Pecking House Chinatown
Restaurant · Chinatown ·
Crispy Chinese-inflected fried chicken sandwiches and pieces
Crispy Chinese-inflected fried chicken sandwiches and pieces
"At Pecking House in New York I tried chef-owner Eric Huang’s Chicken Salt Fries, a Saint Patrick’s Day 2025 riff that leans heavy on an in-house seasoning salt plus cumin, coriander and Sichuan peppercorns and arrives with a sweet, Golden Curry–evoking curry sauce; it’s aimed at Irish expats and fans who say the steaming, greasy bag takes them right back, and it’s priced around $9." - Paolo Bicchieri
"The Sichuan Southern spicy fried-chicken restaurant closed its Brooklyn location, with the last day of service on Friday, May 9; chef and owner Eric Huang said he isn’t sure if this is a permanent closure or if he’ll reopen the restaurant. The Chinatown location remains open." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Started as a delivery‑only pop‑up in September 2020 selling a hybrid of Nashville hot and Sichuan fried chicken, the concept rapidly grew (reportedly amassing a roughly 10,000‑person waitlist by early 2021) and evolved into two brick‑and‑mortar locations. The operation was financed through small, grassroots contributions from friends and family and by selecting a low‑buildout space; staffing grew from a small kitchen crew and rotating drivers in 2020 to about 20 full‑time employees across both sites in 2025. The delivery pop‑up phase was the most profitable—pandemic tipping and direct routing helped—whereas running physical quick‑service restaurants in New York has proven financially tight, with margins often under 5 percent and third‑party delivery platforms taking roughly 6–8 percent of gross revenue. Pricing shifted multiple times (from a $35 three‑side meal to $27 for three pieces with two sides, and later to accessible $14 meals and sandwiches) to boost repeat visits; lowering prices increased return‑customer rates by an estimated 20–30 percent but reduced per‑order revenue, so the overall net benefit is unclear. Operationally they experimented with in‑house drivers vs. apps, follow an Instagram‑driven marketing approach that brings many one‑time visitors, and retain small nods to fine‑dining training, though menu upsells like foie gras or caviar are not profitable at their scale." - Bettina Makalintal
"A Sichuan fried chicken restaurant whose chef Eric Huang is participating in a guest-chef collaboration at the Greenwich Village venue. His menu for that dinner includes fried chicken sliders with seared foie gras and pineapple jam; mapo menudo; and short rib pie." - Nadia Chaudhury
"Pecking House’s Chinatown location is so small, it makes your first apartment seem like a manor on some sun-soaked estate. At the Manhattan iteration of the famous fried chicken spot, you’ll have to ask a fellow customer to pass you a fork, a napkin, a cup of water, or maybe even to tap your credit card. And, as chaotic as that sounds, swimming your way through Pecking House makes this location feel more lived-in and fun than the original near the Barclays Center. If you're new to Pecking House or need a refresher, the former pop-up originally went viral for its Chinese-inflected fried chicken, with well over 10,000 people on the waitlist. And while we wouldn’t stand in a line for their crunchy, Southern-style chicken dusted in Chinese spices or chili oil, it more than does the trick when you need a juicy fried bird. Fortunately, the menu at the Chinatown Pecking House is nearly identical to the original, so there's even more opportunity to get your hands on a sandwich, a quarter chicken, and charred cucumber salad with ginger. And just because everyone is here for chicken doesn't mean you should underestimate the sides, which are often more interesting. photo credit: Will Hartman photo credit: Will Hartman photo credit: Will Hartman Pause Unmute Because of the size of Pecking House 2, the majority of your visits here will be for takeout. But if you manage to get a seat against the wall, it’s a nice place to listen to some indie sleaze or oldies, crunch on quarter chickens, and watch people wind themselves to the front of the store. Nicer even—and much more human feeling—than the roomy, tile-and-globe-light original. Your first apartment may have been bigger, but it never had duck fat chili oil sitting in the fridge. Food Rundown Chili Chicken Sando A juicy, crunchy fried chicken thigh drenched in a warm duck fat chili oil and a lemony mayo? Sign us up. This is the best variant of fried chicken to eat at Pecking House, made better by the sweet milk bread that does its best to contain the mess. Blackened Chicken Sando Do not confuse this sandwich for a bulking-friendly grilled chicken dish with 250 grams of protein. Sure, nothing on it is technically fried. But the sandwich is still an indulgent hunk, coated in a cumin and anise-forward blackening seasoning, then layered with salsa macha, melted Oaxaca cheese, and pickled jalapeños. Each bite really shines because of the pickled chilis. photo credit: Will Hartman Wings The wings at Pecking House are itty-bitty, crispy, and juicy. We like the Orange sauce, which tastes like lemon pepper wet, except…more orange. photo credit: Will Hartman Sides Often, the most interesting part of a meal at Pecking House won’t be their crunchy chicken—it’ll be the seasonal sides, where the Chinese influence is a bit more visible. We love the classic potato salad and the butter beans with black vinegar vinaigrette, but, if you need your cornbread and potato salad fix, they’ve got good versions of those, too. photo credit: Will Hartman" - Will Hartman
