We've been wanting to check HTC out for awhile but somehow hadn't made it in. I was glad that this Yelp event gave us an extra push and excuse to finally go and a nice reason the venture over the the North Market. The location is perfectly perched on the upstairs level of the North Market and is the perfect blend of branded decor with original fixtures from the market. It's bright, open, unassuming and filled with character! Everyone was super friendly, attentive and energetic from the order counter to the kitchen team. Not to mention, I saw every team member checking in on diners, tidying up and helping eachother. I've always been a big Motown fan and enjoyed the playlist while we waited. I was not expecting how much food would be served! The tender sandwich is a massive mound of extra crispy, juicy chicken, slaw, a large amount of pickles and 4 slices of bread! The chicken is cooked to absolute perfection and the slaw is a tangy ever so slightly sweet balancing act against the spice. I love a good buffalo wing, buffalo wrap and mild spice so I ordered the warm but be forewarned this is significantly hotter then mild and accurate to their claims I would say is hotter than most mediums so order accordingly. The tender sandwich is good although it is a bit difficult to eat even with the extra bread. Between the juicy chicken, spicy sauce, and the slaw, the sandwich simply would not stay together. The basic white bread kept dissolving and falling apart. Ultimately I sipped the soggy bread and ate the contents separately with a fork. I'd love to try it again IF they ever switched to a proper bun with a little more heft to hold the contents. My husband ordered the tenders with fries and a Cheerywine to wash it down. He loved it and raved about the incredible quality of the tenders especially in comparison to most others offered anywhere else. These are huge tenders. read more

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Can I get a heck yes?! This is what was needed! I had heard good things, and Hot Chicken Takeover exceeded all expectations. Walk upstairs in the market to find the corner location. Super casual with essentially long picnic tables, you stand in line to order based off the menu displayed above the registers. We arrived about 11:30am on a Friday to find a 10 person line that moved pretty quickly. By noon, however, the line did span the length of the whole hall! I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the tea (sweetened or unsweetened) and the delicious homemade ranch is FREE! Felt like true southern hospitality with these even being the primary choices and then FREE made it even better!!! Food was ready about 10 minutes after ordering. (They call out the name you give when you order) The trays are neatly organized with your chicken, two sides, pickles, and bread! It's so much food I could have split this with someone. I got the hot wings, and while delicious, I thought the sauce was slightly more mild than the head of franks red hot sauce. Being dry-rubbed after frying, the texture was very crispy! Wings were fattier than expected- next time I'm going to try the bone-on chicken! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Hot White (Bone-In Breast) with beans and Ma's Mac - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Oh yum!!! Great hot chicken for that Nashville hot chicken fix!! I make a point to eat here when I'm visiting Columbus.. I haven't been able to find a restaurant similar in Florida read more

Delicious as usual! We went this past Sunday for lunch and it wasn't as busy at it usually is. We got our food quickly and was able to find a spot inside the restaurant to sit and eat. The guy that took our order was super nice and had a great attitude! read more

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Worth the hype and the line. I tried the warm spiced chicken but it was pretty far from my definition of mild. I've since sampled the cold (non spiced) chicken and it was tasty without the heartburn. The free sweet tea was a great bonus and helped remedy the spice. The sides were great too. And at $12 for all of it, the price point makes you want to go back. Everyone was nice when we went. I wish the north market hours were longer like their High St location. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

D Amazing food awesomeness awesome thanks love Delicious chicken dinner awesome yummy yummy lunch dinner and dessert read more

We were up from Cincinnati for a Blue Jackets game and wanted to check out this place and I'm so glad we did. It's real deal, authentic Nashville hot chicken made fresh to order and it's fantastic! This is what every other hot chicken place is trying to be and every side we tasted was perfect! I cannot recommend this place enough. read more

Delicious (but insufficiently hot) Chicken; Great Service I've been to the Prince's and Hattie B's down in Nashville before visiting HCT in Clintonville, where I thought the chicken was fried really well and quite delicious...but was at a heat level considerably lower than in the Nashville joints, where I usually order "Hot" to push my heat limits and challenge myself. "Hot" at HCT-Clintonville just didn't cut it. I expressed this to my server today at HCT-North Market as I was about to order a leg quarter meal at the "Holy" heat level, but musing if maybe different HCT locations did their heat differently. He advised me to test that theory by ordering it "Hot," but he would give me a "Holy" sample to try. Findings: The "Hot" level is uniform across the HCT locations, which speaks well to their prep and quality control, but it means it's not hot enough. The "Holy" is much closer to what a "Hot" would be at Prince's and Hattie B's, which means HCT is two levels of heat short of the Nashville places. That said, between my server's thoughtful kindness to let me try a "Holy" sample, the free tea, and HCT's community efforts to hire folks on probation to rebuild their lives means I can't help but give them five stars. (But seriously guys, let's up the heat!) read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Hot Fried Chicken Leg Quarter (Level: Hot)---Follow @willchews - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

