Critics have raved about “Claw the Claw,” a crowd-pleasing ode to chickens performing under the bright lights of Broadway.
“Have you ever seen a sandwich with a whole chicken leg on it?” Instagram influencer Jack Goldberg asked his 1.2 million followers (@jacksdiningroom) after a visit to Bird Box, a takeaway sandwich shop just steps from Times Square in New York City's Theater District.
“It feels like a hidden little sandwich shop run by a two-star Michelin chef doing crazy stuff,” he wrote.
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Bird Box opened in July and is led by chef Chris Braidorn of San Francisco's Michelin-starred Birdsong restaurant and his partner Aarti Shetty.
Claude the Claw is the signature dish at this popular East Coast Fried Chicken joint: a craveable sandwich made with a whole chicken quarter (thigh and drumstick) just like the kind you'd find in the meat section of a supermarket.
Claude the Claw, the signature sandwich from Bird Box, the Times Square fried chicken takeaway joint, features a bird with its claws still attached, and has been causing a social media frenzy. (Kelly J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
But in the Bird Box version, the legs remain attached all the way to the feet.
With a primitive profile, Claude the Claw was destined for Instagram-era popularity, where food becomes famous not just because it tastes good, but sometimes because it looks good.
“It's the craziest chicken sandwich I've ever had… it's cool that it has a leg sticking out.”
Foodie @hungryconnie has 24,100 followers on Instagram, but her Birdbox testimonial garnered 2.5 million views, far surpassing the 3,000, 4,000 or even 5,000 views her other Instagram reels get.
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“The chicken arrived super crispy and flavorful,” Hungry Connie boasted about her delivery order.
It looks like Claude the Claw has passed not only the looks test but also the taste test, and judging by the posts and comments, people from far and wide are flocking to the Big Apple and lining up to get a taste of the Broadway Bird's deliciousness.
Instagram influencer Jack Goldberg (@jacksdiningroom) helped spark a food frenzy around “Claude the Claw,” Bird Box's signature fried chicken sandwich, which opened in Times Square in July 2024. The sandwich comes with a chicken claw attached. (Jack Goldberg/@jacksdiningroom)
“It's a 10.5 out of 10,” Jackson Estrin, of San Diego, told Fox News Digital this week, shortly after trying Claude the Claw for the first time.
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“This is the craziest chicken sandwich I've ever had. It's different. It's cool that it has legs sticking out.”
Chris Kalin (left) of Bird Box in New York City bites into “Claude the Claw,” the takeout restaurant's signature fried chicken sandwich, which comes with a chicken thigh and one leg still attached to the drumstick. (Kelly J. Byrne/Fox News Digital, Bird Box)
Goldberg explained the sophisticated, chef-driven approach behind this one-legged madness.
He said there's a seven-day process behind each sandwich.
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The chicken is brined and marinated in buttermilk curry for five days, then double-fried, drizzled in spicy duck fat and served with two types of homemade mayonnaise.
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Bird Box claims the chicken legs aren't just a pretense, but a testament to their commitment to authenticity and high-quality chicken.
Times Square hit Bird Box insists the chicken leg sticking out of its signature sandwich is no gimmick. (Kelly J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
“Chickens often leave poultry facilities with heads and legs that are so damaged that they must be removed in order to sell the bird 'whole,'” the restaurant's website says.
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“Bird Box birds are sourced with head and feet intact – whole and unashamed. They may seem intimidating at first glance, but Claw the Claw is a source of reassurance to us and an indicator of quality.”
Chris Kaling at Bird Box in New York City stuffs himself into the signature Claude the Claw fried chicken sandwich, which comes with a thigh and a drumstick quarter, complete with the leg still attached. (Bird Box, Kelly J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)
Goldberg said Bird Box is “playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.”
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After just a few bites, he boasted that “Claude the Claw might be one of the top two chicken sandwiches I've ever had.”
