I honestly don't get it. The chicken is crunchy, and not dried out, but other than that, it's pretty much fried chicken that you can get at three levels of spiciness. Woo-hoo. Service is meh, lines are long, and mixing up orders, and/or people taking orders they think is theirs seems to be a thing. read more

Thanks again, Yelp fam. Driving from Pittsburgh to Indy and got to Columbus around lunchtime. Jumped in Yelp and found HCT. Line was a bit long. They were out of wings dern it. My fave part, but settled for thigh and leg. Hubby ordered cold and said it needed a bit more spice. I ordered hot and could have gone to Holy. Overall what I liked was the combo of flavors: the spice of chicken with refreshing coleslaw and tartness of pickle with soft white bread. I don't even eat bread, esp white, but it calls you. I got my free banana pudding by checking in. Haven't tried it yet. Counter ladies were pleasant and efficient. I think for names they should let you pick any word and 1 number, like "rainbow6" or something as sometimes it's hard to distinguish the names though they had the right gentlemen calling it out. Love the free tea!! Would return and wow the market is quite impressive. I def will return to try other things. Oh, and I got ribs from the smoked meats place to go. read more

As a Southerner, this is the place I go to comfort food. IT IS SO DANG GOOD! The tea is sweet, the macaroni is amazing, and even the vinegar slaw (which I normally don't care for) is excellent. I've found that the hotness levels are a little inconsistent so I just go with mild. I love coming in and seeing how many pieces of chicken are left on the board! read more

Small Menu, BIG Taste. A must try comfort food spot. New North Market location is a much needed expansion for the next big Columbus Foodie favorite. read more

This place is fantastic. Best food I've ever had, and the banana pudding is amazing. Love the message and business that Joe is running!

I love all things hot and chicken so I am shocked took so long for me to try it! This past Saturday I visited, and it earns the hype. The staff is full of adorable, quirky, and accommodating people who do such a good job handling the busy crowd and still making you feel welcome. It blows the like "chicken-only" places out of the water (chick fil a, canes) although I love those too. The chicken is juicy, substantial, and has the perfect seasoning. The mac and cheese looks like a less orange version of Kraft, but it really is soooo much better. I'm glad I ordered double and skipped the slaw, which was very vinegary (I tried my Mom's) but was unique. The sweet tea was too sugary for me but maybe because I'm not southern enough? read more

The entire North Market is fun, this place is a gem. Great food, friendly staff, cool atmosphere. Highly recommend! The Hot is HOT, sooo good! read more

I got the "hot" chicken and it was perfectly spicy, not overpowering at all. The coleslaw was great and the mac was almost as good as my dads. Everything was delicious, including their ranch. They also have free iced tea! I wish they had this place on the east coast. read more

I got leg&thigh meal (hot), waffle and banana pudding and I paid $15. The flavor of chicken was good. Chicken leg&thigh was very very small. I am not a fan of side dishes. Coleslaw and mac-chesse were bland on my taste. FREE iced tea was a plus :) read more

There are two great reasons to frequent HCT: the food is delicious, and the social mission is making a difference in our community. The portions of chicken, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese and waffles are filling and tasty, and the banana pudding is TO DIE FOR. And owners Joe and Lisa DeLoss are committed to bettering the community by employing and developing people who have histories that present obstacles to traditional employment. read more

Delicious crispy, juicy fried chicken ! Not a huge fan of slaw ( too raw)or mac and cheese (not creamy)tho. Staff very friendly and atmosphere perfect for the fare with picnic style tables and DIY paper towels read more

Awesome chicken!! My fiance' and I just had hot chicken for the first time a few months ago in Nashville. We have been looking forward to trying HCT since we first heard about it. We were NOT dissappointed!! It was just as good as we had hoped it would be. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the macaroni and cheese was fantastic! We can't wait for the next event!! read more

Love the spice of the hot chicken, the cashier was awesome

OK. I am from the South so I have a saying or two when it comes to fried chicken. This Nashville style fried chicken fads going on right now...I think it's just another hype. I was curious enough to try so I waited in the line for 20 minutes. Dark meats were already sold out so I ordered drumsticks. Well they were really hot like they advertised but flavorless. I just tasted the hot sauce and that was it. Their coleslaw? Another tasteless mediocre. Mac and Cheese? Not sold. I have had better ones. The only good thing about this restaurant was free ice tea. I don't know why people are so raved about this place. Totally overrated. read more

Let me just start out,THIS PLACE IS AMAZING. I had the warm chicken,which is enough to get your tongue to tingle,but who needs that when it also has a deliciouse taste.The chicken pairs well with the free iced tea. Update:tried the banana puding it was spectacular. Tried the hot chicken i like warm better though. read more

It was chicken, average not bad. The cole slaw was a 2, we couldn't try the mac and cheese because they were out.

