Chicken tender lovers unite! The minds behind Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer have opened a new establishment in Soho that embraces all things chicken tender.
Tender Crush officially opened for business on Sept. 26 with a menu of Black Tap cofounders Chris Barish and Julie Mulligan’s original take on New York-style crispy chicken. The opening of Tender Crush comes ahead of Black Tap’s 10th anniversary, which will take place in March 2025.
The Tender Crush menu was developed by Black Tap Executive Chef Stephen Parker, bringing bold flavors and flair to the classic tender. The chicken is available either brined in a club soda and buttermilk batter then fried to a crispy, unbeatable crunch; or marinated in a house blend of lemon and spices and finished over the grill. Both styles can be enjoyed with a variety of house-made dips, such as Buttermilk Dill, Sweet Chili Pop and Lime Honey Mustard, or are their own.
The restaurant’s House Hits features three tenders tossed in Tender Crush’s signature sauces, each inspired by New York City: Harlem Hot, a Buffalo-style hot sauce with scallion and whipped blue cheese on the side; Thai Queens, a sweet chili pop with scallion, fresh lime, and cilantro; Jackson Heights Heat, coated with a spicy bird pepper sauce, chives, topped with kosher pickles, and finished with drizzles of zesty white barbecue sauce; K-Town Hot, with house chili oil, a hot kimchi dry rub, and kosher pickles on the side with buttermilk dill for dipping; 32nd St. BBQ, an homage to Korean barbecue with toasted sesame seeds, scallion, cilantro, fresh lime, and a buttermilk dill dipping sauce; and BKLYN ‘Q, a sweet Brooklyn-inspired smoke barbecue with chives.
Aside from the tenders, the menu features Crispy Chicken Sandwiches: the Hot Crush, the Staten Island Crunch and the Old School NY Crush. They are served on Parker House rolls, and served along sides such as Williamsburg Waffle Fries, Park Slope Spicy Kale, Tribeca Truffle Mac and Chinatown Broccolini. The dessert menu has soft serve vanilla custard that can be topped with black and white cookies, funfetti cake crumbs, blueberry lemon pie filling, and more.
Like Black Tap, Tender Crush offers a beverage program with local beers on tap, including from Coney Island Brewery and Brooklyn Brewery. Guests can also choose from Coney Island Coolers in Orange Crush Vodka, Watermelon Ginger Tequila, and Coconut Mango, all of which can be served a dollop of soft serve on top.
Tender Crush is located at 529 Broome St. and is open Sunday – Thursday 12 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Friday – Saturday 12 p.m. – 11 p.m. For
more information, visit Tender Crush’s website or follow them on Instagram @tendercrush.
