🩺 Dining with Vital Signs: Yardbird Chicago (Gluten- & Dairy-Free Fried Chicken!)
📍 Yardbird
530 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60654
🩺 Chief Complaint
“Craving fried chicken… safely.”
We were in the city with family on Christmas Eve and had a later lunch, but I really wanted to try Yardbird’s famously reviewed fried chicken. Fried chicken is one of those foods people with food allergies are often excluded from, so when I hear there’s a safe option, it immediately goes on my “must evaluate” list.
We had an early reservation at 4:30 PM, which I highly recommend — the restaurant was already busy when we arrived.
🫀 Pulse (First Impression & Flow)
We were greeted immediately at the hostess stand and checked in for our reservation. We were promptly escorted to our table on the third floor, and the view was absolutely stunning — especially on Christmas Eve. You could see both the city outside and the beautiful layered interior of the restaurant.
💡 Accessibility note:
If anyone in your party has difficulty with stairs, let the restaurant know ahead of time. We had a guest with a heart condition who found the stairs challenging. Yardbird does have elevator service — we just didn’t realize it at first.
🌬️ Respirations (Allergy Communication)
When our server arrived with water, I immediately disclosed my gluten and dairy allergies.
✔️ She was calm and confident
✔️ Many gluten-free items were clearly labeled on the menu
✔️ She already knew the fried chicken was gluten- and dairy-free
She was unsure about the waffles being dairy-free, so she did exactly what I love to see — she went to speak with the chef.
She returned to let me know:
The waffles contain dairy
The potatoes also contain dairy
Brussels sprouts were safe
Separate fryers are used for gluten-free chicken
The chicken is not soaked in milk or yogurt (important!)
That transparency matters.
🌡️ Temperature (Food Exam)
I chose to order just the fried chicken, since that’s what I came for. I asked that:
My chicken be clearly marked gluten- and dairy-free
The gluten-free waffle be served on a separate plate for my husband
The server let us know gluten-free chicken takes a little longer — which I’m always happy to wait for.
Before eating (as always), I visited the bathroom to wash my hands — the single most important way to reduce the spread of germs.
🧼 Bathroom check: clean, tidy, well-stocked. ✔️
🩸 Blood Pressure (Stress Test)
Before the food arrived, our server reviewed sauces:
❌ Bourbon maple syrup: potential gluten cross-contact
✅ Hot honey sauce: gluten- & dairy-free
✅ Pure maple syrup available upon request
Clear communication = calm nervous system.
When my plate arrived, it was flagged and came with what appeared to be watermelon.
The portion is huge — half a chicken:
Breast
Thigh
Drumstick
Wing
🍗 Eating Exam (Taste & Texture)
🚨 Tachycardia alert.
The outside: perfectly crispy, crunchy, salty
The inside: incredibly moist and tender
This is the kind of fried chicken that tastes like Sunday-after-church, grandma-made-it-with-love chicken.
The hot honey sauce added the perfect balance of sweetness and heat.
There are very few places where I can safely enjoy fried chicken — and this one delivered.
🧠 Neuro & Social Check
Food is social. Food is celebration.
And too often, people with food allergies are left out of shared meals.
Being able to sit at a table with family on Christmas Eve and safely enjoy something indulgent and familiar? That matters more than most people realize.
Bonus points: excellent music playing throughout the restaurant that night 🎶
🧾 Discharge Summary (Cost & Final Thoughts)
Chicken & waffles: $42
I did not eat the waffle (contains dairy)
We shared the meal and still couldn’t finish everything
Despite the cost, this was worth it — especially for a city dining experience.
💓 Rhythm Rating
Fried Chicken: 💓 Tachycardia
Love it. Would return specifically for this.
Dine safe~happy~healthy!
💓 Rhythm Rating Legend
💓 Tachycardia — Love it, would return for this alone
💗 Sinus Rhythm — Solid, dependable choice
💙 Bradycardia — Meh, wouldn’t rush back
🖤 Flatline — No thank you
