Winner, winner, chicken dinner. It seems the pork craze is getting a run for its money in Chicago. A profusion of poultry-centered restaurants has just landed. From New York comes Glaze Teriyaki Grill, a fast-casual restaurant serving up grilled-to-order chicken breasts and thighs drizzled with a 30-plus ingredient apple- and pineapple-infused house teriyaki sauce. There’s also the long-running Chicago food truck Jerk going brick-and-mortar by adding a River West storefront serving up their allspice and habanero pepper-marinated, Jamaican-style grilled chicken. And finally, Lettuce Entertain You, which is always in the thick of things, launched Big City Chicken, a fried chicken concern, at Navy Pier, firing a shot across the bow of the venerable tourist trap that is Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Both Glaze and Jerk represent some of the finest versions of teriyaki and jerk chicken in Chicago. Big City makes a splash amidst most of the mediocre Navy Pier pickings, though it’s only slightly better than average when compared with the rest of the city’s fried chicken offerings. All three spots offer up a selection of interesting sides and tasty drinks. We know you’ve got limited dollars to spend and must choose wisely, so we put together this nifty diagram so you can see how these new spots stack up.
Reporters visit restaurants unannounced, and meals are paid for by RedEye.
1. Big City Chicken
700 E. Grand Ave. (Navy Pier food court) 312-546-7440
Rating: !! (out of 4) Give it some time
2. Glaze Teriyaki Grill
3112 N. Broadway 773-697-3580
Rating: !!! (out of 4) Off to a good start
3. Jerk
811 W. Chicago Ave. 312-763-2870
More Top Picks Ratings
Rating: !!! (out of 4) Off to a good start