Baba's Hot Chicken

Love the riverside food lab location. Great restaurants to choose from. Perfect for foodies. My son wanted to try Babas because he loves hot chicken. He got the tenders combo in medium with macaroni. He said the tenders were juicy, crispy, and well seasoned. The Mac and cheese on the other hand was bland and very processed and chemically testing. Did not taste fresh and homemade at all. He said he would only get chicken next time 😕

The food court area where Baba’s is, is really cool. So many options. The chicken was very good. High quality & juicy. I tried medium & hot. They were pleasant and not annoyingly spicy. Crinkle cut fries were great too. The sauces they gave with the tenders didn’t have much flavor or my mouth was on fire and I didn’t taste em.

I ordered a chicken sandwich combo, they ask what level of heat and I said medium. If I went back I would probably go up one heat level. The sandwich was good absolutely worth repeating. The French fries were perfectly average, absolutely nothing special. I really enjoyed the Food Lab, it was easy and provided plenty of seating for my group of about 40 people.

Always awesome service with matching good taste. Definitely recommend anyone that has any doubt about this place to come in and discover true authentic flavor in every bite. Update: I come here at least twice a week to get my chicken fix. These sandwiches are to damn good and I hope everybody gets to try them atleast once 7/17/25

First time at the food lab. Great location. Had a few restaurants inside. Baba’s called out to me. Stood in line. Ordered. Got the loaded Fries with chicken and sauces. It was messy but really good. They ask which spice level you want. There is communal seating. In other words tables set up between the restaurants and open seating for multiple parties to share the spaces from the different dining establishments.

Was super excited to try this place out after driving for 8 hours just to find out that it was not good at all. Super disappointed considering all the advertisement the entire fries combo with chicken was covered in slaw and felt like just a pile of slaw mixed with idk what and couldn’t even taste the chicken. The presentation felt like it was just thrown together and was no where to sit and eat either. Super disappointed considering how good it looked, definitely won’t be going back. The chicken itself was just average.

We ate at Babas hot chicken today and it was delicious. The chicken was seasoned perfectly. My child ate every last bite. Friendly staff. Highly recommend.

Chicken has middle eastern seasoning (cumin, thyme and?) with okay crunch. Soggy buns. Earthy taste. We got medium heat. Crinkle cut fires was tasty and memorable of the meal. Community seating not for me. Bench not comfortable very narrow. Seating by design forces you not sit too long and move along. Expected bigger chicken sandwich when getting the two chicken tenders sandwich. $18 combo. Overall chicken sandwich was not memorable.

Employee was very nice and helpfull. Pros: large portion of fries and chicken. The mild heat level is great flavor, fries were cheesy. I would probably eat here again as food was pretty good. Im just mentioning everything 100% the way i experianced as always. Worth the try. I came to the ricerside food lab on friday night and it was starting to get busy. But i sat out side and there was just one other person. Cons: Very pricey, and they no ponger do the mac on cheese fries like advertised on socials. also ranch is bottled not made in house. the slaw iant slaw at ALL, its just cabbage and a few sloces of jalapeño. There is absolutely no dressing mayo or vinegar in it at all. Just dry canbage. If you get the mac separate and a drink my order was $28.

For a late night chicken spot, this spot is good. Dont go out expecting some memorable hot chicken because mine wasnt. I cant say much about the service because I ordered through a screen. It even asked me for a tip?! For what? You have provided no service to me? I dont ever get that? Is the tip for the people making the food? Thats part of their job. A tip is for service, by using a computer screen you have eliminated the service part of it. The ambiance at the food lab is always nice, people hanging out talking, laughing, eating and drinking. I order the hot flavored chicken but it was not hot at all, it didnt even look as hot and spicy as my friends 2 piece hot chicken. So they probably gave me the wrong flavor, but I wasnt about to wait 10more minutes for a new order. My sandwhich itself was ok. Nothing to rave about. Its hard to mess up a chicken sandwich. Would i come back to this place? No, ive had better hot chicken at other places. The crinkle cut fries were pretty good with great flavor on them, maybe because they cook them in the same oil as the hot chicken.

I ordered at the kiosk and it was pretty crowded. You can also order at the cashier. I would've liked a confirmation text because I kept wondering if I entered my phone number wrong. I got myself a combo with mac and cheese. My sandwich was hot and had extra coleslaw. It took a bit over 10 minutes to get my order ready. The sandwich was massive - one of the biggest I've seen. The mac and cheese was very creamy but a bit bland. The sandwich had a sauce that tasted a lot like ranch. Even though I ordered 'hot,' the sandwich was not that spicy. It has a very good crunch but the breading started to fall off easily. The sandwich is very wide and flat, but not tall. I think it was very smart of them to place two tenders instead of one big patty. Overall I liked the sandwich and it has a pretty good form. The only improvement I would like is to dial in the flavor a bit more.

