Review: Clutch City Cluckers brings the best of Nashville hot chicken to Houston
If you’re looking for ways to spice up your next night out, Clutch City Cluckers has you covered. Since its grand opening on Feb. 26, Clutch City Cluckers has served Nashville hot chicken from its food truck located at 5550 Val Verde Street, right next to the Galleria Food Truck Park. I was impressed by their chicken sandwich — crispy pickles and tender chicken between a mouthwatering bun — which made my entire Saturday night.
Surrounded by other food trucks, Clutch City Cluckers stands out with its sleek black facade with bright patterns of fire painted on the bottom, a nod to the spice level of their sandwiches. Its atmosphere was vibrant and playful — bright green rugs cozy up the waiting area, and a neon sign next to the truck that reads “Cluck it like its Hooot” instantly attracts attention. The best part of the ordering experience, though, was the short wait time: my food came out in about five minutes.
Clutch City Cluckers offers a wide variety of customizable hot chicken sandwiches. Customers can choose between its classic “Cluck like it’s hot” sandwich, which comes with slaw mix, or a “Cheesy Bun” which trades slaw for queso cheese. Both come with a Brioche bun, sliced pickles and either one or two chicken tenders depending on the customer’s choice. I ordered a single, but if you are a meat lover, two tenders are the way to go.
One unique feature of Clutch City Cluckers is its different spice levels, which depend primarily on your desired amount of cayenne pepper — the trademark of any Nashville hot chicken recipe. From “No Spice” to “Cluck it Like it’s Hot,” customers can choose their favorite level of spiciness while still enjoying the chicken. At first, I decided to order a “hot” cheesy bun but was duly warned by the cashier that it was very hot, so I ordered a medium-hot tender instead. It was a good spicy level, as I could still taste the texture over the deeply flavored chicken tender. The rich hot sauce intensified the flavor of the bun, and I loved the fresh, thinly sliced pickle chips so much.
Their fries, piled high into a mountain next to the burger, were also outstanding. These straight-cut fries were perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper and came out very hot. For some extra cheesy options, the truck also offers fry baskets topped with queso cheese and pickles, and even small chicken bites as an additional option.
Clutch City Cluckers is a must-try chicken sandwich spot in the Galleria area, with excellent customer service and delicious chicken. Takeout is available during their hours of operation, between 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Delivery is also offered on Grubhub and Uber Eats.
More from The Rice Thresher
A latte love: Sip on these Houston brews
Looking to escape campus to study for finals? In search of a caffeine boost, sweet treat or cozy fall vibes? Has your Tetra hit zero? Check out these local Houston spots.
Kyle Henry brings Rice Cinema to the world stage
Cannes, Sundance and South by Southwest. What do they have in common? They’re all world-renowned film festivals that have exhibited the works of alumnus Kyle Henry ’94.
4 films to look out for from the 2024 Houston Cinema Arts Festival
The 2024 Houston Cinema Arts Festival, which ran from Nov. 7 to 17, showcased a vibrant array of films with unique storytelling and artistic vision. Here are four of this year’s festival standouts, each offering a distinct and memorable cinematic experience.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.