I actually came here because a friend reccomended me to try it out since I was in the area. Out of all the places at the north market, this was the only place I had time to visit. It definitely feels like you're invited to an overcrowded family dinner with its seating. The staff is really friendly. The chicken is overpriced, the quality was good though, it takes its time to cook. They do seem to have a limit on food, besides food the hours are pretty whackky. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Food was just barely average and they forgot the bread pudding I ordered. They also packed to go order in a way that everything spilled everywhere. It was a mess. I called them and they did their best to fix it and gave me my next order free but I've never gone back to redeem it. I didn't think the food was good enough and I am worried that when I go to redeem free order they will have forgotten or there will be some issue so I'm just moving on. There's another hot chicken place in grandview that I have t had issues with. read more

I'm finally writing a review for this location to give a shoutout to the crew who helped my work party of 30ish people immediately after the lunch crowd. They got our orders out with accuracy and without issues! It gave us plenty of time to eat/enjoy our food during an otherwise time sensitive afternoon. If you're going to have a larger crowd, I recommend this location because they will take care of you. I'm glad we were able to kick off our holiday celebration with HCT, thanks everyone! Food wise, I decided to do the Not Chicken (hot) with double mac. I'm not vegan but I do really love this patty. It reminds me of potato and is shockingly filling. It's also huge, I mean, look at this meal. The mac stayed warm and gooey throughout my meal which I appreciated because I save the best for last. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Not chicken, double Mac - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Hmm, it's a tough call to rate this place after having Hattie B but for Midwest, this is good! I love that they offer unsweetened and semi sweetened iced tea complimentary because the weather isn't kind to us lately! We got four drumsticks with double macs. Their chicken is crispy and well cooked but I don't like that they charge us so much extra for getting double Mac and cheese instead of the other side! Banana pudding was horrible, small and pricey. I have had banana pudding better at other chicken places before. They try to keep up the cleaning and stocking but it'd be so much better if they would use a speaker or sth to yell out the orders other than the staff yelling at the top of his lungs and no one can hear it because it's so crowded and noisy. read more

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YES. A true Columbus staple. Every local business aspires to do the marvelous things this company does. From their events to their downright amazing food. Always consistent with their recipes. Decent prices. Amazing chicken. I love their Mac, beans and slaw. Sometimes the Mac can be dry but who cares, I'll still eat it. Someone got lippy with me last time I went, kinda pissed me off, but I went for the chicken not to make friends! Lol, all aside, I will be back again! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Hot Chicken Takeover is great for hot chicken and southern sides. Their mac & cheese is also great. I've had it 3-5 times now and the service is consistent. When the restaurant is busy, the tables can sometimes need cleaning. Otherwise a solid choice. read more

Believe the hype. This place is incredible. This location is situated on the second floor of North Market. It's spacious and has a very friendly vibe. First things first, they only have a certain number of pieces of chicken per day and you can see on the wall how many they have left because they write the number in chalk. Next, there are four different heat levels you can choose. Be aware for the faint of heart that even the second level (warm) can be quite hot. My friend was sweating just eating the warm chicken. Now, onto tasting the actual food. It is AMAZING. The dry rub is perfect and the mixture of crunch and moist chicken is amazing. Just know that you will make a mess. so maybe don't pick this as a first date spot. Luckily the big tables in the space feature paper towels though. The Mac n cheese is also delightful. Some of the best I've ever had. I loved the cheese that they used and how creamy it was. I'd recommend getting a meal here but the portions are biiiig so either come hungry or split with a friend. Overall, it has such a fun southern vibe and the staff members are great. Service is speedy and the food is fresh. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

So glad I finally tried this! I love a place with a limited menu, doing their thing and doing it right. The chicken was amazing, tried it boneless and warm because I was scared to order hot and it was the perfect amount of spice. Possibly the best mac and cheese I've ever had. The slaw is just ok- something about the taste was just off- but I ate it :) Best banana pudding I've ever had for sure- that's the real deal. Totally worth getting fat. Sweet tea is no joke, I mixed it halfsies with unsweet and that was perfect-and can't beat that's it's free. My preschooler loved the mac and cheese and zero spice fried chicken. After eating here, I googled it and read about their hiring practices with people with records and I'm even more glad I gave them my business and plan on it going forward. Next time I'm going for bone in, hot, and extra pickles. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

service was awesome more than awesome kevin made sure we were not only comfortable but satisfied, and the food was absolutely remarkable, I would definitely return with other Hot chicken lovers. Thank You Kevin. Baker/Beauregard read more

