I discovered this place by watching a YouTube video of Tim and David. And it did not disappoint. The chicken is probably the most crispy on the outside and moist on the inside of any fried chicken that I've had. However, be forewarned that the fried chicken has LOTS of oil. If you're okay with that then I recommend you give this place a shot. We also ordered a side of fries and mac n cheese. The fries were good but the Mac n cheese weren't too mind blowing. Don't forget to check in on Yelp for 10% off your order. read more

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My friends been telling me I needed to check this place out for awhile now and today presented the opportunity to finally try it. I was able to order ahead on their/chowhound website and it was hot and fresh when I arrived right on time. My friends and I liked the food a lot and one of everyone's favorite things was that they had menu options that provided multiple types of food in one box instead of needing to order everything ala carte. A lot of these places only deal with tenders, so I was happy to see they had actual chicken 1/4's; it had a very nice crust on it and was a generous size portion. For now, only pickup but I think that changes tomorrow and I'd like to come back and try it fresh fresh without the travel time for it to steam up. The medium was not hot, but flavorful. I'd step it up to the next level during my next visit. The closest parking is a flat $6, so that sucks for just picking up food, but finding street parking is always a battle. If you know the area well, you may have knowledge to find easy/free parking. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I was happy with the quality and value of the chicken and fries. I went with mild heat and it was slightly spicier than a Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich which was what I was looking for. The surprise came with the seasoning, it was packed with flavor. The fries competed with the sandwich for which to go for with each bite. The food took a bit to get to me as it was busy, but it was worth the wait. Hard to fault them for being so popular. Portion sizes were large, but I couldn't resist finishing everything. The store was fairly small, but still wheelchair accessible. It looks like most of their orders were to-go, but there are a few seats to stay and eat. I'd recommend giving them a go, especially if you like heat in your chicken sammy! read more

I actually think their chicken is better than Howlin' Rays! Their chicken were super moist and tender. The seasoning was soooo yummy (I ordered mild)! Wasn't too salty or overwhelming like Howlin Ray's. The fries were perfectly seasoned too! The best part - no wait! I called in my order for pick up and it was ready when I arrived. The only down side? The parking sucks in the area! I had to park in a nearby garage and walked over. Old town Pasadena just isn't great for quick eat at this time. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - #3 and # 4 - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

Food quality compared to price sucks. Medium was too hot. Don't go there definitely not worth the money.

Finally I get to try Main Chick. I placed my order online so it could be ready for me to eat when I arrived. I chose to get myself a spicy quarter leg and my friend got a med quarter leg and med sandwich. What's cool is there is option of either dark meat or white meat on the sandwiches. Anyways I arrived and got my chicken. There are counter seats inside or 2 tables outside. We sat outside and started getting into the chicken. 1st bite was great. Skin was crunchy and had flavor. The inside of the chicken was super juicy and moist. I really enjoyed it. My friend loved it and said maybe she likes this better than Howlin. I liked it but it wasn't spicy enough for me even though I got spicy. It didn't get me sweating and my nose runny lol. Howlin is hard to beat but this place is delicious and worth trying. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Chicken Sandwich & Quarter Leg - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

This place is delicious. I honestly want to say that it's better than howlin rays (one of my all time favorite chicken sandwich place), but my memory for that one is a bit blurry, so lets just say it's equal. For starters, the line is much shorter when I went.. compared to the hours that people spend lining up in china town for howling rays. It's actually cheaper too, and they offer a dark meat option for their sandwich, (which I love). Chicken was super moist, super crispy, and packed with flavor.. something to be expected of high quality Nashville style fried chicken. Their bread is a little on the sweet side, so based on preference, some would love it - other's not so much. Fries were really good. The sheer smell of the spices on that chicken made my mouth literally water. Definitely a gem. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Combo 3 (2 Sandwich, Side of Fries) with Leg quarter - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

I'm not a big fan of chicken sandwich but lemme tell you that this place hits different! I don't really like buns or bread in general, but their chicken is dangly fresh and juicy! I do order their fried chicken leg, I think it was combo 5, they come in a big portion and taste sooo gooodd. Also, they are very generous with their flavored fries as well. It's located in the middle of old town Pasadena, but there's a plenty of parking buildings around it. read more

quick nice efficient service ! the food is flavorful and spicy ! they have really good prices & have deals during the week !!

