It was amazing. The chicken, mac and cheese, cole slaw, sweet tea and ranch dressing were all AMAZING!!!! The line was kind of a bummer. We waited for about 35 minutes, which wasn't too bad for a Saturday at 1:00pm. Once you place your order you have to wait another 10 or 15 minutes to get your food. Make sure you find a table during this time! I ordered a drumstick meal (warm) and grabbed some sweet tea and ranch for dipping. My friend ordered a drumstick meal (cold). We planned to trade a few drumsticks so that we could both try the cold and the warm. As I stated above, everything was amazing. The chicken was great and I was glad that we tried both the cold and the warm. I'm not super into spicy food, but the warm was good. I don't think I could have eaten more than 2 warm drumsticks though... they do have a kick! I would be terrified to try the hot or holy. Let me tell you that I'm a mac and cheese CONNOISSEUR!!! I'm not ashamed. The mac and cheese was so good that I'm still day dreaming about it. I'm used to ordering mac and cheese at restaurants that is kind of bland. That wasn't the case here! I didn't need to add any salt or pepper. The cole slaw was pretty standard, but still good! The ranch dressing was very tasty and you could tell that it was homemade, which scores points in my book. I'll definitely be back!!! :) read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - "warm" drumstick meal! SOOOO GOOD! - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Expectations were high for Hot Chicken Takeover. I was behind on jumping on this bandwagon and had only heard good (amazing) things about this joint. It did not disappoint. I liked having the different spice levels to choose from. I went with warm, which was perfect -- broke a little bit of a sweat but still enjoyable to eat. The mac and cheese is amazing, and the homemade ranch is a must-try. The chicken you get with the meal option is served over white bread, which is great to counteract the spice. Upon first glance, I thought the prices were a little high: $10-12 for a meal and $13 for a sandwich. But the portions are pretty big (confession: I had ZERO leftovers) and you get unlimited sweet tea with the meal. I hear the line gets quite long, but we went on a rainy Saturday and pretty much walked right up to the counter. Bottom line: It lives up to the hype. Try it out for yourself. I'm already looking forward to my next trip. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Boneless chicken meal (warm), mac and cheese, slaw = perfection - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

There are plenty of excellent reviews for Hot Chicken Takeover already on Yelp, so I'll keep my review short. -One of the best fried chickens joints in Columbus. If you're only talking about fast food/carry out style restaurants, then they have THE best fried chicken in in Columbus. -Possibly the best mac & cheese side dish in Columbus. -Without a doubt the best cole slaw in Columbus. -All your meals come with free sweet tea. It's a little on the pricey side (as is everything else at the North Market), but it's definitely worth every penny. read more

My friends may say I've been obsessed since I first discovered HCT. They may say I drag them there at every chance. Well, they may be right. There is just something so magical about blending extra yummy flavors and hot spices together that takes fried chicken to a whole other level. The fact that the super cheesey, obviously homemade mac and cheese is also phenomenal puts this girl in heaven. It is my favorite comfort food, after all. The slaw is perfect too. I've never been a fan of overly creamy slaws, so the use of a more vinegary base is very pleasing to me. Don't even get me started on Ma's Sweet Tea. Let's just say, this southern girl approves. That all of this is put together by an incredibly nice guy (Joe!), who remembers you from visit to visit, is just the icing on the cake. I mean good food is one thing, but good food made lovingly by good people? That's something rare and special these days. Joe and Hot Chicken Takeover, you are rare and special. Thanks! read more

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First and foremost, the pricing model is outrageous! Over $17.00 for a breast sandwich that was way overcooked and very noticeably thinner than in previous visits. The Mac was average this time and Luke warm to boot. Was disappointed again and think this was my last donation. read more

So hot, so good. I recommend if you like medium, get mild, if you like hot get medium, and so forth. You'll enjoy it more.

