First Worcester Korean Fried Chicken Joint Opening Downtown

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester diners who have never enjoyed Korean-style fried chicken will soon get a chance to taste the delicious take on an American classic.

Cluck & Crispy Chicken will soon open in downtown Worcester in the former Protein House space at the 145 Front St. City Square apartment building, the Worcester Business Journal reported this week.

Owners Lin and Danny Li — Lin Li is the owner of Hong Kong Island in Worcester and Sachi Steakhouse in Westborough — hope to turn Cluck & Crispy into a national chain, they told the WBJ.

Korean chefs put their own spin on fried chicken after the dish was said to have been introduced by U.S. troops during the Korean War. The Korean style often comes spicy, sometimes doused in a sauce, but also crispy like the American style.

The style has come home to roost, with individual restaurants and local chains popping in the U.S. to serve the Korean style, including Den Den in Providence, Bok-a-bok and Bonchon, which operates locations in Lowell, Boston, Waltham, Cambridge, Quincy, Salem and others in Connecticut and New Hampshire.

According to the Cluck & Crispy menu sample posted on Facebook, the restaurant will (like the other KFC) serve buckets of chicken in either spicy or crispy versions, plus sandwiches including friend pork chops and fish, and full meals. The owners say they will offer a buy one, get one promotion when the restaurant opens.

The Worcester Protein House restaurant closed in 2020, but the national chain still operates a location in Marlborough.