Legendary Fried Chicken & Nashville Hot Chicken Hits L.A. - Howlin' Ray's New Restaurant!

Aesthete · August 3, 2016, 1:42am

It is WORTH IT. Completely. It is one of the best things I have ever eaten. It makes a joke of all others.

President_Mochi · August 3, 2016, 1:46am

This is the only way to go.

Like the trooper @a213b, I went this weekend and waited 1.5 hours. The plan was to get there before open, but a friend’s delayed flight meant we didn’t arrive until around 11:30am. But not all was lost, catching up with friends while drinking a vanilla pandan leaf latte.

I tried the Medium on The Sandwich this time (previously had Mild) and thought it was great. My piece of chicken wasn’t as plump as the one before and even compared to my friends’, but it was still bliss. I’ll be back to try the Hot. Oh! And the cheesy grits were tits. So good.

A5KOBE · August 3, 2016, 2:03am

Great suggestion with the fries, I am so down for that.

JeetKuneBao · August 3, 2016, 2:06am

I wonder what’s going to happen at the old Wing Hop Fung space. It’s huuggeee.

Would be cool if George Yu makes it something like Flushing’s Golden Mall.

And FYI the Jia Apartments food hall thing is pretty much going to be Packing House LA…meh (same vendors).

Chinatown Grandpa loves Hot Chicken too
https://www.instagram.com/p/BEhq_IUjTin/
Picture credit: @chrishei

Young Alvin, Roy, and Johnny used to love coming to Chinatown. Seeing bad ass Chinese chefs with cleavers and cigarette dangling from the mouth made quite a impression.

Now it’s full circle. I am kinda glad the inital Hollywood location fell thru.

aaqjr · August 3, 2016, 2:10am

Great picture!

JeetKuneBao · August 3, 2016, 2:12am

Get those chive cakes/bings at Kim Chuy while waiting in line!

JeetKuneBao · August 3, 2016, 2:14am

It’s pretty symbolic in many ways.

theoffalo · August 3, 2016, 5:25am

@aaqjr @JeetKuneBao that pic was taken by @chrishei

JeetKuneBao · August 3, 2016, 5:46am

Thanks edited to give credit

theoffalo · August 3, 2016, 6:08am

I agree it’s a great pic, and the Howlin’ Ray’s guys reposted it to their Instagram.

aaqjr · August 3, 2016, 6:26am

nice to see them being accepted by the local community

Bigmouth · August 3, 2016, 2:26pm

You, sir/ma’am, are an outside-the-box thinker after my own heart!

Personally, I would wait a maximum of one hour for Howlin’ Ray’s.

sel · August 4, 2016, 1:44am

Xtra Hot = perfection, for me anyway!
Howlin’ Hot = well I’m gonna try it on the sandwich when I work up the courage but the sample of the sauce we had was bloody incendiary!

Chowseeker1999 · August 5, 2016, 12:09am

First dinner service tonight, ZERO wait!

tailbacku · August 5, 2016, 12:10am

lol well it’s 5pm.

Chowseeker1999 · August 5, 2016, 1:30am

Howlin’ Ray’s started their first dinner service tonight. As noted earlier, we were shocked and happily surprised that there was no wait!

Fried Chicken Dark (Leg & Thigh), “Country” Style (Level 1 No Heat):

The Sandwich (Boneless Breast, Slaw, Comeback Sauce, Pickles, Butter Bun), “Mild” Style (Level 2 Brush of Heat):

Pork & Beans (Market Side):

Just as great as last time! Perfectly cooked Beans, not sweet like the typical “Baked Beans,” Chef Zone used 3 types of chilies in today’s version - Fresno, Jalapeno, and Serrano Chilies - which gave it only a slight amount of spicy heat. It really just made it very fragrant and aromatic.

Note, by the time we left and wandered Far East Plaza a bit, Howlin’ Ray’s still had no line! (maybe around 5:45 p.m.) Might be a good chance to get some great Fried Chicken before word gets out about their dinner service.

Currently they are only trying it out for 2 Thursday nights this month.

Tonight (8/4/16), they are open until 8:00 p.m. or until the Chicken runs out (check their Twitter / Webpage).

Initial Hours (extended Hours will be added once they settle in):

Wed - Sun
11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Howlin’ Ray’s Nashville Hot Chicken
727 N. Broadway Ave #128
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel: (213) 935-8399

Bigmouth · August 9, 2016, 2:37pm

So I lied. It turns out I would wait at least 1.5 hours for Howlin’ Ray’s lol.

Stopped by on Friday for lunch around 11:15. The line was already all the way back to Chego. Interestingly, it was actually slightly shorter (to Scoops) by the time I left just before 1pm.

Tried the sandwich “Hot” (Level 4) for the first time and believe that’s the sweet spot for me. It’s actually not that much hotter than “Medium” but the burn lingers a bit longer. I also detect another flavor dimension, though that may be my imagination. Some poor guy next to me ordered “Howlin” (Level 6). He looked like he was in a sauna lol.

In the further interests of science, I took an order of wings “Country” (Level 1) to go. Reheated them in the toaster oven 24 hours later. They were amazing just like the hot chicken. However, while the hot chicken really needs to be reheated before eating, the unspiced wings also tasted great cold.

Happybaker · August 11, 2016, 3:56am

I too really wonder about the Wing Hop Fung space. Huge. Well located. Sigh.

Chowseeker1999 · August 16, 2016, 1:28pm

I heard Chef Zone asking an older Asian fellow about the Wing Hop Fung space (was he the building’s owner / landlord?). He was busy cooking, but then said he’d talk to him later. They could use more space.

And as @PorkyBelly, this Thursday, 8/18, Howlin’ Ray’s is back to test out Dinner Hours (serving until 8:00 p.m.)!

PorkyBelly · August 16, 2016, 3:13pm

They’ll most likely only serve until 6:30 or 7 on the 18th, they can’t store enough chicken to last until 8.