Double Chicken Please

I've written very few negative reviews in the past but I felt like this needed to be done. We had a party of six and made a reservation a week before. On the day of, we lost one member and another was half an hour late for the 11:00PM reservation. We let the hostess know that our fifth would be a couple minutes late and she asked us if we wanted a table for four or wait until 12 for a table for five even though we had already paid ahead of time for a table for six. A bunch of a us thought she said that fifth would be a tight fit for the four seater. Our fifth came about fifteen minutes later and the staff told us that we couldn't have a fifth even though all of us fit. He brought over the original hostess to speak with us which was terrible idea. Instead of asking us clarifying questions to figure out where the miscommunication is, or to give us a alternative option to resolve the situation, she snapped at us as if we were stupid and annoying for being wrong. She kept bobbing her head left and right as she was being incredibly rude and condescending. She explained that she told us "this table is only for four" but "you still told your friend to come anyway, so here we are." She continued to say "I'll let you get one last round," implying she's asking us to leave.

It's not a matter of who's wrong or right. It's a matter of how much respect you show to each other, especially customers of a restaurant which you work for. For a restaurant and bar that has a high rating and is the talk of the town, I expected to see some level of decorum from all staff. But it seems that not all staff were trained uniformly. As someone who's worked in food service for a long time, it's never crossed my mind to treat others with this level of disrespect and make them feel uncomfortable while dining. All of us didn't want to dine there afterwards. Couldn't even fathom eating or drinking further because we lost our appetites. Too bad since the food and drinks were pretty good. Won't be going back or advertising this spot until I receive assurance that this sort of attitude and decorum will be sorted out in their staff.

Double chicken please is one of hottest bars in town and in the world! For good reason too. This was one of the most anticipated visits I had on my list when I was visiting NYC and it did not disappoint. Getting a reservation was quite the task, but if you don't, just wait in line to put your name down and get dinner while waiting. We also got some complimentary house shots, while waiting for our reservation!

We sat at the bar in The Coop and had the pleasure to speak with one of the cofounders. Listening to their story on how DCP came to be and the inspiration to each drink was exciting. It made our night that much better! The drinks are truly unique and creative. Each cocktail tasted exactly like what they were called. We tried the mango sticky rice, Japanese cold noodle and key lime pie. My favorite was definitely the key lime pie! DCP is quite the experience and did not disappoint.

Double Chicken Please: NYC's Premier Mixology Destination

Crowned No. 1 in North America's 50 Best Bars of 2023, Double Chicken Please stands as New York City's crowning jewel. The "double" in its name reflects both co-founders GN Chan and Faye Chen, and the bar's dual-concept design. The front room offers a casual, upscale homage to the soda shops once ubiquitous in the Lower East Side.

Drawing inspiration from Willy Wonka's Three Course Dinner Chewing Gum, Double Chicken Please redefines mixology by crafting cocktails that taste like iconic dishes, sans the giant blueberry transformation. Situated in Manhattan's Lower East Side, this innovative bar is the culmination of eight years of dedication by Taiwanese cocktail veterans Faye Chen and GN Chan. Initially a traveling pop-up operating out of a 1977 Yellow Volkswagen minibus, the duo journeyed over ten thousand miles, making notable stops in cities such as Austin, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Columbus, Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Miami.

Their inventive cocktail menu features creations like the NY Beet Salad (Bombay Sapphire, beet, pineapple, cranberry, mascarpone, yogurt), Waldorf Salad (Dewar's 12 and Laphroaig 10, celery juice, apple juice, walnut bitters, ginger ale), Red Eye Gravy (Teeling small batch Irish whiskey, coffee butter, corn, walnut, mushroom, prosciutto), and French Toast (Grey Goose, roasted barley, brioche, coconut, milk, maple syrup, egg). For those unfamiliar, red eye gravy is a Southern recipe made from the drippings of pan-fried country ham mixed with black coffee.

The French Toast cocktail, a dessert drink, is served with a house-made chocolate-and-coffee-flavored "Oreo" garnish, echoing the flavors of an Espresso Martini. "Imagine having French toast for breakfast while holding an Espresso Martini--you're drinking your food and eating your drink. Isn't that fun?"

In the past two years or so, Double Chicken Please has become my weekly haunt, following delightful experiences at their pop-ups in Houston and Miami. This cocktail haven offers endless appeal and innovation.

We were in line before they opened at 5. Our group of 5 was seated in The Coop as one of the last groups to fill the space at opening. Since there were so many of us we ordered 4 different sandwiches and did 2 rounds of drinks. We tried almost the entire menu on this one visit and it was a great time. Note that the seating limit is 2 hours. Servers are super attentive and aware of the time. They came back regularly asking if we wanted to order anything else and mentioned the time limit at one point. We had a hard time figuring out what to order since many of us wanted the same items. Our server was patient on the outside but we could tell he was losing it slowly on the inside. We told him to just come back but this happened a few times since we ordered 3x (food, two rounds of drinks).

