The Most Flavorful Chicken Shop in Washington

Don Pollo

★★★★☆ 3.8 (66) • $

"Live like there'll be no tomorrowPut this in your mouth and then swallowWhen in Silver SpringThere is only one thingTo eat: chicken and sauce from Don Pollo!First there was Don Quixote, Don Corleone, and Don Henley. Now there is Don Pollo.My notes say - pretty yummy chicken, cheap, not bad at all, sauces were just fine, service friendly.Considering that it is one of the less heralded places for Peruvian chicken in the area, it was actually pretty impressive. Definitely more Salvadoran than it is Peruvian, but absolutely worth your time, and they were pretty friendly as well which was an added bonus.So if you're driving by, Pollo-ver to the side and try this out."

Mister Rotisserie

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (35)

"A DC institution, even after a fire that burned it down lol, Mister Rotisserie is the place that is ever reliable. Where else can you get a rotisserie chicken - at 3 AM?"

Super Chicken

★★★★☆ 3.9 (295) • $

"loved the chickens! but it tends to dry if you get them at the end of the day. so be sure you get it right before lunch hour or right before dinner hour."

M.A.S.H Eatery

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (279) • $$

"Shrimp fajita grits and whiting with Mac/cheese were ordered. The service was great! Inside, there was a sign stating that they had recently painted so part of the lobby was blocked off with limited seating available to dine. The food was less than ok with the exception of the fish which my son said was excellent. It is not somewhere I'll visit in the future."

Via

★★★★★ 4.7 (12) • $

"This place is AWESOME. I went with a group of seven last weekend, and we were all smitten. Pizza + Rotisserie Chicken?! Vibe - The vibe is different - in the neatest way. A couple of us commented that it felt like we were in a different city - NYC, Phila, maybe? I loved the music. It was fun, 80's-ish, and pop-y.Food - Yum! The three bonafide foodies in the group were stoked. They admired the kitchen equipment (pizza stove, etc.), which is apparently exceptionally high quality. The true carnivore of the set was delighted by the chicken. Everyone enjoyed the yuca fries. The pizza was the big hit -  delicious with a magical crust and lots of cool topics. (As the lone vegetarian, I was totally happy.) Price - Great. Go! Enjoy yourself!"

Krazi Chick

★★★★☆ 3.8 (6)

"I have had their wings and chicken sandwiches on various occasions... the most notable one being when I took the wings to a Super Bowl party and everybody was raving about every single flavor. I mixed up both mild and spicy options. More often though, I get the chicken sandwich -- if I am going to have one, of course I'll support a small local biz rather than a fast food joint. If you don't already know, this is part of a virtual kitchen called Virtual X Kitchen, and they offer several other concepts as well. Previously, you could only order online through their site or app -- but now you can order in person on a tablet! But you will have to wait around... there's an arcade cabinet you can play.Anyways, I love their chicken wings and their chicken sandwiches. And it's such a win that they have plant-based wings too, and they give a disclaimer about which sauces aren't vegan. I love the sweet red chili, mango habanero, tikka masala, and tandoori wings. And be sure you try the Masala Chick sandwich."

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

★★★★☆ 3.6 (17)

"It's raising canes why would it be receiving only three stars? Let me tell you, I went in the second day they were open and I'm not sure if it was because they were packed and in a rush to get orders out but the canes did not hit like it has at other locations. It lacked the intense crunch that is expected from canes and the fries and Texas toast were also not as good as I have had previously. Those who work at canes though are very friendly and accommodating as I visited when I was in voice rest so was unable to speak and they were very patient with me and made sure I was listened to when I had to communicate via text to speech app. The interior is nicely done with upgraded amenities like their soda machines. It has a modern feel to it and lots of windows bring great light into the place. I would return to see if they improved with their food or not."

Wooboi Hot Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.3 (282) • $$

"I can't believe I loved it! We had a chicken sandwich with coleslaw and a grilled chicken with rice and salad. The breading was spot on, crispy and juicy chicken. The spice level 2 is just a mild zing, the 3 was also not too spicy. The waffle fries only come in one size and it's perfect to share."

China King V

★★★☆☆ 3 (107) • $

"The food is so so good! They don't deliver to my address as I am outside their zone but I don't mind picking it up because it is that good! Best Chinese food I think I have ever had!"

