Big’s Chicken, the smoked chicken shack that lived fast and died young in its original Northeast Portland location before making it big in Beaverton, will return to the Rose City with a second restaurant less than 10 blocks from the first.

The restaurant, which started life as the Five Napkin Chicken pop-up in the parking lot of Laurelhurst Market, closed in 2017 near the height of its popularity after fire destroyed its Northeast Glisan Street building. After searching for a new location nearby, Your Neighborhood Restaurant Group owners Ben Dyer, Jason Owens, David Kreifels and chef Ben Bettinger took the concept to Beaverton last year, opening a much larger restaurant in the former Beaverton collector’s shop The Peddler’s Pack. It’s been a hit.

Last week, the team began work to transform The Hutch, a former bar on Northeast Glisan Street just 10 blocks down from the original restaurant’s North Tabor neighborhood location, into a new Big’s Chicken. (The Beaverton restaurant remains open). The team, which now includes Bettinger as an equal partner, hopes to open by the summer.

With about 60 seats, roadhouse decor and the same menu as the Beaverton location, the restaurant should look familiar to neighbors who frequented the original before the fire. Expect smoked chicken slathered in Big’s Alabama-style white sauce, JoJos and dirty rice, veggies sides, the cheeseburger that debuted in Beaverton, plus craft beer, cocktails and walls lined with vintage Oregon ephemera from Owens’ personal collection.

When the buildout is complete, Your Neighborhood Restaurant Group will own seven restaurants, including Reverend’s BBQ in Sellwood, Hawaiian restaurant Ate-Oh-Ate and modern steakhouse Laurelhurst Market, where Bettinger remains chef. Their new breakfast and lunch spot, La Luna, recently began hosting pop-ups, wine dinners and other events at night, including a handful of private dinners featuring Laurelhurst Market food. More events are planned.

Look for Big’s Chicken to open this summer at 4606 N.E. Glisan St., diagonally across from Providence Portland Medical Center.