Last week, celebrity chef and TV host Guy Fieri, alongside Planet Hollywood and Earl of Sandwich founder Robert Earl, opened the doors to the 12th location of the pair's fast-casual franchise, Chicken Guy! at Dadeland Mall.
Fieri's Food Network fame has helped him open several restaurant concepts over the years, from Guy Fieri's Chophouse and El Burro Borracho! to Guy Fieri's American Kitchen & Bar. Chicken Guy! is the chef's take on the ultimate fried-chicken restaurant, serving up chicken prepared grilled or fried as tenders, sandwiches, or in entrée-sized salads.
The concept's flagship location opened in Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando in 2018, followed by a second Florida location in Winter Park. Additional stores nationwide include New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Tennessee, as well as Las Vegas and Los Angeles International Airport, with close to 100 franchise locations set to open in the next few years.
The Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host says the restaurant is the product of the many years he has accumulated tips on creating the best possible fried chicken.
"I told myself, 'If you're going to eat fried chicken, then make it really great fried chicken,'" says Fieri. "Most importantly, it comes down to treating food with respect. You can mass produce something or you can make quality food the right way. We take fresh, antibiotic-free chicken and house-brine, dredge, and batter it. Then we pressure fry it. It may cost more, and it takes longer, but it results in crunchy, crispy chicken that's got less oil and fat and more flavor."
Whatever flavor you're feeling, there's a sauce for that at Chicken Guy! at Dadeland Mall.
Chicken Guy! photo
After that, it's all about the sauce selection — there are more than 20 signature flavors.
If you're eating at the restaurant, Fieri says you don't want to skip the Chicken Guy! sauce slinger.
"There are so many sauces, and people tend to get the same ones, so every few hours, we have our sauce slinger head out to give free samples of some of our other sauces," says Fieri. "The best part is that it allows you to change your experience every time. You can come in and go all-American, Mexican, Asian — even South African or Indian."
Favorites include the peri-peri, avocado crema, wasabi honey, bourbon brown sugar barbecue, and "Donkey Sauce," a Fieri's mix of mayo, roasted garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon.
For dessert, Fieri's "Flavortown" shakes are available. Guests can try signature flavors like apple cinnamon cereal made with Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Apple Jacks or the "Triple Double Mint," which blends crushed Oreo cookies with chocolate mints and chocolate syrup. For a limited time, there's also the "Sunshine Shake," a Dreamsicle-like treat made with hand-spun vanilla soft serve and fresh Florida orange juice.
Those who've been keeping score at home are aware this technically isn't Chicken Guy!'s first South Florida foray. In 2019, Fieri launched the concept in Aventura, only to abort the mission owing to the pandemic.
"It was bad timing and such a great store and setup. It hurt us making the phone call when we had to close," he tells New Times. "What's great about the Dadeland location is that now we have an indoor/outdoor layout that really lets us showcase our concept to South Florida."
"I'm stoked for the good folks of South Florida, my home away from home, to have our real-deal chicken tenders right in their backyard," he adds.
Chicken Guy! 7535 N. Kendall Dr., Miami (at Dadeland Mall); 786-339-3310; chickenguy.com. Daily noon to 7 p.m.
