Nice spot. I ordered the slider combo. Came with 2 "hot" level sliders and crinkle cut fries. Sliders were good, chicken was really juicy. Spice level was solid. Came with slaw and pickle. Only complaint was that the bottom bun was a lil soggy. Fries were whatever, not my favorite style but they weren't bad. Also got one of their frozen honey suckle lemonade drinks. This was really tasty. Overall, fun place. Good food. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - 2 Sliders Hot and Fries - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Food was amazing! I was passing though Kentucky for the first time and I wanted to try REAL KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN I was not disappointed, these sliders with the honey butter were the bomb. Mac and Cheese was okay, but the slider was amazing. Best I've ever had. If I'm ever in the area again I'd come back. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Store Front - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Royals is good, spicy food, served kindly and quickly. (It's a simple counter order and basic table service kind of place. Not quite fast food, but nearly as fast and casual.) If you've not had Nashville-style Hot Chicken, Royals offers a great introduction and if you know what to expect, Royals delivers at a competitive level, in a city that has seen a fun history of competition in fried chicken. I recommend the X-Hot these days, but that's not where I started. Somewhat regular trips over many years have made that my goto favorite. (I have done the next and final heat level, Gonzo, once. I recall it was great. I plan to do it again. I save it as a cardio workout for the right sort of low other commitments weekend.) I recommend always checking out what the Sliders of the Month are. The monthly specials generally are quite special and have combined so many fun flavors over the years. Though my heart maybe belongs most of all to the Hot Fish, now no longer just a March special. It's hard for me to write about Royals without some form of nostalgia. This building is my neighborhood fast-ish food shop. It hasn't been Royals the whole time I've lived in the neighborhood, but it has made up for it with longevity in a block I've watched shift a lot around it. I miss some of the businesses that used to be on this block. i appreciate some of the new ones. It's been interesting watching Royals grow up into feeling like an anchor here. (I also still sometimes miss some of Royals original options like the hot tofu and some of their early sides, especially as someone who still ranks fried chicken places by their sides even this side of Yum Brands' Commonwealth-named chicken place also giving up on fresh veggies despite once advertising it never would. But Royals did recently graduate Hot Fish to the year-round menu to make it up to me, almost personally, so there are plenty of good changes as well over the years.) I look forward to how they grow and change in the future, and I hope they'll keep this block cool and with an easy spot for a neighbor like me to count on to catch a fast, spicy lunch or dinner. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Maple Bacon Cheddar hot chicken Sliders of the Month - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

We were attending the NuLu festival and decided to step into some air conditioning and grab a bite to hold us over to dinner. We waited for a small group to place their order. And we waited. And waited. Heaven for they took a minute to look over the menu board and figured out their order before they stepped up to the register. Finally, we ordered. We went with the two strip meal and asked if one strip could be regular and the other "hot". Sure, but with an up-charge. Seriously? Some bs about the computer program forces split charge. I passed and went with 2 plain strips (as I was splitting our snack when a friend who doesn't do spicy). I got our soft drinks the food was already served. Cold fries. Warm from "under a heat lamp" strips that clearly weren't prepared fresh. Maybe I would have enjoyed a hotter "flavor", but only if they serve fresh from the fryer. If I want warmed over chicken, I can go to KFC. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Chicken tenders - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Where do i begin. Being in a LDR, every meal together counts. Royals has been our go to rendezvous spot whenever we get the chance to stop and chow down. The chicken sliders are our go to, fries always with some ketchup. You may think that 2 sliders might be small or not filling, but trust when i say that we sit like beached whales enjoying the scenic nulu view completely full. The prices are also very good for such a good meal! The staff is always excited to discuss the menu and is in good spirits. Oh we WILL be back. Hungrier than ever read more

Royals Hot Chicken - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Been wanting to try this place I had the Chicken Slider Meal with Some Heat and coleslaw comes on the sandwich which is very good and topped with a pickle and crinkle fries you can upcharge for a different side if desired and they offer alcoholic drinks as well a bar is inside Service great Ambiance nice old school music playing read more

Royals Hot Chicken - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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OMG so PLEASED we bought the cook book! Server was on point, sat quickly, food came out quick, friendly and fun atmosphere. I can't WAIT to make redeye gravy... it was a first there and dipped my chicken and waffles in it! Fantastic read more

Chicken is always hot, fresh, juicy & delicious. The feast BBQ dipping sauce is a must, I recommend also doing the ranch and mixing the two. Wedges were labeled as spicy in the menu, but they more just had spices rather than spicy. Love the crinkle cut french fries. Really you can't go wrong. They offer ample indoor and outdoor seating. Staff is super nice. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Great space, fun vibes. I love their sliders. Royals is not only great but also the cheapest spot for lunch in all of Nulu, too.

