A new fried chicken restaurant is swooping into San Antonio: Called Urban Bird, it's bringing tenders and sandwiches to three new locations.
Two of the locations were already announced in July 2024: one at 22106 U.S. 281 N., Ste. 102 in Stone Oak, and one at 8802 Potranco Rd., Ste. 111. The Stone Oak location is projected to open first, in April. That's followed by Potranco location in June and the newly added third in August, at 17603 La Cantera Pkwy., Ste. 119.
Although it's been a while since the news first landed, the restaurant appears to be only about a month or two behind schedule. The two previously announced locations were originally expected to open in March 2025.
Urban Bird is a chicken tenders concept with increasing levels of heat. Signature items include: the tender basket, with two tenders, bread, choice of side, pickles, and Bird Sauce for $12.75; and the Sando combo, with two tenders on a toasted bun with kale slaw, Bird Sauce, and pickles, for $15.75.
The concept was founded in Houston by husband-and-wife duo Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp, who opened the first location in Katy in 2020. They've since opened 14 locations across Texas, including in Fulshear, Houston, Spring, College Station, and San Marcos.
Alongside the debut San Antonio locations, it is also opening its first stores in Dallas-Fort Worth.
One notable menu item is the Urban Fries, like a loaded fries topped with a tender and mac and cheese; it started as a limited-edition item before getting bumped up to permanent status.
The Urban Fries became the inspiration and centerpiece for a companion ghost kitchen they founded called Chronic Fries, which is housed within each restaurant, featuring street-food-style fries topped with chicken and ingredients such as mac and cheese or elote.
“Coming off COVID, a lot of people were doing virtual restaurants, so the different fry options came from creating different combinations that would work for that concept," Brandon says.
“We’re kind of running out of room in Houston,” he continues. "We go into a lot of second generation locations where previous restaurants have closed so we can move quicker with the equipment that’s already in there."
