One of the biggest shockers of 2025 was the closure of The Cookshack, which had oodles of potential. Couple that with a number of other location closures for this chain and something is clearly amuck in the chicken finger waters. Was there a more successful location than this part of the Heights? Their ratings were substantially higher than almost any other casual chicken spot and the hype was justified: service was on point, prices were affordable, there was a decent amount of seating and parking, and the chicken was tasty. Usually that would be enough to keep any place running, but competion is stiff. The chicken was crunchy, juicy, and worthy of being one of the best. Whether it was in tender form or sandwich form, it was good on its own and great with the house sauce. Fries were fine, but the highlight was always the chicken. For now, there is still a location in Webster and Fort Worth. Fingers crossed they can maintain the same standard that this location managed to do for a short amount of time. _____________ (#1) Especially for the neighborhood. read more

I know this place is closed. I'm going through my old yelp and redoing my new account. This was my review back in 2021: It's good spot for a chill vibe. Staff were friendly and helpful. I had the chicken tenders.. 2 medium and 1 Texas hot with dragon fries. The dragon fries were spicy fries which were really good! It's a good amount of chicken they served and the Texas hot is really spicy but flavorful! Next time I'll stick with medium because it was the right amount of spice. My sister had their chicken sandwich and kale salad. She really liked the kale and how big her sandwich was. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Sandwich and Side Kale Salad - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Ambiance was very trendy, nice and clean restaurant! Service was very nice and informative! Even gave us a free ice cream sandwich for our first visit to Cookshack! Went on a weekday around 2pm and the restaurant was not busy so that's good if you want to come during lunch time. Food was well seasoned, fries were sooooo goood! Mac and Cheese really good and Ribs had a good smoke flavor and you can choose the sauce that goes with the Ribs and Tenders! Will definitely be back when on this side of town!! 1000000/10 recommend if looking for a quick service chicken place! read more

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Ordered two chicken sandwich to go mine was Mild, another was hot flavor. The mild was not as spicy next time I would go a level up. Great bun, huge burger, very filling. Customer service was fast and accurate for the Togo order, inside was very spacious and clean. Lots of seating areas inside. read more

The Cookshack - Mild Chicken Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Another great experience at cookshack. I got the mild spice level chicken sandwich because I forgot I got medium usually (ooops). It was still really tasty and the sweet potatoes fries were awesome, just tiny portion of fries for a side at that price. Not sure if it's just the chicken I got today, but the size of the sandwich has also gone down - less meat and less slaw, etc. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Update to note that the Kale Salad *does* have nuts, so be careful with a nut allergy. Dragon fries are actually a bit spicier than the Medium, I've found. I wish they'd add more Cole slaw on the sandwich. Still recommend an order of Cole slaw on the side just to add to the sandwich. read more

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Great spot for some tasty chicken! Enjoyed the chicken sandwich here for my first time, good amount of seasoning, with a good balance of juiciness and flavor. I enjoyed the medium level for spice and the slaws/sauce was a nice touch, the fries were mediocre though. I did try a bit of the chicken/waffles as well at the Texas heat level and it was quite a step up. (Can't imagine what the AMF's level). The waffles were good for me because they didn't have nearly as much butter in them (I tend to like my Belgian waffle with less butter/milk). So personally I would rank this high on my Chicken/Waffles list in Houston, over alot of fancy brunch places just in my opinion. Fair value for what you're getting considering the rising costs of fast food, a chicken sandwich with fries/drink at a fast-food place will probably run you about $8 and you're getting much better quality here for $12. Ordering was quick and straight-forward, counter service with a partial bar inside. Laidback vibes with some TVs playing sports. Staff brought out the food and checked in on us as well. Overall enjoyed my experience here for a first time visit, Will definitely be back and want to checkout the Ribs/Strips combo next time! read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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A year later -- we come here atleast once every couple weeks now. Coworkers are big fans. It's affordable, easy for separate orders and we never have issues getting seats at those huge tables. Still trying to convince someone to try the AMF flavor and sign the waiver. No luck yet read more

This is a frequent visit for my teenage son and I. When we spend a day in HTown, finishing with dinner or starting with lunch here is a MUST. He ALWAYS gets the chicken and waffle. I've tried a few different things all good: the salad, the wrap, the margs, the chicken and waffles....all great. Love this place. read more

