Burnin’ Mouth Nashville Hot Chicken — Restaurant in Meridian

Before diving into the food itself, I want to clear up some misconceptions I've seen in recent reviews. As an Asian American who took the time to speak directly with the owners, I feel it’s important to share a more informed perspective. The Korean couple running this location are not random franchisees, they were among the original founders of Burnin Mouth, which opened in Oxnard, California in January 2021. Prior to launching the business, they collaborated with Southern chefs to craft a unique fusion take on classic Southern hot chicken.

It's clear that being people of color in Idaho, especially in their 50s and 60s, has taken a toll. The subtle and not-so-subtle racism they face is disheartening, and it shows. But despite the challenges, they continue to put their hearts into delivering a menu that pays tribute to Southern Tennessee-style cooking with their own twist.

A reviewer named Ed Whitley mentioned the place looking like something out of Cowboy Bebop. That reference is to a Japanese animated show, not Chinese, as some may have assumed and the owners are Korean. It's disappointing how often people judge based on appearances or make cultural generalizations without taking the time to learn the facts.

Now, onto the food.

I ordered the Combo #1, and honestly, I couldn’t even finish it. the portion was huge! What stood out most was the crispiness of the chicken perfectly fried with a great texture on my sandwich. The bun was soft, and the coleslaw inside had that authentic tang that instantly reminded me of my trip to Tennessee.

That said, there’s always room for growth. The fries were okay, but I think they could be crisper and better seasoned. Also, I wasn’t a fan of the hot cheese sauce.. I'd recommend going with the classic comeback sauce instead, which pairs beautifully with the chicken.

Overall, Burnin Mouth is something rare in Idaho. Distinctive, flavorful, and a culturally rich experience. I genuinely hope more Idaho locals give this place a fair shot, not just for the food, but also to show some appreciation and respect for the hardworking owners who’ve brought something special to the community. I truly believe if language barriers weren’t an issue, more people would recognize the quality and passion...

So my experience was a little different because I doordashed my food. My fries weren't all that crispy and were a bit cold. Thats not on them though as moisture always builds up in the box and thats just the price I pay for concenience. Having said that I really enjoyed almost every aspect of my food. The never come back sauce was a little more spicy than flavorful but still something to dip in between more mild bites. The garlic soy sauce added a great neutral taste to a spicy food. My only actual issue that couldn't have been effected by travel was the absolute density of my chicken sandwich. It was cooked perfect don't get me wrong but was just so massively thick it was hard to not get a bite that wasn'tchewy. It was almost frustrating to eat because everything was so good but caught myself having to spit a piece or two out. Overall I think the flavor and everything is there and even though my experience wasn't ideal I could see myself still coming back for an in-person meal.

Update: 7/7/2023

I again doordashed the food, coming back for the same cravings I ordered the same dish and an extra order of fries cause I was starving and work outside for a living.

The chicken was thinner, amazing, everything I wanted before. They even got a better box!

But my fries. MY FRIES. Dry as hell. They must have been reheated they were completely stiff and hollow in both my combo and my extra fry box. Unfortunately this will be the last time I order from here. I may come in for a meal still when I'm not so busy in the summer but for now I'll unfortanely have to shop around other...

My friend wanted to try Korean corndogs at Burnin Mouth so that's what we did today! We were instantly greeted as soon as we walked in! The Asian gentlemen that was working the counter was so nice! He helped us through the menu since it was our first time there. He took our orders and was fun and kind!

My friend and I basically ordered the same thing. We snagged a hot dog corndog with potatoes and a cheese stick in it's original form. These babies came out hot!! They were fried to a perfect golden brown. I started off with the potatoe crusted dog! I dipped that baby in ketchup and mustard, it was so good! I did order some hot cheese thinking it was hot cheese but it's actually hot in spice. It was still good and had a good amount of heat to it. I took a bite of the cheese dog and it had the best cheese pull! I didn't eat much of it cause the potatoe corndog was huge! Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. The gentleman did give us a couple extra sauces to try. He gave us a couple honey packets so i look forward to eating the rest of my cheese dog with the honey.

The venue was big and bright! I noticed they have one of those big garage doors. I can imagine it being a fun spot to hit up during spring and early summer. I have nothing to say but good things about this place! Staff was nice. Food was good. Venue was clean! I look forward to going back and trying the hot...