Austin-Based Hot Chicken Restaurant Secures Prime Space on Washington Avenue

Tumble 22, an Austin-based hot chicken restaurant, is set to open its second Houston-area location this summer in a prime restaurant space near Washington Avenue, according to a representative. The new location will occupy the former Avenue Grill at 1017 Houston Avenue.

Chef Harold Marmulstein founded Tumble 22 in 2017 as a food trailer, and it has since gained a reputation for serving all-natural chicken raised in Texas. Customers can enjoy the chicken in sandwich, tenders, or bone-in form, with six spice levels ranging from “Wimpy” to “Stupid Hot.” To ease the burn, comeback sauce and ranch dressing are available.

In addition to hot chicken, the menu also features Southern-inspired starters and sides like deviled eggs, mac and cheese, and collard greens. Fries come plain or “dirty,” which means topped with cheese, hot chicken, and pickles. Tumble 22 also offers five different pies for dessert, including apple, pecan, buttermilk, chocolate, and blueberry streusel.

Tumble 22 has earned recognition for its use of custom spice blends and hand-breading techniques. Houston food influencer and restaurateur Abbas Dhanani recently named it as his favorite hot chicken spot in Houston on local radio show Houston Matters.

The new Houston Avenue location will join a restaurant in Vintage Park, which opened in late 2020. Tumble 22 has four locations in the Austin area as well.

Social media recently circulated images of a Tumble 22 banner on the front of the building. Previously, Eater Houston had reported that the location would be home to a new Tony Mandola’s, a Gulf Coast seafood restaurant that closed in 2021.