Things are heating up for Chicky Sandos. The fast-casual hot chicken restaurant is growing—its second location officially opens with full hours starting today at 12555 Airline Highway, near Woman’s Hospital.
The eatery’s latest spot comes just about eight months after the former food truck debuted its first brick-and-mortar on Jefferson Highway. Owner Sameer Abudyak says it will serve the same made-to-order menu as the other restaurant but provide a little more space for patrons.
Abudyak says he and his team did not plan to orchestrate another opening so soon. But having a physical location closer to Chicky Sandos’ old stomping grounds—the food truck used to park in 4 Wheel Parts’ Airline Highway lot—has always been a goal. When the Airline Highway digs became available, Abudyak had to jump on it.
|
|
|
“This had always been one of my dream spots since I had the food truck,” he says. “A lot of our old regulars and old customers in general, who were from the Prairieville area or just worked over on the Airline (Highway) side, kind of missed us. Or they weren’t able to make it to us anymore due to the Jefferson (Highway) construction and traffic.”
Chicky Sandos will provide another food option in the area for a casual, yet quality-filled bite, Abudyak says. He’s excited to see the familiar faces from the brand’s food truck days, and he also remembers how the first permanent restaurant allowed the concept to reach a new audience and connect with customers who may have never heard of or tried Chicky Sandos before.
The Airline Highway restaurant’s soft opening started about three weeks ago, allowing Abudyak and his team to test out operating two locations. During that time, they trained employees and made building repairs. Abudyak says the new spot will be fully open starting today, Feb. 19.
The second location is a standalone restaurant with its own parking lot, unlike the first, which is attached to a gas station. Both locations have indoor seating along with a drive-thru, but the newest Chicky Sandos features an outdoor patio where patrons can enjoy their tenders, sandos or loaded fries.
“Everything (on the menu) is going to be the same,” Abudyak says. “We shouldn’t be changing anything anytime soon. We just want to keep the simple menu at both locations and just try to make sure quality and everything is there.”
|
|
|
Inside, diners will find a few more tables than the original brick-and-mortar. Guests can order their favorite chicken-forward dishes and decide on spice levels ranging from mild to “reaper” at the counter. Just like the first location, Abudyak says local muralist Marc Fresh will be in soon to create chicken-themed art inside the dining room and on the building’s exterior.
Abudyak says the new spot allows for more room for events, too. In the future, he hopes to have a grand opening event and even wants to host other monthly gatherings as the restaurant gets up and running.
Chicky Sandos’ second brick-and-mortar is at 12555 Airline Highway. It will be open Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Abudyak says hours may vary or change during the first couple of weeks. Follow the restaurant on Instagram for updates.