Disco Chicken has new menu items and new ways to enjoy its rooftop in downtown Rockford

Rockford Restaurant Week Spotlight | Disco Chicken

Rockford Restaurant Week runs Jan. 23-Feb. 2, and we’re putting a spotlight on different locally owned establishments to celebrate the occasion. Today we feature Disco Chicken, 212 E. State St., Rockford.

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — Disco Chicken — downtown’s bass-pumping, electronic music-infused creative chicken sandwich spot — added depth to its menu for Rockford Restaurant Week with classic fried chicken pairings and a new way to enjoy its rooftop views year-round.

The 6-month-old restaurant at 212 E. State St. added a house-made macaroni and cheese to its menu to provide another appetizer in addition to its loaded tater tots. It also offers a macaroni and cheese tots, which are crispy tater tots and house macaroni and cheese topped with fried chicken tenders.

“Mac and cheese with fried chicken is always an awesome combo,” said Paul Sletten, who owns the restaurant as well as Abreo and Social in downtown. “It was just a no-brainer to add mac and cheese to our menu and bring it out for Restaurant Week.”

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For those who like their meal with a view, Disco Chicken rolled out a new way to keep its rooftop active late last year. The restaurant added a heated igloo on its third-floor rooftop, which overlooks the News Tower and the Rock River along East State Street.

“It’s no secret that that roof is such a huge part of our identity and why people love coming to Disco,” Sletten said. “We can’t wait until spring. People still want to utilize it, people still want to be up there. The views are amazing, the sunsets are still amazing.”

Disco Chicken is a uniquely situated restaurant with service on three floors, from the first-floor bar and window-facing countertop seating to traditional tabletop seating on the second floor and the third floor rooftop.

“You want to see the view from every floor that we have, including the rooftop — even in winter,” said Krystle Testa, Disco’s general manager.

The restaurant is centered around creative chicken sandwiches such as its hot honey sandwich, which features a honey butter glaze, jalapeno and apple cider slaw.  The Wizard, another specialty, is covered with Korean BBQ sauce and toasted sesame seed and topped with cilantro-cabbage. There’s also loaded tater tots, including the new Nashville hot tots with honey butter and Takis.

If you’re not hungry enough for a whole sandwich, you can get its Disco dogs. The hot dog-inspired sandwich is a chicken tender served on a buttered hoagie roll with Disco sauce, pickles and apple cider slaw.

The restaurant also has a variety of ice cream sandwiches for dessert from the Bad Humor Ice Cream Truck that Sletten also owns. Options include the Bad Camper with torched marshmallow ice cream, Graham cracker, chocolate and blonde cookie or the Crack Sammie, which has bourbon caramel ice cream and chocolate cookie.

New cocktails on the menu for Restaurant Week are a blood orange sparkling margarita, which is billed as a low calorie and light drink, and the Hurricane, which is a fruity rum cocktail.

“We took all the favorites everyone has had and the comments everyone has been making about elevating the menu and just made it happen,” Testa said. “We love the feedback. We love the opportunity to do what we can to give the guests what they want. We love all the new challenges, all the new drinks, all the new excitement and all the new guests that we’re getting.”

Fast facts | Disco Chicken

Here’s a breakdown on what’s being offered for Rockford Restaurant Week and the quick need-to-know information about the restaurant.

What’s the special? The Disco Meal is an appetizer, entree, dessert and drink for $25. You can also get the $15 macaroni and cheese tots, which are crispy tater tots and house macaroni and cheese topped with fried chicken tenders, Disco sauce and pickles. The lunch deal is an $8 Disco dog with tater tots, a $10 three-piece tender with tots or $15 sandwich and tots.

Restaurant Week menu: See it HERE

Location: 212 E. State St., Rockford

Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Opened: July 2024

Owner: Paul Sletten

On the web:  discochicken815.com

Facebook: @discochicken815

Instagram: @discochicken815

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas