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Chicken Festival
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Spanish Latin American, Spanish [Edit]
1584 1st Ave(between 82nd St & 83rd St)
New York, NY 10028
Neighbourhoods: Yorkville, Upper East Side
(212) 988-2844
- Nearest Transit:
-
86 St (4, 5, 6, 6X)
77 St (4, 6, 6X)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
42 reviews for Chicken Festival
Review Highlights
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"my friends always compare this place to pio pio." In 10 reviews -
"Rice and beans are great, beans cooked very well." In 10 reviews -
"Your rotisserie chicken is the juiciest in town." In 10 reviews
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Yvonne P.
Santa Monica, CA
5/13/2012
Since leaving NYC, one of the places I miss the most is Chicken Festival. My husband and I would get delivery from them about once a week.
They have a very tasty, moist and flavorful roast chicken. As a side, you can't go wrong with the tostones. They come with a green sauce that is delish!
Delivery was sometimes slow, but still worth it. -
Review from Tiff G.
New York, NY
2/19/2012
If you're not lazy, please walk the extra 6 blocks uptown to Pio Pio!!
Half a Chicken with a side order of fries for $8.71, not too shabby... But, the chicken was a bit too salty and the green sauce was watery and not spicy.
Don't expect much customer service from our friends at this restaurant. It's definitely a "wham, bam, thank you ma'm" spot. -
Review from Andrew A.
8/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Since a friend and i were headed to Comic Strip Live, we decided to grab a cheap bite to eat before we went. I got the quarter chicken with rice and beans, and my friend ordered a house salad...
If you are looking for a cheap bite to eat - this place is good, but the chicken was SUPER greasy, and the rice and beans were decent - nothign special. I will say that the green sauce here was BOMB! So Good! My friends salad was a salad, not really mcuh you could do to mess it up, but the salad dressing was really good.
If you are looking for something authentic and of quality - not really the spot, but if you want quick, cheap, and easy - this is the spot. -
Review from Candace S.
New York, NY
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Delivery may not be that speedy, but the chicken was worth the wait... The chicken was deliciously moist and juicy. The green sauce was ok, but I prefer Pio Pio's. I love how it was affordable.
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Review from Lauren S.
Manhattan, NY
12/14/2011
I went here a few weeks ago and I had a great dining experience. I ordered a 1/2 chicken - dark meat, and it came out perfectly. The meat was juicy and the skin was crispy and flavorful. The real surprise was with the soup "aquadito" it was LOADED with chicken. I'm a sucker for Sancocho de Gallina, and this was like its delicious green cousin (it had a green hue). I just bought a google offer deal from here, and I cant wait to go back and use it.
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Review from Melissa N.
New York, NY
7/11/2011
I have been here a few times as a recommendation of my chicken eating boyfriend and I have to say that I haven't been disappointed.
I get the quarter dark meat that come with rice and beans and the delicious white/green sauce. I can't particularly handle spicy, but it is so good! I smother the chicken and rice with it and eat everything even though I'm full.. the girls at the front who are also the waitresses are so nice :)
Looking forward to going back again! -
Review from Adam R.
6/14/2011
WIth the avenues closer to the park catering towards the highly upscale diner, 3rd being a hodgepodge, 2nd offering the finest views of construction, it seems that 1st Ave. is one of the only places left for a reasonably priced meal that isn't boring.
I was generally happy with Chicken Festival. The sign was weird, the service was spotty, but the food was good. I got the chicken in an aji amarillo sauce. A bit spicy and very tasty. And there was enough for leftovers too.
The tostones were good, but made super good by the house green sauce. Maybe the kind of oily sauce that it comes with is traditional, but the green is what was best. Sweet plantains were sweet. Yuca fries were definitely not yucky. The fact that the rice was mostly served in a cylindrical fashion was a little worrying, but ended up not mattering at all.
