Reviewing Hot Lola’s: Sichuan spice meets Nashville hot chicken in Arlington.

Have you ever tried fried chicken spiced with both Sichuan pepper and cayenne pepper? You can find this unique pairing at Arlington, Virginia’s own Hot Lola’s. Hot Lola’s is a fried chicken joint that had its first brick-and-mortar location at the Ballston food hall. They’ve since expanded to a new location in Rosslyn, with an Alexandria location coming soon.  

Hot Lola’s is owned by chef Kevin Tien and its general manager is Alan Vo. This duo has created a special fried chicken experience in the Washington, D.C., area. This chicken is seriously good and comes in various spice levels for all to enjoy.  

I visited the newly opened Rosslyn location for my visit to Hot Lola’s. This restaurant came with strong word-of-mouth recommendations from my friends, so I was very excited to give this spot a try! 

The Hot Lola’s menu is pretty straight forward. They sell fried chicken in various forms and sides. You can order your chicken on six different spice levels ranging from “not hot” to “flippin’ hot.” I was bold and went with spice level number four, “O.G. Hot,” and I can confirm it was indeed hot! 

Since fried chicken sandwiches are all the rage these days, I knew we had to try Hot Lola’s take on this beloved classic. I ordered the chicken tenders, and my friend ordered the Hot Lola’s Sando, which comes with slaw, pickles, and comeback sauce, their special house sauce. They also got a side of their seasoned waffle fries. 

I was shocked by how large their portion sizes were! They serve you a large sandwich with a lot of fries, it was a pleasant surprise. We could not come close to finishing all our food, even though it was absolutely delicious. 

The fried chicken struck the perfect balance of crispy and juicy. It was fresh and not too greasy; this really demonstrated their masterful frying technique that left the chicken tasting fresh and succulent rather than sodden with oil or too dry. Their unique toppings of creamy coleslaw and sweet pickles added additional flare on top of the showstopping heat level. This chicken sandwich was awesome in every way. If you are sensitive to spice, I’d definitely stick to the lower level of the spice chart, but if you can take the heat, make it spicy! 

When I visited the Rosslyn location, it was around dinner time, and it wasn’t too busy. I was able to walk right up to the counter to order my food. The staff was very friendly and helped me pick the right spice level for me. I waited probably no more than ten minutes for my fresh sandwich and fries to be delivered to me. Service was quick and high quality.  

The new restaurant space in Rosslyn is great. Just two blocks from the metro, it’s in a bustling location filled with businesses, retail, and residential buildings. They have plenty of seats inside, but also offer to-go orders. Hot Lola’s was the perfect weekday dinner spot for me to get a high-quality meal fairly quickly without breaking the bank.

If you like fried chicken (and who doesn’t like fried chicken?), you definitely need to check out one of Hot Lola’s locations in the Washington D.C. area!