Wooboi Hot Chicken — Restaurant in Alexandria

I live in Arlington so Hot Lola’s is my typical go-to hot chicken spot but we’ve heard about WOOBOI and were in the area so figured we’d give it a try. We both got the sando in medium heat and waffle fries to share. Although we both got the same heat level for the sandwiches, our spice levels were vastly different—so be careful! When I ate mine, immediately I felt the heat and after a few bites, it was difficult to eat more because it was so spicy and hot (temperature wise) which made my mouth feel like it was burning even more. And the spiciness lingers! My husband and I have fairly similar heat tolerance so I knew something was off when he said “this is way less spicy than Hot Lola’s”. I couldn’t even talk because mine was so spicy! We switched our sandwiches to see what was going on and after one bite of my sandwich, my husband was immediately sweating. I took a bite of his and couldn’t taste a thing. Yep, these two were at VERY different heat levels. And honestly I think his was not as spicy as it should be and mine was way too spicy for medium but honestly, who knows what the true medium heat is supposed to be? I mean clearly the kitchen didn’t know either lol

Flavor-wise, with the one that was too spicy, all you can taste is the spiciness so it was difficult to get other flavors out of it. But overall I think the slaw is definitely more flavorful at Hot Lola’s; the chicken is flavorful but I prefer Hot Lola’s because you get more unique flavors (like Sichuan peppercorn) out of it; and the bun I prefer Hot Lola’s more but my husband prefers WOOBOI’s more so that’s a tie. But I will say WOOBOI overall definitely tastes and feels healthier than Hot Lola’s (Hot Lola’s is VERY greasy and the sandwiches can get soggy, which is a personal peeve of mine). Oh and also WOOBOI’s waffle fries we both loved.

Sooo overall my biggest complaint is the inconsistent heat levels. Flavor wise, I personally prefer Hot Lola’s but I do like WOOBOI’s waffle fries more and the fact that their chicken sandwiches feel “healthier” than Hot Lola’s. Are these enough to bring me back to WOOBOI? Probably not. I mean let’s be honest, if I’m committing to eating a fried chicken sandwich, how “healthy” am I really looking to be that...

I visited this chicken spot to compare it to Chong Man Chicken which my wife and I liked immensely.

You will not be disappointed with this restaurant.

We ordered online for pickup: -the tenders basket (level 2 "proceed with caution") $10.00 -Waffle Fries $5.00 -A sweet tea $2.25 and an unsweetened tea $2.25

Total: 19.00 *mandatory bag fee $.25 *mandatory tip $4.00

Grand total: $26.60 (with tax)

The portions are generous. The chicken does not have a wet sauce which makes eating less messy, but is flavorful and moist. There is a crisp outer layer which contains all the spice. The level 2 is a good entry level for a first visit, where you get a mouthful of heat but are able to enjoy the flavors of your meal. The tender basket comes with 4 large tenders on a slice of white bread and several sliced sweet pickles. The portion of waffle fries is immense. The seasoning on the fries are also quite tasty.

The reasons I dropped one star from my review is that the single sauce cup that accompanied the tender basket is not nearly enough for the tenders or fries. (The comback sauce is a good fry sauce- Unable to try the Woo sauce because they were out of it) The restaurant I also believe was a bit lazy in not making their own sweet and unsweetened tea. I was disappointed that it was a bottle brand. (This was also not listed on the online menu) The mandatory tip was also a surprise.

The restaurant was very clean and all the employees were masked up and there was a plexiglass barrier at the register for added COVID safety. The restaurant is handicapped accessible and has a slight slope from the entrance to the register. The restrooms are located at the rear of the restaurant and clearly marked. The restaurant has large windows at the front of the restaurant as well as outside dining tables. The decor invites guests to be part of the experience with chalk paint on the walls where guests have commemorated their visits via chalk signatures and messages. There is a 15 minute curbside parking located directly in front of the restaurant, but also street parking on the streets surrounding it.

This restaurant is a great adventure in flavor. You won't leave...

This is like my fifth, sixth time here. I stop here every so often for lunch when I’m in old town Alexandria for work. Do yourself a favor and try the burrito with the somi sauce. Definitely my favorite thing on the menu!

Now let me say that the staff here has always been great and accommodating. There was a small conflict here with another customer; let’s call her “Karen”. Apparently “Karen” had an issue with one of the employees (a young Asian man, sporting a pair of glasses) telling her kids to not run around the store, since apparently it’s not “some 5 star restaurant”. I don’t think that kids running around should fly in any restaurant, no matter the amount of “stars” it has. She even went so far as to ask that employee for someone to contact and make a complaint to. You’re gonna complain about an employee doing their job the correct way? Was “Karen” just upset because she couldn’t do the job she’s supposed to be tasked with by controlling her kids? Did she feel insecure because someone else was able to do her job better than her? I just found that very interesting.

But the employee handled “Karen” and this situation very well! No back talk, no escalation, he just told her what he needed to do, gave her the contact, and left it at that. And he was still very accommodating to her afterwards! That’s 5 star customer service right there. That’s exactly the type of patience that is needed when working in the service industry. I didn’t get his name but he deserves a raise. I hope whoever gets that call from “Karen” reads this review and either gives the young man a raise, or passes this information along to whoever is able to get him that raise.

WOOBOI HOT...