Juicy Birds, a buzzy local chain of more than 15 locations across Ontario, has officially landed in downtown Toronto.

Judging by the revolving door of hungry customers endlessly flocking to the counter at Juicy Birds' latest Toronto location, you'd think it was a local go-to, around for years rather than the weeks it has actually been open.

Though the chain, which specializes in 100 per cent Halal Nashville-style fried chicken, has expanded far beyond the reaches of even the GTA in the short four years it's been in business (branches can be found as far as Kingston and London), Toronto is, ultimately, its home, and the chain's latest location won't let you forget it.

Situated in the shadow of the CN Tower, the new downtown location boasts a vibrant mural packed with Toronto symbolism: a Raptors player prepared to smash a slam-dunk, a TTC streetcar, and Drake, obviously.

It's an earnest expression of appreciation for the city that, really, let Juicy Birds grow into the powerhouse it is today. Founded in 2022 with its original Danforth location, Juicy Birds has become a force to be reckoned with, even when faced with ample competition.

Of course, the people of Toronto can't get all the credit for Juicy Birds' success: the chicken did plenty of the legwork too.

Likely due to its immediate, overwhelming success, I'm warning you now not to visit Juicy Birds if you're in a rush. Each piece of chicken is hand-battered and fried to order, so you're in for a bit of a wait, but on the plus side, you're also in for a supremely fresh, piping hot piece of fried chicken when it does arrive.

And if you're in the market for something to graze away at with a similarly leisurely pace, the Hot Box 1 ($23.99) is a perfect place to start.

Consisting of two tenders, one slider, a hefty 2oz cup of sauce and your choice of one "basic" side (coleslaw, pickles, crinkle fries) and one "banger" side (mozzarella sticks or mac n' cheese), it's a meal fit for you and all of your most munchy-prone pals.

Equally sybaritic is the Loaded Mac N' Fries ($18.99). A lactose-induced coma waiting to happen, there's little pain more pleasurable than a fully-loaded forkful of this Franken-dish, which features sizeable chunks of chicken atop a half-mac n' cheese, half-French fry bed, all drizzled in a layer of Juicy Birds' house sauce so thick it obscures almost everything below.

There are more modest — or, modest by comparison — options on the menu, too. 

The Hot Honey sandwich ($13.99) hits all the right notes. Spicy and sweet, it features a juicy breaded thigh dipped in honey, getting its hot factor from jalapeño aioli and pickled jalapeños which, when taken in one mouth-unhinging bite, strike the perfect balance.

The perfect gateway into the ludicrous world of Juicy Birds, though, is the aptly-named G.O.A.T ($13.99). Dressed up like your classic crispy chicken sandwich, with coleslaw, sweet pickles and house sauce, it's perfectly poised to let the chicken sing.

Seeing as that very chicken has now spawned quite the fleet across Ontario, I think the spotlight is exactly where it deserves to be.

Juicy Birds Downtown is located at 118 John St.