Ryan K.
Yelp
overall, i had high hopes for this place and while i was met with very friendly and helpful staff i had a few things to note.
for the fried chicken sandwich, i found the meat to be a bit dense and therefore dry, perhaps not the right term for it, but i did find myself wishing that it was a bit more crispy and juicy.
i did order almost the hottest level and was fairly warned that the hottest level was a no-refunds extreme heat experience-- so shying away from that i went one level down and found that the spice level was not even enough to prick my tongue (this is subjective as i would say i'm 8/10 good with spice and i enjoy somewhat spicy foods)
i found the price to also be a bit high for what i got, even though the size of the burger's patty was fair, i still would consider it a touch expensive at $14 at the time (when a few blocks away you can get a better chicken sandwhich over at burger & kabob hut in udistrict in my humble opinion for $8)
however, i do think that the flavors of the burger were present and the exterior was well seasoned and with that said, i do genuinely think that this type of fried chicken sandwich may suit some people's tastes as the spot has to be highly rated for a reason.
speaking to the mac, i came here primarily because i was craving good mac n cheese in the area and was recommended this spot. overall, i did find the mac to be good and at a reasonable price! it was seasoned well and had a unique flavor. it tasted quite good and the touch of acidity from the kimchi added a nice depth of flavor to the mac and cheese. definitely a highlight of my meal and at a reasonable price for the portion size!
finally, not at all a fault of the restaurants, but this spot is tucked away in the right half of an establishment that's shared with "rachel's ginger beer", honestly, i was a little confused where to line up when walking in and seating is a bit limited because the seats for rachel's ginger beer are typically reserved and the spot stays decently packed. i walked down to the shake shack to enjoy my meal in a nice air conditioned spot LOL.
overall, i feel like i was a bit harsh with my review, but my takeaway is genuinely just that i wasn't blown away by the chicken sandwhich in terms of texture or spice level, and a lot of that could have been me setting my expectations too high.
the mac however was excellent and definitely deserves a try! great seasoning and value there.
overall: 7.25/10
taste (burger): 6/10
taste (mac): 9/10
price (burger): 7/10
price (mac): 9.5/10
going to round down to 3 stars for now, but i'm happy to give this place another shot, i had a pleasant experience overall with ordering, the wait time despite the crowd, and the presentation of my food. definitely would come back for the mac and to try the max spice level on the chicken sandwhich -- or perhaps to try their chicken and other menu items outside of the sandwich format :)