S/T Hooligans — Restaurant in Seattle

Traveled an hour to try " best rated chicken sandwich in Seattle" and I have to say that being underwhelmed is an understatement. This is one of the worst chicken sandwiches I've had in a while. I'm not kidding. The meat kind of smells, there's not much flavor, it's not even spicy. I also had awesome chicken entree which has chicken tenders with some side salads. It was on the same level as the sandwich. I really have to say it was almost nasty food. I can't believe this has such high reputation. What a waste of $40 ouch.

1/20/25 - Update and response to owners comment to my original review posted on 1/19/25

Here’s a sharper and more assertive version of your response that will hold the owner accountable while calling out their behavior:

It’s unfortunate that instead of addressing my honest experience with your food, you’ve chosen to insult my integrity and deflect responsibility. Let me clarify a few things: I didn’t claim your restaurant officially markets itself as having “the best fried chicken sandwich in Seattle.” However, I specifically traveled based on glowing reviews making that claim. Furthermore, as seen in my photos, you prominently advertise “Voted Best Fried Chicken in Washington State 2020” on your signage and website. You dismissed my reference to chicken tenders, but the dish I ordered—your Awesome Fried Chicken Entree—contained a chicken breast, which was bland, unpleasant, and not remotely up to the hype. To quote directly from your website: "Awesome Fried Chicken (entree): Voted Best Fried Chicken in Washington State 2020 by Insider/Yelp. Young/tender chicken (thigh, drumstick, boneless breast), buttermilk brined, spiced flour dredged, creamy slaw, mac salad, spicy honey. Fried to order. May take 15 to 20 minutes."

So yes, I referenced the dish correctly, and my experience with it was exactly as described in my review. To further support my claim, I’m including screenshots of your website. Your response, implying I’m part of some fabricated “review-removal scheme” and dismissing valid criticism with a casual “Lol,” says far more about your professionalism than it does about me. If this is how you handle genuine feedback, I can see why others might have reservations about your reputation.

My review is based on an authentic and highly disappointing experience. I was genuinely excited to try what you boast as “Seattle’s voted best fried chicken,” only to find it far from deserving of such acclaim. To address your baseless insinuations, I’m also including a bank statement to confirm my visit and purchase.

Instead of attacking customers, you’d do better to focus on improving your food and customer service. Responding with insults, denial, and arrogance only embarrasses you further—and it’s clear your high ratings might not reflect reality as much as your hostility toward honest feedback. I'll also include a screenshot of your response, in case you choose to...

Close your eyes......imagine the aromas of Cajun spice, smokey sweet BBQ, bourbon, wood smoke.

This is S/T Hooligans!

Flavors from the south, refined and perfected. I absolutely LOVE this place. You cannot get this type of food, done this well, anywhere else in this state. I am forever a regular to this place. I started with the Dolores cocktail, made with their own in house fermented cranberry brew, and my second cocktail was their champagne margarita made with their citrus blend house fermented brew. The fermented fruit brews here are sooooo good! They also do a fermented Ginger brew for dark and stormys! Jalapeño cheddar hush puppies served in a bowl of warm liquid honey were so effing good. Next I had the Cajun Muscles.....and let me tell you, they were so good that I ended up getting half the Cajun broth in my shoes!! That's how sloppy I got while eating them on the patio. The Gumbo tasted just like it's made in the South. The BBQ brisket sammich was a perfect mariment of sweet, tangy and a touch spicy without making you sweat, just a tickle. Combined with the creamy slaw on a toasted baguette was just incredible. Their WINGS!!! Perfectly crispy and smothered in their house Nashville style hot sauce, phenomenal. Last I had the bread pudding with, I believe bourbon caramel sauce. It was beyond decadent. Fluffy and packed with flavor but not too heavy.

The owner Rodel, (spelling?) Is very humble admist outstanding skills in the kitchen, all recipes are original and his and he's always improving on them. He personally and proudly served my partner and i himself the entire time and was happy to make conversation about food and kitchen life. Where he came from and where he's been and how he came to open S/T Hooligans. I would be surprised if Rodel (spelling?) Did not have an accolade within the next year. As a former chef myself, I can honestly say I've been very pleasantly surprised by his food. Such a great experience. The staff there are friendly and knowledgeable as well.

Everyday that you don't eat here, is a travesty! Get your butt to one of their outdoor patio tables. I'll definitely be back very soon

Update on 8/2022: I see a lot of one star reviews from mask wearing mouth breathers just looking to drag a place down. They should be ashamed of themselves. If you aren't comfortable being out in public then use the contact less delivery or pick up options, instead of whining like a child and throwing an internet tantrum from the safety of...

Food-wise, this place is really nice! Their weekend brunch includes things like the Picadillo, which was incredibly filling, and is probably one of my favorite items on their brunch menu. They also have Chicken and Waffles on the weekends, and the chicken fried chicken from that good, crispy breading, with juicy meat. The waffles on it were also nice, being soft and rather flavorful (whereas in most places, the waffle in the chicken and waffles are kind of just there). My overall favorite item here is probably the Fried Chicken plate that they serve on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, for similar reasons to why I liked the chicken from their Chicken and Waffles. It comes with spicy honey on the side, which is a great plus!

I still need to try more of their desserts, but I've sampled their bread pudding, and I've also been very happy about it. It's got a slightly crispy exterior, but a soft and warm interior, and is rather sweet (but I didn't find it was too sweet). Again, this is just a sample, but I've heard others say great things about their other desserts (ex, the Coconut Tiramisu), and I look forward to trying more of those in the future.

The service here at S/T Hooligans is also eager top notch. From the first day I visited, I noticed the workers here (which have mostly been Steve and owner Rodell every time I've visited) immediately tried to make me feel comfortable, asking me things like how my day was, discussing biking (they noticed I biked to the place), and if I was a local, and such. They've given me good suggestions on what things on their menu I should try out, and what they personally liked, and why, which really helped me with my decision making. I've also noticed that they still remembered who I was in subsequent visits since, which is definitely a nice touch. In fact, even during my first visit, when I accidently paid without tipping (I continued on their Square or Square-like device without entering tip info), they seemed cool with it when I brought it up, which really surprised me (of course, I paid back the intended tip for that first visit in my subsequent visits). Overall, the staff is honest and friendly, and you can't help but root for their success.

Definitely check this place out! I hope they continue to stay in the neighborhood...