The Nashville hot chicken trend is popping up on menus everywhere from high-end restaurants, fast food chains, even in international cities like London and Japan. The craze of the red hot bird originated in Nashville, TN during the 1930s. Traditionally served on slices of white bread with pickle chips, the chicken is deep-fried and coated in a paste or sauce spiced with cayenne pepper. FireBirds Chicken made the first move in San Diego by opening their fast-casual restaurant in November 2019. Located in City Heights, they are serving up their hot chicken in the form of indulgent sandwiches from scratch every day.

We met up with owner Abraham, who joined as an Edible Garden Partner in hopes of introducing the community to their delicious creations. FireBirds Chicken was only opened a few months before COVID-19 hit hard but they have remained fully operational with takeout service and will continue to do so until dine-in is safe. It’s been tough nonetheless. “Running your own business is a hectic way to go about your days, but it all pays off when the love for your contributions is reciprocated by your community,” says Abraham.

Abraham and his partner and brother, George, were motivated to start FireBirds Chicken to “create a brand that brings out Southern flavors with our own California twist, delivering more food options to San Diego for the whole community to try and fall in love with.”

“Every product is made in-house”, Abraham explains, even down to their volcanic cheese sauce, special cajun coleslaw, and fire sauce. “We focus on the crafting of complex flavors from real ingredients to deliver excellence in every bite.” In addition to their killer sandwiches, FireBirds also offers fried pickles, mac and cheese (plain and a version packed with fried chicken), sliders, and a kids menu. Catching our eye though are the loaded fries: a pound of fries topped with their volcanic cheese sauce, crispy chicken, pickles, and fire sauce. 

Need a first-time recommendation? “That has to be our Big Ol Sandwich. This is the sandwich that evolved our brand and became the must-try doorbuster in the San Diego area.”

Leave room to finish off your order with a cup of Banilla (banana with vanilla wafers) or Choreo (yup, chocolate, and oreo) pudding.


FireBirds Chicken is offering delivery and takeout.

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Address: 4155 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105

Hours: Hours: Seven days a week 11am–9pm

Phone: (619) 326-8235

Email: info@firebirdschicken.com

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