It’s fried chicken all the time at Chinatown’s Juke.
We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.
Article content
They couldn’t know it then, but when they opened Juke Fried Chicken in Chinatown, Justin Tisdall and Bryan Satterford were preparing for a delivery boom that would help their restaurant survive.
Article content
“We knew our food had to travel well,” Tisdall said. “DoorDash had just entered the market, so we were able to negotiate free delivery for six months. We wanted that green Juke box in people’s homes. Once people saw the box, we knew the food would speak for itself.”
Article content
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Ten years later, Juke is still serving — and delivering — its gluten-free, non-GMO, grain-fed fried chicken, along with ribs, sandwiches, and salads. The Chinatown location has expanded next door with The Chickadee Room, an ‘80s-inspired cocktail and snack bar.
Article content
Article content
West Coast Table
Article content
Both Tisdall and Satterford had extensive restaurant experience before they opened Juke. Tisdall had spent six years as general manager at Chambar, while Satterford helped open Hawksworth as sous-chef after running Market by Jean-Georges. The pair had previously worked together at Feenie’s, Lumière and Chow.
Article content
“Coming from fine dining, where average guest cheques were $60 to $80, we knew ours would be around $20 to $25,” Tisdall said. “We had to win on quality and volume. Bryan kept refining the product so it tasted great both in the restaurant and 30 minutes later at someone’s house.”
Article content
At the time, there were few independent restaurants devoted to fried chicken.
Article content
“Other places served it, but it wasn’t their specialty,” Tisdall said. “We thought if we combined Bryan’s skills as a chef with quick service, high-quality ingredients and strong front-of-house hospitality and cocktails, we’d have a recipe for success.”
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
Satterford focused on the food itself, using Rossdown Farms chicken, pressure fryers and, eventually, a gluten-free coating because it stayed crispier longer.
Article content
They considered other neighbourhoods before deciding on Chinatown.
Article content
“I’d worked in Gastown for years opening Boneta and then at Chambar, so I knew the area well,” Tisdall said. “When this location became available, it felt right. We already knew our neighbours at Keefer Bar and Bao Bei, and everyone wanted to help make Chinatown somewhere people would come to spend their evenings.”
Article content
Their delivery model helped them weather the pandemic.
Article content
“Ironically, COVID was good for Juke,” Tisdall said. “We’d already built a strong takeout business. We were comfort food during a crisis, and people trusted us. It allowed us to keep staff employed, feed the neighbourhood, and give back every week.”
Article content
In fact, the most difficult time for the restaurant followed COVID.
Article content
“We knew those 24 months after would be difficult for restaurants, and they were,” Tisdall said.
Article content
“Inflation after COVID was actually harder than COVID itself,” Satterford said.
