Made to trek out to this location for my second time and was just as blown away by the quality of food and service as the first time years back. I ordered the standard mild chicken sandwich and a side of fries. The portions are massive which I appreciate as someone who can eat a ton of food. The fries were nicely seasoned, crispy on the outside, and hot/fluffy on the inside. The chicken was crispy, tender, juicy, and thick. I tried a lot of hot chicken in Nashville and Howlin' Rays blows all of it out of the water. read more

Howlin' Ray's - Mild Chicken Sando and Fries - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Still good fried chicken. A lot of customers. The wait will be a little shorter if there is another guy with order remote machine. The order takes about 15 to 20 minutes if you are lucky to avoid lunch crowd. Outdoor seating if you are lucky again. read more

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BEST NASHVILLE CHICKEN I'VE HAD IN CALIFORNIA! Nashville Hot Chicken seems to have popped off recently with numerous restaurants opening up all over the place. However, Howlin' Rays has them all beat in my opinion. They're located in Chinatown and the line is ALWAYS super long, but moves relatively quick (I don't think I've ever waited more than 20 minutes in line honestly) and the staff is always so friendly and playing absolute bangers in the small establishment. The Sando is great for first timers since you can experiment with the heat levels -- the slaw, sauce and bread provide a nice cushion in case you get it too spicy. The tenders are my personal favorite since they're huge and just pure, juicy, delicious chicken. My heat tolerance is pretty good but I opt for the medium and am a little too scared to go any hotter. They do offer samples if you want to try a certain spice level! The fries are also incredible and if you like ranch, then don't miss out on theirs. It's tangy and provides the perfect pairing with the spice of the chicken. Go here, you will not be disappointed! read more

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The hype is deserved! This chicken sando was amazing. I got the X-Hot and he got the Hot. They gave me gloves with the food so I didn't burn myself. It wasn't as spicy as I thought it would be but the hot was spicy for him, who is more sensitive to heat. The fries were FABULOUS. As was the lemonade. We waited in line for about 50 minutes but once we ordered, it was ready in about 5-10 minutes - super fast. We were able to get a table and the stuff was super nice and helpful with it being our first time. 10/10 recommend read more

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I'm not sure why there's so much hype around this place. It's honestly just a step up from Dave's and that's not saying much. I feel the spices and fries are ok. Definitely nothing memorable. Especially not worth the 20-30 minute wait. I'd rather go to the main chick or crimson coward in Downey read more

Howlin Rays is a really awesome chicken spot in the heart of downtown LA. While there's a bit of a wait the service is phenomenal and they are very welcoming. It has a great energy to the place but could use a bit more seating . If you try any new levels of spice they give you samples so you know what you trying in advance. I got the hot chicken sandwich. And what I like about the hot chicken sandwich is that its level of hot is a good level of heat that doesn't sacrifice any of the flavor. If you're not good with spicy food i would say stick to medium and below. Great experience first time trying it fresh out of the kitchen. Would definitely recommend and go back. read more

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If you are into fried chicken, this place is a must try! The chicken is super juicy and flavorful. I am a spicy food eater and the hot is hot! ai would recommend medium. I like the friendliness of the service here. Alina, I think is the manager came out to check if we enjoyed our food. I will certainly be back! Good service and good quality goods is what i thrive on! The chickens come with a few slices of pickles and 1 slice bread. read more

Howlin' Ray's - medium... wings - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Finally! A Nashville hot chicken sando that's actually hot!!! Thanks tho the guy taking my order who cautioned me about the heat level of the "Howlin'" sandwich, which is evidently 20x hotter than the "Hot" which was plenty hot enough. Super flavorful, juicy, and the mac salad was a great super creamy dill-forward counter point to the hot hot hot chicken. If you like it spicy, cannot recommend highly enough... read more

