Sensational Chicken Mount St — Restaurant in Waitematā

Hands down the best fried chicken in the CBD (takeaway only). Been going here for years and while the establishment looks a bit rugged you'll be served with good customer service and an order number. The menu is quite extensive these days and I do need to branch out to try the rest of it but my go-to is the chicken nibbles. Nibbles take slightly longer to fry so order ahead if you don't want to wait. They are so good and they season their fries with chicken salt and when I get home I smother the nibbles in my favourite sauce (Maggi Hot and Sweet Chilli). Loved their homemade chicken nuggets but they (sadly) took that off the menu awhile ago. I've also tried their chicken burger which is also good too and their standard fried chicken (drumsticks are my fave cut). Chicken tenders and wedges are also delish! Be patient once you've placed your order - it isn't a fast food joint. They're always busy but trust me, it's worth the wait!

I can highly recommend their sister eatery: Smash Burger (right across the way)! I've had the smashed burger a few times for lunch (you can choose a single or double patty). Choose your sauce (I chose the Sensational sauce) and topping (pickles for me) and if you want fries you just need to go across the way to collect it with the docket that you'll be given, no queuing necessary. Burgers are flavourful and the bun is great (choose between milk or brioche). The server is really nice and very helpful. They also have Kapiti ice cream, shakes, tacos and waffles on the menu which I've yet to try but looking forward to it....

Sensational chicken is not the same as it used to be in its prime, but it’s decent. Compared to what they have around that area, it’s still one of the cheaper options.

I’m not gonna lie, the food is still alright- their chicken and chips are pretty good and they do make some nice wraps and burgers too. (Although, I am still nostalgic about their cheeky meat on chips :( )

More recently, the biggest issues I’ve had is the inconsistency of the quality of the service.

Wait times: I don’t mind longer-than-expected wait times during the lunch rush. It’s to be expected. I would also expect online orders to largely avoid this issue. And allow me to save time. However, I’ve had some online orders which were ready 10-20 minutes after the expected time (after I’ve followed up about it with the staff). Maybe, it could be improved if the online system could better account for current orders to better reflect the expected time.

It’s still an experience to go in a sensash run, especially if you’re still in uni. So,...

I had a very disappointing experience at this place. The chips were way too salty, and they were mixed with curly fries, which was unexpected. The location itself is not appealing; it feels neglected and is currently under construction, which has been going on for years. The overall cleanliness is lacking, and I worry about proper sanitation. It seems like a disaster waiting to happen—one earthquake, and the whole place could collapse.

I noticed they opened a Smash Burgers across from Sensational Chicken, but I can't recommend trying either. If you're looking for good food, you might want to steer clear. The only positive aspect was the friendly staff, but unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to redeem the experience. Overall, it felt like a waste of money.

Additionally, the review below from Asma reflects her personal choice. Everyone has different tastes, and it’s important to consider various opinions when deciding...