Popular Strip’s Chicken opening ‘dive bar’ in Johnson County, with tenderloins, wings
Fans of Todd Johnson’s Strip’s Chicken are wondering how he can fit in a drive-thru at his new Shawnee restaurant, as he did at his other two locations.
But his new Strip’s Chicken & Dive Bar will be a bit different. There’s no drive-thru, but he will have curbside pickup in back, as well as a patio.
He will serve his signature pulled pork (smoked for 13 hours over local pecan wood) and served with his strawberry barbecue sauce, his house-made pork tenderloins with a secret sauce, crispy chicken strips (hand-cut chicken breasts with a pretzel-breading), smoked wings, crispy chicken nuggets, portobello strips, onion strings and french fries.
Most items are house-made and he offers some gluten-free selections. The french fries are the only thing in his freezer, he said.
He put “dive bar” in the name to indicate: “Everyone’s welcome, a lot of people-watching, the decor is not super fancy, come as you are, and a fun place to hang out.”
“And I can bring back menu items that were extremely popular but we couldn’t get out the door in three to five minutes, like the wings,” he said. “I’m really excited to offer some made-from-scratch bar food at this new location.”
The Shawnee kitchen is smaller than his other spots so he won’t have grilled chicken strips, macaroni-and-cheese, pork burgers, hot baby doughnuts or mashed potatoes. But he may offer a pasta dish later.
Johnson owned a craft brewery in Chanute, one of the first modern day craft breweries to be licensed in the state, so he hopes to bring back some of those beers as well as serve some local craft beers on its 25 taps.
It is scheduled to open in mid-July.
He took over the former Blondie’s Corner Club Bar & Grill at 5831 Merriam Drive. It is 15 minutes from his Lenexa home and a “triangle” with his original Olathe restaurant and Waldo locations. He is remodeling the spot — all new equipment, paint, new awnings and sign — so he signed a 20 year lease. It is just west of Interstate 35 and Ikea.
He opened at 1110 E. Santa Fe St., Olathe, in mid-2016, and at 420 W. 85th St. in south Kansas City’s Waldo in early 2021.