- we cut all the sandwiches into 5 pieces -
5/5 Hot honey (sandwich) - their classic! really good

4/5 Salted egg yolk (sandwich) - the salted egg yolk flavor is there but a little light. I wish it had been stronger. Still a solid sandwich but I would opt for the hot honey if I were asked to choose between the two

2/5 Bolognese grilled cheese - I just remember it being really cheesy. least favorite of the group

5/5 Mochi donut - the most interesting one we ordered. It kinda fell apart so I ended up eating it layer by layer after the first bite.

- drinks -
3/5 Cold pizza - definitely tasted like pizza! They got this flavor profile DOWN. It was not a group favorite but it stood out for how closely they got the flavor.

5/5 French toast - one of the favorites of the group! didn't quite taste like french toast but it tasted good

5/5 Japanese cold noodle - a refreshing one! this has the essence of a bowl of cold noodles. the cucumber and sesame oil really come through. a favorite of the group. I would get this one again.

3/5 NY beet salad - the beet flavor is definitely there and very earthy. one of the lesser favorites of the group only because it tastes somewhat similar to a drink you can get at another bar in NYC compared to the other drinks offered at DCP. still a solid drink though.

4/5 Key lime pie - another favorite of the group. sweet, a little tart and it does deliver on the taste of key lime.

2.5/5 Mango sticky rice - multiple people in the group wanted to get this drink but I don't think it was anyone's favorite after we tried it. it wasn't quite like the dessert, was a little bitter in fact (maybe from the tea?). would not get this again.

I don't remember all the drinks we got. Looks like they also changed their menu since my visit (which was months ago). Looking at their menu now there are some drinks that I'd come back to try. Not likely to return for food but if I couldn't get a reservation I'd wait in line to make this my first stop of the night.

Delicious array of cocktails on tap in the front area, and such fun & innovative drinks in The Coop (aka the bar in the back)! Didn't try any food but also have heard it's delicious.

We put our name down for The Coop for 3 people on a Thursday around 9:40pm. They quoted us a 3-4 hour wait time and said there were no guarantees we'd make it into The Coop (since it closes at 1am). Thankfully you aren't required to wait there the whole time (they'll text you when your table is ready), so after one drink from the bar at the front we went somewhere else but were notified after only 1h30min of waiting that our table was already ready!

The cocktail menu in The Coop has super fun creations, with many that are based on appetizers, entrees, and desserts. My friends and I tried the Cold Pizza, Mango Sticky Rice, and Shroom Ceviche. The Cold Pizza was definitely the easiest to drink out of all of them, and it even had a cute little design on it. I loved how fun & kitschy the drinks were, and next time I'd be curious to try the Key Lime Pie or French Toast cocktails.

Since you only have 10 min to confirm your table once it's ready and then 10 min to get back, I probably wouldn't try to put your name down before dinner (unless it's a quicker / super close by spot you're going to) because it seems the times they quote can be drastically different than what it actually ends up being. You wouldn't want to have to lose out on your table bc you're still eating dinner / are too far away, so I think putting your name down then going to nearby bars (like Ye's Apothecary) is the better move.

The Coop was much smaller than expected! Makes sense why the wait can be so lengthy. Our waiter was so knowledgeable about all of the drinks / explained them all upon arrival. It was cozy & nicely decorated back there (though a bit hot)

Finally got a chance to visit DCP! Honestly, lived up to its hype...here's my recommended plan for anyone who wants to go but doesn't have a reservation: 1) come right when they open up, there will be a long line but it's deceptively long since everyone is just waiting to put their name down. 2) put your name down, your table will be available around 8/9 PM 3) go grab dinner or drinks elsewhere in LES (so many options) 4) come back when you get the text!

The drinks are truly very creative and worth the hype. I was most impressed by the key lime pie! It tasted just like a key lime pie. I got the Cold Pizza and it didn't exactly capture the essence as much as I feel like it captured the essence of a fresh tomato salad. Still delicious and fun! We also got the chicken bites and they were good but a bit overpriced (I think just the sauce was like $5)

The ambiance of the inside makes it a perfect place for a date or intimate gathering with friends. I will definitely be back and highly recommend!

Drinks: 5
Decor: 5
Service: 5

#2 bar in the world on the 2023 World's 50 best bars list.

Came here twice. First time I was solo and waited about 20 minutes in line (was seated immediately after checking in), and the second time we came as a party of 2 and was seated in the front area after 15 minutes before being moved to to the back coop about 30 minutes later.

Cold Pizza ($21)
Don Fulano Blanco, parmigiano reggiano, burnt toast, tomato, basil, honey, egg white
~4/5. Pretty good. Tomato and cheese were the strongest notes.

Mango Sticky Rice ($20)
Bacardi Reserva Ocho, mango, sticky rice pu'er tea, wakame, cold brew, coconut
~5/5. Very subtle hints of mango and sticky rice, but overall delicious.