Honeymoon Chicken

★★★★☆ 4 (519) • $$

"A friend and I bopped in here after an event we'd attended after seeing other patrons with the food bag. Located on the corner of Upshur and Georgia Ave in Petworth, it's super easy to spot! Upon our arrival, the dining area was full (all booths were taken) but the bar area was open so we sat there. It was both of our first times being there so we didn't know what to expect. The hostess didn't really provide any instruction or even ask us if this was our first time dining there. She just told us that it was ok for us to sit at the bar. Once we sat down, we were immediately greeted by someone else who provided us with water. At that point, my friend grabbed 2 menus from the hostess stand (the same one who didn't say anything) and we browsed the menu. Again, by it being our first time there, we were expecting someone to come to us for our order. It wasn't until one of the employees prepping the meals told us to use the QR code to order that we did. Ordering was super easy and very convenient. The process was honestly one of my favorites. It had every option and add-on option clearly spelled out. Because I wanted a leg and wing, I ordered the 3 piece meal. Each meal comes with 2 dinner rolls and I added the Mac and cheese! The chicken was piping hot when we received it (which wasn't going after ordering! It was juicy and crispy. The honey dust also to add extra flavor! Next time I go, I will try one of the honey drizzles (which is an up charge FYI)The Mac and cheese was not the best I've had but was pretty standard for what you're expecting. It was good, though. I wanted to try the potato wedges but decided against it. The dinner rolls...my favorite part of the meal! Overall, I'd give Honeymoon a 3.5 to 4 out of 5 stars! Service can be improved ESPECIALLY for first timers. Never assume someone knows your policy and the hostess could've been a little friendlier. Everyone else in the establishment was great! And after the chicken cooked a bit, it could noticeably have used a tad more seasoning but again, the honey dust or other honey options really does enhance the taste! I'd go back to try something else for sure!"

Silvestre Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.4 (11)

"I can't believe that this pace has no reviews! I swear I wrote a review about a year ago, but I could be wrong. This is your local Peruvian chicken spot. I stumbled upon it one morning a while back and had breakfast. Today I had a quarter piece of chicken with black beans and plantains for around $8! Everything was good. I especially love the Peruvian sauces that they give you to accompany your chicken. You can tell they are having some problems during the pandemic, but they have staff on hand and food ready. I didn't see a lot of people going in and out for the 22 minutes I was there. I was actually the only customer. It was lunch time on a Thursday. I hope they make it because their food is pretty consistent."

Esperanza

★★★★☆ 3.8 (9)

"First shout out to the service! Everyone was so friendly and kind! Even after taking our order! They also answered all of our questions without pause! The portions were enough to have some now and later! The chicken was juice, the rice was fresh and the beans were flavorful! Will definitely be back again!"

Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken - Annandale

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (19)

"This was my wife's and I first time trying Hangry Joes! This is also a brand new location in Alexandria / Annandale area off of Little River Turnpike and we have to say first impressions WE LOVED THE INSIDE of the restaurant it new, it live, it's interesting and even put some of our favorite DC skyline in there too! This is a new building in the area and it was easy to get to and into the parking lot too! Getting your order in is easy as the have two digital kiosk's to place your order with an easy to navigate digital menu, they accept all forms of payment from Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, CC and debit cards. We were able to navigate the while menu and place our order in about 5-6 minutes since it was our first time we think that was great! Now the food first impressions IT SMELLS AMAZING! Like fresh fried chicken and the spices are WOW top it off with a lot of flavor. My wife and I got the 24 piece with in mild and lemon pepper, funnel fries, fries and fried okra! This was a great combination of flavors and WOW the mild has a lot of zing to it! Nice and spicy and IT CAN GET HOTTER they have a lot of levels of spice to offer from ghost pepper, habanero, hot and even down to just a bell pepper level hot. It is definitely a wide choice of flavors! The funnel fries are WOW just like funnel cake! Delicious and crispy for sure the season fries and fried okra is a great compliment to the chicken and they even give a little bit of sauces to go with the chicken DEFINITELY use the sauce to cover the chicken it is worth it! So if you're looking for something new in Alexandria / Annandale area this place is a MUST try! My wife and I will definitely be back soon :)"

bb.q Chicken Virginia Square

★★★★☆ 4.3 (78) • $$

"This Korean fried chicken spot is a solid cheat-day pick! I ordered the half-and-half whole chicken (original and hot spicy). They cut the breast into wing-sized pieces, which I didn't mind. The original was my favorite--crispy, juicy, and perfectly cooked. The hot spicy had good flavor but didn't win me over as much. The cheese ddeok-bokki was indulgent and packed with salty, sweet, spicy, cheesy goodness--definitely a comfort food splurge. I didn't care too much for the side radish but its radish. A whole chicken easily feeds 2-4 people. I was stuffed after just three pieces and some ddeok-bokki."

