Marc Glosserman took Manhattan by storm with Hill Country Barbecue back in 2007, channeling his father’s Texas roots. Last year he followed up with a nearby joint specializing in fried chicken, a cavernous, glass-fronted space with Jetsons-style starburst chandeliers that has turned out to be just as off-the-charts popular. Hill Country Chicken ain’t fancy: You order at the counter, cafeteria fashion, from a pastel yellow menu, which matches the retro ovens. There are two varieties of chicken—Mama Els, skinless and brined in buttermilk, with a golden cracker crust; and my favorite, the Classic, with cayenne and brown sugar—the HC Shake—sprinkled on top, for a burnished bird that’s both spicy and sweet. Both come piecemeal or as a Pick of the Chick combo, which pairs easily with pull-apart buttermilk biscuits and sides like creamy coleslaw, “Blistered” corn salad with red wine vinegar and jalapeños, or Fire-n-Ice pickles (somewhat-sweet cukes supercharged with chile flakes). And don't rule out breakfast here—chicken biscuits, chicken and waffles, or even Egg Pie (Texas for "quiche").

Blistered corn salad
Fire-n-Ice pickles
Classic fried chicken
Pimento mac and cheese
Pie of the day
view full menu here

Cushioned counter seats face bustling Broadway. Another good option is one of the communal tables that jut from the south wall, offering prime views of the scene and street.

Hill Country’s chickens come from Bell & Evans, which has processed birds in Pennsylvania Dutch Country since the 1890s. Mama Els, by the way, is Glosserman’s grandmother.

daily 7 AM–11:30 PM

$1.75 (wing) to $5.50 (breast) to $27 (8-piece Pick of the Chick)