I eat here every few months and I always go for their dark meat chicken sandwiches. It can get messy, especially if you order spicy, so make sure you have a spare napkin and water on hand. I love the sweet Hawaiian buns that they use with their sandwiches. There's very limited seating, like maybe 2-4 chairs, but at least there's other seating in pasadena nearby. Sometimes it's slower than expected, but they get a lot of online orders. Their fries are very good, seasoned and fried well. read more

This place doesn't joke around with its spice. There's not much room for indoor dining, but there's a few tables outside and even more around the corner in an alley. But the spiciness will have you running back to the restaurant for more water. I got three tenders with the spicy spice level. My mouth was burning, but not too bad. It's on the brink between joy and pain. I definitely needed a lot of water though. The tenders themselves were nice and crispy, and 3 was definitely more than enough as a meal. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

Oh damn I think I just found a dupe for when I get my howlin rays itch but don't want to wait an hour. Main Chick did not disappoint!! Got the dark meat sandwich, crunchy as hell absolutely delicious 10/10. Perfect slaw and pickles. Fries are crisp and well seasoned. Medium was perfect and enjoyable heat without hurting yourself. Emelin was delightful, welcoming and answered all my questions. Got the Ube cheesecake to go!! Be back soon 100%!! read more

This was delicious. The medium is as hot as most hots. I'd go to hot if I wanted the battle but medium was good enough. The fries were super bomb; crispy and well seasoned. The sauce was standard, definitely good though. Didn't get a bev no house sweet tea or anything and I wasn't feeling a fountain drink. Service was great just quick and to the point. Small space though. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - #3 combo (2 of these lil sliders + fries like $17) Medium - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

My delicious go-to in Old Town Pasadena! Main Chick is affordable and has big portions. I always get Combo 1. The chicken sandwich is juicy and flavorful but beware of the spicy levels!! I like spicy food but I have to get Mild at this place. Medium is too spicy for me. Chicken tenders are big and the fries are well seasoned. My only feedback is that fries could be a touch more crispy. The sauce and seasoning are on point! No side chicks here, main chick has all my attention read more

Heath Department violation, untrained preparing food. I was waiting for my food, and observed untrained delivery drivers preparing drinks. No gloves, no hairnets, did they even wash their hands? Avoid ordering from here, you don't know who is making your food. read more

My expectations were kinda high. Looked great in pictures though to be fair i did take away and brought home my order. I prepaid and because of a few reviews i ordered medium instead of spicy. Its a small counter with no tables. Pickup was the requisite parking structure.. for chicken?!! The fries were soggy but thats cause of travel so i crisped them up when i got home. First bite had me curious cause it looked spicy but the flavor that came through was mostly smoked paprika not cayenne. Took another bite, chicken was kinda moist not juicy, and this is the thigh. Both the chicken and fries needed some salt. Overall I wouldn't go back. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Combo #5: 2 thighs, fries, pickles and bun - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

THE CONS: Beware the sandwich sizes - they are SMALL (ironic that I typed that in all caps?)! While they're tasty, they're more snack-sized and therefore not worth the amount you pay. We ordered the combo where you get two sandwiches - one was mild and the other was medium. There was no written indication as to which one was which. There is minimal seating but you wouldn't wanna eat inside because there was virtually no airflow in there. Luckily there are public shaded tables to sit at in the nearby alley. THE PROS: The side of slaw we got was good (however, the same size, if not bigger than the sandwich). The fries were delicious and seasoned and abundant as was the dip it came with. Unfortunately the pros weren't enough to get us to come back read more

I love fried chicken sandwiches but I think the winner at Main Chick is the chicken tenders! They are big tasty pieces and super filing! My husband and I share the 2 chicken sandwich combo (one dark, one white) and a 6 pcs chicken tender combo. We definitely have enough for lunch AND dinner for the two of us! We had a box of just fries that goes with the chicken tenders! The sandwich may looks a bit small at first compares to other restaurants, but it's thick, juicy, and crispy! I prefer the dark meat sandwich over the white, however the tenders are perfect as white meat too! I didn't care much of of MC house sauce because it has to much mayo to my taste. Just a dab or 2 is fine for me, but my husband was dunking into the sauce in every bite! I don't think this is the same as Howling Ray's at all, but it's still delicious and a definitely a GREAT alternative for no line. 10% off with Yelp check-in. read more