So I finally made it here today...I had to see what all the hype is about. We arrived around 10:45 because I had heard there would be a line. We were the first people in line. We were able to look at the menu while waiting and chatted up the 2 parties behind us and neither of them had tried it before either. I was impressed that around 5 till, a very pleasant employee came out and asked if anyone had questions about the menu. I thought that was a nice touch, especially for those of us who had never been before. By the time we entered at 11:00, there were 17 people behind us. We order the chicken sandwich(warm) meal with double Mac and cheese and 1 chicken breast (cold) to share. They give generous portions-this was plenty for 2 people and we even had leftovers. I will say the sweet tea is way too sweet for my liking, but I try to be conscious of my sugar intake in general, so woowee! This was SAWEEET! I didn't love it because of this. The ranch was AWESOME, and definitely needed because the chicken was pretty darn hot (they definitely describe it accurately). So we had the cold which was just a good piece of chicken, nothing to go crazy about, and then the warm-which I think what must be the draw here...you have to love the spicy and then I totally get it. I really wish they would have a spice level between cold and warm cause it's a pretty wide gap IMO. The boneless sandwich was awesome, seemed like really quality chicken with good crunchy/juicy combo, just a little too spicy for me. Oh and I almost forgot the Mac and cheese...incredible. Literally to die for GOODNESS. Create a spice level between cold and warm and I'm a huge fan! read more

Ok I know I'm late to the party.....what else can I say that hasn't been said!? Great hot chicken, awesome decor and service. The mac and cheese made me happy. I want a Hot Chicken tee shirt. Southern style tea. Felt like I was eating with family at the bbq. Well worth the wait in my opinion. Get there early and enjoy! I went on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed the breast with waffles. Next time I want to try the wings. Finger lickin good! read more

I love the warm wings and Robin at the Easton location is nice, courteous and very sweet! Great customer service!!!! Great food!

Obviously from all these reviews you know the chicken is good. But the way they make the line move and serve and cook so efficiently has really upped the experience. My wife and I go and take our 1 year old son, and even he loves the "Lil Chick" meal for kids. I also go and take my parents, and they love the novelty of the NoMa spot, and of course the chicken. Can't say enough about this local gem! read more

Can't really say anything more about this that hasn't already been said. Flat out, if you live in Columbus you need to try this place. For me it definitely lives up to the hype and is worth the wait. Do get here early tho, especially if you want wings, cause they run out QUICK! My favorite here rotates between the wings and the sandwich depending on how I feel. I go for the "Warm" and that's perfect for me. Definitely more heat than any mild, but not too much where it takes away from the meal. The sides are great here (tho i've never had enough room to finish them) and be sure to get buckets of their ranch. Literally buckets, don't mess with those tiny plastic cups. They won't be enough. Oh and while you're at it bring a bucket for the sweet tea too. No shame, I drink at least 4 cups every time I'm here. Well that about sums it up, TLDR just eat here. ASAP. read more

Yum! We ate here two days in a row while we were in Columbus on vacation because it was so good the first day we had it. Definitely recommend, and check out the cool market beneath it. We got our chicken to go and ate at the Bottle and Barrel counter where the staff was super friendly and helped us find a cold beer to wash it down. read more

This place is so fantastic and I would give 6 stars if I could. It is pretty simple, fried chicken is their specialty and they do their specialty well. $6.5 will give you five whole wings and I'm sure if you order a meal which comes with two additional sides, you will be able to share. The chicken is made to order and comes out so fresh and perfect. The skin is very crispy and somehow the right amount of heat is blended into the breading so the whole wing is very tasty. The best hot chicken I have ever had so far. read more

I recently ate at Hot Chicken Takeover Food Truck at The Ronald McDonald House for Food Truck Fridays.. They did not have hot chicken at the truck but I was happy with the warm...I was a little disappointed they didn't have the mac&cheese at the event but I understand due to this was for charity and the line had hundreds of people, so there was a very limited menu.. The banana pudding was phenomenal... read more