This is a great place! My only regret was being too full to order more off of the menu but Royals definitely knows their way around a chicken sandwich. The service was also quick and efficient. How can you not love a place where you could get a cocktail and a spicy chicken sandwich? read more

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I ate here while visiting the area. I ate here after hearing good things from some people from the area. Finding parking downtown was a little tricky, but not too bad. I got the hot chicken sliders (x-hot, not gonzo) and it was spicy, but very manageable and flavorful. My friend got the gonzo, and was struggling with the heat, but i tried it too and it was still manageable and with good flavor, which is hard with very spicy foods. I also got the strawberry shortcake milkshake, and it was so great. Everything came out so fast and the eating area is nice an open with a good lighted atmosphere. read more

Quick counter service with a very simple menu. Don't let the fact their meals only come with 2 tenders stop you - these tenders are some of the biggest I've ever seen and will definitely be filling. Their seasoned fries are the highlight in my opinion. Lots of barstool community style seating with some booths inside and plenty of tables outside as well. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - 2 Tenders Classic Fried and Fries - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Fried chicken was so good here! Staff were friendly and the inside was clean. Chicken was tender and not overly fired or dried out, and we also tried the one level of spice above classic and it was good too. I really would be tempted to try their hottest flavor, as I heard it is beyond spicy and you can't even breathe when you eat it - I say challenge accepted my friend!! read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Inside - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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10/10 made sure to stop by on my trip from Philly. Great Owners ! Was recommended the pimento cheese, sliders some heat and they were awesome. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I've been here on two occasions, each time I've ordered to go during lunch and it's always super packed! My only complaint is the online system doesn't work well, so I typically have to order when I go in. I've tried the salad with the tenders and for some reason I anticipated it to be kale because that's what I ordered right, instead they gave me spring mix! Not a huge deal but still NOT what I was expecting. The second time I went, I ordered a chicken sandwich with the fries and let me tell you...so much better. The fries were HOT and crispy and let's just say I won't be ordering a salad the next time I go. Haha Until next time... read more

The food was astounding. The tenders were large and juicy. I ordered the "little heat" and my wife got the "xtra heat". It had some kick yet didn't overpower the flavor. The service was good. Only a couple people busting their butt to get the food out. It was an order and sit restaurant which is my preferred method read more

Royals Hot Chicken - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Nice place! Ordering was easy and accommodating. Staff pleasant! Chicken is hot; depending on your choice of heat! Service was slow: especially on a take out. read more

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Fantastic! Great "college town" food! And you can get bourbon and milkshakes! Service was wonderful. Great mellow vibe!

Our party of 12 stopped by Royals during the course of our Sunday afternoon NuLu food tour and several of us plan to return in the next week for a dinner excursion based off of this first-time experience. We sampled 2 tenders, spice level 1 and 2, along with pickles, Mississippi comeback sauce, and a hummingbird slushie. Every item was delicious and I plan to try a level 3 spice level next visit. The restaurant was clean, noise level was mild, and the overall casual setting was a nice reprieve from the Market Street traffic. There is plenty of outdoor seating, as well, and an outdoor mural that is spectacular. Staff were readily available to assist and service was prompt. Really looking forward to next week's visit! read more

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We were visiting Louisville for the weekend and decided to give this place a shot. The inside was colorful and fun! I loved the mural on the back wall. The staff were friendly and fast. The sliders were sooo GOOD! We will definitely be back again! read more

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Royals Hot Chicken.....has some good chicken let me tell you. The Chicken is tender and juicy, along with a side of heavenly dipping sauces. For you spice lovers out there, it's your choice of mild chicken, and/or dangerously hot. To top it off, the Tribute to Vampire art work on the walls is pretty awesome as well. read more