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Stumbled into Howlin' Ray's downtown while hunting burgers, and man, what a happy accident! Got the Sando--buttery bun, pickles, slaw, and that comeback sauce (pretty sure it's the secret sauce that hooks you). Went with mild flavor for a little kick, and it delivered. I'm not big on chicken sandwich quests (I'm a burger meat snob), but I had to try this. Crunchy, tender, juicy, with just enough spice to wake you up--worth every penny. Then came the wings--huge, meaty monsters! Between the sandwich and wings, the wings stole the show. Hands down some of the best fried chicken I've ever had--that breading's got some kind of magic dust that'll make you howl for more. "Awoooo!" No wonder lines snake around their Pasadena spot--this downtown joint's just as legit. Viral spots can flop, but Howlin' Ray's brings the goods. If you've been on the fence, go now. You won't regret it! read more

Howlin' Ray's - Wings on Wings on Wings - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The chicken tenders are huge. I got 3 medium and 1 hot. I could only eat 2 they are large and hearty The wait was an hour but honestly, the quality was worth it alone. However, the staff are constantly smiling, cracking jokes, polite, personable and the vibe is extremely refreshing. There was ample parking, but we were with Cyclavia and 100's of bikes were parked everywhere it was awesome read more

We waited in line 45 min just to order and another 15 for our food... SO WORTH THE WAIT!!! The staff was bustin' their butt and Ryan was greeting customers, busing tables, and check-in to make sure everyone was satisfied. I'm from out-of-town. I'd come back just for this! Best chicken sandwich ever (explains the line down the walk). The fries are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. They also have my kiddo free banana pudding and extra pickles on the side of her meal because she loves them!!!! Why can't I give more stars 100/5! read more

Howlin' Ray's - Mild Sando - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What a fantastic experience, although I've frequented this establishment a multitude a times, lots of times passes in between my visits. Yet, the enthusiasm of the staff makes it feel brand new each and every time. Ryan, who was the cashier & order taker, was vibrant and full of optimism. Even gave us the waffle and bottled water that we ordered, on the house. The chicken (batter's box) was phenomenal, as usual. Crisp, full of flavor and piping hot!!! Fries, fresh!!!! Even tho the line was long, having so many fellow dodger game attendees kept the vibe high, and the music provided by Howlin' Rays was on point. Can't wait for another venture to LA to get my wings !!!! read more

I loved: Banana Pudding I really liked: Sando Sando 2.0 It's been 5 years since I've been here but damn it's still such #goodeats The chicken is so moist and the flavor profile of the 2.0 has a bit more of a kick. Absolutely worth the 30 minute line that's always here and perfect to grab before a concert at the park. Service here has always been amazing. Super friendly and always going the extra mile. Not a ton of places to sit because of how popular Howlin' Rays is but people tend to eat quick or get stuff for takeout. They used to have counter seating but I assume they got rid of that during covid. read more

Howlin' Ray's - Sando Sando 2.0 Bannana Pudding - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Worth all the hype and then some. The line is always 100 deep for a reason, this is the best spicy chicken sandwich around. I wish i could handle spice a little better, but even the mild and medium back a nice kick. Super friendly staff and the place runs at peak efficiency too. read more

So so tasty. Always a long line out the door about 30-40 min however it was worth. The skin is so crispy and flavorful while the inside of the chicken is juicy and tender. I love this spot for a good chicken tender, thigh or even sandwich read more

My husband had been wanting to try this place for a while after reading an article about it. We went on a Sunday morning & there was a line but not terribly long. There's limited seating so we shared a table with strangers. The first couple we shared the table with told us they had waited over an hour the first time they came & they returned as they liked the food. The second group we shared the table with (they came after the couple left) were on their way to Dodgers stadium. They had heard about this place from someone who lives in Memphis & came to try. The group shared their french fries & fird pickles with us, adding to the feeling of "community" as everyone shared tables & stories. My husband selected "medium" for spiciness but was sweating buckets. Next time, he will choose "mild", which we were told, still has a kick to it. Parking is tough as it's in Chinatown. read more

