HCK Hot Chicken — Restaurant in Sarasota

ive finally met my match.

this was the first meal ive ever had to stop eating because it was too hot, and it wasnt even the hottest sauce they have.

and dont take this lightly, im a spice fiend. i used to drink straight out of the bottle of tobasco at school because i like the taste. for an entire year i ate the samyang hot chicken ramen that was used in viral challenges every day for lunch, sometimes enjoying the 2x spicy version as well. i made a salsa with 10+ habaneros in it and it was medium to me heat-wise.

i came here first after a shift at work to bring it home with me. i got a sandwich in just the base sauce, since i would have rather gone too low than gone too high my first go around. the sandwich was really good, however, i couldnt really guage for myself how much i truly liked the chicken because the coleslaw was too creamy for me, but thats a matter of personal preference. (if you like creamier slaws, it was a great slaw. i just hate creamy stuff lol) the cream of the slaw covered up the taste of the sauce for me, but what i did taste wasn't much as far as spice goes.

tonight, i decided to try it again, and, having just tried the base sauce and found it too weak, i decided i'd bump it up. i still try to be cautious, as i want to eat my dinner. the main four sauces were the base, after burner, angry hot, and medic sauces. after burner is habanero, and, frankly, im not usually a fan of habanero sauces, so i figured angry hot would be safe but still good and hot for me.

i was so, so wrong.

i actually began to cry it was so hot, and that has never happened to me before in my life. so that was a shock on its own. my guts are screaming at me as i type this, which also has never happened to me.

i guess as an overall review, id TLDR it with this: dont get cocky with the sauces. the spice curve ramps up immensely quickly.

for specifics:

the chicken itself, both times, was excellent. the breading is delicious and it usually comes with plenty of sauce coating it, though im always a fan of extra. its well cooked, juicy and meaty, as any good chicken should be.

the fries are really good, too. im a long-time fan of zaxbys seasoned fries, and these were similar if not better simply because they're heavily seasoned. though i think i prefer zaxbys seasoning itself a bit more.

the waffles are excellent: after being unable to eat most of my boneless wings i crammed some side waffle down my gullet and enjoyed every moment of it.

the 'good' sauce is actually quite good, though again, through personal preference, i dont like creamy foods and sauces, but i did try it just in case.

same as above goes for the coleslaw: a good, crisp slaw with some flavor, but super creamy and not my cup of tea.

5 stars for quality and service, certainly. anything i docked here isn't because it was objectively bad, some people just prefer things certain ways and that doesnt make the food bad.

footnotes: chicken ✓ fries ✓ waffles ✓ slaw and good sauce ✓...

We just had to rave about our recent experience at HCK Hot Chicken! From the moment we walked in, everything was fantastic. The cashier was incredibly friendly and helpful, especially considering it was our first visit. He patiently answered all our questions and even surprised the kids with free drinks! Now, onto the main event - the food!

We opted for the classic chicken sandwich with the base flavor (perfect for those who like a little heat but not fire) and the boneless chicken wings from the kids' menu. Both dishes were absolutely delicious! The chicken itself was perfectly cooked - crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The flavor was incredible, a delicious blend of spices that had us wanting more.

But let's talk about the real stars of the show: their signature GOOD sauce and the krinkle-cut fries! The GOOD sauce is a revelation. It adds a creamy, tangy layer that perfectly complements the heat of the chicken. We found ourselves dipping everything in it - the chicken, the fries, even the napkins (just kidding... mostly). The krinkle-cut fries with their house seasoning were another revelation. Perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, they were the ideal salty companion to the flavorful chicken.

Overall, HCK Hot Chicken was a total win. The combination of incredibly flavorful food (seriously, that GOOD sauce!), friendly service, and delicious sides made for a fantastic lunch. We'll definitely be back soon to try some of their hotter options and highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for a delicious and fun...

I live just a couple streets from Bahia Vista, so when I drove by and saw this I was pretty excited. There's been a lot of restaurants that have come in and out of that space, but I really hope this one stays.

For a lot of reasons, I don't like Chick-Fil-A. Both on flavor and ethical grounds, and this place absolutely blows them out of the water. I had their Nashville Chicken Sandwich Meal (with Base Sauce, since I never know what level of spice restaurants start at). And the flavor was incredible. The chicken was perfectly cooked, the breading was crispy, and they didn't overdue it on the sauce. The fries were so well seasoned I didn't even need ketchup.

I definitely will try the After Burner sauce next time, though, as the Base Sauce only has a mild warm aftertaste, no real heat to it. My only real note is I hope that they eventually offer other bread options, maybe something a little thicker/heartier that can stand up to the sauces and not get soggy quite as fast. It made the sandwich a little more difficult to eat near the end of it.

I saw someone else complaining about the prices and I don't really understand. $10 for a very well made sandwich to order isn't all that unreasonable, especially considering this is such a small chain. I'd rather pay $10 here for something that tastes good and is well made, than $10 for a chicken sandwich meal at McDonald's that comes with fries/drink and tastes like cardboard.

TLDR: Great food, very nice staff, food was made to order. Wish they had more bread options. I'll definitely be back to try that...