Chi Mc Chicken & Beer

★★★★★ 4.7 (118) • $$

"I think I found my favorite Chi Mc location!We came here for an early dinner, and we ordered:+Tteokbokki - while the dduks were soft and chewy and the sauce was creamy, this was just way too spicy for me!+Japchae - super oily and greasy, this was just okay in flavors; the hubs enjoyed this, but we wouldn't order this again+a medium order of wings - we opted for the soy garlic flavor, requesting extra sauce; the batter/coating was so much better, and the soy garlic flavor was on point - the wings were prepared perfectly, it was crispy, and the sizes of the wings were great!Service was friendly and pretty efficient, considering that there were many call-aheads and to-go orders.Note that the wings are made-to-order, and ours took about 35 minutes, as quoted.Plenty of seating inside, and the place is clean and well-kept.Located in the plaza off of Beulah, next to Matsui, there's parking available; it can get filled up quickly, though!+soy garlic wings+friendly service+parking available"

Hot Lola’s

★★★★☆ 4.1 (499) • $$

"So I have been hearing about this spot from both friends and co-workers for the longest time now. I decided to give it a try and man oh man was I in for a treat! I ordered the hot lola's chicken sandwich with waffle fries, a yuzu lemonade, and the spice level that I chose was 'OG HOT'. The spice level was just right and not too spicy (more detail on this later).This location is in the middle of a mall eatery, so the ambiance is very hustle and bustling. You order from touch screens and once your order is done and paid for, the staff works their magic. A few minutes later, my meal was called out by my name! The yuzu lemonade was delicious! Super refreshing and it had a natural feel/taste to it. The fries were golden crispy and coupled with the ketchup they had a nice rich and soothing feel with each and every bite! Yum! The chicken sandwich was comforting and juicy! The heat, coupled with the slaw and brioche bun! My goodness! Do not get me started! This meal was so delicious and also filling!Check this place out! Cheers to good eats!"

Little Chicken

★★★★☆ 3.5 (66)

"After taking in one of the museums in the area, we decided to walk to the Wharf to eat. We decided to give this place a try and it did not disappoint! You get plenty of food and it tastes good. A definite must try and don't forget to get the cornbread! The only con is that they are short on staff so you have to be patient with the service.Overall, we'll be back!"

The Rub Chicken & Beer

★★★★☆ 4 (296) • $$

"After walking in the neighborhood, I decided to drop in to The Rub for a bite to eat before heading back to NY. I had the entire place to myself, that's never happened before but I truly enjoyed it. The gentleman that took my order was very nice and friendly. He hails from Long Island and we both gave each other a high five after he mentioned that. I love the ambiance of this place because it's peaceful and unhurried. The restaurant has a casual vibe as well. This location houses two businesses, The Rub Chicken & Beer and Hen Quarter. The Rub is on the lower level and Hen Quarter is on the upper level. Now let me delve into the food review. I ordered The Fricken chicken sandwich, fries, and a lemonade. I also added bacon and avocado to my sandwich as suggested by my server. It truly was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed eating my sandwich very much. The fries were amazing which were sprinkled with a little paprika, yummy goodness! Overall, I'm pleased that I made the decision to dine at the Rub. Next time, I'm in the area or passing through Virginia, I will stop by and grab some food."

Getti’s Island Spyce

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (69)

"Excellent food here. Quick and good sized portions. Have had the jerk chicken often and it's always great."

Chi Mc Chicken & Beer

★★★★★ 4.7 (47) • $$

"Chi Mc has finally arrived in Centreville! I didn't have the opportunity to try out their Chantilly location, sadly, so i'm glad that they found a new spot. This location takes over the old TapEx/Heo Tea spot in the Centreville Square II shopping plaza. The fried chicken is SO crunchy and flavorful! It came out piping hot and fresh. I got the medium order of drums and wings with half soy, half spicy. Spicy was my favorite. It was more than enough for two people. I also ordered the mandu which was crispy (pan fried) and served with a delicious sauce. The ambiance of this place is nice -- not too loud, and with a lot of tables. Service was great. I can't really say anything more than, it's great there is another tasty KFC joint in Centreville!"

Raising Cane’s

★★★★☆ 3.5 (21)

"I have fond memories of the Charlottesville Raising Canes being the spot to go to "back in my day" so it was cool to hear they were opening up one so close to me. As far as this new location, it is in Seven Corners so traffic can be a little stressful in the area, but once you get there, parking was easy to get. There was a line out the door when I arrived but it was just bad timing on my part cause the line moved super quick with the option to use two kiosks OR order with three different people. There was also a greeter who was helping move the line along. While I knew what I was getting into, it is worth mentioning for newbies that this place ONLY serves chicken tenders. There are no burgers, only tenders. There are no hot dogs, only tenders. Even the "chicken sandwich" is tenders on bun. So best to know that you want chicken tenders when coming here! Because they specialize in one thing, service is quick and food is out to you fresh. Don't forget to ask for extra canes sauce! My friends were all fans of the iced tea, by i prefer lemonade, both worth a try!My group and I hung out for a bit and the staff was super friendly and even helped clean up some of our trash even though we were supposed to bus our own table."

