Business & Tech

Bucktown's 'Art of Chicken' Comes to Western (VIDEO)

The new fast-casual restaurant with Latin flair is opening as early as this weekend in Bucktown after months of issues.

After seven months of waiting, the fast-casual restaurant The Art of Chicken is officially ready to open in Bucktown.

The unique, colorful eatery at 2041 N. Western Ave. will dish up grilled chicken and specialty sauces with a touch of Latin flair. Sam Kirk, the space’s designer, says owners are now printing menus in hopes of opening as early as this weekend—early next week, at the latest.

But the owners' journey has not been without challenges. Originally suspected to open sometime in August 2012, according to Chicago Pipleine, Kirk says a few items stood in their way before this weekend’s big reveal.

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“A big part of (the delay) was permitting, and the gas line had to be changed when they were testing out the equipment," he said. "It just wasn’t correct. It was all construction related and permit issues with the city. The restaurant itself has been done since late July, so it’s been way longer than planned.”

“As far as the menu, to me, it’s really exciting ... I think it’s really going to be something different than what we have in Chicago.”

Kirk says the owner was hoping to open the restaurant's doors—and chicken-coop style windows—in the summer, considering the unique way the front of The Art of Chicken transforms the space.

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Kirk says he's confident it's time to introduce a new style of cuisine to Chicago. The chicken is grilled, not fried, and a Latin American punch is offered with each dish.

“As far as the menu, to me, it’s really exciting,” Kirk said. “I’m biracial, half Latina, and there’s a lot of chicken restaurants and a lot of Mexican restaurants, but not a lot that show off the authentic style of how we cook at home. I think this does that. (The owner) uses a lot of our recipes and traditional styles, and I think it’s really going to be something different than what we have in Chicago.”


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