Houston, TX - Finding a lunch spot for a group of colleagues from across the country can be tricky. Luckily fried chicken is something everyone can get behind. Ordering was quick and easy. You get to pick the spiciness level. For me - no spice. The lunch special came with one side. I picked the kale salad and to drink a lemonade. I received a number to place on the hook at the table. A server quickly brought the food right to our clean and tidy table. My kale salad was crunchy and fresh. The citrus dressing was just right. Not too much dressing and not too little either. The chicken was fresh and hot. The lemonade tasted legit not powdered. After we all received our food a very friendly staff person came over to check on us. I definitely appreciated the extra care. And I would definitely come back when I'm in the area. read more

The Cookshack - Lunch special. Two tenders, a side and a drink for $10. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Oooh, so tasty! We tried an array of items but the chicken and waffles and the chicken sandwich (medium) w/ sweet potato fries were my favorites. The chicken is battered well and cooked beautifully-- the juiciness is highly prevalent! The restaurant staff was friendly and offered great suggestions on the menu items. The restaurant itself was clean and I randomly loved the furniture (lol-- don't judge me, but I took a keen liking to the comfy, leatherette barstools with chair backs). All in all- I liked it and I'll be back. Cheers! read more

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Hard to believe they closed!! The tenders were awesome and the ribs were some of, if not THE, best I have had!!

I had lunch here a few weeks ago for the first time and plan to come back. My order was for the crispy chicken sandwich with mild heat for $11. I picked mac n cheese for my included side dish. With a soft drink and tax the total cost was $15. This is a counter service restaurant with a partial bar, attractive indoor seating and outside covered seating available too. The chicken sandwich was served hot and fresh and the large chicken tender stuck out of both sides of the bun. I thought it was very good tasting with the cole slaw and shack sauce. The mac n cheese consisted of Gouda, American and Parmesan cheeses that were baked together with the pasta into a dish that I thought was perfect. The cheese flavor was off of the scale and maybe the best I ever had. This meal was filling and a 4.5. The menu here also includes bbq ribs along with chicken tenders and salad options. For the fried chicken tenders and sandwiches they offer 5 heat levels. read more

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Great fried chicken accompanied by really friendly and accommodating service. They have a nice variety on their menu to where it was tough to decide what to order, but ultimately I went for their medium-spicy chicken sandwich with fries. I am not a spice person, but this was the perfect amount of kick vs being too overpowering - would recommend it to my fellow low-spice fans. Parking available in the lot behind the restaurant. Lots of space inside for groups of all sizes, plus a small outdoor patio area with a few tables. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

My type of big back meal, chicken was flavorful and the rib rack hit the spot. Was not a fan of the sweet potato fries but that was okay because the rib and chicken combo stole the show. Service was very fast and nice. I ordered to-go but there was enough seating for you to never have an issue. Seems to get a lot of takeout orders read more

The Cookshack - Quarter Rack & 2 Tenders - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Delicious. Simple menu but they do it right! The inside of the restaurant is very clean and cute with a rustic vibe. All of the food was delicious, but that mac and cheese was especially spectacular!! Loved the fried chicken tacos as well, what a unique twist on a classic favorite- and well executed, the flavors were all there. Staff was very friendly- we ate lunch, then left because we were stuffed to the gills... and my son BEGGED me to come back an hour later to try the homemade ice cream cookie sandwich. Worth the second trip back for those! We loved it here :) read more

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Why have I never heard about this place before? It is soooo good & so underrated! This place is easy to find and has plenty of parking. You order at the counter, they give you a number and you go & seat at your table of choice. My boyfriend & I both ordered the chicken and waffles which were so yum! The waffle was soft and airy, while the chicken was soft and tender. Their menu has a lot of options, but not the overwhelming kind lol they have alcoholic drinks which was a plus for me bc I love me a margarita. The staff were sweet, and got our food out to us asap! The vibes here are super laid back and they have plenty of seating. Drop by and check this place out if you're thinking of it (: read more