12/10 Food? Fire Service? Amazing Sauce? Wow. All 3 of them First time here and it exceeded expectations. Every single person that worked there made us feel like family. I don't even like fried chicken and it was unbelievable. Sandwich, tenders and fries were all amazing read more

The first time I had howling rays I thought it was good because I honestly hadn't had a hot chicken sandwich in so long but after eating other hot chicken sandwich's after that experience I have to say it was genuinely one of the best hot chicken sandwiches that I have ever had in my life. For one the chicken is just so flavorful and tender and it had the perfect amount of spice. A lot of places never seem to get either the spice Or texture right. But this place is amazing. I brought my cousins from Canada here and they said to stop feeding them such good food that they are going to have dreams about this sandwich and be sad because they won't be able to get it in Canada. The service is also amazing, the workers all make small talk and genuinely have good customer service skills. I just laugh because they make small talk with every single customer and that sometimes makes the line slower than it needs to be read more

Howlin' Ray's - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Love this place because the chicken sandwich is juicy. The service is amazing and very fast and friendly. Shall be back again.

Worth the wait! All the servers were super nice and very informative of what was on their menu. Be prepared to wait a line but it moves rather quickly so don't let the line deceive you! So here's the kicker if you're full of spice, then go for the hot it's made with ghost pepper and habanero but if you are kind of on the edge of hot versus mild, I would definitely go mild because the mild full of flavor yet still gives you that zinger of spice. We had the Sando and had it mild and that was full of flavor tons of sauce on it. The pickles were crunchy. Just love the sandwich and it's pretty spicy. Just make sure you get the extra sauce with it and you'll be fine with the cavet make sure you have a drink. Seating is very limited. Quick tip - Parking is interesting if you pull in the parking lot right around the corner one there are several free parking spots but if keep going it's $5. read more

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This location always, always has a line no matter what time of day! I purposely planned to get lunch here on a Friday at 1pm to avoid a crazy line, and thankfully the wait wasn't too bad! The customer service knocked me and my of state friends out of the park today! We got an extra (spice free) sando and lemonade on the house. Thank you kindly for the Valentine rose and good vibes! The sando is a classic order 5/5, can't go wrong. The shake fries are AWESOME, I've never gotten them before but the seasoning and crinkle cut are elite. My go-to order is the quarter or half bird, because I love a bone-in thigh. It comes with pickles and toast so you can technically make your own sando. I recommend getting the slaw on the side, I like that it's not mayo-based and the vinegar isn't too forward. I'll pass on the lemonade next time, it tasted a bit metallic probably because it's canned. Otherwise, overall an excellent meal as always! read more

I came here and got their standard chicken sandwich in mild and the flavors were amazing. Mild is definitely comparable to spicy in many other stores. I also got their mac and cheese and coleslaw for the side which were both decent as well. The service was great with everyone being super friendly. The wait is pretty long but I'd say definitely worth it. There's some seats outside but given how many people are there are a bit difficult to get. read more

Howlin' Ray's - Mac and cheese - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Better than Gus', yes, I said it! The only issue, is it's not a restaurant with seating. This is in regard to the chicken, I only had the macaroni salad as a side, it was good, but the chicken was great and the pieces are much larger than Gus'. I got the mild, it had a little heat but the flavor was great. Can't wait to go back! read more

The chicken sandwich was worth it. I didn't care for the "hot" level as I found it to be too overwhelming with chili powder to a point where it changed the texture to mush and it wasn't very spicy just kind of nasty. The chicken tenders were great, mild or medium is fine. Don't bother with the chicken wings, they shouldn't be on the menu as they were very mid. Overall the chicken sandwich is the move. Customer service is good they know what they're doing. Double up on the wet wipes per each person as it gets sticky and messy and there aren't any restrooms. If you can't find a seat at the bench, there are some casual seats on a nearby planter bit in the center. Parking is a paid, but at least it's everywhere. read more