Good place. Worth checking out if you're in the hood. -
Review from Clarisse S.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2011
For the price, this place rocks. When I went, the chicken was juicy, the skin was crispy and salty, the green sauce had a nice kick, the plantains were caramelized and had delicious crunchy exteriors and the beans were creamy. Plus they include a huge salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. A dinner for 3-4 all for $20! Hard to hate when it's this inexpensive.
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Review from Thomas A.
1/25/2011
I remember when this place 1st opened up. It was around the same time that i moved to the UES. Back then, there were a lot of faults and i was disappointed in the quality of the food. The price and value was good for the quantity, but not the quality.
3+ years later, and I decided to try this place again. Unfortunately, prices have gone up, but the menu pretty much remained the same with a few additions. I opted to get the 1/4 rotisserie chicken with 2 ribs, and french fries for $12 (used to be $10). The fries were cooked perfectly. They were crisp for the most part, except for the ones that were smushed below the chicken, those got soggy. The ribs were a lot bigger than the ones they used to give out. They were flavorful and meaty. They were also fall off the bone tender, so that is always a good sign. The chicken was a 1/4 piece of dark meat (thigh and leg). The bird you can tell was small because the drumstick wasn't that big. The chicken was seasoned well but i think they didn't cook it long enough. I saw some red/pink near the thigh bone....obviously, i didn't eat it. The skin was nice and fatty.
The plus is the spicy green/mayo concoction that comes with the combo platter. It is great with everything: the fries, the chicken, and the rib. It has a nice kick to it. This place is good...I still prefer piopio, but this isn't bad since it is walking distance from my apt. -
Review from Alexandra C.
New York, NY
9/10/2011
Absolutely delicious tender chicken, rice and plantains served here...for cheap. Just wish their green sauce wasn't so hot..
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Review from Eric C.
Bronx, NY
1/3/2011
Consistently delicious: chicken, tostones, avocado salad, beans, and rice. I've never seen it crowded, which I always found odd since the food was good for low, low prices.
I wish I could do 3.5 stars b/c they recently raised their prices, but the food is so good, I'll slip 'em the extra 0.5 star. -
Review from Lynda S.
New York, NY
4/17/2011
The most incredible, mouthwatering rotisserie chicken on the planet! And what makes it even that much tastier is the green spicy sauce called "Aji" which complements the chicken perfectly --yet may set your tongue on fire-- although it's an absolute must try, especially together with yuca.
Make sure to order the avocado salad served with their special garlic dressing - it'll make you salivate all over yourself.
Their Papa a la Huancaina needs some improvement, however. I'm used to the yellow cheesy sauce served over white boiled potatoes as being thicker and spicier, although their Lomo Saltado (marinated beef strips, stir fried with onions and tomatoes served over white rice) is mind bogglingly delicious.
Overall, this little Peruvian eatery on the Upper East Side has definitely earned a full-five stars plus! - Love it! -
Review from Kahlee Y.
New York, NY
7/17/2010
(written 3 weeks ago)
Is there a half a star rate I could give? My friend and I ordered from this place last night around 930pm and not to be too graphic Ive been sick ever since. I'm guessing my friend is as well since she's not answered her phone. Omg. As far as the taste and what not, the maduros were ok. The habichuelas were flavorful but the chicken I had was nothing remotely special. Think I'm gonna be sick again just reliving the experience.
PRO?- the delivery guy was nice?
CON- other than food poisoning, the woman taking the order was über-obnoxious. -
Review from Carol S.
New York, NY
11/3/2009
Ok for the record, I did not order from here but I tried and I'm giving them a 1 star for their horrible customer service!!! oh my gosh, I cannot believe how terrible they are at treating their customers.
I give them a call and ask them what their lunch specials are, and the guy on the phone is so incredulous that I didn't have their menu. He says "Wait... you don't have our menu??" So I say "Yeah, I'm sorry I just moved into the neighborhood and saw you guys online." He is so annoyed and boredly lists all their specials. I ask him if there's a minimum for delivery and he says it's $10, so in my head I plan on ordering more random stuff like chips & drinks that I can store for later.
