New Houston chicken restaurant opening in Seattle with free food, $1K challenge
Mar 16, 2026, 5:00 AM
A photo of the exterior of Houston TX Hot Chicken ahead of its opening in Seattle's Belltown. (Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
(Photo: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest)
Houston TX Hot Chicken is holding a grand opening on Saturday for its first location in Seattle, chock full of special events to celebrate the city’s newest chicken spot.
The chicken joint is opening its newest location at 101 Denny Way in Belltown, with a welcome party from noon to 3 p.m., Houston TX Hot Chicken announced.
Although Seattle’s hours haven’t been announced, other locations are open seven days a week, generally operating from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m., Sunday-Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday-Saturday.
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Seattle’s grand opening features car meet, giveaways, and $1,000 challenge
To kick off the grand opening, “all cars are welcome” to a car meet event right outside the doors of the restaurant, as eager foodies await in line for the doors to officially open up to the public.
For the early-birds, Houston TX Hot Chicken will be offering complimentary food and beverages for the first 250 people in line. Aside from the free food and exotic cars, a $1,000 prize will be given to the first customer to complete a unique challenge.
The first customer to finish three “Houston, We Have A Problem!” chicken tenders, the spiciest tender on the menu, will win $1,000. The company noted that the winning contestant must complete a three-minute cool-down, meaning no liquid for three minutes straight following the challenge.
The “Houston, We Have A Problem” chicken tender is rated at two million Scoville heat units (SHU), which is an intimidating feat as it is nearly four times hotter than its next spiciest seasoning.
Each event requires an RSVP, provided here.
Menu caters to all spice levels, from mild to extreme
Despite the tenders being known for their blistering heat, Houston TX Hot Chicken also provides a wide array of other seasonings for customers who are less accustomed to spice, including Honey Butter (zero SHU), Mild (10,000 SHU), and Buffalo (25,000 SHU) seasonings, among others.
“Our fast-casual restaurants offer a delicious selection of Nashville Hot Chicken sandwiches with multiple choices for customizing each meal. From our signature dish to creative and daring combinations, you’ll always find something new and delicious at Houston Hot Chicken,” Houston TX Hot Chicken stated.
Customers can grab “The best Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich in Seattle,” served on a brioche bun with pickles, coleslaw, and a house sauce. Houston TX Hot Chicken also has loaded fries, a Texas Caesar salad with chopped tenders, and chicken and waffles on its menu.
Houston TX Hot Chicken was founded in 2020 by Houston Crosta and Edmond Barseghian, beginning as a small passion project that quickly became the talk of the town and a nationally recognized brand.
The company currently operates 29 stores, primarily on the West Coast, and has a strong presence in Las Vegas with five restaurants.
Houston TX Hot Chicken currently has one other location in Washington at 1839 N. Ruby Street in Spokane, and a Post Falls, Idaho restaurant located at 870 North off Highway 41.
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