I've had Baba's mac and cheese before and I'm a huge fan. When I saw the loaded mac and cheese on the secret menu, I decided to swing by the Food Lab to try it. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I wasn't super impressed with the portion. It looked like about the same amount in a side of Mac and cheese, with less than one chicken tender chopped up on top. I was hoping for some more protein for the price. I also asked for extra slaw but didn't get any, which was whatever but it added a little to the feeling that the dish was a tad skimpy. The mac and cheese itself was really good, and I enjoyed the loaded toppings. But considering how much more it costs than the normal cup of mac, I didn't feel it was worth it. Service was friendly but my order took about 20 minutes to come out, even though the place wasn't very busy at the time. I'll probably stick to their classic sandwiches and just get a side of mac next time.

The food is very delicious and just the right amount of spicy. The sourdough grilled cheese is my #1 favorite and I always order it, I don't even like grilled cheese that much, it's THAT GOOD. The mac and cheese is very filling and good, the chicken sandwhich definetly packs a punch of flavor and spice, very very VERY delicious. 9.5/10 Would recommend.

Overall, I enjoyed Baba's Hot Chicken but unfortunately it wasn't able to dethrone my favorite hot chicken spot. Located in the Riverside Food Lab, Baba's offers chicken sandwiches, Strips, and even fried bone in chicken with a great assortment of sides. The service is good and price is on par with other restaurants in the food lab. I ordered the Baba's Chicken Sandwich Combo that comes with the Sandwich, one side (I chose crinkle fries), and a fountain drink. The sandwich itself is big and has two chicken tenders inside. Although the chicken is good, It was a bit awkward to eat as the two strips just wanted to fall out of the bun. I have a preference to another spot I won't name that opts for two smaller sandwiches in their combo than one as it is much easier to eat. The chicken also comes in different heat levels, I ordered the medium and expected something a bit spicier, still good just not what I was expecting. The fries were really good and was a good portion, arguably these are better than other hot chicken spots I've been to. I really like that you can add a side of bone-in chicken thigh and/or a drumstick with your order. Only problem is the two times I've been they haven't been ready and would have been a lengthy wait. Overall I think Baba's is worth the try but is not something I would continue to bring myself to the food lab to try.

Ordered online. Meal was not ready at the requested time and still waited about 10 minutes. Did not notice until after I checked out that a 20% gratuity was automatically added! (Turns out the tip defaults to 20% unless you change it). Was surprised that two combos totaled almost $50. I've had Baba's before, in which the chicken spice level is adjusted to your preference; fries are crinkle cut and good when you eat them right away. I tried the fried pickles for the first time, which had a $2 upcharge. These were delicious but the breading falls off which each bite.

The food looks nothing like the instagram/tiktok pages unfortunately. The bun is toooo dry for a sandwich that has no moisture. The sandwich needs more pickles, more coleslaw, & more sauce. If they are charging Dave's Hot chicken prices it should at least be just as good.

Delicious blend of flavors & great customer service! Friendly fresh & fast. I love the food lab, so creative & fun. Even kiosk ordering at Baba's Kudos!

Back again, this time everything was amazing! I took my whole family here, everyone loved everything! The hot sandwich which we got in mild was great, the fries were cooked well, and the loaded fries which everyone loves the most. The service was super quick even though there was a long line. If there were food that is ready, just ask if that's for your name because it is always so loud in there, so it's hard to hear your name get called. Also, if you guys want to come here and see a long line at the cashier, you can order at the SELF-SERVICE MACHINE which located at the left side and also it's only using card. No one seems to notice that it's available for people to use. Overall, it's really great! Don't forget to try the loaded fries, it was so good!

Best chicken sandwich in the Cali!! Well seasoned, good sized portions and great service! An absolute MUST TRY at the food lab no doubt. Since they opened it's been a struggle to order on the phone or website.. DoorDash is okay sometimes but nothing beats going in person it's much better eating it hot so be sure to keep that in mind. The Mac & cheese is a little plain all cheese no seasonings could do with some improvements but nonetheless great sandwiches and loaded fries every time.

Horrible... went on 11/29/25, waited 45 minutes for my order. A meal for a tender combo for my daughter. When I finally asked, they couldn't find my ticket. turns out they had my ticket behind another ticket, didn't seem to care.