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Woww ! 10/10 This place is so much better than Dave's hot chicken ! I'm from Glendale so I usually order from there, I wanted to try someplace different. Dave's was so in consistent with there seasoning. I'm so glad I ordered through DoorDash here !! It's my new favorite hot chicken place (: me and my boyfriend really enjoyed the food here! You can tell the quality of everything is so much better than other places and the food was packed very well. So you can tell they pay a lot of attention to detail even for Togo orders which I appreciate! I order the tenders and the dark meat sliders everything was super delicious and had well balanced flavors even having it delivered the fries were still crunchy!! I highly recommend this place to try ! Worth the money and by the taste of it the cooks care about the quality and what they send out (: I will definitely order again ! read more

good spot to come grab some hot chicken if u don't want to wait! there's only a small bar inside that can seat 4 ppl inside but there's some covered outdoor seating around the corner. doesn't come close flavor wise to howlin but the fries were sooo crispy and well seasoned + they have the BEST mac and cheese i've had at a hot chicken spot ever. the chicken sandwich is more of a slider size so if you're planning to share keep that in mind! it wasn't my favorite bc the bread was kinda too sweet for me, but my friend liked it. major takeaway is that the mac and cheese is better than the chicken imo u NEED to get it!!! the noodles r perfectly al dente and the cheese sauce is banging!! must try!! read more

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delicious! NGL, ended up here because howlin' ray's was closed, but it hit the spot. some peeps on here say the sando is small, and it is smaller than a standard hot chx sando, but i appreciated the size. it's def bigger than an average slider. i ordered combo 1 in spicy add cheese, and i didn't think the heat was too bad. i loved the cheese slices they use! i look forward to signing the waiver to try supreme next time! hopefully i won't regret it. my husband got the medium and thought the sandwich heat was fine, but the tender was too spicy for him. the chicken is juicy and cooked perfectly, but i expected the spice mix to be more flavorful. to me, it was mostly just heat? would've liked a bit more salt, maybe. so i finished the sandwich, but only ate a couple bites of the tender. fries were perfectly crispy and the mac & cheese is bomb - super creamy, spirals, al dente! read more

Delicious chicken, decent service. I would come back! I ordered a quarter leg mild spice and MC sandwich no spice and both were really enjoyable. The chicken is juicy and flavorful! I would probably go for medium spice next time for more flavor. The prices are pretty reasonable. The sandwich is about the same size, maybe a bit smaller than a chick-fil-a sandwich. The bread is soft and a little sweet, and the coleslaw adds just the right amount of sharpness to cut the grease from the chicken. The quarter chicken is much larger than I expected and comes with their special MC sauce. The sauce is good, but not necessary with the already flavorful chicken. We ordered ahead for pickup and were told that it would be ready in 15 mins. We ended up waiting about an extra 15 mins, which is not too bad but also they didn't seem too busy. They also forgot to pack our side order of coleslaw, which was disappointing because the small amount coleslaw in the burger was delicious. When we called, they were nice and gave us back our credit! They seem to be following covid guidelines, wearing masks and gloves. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Two Leg quarters and two MC Sandwiches - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I tried the chicken sandwich with a tender. I added an order of seasoned fries, variety of sauces, coleslaw, and a side of mac and cheese. I had it Doordashed and regret nothing. The chicken was juicy, yet breaded and seasoned to perfection. You can decide on your preferred heat level and I went with medium. The sides were great too. I had the food delivered, and as a first timer everything was amazing. I need to go in and try it there freshly made. read more

Main chick is a solid option for hot fried chicken in the Pasadena area. It's pretty comparable to Howlin Rays in terms of flavor. The price is a pretty dang good deal! The mild still had a nice kick and the medium was pretty spicy and you'll most likely pay to some degree the next day read more

I still love the medium leg/thigh or tender combos. I miss the early days when the Pasadena location would fill your box with fries and the fries had way more seasoning. read more

Delicious! I've been to many hot fried chicken spots in the SGV and this is a top contender. I tried both a chicken sandwich and a leg quarter at mild hotness. With mild, you can taste a slight spiciness, which is what I wanted. The chicken sandwich was the perfect size for me, and the leg quarter was larger than I expected. They were tender and juicy. And the main chick sauce was fire! I love that the food came out hot and fairly quickly too. The place is small, with a few seats inside, and some more seats outside. I suggest parking at the structure with 90 minutes of free parking. It is only a short walk away. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - mild chicken sandwich and leg quarter - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