This restaurant is like a giant teleport that takes you to the heart of the South where fried chicken reigns supreme. The flavor in this chicken is mind-blowing and the sides of mac & cheese plus coleslaw are fantastic as well. We have all eaten plenty of fried chicken in life, but nobody has ever really experienced fried chicken until they've gone south... or come to Hot Chicken Takeover. I especially knew I was newbie when the "warm" chicken was nearly too spicy for me to handle (and I like food with a kick). read more

Go here. Immediately. I took all of my friends here and they would give it a 10/5. The chicken is great and if you go on a Saturday or Sunday you can eat waffles and they taste like hush puppies. The tea is free and delicious too. Get yourself to this place now. read more

Loved it! Get there when it opens, or you'll be standing in line forever. There's a reason there's a line for it out the door. It's amazing. I thought warm was pretty hot. Looking forward to trying hot, just to see. Th sweet tea and Mac and cheese...yum! The coleslaw was just meh! read more

I now understand all the hype. Chicken had great heat. Sides (Mac n cheese and slaw) were also very good. Complimentary ice tea was a nice surprise. Don't be afraid on the length of the line because it goes very quick. read more

Yesssssss! This place is amazing. While the wait is long, it's also really really worth it. I got the milder sauce, as it was my first time. It was pleasantly spicy. The heat grows on you, but I think I will go a level hotter next time and report back. read more

Let me preface this by saying fried chicken is my favorite food. I love it and it loves me. Cane's, Popeyes, Chruch's, KFC double downs, Roscoe's (LA), Auntie April's (SF), etc. are my boyzzz. So. When I moved to Columbus last year, I was pretty excited to see that a fried chicken place was the top-rated restaurant in town on Yelp. My verdict? I had high expectations and honestly was pretty let down. Hot Chicken Takeover is good, but I'm not sure what all the hullaballoo is about. They serve pretty standard fried chicken, mac 'n cheese, and coleslaw. It's tasty, but they often run out of chicken mid-day and going to the North Market is kind of inconvenient. Still hard to go wrong with fried chicken though. read more

So amazing. Most delicious chicken ever. And Joe is so nice to look at. Run to HCT or catch one of the trucks around the city this summer.

Really fun place. Banana pudding tastes like crack so does the Mac and cheese. The cold slaw is good but honestly I've had better slaw. Really funny and amusing staff. One of the staff members let me try a drum stick of the hottest option for free and for fun bc I said how much I love spicy/hot foods and always choose the hottest options (even after being warned not to do that here). It was my first time & I will be back read more

Can't get enough of their chicken!!! And their banana bread pudding!!! If you like spice this is the best!! I love their fried chicken so much!!!! Yuuum!!!! read more

Great! Would recommend calling in your order ahead of time to avoid such a long line.

Update: still awesomesauce. I loved the original location, but do enjoy eating HCT year round in comfort at the North Market. And Miss B's pudding is the BEST. I sadly never have room after my meal, but always get a container to enjoy later in the day. Absolutely one of my favorite places in Columbus and one that I recommend to EVERYONE. read more

Good chicken. Overpriced for what you get. If everything was knocked down $3-4 would probably be better.

We went on an extremely busy Saturday. We got through the lengthy line pretty quickly. The chicken was luke-warm and dry and the sides were unremarkable. For me it did not live up to the hype. Great marketing-- I can see why it is very trendy. The location and decor are appealing. Unfortunately, not the food. read more

First time trying hot chicken. The line was crazy long, but went fast. They ran out of wings by the time we came. So I got the hot dark thigh meal and my boyfriend got the hot white breast meal. The chicken was very delicious and spicy. Our meal came with bread, coleslaw, and my favorite, the mac and cheese. They also have free sweet tea. We even got a free banana pudding for checking in on yelp. Must try this place if you like spicy chicken. read more

Hot chicken takeover is good, but nothing worth going out of the way for. It's just chicken. I got the mild boneless. It came with bread, mac and cheese, and slaw. The chicken was huge which was a plus. The mac and cheese was decent as was the slaw. The housemade ranch was very good which complimented the chicken well. If you love chicken and simple this is the place for you. Just know it is nothing more than what you are expecting, spicy fried chicken. read more

Maybe it was too much hype. But this place just didn't do it for me. Nashville chicken is unique to the Columbus community but this was just an average meal. read more