I was in the area with a friend and we decided to stop by the Food Lab. I ordered the loaded fries which is truly an entire meal on its own. It's very typical counter service so I wouldn't expect much in that regard, but the food was very filling and it did come loaded with chicken. I would eat here again.

Food was good. Average price. Typical service. Good for a quick bite. Convenient to be inside the food court thing. It's busy and hot inside but there's plenty of outside seating. Everyone can go grab the different spot they want to eat at and sit outside together. Convenient.

Chicken is amazing, their loaded fries & loaded mac is very filling. Baba's is so worth it and may be my favorite at the food lab

3.5 stars (rounded up because vibes) We stopped by this spot inside the Riverside Food Lab, which is definitely on the darker side--ambiance-wise, not shady vibes or anything. Just giving a heads-up in case you're into brighter dining scenes. First off, shoutout to them for being open on Easter! That was a nice surprise. But let's talk service... it was kind of "hands-off." The two workers seemed mostly focused on cooking, which I get--but it meant nobody was really managing the front or calling out names when food was ready. We had to walk up after waiting awkwardly, thirsty and confused, because they didn't give us our drinks or even let us know our order was ready. Now, food-wise? The loaded fries were a win--huge portion, totally sharable, and actually seasoned well. The chicken had a great crunch and solid flavor too. But... if we're comparing to the king, Dave's Hot Chicken, it just didn't hit the same. My husband ordered the hot sandwich and said it wasn't nearly as spicy as expected, and no one had him sign the "spicy waiver," which Dave's is known for. Missed opportunity to add a little drama, honestly. All in all--it's not a bad spot. I'd eat here again, especially if I was already in the area. It just didn't dethrone my OG go-to. Still worth a try if you're looking to switch it up or avoid long lines elsewhere.

A popular food stall in the array of options at the Riverside Food Lab, Baba's provides a short and sweet menu of hot chicken sandwiches and appetizers. Being inside the food court makes the ambiance and "cool" factor elevated by default. Would highly recommend the place in general to brings friends for a good time, however parking can be a nightmare during busy times. I can't complain about the service as it was speedy. They had my food out in minutes! I got the hot sandwich combo in medium fearing the multiple flames advertised in the menu. A soda and appetizer was included for which I got fried pickles. Psyching myself for a peptic ulcer-inducing good time, it wasn't really spicy at all! I wish I ordered the hot or extreme heat levels. The flavor was nice and chicken tenders were very juicy. The coleslaw is a relatively controversial topping on chicken sandwiches but I thought it was well done here and provided a refreshingly cool crunch. The fried pickles were surprisingly large and abundant. The coating on them was thick and seasoned well. Overall, a solid offering. I can't wait to experiment more in the lab!

Man, that was a good chicken sandwich. I got the 'medium' spicy level and it was flavorful with a little spice. The coleslaw was great, and their sauce and honey combo is great. The only better chicken I've ever had was at Hattie B's in Nashville. If you like chicken sandwiches, get one here, it's great. The server was very nice and the ambiance was decent considering it was a glorified food court.

What a delicious deal! I got the sandwich combo with the loaded fries as the side and the fries themselves are a complete meal, they're so huge. The nacho cheese on them is so flavorful. The sandwich was super tasty as well. I got "hot" and it was quite spicy. The counter was kept clean and the staff was very friendly. Definitely would visit again.

Food was great but the customer service needs much improvement. Young lady didn't even pack my food in a bag just handed it to me and my order wasn't even complete. Other than that it's yummy

Best Hot chicken sandwich I've ever had. Also the staff were super friendly and quick. Highly recommend if you in the Downtown Riverside area.

Worst customer service ever. I waited in line and when it was my turn the worker didn't even look up at me or greet me. when i came back to ask if my order was ready, everyone avoided eye contact with anyone coming up to the counter. when i finally got someone's attention, i asked if anyone had called the name "***" he ignored me the first time then when i repeated my question, he looked up at me with a very annoyed face and said "uhh i don't know" then proceeded to walk away from the register. did not bother helping at all. another girl came up to me later and gave me my order (that was ready for a while ). she walked away so fast, i had to get her attention again to ask for a sauce and honey. they lack customer service. if you hate your job, find a new one. no need to be rude towards your customers.

Fast and good service. Large portion of baba fries. Unique and good taste. A little expensive for fries but they were loaded with chicken and cabbage. Was worth a try.

Baba's Hot Chicken is located in the Food Lab at Riverside - it's one of many options, so beware those with option paralysis! I ordered the sandwich with tenders, which comes with a side of your choice. We had a relatively big group (~6), but our orders were out in 10 minutes! The portions were huge.. I usually don't say this, but I didn't even finish my fries. The fries were just crunchy enough, and delicious paired with sauce. I also thought the chicken sandwich was pretty good! If you're coming with a group, just be aware that there isn't much seating here.

