Bawk! by Urban Roots

Bawk! makes hot chicken the center of an R Street meal, with crispy wings over a cornmeal waffle or a plate of chicken beside whipped yams, red beans and rice, and mac and cheese. The room has a bar and an evening crowd, so it can work for dinner as well as a chicken-focused brunch. The Southern sides give the fried chicken more range than a sandwich alone.

Picks from Sacramento News & Review, Sactown Magazine, and Eater SF

Bawk fries chicken to a deep mahogany crust with assertive seasoning and enough structure to stay crisp beside slaw, biscuits and cocktails. Dark and white meat, sandwiches and smaller fried pieces all get their turn. The R Street dining room treats the bird as the center of a flexible meal rather than a single signature sandwich, so an order can go many directions.

Picks from The Sacramento Bee, Sactown Magazine, and Sacramento News & Review

Sacramento News & Review's guide to Black-owned restaurants covers Bawk! by Urban Roots, which folds wings into a wider fried chicken and cocktail program along the R Street Corridor. They join deeply browned bone-in chicken and large sandwiches on a menu that leans into crunch and seasoning, with bar-friendly portions and a full drinks list.

Picks from The Sacramento Bee and Sacramento News & Review