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The food was good but it wasn't WOW. The service was quick but interactions were minimal. We weren't super impressed but it wasn't bad. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - 2 Tacos Some Heat and Fries - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Perfectly located, Royals has been a spot I have been wishing to try for a while. I often tire of chicken and opt for fast food but I wanted something better. I ordered a chicken sandwich with macaroni and cheese. The chicken sandwich is what I had hoped for. The meat is obviously of good quality and is juicy throughout. I did not have any raw or chewy or honey pieces in my sandwich. Every bite was perfect. The chicken seasoning is not overwhelming, it is flavorful and delicious. The breading is great and even, no parts of the chicken appeared soggy or less breaded. This contributes huge to the crunch factor which I loved. Macaroni and cheese passes, better than Kraft and has a home cooked meal feel. Strawberry freeze was the perfect treat to wash it all down. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Strawberry Freeze - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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This place was a MUST for us since we have some hot chicken lovers. The menu is broken out in a way wheee you almost have to look at all of it (good job). From picking your item to hotness to sides to drinks. We had a non-hot sandwich and a mild hot tender sandwich. Both were deliciously crispy and came with these pickles that we wish we could have brought home. To drink, we got a chocolate vanilla swirl shake (yum), pink lemonade froth (yum), and an orange soda. Everything tasted great! The only item that was just ok was the apple handpie. The outside of it was so crispy and cinnamon-y and sugary, but the inside was very watery. Probably just a bad batch which happens sometimes. read more

delicious class hot fried chicken tenders to complete your Kentucky experience! I had the two tender meal with a side of mac and cheese. I got my tenders "hot" as someone who likes spice but doesn't like it too hot and I thought this was the perfect level of kick for me. The tenders were juicy, crispy and flavorful. I got the Kentucky honey mustard - class, creamy, paired well with the tenders. I thought the mac and cheese was also good, very simple and nothing special. I also tried the bourbon cherry cola which was surprisingly yummy. Service was so so kind and helpful - we were a big group that had never been and they were patient and happy to help with orders. The inside is kept clean for a greasy place with lots of large tables to accommodate big groups (couldn't help but notice as well lots of tourist groups stopping by for their lunch). Would definitely recommend as a place to try famous KFC. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Bourbon cola, two ct Jumbo Tender Mac & Cheese - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Good food, friendly service and insanely fast. By the time I picked a seat my food was being handed to me. Would definitely recommend!

The chicken was excellent- perfectly cooked and juicy. Pleasantly surprised because usually it is overcooked and dry at other chicken joints. Enjoyed the Turkey Dew too. read more

So good! Excellent meal option in this area. The lowest level of heat is perfect for those who can't handle much heat. Recommend a gooey milkshake to tone down the spice if you go spicier! read more

Even is not a huge fan of Nashville hot chicken, this place is stand out and a staple in Lulu. It's hard to decide between all the awesome sauces, but you can't make a wrong decision. read more

Order at the counter and grab your number. There's indoor and outdoor seating. We opted for outdoor. There were cute birds there waiting to see if you'll drop them a few crumbs. I ordered the mild and husband got the medium hot. We're glad both were not overly spicy. We've been burned before. For the sides we got spicy wedges, Mac, and broccoli salad. All were solid sides. My favorite was probably the potato wedges. Bus your own table. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Chicken sandwich - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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This was my first time at Royals. I used to work near the one in Middletown that closed down. It wasn't around long. I never went there, as one of my co-workers, who is a hot chicken fanatic, said it wasn't any good, especially compared to Joella's. After visiting the NuLu location, I concur with this assessment. The biggest issue for me was the waiting; both waiting to order and waiting for our food. I've actually had shorter waits for some theme park attractions than our wait for food. While waiting for our food we went ahead and got our drinks. The Diet Pepsi just tasted weird, like it was tainted with another beverage, or made with dirty water. I couldn't drink it. Oddly enough, my wife's regular Pepsi tasted just fine. A couple others at the table were drinking sweet tea, and when they went to get refills (before we even received our food), the sweet tea was gone and was not refilled while we were there. There were only 2 people working the main restaurant area. One was bouncing between taking orders and bussing tables, which is why it took so long to get through the order line. It was backed up to the door for most of the time we were there. The other person was bouncing between delivering food to tables and bussing tables. I did eventually see a 3rd person bussing tables. The wait to get our food was just at 30 minutes. Once we got it, it was fresh and hot. I got the "some heat" level, and while the heat level was appropriate, I just didn't care for the flavor of the sauce. My daughter liked it, but my wife felt the same as I did about it. I also felt the quality of the fries was sub-par, with the Cajun seasoning there to try and hide this. My daughter's fiancé's favorite for is chicken tenders/strips/etc. He order his plain and they 'weren't bad" but that's about it. Over all, we all agreed the visit was just "meh" and that we probably wouldn't return. For what it's worth, I've heard that Dave's Hot Chicken is worse. read more

