Pretty Bird hits Sugar House and debuts new menu item

While many celebrated March 14th’s Pi Day (3.14, get it?) at their favorite pizza joint, those in the know moseyed on down to lower Sugar House and checked out the second installation of Viet Pham’s ode to fried chicken.

Pretty Bird Mk2 opens in the spot left vacant by the now departed Sampan (just over the road from Dee’s at 675 E 2100 S) and with it, a slew of changes for the business. First up, the inaugural location on downtown’s Regent Street will become a walk up, grab and go operation only. That’s probably for the best given the original’s microscopic interior.

The second major change sees a much teased new item finally hit the Pretty Bird menu. Eagle eye’d fans of the restaurant will now spot Crispy Tenders on the menu available as either three piece portions or as part of the new Crispy Tender Roll. Ala carte options start from $8.50 and combos $13.00. The new items are available only at the new Sugar House location at the time of writing.

If you’re new to the Pretty Bird phenom, which littered social media with crave worthy chicken pics for endless months – the restaurant is centered around spicy Nashville-style fried chicken. The restaurant uses some pretty pricey pressure fryers and fans swear it’s the best chicken in town. Pre-pandemic thronging crowds lining up out of the door at the downtown location suggest they’re not wrong. Pretty Bird Sugar House should be open 11-9 daily. Expect crowds.

_{P.s. if you’re obsessed with fried chicken sandwiches, and have a guilty fast food interest like I do – you’re probably aware of the chicken sandwich war being waged in the franchise world. Check out our sister site Menu And Price where I’ve rounded up the best fast food chicken sandwiches.}

Other new restaurant openings

It’s barely since a week since our last grand roundup of new restaurants in Utah – read the full list of 50+ openings here – yet there’s still a few more to add to the list and check out:

Spiced Chix – more fried chicken but this time with an Indian-twist. This new chicken joint is now open over in Roy. Check them out here.

Wu Kong BBQ – Ever since the beloved Ho Mei BBQ closed up shop, there’s been a gap for more Chinese BBQ in the South Salt Lake Chinatown complex. Well consider that remedied with the opening of this new spot, check out the new menu here.

Akita Ramen And Boba – New to the Cache Valley Mall is this new noodle and dessert shop.

Tina’s Bakery – This Park City bakery currently delivers to your door. Soon you’ll be able to pick up their empanadas, alfajores, tarts, cakes and pies in person. According to this IG post anyway.

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• Best of SLC 2024 – what you can’t miss in the Beehive right now.

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC.  I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have written in myopic detail about the Salt Lake City  dining scene for the better part of seventeen years.

I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV.   Pause those credits, yep, that’s me! I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune.    I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand.   What they’re saying about me: “Not inaccurate”, “I thought he was older”, “I don’t share his feelings”.

Want to know more? This is why I am the way I am.