I immediately choose the first lunch special option because I feel bad for wasting his time and want to make it easier on him. He gets very aggravated and says "you don't meet the $10 minimum" and I say "yes, don't worry I'll order more." When I order a diet coke, he just asks very annoyingly "listen, can you order like a side of potatoes or something?" Umm... I don't really want to order potatoes so I say "no thanks, but I'll keep ordering stuff until I meet my $10 minimum (I'm only $1 away man! just chill for a minute!)
This conversation is seriously like 2 minutes long--- I work in the food business so I know not to waste people's time dawdling. He is SO RUDE towards the end, I just say "you know what, just forget it." And he goes "ok" and hangs up.
If they don't want my service, I'll find another place that does want it. There are TONS of places to eat in New York and I have no reason to commit to a place that has bad customer service! -
Review from Chris J.
12/8/2009
How can there be a festival without people?
Every time I visit this colorful establishment the only people in sight are the employees. Maybe people prefer Pio Pio just a handful of blocks north on first avenue or maybe they do an insane amount of money in takeout and delivery.
The menu is concentrated on Peruvian rotisserie chicken and also highlights ribs. Chicken Festival offers three varieties of salad, including house salad, caesar salad and I forget the third. The sides include french fries, plantains, and saffron rice and beans. Beyond that, the menu consists of pairings (chicken with various sides). They also have "entrees" for around ten dollars, including a rotisserie chicken fried rice, a breaded chicken with the chef's spicy sauce etc.
I like this place because I can order a quarter of a chicken (white meat) and pay $5.44 after tax is considered. I take it back to my apartment and smother it in what I affectionately refer to as "the green." The green is a sauce common in many Latin American dishes that perfectly compliments the well-spiced rotisserie chicken. I love it. The food here is very good, and the prices are more than reasonable.
She doesn't really dig meat and chicken like I do, but she finished all of her food on Sunday, which is a good sign. I ordered the rotisserie chicken fried rice (which I wouldn't necessarily recommend), and she ordered a caesar salad with dressing on the side and a quarter chicken (white). We were both fully satisfied and nourished. It was well worth the $21.78. -
Review from Justin W.
Manhattan, NY
8/27/2009
Ay Di-s Mio, que viva el festival! And what a festival it is...inside my mouth, my tastebuds are dancing to cumbia and salsa, just thinking about it.
Chicken Festival is so damn good it makes me want to climb up to Machu Pichu with a combo plate of rotisserie chicken with rice and beans and pray to the incan gods for blessing the upper east side with such a tasty plate of chicken, for get this...UNDER 8 BUCKS!!! And I don't care what anyone says, Chicken Festival's chicken would win in a cock fight with Pio-Pio any day of the week, at least the Manhattan Pio-Pios--the Queens one could be a close contest.
The green sauce at Chicken Festival is far better than other latin spots with the similar spicy, succulent condiment. I always request extra green sauce and afterwards my belly thanks my brain for making such a darn good decision. Then my wallet smiles back and they all have a party. The only reason I don't give them 5 stars is that I've tried some of the other options on the menu and they really aren't very good. Stick with the chicken and you'll be indoctrinated, just like I was. Otra vez, que viva el festival! -
Review from The M.
New York, NY
1/25/2010
Chicken Festival is wonderful!Simple as that!
I think it is the only place, if not one of the only places that offers something spicy: a great tasting green sauce for the rotisserie chicken!
Great,hopefully no one will whine about it being "too spicy". If ya don't like the sauce and think it is "too spicy" then do us all a favor and DON'T order it!I want it for my chicken though!
Ordered a whole rotisserie chicken for the fam, along with maduros, rice and beans...
Again-the food had so much taste and it was great!
I will definitely be ordering from them again.
Definitely try this place!