Great outdoor seating in NuLu. Fantastic hot chicken and the sides are killer (fries are dang good). read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Loaded Crinkle Cut Fries 3 Jumbo Tenders X-Hot - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

This place was amazing, and who doesn't love chicken lol ?! Was looking for some lunch and came across this spot. I got the chicken sandwich (some heat)... but for my spice lover, you're welcome to take on the (Gonzo) challenge! The service was quick and the food was delicious (one of the best sandwich's I've had). read more

Royals Hot Chicken - Sandwich chicken (some heat) - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Love the hot chicken. Opted for some heat and it was plenty hot. If you go for Gonzo, have a fire extinguisher. We had tenders and a sandwich and both were great. My mom, who's sensitive to spicy, enjoyed her chicken salad sandwich. We added on some of the fried apple pies and wished we had gotten more to take home. Casual atmosphere makes for a nice place to lunch. read more

Food is always great. Always ready fast. love that you guys are so close. one of my familys favorite quick dinners. read more

Everything was amazing. The chicken sandwich sliders and seasoned fries are amazing, wife ordered the fish which was flaky and very well seasoned. Decent beer selection too. read more

I think that my long quest to find the best hot chicken in Louisville has come to an end with my first visit to Royals Hot Chicken. I've had this place bookmarked forever but I rarely get downtown. My husband and I were running errands today and it was the perfect time to try it. We got there around 1:00 and there was a decent little line but it moved quickly and there was plenty of seating. I chose the 3 tender meal hot with broccoli salad and my husband chose the same with extra hot and fries. The service was super friendly and the food came out so quickly and was piping hot. The tenders were perfect. They were juicy and crispy and the hot was just enough to pack some good heat. The extra hot really packed a punch but it's more than just heat - it's actual flavor! The broccoli salad was finely chopped, not overdressed, and really tasty. The fries were nice and crispy, too. We will 100% be back, and if they ever open one closer to me, I will be there weekly! read more

Really love the chicken sandos here. They can get pretty spicy or you can dial back the heat. Either way, they have a unique seasoning I really like. Generally the food comes out fast and hot, not at all premade or sitting under a heat lamp. The potato wedges and milkshakes are solid too. The latter is more like a pile of soft serve in a large cup with whipped cream. No complaints from me though! It's a pretty informal spot with bench and booth seating, but pretty typical for a fast casual spot. The folks working there are always friendly and accommodating. I go here with out of town guests or any time I'm in the food for a really good chicken sandwich. It won't let you down. read more

I recently got lunch at Royals while out small biz Saturday shopping in Nulu. I love the mural at this location and the outdoor seating, it's a fun stop! The restaurant was mildly busy but certainly not crowded. With a party of three (including me) we were all in the mood for chicken tenders. When my daughter didn't care for her kids meal tenders sauce, the gentlemen at the front swapped us out for a sauce-less tender. Much appreciated, sirs! My favorite side is the broccoli salad (yes, really!) and I always recommend the Alabama white bbq sauce on the side. I got "hot" and to be honest my tenders could have been a bit spicier. I know to go up a level next time. read more

Royals Hot Chicken - 2 Jumbo Tenders Hot - American Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

While visiting Nulu for Small Business Saturday shopping, we had lunch at Royals. The lighting for the shop and its window setting gave the impression the restaurant was closed so I'm glad we got close enough to read the hours on the door. It was very much open and we grabbed a booth. The menu is on the board upfront and you order before sitting down. The space was a bit messy when we arrived - I.e., tables needed to be cleaned, ketchup dispenser empty, out of crinkle fries. Chicken is the primary food, sandwich or tender style. Pick your sauce and your side. Royals has decent food, but nothing memorable or crave-worthy to keep you from trying other restaurants in the area. Street parking available, most of it no charge. This area offers lots of shopping and spots for drinks. read more