Happy Chicks has closed its Northwest Austin chicken-tender shop after less than three years, with the location disappearing quietly in mid-June after its lease expired. The fast-casual chain is still serving tenders, wraps and sauce-heavy sides elsewhere, but one of its newer Austin outposts is now out of the flock.
According to Community Impact, the Research Boulevard restaurant closed in mid-June, and Joshua Bergmark, the company’s director of operations management, confirmed the lease had run its course. The location opened in fall 2023, giving it a roughly two-year-and-eight-month run in Northwest Austin.
Happy Chicks launched the outpost as its third Austin location, with a menu built around crispy chicken tenders, nuggets, sandwiches, wraps and vegan chicken options. The company’s official menu also includes salads, fries, mac and cheese, roasted cream corn and a long lineup of dipping sauces.
Another Lease-Driven Closure Hits North Austin
The shutdown arrives during a busy year for Austin restaurant closures, particularly along North Austin corridors. A July roundup from MySA noted that Chilantro closed its Burnet Road location after failing to reach a new lease agreement, while H-E-B is preparing to close its Research Boulevard store as its lease ends.
Earlier this spring, Hoodline reported that Dimassi’s Mediterranean Buffet also left Northwest Austin after its lease expired. The cases are not identical, but together they show how lease paperwork—not just menus, crowds or competing chicken chains—can decide which familiar storefronts survive.
Happy Chicks is not leaving Austin altogether. Its locations page lists restaurants on East Sixth Street and Burnet Road, along with outposts in Georgetown and Dallas, giving local fans a few remaining places to get their tenders and signature sauces.