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Almost but not quite there. Ordered the chicken tenders -- the chicken was juicy and plentiful BUT the batter was soggy / falling off in some parts. Also tried the chicken nuggets which had the opposite problem. Nice crispy batter but not enough chicken inside. The sweet potato waffle fries were delicious but could have used a bit more crisp. The dragon fries (seasoned) had a nice texture but just a little too much salt (and I like salt). One thing that I absolutely loved about this place is that they offer a kale salad as a side! I'm the type of person who likes getting a healthy/nutritious side when they pig out on fried food to feel less guilty. The kale salad was also really tasty. Ultimately, pretty good but I think the food could benefit from a few adjustments. read more

I have frequented this establishment enough to say it is well worth a stop in. This spot is located along Washington Ave and has plenty of parking unlike some spots along this corridor. There's an outdoor patio with some umbrellas. There's open bar seating inside along with regular fast casual seating. There's also TVs around that make for passing time easy while one waits. Food & Drink - 5* The setup is somewhat fast casual. Walk in, order at the counter, get a number, and they deliver it to your table. There's plenty to choose from, but for me, it's all about the chicken here! Choose what you wish, sandwich, tenders only, maybe some chicken and waffles? Pick your option, pick a heat level from no heat to spicy, and pick a sauce to go along with it! Each chicken tender meal comes with one side. On our last visit we chose dragon fries and Mac and cheese. We both agreed we'd probably just get regular sweet potato fries again as the dragon fries weren't all that different than their regular fries. They are both great, but we prefer their sweet potato fries. The mac and cheese delivers though! They have a selection of lemonade, iced tea, soda along with beer, wine, or drinks if looking to wet your beak a bit. There's nothing standout, but it gets the job done if you so desire. Service - 5* I've been here probably 7-8 times now and I've never had bad service. They are quick to deliver your food and drinks while checking in usually once during the course of your meal. Cost - 3* Subjective, but it's in line with prices of most other spots. Personally, I think it's just slightly over priced, but you do get a good sized chicken portions. Overall - 4.5* I find myself always open to coming back due to the consistency of the food and service. If spice is your thing, the Texas Heat chicken brings a good balance of spice while not being overly ridiculous. Give this place a shot if you're looking for some great chicken! read more

The Cookshack - 2 piece tender, medium heat, with dragon fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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A good fried chicken spot. Mac and cheese and sweet potato fries are delicious sides. I got the mild spice level and it has a slight kick. Next time I'd get the medium spice level for more of a kick. read more

The Cookshack - chicken tenders and Mac and Cheese with Shack Sauce - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Solid choice for hot chicken! There are classic hot chicken choices, I went for the 3 tenders. I like that there is an option for grilled, I'll have to try that next time! I went for fried and mild spice level. The mild is flavorful but honestly not spicy. Next time I will get medium, which I think will be more my speed. I also got regular fries, which were solid. They have sweet potato waffle fries, which look really good! There's many sauce options as well. I had ranch, which is classic. Will have to try the house sauce next! There's a parking lot, which is a huge plus. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken tenders - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Don't know if they had an off day or what. It took about 25 minutes to get our sandwiches and it was quite a slow day. Also, these are the saddest looking, bottom of the barrel fries. This is how they came from the kitchen, they should be ashamed. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

The chicken sandwich here is better than any other that has come along during the the chicken sandwich mania of the past few years. Hands down. Every element is balanced and yummy. 5 different spice levels are offered for their chicken and I think most people who enjoy a little spice should go for the Medium (right in the middle). Once you go above that it's just a meme. Sweet potato fries over regular fries. read more

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The chicken here is delish and is antibiotic free! Our perfect order is 3 tenders spice level medium and the Shack Sauce, and cole slaw and Mac and cheese as sides. The sweet potato fries are a little dry. Although they're known for their chicken, their ribs are amazing. For a lazy family dinner for 4 people, we always order the 6 tenders and full rack of ribs. If you go in person, the vibe is very chill with benches and they also have outdoor seating. Parking can be difficult sometimes. You order at the counter and then sit down to wait for your order. Service is fast and then they leave you alone for the most part. Utensils and whatnot are located near the back. read more

