Quick Review: Urban Fries from Urban Bird Hot Chicken

Bottom Line: The Urban Fries from Urban Bird Hot Chicken offer a nice combination of the chain’s menu items and can deliver some burn depending on the heat level selected.

Urban Bird Hot Chicken is one of several chains focusing its menu on hot chicken, similar to Dave’s Hot Chicken, which has become a national hit over the past five-plus years. Urban Bird is based in Houston and is currently expanding throughout Texas. I previously tried their signature chicken tenders at the two hottest heat levels, and you can read about that here. I recently stopped by again and ordered the Urban Fries, which come with the following:

Crispy seasoned fries garnished with white cheddar mac & cheese, chopped seasoned chicken, Bird Sauce, and three tangy pickles.

You can choose the heat level for the chicken, and I went with Nashville Hot, which is their third-hottest flavor.

I sampled a piece of the chicken first to see how the heat held up before diving into the rest of the loaded fries. It had an intense peppery flavor similar to Xtra Hot and Fire in the Hole, but without the immediate punch of heat that follows those levels. This was a more tolerable burn, though it still delivered a kick, pushing past Medium on my scale and approaching Hot.

The fries were nice and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside, with no greasiness at all. They’re seasoned in a way that’s similar to the chicken, though with less heat. The mac & cheese was creamy, and the pasta held its texture well, so it didn’t disappear into the mix. The Bird Sauce adds a touch of sweetness and savoriness that helps bring everything together, and the pickles are a welcome addition, offering an occasional tangy kick.

Heat-wise, the fries, mac & cheese, and sauce temper the burn, bringing the overall dish in below Medium on my scale. If I order these again—and I do believe I will—I’ll probably go with Xtra Hot to boost the overall heat level. That said, they were still quite tasty with the Nashville Hot and left a nice lingering tingle.

A full order clocks in at a hefty 1,510 calories, so you’ll want to be prepared to share. There’s also a half order, which is far less daunting at 755 calories. In my area, the full order runs $13.99, while the half order is $7.99, which isn’t bad for a pretty filling meal at a fast-casual spot these days. The Urban Fries are definitely a good alternative to Urban Bird’s tenders and sandwiches, and they offer a nice sampling of both the chicken and the sides. You can check for a location near you on the Urban Bird website.