Birdbox
Restaurant · Midtown West
245 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Highlights
NYC's viral fried chicken sandwich with unique sauces.
NYC's viral fried chicken sandwich with unique sauces.
"Unlike the weird interactive Netflix movie of the same name, we’re pretty excited about Birdbox. It’s a San Francisco fried chicken shop famous for serving their chicken sandwich with the claw attached, from the same people behind Birdsong, a fine dining restaurant. Though, you’ll have to brave Times Square to try it out." - will hartman
"A Backstage Food Hall concept from the owners of Michelin-starred Birdsong in San Francisco, designed to look like a Broadway theater and featuring the viral (and praised) Claude the Claw sandwich." - Eater Staff
"Don’t confuse Birdbox’s line with the Hamilton matinee crowd—they’re on the same “quaint” block just west of Times Square. The spot is the New York expansion of a San Francisco fancy fried chicken sandwich shop that comes from a fine dining restaurant. It’s located within the Backstage Food Hall, and you’ll have to wait—for up to an hour during their dinner rush—to get to the front of their line. Birds are fried to order, and it can take a while for them to come out. If you’ve got time to kill, the chicken here is pretty solid, especially if you’re someone who likes to post your meals on the internet. You’ve got a few options: whole wings, bone-in chicken breasts, a chicken sandwich made with breasts, and their viral “Claude the Claw,” a fried chicken sandwich made with a leg quarter that still has the foot attached. On the inside of every one of the Birdboxes, there’s a little note explaining that the claw is not just for stunt, but because they source their chickens from small farms. Whatever the case may be, this sandwich is sought after—it routinely sells out about 30 minutes into their dinner service. If you find yourself in this spot (like we have), grab a spicy falcon sandwich instead. Food Rundown Whole Chicken Wings We love a whole wing, and Birdbox makes a great version. Get it hot—your wings will come dusted in a chili powder that’s as vibrant as a bag of Takis and has a bright chili flavor. This was the most juicy chicken we had here. photo credit: Will Hartman Quarter Chicken We like that this is served on the bone. Order it spicy. photo credit: Will Hartman Spicy Falcon Chicken Sando We’ll be honest—we were expecting more heat. This is a perfectly fine chicken sandwich, if a little dry. It’s not worth waiting in line for, but we do love the spicy yeayo (spicy mayo) sauce and the bread and butter pickles. photo credit: Will Hartman Waffle Fries Justice for waffle fries. These are crunchy with discernible potato fluffiness, and best dipped in their spicy yeayo sauce." - Will Hartman
"I found Birdbox, a fried-chicken spinoff from San Francisco’s Birdsong, inside Backstage Food Hall near Times Square. The menu offered several fried chicken sandwiches, a hen-of-the-woods vegetarian sandwich, waffle fries, coleslaw, and four sauces; I ordered Claude the Claw ($19), described as a conjoined thigh-and-drum combo with a talon protruding. It arrived nearly 30 minutes after a six-to-nine-minute estimate in a box with chicken tracks cut out of the cover. The dark meat had been extensively brined—very juicy and overall delicious—with a thick, crunchy breading that contrasted nicely with the seeded bun (which felt too small for that quantity of chicken). The bread-and-butter pickles were a nice touch, and the agreeable “yeayo” sauce (a portmanteau of “yeast” and “mayo”) complemented the sandwich. The deep-fried claw was mostly inedible aside from some flesh at its base, and the sandwich’s standout appearance drew tourists’ reactions, but I’d definitely get Claude the Claw again for its juicy, crunchy, dark-meat flavor; it’s also a guaranteed attention-grabber. I also tried the smaller hen-of-the-woods ($14) on round wheat-toast slices; the waffle fries were coated in a spice I did not particularly like, and the slaw—dressed mainly with lemon juice and nutritional yeast—felt intended to accompany sandwiches rather than be eaten on its own." - Robert Sietsema
"A to‑go fried‑chicken outpost inside Backstage Food Hall on West 46th Street, this vendor is the East Coast cousin of San Francisco’s Birdsong and has been selling out its culty chicken sandwich “Claude the Claw.” The menu leans funky and spicy—fermented hot sauce and pink peppercorns feature prominently, and there are creative touches like nutritional yeast in the coleslaw and Marmite in a honey‑dip “Money Sauce.” Fried hen‑of‑the‑woods mushrooms and well‑seasoned, tender chicken (even the usually dry breast) are both strong bets for takeaway." - Edward Hart