Hubby has bookmarked this place for a while and we have finally tried it this afternoon. It's on the ground floor of a small strip mall in Chinatown. We parked at a tiny lot - $5 all day and walked across the street. I guess if we circle for a bit, we could find a cheaper alternative that is $3 for 2 hours. We got there at 3:30pm on a Thursday afternoon. No line to place our orders. The two outside benches are full of customers chowing down their food. We got a sando 2.0, tenders, and two orders of half birds. Hubby wants to order the half bird in hot, the cashier gal asked if he has tried their hot before? Hrmmmm...no. She asked if he wants to taste it before placing the order? She got us a pretty big piece of chicken nugget for him to try. Hubby took one bite and he said, you are absolutely right. I do not want it in "Hot". Please make it medium please. What????? Hubby loves spicy food and he too thinks "Hot" is too spicy?? We all took a nibble of that sample and we are all huffing and puffing from that tiny bite - the spicy level is no joke!! About the food: - half bird - 4/5. Very juicy and plenty for two people to share. - sando 2.0 - 4/5. DS doesn't like the yellow tangy sauce that is smothered on the sandwich. Otherwise, it's a solid chicken sandwich. - tenders - 3.5/5. It's just ok. - fries - 5/5. Really yummy fries. Plenty to be shared. All staff are super friendly and courteous. They came out to check on us. See if we need more napkins or tokens for the bathroom. They offer plenty of attraction suggestions as we were chatting. 10/5 for customer service. I would highly recommend this place for a fun and yummy lunch spot! read more

Howlin' Ray's - Sando 2.0 - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Not only was the food so yummy! What is making me go back is the customer service! It gets old going to eat places and people making you feel like you're a inconvenience, so this was a breathe of fresh air from the super friendly and funny cashier to everyone else checking if we needed anything! Can't wait to be back! read more

Best Nashville hot chicken ever & one of the best chicken restaurants I've ever had. Food: All the food and proportions here is insanely good. The chicken sandwich is amazing, tenders come in 3 and they're enormous and still juicy, the thighs and etc are humongous, and the French fries are great as well. Service: The service is incredible, they're extremely nice and attentive. All the workers seem to enjoy being there. Every once in a while I go, they throw in something extra. Perhaps extra wings, fries, tenders, or even sandwiches. I remember I ordered a sandwich a bit too hot for my liking and I told the employee I couldn't finish it and was wondering if I could get a new sandwich and they accommodated me with a fresh new sandwich! And they let me keep the original sandwich as well. Price: the sando is around $15 which is well worth for the amount you get. I think it's relatively worth the price, but can stack up with however much you order. Overall: Best Nashville fried chicken you'll ever have in your life. Worth the long line. read more

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The sweetest crew service you will ever have. Was catching up with my Master's Colleague and decided to go to Howlin' Rays!!! It never disappoints and the chicken is always delicious. We ordered the following: 1. Howlin' Ray Tenders - Medium 2. Howlin' Ray Sandwich - Medium 3. Fries 4. Sweetened Peach Lemonade 5. Banana Pudding The best part is the ambiance and vibes. They gave that amazing Southern Hospitality. Thank you for another unforgettable meal! read more

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I needed to try the infamous and touristy Howlin Ray's chicken sandwich in my life. There is always a long line and I came at 4:30pm and waited 45 minutes until I got to place my order. I got The Sando at medium heat and it was a whopping hefty sandwich! It's not as good as legit Nashville fried chicken like Hattie B's but it's pretty good for a fried chicken sandwich in LA. I love how thick the piece of fried chicken they give you is and how it's seasoned very well with Cajun spice. The cole slaw was creamy and crunchy that helped balance the fattiness of the fried chicken and its spice. The bun was perfectly soft and brioche like. Definitely worth to try this at least once in your life! read more

Howlin' Ray's - The Sando (medium) - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Way better than Dave's hot chicken. This place actually burns my mouth so good lol good luck

One of the best chicken I've had in LA. Crunchy, perfectly flavorful, juicy, spicy. On top of that, service was impeccable. Very welcoming, accommodating to preferences. Small shop only to pay, you eat at tables outside. read more