Young Chow Cafe Centreville

★★★★☆ 4 (129) • $$

"We were out and decided we wanted Chinese food and found this spot so stopped over. The owner, great. So friendly and while we waited for our food, we noticed she knew everyone coming in! We asked to alter our meals a bit and she said SURE! She was more than happy to accommodate to make the customer happy. Such great customer service and food was delicious. Well be back."

Khans Halal

★★★★★ 4.9 (17)

"Finally tried this place after noticing it the last time I stopped at 7-11. Ordered online and picked it up right when it said it was ready. Food was hot and fresh. I got a smash burger and seasoned fries. Burger was really good. Lots of flavor! Only thing was that the cocktail sauce was pretty spicy. So make sure you like spicy or ask for the sauce on the side. I will definitely come back to try the fried chicken sandwich which looks so amazing and if it's anything like the burger it will be!Service was very friendly! Happy to have found this place so close to home!"

Legends Chicken & Waffles

★★★★☆ 4.1 (214) • $

"Lamb bowl omg! Sooo good. The wings are awesome, wish they weren't so small. This local shop has the best fried chicken, Mac and cheese, and the lamb bowls are phenomenal! Get the mumbo sauce on the side like a true native! Legends for a reason!"

Village Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.1 (200) • $

"$9.99 for lunch. This included wing/breast or leg/thigh + rice and beans + salad + 3 sauces + pita bread + drink. This deal is great.It tasted good. My child loved it."

Super Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.2 (90)

"Love the decor in here and the food is always amazing! I prefer picking up or eating at the restaurant than getting it delivered through one of the service apps. The food tastes more fresh and you get the good pieces! You can never go wrong getting the classics- 1/2 chicken dark meat, lomo and yuca for the side."

Firewok

★★★★☆ 3.8 (84)

"The food here was amazing! It is a little pricey but worth every penny if you ask me. Great service and lots of options. Shrimp w walnuts was amazing and my favorite. Also got shumai , shrimp tempura, and carmalized chicken, everything was so good and tender! Yum! This was great after hiking best asian fusion ive ever been to, deserves better reviews!"

Chickn Broth

★★★★★ 4.7 (48)

"First time at Chick'n Broth and pleasant surprise. The place rocks modern interior vibes. The chicken pho is so rich and flavorful it elevates comfort food to the next level. We also ordered tender beef which came macaroni and a fried egg. Is the pasta super? Let me put it this way. It's something we used to eat at home or on the streets in the Philippines and for that reason, the macaroni reunites you with flavors you grew up as a child. The beef is seared, yet very tender and oozes with flavors. And for this, Chick'n Broth gets my 5 stars because I'm coming back. And to think I haven't even tasted their well reviewed crispy fried chicken. Oh, I also saw appetizing fried rice on the next table. Until the next visit!"

Ooh Dat Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.1 (102) • $

"It's no easy decision opening a food truck just a week after new regulations are added that finally force customers to pay taxes on your sales, along with the cooling temperatures outside...and if my decline of mobile eatery mentions is any indication the sun has set on the first peak of the DC food truck scene that lasted a good two years before its eventual decline. Nevertheless, there are still some pioneers out there coming up with new truck ideas that DC hasn't yet seen and actually executing them well. Ooh Dat Chicken Truck is one of those few, hitting the market at the beginning of the fall season with beautiful rotisserie roasted chickens and a nice assortment of side dishes.I had to walk home on Friday during lunch to take my "shared custody" dog Bocuse out for a walk, since I was watching her over the weekend and never know what she'll get into when I'm not around, when I happened to spot this truck with its crazy paneling reminiscent of a juiced up Virginia Tech "Hokie" bird. It was definitely a new one for me in a park usually filled with familiar offerings, so I sauntered over was shocked to find a couple dozen succulent looking birds spinning on their rotisserie oven. I was sold at the sight of them. They might not have the intoxicated charcoal smokey smell as the Peruvian joints that dot this area, but they had a really nice glaze, alluding to a flavorful skin with moist meat underneath.Normally I wouldn't have given a second thought to ordering the half a chicken, but since I had to walk up 14th Street while eating I figured I should stick to the quarter to make the container slightly more manageable. The size of the chicken provided could certainly be more generous, but it wasn't so small that it's worth knocking much in rating. I did appreciate the fact that their meal comes with two sides as well (for a total around $7.50 after tax), helping people at least have the option of eating slightly healthier options than just a lot of meat in a bun (which if you do want you can happily get at the Carnivore truck).The chicken lived up to my expectations and was pleasantly juicy inside, although I did expect just a bit more kick from the flavor of the skin, given their mention of Aji peppers and cumin in the spice rub. The roasted corn also didn't have much of the poblano flavor that was advertised, but the potato salad was a surprising hit. The creaminess was just right, and even though it had raw onions (which I normally hate) they didn't overpower the flavor at all.The guys operating the truck were incredibly nice and not pushy at all considering they had just opened. I really like the freshness of the food here and to give it some sort of comparison, imagine the food that Boston Market produces except actually done well, and for less, and that should give you a good starting point. Thankfully they also accept credit cards, so those new tax laws shouldn't have you worried about carrying around a lot of unnecessary pocket change after ordering here."

