Fuku, the chicken concept David Chang created out of his Momofuku restaurant group, is now open at CityPlace in West Palm Beach. An Instagram post this week announced the opening, framing Fuku's arrival as the New York City chain officially entering the West Palm Beach market and bringing its habanero-brined, Korean-inspired crispy chicken sandwiches to Palm Beach County.
The concept's origin, per the brand, is a late-night meal that Chang's kitchen team prepared for working chefs inside the Momofuku operation. That staff preparation became the foundation for a standalone fast-casual chain built around one defining technique: habanero brine. Heat is applied before the chicken goes into the fryer rather than layered on at service, distributing spice through the meat instead of sitting on the exterior. Loaded waffle fries anchor the rest of the menu alongside the core chicken sandwich.
Fuku has since grown well beyond its New York City origins. Chang built Momofuku into a multi-concept restaurant group in New York; Fuku emerged from that group as the counter-service extension — higher volume, faster format, same kitchen roots. The brand describes itself as nationally recognized, and the Instagram announcement frames the CityPlace opening as Fuku's debut in West Palm Beach, implying Palm Beach County is a new market for the chain.
CityPlace, the mixed-use development in downtown West Palm Beach, is Fuku's stated address. The announcement does not identify the specific suite within the development, the prior tenant at the space, or the new unit's square footage.
No additional South Florida locations have been announced. Whether the Palm Beach County opening leads to further expansion — southward into Broward or Miami-Dade — has not been stated by the operator or the brand.
