Amidst the pulsating energy of both New York City and Las Vegas, Tender Crush brings a new twist on the class chicken tender, filled with flavor, and, of course, crunch. The concept builds off a single menu item from sister restaurant Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer, which has already taken the world by storm.
“Black Tap’s chicken tenders have always been a popular menu item. Tender Crush was first conceived as a potential ghost kitchen concept in its New York City locations during the peak of COVID, but it was put on hold as guests were ultimately allowed to dine in again,” Owner and Co-Founder Julie Mulligan explained the concept. “We were soon after approached by the Rio Hotel & Casino to take the concept to Las Vegas; thus, the New York-centric chicken tender concept was born. Tender Crush in Rio’s Canteen Food Hall opened in January 2024 and has been very well received by hotel guests and local media alike.”
While it may seem hard to believe that an entire restaurant could be built off chicken tenders, you’ll need to taste them to believe it. “Tender Crush takes a menu item that has probably most been enjoyed in a fast-food setting and elevates it from a culinary perspective,” Mulligan told us. “It’s an ode to New York as a melting pot with cultures represented from all over the world. You know about Southern fried chicken and Korean fried chicken, but we’re kind of trying to make New York flavor a thing because it’s the blend of all these different elements that exist in one place that I think makes the city so special.”
Both locations include a variety of “House Hits” with flavors ranging from the mild to the mysterious and tastes like Korean BBQ, Thai Sweet Chili, and Hot Kimchee Dry Rub adding to the mix. Each flavor is dubbed with a Big Apple name, paying homage to the city that brought the concept to life. “New York City is truly a melting pot,” Mulligan said of the flavors. “One can find so much of the world’s offerings right here within the five boroughs – and interesting combinations and mashups. That’s true whether one is talking about culture, food, music and even fried chicken. Tender Crush menu items, ingredients and flavors reflect such diversity.”
A taste of New York can be found in every bite, even at the Las Vegas location—though the menu on the West Coast is every so slightly abbreviated. For the full menu experience, you’ll need to book that trip to NYC. “The Tender Crush design is an ode to authentic New York. It feels a bit like a nostalgic corner store, but also brings in some of the themes of the subway, emblematic of connecting New Yorkers,” Mulligan told us. “The menus are very similar. Three more Tender Crush locations are queued to open in 2025, including one in Terminal 8 at JFK International Airport.”
A visit to Tender Crush is all about the flavor—and the experience with easy ordering that makes the meal perfect for a quick bite or a longer meal. “The fast-casual dining experience at Tender Crush starts with our customer ordering kiosks,” Mulligan said. “Guests can review the entire menu and make their selections via touch screens for their preference of chicken tenders (grilled or fried), the different sauces they want to try, checking out the mouthwatering chicken sandwiches, and also touring all of NYC by going through our side dishes, from Chinatown Broccolini to Park Slope Spicy Kale to Williamsburg Waffle Fries. Furthermore, the restaurant’s design evokes the charm of a classic NYC corner spot with a bar counter offering a subway-style view into the neighboring Black Tap bar. Two featured booths mimic train car seats in the back of an old-school deli, while the pick-up counter and built-in merch displays are reminiscent of a vintage hardware store.”
