Capitol Hill’s Korn Dog era has ended — kind of.
New chicken tenders joint Chiqpa is ready to rule the roost — and maybe start its path to sharing its normal, mild, or hot tenders far and wide.
“Chiqpa is actually my first restaurant, and it represents a passion project for me. The inspiration behind it comes from my deep appreciation for Street Roasted and Fried Chicken Fast Food,” owner Babamyrat Davranov enthusiastically tells CHS. “I wanted to create a place where food is not just about the meal, but about the experience — a place where our guests can feel like part of the family.”
It has been a speedy turnaround for the Harvard and Pine space. Former tenant Korn Dog was serving customers as recently as last week. And, then, poof… Chiqpa emerged to take over the corner across from Seattle Central. The official complete name, by the way, is Chiqpa Small Chicken Patio.
Capitol Hill’s Korn Dog Korean corn dog era lasted just under three years. CHS was there in 2022 as the little joint with corn dogs coated with crispy goodness like ramen or potato chips were served up along with sodduk sodduk and more. We reached out to Korn Dog’s ownership to learn more about the change but haven’t heard back.
Korn Dog replaced the much-loved Mia’s off Broadway after nearly 15 years of affordable, friendly, delicious service on the southeast corner of the Seattle Central parking garage.
Now Chiqpa is bringing its tenders and sandwiches to the corner with a concept that looks ready to expand. Entrepreneur Davranov says the decision to start on Capitol Hill was “very intentional.”
Thanks to reader Jacob for the picture and the tip!
“This neighborhood is known for its diverse, eclectic mix of cultures, and it has always had an appreciation for bold and new ideas,” he writes. “I believe Chiqpa fits perfectly with the community’s openness to creativity and fresh concepts.”
The menu includes an $8.99 tender slider meal or a $13 slider plus a tender meal. There are also family packs — eight giant tenders for $39 — or, heck, buy a roasted chicken with “taco bread” and rice for $25.
There is also good news for Korn Dog lovers. The Chiqpa menu continues to feature a few of the most popular dogs including the classic, the potato classic, and, yes, the potato mozza. Add Hot Cheetos for $1.99.
Chiqpa Small Chicken Patio is now open at 1601 Harvard Ave. Learn more at chiqpa.com.
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that’s a small chicken patio
A fried chicken place on Capitol Hill? Groundbreaking.
Okay so do tech workers just really love fried chicken sandwiches or something? At least there isn’t another fried chicken restaurant directly across the street or anything. Oh, wait…..
Why do you ask? Is there some reason to believe this particular location, miles from downtown and SLU as it is, bears some unique interest for tech workers?
I think food just comes in faddish waves. Early ’90s, it was sushi everywhere; then, a Thai restaurant popped up on every corner. Pho had its turn, then ramen; now I guess people are suddenly interested in fried chicken. It’s not really my thing, but give it five years and there will be some new thing popping up overnight and everywhere.
The tech workers may work in downtown/SLU (also, this location is less than a mile from downtown anyway, btw!) but many live up here, and because the hill has gotten so expensive since the tech boom, it’s not unreasonable to guess that plenty of establishments are trying to cater to the folks moving here that they believe will have the most disposable income.
Miles away? The neighborhoods directly next door? 15-20 minutes by foot? .8 miles to SLU and .9 miles to the spheres. .7 miles to the retail core (nordstrom)…am I missing something here?
You’re talking about a 25-minute hike up a hill with 200 feet of elevation gain: unless you’re a power-walker with a long midday break who really loves fried chicken but somehow can’t stand either Ma’ono or Impeckable, that just doesn’t make sense.
I used to work across the street from the spheres, and we never walked more than 3-4 blocks for lunch. No, I think the location has more to do with Seattle Central and the general Capitol Hill-ness of the hill than it does with anything going on downtown.
Not even close to 25 minutes and hardly a hike at all…I’m sorry but all of this is just wrong and delusional. Not to mention you’re only claiming tech workers would go here for a lunch break, never on the weekends or for dinner or anything? What if they live nearby? Almost all of the new apartment buildings on the hill are full of tech workers, but you are essentially saying they never spend any time in Capitol Hill, the heart of all things food, nightlife, etc in Seattle? Give me a break.
Anyone who has every spent any time at Cap Hill bars over the last 20 years knows that the hill is packed with Amazombies friday-sunday.
Mars Saxman is actually pretty close.
I worked across from Pacific Place at 7th & Pine for nearly 15 years and, as a fast walker, it took me ~16 minutes to get from there to Summit & Pine, two blocks west of Harvard & Pine. Add another 5-10 minutes if you are closer to the spheres and you’re looking at ~25 minutes.
And, again, that’s for a fast walker. It could easily take an average walker ~30 minutes to get from the downtown retail core to where this chicken spot is.
This spot isn’t catering to the Amazombie lunch crowd. The dinner crowd? Absolutely. Get them coming back from work.
I work in both SLU and Cap Hill and bounce back and forth multiple times a week so…
That place sucks
Can we just get Mia’s back?
How big are these tenders because 8 tenders for $39 does NOT sound like a good deal to me. Almost 5 bucks per tender? Good lord.