Humble Bird

Since first opening in 2015, Howlin' Ray's has spawned dozens of Nashville hot chicken imitators—many of which we've tried, and most of which we've found lacking. The sole exception, which manages to best the original, is North Hollywood's Humble Bird, opened by former Howlin' employees Louis Silva and Brandon Walthrop in 2021. Even at higher spice levels, the bone-in chicken here offers a depth of flavor that manages to cut through the burn (which I haven't found to be the case at Howlin' Ray's). Somehow, Humble Bird reaches heights of fried chicken sandwich excellence we hadn't thought possible with a juicy, perfectly cooked chicken breast and the perfect ratio of slaw, pickles and "comeback" (chili-inflected ketchup and mayo) sauce. If you consider yourself a Nashville hot chicken superfan, give Humble Bird a try. You'll be glad you did.