Atomic Chicken Poised for Early Spring Launch in New Center

The second location of Atomic Chicken has reached the home stretch on the way to opening day. Partner Scott Moloney tells Eater that he hopes to see the restaurant open by early spring. “If it’s not open in four weeks I will be extremely disappointed,” he says. That puts the launch around late-March or early April.

The New Center location at 6500 Woodward Ave. was originally expected to be the first to open, but permitting, construction, and Q-Line-related delays pushed the debut way back. The delays were such that in the meantime the fast-casual company was able to buildout and launch a carryout-only restaurant in Clawson. Now, with the preparations nearly complete and the Q-Line expected to start running up and down Woodward to its New Center terminus very soon, Atomic Chicken may finally be ready to open.

The Detroit restaurant, located inside a former Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, is expected to be much larger with a dine-in component, a liquor license, and online ordering. The menu features chicken & waffles, fried chicken, and chicken sandwiches prepared with flavorful marinades like Vernors and sweet garlic. Atomic also dishes up sides of sweet vinegar slaw, blue cheese mac and cheese, biscuits, butterscotch pudding, and more.

The Clawson restaurant closed temporarily in late-October and is expected to relaunch in the spring. Moloney and his partners are continuing to explore other locations for expansion. “I never turn down an opportunity to take a look at something,” he says. His other Clawson restaurant, Woodpile BBQ Shack, confirmed today that it would also be expanding to the New Center area in 2018.

• Detroit’s Most Anticipated Restaurants and Bars, Winter 2017 [ED]

• All Atomic Chicken Coverage [ED]

• All Eater Tracking Coverage [ED]