Halal hot chicken restaurant now open in Vienna

The Red Bird has landed in Vienna.

The hot chicken chain’s first Northern Virginia franchise is in the midst of a soft opening at 282 Cedar Lane in the Cedar Park Shopping Center, where it has replaced the McDonald’s that closed in 2022. The location is currently open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to Instagram posts.

The restaurant says there are “plans underway for our grand opening extravaganza,” but no date has been set yet. A spokesperson didn’t return a request for comment by press time.

Tariq Diab, who is overseeing The Red Bird’s Northern Virginia operations, previously told FFXnow that free sandwiches will be offered to the first 1,000 guests at the official opening.

Started just last year in Los Angeles, California, The Red Bird has operated pop-ups in Virginia and D.C. in the past, but the Vienna restaurant is its first permanent location in the area. A second franchise is coming to Reston’s South Lakes Village Center, and the company has said leases are in the works in Arlington, Falls Church and Ashburn.

Distinguished by its use of halal food, the chain sells chicken tenders, sandwiches, rice bowls and fries. Spice levels start at mild and top out at “Fck You Cra.” The company says it also makes everything fresh with no preservatives.

Other dining options at Cedar Park include Pizza Boli’s, Hunan Delight, Sushi Koji and Lezzet Restaurant, but The Red Bird is the first addition since America’s Best Wings and Toby’s Homemade Ice Cream opened in 2022. The women-focused gym Starfit Studios also opened earlier this year.

The shopping center will send out 2023 with a free “Noon Year’s Eve” celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31. A noon ballon drop countdown, a pop-up artisan market and vendor fair, DJ music, giveaways and other activities are planned for the event, which is being organized in partnership with Vienna’s economic development office.