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The Chickery is a fast casual restaurant on the cutting edge of the increasingly popular fast-casual "better chicken" segment, offering real tasty chicken and sides. Two new menus are available in their rebranded Dupont Circle location, featuring chicken concepts from Chef Spike Mendelsohn, former
Top Chef contestant and chef-owner of popular DC restaurants
Good Stuff Eatery, Santa Rosa Taqueria and
We, The Pizza. Closest Metro is Dupont Circle.
The Chickery is about premium roast chicken – using all natural, never frozen, farm-fresh, humanely raised chicken with no added water or flavoring. We were invited to the launch of new menu and tried items from the "The Chicky Bunch," including a few reimagined riffs of current sandwiches like
The Chickery Classic and
BBQ Big Dixie as well as new additions:
The Blue Hot with hot fried chicken, lettuce, pickles, blue cheese crumbles and buttermilk ranch dressing;
Tête-à-Cluck with rotisserie chicken, french fries, cheddar cheese curds and gravy; and the vegetarian
CauliFire with battered and fried cauliflower steak, Chickery hot sauce, lettuce, tomato and buttermilk ranch dressing.
We specifically tried the
GuakGuak with rotisserie chicken, guacamole, apple smoked bacon, swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato. The pulled chicken meat was tender and the bacon came forward in each bite.
My favorite was the
Open Sesame Sandwich - fried chicken topped with crunchy slaw and Asian honey dressing on white Pullman bread. The chicken was all white meat and perfectly crispy. The sauce was sweet and sour, and the vegetables added a nice crunch on top. My only suggestion would be to change the bread, as it got a bit soggy.
We also tried the
Rotisserie Fried Chicken (RFC) and Waffles. Chicken is first rotisserie cooked to lock in all the flavor, then battered and deep fried to add that crunchy exterior. The chicken was moist and a little salty, but overall tasty. If waffles aren't your thing, a regular side can be subbed with the meal.
Much of the existing menu has been streamlined to align with The Chicky Bunch, in addition to expanding the options for sides, salads, sauces, desserts and drinks. My favorite was the
Poutine - fries topped with flavorful peppery chicken gravy and white cheddar cheese. Of course, Spike's famous "dips" bar is also available with various ketchups and mayos for you to add to your sandwich as you please.
Family and combo meals will be revamped on the new menu, including the
Bunch Box Special that allows guests to pair any Chicky Bunch sandwich with seasoned fries and a large fountain soda for $10.50 between 11 A.M to 3 P.M.
The Dupont Circle location is also introducing a
new late night menu that will be available Thursday through Sunday from 9:30 P.M. to 3:30 A.M. The menu will feature
Chicken Cones (a waffle cone filled with crispy chicken tossed in one of seven sauces; $8.50) and select Chicky Bunch sandwiches. Check them out when you're in that chicky mood.
