By Philip Conklin

A relatively new restaurant for Lyon Park, Tasty Chicken Box & Lamb at 2716 Washington Boulevard offers Mediterranean/Middle Eastern wraps and meat/rice combination platters. Family-owned and operated, these words from their website make their intent clear: Tasty Chicken Box started with a dream to bring joy to people one bite at a time.

It is primarily a takeout spot while also offering booths and tables inside and cafe tables outside. Chicken Box is a neighbor to local favorites El Charrito el Caminante (Salvadoran/Mexican), Texas Jack’s (bbq), and Troy’s Italian  and fills a “flavor gap” previously filled by Astor Mediterranean. My guess is Chicken “Box” is a play off of current “Bowl” based restaurants. When you order, your meal is layered into a box as you make your choices for mains and toppings.

The core menu is comprised of kabob and shawarma-style meat platters (chicken, lamb, or both) with rice, salad, vegetables, and two sauces (one spicy, one mild, both delicious), and wraps (meat, lettuce, vegetables, and sauces). For vegetarians, there is falafel in platter or wrap form. Plus, there is hummus, tabouli, and stuffed grape leaves (dolmas) to enjoy. Much of the menu can be ordered as family-style combination platters for sharing, or for event catering. 

On the night I dined in, I enjoyed grape leaves and a falafel platter. At the next table, a large group of twenty-somethings was finishing their meal while talking animatedly. When I asked them, “How was the food?”, I got a loud “Delicious!”, followed by, “The chicken is sooo good!” and “The lamb is my favorite.”  Clearly, this was not their first visit, and I felt that they captured the essence of Chicken Box’s appeal. This is a clean (but not corporate slick) neighborhood based fresh fast food restaurant offering a variety of tasty and well portioned options at a reasonable price point.

Beverages offered are bottles and cans of soft drinks. Yelp reviews trend quite favorably. Hours of operation are 10a.m. – 10p.m. M-Th, 10a.m.-2a.m. Fr-Sa, 10a.m.-11p.m. Sun. Phone number: (571) 497-2133. Order through their website (Toast) https://tastychickenbox.com, DoorDash or UberEats. Credit card, Apple Pay/ Google Pay and cash accepted.