Delicious treat! Will definitely be back :) Fried chicken with homemade ranch, gooey Mac and cheese, and refreshing coleslaw was a match made in heaven! The free sweet tea balances the spicy chicken really well. And I recommend getting the waffle instead of bread cause they have warm maple syrup. When eating a meal like this, go big or go home. ;) read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Chicken and waffles - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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This is a no frills fried chicken joint. I got turned around quite a bit cause on the maps, the place looks like it's in the North Market (and it is!), but it is on the SECOND FLOOR!! The stair case is outside on Spruce street but inside (with elevator) on the Vine street side. There is usually a long line but don't let that scare you off, the line moves pretty quickly as the menu is simple. But do keep in mind they only fry a certain amount of chicken so some of the parts might not be available (chicken count down). And when you order, they ask for your name and when ready, the wait staff calls out your name for you to claim your food so keep your ears open! I tried the 4 drumstick meal with two different spice levels (hot and holy) of the 4 they had: cold, warm, hot and holy. My suggestion would be not to go beyond hot. I'm someone who can do and love spicy foods but felt the holy overwhelmed so that you couldn't really enjoy the chicken itself. The chicken was moist inside and crispy on the outside. The outside was flavorful (except the holy). However the piece de resistance was their vinegar-based cole slaw. OMG, that was soooo amazing!! I would NOT get a double order of Macs and miss out on the cole slaw. It was a wonderful compliment to the spice level and fried chicken. The chicken meal comes over two slices of bread with sides of coleslaw and Mac in a styrofoam box with access to unlimited sweetened iced tea. The Mac was tasty too. Nicely cheesed and mushy. There are two long communal tables which have rolls of paper towel and plastic utensils. There are seating areas outside in the market area as well. You might also want to try dipping your chicken in the ranch dressing if you so desire. Next time, I would opt to add the waffles for a $2 up-charge. A definite must try in Columbus for the 'experience'. read more

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My first time here so far so good customer service the chicken was awesome and the Bake beans were delicious. I would definitely eat here again.. read more

I came here in mid-January. My friends wouldn't stop talking about eating at this place sometime during our trip. I'm a big fan of Nashville style hot chicken (lookin' at you Hattie B's!) so before we headed back to Chicago, I placed in an order on the phone. Don't be like the 100 people waiting in line for chicken. Order over the phone and pick it up when it's ready. I placed one order before we left and while we were eating our food, I placed another order for a friend to-go. It was ready within 20 minutes. Much faster than waiting in line. Especially if you don't want to circle around for parking. I like that they have a chalkboard telling you how many pieces are left. The sweet tea is diabetes sweet. Some of my friends added half a cup of water and it was still very sweet. If that's your thing, go on ahead! I ordered the second to last spicy and I wasn't tasting much of a kick. But the chicken was moist! It's a great chicken spot. When we came, unfortunately there was a chess tournament, so the already limited seating was halved. Channel your inner vulture because that's what it's going to take to snag a table and chairs! read more

So good and so much food! The only thing that would make it better is the ability to get the Vegetarian option every day!! Its ok, I can plan ahead! read more

My wife and I have journeyed the country in search of great hot chicken. HCT, in my opinion, is one of the best. The staff is extremely friendly and honestly enjoy what they do. They'll gladly come over to review the menu with you while in line. The spice levels are spot on. I've ordered the "warm" which is a considerable amount of spice. Once served, the meal comes with a sweet vinegar slaw and mac & cheese. Both are great accompaniments. The chicken is also served with two pieces of white bread to soak up all of the spicy goodness from the chicken. They also offer "Ma's Sweet Tea" which is a great complimentary addition to your meal. Be sure to get there early, the wings and dark meat tend to sell out pretty quickly. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - The goodness that is a meal at Hot Chicken Takeover. - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Is it possible to be a groupie for a restaurant? Or a band-aid? Because I'm basically Penny Lane for HCT. My obsession with hot chicken is borderline psychotic at this point. I discovered it on a trip to Nashville, about a year before Hot Chicken Takeover rolled up in their pop-up shop in Olde Towne East with the same authentic Nashville style cayenne spiced chicken, coleslaw, macaroni, banana pudding and sweat tea (FOUL TEMPTRESS) Now they can be found at their permanent digs on the second floor of North Market. You can choose between light and dark meat, drumsticks or breasts and varying degrees of hot (cold / warm / hot / holy.) I've yet to partake in their sandwiches (or waffles??) but all in good time. If you buy a tshirt you get a free meal ticket and if you come in wearing the shirt they will give you a discount on your meal. I wear my band merch all the time, obviously. But really, I could not recommend it enough. One of my favorite places/foods/people in Columbus. The food is always amazing, the service is top notch (sometimes they'll throw in extra chicken or macaroni in your meal, just because) and well deserving of the hype. Hope HCT sticks around forever. Like Mick Jagger. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - I LOVE YOU LET'S MAKE OUT - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

