Food challenges are popular throughout the United States, but we love to find the hottest challenges because they’re even that much harder to take on. We’ve compiled a list of the top five spicy food challenges in the U.S. — so, proceed with caution:
1. Phaal Challenge: Brick Lane Curry House
This challenge in New York City takes the top of the list. The Phaal Challenge involves giving a verbal disclaimer to the restaurant before ingesting their spicy meals — claiming that the restaurant is not liable for any physical or emotional damage from the meal. Well, that’s smart on the restaurant’s part because it’s rumored that people have randomly started bleeding out of their noses mid-challenge. If you successfully eat their incredibly spicy curry, you’ll end up on their P’hall of Fame.
2. XXX Wings: Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap
According to Yahoo Travel, the wings at this restaurant in Chicago may just be the hottest wings in the world. The restaurant offers the option of the XXX Sauce to their selection of wing sauces. It’s made with the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper — which actually surpassed the Ghost Pepper for the title of World’s Hottest Pepper. If that’s not enough for you, they’ve also added other ghost peppers in the sauce to ‘make your mouth scream even louder.’ If you’re able to eat these flaming hot wings, you’ll make it to their Wall of Flame!
3. The Inferno Soup: Nitallys
If you ever find yourself in Florida, you should try Nitally’s Inferno Soup. It’s made with noodles, chicken, bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage, and crushed ghost peppers mixed with over a dozen other chilies. To qualify for this challenge, you need to be over eighteen years old and “of sound mind and health.” And for those of you who want a beer to help numb the pain — think again. You need to be completely sober to participate in this challenge! Unlike the other challenges where you just get recognized as a prize for completion, winners of this challenge win some cash. How much cash, you ask? It depends on how many people failed before you!
Fun fact: The challenge went undefeated until a man in 2012 came in with a strategic plan. He ate all of the solids in the soup before gulping down the liquids. He ended up winning $1,500 for his efforts!
4. Hellfire Challenge: Smoke Eaters Hot Wings
Adam Richman of the Travel Channel’s Man v. Food show was barely able to complete this challenge — he signed a photo afterward saying, “It’s even worse than it looks!”
Here’s everything you need to know about this challenge:
• You get ten minutes to eat twelve wings coated with the restaurant’s hottest Hellfire sauce.
• You don’t get any napkins.
• You don’t get to drink anything.
• You must sit there afterward for five minutes.
The restaurant says, “you’ll sweat, you’ll weep, you’ll wish you hadn’t been so crazy.” Good luck, friends!
5. The Bushido Seppuku Challenge: Bushido Japanese Restaurant
Last but certainly not least — we have a challenge nicknamed The Spicy Tuna Hand Roll Challenge Redux. This challenge is tough because you must eat ten spicy rolls starting at level one and slowly increasing the spiciness until you reach level ten. A waiver must be signed to try anything between levels six and ten (because that’s when the rolls become dangerously hot). They make it very clear that you can not drink milk, dip the rolls in any sauce, or order other foods that may relieve the fiery hotness from living in your mouth. If you get through this thing without throwing up — you’ll earn the legend’s headband and be displayed on the “Ledger of Legends” wall. Here’s the best part — you’ll get a free appetizer every time you revisit the restaurant wearing your well-earned headband!