The chicken is juicy...maduros sweet and tender, cooked to perfection. Rice and beans are great, beans cooked very well.
Don't miss out on this great place! -
Review from Shaved I.
BOWLING GREEN, NY
9/24/2011
Awesome chicken at an awesome price. Hot sauce provided with the chicken is great too. The salad provided with the chicken iis crappy though
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Review from george d.
Manhattan, NY
10/16/2011
so will def go back again because i haven't had the chicken, the aji de gallina was OK, the green hot sauce was very good
service was just ok, maybe it will be 4 stars after my next try, stay tuned -
Review from Jennifer L.
New York, NY
4/21/2009
Oh Chicken Festival, how I miss you. I visited you often before my ex and I split. See, you are located in his part of town, and you know how that goes. Sometimes entire neighborhoods seem off limits. (Don't worry, we both still love you and want you to know it's not your fault--see his review below.)
I long for the day I can once again enjoy one of your succulent combo specials. Your rotisserie chicken is the juiciest in town. Your rice and beans formed a medley in my mouth. I'll never forget your special Peruvian green sauce. All of that that, paired with an avocado salad, and I was in love. And for so little money!
I must admit, I considered slashing one star because the one time I ate in the restaurant, you were out of a couple of dishes and the service was mediocre at best. But you were faithful to me with your takeout more than you weren't, so I was generous. It's the good times I chose to remember.
The time will come when we will meet again, my sweet Festival...until then. -
Review from aaron r.
New York, NY
11/5/2008
1st...I'm angry that I'm not the 1st reviewer...I live roughly 18 steps from this poultry palace...2nd, this place deserves 38 million stars, but Yelp limits its arbitrary voting system to just 5 stars...
I'm a Chicken Festival groupie...I don't think a week goes by that I don't eat here at least once...I have yet to eat a meal here that does not "hit the spot" (in the parlance of our times).
The chicken here is hands down the best I've had from a place in this genre of restaurants...AKA, it's better than Pio Pio (no offense, Pio Pio)
I often suggest Chicken Festival when I'm broke, and want to get dinner with my lady friend (Jen, don't read this). A happy coincidence is that she loves this place as much as I do. -
Review from Jonathan G.
Santa Monica, CA
4/26/2009
So I'll compare this place to Pio Pio, which seems to have set the standard against which all Peruvian chicken joints are judged.
First, this place looks like Pio Pio. Same long, narrow shape of room, probably seats about the same number of people, and similar color scheme. As for the menus....they are similar. Chicken Festival doesn't have a liquor license, so Pio Pio beats them there. But Chicken Festival is less crowded (and Pio Pio on the UES can get very crowded, particularly during the weekend, with 15 minute waits for tables).
As for the food: I think Pio Pio's chicken is juicier, which may make it slightly better. Then again, I went to Chicken Festival late, so maybe the chicken had been roasted a couple of hours before. Regardless, both restaurants offer great rotisserie chickens. Pio Pio's special green sauce is spicier than Chicken Festival's (could be a plus or minus depending on your tastes). The yuca is better at Chicken Festival--less greasy and crunchier....but only Pio Pio gives you separate sauce for the yuca.
It's a close call, but Pio Pio might come out ahead. -
Review from Jason L.
Denver, CO
7/7/2009
Cheap AND good? Seriously.
When you walk by and look at the menu, you won't believe that food this inexpensive is available on the Upper East Side. When you eat, you won't believe that it's so darn good.
Get yourself a Pollo Medio (1/2 chicken) with beans and safron rice (fries are good too). Then, be sure to ask for the hot sauce.
When you can't make your way through half your meal, ask for a box and look forward to eating this meal again soon.
Finally, when you get the check, try not to act surprised - the longer we can keep these people in the dark about their below-market pricing, the more chicken we can enjoy.
Did I mention it was good too? -
Review from CHEVON M.
