Cauldron Chicken

Honest review of Cauldron Chicken:Cauldron Chicken located at 190 Bleecker St. NYC was on my Instagram feed, and friends sending me links with video telling me to go check them out...normally I cross reference with established reviews of the place but this establishment has only been open for a little over a year so there are only like 75 reviews. For Chicken dinner plates the best I have had so far in NYC was The Oaxacan chicken from Hometown BBQ in Red Hook area of Brooklyn, but this Dao Roasted Chicken is wayyyy juicer and if you mix the spices to the Chicken.....it brings it to a level of deliciousness you have to tell a friend! I ordered the half chicken meal and with my side being scallion pancakes. The dark and white meat are sooo sooo soo tender it truly does "fall off the bone" when you just run your plastic fork through it, and the scallion pancakes complimented the meal well. I can see why this style of Chicken has been around for 300 yrs and will stay around for 300 more years to come! This spot is not "wait in line for 2hrs popular" yet but with the limited seating in the small nicely decorated dinning area, and the very inexpensive price for NYC I can see this happening as the word spreads!

Chicken was delicious - especially with the chili powder. Fall-off the bone like many others have said, juicy too. Scallion pancake - make sure to air fry them a bit if you're grabbing them to-go. I'd double up on these for the meal if I wasn't trying to balance the meal.Broccoli - yummy but I wish they were warm and more tender.

Like most human beings, I often question my purpose in life and why I am really here. After trying 20+ different hobbies over the past few years, I've found the thing that brings me the most joy is trying all the best roasted chicken spots.In my research I've learned that Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and Peruvians are duking it out for the roasted chicken belt, so it wasn't even in my mind that Cauldron Chicken, a Chinese Dao Kou style chicken, would even sniff the top of my list. But here we are.Cauldron Chicken is neck and neck with Casa Adela as my best chicken in New York City. People often talk about "fall off the bone chicken," but this is it. When you pick this chicken up, it quite literally falls apart in your hand. It's the most tender chicken I've ever had. I've never seen anything like this. It's like you think you know basketball and then Steph Curry comes in and starts BOMBING 3s and the game is changed forever.This Dao Kou styled chicken is a 300 year old secret recipe. They could tell you what's in it, but would have to fill you with lead. Although, my research does tell me it's marinated with Chinese spices then put it in a pot to braise.I got a whole chicken, 2 sides, and 2 drinks for $29.99. Honestly a steal for Lower Manhattan as I ended up having the leftovers for dinner as well.The chicken comes with gloves so you don't get your hands dirty and their proprietary chili powder that pairs well. For sides, I got the vegetable fried rice and scallion pancakes, both of which were a HEFTY portion. I thought they would skimp on the sides, but once again I was proven wrong.I love trying different foods because you learn so much about other cultures and parts of the world. It's like traveling even when you can't travel. I had no idea the Chinese could chef up this level of roasted chicken, once again proving how little I know about the world. THANK YOU CAULDRON CHICKEN!IG @jnov_Tiktok @jnov_reviews

Food: The chicken was incredibly moist and flavorful. The pickled cucumbers were a refreshing side dish that complemented the chicken perfectly. Half a chicken was more than enough for two people, making it a great value.Cost: The pricing was reasonable for the quality and quantity of food. Half a chicken and one side is what our order came with.Environment: The restaurant had a simple, no-frills atmosphere. While the food is excellent, the seating is limited, so be prepared for a potential wait.Service: The service was efficient and friendly. The staff was helpful and attentive.Uniqueness: The concept of serving whole chickens with gloves was definitely unique and fun. It was a memorable dining experience. There is also an educational history behind how this chicken is made, especially the preparation required.

The staffs were friendly. Please note there is no bathroom. Be careful with your fluid intake. We had a whole chicken, fried rice and cucumbers- all of which are delicious! Food: 4/5Service: 4/5Ambience: 4/5

As other reviews mention, the chicken is very well cooked. I got the white meat platter and it was quite tender despite breast having a tendency to dry out quickly. The seasoning on the side and onions were a great add.

As its name implies, Cauldron Chicken focuses on one main ingredient, Dao Kou styled chicken, and it does so impressively well. This style of roasted chicken features a 300-year-old recipe and combines a unique blend of spices to make the chicken so savory, tender, and delightfully addicting. Here, you can either get a whole/ parts of the chicken as is or order it as a combo set with other Chinese side dishes. They will provide gloves and a dry spicy dipping sauce to eat the chicken with. The restaurant is small and cozy, but the service is pretty quick.This place has quickly become one of my favorite chicken shops in the city. Come here. You won't regret it!

Came here after seeing a food video. Was expecting it to be good. Was so disappointed. The chicken is pretty much a boiled chicken with no flavor. The little sprinkle of spice is the only thing that gave it any flavor. The cucumber side was not good. The dumpling seems like it's frozen. First time here. I was thinking I will not be back. But I am interested in their fried option. So we"ll see if I come back

This is the perfect chicken dish. Their chicken is fresh, falls off the bone, and flavor-packed. I think about it often. They give you gloves to eat with your hands, but chopsticks are also readily available. Last visit, our group ordered the fried chicken which was well seasoned and crispy. Plus, the cucumber salad is a refreshing add on. You can skip the gyoza. It's good but I'd rather save space to try their other side dishes.Service was good and the interior is nice. There isn't much seating so hope you find a table!

I've been wanting to try Cauldron Chicken for awhile and finally went on a Tuesday for lunch. This spot is basically a hole in the wall and does not have a public restroom. There's about 5-6 tables and you start by ordering at the counter. We went with the full chicken and two sides, scallion pancakes and vegetable fried rice. The fried rice was a bit bland for my personal taste but the scallion pancakes were thin and crispy. The chicken was tender and literally falls off the bone. Perfect for eating with your hands with the lunch lady gloves provided. In terms of taste, the chicken reminds me of a soy braise. The lady from the counter served us and was very friendly. Overall I'd say this is a pretty good spot. I wished they had chili oil and a bathroom though.