The Cookshack - Tenders (3), Side Mac & Cheese, Side Sweet Potato Fries, Chicken & Waffles - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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First time coming here and I like the casual vibe and counter service but not a fan of them being completely cashless though especially since they try to guilt you into tipping for counter service when you pay. I wish they'd just pay their employees enough so they don't have to ask for tips - perhaps use some of the money they're wasting on paying credit card company fees by accepting cash and using that money? As far as the food goes, do yourself a favor and don't get cute and order grilled chicken like I did in an attempt to eat healthier. This is a chicken shack and people come here for fried chicken strips and such. You can have coleslaw or a salad if you want though. My grilled chicken strips were ok, but I don't think they were really grilled - there were no char marks or anything so I think it was just the same strips they use for their battered fried chicken but without the batter. I did get to try some of the fries from my friend and holly hell they are spicy! Take those hot levels seriously! Fortunately, my chicken was mild so it could counter the heat of the 3 fries I had! read more

Just super good! I've had a beef the last few years with chicken places popping up just for the sake of getting their corner of the hot chicken market since it became a trend. The Cookshack is not that. Starting off the staff was super friendly and I wish I ate in because they had a cool vibe that was warm and inviting. The inside of the restaurant was big and cool and keeping up with more modern styles of dine in stylish-casual places these days. The food though was really good and honestly with prices these days, a fantastic deal. Ordering the half rack of ribs w/frys, chicken sandwich w/mac, 2 tenders w/frys, and bird dog w/cole slaw was only $40 which to me compared to so many places is an awesome value. Getting ribs for $10??? Crazy! Thank you! The frys were perfect, just amazing French fries, the ribs were tender and not overly saucy with nice flavor, the chicken was juicy and fried in such a perfect way that I would replace canes with this place in a heartbeat, but somehow the favorite that surprised me was the bird dog (Byrd dog? I can't remember the spelling). The chicken, the bun, the sauce, the pickles, all working in harmony to make me happy! I say this places claim to fame is not like Popeyes with their Sandwhich and spicy sauce, or canes and their sauce, or Dave's hot chicken being super bad. Everything was overall good and quality in their own and brought together. Def would eat a bird dog again read more

This place is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants. Parking is easy, the restaurant is big and spacious and comfortable. The real star of the show is, of course, the chicken though. It's no exaggeration to say this is consistently the best chicken I've ever had. Every time I go it is just as fresh and juicy as I remember, and the medium spice level has just enough kick without being too spicy. The sides are good too, with the Mac and cheese being my favorite. Cannot recommend this place enough, and will be returning many times. read more

So I've been here a few times and this place, to me, beats out Dave's hot chicken, Howdy Hot Chicken and that other one that I can't even think of at the moment. Today I got the chicken and waffle combo which also comes with a side and I picked fries. Everything came out quick, fresh and hot! I got mild bc in the past I got medium and it was too spicy (for me). The highlight for me was the waffle, slight toast to it, light, fluffy almost felt like a cake it was so good. The chicken and fries were good also. Idk who was cooking this time but this beat out any other time I came in the past. Hell I may come back later this week just bc of the waffle lol read more

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After a few misses in the hot chicken space, we found one that got it right! I got two medium tenders with cole slaw, and a ranch dipping sauce. The spice and breading on the chicken was top notch. Great coating and quality meat underneath. Cole slaw had a nice mustard flavor, and the ranch was light enough to cook off the chicken. Clean restaurant with friendly staff and fair prices. Will definitely be back. read more

The Cookshack - Two hot chicken tenders (medium level spice) - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Ordered delivery from here a few days ago. 5-piece tenders with a side. These tenders were freaking good. Crispy, light batter, and spicy. The dragon fries were awesome too. They're definitely my new go-to for chicken tenders. 100% will be ordering again. read more

Just another day looking up what to eat in the area that I was in, The Cookshack definitely peaked my interest. First off, there was private parking- that is already a win in The Heights area. Came in and customer service was great and quick to recommend items for first time visitors. We elected to get the tenders with waffle/regular fries. We got medium flavor as we don't like our chicken to taste overly spicy where you can't even taste the chicken anymore. Huge chicken tenders, great tasting! The dipping sauces were good too. The fries were just ok, I wish the regular fries maybe had more seasoning or flavor. Sweet potato fries definitely better than the regular fries. Summary: Great chicken overall, but ok fries! read more

