Royals Hot Chicken

Saw an article on CJ that said it is opening soon at old Taco Punk location.

http://www.royalschicken.com/

I know they were supposed to open in December, did the story give any indication of when they are actually going to be opening?

Sheldon S. Shafer, @sheldonshafer 11:28 a.m. EST December 28, 2015

A hot fried chicken restaurant is planned at 736 E. Market St. in the NuLu neighborhood, a site recently occupied by Taco Punk.

According to a legal advertisement in The Courier-Journal, partners in Royals Hot Chicken intend to seek state alcoholic beverage approvals, including a caterer's permit and a Sunday retail drink permit, for the restaurant.

The partners are listed as Ryan Rogers, who is the owner of Feast BBQ that is currently operating nearby on Market Street, along with Thomas Butler and David Levine.

The restaurant's website says it is expected to open this December. Hours are listed as 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday with the business closed Sunday and Monday.

The website lists the menu as offering six levels of "Nashville hot" chicken, along with salads, desserts, drinks and traditional sides.


A call to the number listed on the website indicated the phones are not yet accepting calls.

Rogers opened Feast BBQ in New Albany, Ind., in 2012, and then the NuLu location a year ago.

Reporter Sheldon S. Shafer can be reached at (502) 582-7089, or via email at sshafer@courier-journal.com.

We just completed a successful, but very soft opening this evening with some close friends and family and we've decided the best thing possible for our customers long term is to slowly build up to our full hours over the rest of the week. This allows us the ability to correct staffing levels, pars, and make sure the service and food is where we want it to be.
Additionally as we go through the song and dance with the ABC our 24 craft beer draft lines won't be running until we've received our permit.
All of that being said, if you're okay with eating chicken without adult beverages (there are milkshakes) we will be posting limited opening and closing times on our social media sites over the rest of the week as we ease into our full hours.
https://Facebook.com/royalschicken Twitter @royalschicken Instagram @royalshotchicken
We look forward to seeing you all in soon though we understand if you want to wait until the beer and champagne is flowing.

I always wish the best for any new venture, but is $14 for a half bird and one side really sustainable? I thought Joella's price of $12 for a half bird and two sides was pretty steep.

I always wish the best for any new venture, but is $14 for a half bird and one side really sustainable? I thought Joella's price of $12 for a half bird and two sides was pretty steep.

As a local independent we don't have the purchasing power to buy our products at a lower rate like a large restaurant chain, additionally we purchase a much larger bird than you would receive at a KFC/Popeyes/Lee's - where a 4 piece mixed chicken (half) with bread and side is around $10. We've have based our pricing on the cost of the base product, the cost of the higher quality spices we buy from terraspice that allow you to make it hot chicken, the cost of the brine, the cost of the flour, the cost of the oil, the cost of the paper goods that are associated with each individual product, and ultimately the cost of the high quality labor that it takes to produce products from scratch.. not to mention the rent in probably one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Louisville.

At most finer dining restaurants you'd pay in the mid to upper $20's for roasted chicken, so I'm not sure why you'd expect to pay less for chicken that costs more to produce.

It looks like a meal for a regular person, 1/4 and a side, is around $9, similar to Joella's. That pricing is very good -- these aren't fast food joints, so there's no reason to expect fast food prices. I look forward to trying out Royals soon -- best of luck!

[Robin Garr]

As a local independent we don't have the purchasing power to buy our products at a lower rate like a large restaurant chain, additionally we purchase a much larger bird than you would receive at a KFC/Popeyes/Lee's - where a 4 piece mixed chicken (half) with bread and side is around $10. We've have based our pricing on the cost of the base product, the cost of the higher quality spices we buy from terraspice that allow you to make it hot chicken, the cost of the brine, the cost of the flour, the cost of the oil, the cost of the paper goods that are associated with each individual product, and ultimately the cost of the high quality labor that it takes to produce products from scratch.. not to mention the rent in probably one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Louisville.

Well stated, Ryan. I buy it (and I'm saving this in my Notes To Keep Handy file).

In its perspective, though, I'd like to ask a question, not meant judgmentally but in the pursuit of information that's important to me: Does this commitment extend to the chicken itself? In other words, are you sourcing quality poultry from local/regional farmers or Kentucky Proud? Or is it industrial branded chicken, Perdue, Tyson, etc.?

I actually thought the response was on the snarky side. My question wasn't whether the price was appropriate to the product being offered, but if it was sustainable. There may be some fine dining restaurants charging in the high $20s for roasted chicken, but they're not selling it to me and it's not the basis for their business model. And I certainly don't think a quarter bird and a side is anything more than a snack.

That being said, they're certainly free to charge whatever they want. Again, I wish them well.

My question wasn't whether the price was appropriate to the product being offered, but if it was sustainable.

I don't know what their profits look like, but Joella's has always been crowded (sometimes out the door) in the half dozen or so times that I've been there. Like any new business, time will tell, I suppose.

Well stated, Ryan. I buy it (and I'm saving this in my Notes To Keep Handy file).

In its perspective, though, I'd like to ask a question, not meant judgmentally but in the pursuit of information that's important to me: Does this commitment extend to the chicken itself? In other words, are you sourcing quality poultry from local/regional farmers or Kentucky Proud? Or is it industrial branded chicken, Perdue, Tyson, etc.?

We've been unable to find producers locally that can consistently supply us with the quantities of poultry we will need at the specific weights required. We can't fry a 2.75# chicken and a 3.5# evenly, and no one wants undercooked poultry.

I'd love to find a local producer that could meet our needs, but we haven't yet - and frankly I'd be surprised if they existed. That being said we are using an antibiotic/hormone free chicken.

We are also using an organic tofu , we're getting our grits from Tom Edwards at Louisville, and our bread is baked fresh and brought in multiple days a week.

[Robin Garr]

That being said we are using an antibiotic/hormone free chicken.

Two thumbs up!

A quarter fried chicken plus a side for around $9 is a full lunch for me, not a snack. I do think it's sustainable, as it's in the same ballpark as what other hot chicken places charge. Prince's is $8 for a quarter and a side, and god knows they don't pay NuLu rent.

[Robin Garr]

I do think it's sustainable, as it's in the same ballpark as what other hot chicken places charge.

Looked at another way, $10 to $15 for lunch is in the same ballpark with just about every good place to eat in Louisville. If you want crappy industrial fast food, then yeah, you can get it for less. But why?

I can't confirm as accurate but was told by a manager of Joela's that they use a locally sourced chicken. Maybe someone else can confirm where it comes from.