No words but to say delicious! Crispy French fries, the chicken well done and just an overall great food experience.

Hot chicken sandwiches with varying heat levels. Service is great, with a great casual place to dine.

overall score: D order: loaded fries i would never get this item again as it was almost disgusting to eat.. after a few bites i got sick of it. there was way too much fries compared to the chicken. i basically finished my chicken on my first bites. not to mention, the price was insane. service: ordered on a kisok and food came out fairly quick. ambiance: located inside food labs and there was plenty of seating.

Baba's Chicken in Riverside! Well seasoned chicken and a great size, I loved the flavor and it was definitely one of the best hot chicken tenders Our meal came with "bread" or "toast" but it was genuinely just a random piece of white bread not toasted or anything. Chicken: 8.5/10 Bread: 5/10 Would try other items in the future!! The service was very fast, we went on a busy holiday and we still got our food pretty quickly. Located in the food lab, can walk around downtown or chill in the outdoor or indoor seating.

Bomb sandwiches, great deals! Definitely check it out 10/10 recommended Loaded fries 10/10

Slow service. Very slow. Slow slow slow slow slow. You will wait 40 minutes to an hour easily for a sandwich and a fries.

They have great service nice and friendly ! I would totally recommend if you're in the DTR area! 10/10

Food is good, I've just had better When it comes to a hot chicken place I prefer a place that gives you lots of sauce and just has more flavor in general Fries were pretty solid but expected more from the sandwich. The fried pickles were a bit of a miss for me too. But still solid if you just really like hot chicken

Riverside food lab does not disappoint, I love coming down to Riverside for Baba's Chicken for the service the food and the atmosphere. The menu has a variety of different options and combos I always like getting the Baba's sandwich combo which includes a sandwich, one side and a drink. The sandwich which you can chose the level of heat you'd prefer it to be from classic, medium, hot and extreme, I personally go with hot the amount of heat you get from the chicken does not mute all other flavors in the sandwich which includes coleslaw, pickles and Baba's special sauce the amount of seasonings that are used to make the chicken are simply amazing. The mac an cheese to go with it makes the combo even better but personally it is Hands Down best Spicy Chicken Sandwich in the Inland Empire!!! Be sure to check them out on your next visit!!!.

DELICIOUS! I cant express enough how much I enjoyed my spicy chicken sandwich from Babas! I didn't want to commit to a normal sized sandwich mostly since it was my first time so I went with their Mini Baba with fries. Other than the chicken to bun ratio being off(more bun than chicken) it was the tastiest spicy chicken sandwich I've had in a while. Baba's is located inside "The Food Lab" so it's bustling with people eating all kinds of food. If you're lucky (and it's busy) you may eventually find a table to sit at otherwise you may just be looking around. My bf and I did not risk it, once we saw a seat we sat down and made sure to have one of us sitting there at all times. Once we sat down we really were able to appreciate the inside. The vibes inside are cool! Anyway, before we sat down we ordered our sandwiches. Service from the employee wasn't the best. She seemed like she was trying real hard to avoid any kind of extra convo other than ordering. And since there were only 2 workers (cook and cashier) she kept on leaving the front to package food so that delayed our ordering some more. Once we ordered we were told we'd get a text when our food is ready. Cool! We got a text right away and then we ate. And again, it was great! I wasn't expecting it to be so good; it was so good my bf and I went back to order their regular sized baba to go for later. Though we got our food the first time pretty quickly the same could not be said for our second order. We waited such a long time! There was an anime convention down the way so maybe that elongated the wait some more but honestly it was worth it. Not only was the sandwich good but also their Mac n cheese. That was so good too! I'm super glad I live right down the way from Riverside because I have a feeling I'll be coming back for some more Babas soon!

I honestly was excited to eat here again. I felt like I could trust this location, but no I got the mini meal that includes the chicken strip. When I seen the food it look like the picture but when I dissected my food I noticed that I only had the crust of the chicken strip and not the actual full chicken strip that I paid and was promised. It's honestly ridiculous because I know y'all sell quality food. I think it's your cooks who prepare the food preferably Monday @6:20pm. And I think it all comes down to is people don't respect other people. People are asshole and feel like it's funny to play with people's money.

First time here and the customer service was great! Thank you Jocelyn, for your kind customer service. The food was great, just enough spice and flavor. Definitely recommend coming here!

