Hattie B's Hot Chicken- Atlanta West Midtown — Restaurant in Atlanta

My experience at Hattie B's transcended culinary boundaries, turning a simple lunch into the kind of experience I’ve never had before. Braving their "Shut the Cluck Up" spice level, I found myself in a saga of flavor and fire. Each bite was a celestial event, a fiery comet streaking across my palate. The intensity was such that I looked to the heavens, half-expecting angels to descend in awe. Yet, there I sat, the ghost peppers igniting a flame within, binding me to my seat as if by ancient magic. Is it just chicken, or something more? At Hattie B's, the hot chicken isn't a meal; it's a journey, a transformative force. Such was the power of this spice that it rendered me unable to attend a Microeconomics test. The mere thought of school paled in comparison to the fiery trial I had undergone. This isn't just a restaurant; it's a crucible of heat and taste, a trial by fire for those daring enough to face it. The restaurant staff even felt sorry for me after seeing my struggle and gave me some free ice cream. The aftermath of this spice odyssey wasn't just a changed palate but a reshaped schedule, as the intensity necessitated recovery and reflection, pushing worldly obligations like school exams into the background. The furry of that first bite is enough to make me a changed man. For the second time in my life, I’ve been truly humbled, and all it took was a bite of spicy chicken. Now I already feel the worst coming; a hell coming the next time I visit the porcelain throne and it puts my heart in the throat just thinking of it. Hattie B's Hot Chicken is more than just food; it's a life-altering experience, a spicy challenge that tests not only your taste buds but your very capacity to face the life. No person can take a bite out of that hellfire of spice without being a different person. Don’t think that I’m trying to paint this chicken in a negative light; there are other options of spice; the "Shut the Cluck Up" is only for a small niche of people but go for it if what I just said floats your boat. But to be honest, after all that I've experienced, I still want to come...

OK, I am going out on a limb here. Hattie B's owner's (Nick Bishop) real estate location manager has to be a high school friend or relative. Atlanta has one of the most traveled highways (I-75) in the United States known as the gateway to the south and Florida and the owner builds this restaurant away from this lucrative, heavily traveled highway. Why? Seriously! Why? This location is merely 5.6 miles from Hattie B's Atlanta East location. Why? Fire the person responsible for finding your restaurant sites and buy a book titled Location, Location, Location by Luigi Salvaeschi. OK, now to the food. We were a party of 3 and ordered 4 chicken dinners (one to go). Each chicken breast failed to cover the bun and was very dry. This was not the issue in the past. BTW, our to-go order was given the wrong side. We traveled from Marietta and simply, your food and restaurant locations are not worth the parking, aggravation, hassle, and costs for repeated visits. Yes, your sandwich usually tastes better than Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Zaxby's, etc. BUT NOT 3 TIMES THE COST BETTER. And please don't bring up the parking deck across the street at your Howell Mill location. We are now asked to pay to park plus your register checkout screen requests tips for patrons walking up to order and is responsible for filling their drinks. Really? We also had a handicapped qualified person with us and you have one handicapped spot. ONE! C'mon Mr. Bishop. Fire the incompetent person in charge of finding your restaurant locations and your building designer. You could have put a location in ANY shopping center off Barrett Parkway near I-75 and utilized the shopping center parking spaces. The students at Kennesaw University and the traffic in this area near I-75 would have crushed your sales at both locations in Atlanta which oddly appear to be catering to a certain demographic. Why? It's an insult to people from all walks of life. Sad! We won't be going back...

Tried this place on the 3rd day after the grand opening. I was excited to try it because this location offers a vegan option. I ordered online and it was ready when I arrived, which is the exact time they said it would be.

1st, the bad news which is why it only got 4 stars. I really hate having to tear a bag apart to make sure I have everything but I did and found that an item was missing. It was listed on the receipt on the side of the bag so the staff quickly grabbed it for me. What I didn't do, and should have, was open each container and check the contents. When I got home, I discovered my sandwich did not have the fries that were supposed to come with it.

Now for the food review. We ordered the chicken tenders, a fried chicken sandwich, the vegan fried chicken sandwich and the fried pickles. We also tried the banana puffing and preach cobbler.

I orderd my vegan chicken sandwich fried hard and with the Shut the Cluck Up sauce. This spicy sauce does not disappoint! I am a heat seeker (I eat habernos daily) and loved it but I caution that this sauce has serious heat, so be careful.

Everyone said their food was great with no complaints. The mac and cheese was a big hit. My wife, the foodie, really liked the baked beans. I loved the fried pickles, especially since I didn't get my fries. They were lightly breaded, light and delicious.

The only complaint I have, other than the missing items, is that I selected the "no utensils" option (so nice to be offered the choice) but still received them.

Also, please note that the parking lot only holds about 6-8 cars.

Bottom line: I'll go back but I'll be super vigilant about checking my order. Highly...