Chef Eric Hara loves Park Circle. When he and his wife, Carly, and their family moved to the Charleston area a year ago, he knew he wanted their new restaurant, Barnyard Chicken, to be in the popular North Charleston neighborhood.
So when the space at 4262 Spruill Ave. (the former location of FOOD) became available, he jumped on the opportunity.
“I just love the area … There are great restaurants down the street,” he said. “It’s got a good flair to it. It’s a little funky. So, yeah, we love it.”
Barnyard Chicken opens on Friday August 9 for lunch and dinner. Every week, the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Barnyard Chicken offers sit-down service and takeout. Also on the menu: beer and wine.
The small-ish menu focuses on chicken, chicken and more chicken. From sticky wings to hand-cut chicken fat fries (fries cooked in beef tallow and later tossed in rendered chicken fat), the food is approachable and fun. The restaurant’s signature dish, the brick chicken, is cooked under a brick for a crispy finish and served with your choice of dipping sauce.
“No one really focuses on chicken,” Hara said. “I know as a young chef that was the last thing I wanted to cook. My background is fine dining, but I don’t want to go that route. I just want to do something casual, something fun and,you know, you can’t miss with chicken.”
With 25 years of experience in the service industry as a chef and restaurateur, Hara views Barnyard Chicken as a passion project. He wants his guests to be as excited about the food as he is.
“I want everyone to come,” he said. “And to give them a reason to come. The goal is to do something special and do it in a special way.”
Good neighbors
For Hara, the experience at Barnyard Chicken is as important, as well, the chicken.
“Food for chefs is not about the cooking, it’s about the customer experience and then enjoying what you’re doing,” he said. “I know as a foodie when I go and I eat something memorable — it’s memorable. You know, it’s a memory. It brings you back and that’s the goal.”
Hara said that he’s received support and positive messages from the Park Circle neighborhood and neighboring businesses since he moved into the spot on Spruill.
“They’re genuinely excited,” said Hara of his new neighbors. “They’re like, ‘Oh, my God, we’ve been watching you. We’ve been scoping you. We can’t wait.’”
Barnyard Chicken opens next door to The CODFather and down the street from The Junction Kitchen & Provisions, Jackrabbit Filly and Sesame Burgers & Beer. Throw a stone and you’ll hit both Holy City Brewing and Firefly Distillery. Half a mile away sits East Montague Avenue, home to a wide variety of longstanding, new and soon-to-open bars and restaurants. Hara is right to be excited about the possibilities of the culinary scene in Park Circle.
He said that he wants his guests to feel good about their meal once they’ve left Barnyard Chicken.
“I want them to be stoked,” he said. “I want them to leave and 1. They got their money’s worth, 2. They got good service and 3. That they remember what they eat.”
Barnyard Chicken has partnered with Park Circle Cares, a nonprofit organization that combats food insecurity in the area. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the brick chicken now through August 23 will be donated to Park Circle Cares.
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