While Howlin Rays is still my favorite, I would say this is a good alternative out of all the other Nashville hot chicken shops I have tried. I tried my friend's Main Chick once at Sawtelle, but this was my first time at the Pasadena location. It is on Union Street. The closest free parking lot would be on Raymond where it is 90 minutes free. I ordered the Combo #1 (tender, sandwich, fries, and sauce) which was $14+tax. The mild sandwich was flavorful and had a good kick to it. The medium tender was crunchy, and about the same size as the tender in the sandwich. The fries were too salty for me, but tasted good. I would ask for less seasoning on them next time. The order was ready in about 5 minutes. There is limited seating indoors and some outside tables set up on the sidewalk. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Combo #1 $14. Mild sandwich and medium tender. Comes with fries and sauce - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

Me and a friend shared combo #3, we ordered the sandwich's in mild and I handle spice pretty well and so I thought it was a good spice. It definitely has more of a kick for a mild spicy flavor. The fries I thought were pretty good, very crunchy and the sauce they gave was very interesting. It was sort of tangy and spicy, it complimented the fries and sandwich well. The price was pretty good too. Service was pretty quick, the shop is small so it's more of a take it to go kind of spot. No ac inside so it was kind of a little uncomfortably warm. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

Chicken was juicy and tender only problem for the supreme it could have been more spicy and the fries themselves were average the seasoning was pretty good and sauce was great the time i waited was quick. But Next time I go i hope to see something above supreme I don't mind paying a little extra for a higher kick. read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Chicken Combo 2 - 3 Tenders, Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Yowza, this place is fiyaaaaa! I recently had the opportunity to give this place a try at the 626 Night Market and wow, I really enjoyed it! The crispness of the chicken, the seasoning on the fries, and the sauce all combined into one box ready for your belly to enjoy...PERFECT. For those that don't really know me, I'm a fried chicken addict. I love fried chicken in all forms, and this place just solidified my love for fried chicken. I recently took a peek on their page and was excited to find out that they're actually going to have a brick and mortar in Pasadena. A little too dangerously close for me, but I'm not mad about it! Something to keep in mind: their spicy is SPICYYY! Even for someone like me who enjoys spicy, it was a little much for me. Thank god for the sauce, which brought down the heat. read more

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Im baaaaack! I took a brief hiatus from Yelp, but I am back better than ever. So to celebrate this occasion, I will be leaving a review for a place that has really made an impact on me..and that is no other than Main Chick. Me and the wife have been chirping to give this place a try since we have become chicken aficionados at this point. We bot ordered the 3 tender combo plate. It is a small location to eat inside, but there is an ally that is walking distance if your lucky enough to get seating there. All I have to say is WOW. The chicken is truly excellent. I can confidently say that this is right up there with Howlin Rays in terms of quality, flavor and size. It checks every single checkbox in how a chicken should be done. Way to go Main Chick! Their fries were very delicious and seasoned just right. And their sauce...WOW. Again, it is in a class of its own in terms of overall flavor. Parking can get tricky, but there is a public lot on the corner. You all neeeeeed to go there before I decide to ransack their food supply and leaving nothing for anyone else! read more

Main Chick Hot Chicken - Chicken Shop Near Me - Pasadena, California

This used to be one of my favorite hot chicken places in LA, but unfortunately the quality, portion, and flavor has gone down the last few times I ate here. The sandwiches have gotten smaller for the price, and are not as tasty as they used to be, the breading also seems more soggy/less crunchy too. It's such a shame. I won't be back. read more

I seldom leave feedback and rarely post negative experiences with restaurants but, Main Chick Hot Chicken has repeatedly messed up. Today was the last straw. They got my orders wrong the last four times I've been there. The chicken used to be amazing; not sure if they changed the chef or their standards just aren't what they used. The last few orders were just bad. As you can see, I left a review a year ago on how good this place was. Not anymore... Their chicken's crust used to be deliciously crispy and the spicy sauce had a sweetness to it that elevated them above other Howling Ray's wannabes, but all that is gone. Their chicken now is barely breaded, the spicy sauce (medium and even hot) now is mediocre at best, and the service is just the worse. Staff seem to actually be bothered when you ask a question. What is the point of ordering online and being given a chance to leave instructions if your "salt-free fries" will come loaded with seasoning? What's the point of ordering different levels of spiciness if the chicken's flavors are indistinguishable between medium and hot? What's the point of scheduling pick up if they are ALWAYS late by least 15-20 min? What's the point of actually ordering at all if you will get the wrong order in the end? Lots of frustration over fried chicken? Nope. I'm frustrated with being so poorly rewarded for a trip down to Downtown Pasadena, $8 parking, having to wait, driving home just to get the wrong order for the fourth time in a roll. Hope this place turns it around; won't be coming back to it though. read more