I come here maybe every few months since I live further away but man this place is delicious!! They added these loaded fries a while ago to their menu and I'm obsessed!!! Their sauce is so flavorful and thick, they added some nacho cheese with some pickles, chicken and fries. It's so filling!! The staff is always so nice even when they are busy with a long line. They are always sure to give me extra sauce too. It's in the Riverside food lab so it's very busy inside but typically clean and all the restaurants inside are colorful and vibrant. Nice place to come with friends and enjoy the atmosphere.

ALL of food at Baba is scrumptious and leaves you wanting more, be far my favorite place at the Food Lab. If you haven't checked it out then you're missing out, come in a try a bite. You'll be glad you did, and the customer service is always great too. Wish I could give this place ten starts!

Daniel at Babas Chicken is THAT guy. From the minute we walked in, he had the vibe right--friendly, quick with recommendations, and on point with the details. The chicken came out crispy outside, juicy inside, perfectly seasoned, and the sauces slapped (try the honey hot + ranch combo). He checked on us without hovering, kept the line moving, and made the whole spot feel welcoming. If you pull up to Bubba's, ask for Daniel--he'll turn a good meal into a favorite spot.

Me and my boyfriend tried this out last night & when we got there to pick up we only saw two employees handling online and in person orders. We were notified our online order is ready but When we came to pick up the girl working there told us it's not put together yet. Once we came back home we realized they forgot to include our loaded fries, ranch and Utensils so we were both annoyed about that. Chicken sandwiches were great and tasty, but just wish this place had a better system because we weren't the only ppl who had issues with either their order or had other ppl waiting. SO we will try again hopefully it's a lot more organized or fully staffed lol

Great hot chicken. Medium is plenty hot for me. : D There are 3 more levels of heat above. Fast service. Small take out vibe.

Okay okay, Soooo i know i said cluck chicken was my faves chicken but man oh man after having baba's the second time, THIS PLACE TAKES THE CAKE. carbs galoreeee, chicken sandwich, mac & cheese with their well done crispy fries. their ranch is super good idk i have an obsession with really good ranch. I love the riverside food lab it's so cool inside & how they have bars in the vicinity as well. The gentleman was a good cashier cause he recommended the spice level for my sandwich .

Food is fresh, spicy, hot and fast. Great food, with a great taste. Portion was generous.

Door dash order came with missing drink and no sauces even though I paid for extra sauces. Food was cold as well. Terrible quality and I will not be ordering from here again

Cant complain about the food taste, it was good. Giving it a low rating overall because customer service is not great. The girl with pink hair was so rude!! Also, we asked for NO coleslaw in our food and they still added it. Can't even follow simple directions

It was the kiddo's birthday so before a trip to the Game Lab, so I thought giving the Riverside Food Lab a try was in order. We were originally looking for a restaurant that is not there anymore. But thanks to the nice selection of eateries, there were still places she wanted to try. After a lap around the area, she decided on Baba's Hot Chicken. Baba's located between Bricks and Birch and Fufu's. You can't miss it. Baba's can also get pretty busy. A good sign IMO. I ordered the Baba's Hot Chicken sandwich with Fries and the kiddo got the chicken tender combo with Mac and Cheese. I can tell you that much like every other restaurant nowadays, it was not cheap. $42 (I did add a tip) for two meals with drinks. After about 10-15 minute wait we were ready to dig in. The sandwich was really tasty. A soft bun filled with chicken and some cole slaw and slathered in Baba's sauce. Ask for extra napkins because wow the sauce is all over the place lol. Very messy sandwich. The fries are crinkle cuts and they give you a nice portion. The kiddo enjoyed her tenders even if the mild was spicy to her SMH. So would I come back to Baba's Hot Chicken? Yes. The meals were tasty and although pricey, you aren't going to leave hungry. Service was friendly and the food was fresh. If you're going to visit the Food Lab, this place is worth your time.

Awesome place great food, super friendly people, stormyy was super helpful and super clean spot place rocks so hard

Stormee service was as great as her name!! Definitely coming back! Oh and chicken was bomb too!

Stopped at Baba's while visiting family and we were all really satisfied. The menu isn't huge, you can basically get chicken tenders, or you can get tenders on a sandwich. We all got sandwiches of one size or another, and they were darn tasty. The medium had a little less kick than I would expect from Nashville hot chicken, but it was just right for my parents. My one complaint is that there was a little too much dry seasoning on the chicken. The fries were a hit, and the Mac-n-cheese was pretty tasty, really creamy and velveeta-y lol. This place is also located in a little food court type thing with several different restaurant options, so if you're with a group that can't decide where to go, this is a great option!