My favorite fried chicken place in Columbus! I suggest it to my friends every weekend (because it makes great hangover food) I love the crispiness of the chicken and all the spice it comes with. Also, the ranch is amazing and the tea is free! Couldn't say anything better. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Warm drumstick meal - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I came here on a Sunday with my parents and they were packed! The line was long but moves fast, and although it gets crowded there's lots of seating in the north market. I had the mild drum stick combo with the Mac n cheese and coleslaw. Although it was mild, it was pleasantly hot. The chicken was crispy and juicy and overall really good. The coleslaw was coleslaw haha, but did the trick of cooling down the spicy-ness. The Mac n cheese though was delicious and very cheesy. They also have amazing house ranch and sweet tea (ridiculously sweet tea) I recommend filling your cup full of ice because the tea comes out warm and extremely sweet. Overall, this place and the north market is a must if you're visiting Columbus! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Mild breast and drum stick chicken combo - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Really miss the free ranch and tea. However I understand they're a business and need to make money.

What's not to love? Perfectly cooked chicken (I like mine warm!) with comfort food sides... Always wonderful customer service! read more

This place is always busy, so I would recommend order over the phone and pick it up. There are levels of spiciness and usually I would stick to warm level because it's pretty spicy to me. Whenever you get the combo, it would come with Mac and cheese and coleslaw. I don't really like the Mac and cheese too much cause it's too cheesy to me, and the coleslaw is not that great either. But the star here is the chicken of course. I would eat right away cause if you wait too long the chicken tastes a bit dry read more

Didnt know what to expect bc ive heard of nashville hot chicken but wasn't particularly interested. im More of a heat & sweet kinda fried chicken girl (think the Eagle) But clearly I slept on this place... think the hype & line may have turned me away or kept me at bay. Buut in the spirit of being a good tourist/newbie a colleague wanted to take me to lunch so I said let's go to your favorite place .. it was chilly and the friday of final 4 ncaa weekend but well worth the walk to North Market (super cute & is nicer and more thoughtful than Findlay Market in Cincinnati & Chelsea Market - esque in NY)... anyway we get upstairs & i have no idea of what to expect. I see a long azz line, And a number on the wall indicative of how much chicken is remaining. im usually a wing/ drumstick kinda dried chicken girl but When in rome order as the romans do for the full experience. Not too shabby. Had dark Meat mild and i was shocked by how full i was and hoe much i enjoyed the mac n cheese & slaw & the FREE sweet tea. That was a nice touch & mine was fresh STILL HOT !! umm the chicken was seasoned sooo well and while i thought the hot sauce would make it a bit of a soggy mess it was actually just delightful plus / minus a few dips of fresh made ranch dressing. The mac & cheese perfectly salted and while I didnt eat much of it the slaw was on point. Next time id definitely go wings/drums bc those r my preferences and quite frankly a drum is easier to clean meat off the bone :). I cannot imagine that place in the summer or the weekend. Loved the open style seating and that they "serve" at your table so to speak. Give it a go... its not too shabby. Leave the calorie counter at home though! read more

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This place is so unique! Love the chicken options, spice level and free sweet tea! I haven't been lucky enough to make it to Nashville for original hot chicken...so thought this would be a good introduction. As a spicy foods snob, their holy spice level definitely met my expectations. Their ranch dressing also did a great job taking away some of the kick. Don't forget to check in on Yelp for a free banana pudding dessert - it was honestly to die for. Thought the mac and cheese was average, coleslaw not good, free sweet tea - AMAZING. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - White breast with Holy spice. - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

