I Tried the Top Rated Chicken Sandwich in Sacramento. Here’s How it Stacks Up.
A quick google search of the best chicken sandwich in Sacramento will quickly lead you to World Famous Hotboys in Midtown. I’ve been looking to do some more food-related content lately, so it seemed serendipitous that it’s located right around the corner from my office. My lunch was officially signed, sealed and delivered from the food gods that fine day.
I walked around the corner to find a small shop taking order from a foldout table in the front (due to Covid restrictions). Bay Area rap music was blasting at an unusually high decibel and a few tables out front had some younger partons eating their chicken sandwiches in the sun. I asked the man in front what I should order and he quickly recommended their typical fried chicken sandwich with fries. I ordered it “medium” spicy, which he warned is still very hot. Upon reviewing the menu, they have all sorts of spicy flavors to choose from, ranging from “Training Wheels” to “Painfully Spicy.” I thought middle of the road worked for a food review.
I received my order and headed back to my office only to pull out the largest piece of fried chicken I had ever seen in my life. This thing is no joke. The juicy piece of meat seemed to be twice the side of the actual bun, and it was romantically drenched in delicious sauce, coleslaw and pickles. It literally felt like it weighed 10 pounds in my hand.
Biting into the sandwich added to the surprise of its immense size. It was probably the biggest and juiciest piece of chicken I had ever eaten, cooked to perfection. The coleslaw gave it a delicious southern taste, and the spiciness was palpable but not too overwhelming (I’ll go with a spicier option next time around).
The fries were generously seasoned, perhaps too generous. But they gave me dipping sauces without asking and those helped to make the fries that much better. For sides, you can also get a greens, slaw, mac n cheese or beans. They have the full selection of southern delicacies.
In the end, I wasn’t a huge fan of the fries or the Oakland-night-club vibe the place was putting off out front, but I do have a very favorable review – It was the best chicken sandwich I have ever eaten. It was perfectly juicy inside the chicken and was so much larger than I thought I’d get for the price. I’m also a sucker for slaw and pickles, which they are fantastic at making. I was shocked to experience such an incredible meal right around the corner.
With Sacramento attempting to become one of the great culinary cities in America, there are a few places that stand out. World Famous Hotboys is certainly one of those places.
