Fried chicken restaurant Side Chick quietly closes in Lyn-Lake Minneapolis

Fried chicken restaurant Side Chick has suddenly and quietly closed just a year after opening, following claims that its branding was misogynistic.

What’s happening: Side Chick’s Lyn-Lake Minneapolis storefront now has a hastily-scrawled sign on the door reading “Sorry Fam, Side Chick has CLOSED.” Its Instagram page was deleted, and an employee of the neighboring restaurant told Axios the space shut down last week.

• Yes, but: Its website and menu are still online, and Axios can confirm the restaurant mailed coupons to nearby homes under its current name this month.

Flashback: The Southern fast-casual restaurant and bar had been criticized since its June 2021 opening for what some said was sexist branding, Heavy Table reported last year.

• Side Chick is slang for a woman involved with a married or committed person, and the menu included items like “Nashville Hottie” and “Legs for Days.”
• Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland consulted on the menu and concept, but left the business when it changed ownership in September 2021, a spokesperson told Axios.
• He told Mpls St. Paul Magazine last June that the marketing director, who is a woman, came up with the name.

What’s next: A new concept could be in the works. The restaurant's former Facebook and Instagram pages have been renamed to “Luna Uptown,” and states “New vibes coming soon 🌚” in its bio.