Daniel B.
Yelp
I went to Scoville Hot Chicken to see what all the hype was about and I've got to say, this place is worth it. The restaurant's Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich is phenomenal. Multiple people have asked me how it compares to Hattie B's and this is my answer: Hattie B's is good. Scoville is great. I was impressed.
At the time of writing this review, I think Scoville's hot chicken sandwich is the best chicken sandwich in Atlanta, hands down. They only sell hot chicken sandwiches and chicken tenders (the tenders are new as of March 21, 2021). They perfected the sandwich and I think it is going to win a lot of awards in the coming years. The future is bright for this brand if they can keep the quality up and the operation running as smoothly as it has been.
This location opened in December 2020 on Roswell Road in Sandy Springs ITP (inside the perimeter). It's in the Belle Isle Square shopping plaza and faces Roswell Road along with other restaurants, Crab404, Bangkok Thyme, and Cibo e Beve. A second Atlanta location opened March 11, 2021 in Buckhead. There's a location in Athens and one planned for New York too.
Scoville's physical restaurant space in Sandy Springs is small. At the time of my visit, the restaurant was set up primarily as a takeout joint. Inside, seating was very limited. There was no outside seating. Due to the popularity of this place, I think this particular configuration is a smart idea given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Crowds of people are going to gather here anyway, so the more the business can do to spread customers out, the better. It looked like they did pretty much all they could do by removing a substantial amount of seating. Fortunately, their product does well in takeout form.
In person, you order using one of two touchscreens on the wall. I recommend ordering and paying using your phone by going to https://scovillechicken.com/. This reduces wait time at the restaurant standing in line to order and then waiting for your order. I placed my order when I was about 10 minutes away from the restaurant -- I think that's the way to go. When I arrived, they were finishing up packing my order, so the timing was ideal. They have a pickup counter along with shelves where they place orders ready for pickup.
This was the entire menu, a good value:
Food
* Scoville Combo - hot chicken sandwich with fries - $10.00
* Hot chicken sandwich - $8.00
* Chicken Tenders - $10.00
* Fries - $3.00
* Slaw - $2.00
Drinks
* Stubborn Soda (self-serve fountain drinks) - $2.50
* Sweet/unsweet tea - $2.00
* Fresh-squeezed strawberry lemonade - $4.00
The hot chicken sandwich comes in six spice levels:
* Not spicy
* Chill
* Medium
* Hot
* Extra hot
* Reaper
I ordered one combo, an additional hot chicken sandwich by itself, and coleslaw. I wanted to try a couple different spice levels, so I got one sandwich "Hot" and the other "Chill." I also requested some "Reaper seasoning" on the side so I could adjust the heat and also try the spice by itself.
As a spicy food lover, I thought "Hot" was enjoyably hot. I did add Reaper seasoning to my "Hot" sandwich for extra heat and it was quite enjoyable for me (perhaps I turned it into "Extra hot"). It's a slow heat that builds and burns. I'm not sure I'd order the "Reaper" spice level for enjoyment's sake. That's more of a novelty or challenge-type spice level, not for most people to actually enjoy a meal. The "Chill" was akin to a Chick-fil-A spicy chicken sandwich spice level.
As for what makes the sandwich so delicious, it's the ingredients: a *thick* (perhaps pumped with steroids?), very well-seasoned, tender and moist chicken fillet; crunchy, refreshing slaw and plentiful, fresh pickles on top, savory "Comeback sauce" on bottom, and a sturdy, generously-buttered bun. I asked the server what's in Scoville's Comeback sauce and she told me ketchup, mayo, and mustard. At the volume they pump these suckers out, they maintain the quality. The result is a well-crafted, high-quality, filling, and supremely-satisfying chicken sandwich that bursts with flavor, richness, and delight in every bite. It's intense and extremely yummy.
The sandwiches were outstanding not only in taste, but also in presentation. The staff does a nice job "plating" the sandwiches in wrap and boxing them up for takeout. They've thought everything through.
I do recommend getting the combo because the fries are a nice accompaniment. They're crinkle-cut, crispy, and are topped with the same Reaper seasoning that's used on the chicken. Be sure to get the "Scoville Fry Sauce" which is garlic aioli. It's money and packs a tasty punch of its own.
This place has already been running like a well-oiled machine out of the gate.
As has been reported in the AJC and What Now Atlanta, Scoville Hot Chicken is owned by Justin Lim, who also owns the highly-rated Sandy Springs ramen restaurant Okiboru (also on Roswell Road, but OTP - outside the perimeter)