I got the two sliders and fries combo. One medium, one mild. I would definitely pick the medium over the mild. Probably try a hot next time too. The fried chicken was delicious and the sliders had a great chicken to veggie to bread ratio. Their sauce is also delicious, though could be hotter. read more

Been meaning to try this place & long day/week.....so Postmates to the rescue again. ITEM'S ORDERED: Just FYI Postmates does not have the "Supreme" spice level option. Combo 3 (2 chicken sandwiches, fries, mc sauce) "spicy" spice level Combo 5 (2 leg quarters, bun, fries, pickles, 2 mc sauce) "medium" spice level. TASTE: The food was understandably not as crisp & fresh (fries especially) since it was delivered. But it was still quite warm, & I'm pretty positive if I ate there it would have been exceptionally fresh based on how my food did arrive. Chicken sandwiches are made with a tender which is a larger size than I thought it would be. Spicy spice level is actually quite hot when I ate a piece of the tender by itself. But when eaten with everything I really liked it. It's a well executed sandwich (little sweet from the bun, crisp, fresh crunch from pickles & slaw) which is even more elevated by the mc sauce. Different chicken places all seem to have their basically "house" sauces & they are usually mayo based. This mc sauce one of the better ones I've had. It's seasoned very well & the savory flavor combines with subtle sweetness & creamy texture. Chicken quarters (medium spice level) were of course less spicy but still had good heat & flavor overall from their rub. Fries were one of my favorite cuts (crinkle) & had a good seasoning on it. Guessing it might be a little of the dry rub that goes on the chicken. All the chicken was fried perfectly, crisp enough, & definitely not dry at all. Both meals were actually a fair sized portion which made it more of a value then I initially thought it'd be. SERVICE, LOCATION & PARKING: Postmates order so no comments on service this time. Nice to see all the food packed neatly & securely in the boxes & bag. Still looked presentable when I opened it up. They are located on Union St, & there is a parking structure close by heading towards Fair Oaks Ave. Not free, but I think they charge $1-2 ever 20 min or something, so it does add up. Also, minimal metered street parking is available if you luck out. I'd just park at De Lacey Parking Facility which is also nearby (maybe like 5 min walk) & they offer 90 min free without validation. It's located on De Lacey in between Colorado & Green. Based on this positive delivery I'd definitely go here again to try for dine in The food can only get better having it fresh, right!? Plus, I see you can order directly from them online. FINAL THOUGHTS: Had Howlin' Ray's a couple months back & hard to compare without having both to taste side by side. But I'd say prefer Main Chick. Just because I do feel the rub they use on the chicken has more overall flavor aside from just that heat & also it's a better value. Plus I do find their sauce is better flavored just bringing everything together. read more

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Delicious spiced chicken not under cooked nor dry. Friendly staff fast service. Parking is the only negative

Controversial opinion BUT I prefer Main Chick over Howlin' Ray's. There, I've said it. Reasons why: The portion size is wayyy more manageable and the seasoning on the outside is much more flavorful. It always takes too much effort for me to finish a Howlin's sandwich; I'm usually done after a few bites. I can finish a combo meal at Main Chick. The bread for the sandwich is also better. It's a good brioche and comes with a tasty slaw. Not to mention, the fries and sauce are better. read more

Main chick is a chicken place that is located in old town Pasadena! It's a little small so it may be hard to spot. They have one or two tables outside the restaurant where you can enjoy the chicken. The workers were very friendly and was very helpful in answering any questions I had. I got the combo #3 that comes with 3 chicken tenders and fries! I got the mild spicy because I'm really bad at eating spicy. I enjoyed the chicken very much, and I like how the fries are also seasoned with spice. It's a little bit pricy but it definitely is very filling. There is a parking structure in the back with 20 mins of free parking, however if you're willing to walk a block or two there's a parking structure with 90 minutes of free parking on green street and de lacy in the de lacy parking facility. read more

This is my favorite chicken sandwich of all chicken sandwiches. The Mac and cheese as well as the fries are 10/10!

The door is too heavy to open The meats are good but the spicy powder is too much. Not much spicy but the powder made it bitter read more

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