Custard Bun ($22)
Wakaze Nigori Sake, Palo Cortado Sherry, Sparkling Wine, koji, salted egg yolk, cacao, Pu'er tea, palo santo
~3/5. Okay. Could taste the salted egg yolk, which made it interesting, but it wasn't my favorite drink.

Key Lime Pie ($21)
Bombay Sapphire, The Plum I Suppose, winter melon, sweet cream, egg white, lime, soda
~5/5. Delicious. Really liked the combination of flavors, and it wasn't overly sweet.

Chicken Sandwiches
Hot Honey ($16)
buttermilk - thai basil
~3/5. Okay. Chicken had a bit too much batter, and I would have liked a bit more acid.

Le Big Mac ($11)
macaron - choco ice cream - yuzu - mochi
~3/5. Okay. A bit overpriced for a macaron.

Service was great.

I've been wanting to try this place FOREVER and boy was I utterly disappointed with my experience here.

We got here around 4:50 pm and were so grateful that we had a reservation because the line outside was crazy. We came with a group of 6 and ordered a round of drinks, snacks, and sandwiches. They had a 1 drink minimum pp and I told the server my partner doesn't drink alcohol but he said it was fine as long as we had at least 6 drinks by the end of the night. He did say it reluctantly and with a sense of exasperation. I understood and respected the minimum but knew the rest of us were planning to have at least 2 drinks pp so I wasn't worried about hitting the min. When my friend asked if we could order more drinks for the 2nd round, the server said "I sure hope so." I felt like the comment was rude and unnecessary. They also got one of our orders wrong when the food came.

Despite the unwelcoming service, I still enjoyed the drinks and sandwich. I got the key lime pie and french toast and they were both good. The key lime pie deserves all the hype. It was so good and easy to drink. The french toast was on the stronger side in comparison to the key lime pie. I also got to sample the cold pizza, custard bun, waldorf salad, butter raisin biscuit, and moscow mule from my friends. The cold pizza was refreshing and had an apparent pizza taste without being overwhelming. Everything else was okay.

The popcorn chicken with salted egg yolk sauce was pretty average. Would not get again. The hot honey chicken sandwich was chef's kiss. The chicken was thick and juicy with a crunchy exterior. The sauce also complemented the chicken so well. My friends got the bolognese grilled cheese and mochi donut. I didn't get a chance to try theirs, but they did not enjoy it.

Although the drinks were good, it was not enough to justify the hype. I would not line up for this place.

I went to DCP last week (Tuesday) with a couple of friends. I got there around 4:20 pm, and there were three parties in front of me. By 4:45 pm, the line was really long, and the parties near the end had to wait until the next seating.

I / my group tried the following dishes:

Baby Gem Lettuce (green goddess, toasted almonds, parmesan) (4.5/5): Very tasty salad, utterly covered in parmesan. I really enjoyed it.

Popcorn Chicken (ginger, white pepper, five spice) (4/5): This was a very popular order at the tables. The chicken is crispy and well seasoned. Really good to share.

Chicken Liver Mousse (caramelized shallots, ruby port, coffee butter with toasted sourdough) (4/5): This was a very rich dish with butter on top of the mousse. Came with a good amount of bread.

Hojicha Pudding (buckwheat, tahitian vanilla) (5/5): This was so good. My group all loved it.

Le Big Mac (macaron, choco ice cream, yuzu, mochi) (4/5): This was also tasty. I do think the size of the maracon did detract from the delicacy a little, but not too much. The ice cream was great, and the yuzu added a nice touch.

Regarding drinks, I tried: Waldorf Salad, NY Beet Salad, Shroom Ceviche, Cold Pizza, Thai Curry, French Toast, Custard Bun, Butter Raisin Biscuit. I loved the beet, shroom ceviche, thai curry, french toast, custard bun. I liked the Waldorf salad, cold pizza, butter raisin biscuit. All of the drinks were really interesting and very well prepared.

Overall, I had a good experience at DCP. I would definitely return.

Double Chicken Please is currently listed as the #2 bar in the world (in 2023; 2024 list not released until Oct. 2024), which is what motivated me to try this spot out when I was visiting NYC! My party and I waited on a line outside of the bar 15 minutes before it opened and there were already about 10-15 people ahead of us, but it wasn't too bad.

After opening, we had to shortly wait inside the front room as we were waiting for one more friend and they will not seat you unless your whole party is present.

Inside the back/main bar area, the ambiance is intimate and a little dark but it gave the place a tasteful yet relaxed feel. Service was great and friendly throughout our time there.

Both food and drinks were excellent! Honestly every single thing we tasted was delicious and all the drinks were complex and creative. My favorites of our night were the Cold Pizza, Custard Bun, and Mango Sticky Rice. We also got to order all the chicken sandwiches except the Hot Honey one, and my favorite one was the Mochi Donut.

I have also visited the current #1 bar in the world, in Barcelona, and I would actually place Double Chicken Please as #1 instead, personally!