Cluck Kitchen — Restaurant in Irvine

I would choose this restaurant over Chick-Fil-A any day.

Absolutely a delight. Since going to Nashville I have missed the hot chicken sandwich and this sandwich satisfied that craving. Their spice definitely has some kick and for optimal mouth feel and flavor eat it fresh.

Sandwiches/Meat (that I tried): Nashville Hot: classic and delicious, on the spicier side but still has all the components I enjoy. Juicy, moist delicious and well cooked. A bit on the pricey side BUT you can tell it is cooked with love and care (the chicken is thick).

Havarti Hen: a unique take on a fried chicken sandwich but in my opinion was too sweet for my taste, I could see this flavor appealing to other people.

Tenders: So much food. This in my opinion is the best deal. The tenders are large and not overtly battered but still have a nice crunch and taste. Tried it with all the sauces I had and it worked with all of them. Forget Chick-fil-A, this is a MUCH better deal and tastes fresher.

Wing: Decent size, decent amount of meat, definitely the order for someone who likes bone-in chicken. Otherwise, I would say the tenders are better.

Based on the mayo I've tried and chicken quality, I expect the original to be nothing short of delicious.

Sides (that I tried): Fried pickles: crispy and delicious, they don't skimp on the batter or the pickle, the ranch it comes with is also delicious. TIP: if you're not eating it right away, open the box to release the steam so it doesn't get soggy.

Corn Fritters: Super super crisp and fluffy, not too heavy on the palette and good flavor. The mayo included is delicious as well.

Mac & Cheese: The least unique thing in my opinion, but it's perfect for the kids and satisfies the purpose.

Fries: Curly fries that are crispy and curly, not much that's unique but closest resemblance is if the McDonald's French Fry and In-N-Out French fry had a baby.

Sauces (that I tried): Cluck Sauce: The better of the two custom sauces. It's like ranchy and creamy and flavorful. Can't really put my finger on the exact flavor. Comeback Sauce: A lesser Cane's sauce in my opinion, much more mayo-y than I would've liked and blander than the Cluck Sauce.

Lastly, price and ambiance. The staff was very friendly and you could tell they enjoyed where they worked. The restaurant itself is well designed and trendy, I can't wait to go eat there when indoor dining opens again. As for the price, I see that there are people who say that it's expensive and yes, it kinda is in comparison to fast-food fast food but for a fast casual restaurant I would say it's on-par/slightly above. BUT this is the restaurant's only location so be cognizant that it is a small business. If you like the food, and find the price in your budget, continue to...

This place should be renamed, “Chicken’s Revenge”! I ordered the chicken tender meal, (From the reviews it seems most people have gone for the the sandwiches) and I also ordered an 1 additional chicken tender. I ordered the country fried Chicken style for the tenders that came with meal but I asked for the extra tender, to be served mild, which is the lowest level you can ask for in the spicy category.

I would like to think I have a fairly good heat tolerance and I don’t shy away from hot sauce and spicy food. But if that was mild, I can’t imagine what their regular spicy is. I have to be honest, it was just plain hot! It was hot, with very little flavor to justify the heat! My tongue was just on fire! My stomach is still burning 30 minutes later. Now, again, if it had some flavor, that would justify and complement the heat, maybe I would not complain as much. But this was just put there, for the sake of the burn, like they were trying to avenge the chickens, death! Now the regular tenders, were OK, meaning that it was not spicy at all. But I wish it had more of a balance of flavor. All I could taste was salt which was a bit too much for my liking, and it made it difficult to taste any other flavors that might’ve been there. Though after the chicken, tender cooled down substantially (It is served fresh and hot, cooked to order) I did detect something sweet in the crust that was nice, but again was a bit overpowered by the sodium content. On the positive end I will say that the portion size of the tenders are very generous and filling. Service was polite, and despite being cooked to order, I did not have to wait long for my order. But, again as flavor goes, I don’t know if it justifies the price point I paid for it. I don’t know maybe I should have ordered one the sandwiches? But, that said, unfortunately, I can’t say that, it is a place I would look...

We arrived at John Wayne airport and headed directly to Cluck Kitchen for lunch. The chicken sandwiches here are pretty life-changing. I got the Nashville Hot chicken sandwich. The chicken for this is perfectly cooked and seasoned. The breast was almost an inch thick, but it was tender and tempting with every bit. The first two bites, you think that the bun is going to be too much, but you soon realize that you need that heavy-duty bun to have it stand up to the juice of this sandwich.

The staff at the register warned us that their flavors tend to the hot side, so since it was my first time here I got the mild. I was thankful that she had pointed this out because it was plenty warm.

I also ordered some of the street corn fritters. Compared to the chicken they did not have the same level of flavor, and I would recommend picking up an extra cup of sauce to dip the fritters in. The cups of sauce cost an extra 75 cents, but I think it would have really added to the fritters. The fritters are light and fluffy.

We ate outside in the large shared dining area and it was...