Freeport, NY
5/31/2009
You are so sexy...your complexion is well tanned and your so damn hot! I can't wait to get you into something more comfortable...we're going to have quite a menage a trois! Yesssssssssss....me, you and your hot looking friend over there!
Ok, seriously, the rotisserie chicken, the wonderful maduros that are cooked to perfection and the light, fluffy saffron rice are not to be missed along with the spicy green sauce. I always order the 1/2 chicken, combo with rice & beans, with a side of maduros ($10...OMG, so cheap!) I found this little gem about a year ago when my job transferred nearby. I feel guilty for not "yelping" before about this.The servings are hearty and are enough for lunch the next day. I'm now a regular and always have gotten outstanding service on pick up and delivery.
Give it a try!!!!!! -
Review from Simpson S.
Westford, MA
6/1/2010
R u kidding me ? How does this place get away with the prices they are charging for their food ? Seriously, what they put out on those plates in their tiny restaurant is worth at least...... Twice what they charge. Its that good. Started the meal off with empenadas. These were the best I've had in a while. The meat was perfectly seasoned and the crust extra crispy. It was extra awesome smothered in the house green sauce.
For dinner I had the rotisserie chicken. The skin was very tasty and the meat very moist, and pratically falling off the bone. The rice and beans were a good filler for when you're not chewing on green sauce covered chicken, but trust me, this place is all about the chicken ... And that amazing green sauce.
I wish I could grab buckets of that green sauce and bring it home .
I will def be going back next time I'm in the city. The place wasn't packed (my crew and I were the only ones in there) but that's fine with me. That just meant the waitress could adequately address our calls for more green sauce every 5 minutes. -
Review from Laura B.
6/8/2011
Very good value and tasty food. For $20 you can feed 3 to 4 people. Yes it's on the greasy side, but that's what makes it good. The spicy green sauce is amazing on just about anything. Sweet plantains were okay...maybe I just don't love plantains. Beans were yummy.
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Review from PJ M.
Yorkville, Manhattan, NY
7/14/2011
Good and consistent. They offer all white meat chicken. Do it. My son said the fries were ok.
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Review from Evan E.
4/11/2011
We went after church and they had a lunch that was 1/4 chicken, sangria, side, and house salad for $11. It was a really good deal. The service was great and the food was delicious. The yuca and sweet plantains were amazing. Now here's the downside. A guy came out of the restroom zipping up his pants and went into the kitchen and there was a dog barking from the kitchen. You decide what bothers you.
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Review from Sarah L.
Manhattan, NY
2/22/2012
best best best... better than pio pio! i am obsesssssssed
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Review from Matt G.
New York, NY
5/19/2009
I'm a little reticent to write this review since I haven't been to Pio Pio yet, and the other reviews make it sound like required eating before judging CF, but my wife is on my case to give CF five stars, so here they are.
The chicken was moist and delicious and the combo with rice and beans was a great deal. However, the sides stole the show for me. The empanadas were ridiculous: each bite a juicy miracle. And we got a dish of fries and hotdogs, which was just thin slices of hot dog tossed with a pile of french fries. Don't knock it till you've tried it!
Chicken Festival, welcome to my delivery speed dial. -
Review from Joey T.
10/27/2009
my friends always compare this place to pio pio. to be honest, it's been a while since i've been, but i do remember i quite liked the chicken over there.
and it was pretty great here too. juicy. flavorful. tender. yummm. everything i ever dreamed of in chicken.
i'm a fan of the rice too, did i mention? i could eat it for days!
the ambiance is definitely not as cutesy as pio pio, but it is much much cheaper here. that being said, it ain't no shack in there either - it's just much plainer. but hey, no worries.they have awesome combo meals that are such good deals, i easily get over the lack of ambiance.
the menu says to be on the lookout for their sangria, so i eagerly await that, but till then, i'll be enjoying my usual to-go order.
i'll have to do a rewrite after i stop by piopio again, but for solid deals you get here, it's worth stopping by and checking it out for yourself. -
Review from Erica C.
