Chicky Sandos is comin’ in hot.
Known since 2020 for serving up Nashville-inspired hot chicken from its unassuming white food truck, the eatery is now cooking up something new. It has plans to move into its first brick-and-mortar as early as this month. Chicky Sandos will take over the former Kolache Kitchen on Jefferson Highway, bringing the addition of a drive-thru window, a dining area, a few fresh menu options and more consistent hours.
“(The brick-and-mortar) is kind of like the next step,” says Sameer Abudyak, one of the founders. “It’s like the next level of Chicky Sandos, where we can keep on seeing where we go with it.”
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Prior to dreaming up plans for the brick-and-mortar, the mobile restaurant popped up in different spots around Baton Rouge before eventually settling into its regular spot on Airline Highway near Total Offroad & More. It drew fans to the parking lot with a small-but-intentional menu of hot chicken dishes, including sandwiches, tenders and loaded fries, during select lunch and dinner hours.
“I’m glad everyone loves all the different flavors and tastes that we provide them,” Abudyak says.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen fried chicken newbies experience quick growth in Baton Rouge.
Vic Smith and his partner Derrick Revish opened the first brick-and-mortar for their Empire Wingz concept back in 2016. But, the brand officially started a few years earlier, when Revish dished out wings outside of Smith’s club, Empire, to boost drink sales.
Today, Empire Wingz has three locations and a food truck. It maintains a simple menu of wings, sauce-covered fries and a fruit punch, both named after Smith’s sons. The wings are seasoned before frying, building flavor before adding sauces or dry rubs.
Smith tells 225 he has plans to expand Empire Wingz into other states like Tennessee and Texas in the next few years.
“People would come to the club just for the wings,” Smith recalls. “We had already built a brand, and a lot of people already knew about us and were in love with our wings. So, expansion is just putting it near more people.”
BR isn’t burnt out on fried chicken
Of course, fried chicken is all over restaurant menus in Baton Rouge. But, new establishments specializing specifically in slinging spinoffs of spicy sandwiches, tender platters and saucy wings have proven the Capital Region can’t get enough.
Clutch City Cluckers
159 W. State St.
This Texas-based food truck popped up in January 2024 near LSU’s North Gates with a menu full of saucy and cheesy chicken sandwiches, crispy tender baskets, sugary shakes and more.
Come prepared to eat—the truck doesn’t skimp on its dishes. Think: tacos drenched in the brand’s signature Cluck It Sauce, or fried chicken pieces sandwiched between waffles or two grilled cheeses. clutchcitycluckers.com
Big Chicken
1717 River Road
Former pro-basketball player Shaquille O’Neal founded Big Chicken in 2018, fusing trendy tastes with recipes reminiscent of his childhood. The menu features sandwiches with flavors like Nashville hot and buffalo along with popcorn chicken, chicken salads, Cheez-It-crusted mac and cheese, and more. The brand now has locations around the country, with its first Louisiana eatery debuting last August inside The Queen Baton Rouge. bigchicken.com
KOK Wings and Things
1509 Government St., Building D
Get lost in the sauce on Government Street courtesy of KOK Wings and Things. The Lafayette-born restaurant opened its doors in Baton Rouge back in May 2023. From sweet or spicy to saucy or dry rubbed, KOK boasts an assortment of flavor options to customize your wing plate. Add more “things” to your order like sliders, sauce-drizzled fries and more. eatkok.com
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Valley Wings
Multiple locations
Whether you like your wings traditional or boneless, Valley Wings has you covered with both options and a variety of dry rubs and wet sauces to douse them with. The wing joint opened in 2020, bringing a menu rounded out with chicken tenders, loaded fries and a few appetizers. valleywingschicken.com
This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue of 225 magazine.