Chicken N Pickle comes to metro Phoenix. Here's when its newest location opens

Tiffany Acosta, Arizona Republic
·5 min read
1

Calling all pickleball lovers! Chicken N Pickle, a restaurant and entertainment complex that offers pickleball courts and rotisserie chicken, is about to open its first Arizona location.

The new Chicken N Pickle in Glendale aims to create a fun and inclusive family-friendly atmosphere for all ages and abilities. It has 11 pickleball courts, a wide range of indoor and outdoor games, bars, dining and lounge areas.

Whether you are in a competitive mood, you want to unwind and catch up with friends or are in need of a fun family day, there is something for everyone.

Here is what you can expect at the new Chicken N Pickle location in Glendale.

Go play: 3 new places to have pickleball and arcade fun in metro Phoenix this summer

Who is the founder of Chicken N Pickle?

The concept behind Chicken N Pickle is to provide a family-friendly environment for fun, games and food. Founder Dave Johnson was introduced to pickleball while visiting friends in Phoenix.

“Dave came back to Kansas City and had his team start looking into what it would take to create this pickleball entertainment complex where there was great rotisserie chicken and the game of pickleball,” said Carrie Bartlow, the company's director of marketing.

“He has a favorite chicken restaurant, called Chicken! Chicken! in the Grand Caymans, and so he was combining food that he loved with a sport that he was falling in love with and thus began the first Chicken N Pickle.”

The first Chicken N Pickle location opened in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2016. Today there are Chicken N Pickle locations in eight states.

“He really saw just the social impact of the game,” said CEO Brad Clarke. “So from all ages, all types, not just athletes but socially of what the game meant and really felt like if you could put that in a restaurant environment, it would just create this atmosphere of fun and connection.”

Where is Chicken N Pickle in Glendale?

Chicken N Pickle is at 9330 W. Hanna Lane, Glendale, in the Westgate Entertainment District. The website is chickennpickle.com.

When does the Glendale Chicken N Pickle open?

Chicken N Pickle in Glendale officially opens on Tuesday, Aug. 8. It will be open daily. Here are the hours:

  • 8 a.m.-midnight Mondays-Thursdays.

  • 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.

  • 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays.

What can people expect at Chicken N Pickle?

Chicken N Pickle aims for a cool backyard vibe. There are 11 pickleball courts — six outside and five inside — as well cornhole, Ping-Pong and life-size Battleship games. There's lots of patio seating, lounge chairs and tables.

How much does it cost to play pickleball at Chicken N Pickle?

You can reserve courts and gear at www.reservecnp.com/glendale-az. Open play is offered if courts are available. Here are the prices:

  • Court rental between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays: $30 per hour.

  • Court rental from 5 p.m. to close Mondays-Fridays: $40 per hour.

  • Court rental all day Saturdays and Sundays: $45 per hour.

  • Paddle rental: $4.

  • Pickleball rental: $3.50.

What's on the Chicken N Pickle menu?

Chicken is king, obviously. Rotisserie chicken is served with a flour tortilla, avocado, serrano pepper and your choice of seasonings and sauces. The most popular menu item is NKC Hot Chicken, a classic fried chicken sandwich with your choice of sides.

The menu also includes brunch, shareable plates, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Order from the indoor cashier and then grab a table in one of the indoor or outdoor dining spaces.

“Rotisserie chicken is certainly our anchor. Our food is one of the separating factors of our business. So we are scratch and we are chef-driven menu and people are just blown away that you can order in a fast-casual setting,” Clarke said.

What is pickleball?

Pickleball is a described as a mix of badminton and Ping-Pong, played on a court similar to a tennis court but smaller.

It has ballooned in popularity in recent years due to its simplicity and accessibility. Phoenix even has a professional pickleball team, the AZ Drive, co-owned by Phoenix Sun Devin Booker, former Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald and country music star Dierks Bentley.

“The simplicity of it, it's a paddle with a ball and there's no real training involved with it,” said Clarke. “Literally a beginner can pick up a paddle and a ball and just have fun and the game can be as competitive as you would like it to be."

The equipment used in pickleball includes a perforated plastic ball, similar to a Wiffle ball, and solid paddles. The paddles are larger than Ping-Pong paddles but smaller than tennis racquets.

The rules of pickleball are relatively simple. The game starts with a serve, and the ball must bounce once on the receiving side before a player can hit it back. Once the ball has bounced one time on each side, players can hit it out of the air or play it on the bounce. Games typically go to 11 points, with the winner winning by at least two points.

Ultimate guide to pickleball in Phoenix: Here's everything you need to know to get started

Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com. Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.

Support local journalism and subscribe to azcentral.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Chicken N Pickle's 1st Arizona location: Where and when it opens