Tasty Chicken Box

★★★★★ 4.6 (61)

"Stopped in for a late lunch/early dinner. I got the chicken platter with rice and vegetables. They give you a lot of food which is nice. Definitely going to get a few meals out of it. The chicken has a great flavor. I'm not sure what is in the sauce but it's good. I also got a side of hummus which was tasty but they only give you half a pita. Had to pay extra for more and it was very cold and kind of stale. Also would have liked more of the vegetables to mix in with the chicken and rice. Overall though it was good."

Hangry Joe's Hot Chicken - Rockville

★★★★☆ 3.9 (55)

"Hangry Joe's is another fried chicken joint. Mostly chicken fingers but you can also get a "sando" or sandwich (I learn new lingo everyday). Basically fingers and fries. These are different fingers though -- the breading I believe has a sort of Korean-ish taste to it, with varying degrees of heat from none to volcano. Not my favorite but I won't downgrade a rating just because I personally don't like the flavors. It is good. My buddy loves it.One huge plus -- these are all cooked to-order so it was amazingly fresh --- and HOT. We actually had to sit back and stare at our food for a couple of minute before we could eat to let it cool down a bit.We ordered at a small kiosk and in a few minutes the waitstaff brought our food.This place is great if you like chicken fingers with a different flair. I don't know if I'll go again, but I know my buddy will."

Spin Pollo

★★★★☆ 4.2 (83) • $$

"I pass by this spot all the time and the smells finally won me over! The chicken is cooked to perfection! I got a 1/4 dark and it was some of the juiciest I've ever had. I thought it might be just because they had just opened up for the day but I went back the next day at a later time and the chicken was just as fresh. The yuca is delicious here and seems like they always have some fresh out of the fryer. The sauces are all tasty and I can't pick a favorite. This place is the real deal! I'll be back soon"

Chicken Bar Peruvian Cuisine

★★★★☆ 4.3 (3)

"This place is a great family businessYesterday I tried one of their new desserts:suspiro de limeña!It's like the best cookie dough mixed with lemonYumm"

Silver and Sons BBQ

★★★★☆ 4.2 (5)

"So happy Silver has opened a storefront in my backyard! Great BBQ and much more. The team is friendly and happy!"

Spin Pollo

★★★★☆ 4.3 (228) • $$

"Let's just dive in...Pros:- DELICIOUS FOOD- I've have the chicken, yuca, white rice, black beans, plantains, and yuquita balls. The chicken is juicy and seasoned so well, grocery stores try their best with rotisseries chicken and as good as it is, it just doesn't compare. The yuca was perfectly crisp even though they were larger. Usually I don't even order yuca, because restaurants never make them crispy enough. The black beans were super flavorful, I could eat them all day. The plantains are perfectly sweet. The show stopper is the yuquita balls, mashed yuca stuffed with cheese (maybe Oaxacan or mozzarella), then battered (I believe) and fried. Whew! Just amazing and it comes with an aioli that's not spicy but slightly sweet and it's just TOO GOOD!- They sell frozen treats as well.- There are 3 diff sauces: white, red, and green. All of them are good. I'm not sure if the red sauce is supposed to be spicy, but it's not spicy to me at all. The green sauce has an acidic base which is a good compliment to the flavorful meal especially if you get any of the fried items. Cons:- small eating area inside, but that's to be expected of a Peruvian chicken place. Get your food and go home to enjoy it so you can eat messy and be free! Suggestions:- Order food for your next work event from here with their catering options, you will not be disappointed at all and your team will love you.- There's a Kingstowne location as well, visit them if it's closer."