Our First Taste Of Zaxby’s—And Some Giveaways For Subscribers [Updated]

Milkshake Toast at Zaxby's

Updated 12/21/16, 7:49 a.m.: The winners of the two $50 Zaxby’s gift cards are Khannan Athreya and Bob Frasier! Thanks for your participation and support.

According to Shawn A. Taylor, president and CEO of Zaxby’s Houston LLC, people from Georgia who spot a Zaxby’s in Houston get as excited as a Houstonian would if they saw a Whataburger in Atlanta. The regional fast food chain, which specializes in chicken fingers, chicken wings, salads and fancy milkshakes, has a fledgling presence in Houston—but it’s growing. Current locations in the area include
20818 Interstate 45 in Spring, 8103 Louetta in Spring, 11550 FM 1960 and the newest location at 8722 Barker Cypress Road in Cypress.

We were invited to try the offerings at the new Barker Cypress location and were pleasantly surprised. There’s no doubt that it is fast food, but the tenders are much more flavorful than a certain other place. (The name rhymes with “Chains.”)

The crispy-fried bone-in wings were great with the “Nuclear” sauce. There’s a warning that the sauce is, “A mouth-detonating mix of atom-splitting heat and serious flavor fallout.” We found it had pleasant but definitive heat. The timid might instead go with the Original, a more traditional New York style wing sauce.

Food at Zaxby's
A sampling of Zaxby’s food, including “Wings & Things,” a mix of bone-in Buffalo wings and chicken fingers, The Blue salad and Spicy Fried Mushrooms.

People who go nuts for “cookie batter” and “cake batter” ice creams will likely enjoy the Birthday Cake milkshake but we found it a little cloying. Grown-up palates are more likely to enjoy the Chocolate Cookie or the crushed vanilla wafer-topped Banana Pudding shake.

For those aiming for something a little healthier, there is also a selection of salads: House, Caesar, Cobb and Blue Cheese. Interestingly, one of the things that is most appreciable about these is that they’re served in real bowls, not plastic or foam containers as is typical for most fast food joints. Each comes with thick slices of Texas toast.

Birthday Cake Milkshake at Zaxby's
The Birthday Cake Shake at Zaxby’s was a little cloying for our tastes but kids and those with a big sweet tooth will likely enjoy it.

The Zaxby’s that we visited at 8722 Barker Cypress generously gave Houston Food Finder two $50 gift cards to give away that are good at any location. So, here’s the deal: the next two people who subscribe to Houston Food Finder through Patreon at any level (even the $2 a month level) wins these!

If the cards are not claimed by subscribers by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19, we will have a second chance drawing for non-subscribers. Email [email protected] and put as the subject line, “I need some Zaxby’s in my life!”

We’ll update this article with the winners’ names after the drawing. Good luck!

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  • December 20, 2016 at 4:19 pmC. Butler

    GREAT food and very nice, new restaurants! Can’t wait for more locations in Houston!!

    Reply