The Chicken Shack to Heat up the University District

Fried, grilled, or Nashville hot, 2021 is the year of the fast and casual chicken meal, and local success story The Chicken Shack is well on its way to unveiling its latest expansion, taking over a corner space in the University District.

First reported by CREConfidential and confirmed by new paperwork, a 1,590-square-foot Chicken Shack will replace Vietnamese banh bi and pho specialists Mr. Sandwich at the University Gardens retail center on Maryland Parkway, located across from the main campus and UNLV student union. The restaurant is already in position to install new exterior illuminated signage. Mr. Sandwich, which was a seven-year tenant, shuttered without fanfare last fall.

The Chicken Shack launched in 2005 and operates six other Las Vegas outposts, including three in Henderson, featuring wall murals decorated with “why did the the chicken cross the road?” jokes and images of Fred, the sunglasses wearing company mascot.

While Chicken Shack has not announced the new restaurant or a possible debut date, each store is open daily from 10 a.m. until at least 8 p.m. and has been offering online ordering through its own app.

On the future menu, wings, fingers, and sandwiches, plus mac and cheese, barbecue baked beans and macaroni salad sides, Buffalo chicken cheese fries, house-made chili, fried pickles, and a large collection of sauces, including Nashville hot, beer cheese, Asian sesame, creamy garlic Parmesan, honey barbecue, and the appropriately named “damn hot.”

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