Howlin' Ray's - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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First time here and it was such a great experience. Ryan was our cashier and he was amazing. Super friendly, told everyone it was our first time, and honestly made us feel so welcome with his kind attitude. Only took about 15 minutes to order and for our food to come out. Our food was super delicious and Charlie came around multiple times to make sure we had everything we needed. From ketchup to napkins, he was super attentive and friendly. Mild was perfect for me but definitely spicer than anticipated. Atmosphere is great, from the customers to employees everyone seemed to have a smile on their face and enjoying their time there. Alina approached us towards the end and we had a nice conversation. She definitely was the cherry on top of the experience and I can say with certainty that we will be back. Thank you to the three of you for making our experience. read more

Howlin' Ray's - Hot Shake Fries, 3 Tenders, The Sando - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I would consider this the best fried chicken spot I've ever had. It's not your regular chicken sandwich, it's super flavorful and huge. It's very filling and you won't be disappointed. Service is also very good. The cashier came up to us and gave us recommendations and a menu tour. I would recommend this spot 1000% it's a must try read more

Howlin' Ray's - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I will say this: the service at this restaurant is amazing. The cashier speaks to you on a one-on-one level; when the servers hand you your food, they give you a fist bump. All in all, they look genuinely happy with their restaurant. I had the Sandos and the fries, and I will say the fries were some of the best seasoned fries in Los Angeles, and the fries alone are a reason for me to continue to come back. I got the medium spicy chicken sandwich, and wow was it pricey, and while I do not think 15 dollars for a spicy chicken sandwich is my cup of tea, the sandwich was quite big and had a hard finish, so I can see the justification there. I would say for an occasionallunch or dinner thing, it is a great place to grab a sandwich. Everything comes together and really makes this place such a beautiful vibe in the small corner of Chinatown. read more

Howlin' Ray's - THE SANDO, Hot Shake Fries - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The GOAT of all chicken sandwiches. The service is ELITE. And if you've already tried the sandwich the Wings and Fried Chicken is also ELITE. They have stayed consistent throughout the years. read more

Man this place is still the best hot chicken outside of Nashville. I've had hit chicken in several states including the OG in Nashville and this place is top 2 of my list. Ambiance is OK I mean it's just 2 tables inside a plaza. Not much to it. Ok hear me out: Service is great and everyone's friendly but maaannn they talk a loottt with everyone so u got a huge line just waiting and because it's just 1 cashier, it can suuuckk lol. I guess it kills tike while they cook people's food but still. Sometimes I rather order my food and run a quick errands while they cook it. Can't do that cz the line is huge and the cashier is just talking with everyone lol. Would I return? Absolutely, just not on weekdays. Lines can be well over an hour lol. Check them out. read more

Howlin' Ray's absolutely lives up to the hype. The chicken was insanely juicy with the perfect level of heat, crispy outside and packed with flavor. Portions were generous, the staff was friendly and efficient, and the whole vibe made the wait worth it. Easily one of the best hot chicken spots around -- I'll definitely be back. read more

The food here will always hit the spot for me. I even dreamed about their fries recently lol. I usually ordered the "Hot" original sando and the fries on the side! The " Hot" will give me in a running nose mode along with some burn but it is sooo addicting and tasty. Funny thing is I cannot eat medium, it's bland to me and extra hot only burns to me lol. HOT only! The people there are so chilli and friendly and they even cheers to my camera! I just love their vibe! read more

Best chicken sandwich I've had in a long time the ambience is amazing and the staff went above and beyond welcoming us! They got a customer for life. Thank you again Amanda and the Team keep killing it read more

Howlin' Ray's - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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OMG!!! This is so delicious! I'm writing this as I'm eating this meal that's how bomb it is. Okay I got to go finish my food now. 10/10 would recommend. Don't walk, RUN!!! The staff was super chill too. read more

Howlin' Ray's - Southern Near Me - Los Angeles, California