Went to the North Market for lunch, and not even realizing Hot Chicken Takeover was upstairs inside! A really cool concept all the way around. You have to go early for fear of them running out of chicken. They have a limited supply each day and sell out often. A simple menu makes it easy to order. I got the chicken sandwich "cold". Cold means it is not uber spicy, and not cold to the touch. The chicken had great flavor and crunch. The pieces were huge. Their mac and cheese is tasty. I was very impressed with the flavor of their food. Seating is cafeteria style with picnic benches. The staff is friendly. They have a greeter to tell you how the menu works. They call your name when your order is ready. It all has a community feel. There is parking out front of the North Market. Parking was only $1.00, which is a deal for parking downtown Columbus! I will definitely be going back for more! read more

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I just don't think I'm a Nashville chicken person. It's very salty-hot and I prefer sweet-hot. I had the mild heat and it was still pretty darn hot. Too hot. Great Ranch dressing, but unfortunately I don't think I'd come back. Just not my thing read more

Overall, this place is great. The chicken is delicious. I just wish there were more side options and different drinks. The chicken is definitely the star. And the banana pudding is delicious. The sides are a little disappointing though, I'd love to see crispier fries. The beans are good. Better bread for sandwiches would be nice too. But really, the chicken is incredible and we return for that. read more

I Would like to take a moment to clap my hands for such an incredible staff! .... Now that out of the way let's get to this review. I already mentioned the great service, I feel it very confusing when you first walk in because there was a register to my right, and I wasn't sure were to go. I think that is because I went there during a slow time. I didn't know what kind of chicken to get because I was told that that medium was chicken had a kick to it, so I got the cold. I'm glad I did though because the people sitting next to me said the medium was way too hot, and I don't like really spicy food. I thought the tea and banana pudding was tremendous. The chicken to me was not anything special to me. Although it would be great if they had different types of sauces. Their place has it's own homemade ranch, so it's great that they take the time to do that, for you ranch lover's out there. I Don't think the earlier close time is good for business visibility, with so many events going on downtown, the company us missing a huge profit margin. But I do appreciate easy to understand hours though unlike wings of Columbus. Not a bad experience, but lot's of room for growth and opportunity. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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The chicken was great. Got it to go along with a t-shirt for my daughter. This was our first time after hearing a lot about it and it didn't disappoint. read more

Everyone continues to talk about this place but I have never tried it. Seriously; I am a steak eater in general. I decided today to give it a try! I walked up to the counter and met a beautiful smiling face! Her name was Janine. I told Janine this was my first visit and could she help me figure out the menu. She patiently explained every item on the menu and even gave recommendations to what she liked the best and also gave me descriptions of the spice level. I went ahead and went all in and ordered the chicken sandwich with double macaroni and cheese! Someone had told me that there was banana pudding and I asked her about that. A guy with a big smiling face, named Tron, said he overheard it was my first would love to give me some banana pudding! As I waited for my food, I was told there was free water and sweetened or unsweetened tea and also freehomemade ranch dressing and condiments. My gargantuan sandwich got delivered to me by another smiling face and I opened the container. I swear the angels sang! You haven't tried it yet??? Hurry! Run! Give it a try!!! It is great chicken with a crispy crust and the banana pudding??? Let's just say I ate that first!! Shoutout to Janine and Tron for making me a believer! I will return with friends next time! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Trying a new place! - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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For fast casual you can't find better fried chicken. Best fries ever. I could bathe in the ranch.

I'm from out of town and accidentally stumbled upon this prior to my travels, and finally got to try it! It's sometimes difficult finding vegan friendly options, so I am thankful they can accommodate. Food and service were great! I also got the stamp of approval on their banana pudding from my girlfriend. One request would be to carry vegan ranch if at all possible. Would set that sandwich off even more! Thanks! read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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I've loved htc in the past, however the last few times I have had it, it's been terrible. Once you have bad htc a few times, it's never the same. The Gahanna location is a total cluster-f-bomb. I waited 30 minutes for chicken that was sitting on the counter the whole time. I can get cold chicken elsewhere and save my money. read more

So, I need to say I am not one that ever craves chicken or fried chicken so please keep that in mind when reading this review. As someone who is gluten-free when I learned about the gluten-free day I was thrilled and over the moon to be able to have hot chicken. And, it was a treat. It could have been because I hadn't had anything like it in months but it was delicious. I do wish they had more side choices (I'd rank their sides a 2-3 star) but am still thankful for the chicken night and the GF banana pudding :) read more