The Cookshack - 3 piece tenders with Sweet Potato waffle Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Why 5 stars? Because with everything combined together, it was a great experience. --- --- --- Before heading to a Rockets game, I sent a couple of friends 3 options on where we could meet up for dinner. They voted for the Cookshack, and I was not upset at all, because I was equally excited for any of the 3. We all ordered the chicken sandwich with varying levels of spice. I am a total wuss because of acid reflux and went with no spice. And I thought the sandwich, based on taste alone was a solid 4-stars. There certainly wasn't anything I disliked about it, but if I'm being honest, the chicken sandwich from Popeye's is basically the holy grail and everyone else is just trying to get to that level. So why 5 stars? For 3 reasons: 1) Most importantly, I did not feel like I just ate Thanksgiving dinner right afterward, which is what often times happens when I eat fried chicken. Specifically, low quality fried chicken. I actually felt perfectly satiated by it - no longer hungry, but not stuffed. That's an incredibly hard sweet spot to land in. 2) Someone came by our table as we were wrapping up to check on us. I am not sure if he was an owner or a manager, but he was super friendly and came across as very authentic. He let us know that there were locations in Katy and Webster, which is great because many in my family live near Webster, so this will be a great option to check out when I'm visiting them. 3) He also brought us butterscotch ice cream sandwich samples to try, which is exactly what I was about 30 seconds away from standing up to order before he came to our table. They were everything I had hoped for - so much so that I ended up ordering my own portion after the sample because one bite was not nearly enough. I don't get into Houston super often, but there sure are a lot of great food options, especially here in the Heights... and the Cookshack is another awesome option. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Sandwich with Mac n cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Went here for lunch and it was a great experience. Not only was the food absolutely delicious but everyone working there was also super nice. Probably one of the best chicken sandwiches I had in a while. On the heat scale, I say get at least a medium. It gives you that perfect amount of flavor without being 'spicy.' 10/10 will come again. Just a note, they have on in college station. I will be stopping by there whenever I drive through. read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Sandwich and French Fries - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

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First visit here today. We had a chicken sandwich with a side salad, and two 1/2 racks of ribs - one with the hot spice and one with the medium spice. Everything delicious here So we must return read more

The Cookshack - Mac & cheese plus full rack of ribs - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

4.0 - Chicken Tender, mild. 3.7 - Chicken Tender, TX hot. Maybe a little too hot for me. 3.5 - Fries. 4.0 - Fries, Dragon. 2.9 - Ribs. 3.0 - Waffle. Doesn't travel well. read more

We were served fast and the food was yummy! I really enjoyed the house sauce. Will probably come again! Parking is easy as well. There's a little lot behind the building. read more

The Cookshack - Tenders (3) and Side Mac & Cheese - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

I am obsessed with the chicken and waffles...unfortunately.. lol the portion size is hugeee I've only ever had take out delivery and the waffles and chicken always taste fresh and well seasoned/flavored. The syrup and sweet butter are both read more

After trying some of their catered food at a party, my boyfriend was hooked! He's been to both locations here in the Houston area, but we frequent the Washington Ave! The service is always great! The chicken is always juicy and the sauce is always fresh! Anything fried at that place is very good, now I will say that the salads were not very good. I tried the kale salad and ended up throwing it away. I don't even know why I chose a salad at a fried chicken place ‍ Will be returning again however for the wings and the fried chicken sandwich! No picture of the food because it was devoured before a picture could be taken. read more

The Cookshack - Lunch time - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

The food is amazing I eat here 3 times a week but one of there employees has a really bad attitude, the one that has glasses and wears a bun all the time... read more

The Cookshack - Chicken Sandwich - Chicken Shop Near Me - Houston, Texas

Our foodie son heard about this spicy hot chicken chain and we had to try it. He ordered the amf nuclear level chicken tenders for him and me....really good but the amf was way out of my cream puff butt's league....serious heat. You can get 3 or 5 tenders and one side and one sauce. My side was kale salad, pretty good, somebody got mac n cheese, one got a side salad, a few non brave souls got mild chicken sammiches. One of us got texas caviar as a side, tasty, corn, beans, diced veggies. They have ribs on the menu and I'd like to try those and more of the chicken...just not the nuclear amf.....my son can handle that much heat....not me! read more

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