant disregard their fundamental in-house programs alongside a passion to hire those who NEED work but have been disregarded due to circumstances in their lifetime (homelessness, previous incarceration, or other barriers to employment). To me THAT is the TRUE definition of restaurant hospitality. Take notes, Columbus. I even had the pleasure of walking with them during Columbus Pride 2019 with their slogan "Everybody deserves a seat at the table." That is sure as hell right. I cheer's a drumstick to what Joe and the entire HCT team does. You make Columbus proud. P.S.... A main vegetarian entree option beside sides such as the mac (& now beans) is so neeeded..... read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - HCT's ~famous~ Miss B’s Banana Pudding. Could I get a truckload of this pretty plz. - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Always good chicken! Their fries are surprisingly good. The wait can be a little long, but any order placed so far has yet to be incomplete or wrong. They must be taking their time to get it right the first time. Sides & deserts are also good! If you like good chicken, give this place a shot read more

I was grumbling in line because i felt like this was overpriced and overhyped but then I ate some... dang, it was actually super good (of course). The spicing on the chicken is awesome- i got the "cold" because I'm a weenie and it was definitely spicier than normal fried chicken which was perfect. We split the drumstick meal with a double side of Mac and cheese and it was totally enough for both of us. Would come back again (even though raising canes is always good and way cheaper...) read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Meal Drumsticks, Ma's Mac and Cheese - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My husband and I have gotten HCT countless amount of times. Always excellent. Haven been to all locations and they always have great service. It is our go to takeout food. Love getting the heat level hot as holy was a bit too much for us. Not only is the chicken good, but love the sweet tea, banana pudding, and mac and cheese. My only critique would be to have an option for the meal without the coleslaw without it automatically becoming double mac and cheese. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Another Columbus hot spot that I've heard a lot about. Went for lunch on a Monday. Fairly busy, but the lines move fast and the staff is really friendly. In my attempt to eat less meat, I got the Not Chicken Sandwich. I didn't realize the sandwiches come on plain bread, which was a bit disappointing. I'm also personally not a huge fan of a lot of breads, so the fact that the sandwiches come double-breaded was a bit of a turnoff. The seitan was fairly salty, so I ended up eating it with the mac n cheese to hide some of the flavor. Not my favorite, but the mac n cheese really was a saving grace. Pretty creamy and got texture. I had ordered beans as my second side, but they only came out with the mac n cheese. Not a big deal, it happens, but it doesn't look good, either. The banana pudding is phenomenal. 3 layers: pudding, whipped cream, and a crumble on top. So many desserts often overdo the whipped cream, but it really does add to the pudding here. Sweet but not overly so, it's essentially an upside-down banana pie. Would go back, even if just for the dessert. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Not chicken sandwich (left) and chicken sandwich (right) - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I'll keep this short because this will cover it. They have absolutely amazing Chicken and Nuggs (vegan chicken). The heat is great and you can get as hot as you might like. read more

What happened to this place? The portions are small, the food not very good or inspired, the restaurant is dirty, and the service is nonexistent. HCT was one of best restaurant concepts in Columbus, simple but well executed, now they are failing on all counts. Our last two visits were beyond disappointing, it's obvious why the crowds are no longer here. HCT should close, so many other chains do hot chicken better. read more

Great food great service great atmosphere each and every time we good it is always a good time.

Awesome food and better service. I asked if they could make the veggie Nuggs into a sandwich and they made it happen. The waffles were awesome. Loved it. Thank you. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Veggie Nuggs into a sandwich - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This to me was horrible. The chicken didn't taste like real chicken. The Mac and cheese was oily and the greens had no flavor. I ordered 2 chicken fingers and 2 thighs. I forced my way through one of each and threw the rest away. I felt like I was going to vomit. I know people like this place but it's not for me. read more

HCT is delicious! Limited menu but everything they have is fantastic! The "hot" wasn't overwhelmingly hot, but I don't think I could do the "holy sh!$". No charge for the tea...which is pretty cool. And they have house made ranch! You'll never enjoy bottled Kraft again! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The food is always good, but the service is what I remember later. This location has some of the most polite and helpful employees I've ever encountered in any restaurant setting. Highly recommended! read more