The first time I ever had hot chicken was from here and it has started a serious of addiction, because of this establishment I am addicted to hot chicken. Along with getting me addicted to hot chicken like it is heroin, this is by far my favorite hot chicken, the spice was perfect and very balanced, where some have a little to much kick or to much smokiness to it, this was god damn perfect. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Boneless (Breast) - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

woot serving hot chicken for ages! GET IT and get it spicy. This place is far superior to alternative chicken joints around here because you can get it so spicy you'll be sweating. So I recommend getting the drum meal in hot! with a side of mac and cheese doubled. Make sure you place your order by 9 though! read more

Definitely worth the wait in the long lines during lunch from Thurs thru Sunday. They stand up to the hype. "Hot" is delivered as promised. If you like some hot but not to the point of possibly burning your lips "if you're not used to it" go with the "Warm". It's still plenty flavorful. The "Add on" menu feature spot on. Get there early little after 11am as line grows fast. read more

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1000% recommend!!! The staff is awesome, the food is amazing! Personally I consider Hot Chicken Takeover a Columbus staple.

Southern style fried chicken is one of my favorite recipes. Hearty and crunchy with a nicely flavored kick. Occupying the 2nd floor of North Market, HCT is easily one of my favorites when it comes to fried chicken in Columbus. Some of the best perks: free ice tea, sweetened and unsweetened. Cups to go with your meal. While I'm not a fan of the coleslaw I like the rolls, the mac n cheese and other sides offered. My meat of choice: drumsticks. The best in dark. Breast is lovely too. If you can't stand some heat, they deliver on that. I stick with Warm myself. read more

This place is located upstairs in the North Market, and apparently it's so busy they occasionally run out of chicken (there's a chalk board with the number of pieces remaining). Fortunately, we got there early enough. We ordered the Dark (Thigh and Leg) meal and an additional individual piece of Boneless. The meal came with mac & cheese and cole slaw, both of which were only about average. I don't think the sides are worth the extra money ($4 or $5) you pay for a meal. As for the chicken, we really liked how you could choose between four different hotness levels. My girlfriend is fearless and asked for the hottest (Holy). I wimped out and got the next hottest (Hot), which was perfect for me. The piece of boneless chicken came with 2 pieces of bread and pickles, so I made it into a sandwich. Personally, I thought my chicken sandwich was delicious...my tastebuds were dancing from the hotness long after we left. However, my girlfriend was slightly disappointed with hers. Not that it was bad, but she said she has had better elsewhere. I think she was hoping for some kind of Epicurean epiphany. Overall, I would give this place 3.5 stars with a bump up to 4 due to the free tasty banana pudding they give you with a Yelp check-in. Also worth noting is that they give you free sweet tea. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Dark (Thigh and Leg) Meal - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The hot fried chicken Joe puts out has the perfect amount of spice, juiciness, and crispness. The spicy exterior just takes the chicken to a level unmatched by any other I've tried. Joe came out and explained the chicken concept and options to us newbies in line while running back and forth dropping off orders. Super pleasant guy. Made sure we knew the sweet tea and water was free. I got a whole chicken to go - no brainer if you're feeding 2+. Don't forget the ranch dressing (yum!). I also appreciate that the cole slaw is vinaigrette based and the mac n cheese is simple but creamy and satisfying. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Whole hot chicken - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Crazy delicious drumsticks for $10? Who could say no to that?! ‍ The chicken here is perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy in the inside. The drumstick meal also comes with a side of slaw and mac n cheese. Ma's sweet tea is simply the perfrct drink to go with this spicy chicken. The heat level on hot is actually hot. Warm is mildly spiced. My favorite is still the hot. Hct is why i even go to north market. Love this place and go here often. You cant go wrong with anything on the menu. Go to hct and grab that chicken read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

We arrived at 11am on a Saturday and the line was about 100 people before the doors opened. No matter how long the line, it was well worth the wait of about 30 mins to order and another 15 mins to receive the chicken and sides. FREE Sweet Tea was a nice touch and the banana pudding was incredible. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Long lines but worth the wait... - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Heard all kinds of good things about this place. so we went there and had it..........................not that impressed with it. that mac and cheese is about some of the blandish shit I have ever tasted. other than that the chicken was good and flavorful. read more

The best. Ugh. I don't have words. I've been to HCT numerous times (Clintonville, North Market, and Easton) and it is delicious every time.

