Rooster Republic, Santa Ana CA

In Santa Ana
Rooster Republic Title card

*** CLOSED***

When I first heard the name “Rooster Republic,” a picture of white feathered fowl signing the Articles of Confederation came to mind. Imagine a large wooden table with chickens in waistcoats and breeches talking about taxation without representation. There’s tons of potential for me to make correlations between a group of colonial roosters and America, but let’s not go there.

Rooster Republic is inside the Mcfadden Public Market, a modern food hall with a righteous 80’s styled Barcade. There aren’t a lot of places to eat here, but the 4th street market is only a couple of blocks away if you don’t find anything you like. Of course, if you are looking for some Nashville Hot chicken, you don’t have to go anywhere.

Interior of the McFadden Public Market
The interior of the McFadden Public Market. Rooster Republic is in the right side, with the red chairs.

 

Rooster Republic’s Nashville Hot Tender Sandwich

  • Nashville hot chicken tenders
  • White barbecue sauce
  • Pickles
  • Cabbage
Rooster Republic Nashville Hot Chicken tender sandwich
Nashville Hot chicken tender sandwich with white barbecue sauce.

Rooster Republic’s hot chicken tender sandwich was an interesting combination of hot spices with a touch of sweetness. I appreciated the flavors of the batter and the chicken was surprisingly moist for white meat. There was a touch of garlic and heavy cayenne pepper that worked in sync with the subtle white barbecue sauce. I expected a little more from the sauce and cabbage, but it seemed to serve more as a balance to the spice. The sandwich itself is pretty straight forward, it’s spicy (I ordered it hot) but not so much that you can’t taste anything and the spiced honey on the table is a wonderful compliment to the chicken.

I’d like to come back again, but I think next time I’d like to forego the sandwich part and just order the chicken (blasphemous, I know); The sandwich is nice, but the chicken itself is really what made the meal remarkable. Plus the hot honey on the chicken is really good.

-Vy

(click to see menu)

Rooster Republic menu

Rooster Republic

515 N. MAIN ST.
SANTA ANA, CA 92701

SUN – WED | 11 AM – 9 PM
THURS | 11 AM – 10 PM
FRI-SAT | 11 AM -11 PM

Delivery: Postmates, grubhub

More Chicken Sandwiches

Dave’s Hot Chicken, Fountain Valley CA

I thought that 2020 was my year of Fried Chicken sandwiches. My instagram feed certainly made it seem like it, ...

Project Social, Dana Point CA

I have to say that I've been pleasantly surprised with South OC lately. When I first started this blog, I ...

Spice-C, Tustin California

It's been a months long commitment, but I am trudging along trying to find some of the best chicken sandwich ...

 

Mobile Sliding Menu