When it comes to chicken, everyone has their favorite spot. Some people care about spice, while others care about crispiness and texture. Justin Goldsack, Brady Sadano, and myself, compared 2 extremely popular spicy and crispy chicken locations. The locations were Namkeen and Hangry Joes.
First up, we had Namkeen. The hot chicken restaurant is found in Chatham New Jersey. Namkeen was founded by husband-and-wife team Usman Chaudhry and Amena Chaudhri on October 30, 2020. Namkeen is historically known for blending Nashville-style hot chicken with Pakistani flavors.
During our food review for Namkeen, the chicken was definitely the highlight of the meal. It had a strong crunch and good crispy texture that made each bite enjoyable. The flavor was above average overall, and the sauce that came with the chicken was a solid kick. However, the fries were disappointing. They arrived cold and soggy, which hurt the overall meal because they lacked the crispiness and freshness you would expect from a hot chicken restaurant.
Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken was founded in Virginia in 2021 by entrepreneurs Derek Cha and Mike Kim. The restaurant was created after the two owners visited popular Nashville style hot chicken restaurants around the country and wanted to create their own version with bold flavors and different spice levels. The chain quickly became popular because of his crispy chicken sandwiches, seasoned fries, and also for their sauce. Since opening its first location, Hangry Joe’s has expanded rapidly across the United States and even internationally, becoming one of the fastest growing Hot Chicken franchises.
During our food review for Hangry Joe’s, the food stood out immediately as the better overall meal. The chicken portions were noticeably larger, and the chicken itself was juicier, crispier, and more flavorful than one from Namkeen. The fries were also much better because they were hot, crispy, and well seasoned instead of soggy or cold. Overall, angry Joe’s delivered a more satisfying meal and clearly earned the higher rating between the two restaurants.
After reviewing both Namkeen and Hangry Joe’s hot chicken, we agreed that hungry Joe’s was a stronger restaurant overall. While Namkeen had a solid chicken with a good crisp and flavor, the disappointing fries and smaller portions hurt the experience. Hangry Joe’s separated itself with larger portions, crispier fries, and more flavorful chicken that made the meal feel complete from start to finish. In the end, both restaurants offered quality hot chicken, but hangry Joe’s clearly delivered the better overall meal and earned our recommendation.