Brooklyn, NY
10/13/2011
Three words: Yummy, Delicious, Scrumptious!
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Review from Arturo C.
El Paso, TX
11/2/2009
Good food and great prices. My roomie and I ate for about 10$ a piece and still had food to take home for lunch the next day (= Try their family combos, more bang for your buck, and definitely try the platanos verdes (the unsweet kind) as an appetizer....yummm
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Review from Ronald M.
New York, NY
4/5/2010
Hmmm...Chicken Festival I came to visit you with extremely high expectations. Allthough you didn't quite meet them...I was pleasantly surprised. We will see each other again..but my time will be spent at Pio Pio.
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Review from Abbe K.
New York, NY
4/19/2011
I'm a huge fan of Pio Pio but had heard great things about Chicken Festival so decided to give it a try. It was good but Pio Pio is sooooooo much better! And Pio Pio is cheaper. Sorry, Pio Pio. I promise not to cheat on you again with a lesser chicken place!
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Review from Corran D.
New York, NY
7/27/2010
Great chicken! Get extra green sauce because it is AMAZING!
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Review from carey y.
Bradenton, FL
10/14/2010
I really wanted to be impressed. Four different friends of mine who ALL have palates I respect strongly recommended this place. Guys, ya let me down. Except for the excellent value ( I will get 3 meals out of this $20 order) I was not happy with any of my choices. The chicken itself was dry and heavily over-seasoned. The skin was crunchy, but so greasy that I took it all off. The green sauce was fine, but not nearly as flavorful or spicy as my beloved Pio Pio's (which I really feel this restaurant is just a blatant rip-off of). The tostones were the biggest disappointment. First of all, they didn't come with a separate sauce like they do at Pio Pio. They were overcooked and hard as cardboard. They actually had a stale consistency which made me wonder if they were cooked earlier and reheated. My jaw was literally tired after eating a few of them. The plantains inside of way too much batter were cut too thin, so they completely lost their texture. They had SO SO SO much salt on them that I could actually brush some of it off each one- but it had already sunken in so far that I eventually gave up and threw them away. The salad was not really even worth commenting on. Walk a few blocks north and go to Pio Pio instead. The bummer is, despite my strong preference for Pio Pio, I am out of their delivery zone. I may be tempted to order from here again purely because they will deliver to me...but more likely I'll order in from Eastside poultry instead.
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Review from Eric L.
New York, NY
10/3/2008
Great, inexpensive chicken. So many nights I am in a rush home and just want to grab a reliable, healthy meal without any frills. I grab the quarter chicken combo (which comes with either french fries or beans and saffron rice) for $6.50 and am on my way. It fills me up, and tastes great especially with the (cilantro?) dipping sauce. If I know I'll need a meal the following day as well, I'll upgrade to the half-chicken for another $1 and it easily makes for two meals. Not fancy, but just great tasting rotisserie chicken at a price that can't be beat.
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Review from becky s.
New York, NY
1/14/2011
Delicious and cheap. First thing I need to address is the sangria since I read a review that said this place didn't have a liquor license. Sangria is amazing! Fruity with kick and lots of liquor soaked fruit. They have a special for 1/4 chicken, salad, a side, and sangria for $11.50. Best deal in the city! The chicken was juicy and skin was crisp. Maduros were amazing, as was the saffron rice and beans. The salad is decent - just shredded lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with a light dressing. I've been to Pio Pio and have to say that their chicken is a bit juicer. (However, I ordered delivery from there once and the chicken was terrible). As far as the green sauce goes...I thought CF was pretty spicy, if it was any hotter I probably won't have eaten it.
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Review from D D.
New York, NY
6/25/2011
my wife and i stopped in for take out and we put off by the obnoxious girl taking the order, once we were home we were disappointed with the chicken, it just isn't worth the trip.
