Howlin' Ray's Hot Chicken - Pasadena — Restaurant in Pasadena

Howlin' Ray's is finally here! Pasadena residents rejoice, for the long awaited arrival of the famous Nashville Hot Chicken restaurant has come to pass.

According to their website the restaurant is open from 11am to 7pm Wednesday thru Sunday. Based on the information posted in the window at the location it appears that all ordering is done online in advance through Postmates.

Update: Our friend met us at the restaurant and her postmates wasn't working. She was able to order in person.

We will be treating ourselves to some hot chicken in the next couple of days and I will update this review after that. I just wanted to jump in and get the word out to my foodie friends about the opening of Howlin' Ray's at 296 Allen Ave in Pasadena.

Update: WARNING!!! First time customers need to know that if you order anything above mild you are actually doing a spice challenge. According to the chef owner there is ghost pepper in the Medium spice level. Even more ghost pepper in Medium Plus. That is around a million on the Scoville Scale! For comparison a jalapeño is around five thousand

We ordered The Sando at Medium and the tenders at Medium Plus. We did not know at the time about the presence of Ghost Pepper.

The first bite of The Sando was shocking! "Feel the burn" it says on the menu next to Medium. FALSE ADVERTISING!!! That sandwich was the hottest thing that I have ever eaten. I was sweating.

Needless to say, I didn't have a single bite of the tenders. My wife likes hot spice level in real life so she tackled the tenders. She was sweating and struggling to finish. She said it was around as hot as the Korean spicy noodles that were a popular trending food challenge a few years ago.

I'm a medium spice guy in real life. In the real world I enjoy Mexican, Indian, etc. at medium spice. This chef is playing a huge practical joke on the uninitiated. He seems to live in a world all his own where Medium is hot enough to melt your face off. He literally said in an interview, "Try Howlin' Plus if you want to ruin your day."

That's enough about the heat. How were the components? Amazing! So so so good! The chicken breast was enormous. It was almost twice the size of the bun as you can see in my photos. The breading was very crispy and coated in deliciously flavorful spice powder. Yes, the flavor was good, it was the heat that got me. The bun, slaw, and pickles were top shelf. You can easily appreciate that this sandwich was created by an accomplished chef. It's well worth the price.

It only took 15-20 minutes from the time we placed our order until we had it in hand a little after 6pm on a Wednesday. Not sure how long this short wait time will last since the original location is known for long lines. We will definitely be going back to try the Mild as soon as the trauma from the heat of the first try wears off.

So, do yourself a favor and give this extra spicy...

Twas my first time at Howlin' Ray's and WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!

I was working at an infusion center where I was interacting with cancer patients who are parked in a chair for hours & hours receiving various IV drugs that day and it was weighing on me so coming into a restaurant bumping great tunes and being greeted by extremely friendly staff was not only a surprise but a real treat; I felt so turned around and knew I was in the right place.

I ordered the Sando 2.0 with the HOT spice level, the shake fries and opted for the sparkling water they have on tap, yes you read that correctly, ITS on TAP🤯! My friendly Howlin' Ray's constituent behind the register warned me that the HOT seasoning is made of Ghost Pepper and Habanero which is going to make the further details of the story a bit better😁. I found a spot in the sun outside and just started mauling this sandwich like a bear does to a lost hiker on a cold winter day and then.... BOOM💥💣💥that spice hit me hella hard🤜💥🫨😵‍💫😵😭🥵.

First the Sando's quality was top-notch outside of the spice level that I clearly made the mistake of ordering, that was my bad😬. Otherwise, I loved the thin bun, how insanely juicy the inside of the chicken was, the sweet mustard sauce was 100% money and paquilla peppers along with the bacon was a perfectly constructed culinary delight.

The spice, that spice THO was having me sweating like I was being chased by a ghost that was making very real threats and tearing up like I just got broken up with by the love of 17 year old life on Senior Prom night so much so, I got up for that delicious tap sparkling water like 6 times, using mad ketchup on the fries needlessly because the fries DON'T need it and had the staff asking me, "are you okay?"; big 🗣️shout out to Steven and Allison for their dedicated hospitality for real✊...I felt truly supported on my journey lol. They were absolute sweethearts and genuine folks; anyone would be blessed to work alongside them. To wrap this up, I couldn't finish it so like a true glutton for pain, I got a box and I am about to embark on this rollercoaster ride again...send HELP🚨🚒🧑‍🚒. Nah nah I'll be okay, I got LifeAlert.

So with that being said, you are guaranteed to have a full on (+) experience no matter what happens... Howlin' Rays has got your back so get out there, explore the territory and take a chance or play it safe; the choice is...

This review is from a visit on 01/21/2023.

After waiting approximately 40 minutes after arrival and ending up at the front of the line, the atmosphere is incredible with music playing and just good vibes all around the city of Pasadena where this Howlin' Ray's is located in.

Now at the front of the line, two staff members could assist the next available person, depending on how busy the line is, one staff member is at the register and the other staff is handling a mobile handheld register for cashless transactions. The welcoming from the staff member taking our order was top-notch as it can make first-timers and even regulars feel special every time.

For my party of 2, we ordered The Sando (medium spice level) and an item from the restaurant's secret menu (you can find the secret menu by googling it). The item we ordered was called Mario-style fries with a mild spice level (thanks to the staff member for confirming that there is a secret menu after asking).

After finding a table to sit at since we had the order for Dine-In, the staff members were nice when it came to asking if they preferred to bring us our order themselves. When they brought our order, they provided us with an extra side of wings, which was surprising and nice of them, as I never received any of this amazing service at any other food place I have been to.

After taking a bite of the Sando, I was amazed at how flavorful the chicken breast was while maintaining a medium heat level. I also tried the Mario-style fries and enjoyed all the flavors provided within the fries (the pickle, cheese, crunchy fries, flavorful chicken, and the delicious comeback sauce). The wings were also flavorful, but juicy and tasted like chicken I have not tasted anywhere else. The Sweet Tea Peach Chiller is a must-try as well but get a cup of ice to dilute the sweetness of the beverage.

Overall, the atmosphere, quickness & greatness of service, and amazing staff that is provided here at Howlin' Ray's are beyond amazing, and adding how delicious their food was for my visit, is the reason for the...