Wow, just wow. Went with the chicken sandwich with the slaw and mac, and I ordered the flavor of "warm". They are kidding that warm is a bit hotter than a traditional medium. First bite took me for bit of a shock for sure. The sandwich comes with two pieces of bread on top and bottom which lead to some confusion until I noticed how it's there for support because this sandwich wants to fall apart. The mac was absolutely fantastic but the slaw was just average. read more

I got a mailer and decided to try the new neighborhood spot, especially since it was a free entree. I chose the Hot Chicken Sandwich, which was great! It is one of those that are messy and falls apart, the hallmark of an excellent eat as I was taught. However, I added fries and banana pudding - neither of which impressed. The fries are soggy and the banana pudding is from a box. Not a single piece of banana and the lazy taste of a Laffy Taffy. I'd have the sandwich again if taken to the restaurant but otherwise wouldn't make it a place to head to otherwise. read more

Oh no... please say this was a randomly terrible experience, Joe. Ordered over the apps tonight & not only were my two banana puddings (charged on an included HCT receipt) not actually included in the securely stapled bag, but the food just wasn't great.. or even good... at all. See pics... Love you guys and am so glad that you are so popular and successful! Still.. Time to bring in the quality control consultants to make sure that upscaling your business doesn't ruin your previously excellent product. read more

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Had I written this review 2-3 years ago it would be 5 stars. I was very excited when the location in grandview was opening near me. I know so many people who love HCT, but my most recent visit was a disappointment. It has been about a year since I had last eaten here, there were two primary issues. First of all the chicken was still quite good, but they seemed to have changed the recipe for the ranch(it is now not nearly as good i.e. not fresh, and they charge you for it) and the Mac & Cheese went from being one of my favorite southern style classics, to gelatinous velveeta plastic. This may seem harsh, but when it costs nearly $20 for 3 pieces of chicken and mac & cheese, I am expecting it to at least be high quality instead of cost cutting and shortcuts. Will only return for the chicken if I am really craving it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it... read more

10/10 recommend. Packed with flavor will return at anytime just for this. Customer service was prompt as well read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Jumbo tender sandwich - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great food delicious sides and yummy dessert The service was very fast and courteous.

I've never been to Nashville so I can't really compare this to the real thing, but the chicken here is on point. I ordered the hot boneless breast meal which comes with bread, pickles, coleslaw, Mac n cheese, and sweet tea! I thought hot was going to be too spicy but compared to Thai or Indian spice, it wasn't too bad. I actually thought it was the perfect amount of heat. As I mentioned before, chicken is juicy, crispy, and on point. The coleslaw is vinegar based which I enjoy but I know some people wanted a creamier version. The Mac n cheese was kind of a disappointment, but it was the only let down of the meal. Make sure to grab some house ranch as it pairs perfectly with the chicken. Heads up, they only have a limited number of chicken so if you get there later in the day they might be out of dark pieces or wings. Definitely check this place out if you're visiting Columbus! read more

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

Yum! The fried chicken is a nice treat- not greasy and not wet with hot sauce. The sandwich was awesome, as the coleslaw, pickles, and homemade ranch blend perfectly together. ORDER THE FRIES! They taste similar to fries fried in duck fat, and are killer. Only thing holding me back from 5 stars is the untoasted white bread, it sticks to the roof of your mouth and just gets messy. read more

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

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To say that I was impressed by finding what it's probably the best fried chicken I've had in a while in Columbus, OH it's an understatement. This place is inside of the North Marker, second story and it's freaking amazing. User friendly when ordering, easy to check out. Their sweet tea is amazing and their homemade ranch is OUT OF THIS WORLD. Just a stop at this place in general is worth it but you must try this fried chicken. I would go back to OH just to eat at every single place there and get fried chicken - wasted :D read more

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Limited menu because what they do, they do it right. Complimentary sweet tea, bread, pickles, and homemade ranch. Typically, I get a dark meat meal, warm spice level, with ma's mac and baked beans. There's the option to do a sandwich as well. The chicken is so flavorful and crispy. The bread is plain un-toasted white bread, which seems weird, but it somehow works so well. It's a nice balance to the crispy chicken and soaks up any extra flavor. The baked beans are solid. The mac usually leaves me wanting a little for something slightly different. I love the option to do 1/2 sweet and 1/2 unsweet tea. Love their ranch. The banana pudding is so GOOD. read more

Hot Chicken Takeover - Warm dark meat meal, Ma's Slaw, Ma's Mac, Miss B's Banana Pudding - Southern Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Worst chicken I've ever had. NO flavor. Coleslaw was OK! Never again. You'll be sorry read more

Yum yum yum! The spicy chicken tenders are soooooo good! Best fried chicken in Ohio!

Kevin has such great customer service. The food was delicious. Thanks for making us feel so welcome