Cluck Norris at Budd Dairy — Restaurant in Columbus

We came to Budd Dairy Food Hall mainly to try Cluck Norris, the cleverly named chicken shack. But what a surprise—the venue had a variety of food options, from Asian cuisine to pizza, tacos, and a central bar, all under one roof.

There was plenty of seating—tables, chairs, and bar stools scattered throughout the hall. The overall vibe was casual and welcoming. Every staff member we encountered was friendly, fast, and efficient.

I grabbed a lemonade from the bar—classic fair-style, sweet and tart, but with a grown-up twist: vodka. It hit the nostalgia button perfectly while giving it an adult kick. We also ordered a beer on tap, which came out ice cold and crisp. Service at the bar was especially quick and professional.

Then we bee-lined it to Cluck Norris—let’s be honest, the name is what drew me in. The menu continued the theme with punny items like the Buffalo Soldier sandwich and slogans like “Cluck Around and Find Out.” The booth itself was decked out in Chuck Norris photos and bright orange decor—super eye-catching and fun.

Unfortunately, the food didn’t quite live up to the clever branding. The chicken was... okay. Not terrible, but definitely not memorable—just kind of average. The sides were much better. The onion rings had a great panko crunch, and the fries were solid.

Would I come back? For the sides, sure. For the chicken? Probably not. It’s a great concept with so-so execution when it comes to the main event.

As for Budd Dairy itself—loved it. It’s a cool concept with a lot of food variety and extras like interactive trivia for entertainment. I’ll definitely return to try more vendors. And that bar?...

I just bought the Chicken Sandwich as it comes on the menu. It's $11 and you basically get about as good as you can ever expect from a fried chicken sandwich. Grilled sesame bun of top notch quality, a super hot, super crisp filet of chicken (more uniform thickness, not uneven with a thick knob like Chik-fil-a), thick cut pickles and a couple of sauces. Definite black pepper flavor, it may have had some other heat from a sauce but I was hungry and it was piping hot so kinda hard to tell. Overall, it's a tad overpriced. I didn't even bother looking at anything else on the menu as $11 was enough just for a sandwich. It beats Chik-fil-a (or Popeyes, or whatever FF chicken sandwich is your pick) easily but at twice+ the cost..... it is JUST a chicken sandwich. $8 is what I'm thinking as more reasonable unless you show me this is organic Ohio raised chicken, otherwise toss in some fries at $11. Still top notch quality and deserving of a 5 star...

The ranch was some of the best I have every had. So flavorful, and they said it's homemade. This sure isn't some awful Hidden Valley Ranch they give you! The chicken fingers were good. They basically tastes like a less bready carb bomb version of what Chili's makes. I haven't been to Chili's in about 15 years, but these immediately reminded me of them. Smother them in the ranch and you will enjoy.

I tried to explain to them the concept of tossing chicken fingers in one of their hot sauces. She (very nice) looked at me like and alien and insisted she has never heard of such a thing. Next time, I will try to convince them to toss them for me - that would be fantastic dipped...