Maybe it's all the hype, but I thought HCT was just *OK.* Don't get me wrong - the chicken itself was really good, but the sides left a lot to be desired. Factoring in the wait (45+ minutes), I would say it wasn't worth it in my eyes. My husband had warm and I had cold breasts; He thought it was the perfect amount of heat and really liked the flavor. Cold was what you would expect - nice temperature, good flavor, good size portion. The mac and cheese was a big disappointment. It was pretty cold and congealed, and rather bland to boot. I got an extra portion but didn't even finish the one that came with the meal. My husband had the coleslaw and found it to be pretty dry and flavorless. The bread seemed like a throwaway.. As far as I could tell, it was just plain bread (Nickles?) directly from a bag. I think HCT can do better. Overall, I love what HCT does for the community and am happy for their success. With a few tweaks, I think they could have knockout products across the board. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover is one of the best spots for lunch. Service is quick and the chicken is always hot n fresh. I usually go for the boneless or wings. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Boneless - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Super friendly, super patient, I just wish it was closer to where I live in Chicago! While we have something similar, this is definitely a shop I will have to come back to every time I'm in the Columbus area! The spice level is no joke but it's ridiculously addicting! The chicken is also good quality too! Everything in my meal tasted great, I can't think of anything I couldn't recommend, except that they're not kidding when they mean it's hot! Definitely would drive back to Ohio for some more! read more

Best fried chicken I've had in a long time. I got the warm wings and the spice level was perfect for me. I could feel the heat but it never overwhelmed my palate. Whatever spices and herbs they use in the chicken is so flavorful, no bland fried chicken here. And they offer all you can eat ranch, which is perfect to mellow out the spicy chicken. I took off a star for the mac n cheese. I'm a bit of a mac n cheese snob, I make it often. The mac n cheese here was slightly cold and congealed, while I was expecting something creamier. Nothing special. I would recommend arriving near when they open, the was already a long line when I got there at 11:20. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Warm wings with double mac - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

This is some of the best fried chicken I've had in a really long time. The chicken is always nice and juicy and the flavor is awesome. I love a hot chicken spot with the option of scaling the heat and having a nice range (and consistency) between visit. I'm challenging myself up the heat levels and it's worth it! The sides are not memorable and could do without them. I do get mac and cheese every single time although it is a mere distraction, the chicken is really the star... The sweet tea is nice and takes me back to my days in Georgia. I've only had take out and it travels pretty well and stays warm on the ride home. The service is stellar. This is easy one of my favorite local spots to get dinner from! read more

The food quality is consistently great at Hot Chicken takeover! The chicken is always crispy and the portions are very fair. They have great service and the drive thru is helpful. I highly recommend! read more

Chicken is freshly cooked, tender and flavorful. Ice tea is good too. Coleslaw was unique and fresh also. My favorite was mac & cheese. It was best mac & cheese I've had from restaurants. Downside is due to location, north market charing parking fee and usually very hard find parking spot. Always wait on long line, to me it felt overpriced for a fried chicken. Overall they serve good quality meal and brings unique experience to their customers. I'll visit them again. read more

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After visiting Hot Chicken a few times since my first review, I feel like I have to update my rating, unfortunately bumping them down a bit. My first visit to their food truck last year was outstanding (see my previous review)..but I just haven't been impressed with the North Market location in the two times I've gone. Both times I waited over 15 minutes to get my food.. one was in the middle of lunch rush so I understand but the other was 10-15 minutes after they opened and they weren't that busy yet. The chicken was decent both times but nothing extraordinary. I'm not a fan of the purely vinegar flavored slaw (and I usually prefer it that way), but I do enjoy the mac and cheese. Also, for me at least, paying $12 or more for a decent fried chicken meal without waiter service and having to wait a long time seems just a bit high. My one experience with the food truck really blew me away, but both visits to north market have left me disappointed with the taste of the chicken and especially with the wait time. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Drumsticks meal - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I think it was good but a lil too spicy for me. The sweet tea was good and the ranch was excellent. But if you a love spicy chicken this may be the place for you. read more

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