First time here and we love the story about how the recipe got started. Supposedly a man cheated on his wife and she found out, so she made him the spiciest chicken for dinner to get him back. He ended up liking it a lot! I ordered the hot chicken and it was mildly spicy. The homemade ranch was delicious, the mac and cheese was okay and I enjoyed the pickled coleslaw. The gal came by to ask how everything was and I told her I wished I ordered the F*%# hot and she was nice enough to get me a drumstick for free. The heat starts very slow and my stomach was feeling it hours later. They are definitely good to their customers and we appreciated the nice gesture very much. Great chicken and very kid friendly! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Coleslaw, mac n cheese, and hot chicken! - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Ordered ahead and got my food as take out. It was a little hard to get them on the phone but we managed. They got our order correct and everything we ordered was in the bag. The ice tea was free and was pretty tasty! The chicken is yummy and their house sauce is pretty good. They have a few different heat ratings. We got the medium heat which was prefect for me and a little much for my friend. I'm sure if you like really hot stuff then there higher heat would serve you well. All in all if you're craving some chicken then you've found the right place. Friendly staff. read more

The food is consistently good, and unlike the North Market one, you usually don't have to wait in line that long. The chicken flavoring is delicious, and the serving size is really big. It does seem a bit expensive for what it is, so usually my girlfriend and I buy one meal and split it. Also, you need that coleslaw, because the chicken, Mac and cheese, and white bread is going to knock you out without some sort of pallets cleanser. Their vinegar-y coleslaw is perfect for it. I recently tried the banana pudding, and I wish I had it sooner! And if that's not your thing, there is a Jenni's nextdoor. read more

WOW the best fried chicken place I have ever been to! I'm left speechless meal that I had here. The only other fried chicken place that could compare is Willie Mae's in New Orleans, but the chicken there wasn't spicy. The chicken is fried so perfectly and the warm spicy level gave just the right amount of kick. The banana pudding is also a must try! The pudding to crunch ratio was a little off with too much pudding, but still delicious as ever. I wish I was able to try everything on the menu! read more

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Dear Hot Chicken Takeover - Please, please, PLEASE open up a franchise in Cleveland, preferably on the east side, or the west side, or both. I will personally camp out to be your first customer or even work for you in exchange for free food.... Sincerely, your biggest fan, Joey! The first time I tried HCT was from their food truck at a Columbus Crew match, and I was instantly hooked. A hot (level 3) set of wings became my go-to for years to come. I am heartbroken that the food truck is no longer at the Crew stadium, but their north high street location get's the job done too. If you have never been to Hot Chicken Takeover here is what to expect. The menu is very simple. There are 6 items to choose from: 5 whole wings, 4 drums, 2-piece dark thigh and leg, white bone-in breast, boneless breast or a chicken sandwich. These 6 options can come with just the chicken or as meals which include slaw and mac-n-cheese as the two sides, but you can sub double mac to avoid the slaw for an extra $1.50. I will say, I am not a slaw guy but HCT's is one of the best I have had, and honestly two sides of mac is a TON of food, but GREAT for leftovers. The 'hot chicken' part of the name comes from the spice levels available. You can pick between 4 spice levels on the chicken, and I love the HOT which is the "real deal" level 3, but I would not go below level 2 called WARM if you want the real hot chicken experience. The best part about the non-food-truck locations is the free goodies. When you dine-in there is free sweet tea, free ranch, spicy syrup and free water all unlimited self-serve. I suggest trying the ranch and syrup to find your perfect balance. read more

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Ok the food is good, but every time I place a pick-up order, and I mean every time, you end up waiting a lot longer than what their app tells you. For example, I used the HCT app and it told me pickup time was 6:22. It's 6:37 now and I'll be waiting another 10 minutes. That's a total of 25 minutes beyond the time they tell you. The same is true when you place an order through DoorDash. So I recommend showing up 20 to 30 minutes later than what they tell you. Also, they forgot my Mac n Cheese. read more