There are two things in the culinary world that seemingly never stop coming; celebrity-backed restaurant concepts, and new chicken restaurants. So when a brand new business, found by Shaquille O’Neal himself, opened up their first standalone location in Maryland, I knew I had to go check it out. Shaq’s concept, Big Chicken, is a fast-casual spot that serves up chicken in multiple ways, alongside classic comfort food sides and a vibrant and bold display that could have only been thought of by Shaq himself.
I decided I had to make the drive out to the Waugh Chapel Towne Centre in Gambrills, MD to check out the space, check out the food, and see if it could live up to the Shaq-sized hype. I rate every restaurant using two simple categories: price and taste, each scored on a scale of 1-5. Add the two scores together, and if a restaurant reaches a total of 8 or higher, it officially “8 that.”
I started with a “Shaq Snack” which was chicken tenders inside of a split texas toast dressed up with different toppings. I got the Hot Shot which came with Cholula mayo, pickled jalapenos and pepper jack cheese. The Cholula mayo stood out, creamy with that vinegar bite you love from the hot sauce. Everything else was relatively average, but could be a cool idea as a riff on a hot dog.
Then I tried the 3 piece combo, with a side of their mac and chesse and house fries. I accidentally got the tenders covered in the Nashville Hot seasoning, which I didn’t mean to do since I was getting it on a sandwich as well. The Nashville Hot seasoning was incredibly smoky, probably too much for most. The Peach BBQ sauce that came on the side was a great contrast to the chicken and helped bring it down to an enjoyable level. The mac and cheese, while creamy, was lacking that cheesy flavor we all love. The crinkle cut fries were above average, tasting better than they appeared, but again nothing that blew me away.
Lastly, the Uncle Jerome’s Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich. Same as the tenders, that smokiness dominated, and it was saved with another dip, this time the Cholula mayo. When I think of my Top 5 chicken sandwiches, this would unfortunately not make the cut.
Recap: During my visit, I tried the Hot Shot Shaq Snack, the 3 piece tender combo with mac and cheese and crinkle cut fries, and the Nashville hot chicken sandwich.
Flavor: 3.6
Price: 3.7
Verdict: 7.3 / 10 – Big Chicken did not 8 that for me, but might for others!
Big Chicken is currently open 7 days of the week with hours from 10 AM to 10 PM, and an additional hour on Friday and Saturday, closing at 11. You can find them at 1407 S Main Chapel Way Suite 103, Gambrills, MD 21054.
View this post on Instagram
@mr.8.that The Big Diesel @ShaqDieselONeal is bringing his franchise to Maryland! 💪🍗 🐔- @Big Chicken – Gambrills, MD #foodreview #restaurantreview #chicken #foodie #mr8that ♬ original sound – mr.8.that
